Breathing—the key to a healthy life!

March 7, 2010 By marie Leave a Comment

It is not out of necessity that we humans breathe. We need the right amount of oxygen for us to be able to live. At some point, instead of breathing clean and fresh air, we breathe in the harmful pollution that surrounds our environment everyday.

Breathing gives us some health benefits .Well, taking a few deep breaths can be very relaxing not only to our lungs but to our whole body. It can relieve us from everyday stress and lets us handle situations more calmly and with a clear head.

As you may have noticed, when people get stressed or mad, they take in short quick breaths. Why? It is said that it makes us feel relaxed and comfortable at the same time and perhaps, makes us think clearer because of the opening up of all the veins and air passages in the body.

Deep breathing also has its own benefits in relieving stress. Deep breathing is the cornerstone of several breathing relaxation remedies for stress.

Practice deep breathing by sitting comfortably with your back on a full stretch. Put one hand on your chest and one hand on your stomach and try Breathing through your nose.  The hand that is on placed on your stomach should rise and the one on your chest should move very little.

Exhale through the mouth, making sure that you are releasing as much air as possible contracting the abdominal muscles. While exhaling, the hand on your stomach should move in and still, the hand on your chest should only move a little.

To be able to obtain satisfying results with your breathing exercise, try doing this exercise with counts. It usually works because you are distracted by the breathe-in-breathe-out process and you will be able to concentrate in breathing thus, keeping you relaxed and at the same time, keeps your body, specifically your respiratory system healthy.

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Breathe well while working out

August 26, 2009 By marie Leave a Comment

yoga11Ever felt like you are going through too much fatigue and that you have over exerted your efforts during a work out session? This is not because you have done too much. It could be because you are not breathing well.

Starting your exercise with proper breathing is important. If not, you will just end up panting like a dog on a hot day throughout the whole exercise. Not only that but you will not be able to accomplish the right amount of exercise in one session properly.

One of the most common errors that you people usually make is that they do not breathe correctly while doing their exercises. Breathing incorrectly during work out sessions can cause high blood pressure. This is why most people can not get the most of their workouts and actually end up feeling so tired after every session. Here are some tips to help you avoid fatigue after your exercises through proper breathing:

When you are doing a particular exercise, identify which parts make you exert the most efforts. When you reach that part, breathe out. For example, if you are doing sit ups it is best to breathe out every time you lift your body from the floor.

It is important that you should never try to hold your breath while exercising. People often make the mistake of holding their breath especially when it comes to weight lifting. Holding your breath can make you feel dizzy and can lead to fatigue. It can also lead to high blood pressure. When you exercise it is important that your muscles get enough oxygen.

During the rest part of the exercise, breathe. If you are doing more dynamic exercises, then you should be doing fast paced rhythms when it comes to your breathing. Doing controlled exercises like Yoga and Pilates allows you to do fuller and slower breaths.

Proper breathing while conducting your exercises makes the whole work out session less strenuous and gives you the energy to actually do even more. Knowing how to exercise correctly with the right diet is the best way to get closer to your goals.

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Holistic Living through Breathing

August 9, 2009 By marie Leave a Comment

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Alternative healing is a well known method of therapeutic techniques nowadays. One of which is the economical yet effective method of healing – Breathing and Holistic Living. You do not need to be familiar with the medical world to practice and experience living a holistic life.

Another practice is giving attention to your breathing. There are so many ways how to improve and develop healing in terms of your breathing. One of this is tatwa breathing which is also known as “Elemental Breathing”. One can start four short breaths and ends with a long breath. This composes five breaths. To complete the practice, repeat the procedure for five times. All breaths must be done without stopping in between the breathing procedure. Our bodies is composed of five tatwas namely – Earth, water, fire, air, and space. These elements must be balanced in order for you to achieve wellness in your body. This procedure is so practical because you do not need expensive gadgets or apparatus to experience inner healing.

This is one of the simplest ways to have a positive response and outlook in life. It does not cost a thing - all you need is a good attitude and outlook in life. This is more effective for people who do not have enough time to go the gym or have a regular check-up by a doctor because of their hectic schedules. Holistic is the best and safest way to stay healthy even without exercise.

Holistic living simply means having harmony and positive response in the creation and everything that surrounds you. In practicing this method, you will have a sharper mental state that produces wellness inside your body.

Smiling is one practice of Holistic Living. It’s the simplest way to be healed and it does not cost you a single cent. It is clinically tested and proven that smiling can cause someone to have a positive outlook in life and therefore aides in the healing process of our body. A smile a day can keep the doctor away so better smile.

Five to ten minutes of holistic therapies would be enough to relieve your stress for the day. You can do this before you go to your workplace or school. This will help you to be more productive and be able to be at ease in whatever you are doing.

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Breathing and Holistic Living

August 3, 2009 By marie Leave a Comment

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Holistic living is turning out to be the newest and most practical craze of the health industry. Luckily you do not need a degree from a well known University to know what it takes to live a holistic life.

