Authentic Breathing® Resources LLC
Natural Breathing For Health, Well-Being, Longevity, and Self-Realization
Authentic Breathing® Resources LLCNatural Breathing For Health, Well-Being, Longevity, and Self-Realization
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Please note that the breathing tips, information, suggestions, and research described herein are intended to be purely educational. They are not intended to replace the services and advice of your physician. Though the breathing tips described here, which relate to numerous health issues (from stress and anxiety, to hypertension and high blood pressure, to asthma and other respiratory problems, to heart disease) are very safe, anyone with a serious medical problem, or a potential problem, should consult her or his physician before experimenting with them. Please Make a Donation Though this information is free, If you feel that the tips and research listed on this page are helpful to you, we hope you will consider making a donation, however small, to help defray the costs of keeping this page available and current. Just click on the "Click to Pay" link below to safely make a donation through Amazon.com using your credit card. Thank you.
For more tips, insights, research, and practices, take a look at Dennis Lewis' book Free Your Breath, Free Your Life (Shambhala Publications) a book that acclaimed MD Christiane Northrup calls "the most compelling and complete book on breathing I've ever read," and business guru Tom Peters calls "brilliant."
Free Breathing TestsIs the way that you breathe making you sick, stealing your energy, hampering your productivity, or shortening your life? If you have not already done so, we suggest that you take the free breathing tests offered by our colleague and friend Mike White. There are two tests available: one that takes about 5 minutes, and one that takes 15 minutes. Mike has spent an enormous amount of time over the past several years developing these tests and compiling statistics that show just how pertinent they are. Just click here to learn how well you breathe, and what actions you may need to take to improve your breathing.
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Deep Breathing, Menopause, Hot FlashesResearch in a variety of fields has shown that breathing deeply can improve our health in many ways. Now comes evidence that deep breathing can help women who experience hot flashes during menopause. In an article by Carol Krucoff in The Washington Post (August 18, 1998, page Z16), for instance, Robert Freedman, a professor of psychiatry and behavioral neurosciences in the School of Medicine at Wayne State University in Detroit, points out that studies show that the frequency of hot flashes can be reduced by about 50 percent through slow, deep breathing. According to the article, women going through menopause who use belly breathing and slow down their respiratory rate (to seven or eight cycles of inhalation and exhalation a minute) at the onset of a hot flash can apparently either "abort" it or "reduce its severity."
Breathing, Ultradian Rhythms, and HeadachesThose readers who have observed their breathing for any length of time have probably noticed that, in general, air does not move through the nasal passages equally at the same time. Usually when the left nostril is more open, the right one is more congested and vice versa. This occurs because the flow of blood shifts back and forth between the nostrils in a rhythm that takes approximately one and a half to two hours. This "ultradian rhythm," long observed by medical science, is related to the functioning of the brain hemispheres and can play an important role in healing. When the left nostril is more open, the right hemisphere of the brain is generally more dominant; when the right nostril is more open, the left hemisphere is generally more dominant. You can make use of this fact for your own well-being. You can, for example, intentionally open a nostril that is more congested and thus make the other hemisphere more active by lying down on your side with the congested nostril above and continuing to breathe through the nose. If you are feeling out of sorts or have a headache, trying this experiment for 15 or 20 minutes can often bring relief.
Breathing, Hyperventilation & AnxietyAs we begin to learn how to observe our breathing, many of us may notice that even at rest our breathing is faster than the "average" rate of 12 to 14 times a minute (a rate which is already faster than it needs to be). In fact, many of us, without knowing it, habitually "hyperventilate"--that is, we take quick, shallow breaths from the top of our chest. This kind of breathing sharply reduces the level of carbon dioxide in our blood. This reduced level of carbon dioxide causes the arteries, including the carotid artery going to the brain, to constrict, thus reducing the flow of blood throughout the body. When this occurs, no matter how much oxygen we may breathe into our lungs, our brain and body will experience a shortage of oxygen. The lack of oxygen switches on the sympathetic nervous system--our "fight or flight reflex"--which makes us tense, anxious, and irritable. Such breathing also reduces our ability to think clearly, and tends to put us at the mercy of obsessive thoughts and images. Some researchers believe that hyperventilation can actually magnify our psychological problems and conflicts, and that chronic hyperventilation is intimately bound up with our anxieties, apprehensions, and fears. The key to slowing down our breathing is not to try to slow it down, but rather to learn how to breathe more deeply, using our diaphragm, belly, rib cage, and lower back in the breathing process. See The Tao of Natural Breathing for more information.
