Back to basics: proper breathing

Breathing. There is nothing more basic to health than proper breathing. There are many things that are out of our control when it comes to our health. We cannot control what is put into our water or on our food but we can optimize out breathing. Breathing is something almost everyone takes for granted. It is a process that our body does automatically but in the case of many people has become dysfunctional and is causing poor health. Most of the patients that I test in my office cannot breath with their diaphragm properly, breath primarily from their mouth, and note they snore at night. These are all signs of poor breathing mechanics. By simply addressing these we can change many processes in the body. By breathing more from the diaphragm we reduce stress hormones and inflammation. By breathing through the nose we increase Nitric Oxide production which is a natural vasodilator important in cardiovascular health and a potent antibacterial agent that kills the germs in the air. 

So how do we optimize breathing? The same way we improve at anything….practice! The first key is working on the mouth breathing. Luckily there are some very simple techniques to clear congestion and retrain nose breathing through the Buteyko Method. Watch the video below on the basic maneuver for clearing the nose and making it easier to be a nose breather. Then check out the article on the Buteyko Breathing Method at Mercola.com. 

The second video is a simple exercise for practicing your diaphragm breathing that can be done anytime. (You can use the shoes to help give you feedback on the proper breathing technique, but once you know what you are doing you won't need them anymore at least not for breathing)

So start retraining your breathing and taking control of your health today!

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