BREATHE... Your Body Will Thank You

Whether you are taking a Pilates class, driving on the 101, checking your 401k, or chasing your toddler...... you must BREATHE.

Stop for a second and focus on your breathing. Now look down. See anything moving? Probably not. That's because most people typically take very short, shallow breaths -- the kind that simply come from your chest. This type of shallow breathing may weaken many major systems in the body and make the body more susceptible to chronic and acute diseases of all kinds. Not breathing properly may increase infections, constipation, respiratory illnesses, digestive problems, ulcers, depression, sexual disorders, sleep disorders, fatigue, headaches , poor blood circulation and premature aging.

For you to truly improve lung function, you need to practice taking deep, whole breaths. It should take about 5 seconds to inhale and 7 seconds to exhale. Remember what makes the lungs move? Your diaphragm. That's the muscle that pulls your lungs down, so your lungs expand and you can really circulate oxygen throughout the whole lung. As your diaphragm pulls your chest cavity down and you inhale, your belly button should be moving away from your spine as you fill your lungs. Your chest also will widen -- and maybe even rise ever so slightly -- as you inhale. When your lungs feel fuller than a sumo wrestler's lunchbox, exhale slowly. You can pull your belly button toward your spine to force all the air out of your lungs.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT.....

Here's something to ponder. Breathing Rates & Lifespan.*

A horse / dog breathes greater than 20 times per minute - average lifespan 15-20 years.

A human breathes approximately 12-18 times per minute - average lifespan 70+ years.

A snake/turtle breathes approximately 1-2 times per minute - average lifespan 300-400+ years some up to 1,000!

A Qi Gong master breathes approximately 2-3 times per minute. - Lifespan well longer than an average human.