Diaphragmatic Breathing Can Help Your HeartRecent research seems to show that there is a relationship between upper chest breathing and heart attacks. According to Donna Farhi in her recently published book The Breathing Book (Owl Books, p. 59), patients who had experienced a heart attack were later taught how to integrate diaphragmatic breathing into their daily lives. "In doing so," says Farhi, "they significantly reduced their chances of having a second heart attack. Another study showed that all 153 patients of a coronary unit breathed predominantly in their chests." By learning deep, diaphragmatic breathing we can apparently help our heart.
Relaxing Your Face Muscles for Deeper Breathing & More EnergyThose of us whose work requires extreme visual concentration (and the list is a long one, especially in this age of computer technology) can improve our work and increase our energy by making sure that our face muscles are relaxed and by looking away frequently from the work we are doing. This will help our breathing. When our face muscles become tense and our eyes lock onto anything too long, diaphragmatic movement during breathing decreases. This makes our breathing more shallow and means that we're taking in less oxygen. What's more, this shallow breathing decreases the lymph flow in our body thus reducing the effectiveness of our immune system. So be sure you check your face muscles every 15 minutes or so to see if they're tense. And be sure to let your eyes move frequently. If for some reason your work does not allow you to look away, then at least use your peripheral vision. This will help relax your diaphragm and improve your breathing.
Conscious Breathing For Reducing Stress & PainYogis, chi kung practitioners, meditators, and alternative health practitioners have known for a long time that conscious breathing can help reduce stress, increase relaxation, and decrease pain. In her new book Molecules of Emotion, famed neuroscientist Candace Pert tells us that bringing our attention to our breathing during meditation brings many such benefits. Such mindful breathing helps us "enter the mind-body conversation without judgments or opinions, releasing peptide molecules from the hindbrain to regulate breathing while unifying all systems." The key here, it seems, is simply to be present to our breathing, using our inner attention to follow our inhalations and exhalations as they take place by themselves. So if you want to increase relaxation and reduce stress and pain, try sitting quietly each day for at least several minutes and simply follow your breathing with your attention.
Deep Breathing Can Improve FitnessIn a study published in the May 2, 1998, issue of The Lancet, researchers working with cardiac patients at the University of Pavia, Italy, have established an optimum healthy breath rate of 6 breaths a minute. When you consider that the average resting breath rate is 12-14 times a minute, this represents a substantial reduction in breath rate. Patients who learned to slow down their breathing through special deep breathing exercises ended up with higher levels of blood oxygen and were able to perform better on exercise tests. According to the report, low blood oxygen, which is common in cardiac patients, "may impair skeletal muscle and metabolic function, and lead to muscle atrophy and exercise intolerance." The authors of the study conclude that their findings support other research "that report beneficial effects of training respiratory muscles and decreasing respiratory work in (cardiac heart failure patients), or physical training in general."
The Importance of Breathing Through Your NoseExcept for emergencies, our breathing was designed to take place mainly through our nose. When we breathe through our nose, the hairs that line our nostrils filter out particles of dust and dirt that can be injurious to our lungs. If too many particles accumulate on the membranes of the nose, we automatically secret mucus to trap them or sneeze to expel them. The mucous membranes of our septum, which divides the nose into two cavities, further prepare the air for our lungs by warming and humidifying it. There is another important reason for breathing through the nose. This has to do with maintaining the correct balance of oxygen and carbon dioxide in our blood. When we breathe through our mouth we usually inhale and exhale air quickly in large volumes. This often leads to a kind of hyperventilation (breathing excessively fast for the actual conditions in which we find ourselves). It is important to recognize that it is the amount of carbon dioxide in our blood that generally regulates our breathing. Research has shown that if we release carbon dioxide too quickly, the arteries and vessels carrying blood to our cells constrict and the oxygen in our blood is unable to reach the cells in sufficient quantity. This includes the carotid arteries which carry blood (and oxygen) to the brain. The lack of sufficient oxygen going to the cells of the brain can turn on our sympathetic nervous system, our "fight or flight" response, and make us tense, anxious, irritable, and depressed. So remember, when possible, to breathe through your nose.