Living a holistic life simply means that you are enjoying positive health and wellness through natural remedies. Applying holistic remedies can give you a sharper and more alert mental state, give you more positive emotions like zest, love and joy and be more spiritually aware.

One way to bring out positivity is to give attention to your breathing. There are a lot of practices wherein you are to apply conscious breathing to create balance in your life. One of these practices is tatwa breathing.

Based on the fact that out body is made of the five elements – earth, fire, air, water and ether – Tatwa breathing is more known as elemental breathing can help bring about balance, in this practice; you start by taking a couple of deep breaths. Then take four short breaths and end it with one long breath. Repeat for five times. Take note that your breaths should be connected without any stopping in between. All in all it will take less than a minute or two to practice.

Having balance between the five elements within the body can help you experience wellness. This practice is very simple to do and you do not have to spend anything to do it. You can do it anytime and anywhere in any position. And what’s more is that nobody will be aware that you are practicing it.

Five to ten minutes of this practice and meditation can be refreshing during a hectic day. You can make it a habit to do this before lunch or before you start a meeting. This helps increase your work quality and productivity with less effort and ease.

Practicing Tatwa breathing every time you feel any signs of negativity drawing near can help you control stress and go through the day with a positive outlook in life.

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Breathe and Be Strong with Qigong

August 1, 2009 By marie Leave a Comment

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3,000 years ago, as people in ancient China struggled to survive; they realized that they were able to breathe fully and more deeply through the help of meditation and specific movements. Thus was the birth of the art of Qigong.

Qi is a Chinese character that means “air” while Gong means “great effort”. Practitioners of Qigong are working to help their patients have a healthier balance of body, spirit and mind that is essential for an energetic and healthier lifestyle

Qigong is a natural method in which you try to hold in balance two polar extremes of the human condition – the Yin and the Yang. Practitioners believe that any disruption of balance between Yin and Yang causes all kinds of disruptions such as sickness.

By exercising your body, maintaining good posture and relaxing your mind, balance is obtained. Those who practice Qigong massage themselves as they exercise their limbs and practice breathing properly by making long and slow inhales through their noses and slow exhales through their mouths.

If you practice Soft Qigong, you will be concentrating more on meditation and low impact exercises that are designed for posture and  alignment. This type of Qigong is the best for beginners and for those who have limited motion of their arms and legs.

Hard Qigong involves a higher impact and martial arts like exercises that strengthens your body and are designed to help you ward off attacks. This is why most martial arts use Qigong as its basis.

Today there are over 200 forms of Qigong practiced all over the world.

Qigong is found to improve mental concentration and improve the functions of your body. In fact, Qigong has been used as part of the medical routine in most Chinese hospitals since 1989 due to its health benefits.

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VICTORY BREATH

July 3, 2009 By marie Leave a Comment

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In yoga, breathing is considered to be the foundation of all life and that it sustains the connection between your body and your spirit. Breathing is also an indicator of health and mood.

Victory Breath or Ujayii breathing is a yoga exercise that makes your breathing sound like the ocean. Practicing this has a calming effect on the central nervous system which helps increase mental alertness and clarity – making the exercise very effective to those who are suffering from anxiety and depression. The exercise also builds heat in the body and promotes a sense of calmness in the mind.

Here are steps to doing the Victory Breath exercise:

  • Inhale through your nostrils while constricting your back throat so that the breath will make a soft yet audible sound. Think of ocean waves rolling over the shore.
  • Exhale also through your nostrils while pulling your belly towards your spine. Empty your lungs completely and begin again.
  • Continue to keep on breathing deeply and allow your belly, ribcage, and the upper chest to expand with each inhalation. Make sure that you breathe audibly. And remember that your breath should sound hollow like the ocean.

The exercise is called Victory Breath since it gives you strength and power. This exercise can be challenging to the lungs which at the same time challenges them to work harder.

If you have asthma however, be careful with this breathing exercise. People with bronchitis, sinus or lung infection should avoid doing this exercise until they have been full recovered.

So if you ever want to pull out from your busy schedule and want to have a chance to cool down – even from your cubicle, breathe. Through practicing Victory Breath, you can manage your emotions, gain clarity and take greater control of you life.

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Deep Breathing for Weight Loss

June 29, 2009 By marie Leave a Comment

Time for relaxBreathing might be second nature to us but a lot of people do not know how to practice deep breathing. This is because when we breathe, we do it unconsciously and it results to shallow breathing. Deep breathing makes us more aware of our bodies then this allows us to focus in the steps we need to take to make our bodies the shape and size we want them to be.

Deep breathing for weight loss is possible. Just like food, oxygen is considered as fuel for the body. Plus oxygen has no calories. So breathing well can provide you a sense of satisfaction without the calories that come along with the food. Regular deep breathing helps increase the metabolism which will help you burn more calories and effectively utilize the food to provide you more energy. That increased energy can increase your ability to exercise and reduce weight.

Deep breathing can also assist your body when it comes to fat burning. This is because deep breathing changes the way that oxygen is delivered throughout the body which creates a change in the way that the body works – including improved fat burning. When deep breathing is done to minimize stress, the fat burning abilities of the body increases because the stress factor goes down.

