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Proper Breathing Brings Better Health

scientificamerican.com

121–130 of 145 posts

Re: Proper Breathing Brings Better Health

#121
post #120

Does anyone have experience with Sudarshan Kriya from Art of living? Is it any good?

I have never heard of art of living in India.

But sadhguru and ram dev baba were famous in India for yoga and meditation.

Sadhguru speaks in English, if it helps. By the way sadhguru speeches are just awesome.

https://isha.sadhguru.org/in/en

Re: Proper Breathing Brings Better Health

#123
post #93
post #3

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Sort of anecdotal, but as soon as I started deadlifting I noticed an immediate improvement in standing posture.

If you have enough flexibility to be able to do deadlifts or squats properly, then sure, it helps further. For my part it took months and hurting my back (thankfully not seriously) before I realized my entire posterior chain was basically too tight for me to be able to keep my back firm enough to do especially squats, but deadlifts too to a certain extent, safely at all but the very lightest weights. Deadlifts and sq…

I kept lowering the weight until I was just doing the bar and I was still having pain. I'm still working on basically mobility now.

Re: Proper Breathing Brings Better Health

#125

From a book I read years ago: "a 1987 survey of cardiac arrests at the Menninger Clinic (quoted with great regularity in Rodale Press's various publications) reported that all heart attack victims represented in that survey sample were high chest breathers" As opposed to belly/abodminal breathers. I can't find the actual survey though.

I feel like there would be a lot of confounding factors here, I'd like to see the survey. People who are belly breathers are going to be people who are either avid practitioners of relaxation techniques (known to decrease incidents of heart attacks), people who are health aware enough to make it a priority, people who are physically fit enough to have found the technique naturally, or people who are engaged heavily in yoga (which will overlap with the relaxation techniques and fitness), and thus be in better shape than the average population.

Re: Proper Breathing Brings Better Health

#126
post #2

Standing up straight isn't as easy as it sounds. For a lot of desk workers you're going to have to fix your tight hamstrings, abnormal pelvic tilt, and weak abdominal muscles before it will be possible to stand up straight.

You can also sit - as long as the back is straight. Actually, sitting is probably preferable. Most relaxation techniques as well as Pranayama are usually practiced sitting.

Re: Proper Breathing Brings Better Health

#127
post #5

I feel like the Wim Hof method ought to be mentioned here. It is imo the fastest and most direct route to understanding what this article is talking about.

I practice the "Wim Hof method" (which is actually just a rip off of techniques having been taught and practiced for more than a thousand years). It definitely deserves attention. It induces very fast and reproducible high relaxation levels.

Having said that - Wim Hof method is very different from any techniques mentioned in the article and is rather a complementary technology.

Re: Proper Breathing Brings Better Health

#128

I've been experimenting with mouth taping recently. When I'm able to use it effectively it does result in a much more restful sleep and my blood pressure seems to be lower the next day. I believe that the lowered blood pressure is due to the enhanced nitric oxide absorbed (it's produced in the sinuses). Unfortunately I'm frequently congested so it's difficult to do this without the use of a decongestant.

After having read "The Oxygen Advantage" about a month ago I haven't slept a single night without taping my mouth. I definitely feel a positive influence.

Re: Proper Breathing Brings Better Health

#129

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Thanks for posting this. I've experienced something similar. My nasal passages have almost always been swollen since I was 11-12. Most ENTs I'd seen over the last 15-20 years have completely failed to provide me with relief. Earlier in 2018 I visited an ENT who noted that my turbinates were "absolutely massive" and the rest of the nasal passage was swollen. Sometimes the swelling would affect the rest of my airway an…

I’m curious how often these kinds of symptoms are caused by an undiagnosed chronic viral infection.

I'm pretty sure i've had a chronic sinus infection for a few years now. When I was a kid I was told I had narrow sinuses...I used to get ear infections pretty much any time i got sick. I find they don't drain properly. It always feels like there's liquid on one side. I can tell days it's worse, the area below my ear and jaw are warm to the touch and hurt to press.

It comes and goes. The breathe right strips mentioned by another commenter helps. I find it feels more clear the next day after using them.

But i've found the biggest thing that helps is paying attention to.my stress and the way I hold the muscles in my face. I find making a concious effort to takes some time to do some deep breathing and focus on relaxing the muscles around my eyes and my jaw really helps. A few days of keeping up with that and I findy breathing and pain and such go away.

I also find it to.be a good way to gauge my stress levels. When the sinus infection cones back and stays for a bit. I know i've been slacking with being mindful and letting stress get on top of me.

Re: Proper Breathing Brings Better Health

#130

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Thanks for posting this. I've experienced something similar. My nasal passages have almost always been swollen since I was 11-12. Most ENTs I'd seen over the last 15-20 years have completely failed to provide me with relief. Earlier in 2018 I visited an ENT who noted that my turbinates were "absolutely massive" and the rest of the nasal passage was swollen. Sometimes the swelling would affect the rest of my airway an…

Have you ever lived in or spent extended time in a different climate? I've had many of the same problems and two surgeries. Things were definitely worse in the humid polluted swamp I used to live in...

Yes, you're probably right about that being a trigger. Unfortunately moving is not an option right now.
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