Laughter, Breath, and HealingWe have known for a long time that laughter can help us heal. Norman Cousins has written extensively on this subject. Recent research has shown that laughter reduces at least four hormones associated with stress. In fact, laughter is one of the most powerful stress-reducing tools we have at our disposal. Laughter also helps increase the level of immunoglobulin A, which helps protect us from flu and cold viruses, as well as upper respiratory problems. Laughter, especially a good belly laugh, is also a good source of cardiac exercise and promotes better breathing. It strengthens the breathing muscles in a natural way, and makes them more supple. It also helps clear the lungs of old air. Dennis Lewis speaks sometimes of some of the workshops he had with Taoist master Mantak Chia, who, as an exercise, frequently got the whole class laughing for 10-15 minutes at a time. After such experiences the students all felt not only invigorated, but also relaxed, their breathing slower and fuller. Try it sometimes with your friends. Sit together in a room and start making funny faces at one another. It won't take long before you all find yourselves immersed in deep belly laughter. A few minutes of such laughter every day may well help your breathing, support your health, and lengthen your life.
Boomeritis & BreathingAccording to an article by Karen Asp published in HealthGate, The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons and The Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine are launching an educational campaign to warn baby boomers (those people born between 1946 and 1964) about the fast-increasing number of sports-related injuries occurring to people in this age group. Between 1991 and 1998 there has been a 33% increase in baby boomers ending up in the emergency room. The average medical cost per year for treating these injuries in now more than $18 billion. There are apparently many factors involved in this increase. Chief among them is the growing recognition by baby boomers of the importance of exercise for a long, healthy life. A second important factor is that baby boomers don't always recognize the physical changes that have taken place in their bodies through the years and often try to do things with the same intensity that they did when they were much younger. The article makes a number of recommendations to help with this growing problem, including getting a basic checkup, undertaking a balanced exercise regime, warming up and stretching before any workout, getting rid of the "warrior attitude," taking lessons, using the right equipment, increasing your exercise level in 10% increments, adding new exercises in a cautious way, learning to listen to your body, and getting professional help for any injuries. For my own part, I would like to stress the importance of learning how to listen to your body, and would make these related suggestions. First, learn to listen to your breathing. Your breathing will tell you when you have, so to speak, gone overboard. If possible, do only as much as you can do while breathing through your nose (of course, this may not apply to swimmers). In many instances, this will slow you down a bit and help ensure that you are not doing more than you are realistically capable of. Second, learn how to breathe more from your belly. This will help keep you relaxed and moving from your center of gravity. Most problems occur when we lose our overall sense of balance and put too much stress on one part of ourselves. Learning how to breathe from your belly will put you more in the center of yourself and enable you to sense and feel when you are doing too much.
Lung Function May Predict
Early Death or Long Life
A nearly 30-year follow-up study by researchers at the University of Buffalo of the relationship between impaired pulmonary function and all causes of mortality shows that how well our lungs function may well predict how long we live. This study, which appeared in the September 2000 issue of Chest, showed that the risk of death was increased not just for people with poor lung function but also those with moderate lung function. The bottom line seems to be: the healthier your lungs and the better you breathe the longer you will live.
Nasal Strips Don't Boost
Athletic Performance
A report in the August 2000
issue of Medicine & Science in Sports and Medicine (2000;32:1491-1495)
maintains that whereas nasal dilators do seem to help people who have breathing
problems during sleep, they boost neither oxygen intake nor athletic performance
for people during waking hours.
Indoor Air Can Cause
Breathing Problems
According to green Living
House and Home, though most of us blame air pollution on industrial emissions,
automobiles, and so on, the air we breathe indoors, where most of us spend 89-90
percent of our time, is often filled with even higher levels of unhealthy
chemicals and particles. The best approach to improve the quality of your indoor
air is to eliminate, as much as possible, cigarette smoke, mold, mildew, old
carpets, burning candles, and even pressed wood cabinets. If you live in a city
that does not have unhealthy ozone levels, make sure you open your windows to
allow fresh air to enter. If you use air filters, be sure they are not clogged
and are operating properly. Though some people use ozone generators to break
down harmful gases and bacteria, ozone itself is a lung irritant and can also
create harmful chemicals. Negative ion generators, though they do offer many
benefits, are not particularly useful for eliminating dust and other particles
from the air, since they charge the particles in the air and these particles are
then attracted to any walls or other surfaces in the room, including the walls
of our lungs.http://www.emagazine.com/november-december_2000/1100gl_home.html.