One example of a breathing exercise is done while lying down totally flat on your bed, couch or floor. Allow yourself to relax for a second or two before taking a deep breath. Take a deep breath through your nose while pushing your belly up. Stick your chin on your chest to watch your belly rise. Once you’ve got as much air as you can hold, stop and hold your breath for twenty seconds – You will be able to feel your lungs stretching out. Practice doing this for 5 minutes regularly and you will be able to feel relaxed and refreshed with that extra oxygen that you gifted your body with.

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Floating Therapy

June 29, 2009 By marie Leave a Comment

clouds_floating_massageStress is a normal part of our life that we have to deal with whether we want to or not. But even as a passive thing it is still hard to find a way to wind down and relax. Floatation therapy is one way to get some time out and give you relaxation.

Floatation therapy works by you floating on a floatation tank that’s filled with a very dense salt water mixture. The water in the tank is 25 cm deep. With a very high concentration of Epsom salts, the mixture makes it impossible for you to sink so you can float effortlessly.

The floatation tank is usually placed in a room with its own bathroom facilities. You are required to shower before entering the tank and then shower again after you float to remove the salt mixture. Most people do not wear anything when they float which makes it a very private experience. But you are also allowed to wear a swimsuit if you prefer to do so.

The tank has a hatch that allows you to chose if you want to float in darkness by closing the hatch or to leave it open. Some spas also give you the option of floating in silence, with soft and gentle music or with a self-hypnosis audio playing in the background.

When you float, your body instantly relaxes since the external stimuli to your senses are reduced. And since the water in the floatation tank is at skin temperature, the boundary between your body and air and water will be hard to distinguish.

Research has shown that this type of therapy has a number of physical effects on the body. The heart rate and breathing slows. The reduction in gravity causes the muscles to relax and decreases electrical activity in the muscles which allows them to release tension. The blood flow to the muscles also improves. All these factors can lead to faster healing. They also help reduce cardiovascular problems, pain, stress, depression, sleeping problems and fatigue.

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DON’T PANIC – BREATHE!

June 19, 2009 By marie Leave a Comment

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The way you breathe can be a symptom for stress and other anxieties. Learning how to breathe better can help calm and relieve you from panic disorders. The art of breathing usually requires practice, patience and diligence.

Rapid, shallow breathing is a common indication that something is wrong. They mostly happen to people who are under a lot of stress and also for those who have panic attacks. In rapid breathing, the breath you take is quick and short with very little time in between breaths and many breaths are taken in a second.

People who experience panic attacks usually make the mistake of holding their breath which causes the carbon dioxide levels to drop which eventually leads to hyperventilation.

It helps to practice breathing exercises to help calm you down compared to just using them when your panic attack arises. This is because in times of panic, it is very hard to think straight. It does not take much time and space either. You may find that breathing exercises are very easy to do. Five to ten minutes of your time each day is enough for this exercise.

Here is one example. What you need to do is to increase your habit of taking deeper and slower breaths. You have to breathe in slowly and deeply through your nose and then breathe out through the mouth slowly. When you do this for the first time expect to feel a little bit light headed. This is because your body is not used to receiving so much oxygen.

Practicing breathing exercises like this regularly makes proper breathing a second nature to you and allows you to use it properly when the time comes instead of ending up hyperventilating.

Remember, in times of panic – focus and concentrate on your breath. This can help you get better, be more confident and give you more control.

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Breathe to Relieve Stress

June 12, 2009 By marie Leave a Comment

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Breathing comes naturally to us without much effort. When you breathe in air, your blood cells receive oxygen which allows them to release carbon dioxide. Carbon dioxide is considered as a waste product in your body and must be exhaled. If you breathe improperly, it can upset the oxygen and carbon dioxide exchange and can cause anxiety, panic attacks, fatigue and other disturbances that can affect you physically and emotionally.

Breathing exercises can help you breathe properly and are considered to be one of the best stress relief strategies for the reasons that they can be done anywhere, they work quickly, they can be used anytime and that you do not have to spend a single cent to do them.

One good benefit of practicing breathing exercises is that it can reverse your stress response, helping you avoid chronic stress. Breathing therapy has been successfully applied to conditions like hyperventilation, headache, fatigue, sleeping problems, anxiety and phobia, tension, heart disease, panic disorder and depression. Breathing exercises are now considered to be an effective part of treatments these days.

A simple example of a breathing exercise is Visualization breathing. This is done by breathing deeply through the nose and holding your breath up to 5 seconds. While holding your breath, imagine all the stress building up in your lungs. Then release your breath slowly as you exhale and imagine the stress getting out. Repeat the process until you feel entirely relaxed.

Breathing exercises can be used when you are feeling stressed and you want to clear your mind or calm down quickly, when you want to release the tensions in your body and when you’re feeling frustrated.

But breathing exercises can not solve all your problems. It simply relieves you from overreacting to stressful situations that you may encounter

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