Breathing, is by far our most important bodily function.
When you are capable of breathing fully and consistently, you will go through your days in a more relaxed, stress-free state of mind. Studies have shown that stress is one of the largest contributors to the deterioration of health in our society today. Something as simple as breathing properly can switch this around massively. Knowing how to breathe is absolutely crucial for maintaining vitality and life.
You will need quality air on a continual basis for your entire life in order to stay alive. When we are born, our whole body breathes. If you watch babies closely when they sleep, you will notice that their entire body moves in and out as they inhale and exhale. This is even more noticeable when they are crying. However, with age we get caught up in the rigors of daily life. We begin to think of breathing as something that is accomplished by the lungs, rather than the entire body. Unfortunately, as we watch some of the poor examples around us, we begin to accept that increased shortness of breath and decreased vitality are normal signs of aging. Realize that this theory is false. Respiratory aging is a choice we make when we consciously or unconsciously choose shallow, improper breathing. Therefore, conscious attention to adequate breathing must be considered an integral part of health.
Air quality is also of critical importance. Even the best breathing ever will still lead to dis-ease if the air you breathe is polluted. The more corrosive the pollutants, the faster health declines. It has been found that often the worst air people breathe is in their homes. There are many simple ways to improve your air quality. The most obvious is to pick a region with clean air to live, and build a house with completely non-toxic materials. When this is not entirely possible then remember these things: air filters with ozone, diffusing essential oils, choosing to only use non-toxic products in your home, opening the windows and house plants. Each of these are simple steps to improving your local air quality.
What are the advantages of proper breathing? The most obvious one is the intake of oxygen. However, this is not the only function of respiration. As the diaphragm moves up and down for breathing, it creates a pumping action below in the digestive system, much like a plunger, which helps us to digest our food better. As a result of proper breathing, our intestines will work more effectively. Developing a sound technique is also excellent for symptoms like fatigue, muscle soreness, anxiety, neurological problems, including headaches, and all sorts of respiratory problems.
It is easy to begin to remember how to breathe fully. There are three simple breathing techniques available on my website: alternate nostril breathing, rhythmic breathing, and deep circle yoga breathing. Each one of them is designed to do something different. With conscious effort and practice, consistent, full breathing will become completely natural. Your body will once again remember what it was like when you were a child to breathe three-dimensionally, completely, and totally with every breath. By simultaneously increasing your awareness of the body’s respiratory system and by providing step-by-step solutions to more resourceful breathing patterns, you will be able to move into peak vitality with greater ease.