Overweight People
Over Diagnosed with AsthmaAccording to a study that
appeared recently in Thorax, people who are obese are probably being over
diagnosed as having asthma, while thin people are probably not being diagnosed
with it enough. In this study, 2000 adults between the ages of 17 and 73 were
investigated. Once all confusing factors were eliminated, the results showed
that while obese people were twice as likely to be diagnosed with asthma, they
were not twice as likely to have overly responsive airways, which is a common
sign of asthma. Obese people were more likely to be short of breath than people
of normal weight, but various lung function measurements were no different.
Those who were underweight, however, were more likely not only to be short of
breath, but also to have reduced lung functionality and increased airway
responsiveness. The researchers concluded that the wheezing and shortness of
breath reported more frequently by obese people were often just the result of
"the increased effort" required to breathe for overweight people.
Nose Breathing Can Improve Performance, Stamina, Focus, and CoordinationIn her wonderful book The Fitness Instinct, Peg Jordan, a registered nurse and founder of American Fitness Magazine, recounts the story of John Douillard, an Ayurvedic physical therapist who worked with tennis stars like Martina Navratilova. Douillard had to convince them to bring their workout "intensity down to level where they could breathe through their noses." Though they resisted this at first, Douillard was able to convince them through a battery of sports tests that training in this way "actually improved their performance, stamina, focus, and coordination." Jordan writes: "Douillard knew that breathing through the mouth tends to inflate only the upper lobes of the lungs, which are connected to sympathetic nerve fibers, the branch of the nervous system that activates the flight-or-flight fear response. ... When you switch to nose breathing, you inflate the entire lung, including the lower lobes, which are connected to the parasympathetic branch of the nervous system, the branch that calms the body, slows the heart rate, relaxes, and soothes. Through proper nose breathing, you employ both branches of the nervous system. At times the foot is on the brake; at times, it is on the gas. The back-and-forth fluctuation is a balancing act that your body intrinsically knows how to do and that your mind appreciates."
Pain, Stress, & Deep BreathingThough medical researchers have been slow to investigate the intimate relationship that exists between stress, pain, immune function, and illness, there is growing evidence that stress and pain reduce immune system functioning and result in increased illness. In a study reported in the May 2001 issue of the Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine, for instance, researchers from the University of Iowa and University of Florida found that short-term immune changes associated with root canal treatments were linked with cold symptoms after the procedure. Those people who had reported especially high levels of pain and stress were apparently the ones most likely to become sick later. Henrietta L. Logan, the study's principal investigator, who serves as director of the UF College of Dentistry division of public health and research, said "We now need more research on nonpharmacological interventions prior to these procedures that will help lessen patients' stress and anxiety and improve recovery." Among the interventions she suggested were "relaxation and deep breathing." Commentary by Dennis LewisIt never ceases to amaze me how long it takes the medical community to "discover" what many of us in the alternative health field have known for so many years--excessive stress, anxiety, and pain (and the various negative emotions associated with them) are in general not good for our health. Yes, indeed, relaxation and healthy, natural breathing can help. Unfortunately, many of our doctors know little or nothing about these important "interventions," and so can do little or nothing to educate their patients about them.
Breathing Tips for a More-Effective Aerobic WorkoutWould you like to get more health benefits from your aerobic workout? Would you like to burn more fat during your workout? Would you like to reduce exercise-related fatigue and injury? Would you like to increase your endurance and stamina? Would you like your workout to help improve your breathing? If your answer is "yes" to any or all of these questions, then there is one simple thing you can do: don't let yourself become "breathless" during your workout. When we become breathless, we undermine our breathing coordination, burn sugar instead of fat for fuel, and become tight and tense (which can promote injury). The simplest way to know whether you are exercising too intensely and becoming breathless is to try to speak several sentences out loud while you're working out. If you can't do it without gasping for breath, then your workout is no longer "aerobic"--it is, or is about to become, "anaerobic," which means that it is proceeding without oxygen and you are no longer burning fat for fuel. A simple way to ensure that you are working out at a level that will not make you breathless is to inhale and exhale only through your nose. If you try this you will quickly discover, especially at the beginning, that you will have to work at a less intense rate during your workout. Gradually, however, your breathing coordination will improve and you will be able to do more and progress more rapidly. Another way is to use your pulse rate as a guide. In his book "The Portable Personal Trainer," Eric Harr suggests that we subtract our age from 180 to determine the upper limit of our pulse rate during exercise. The key is to stay below this number. He also suggests using a "heart-rate monitor" to ensure that we don't go above this number. He does point out, however, that because of individual differences this number may not be accurate. For myself, I do only as much as I can do while breathing through my nose, use a heart-rate monitor, and check occasionally to be sure that I can speak a few sentences while working out. At the beginning, breathing only through my nose seemed to slow me down quite a bit, but after only a few weeks I found that I could progress much more rapidly than I was able to when I allowed myself to become breathless during the workout.
Free Breathing TestsIs the way that you breathe making you sick, stealing your energy, hampering your productivity, or shortening your life? If you have not already done so, we suggest that you take the free breathing tests offered by our colleague and friend Mike White. There are two tests available: one that takes about 5 minutes, and one that takes 15 minutes. Mike has spent an enormous amount of time over the past several years developing these tests and compiling statistics that show just how pertinent they are. Just click here to learn how well you breathe, and what actions you may need to take to improve your breathing.
Exercise & AsthmaRecent studies have shown that the number of asthma sufferers worldwide is on the increase. Though many people in the medical profession believe that asthma attacks take place when the bronchial airways narrow as a result of inflammation, there are some researchers (Buteyko, among others) who have shown that this narrowing can also take place as a result of faulty breathing--for example chronic hyperventilation, in which too much carbon dioxide is lost too quickly. In any event, the attacks are frequently accompanied by muscle spasms and mucus secretions. What many people do not realize is that asthma can develop at any age, from childhood well into old age. Attacks can be triggered by a variety of factors, including faulty breathing, stress, airborne toxins, cigarette smoke, allergens, cold or dry air, medications, respiratory infections, and even exercise. In fact, it is now believed that up to 90 percent of asthma sufferers experience "exercise-induced asthma." Symptoms include shortness of breath, wheezing, chest tightness or congestion, chronic coughing, exercise fatigue, and many more. Exercise-induced asthma apparently occurs when the airways narrow in response to the intense level of ventilation (inhalation and exhalation) that occurs during exercise. It is noteworthy that many people who exercise end up breathing rapidly through their mouths, which, we do not recommend, especially if you have asthma symptoms of any kind. Exercise-induced attacks (EIA), which are generally most severe within 5 to 10 minutes after the exercise is finished, are usually over within 30 minutes of the start of the attack, often without the need for medication, and frequently involve airway constriction only--with little or none of the swelling and secretions of mucus that occur during other kinds of asthma attacks. People who get EIA often believe that they should not exercise. But research has shown that aerobic exercise can be a valuable aspect of treatment, since people who are physically fit generally have fewer asthma attacks and need less medication. But it is extremely important how you undertake aerobic exercise to get the most benefit from it. Assuming you have talked to your health care provider about undertaking an exercise program, and are following all instructions with regards to your medications, here are a few tips that may be helpful in helping you avoid exercise-induced asthma.
Quit Smoking for a Year and Live Longer!We at Authentic Breathing Resources are amazed by how many people, especially young people, still smoke today. We realize that smoking is an addiction, and that it is not easy to stop, but we also know that the evidence clearly shows that smoking reduces your lung capacity and function and thus undermines your health and shortens your life. And, when you add smoking to pollution and poor breathing habits, the negative influence is even worse. Now comes evidence from Finnish researchers that "quitting smoking for a year at a time can keep lungs from deteriorating and reduce the risk of death." So even if you cannot stop smoking for good, stopping for a year or more at a time can be highly beneficial. We hope that if you smoke you will take this evidence to heart and stop smoking today. And, as you know, research shows that smoking has an adverse influence not just on the smoker's own health and life but also on the health and lives of all of those people who end up breathing her/his "second-hand smoke." So, if you are a smoker and don't have enough personal motivation to stop smoking, consider the health and well-being of your friends and loved ones. Are you willing to risk their health and lives for your habit?
Research from China on Breathing & Pulmonary ProblemsPeople with severe pulmonary problems can quickly benefit from work with breathing. In experiments at Shanghai No. 2 Tuberculosis Hospital, 27 people with pulmonary emphysema were able to increase the average range of their diaphragmatic movement from 2.8 centimeters at the beginning of their treatment to 4.9 centimeters after a year of training—an increase in diaphragmatic movement of more than 57 percent. The results are reported in 300 Questions on Qigong Exercises (Guangzhou, China: Guandong Science and Technology Press, 1994), p. 257. (From The Tao of Natural Breathing)
Slow, Rhythmical Breathing Provides Many Health BenefitsDennis Lewis talks in his book, The Tao of Natural Breathing, as well as in many of the documents and products (Breath Gym, for example) on the Authentic Breathing website, about the importance of slowing down our breathing for increased health and well-being. Though physiology text books tell us that the average breath rate for adults at rest is about 12-15 breaths a minute, serious practitioners of qigong, yoga, tai chi, and so on generally breathe at a much slower rate than this. And research from various quarters has shown that this slower breathing brings with it many physical, emotional, and mental benefits. Now comes new research from several internal medicine and cardiology professors and physicians that shows that rhythmic formulas such as the rosary and yoga mantras have a powerful slowing influence on our breath and can thus "can synchronize and reinforce inherent cardiovascular rhythms and baroreflex sensitivity." The researchers found, in fact, that "Rhythm formulas that involve breathing at six breaths per minute induce favorable psychological and possibly physiological effects." You can read this detailed research report at: http://bmj.com/cgi/content/full/323/7327/1446 In pondering this fascinating research it is interesting to realize is that the world's great spiritual traditions employ ritual methods that slow down the breath: meditation, mantras, prayer, chant, qigong, tai chi, yoga, special breathing practices, and so on. Many of us, however, do not participate in such activities, and so, unless we undertake special breathing practices, our breath (and our life) is usually at the mercy of whatever high-speed individual or cultural stresses we face. There are numerous ways to slow down your breathing. The important thing is to find safe, natural methods that you enjoy practicing for several minutes each day on a regular basis. For as the researchers found, "Repeated training to slow down breathing also reduces the spontaneous breathing rate, and thus may have more than just short term effects." Breathing TipThe movement of the diaphragm--and thus the quality of your breathing--is adversely influenced by unnecessary mental, emotional, and physical tension and stress. As many times as you can remember each day, be sure to sense your entire mind/body and spend a few minutes At a time to relax any unnecessary tension you find. This will help relax your breathing, which in turn will help reduce any mental and emotional stress you are experiencing.
The Influence of Insulin & High-Dose Fish Oil on Breathing & COPDIn his book, The Age Free Zone, Dr. Barry Sears points out that too much insulin in your system--resulting from eating too many calories or the wrong ratio or kinds of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats--can reduce your aerobic capacity. It does this is three basic ways. First it produces too many bronchoconstrictors, which narrow our airways. Second, it constricts the capillaries around our lung tissue, which reduces oxygen flow to the cells. And third, it reduces the flexibility of our red blood cells, thus making it more difficult for them to carry oxygen to where it is needed. If you are truly interested in improving your aerobic capacity, therefore, you will need to look at what and how much you eat and begin making any necessary adjustments. Sears spells out one possible approach to this is his many books. In his book, The Omega RX Zone, Dr. Sears discusses how high-dose fish oil may be able to help with COPD, including asthma, bronchitis, and emphysema, as well as numerous other health problems. Anyone with these problems may well benefit from reading his book and starting on a high-dose fish oil program. Sears maintains that the fish oils you find in the health food stores are not potent or pure enough (they contain too many saturated fats and other substances) to be used in the high doses required for such problems, and has therefore developed his own brand using technology only recently available. Each gram of this fish oil contains 600 mg of long-chain fatty acids (twice the amount that you will find in health-food-grade fish oil capsules). You can check out the Internet to see what brands of pharmaceutical fish oil exist (to To learn more about or purchase the Sears Labs Omega RX formula (pharmaceutical grade fish oil) call 1-800-404-8171, or visit Sears Labs on the web. Be sure to join the Sears Labs Club and sign up for their auto-ship program--you will save 20 percent on your purchases. If you call them, mention that Authentic Breathing referred you.
Humming May Help Reduce the Incidence of Sinusitis & Upper Respiratory InfectionsIn a study that was reported in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine (2002; 166: 144-145), researchers at the Karolinska Hospital in Stockholm, Sweden found that nitric oxide levels in the sinuses were 15 times higher during humming than during normal, quiet exhalations. Nitric oxide (NO) helps to dilate the capillary beds and increase blood flow. Humming had the effect of dramatically increasing the gas exchange in the nasal sinuses. If fact, during normal exhalation the gas exchange between the nasal passages and the sinuses was about 4 percent. When the volunteers (all "healthy") hummed, the gas increase incased to about 98 percent. A poor exchange of gas, as well as poor circulation, in the sinus cavities, creates an ideal environment for the growth of bacteria and viruses. And this can quickly lead to infection. Based on the results of their study, the researchers believe that regular breathing exercises that involve humming may be able to help reduce the incidence of sinusitis and infections in the upper respiratory tract. Over the last two years, Dennis Lewis has been including sound-oriented breathing practices, including humming, in the work with breathing that he teaches. In commenting about this latest research, he said: "This research doesn't surprise me at all. My work with harmonic sound pioneer David Hykes showed me that humming has a powerful influence on our physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual health. Done on a daily basis it can help relax us and increase our mental and emotional clarity. I am sure that researchers will soon find, if they haven't already, that humming can greatly increase oxygenation and blood flow not just in the sinus cavities but also in the brain and elsewhere in the body. In fact, I have included in my forthcoming book "Boundless Breathing" an entire section about how making sounds during exhalation can beneficially influence our overall health and well-being."
Breathing-Control Lowers Blood PressureGrossman E, Grossman A, Schein MH, Zimlichman R, Gavish B. Internal Medicine D, The Chaim Sheba Medical Center, Tel-Hashomer, Israel. gross-e@zahav.net.il "We hypothesise that routinely applied short sessions of slow and regular breathing can lower blood pressure (BP). Using a new technology BIM (Breathe with Interactive Music), hypertensive patients were guided towards slow and regular breathing. The present study evaluates the efficacy of the BIM in lowering BP. We studied 33 patients (23M/10F), aged 25-75 years, with uncontrolled BP. Patients were randomised into either active treatment with the BIM (n = 18) or a control treatment with a Walkman (n = 15). Treatment at home included either musically-guided breathing exercises with the BIM or listening to quiet music played by a Walkman for 10 min daily for 8 weeks. BP and heart rate were measured both at the clinic and at home with an Omron IC BP monitor. Clinic BP levels were measured at baseline, and after 4 and 8 weeks of treatment. Home BP measurements were taken daily, morning and evening, throughout the study. The two groups were matched by initial BP, age, gender, body mass index and medication status. The BP change at the clinic was -7.5/-4.0 mm Hg in the active treatment group, vs -2.9/-1.5 mm Hg in the control group (P = 0.001 for systolic BP). Analysis of home-measured data showed an average BP change of -5.0/-2.7 mm Hg in the active treatment group and -1.2/+0.9 mm Hg in the control group. Ten out of 18 (56%) were defined as responders in the active treatment group but only two out of 14 (14%) in the control group (P = 0.02). Thus, breathing exercise guided by the BIM device for 10 min daily is an effective non-pharmacological modality to reduce BP." PMID 11319675 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE] The device that was used for this research is called RESPeRATE, which Authentic Breathing Resources highly recommends for anyone with high blood pressure. Comments By Dennis Lewis: These research results regarding hypertension were obtained through just slow, regular breathing combined with the use of special music. It is my experience that it is possible in many cases to reduce blood pressure much further through special breathing practices designed to lengthen the exhalation and ensure optimum levels of carbon dioxide in the body (see articles on this site about nose breathing, hyperventilation, and Buteyko in Articles/Exercises and FAQs), as well as through special supplements and herbs (see FAQS).
Vitamin C and Airway Function"Researchers at Children's Hospital & Research Center at Oakland have found that Vitamin C plays an important role in normal airway function, may prevent symptoms associated with airway diseases such
Bedwetting Linked to Breathing ProblemsAccording to research discussed in New Scientist
magazine, breathing problems may be the cause of bed
wetting among children and some adults. This piece is based on a story (dated 7/31/2003) found at: http://www.healthypages.net/news.asp?newsid=3598
Breathing Tips for Walking, Running , & Aerobic ExerciseRead this article by Perry Fields, a member of the U.S. Track and Field Team and a member of the USATF (United State Track and Field Federation). Perry wrote this article especially for Authentic Breathing Resources. It discusses, from a successful athlete's point of view, some of the principles of authentic breathing, especially the importance of diaphragmatic breathing and nose breathing when walking, running, or taking part in various sports. Though we do not agree with or recommend everything mentioned in this article, especially the reference to breath holding after the in-breath, we believe the article has much to offer those interested in healthy breathing, especially those who are interested in the relationship of authentic breathing to sports and working out.
Incense and Candles in Churches Can Cause Respiratory ProblemsResearch shows that air inside churches, filled with pollutants from burning candles and incense, may be a bigger health risk than the air we breathe on major roads. Air in churches was found to be considerably higher in carcinogenic polycyclic hydrocarbons than air on roads traveled by 45,000 vehicles a day. The air inside churches also had levels of tiny solid pollutants (PM10s) up to 20 times as high as the European limits. The study, by Maastricht University, The Netherlands, was published in the European Respiratory Journal. According to Dr Richard Russell of the British Thoracic Society, "Particle
pollution, whether it be in an outdoor or indoor environment, can be a danger to
lung health and cause respiratory diseases such as emphysema and bronchitis. Read the
entire BBC News story In my recently published book Free Your Breath, Free Your Life I warned about the respiratory dangers of candles, incense, and chemical fragrances. Now comes this news story that shows how candles and incense in churches can cause major respiratory problems. I believe that this is a serious matter not just for church goers, but for anyone who is frequently exposed to smoke from candles and incense during meditation, workshops, or any other events where indoor ventilation is poor. Add this "indoor pollution" to the growing pollution we face on city streets and elsewhere, and I think it is easy to see why respiratory illnesses like asthma are on the increase. Suggestions for Reducing High Blood PressureTry RESPeRATEIn addition to undertaking a, on-going program of authentic breathing, a safe, powerful easy-to-use breathing device that can also help you reduce your blood pressure is the FDA-cleared product called RESPeRATE. Used for just 15 minutes a day, a few days a week, this device helps slow your breathing down in a natural, effortless way, and has been clinically shown to help reduce blood pressure. It is also very helpful in reducing stress and anxiety. RESPeRATE automatically analyzes your individual breathing pattern and creates a personalized melody composed of two distinct inhale and exhale guiding tones. You simply listen to the melody through the headphones and effortlessly synchronize your breathing to the tones. By prolonging the exhalation tone, RESPeRATE guides you to slow your breathing and reach the "therapeutic zone" of less than 10 breaths a minute. RESPeRATE has been featured in multiple media channels including NBC, CBS, FOX and ABC. We highly recommend it. Learn more about it, including quotations from MDs and recent research that has been done. Omega-3 Fatty AcidsResearch from around the world has shown that Omega-3 fatty acids, especially those in the form of ultra-refined fish oil, can reduce high blood pressure. We at Authentic Breathing Resources consider this to be an indispensable supplement not just for anyone with breathing problems but also for for anyone with high blood pressure. In selecting fish oil, however, it is very important to choose the purest oil you can find. Other Supplements that Can HelpOther supplements that can help are Perfusia (L-Arginine), L-Carnatine, magnesium, and Coenzyme Q10, as well as herbs such as Balance3 (www.balance3.com). Another important consideration is being sure that you get enough potassium. A safe, simple way to help ensure this is to drink a (5.5 fluid ounces) can of low-sodium V8 juice at both breakfast and dinner. The ratio per can (Campbell's low-sodium V8 juice) of 570 mg of potassium to 80 mg of sodium is a healthy one according to Julian Whitaker M.D., and will help ensure that you get adequate potassium in a safe way. He also recommends the other supplements we've listed above. If you undertake any or all of the approaches discussed above and are already taking BP medication, however, it is important to work closely with a licensed health care professional before reducing or discontinuing your medication.
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