You can survive days without food, hours without water, but only a few minutes without oxygen. Considering the average person inhales and exhales over 25,000 times per day, it stands to reason we should take our breathing habits as serious as our diet and exercise. Indeed, how we breathe has immediate impact on our physiology as every organ and system function hinges on the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide.
How to Breathe
Due to poor posture, muscular imbalance, stress, and poor cardiovascular conditioning, many people suffer from some issues that can be easily remedied with proper breathing mechanics. We will start with a simple exercise to understand the different roles of the belly vs. chest.
Lie on the floor face up. Place one hand on your chest and one on your bellybutton and breathe as normal through the nose. Which hand moves up and down more with inhalation and exhalation? If you’re like most people, you breathe predominantly with the chest. With that in mind, try to move the belly up with the first 2/3 of inhalation and the chest with the last 1/3. This is diaphragmatic breathing as encouraged in yoga, meditation, and relaxation programs and is a more “natural” way to breathe – just like a baby.
Breathing During Exercise
Unfortunately, many popular exercises inhibit this style of breathe. For example, pushing moves like the bench press coupled with spine flexion moves like crunches create tightness in the front of the body. With this tightness comes a rounding of the shoulders and forward head posture that constrict the movement of proper respiration.
When performing pull-based exercises with the palms facing away from you, such as pull-ups or lat pull-down, inhale during the pull phase of the movement. Pull-based exercise with a supinated (palms face in) grip should be performed with an exhalation during the pull phase. For most all push-based exercises, inhale during the bend and exhale with braced abdominals on the push.
For heavy weightlifting, the breath should be used to stabilize and protect the back. For example (with a deadlift): breathe deep diaphragmatically, tense the glutes and abdominals, and hold. While lifting, exhale through pursed lips or hiss to move through tough sticking points. Upon lockout, re-inhale sharply with the nose, hold, and lower the weight.
Sleep apnea is a dangerous medical problem in which sufferers stop breathing while asleep, which causes sleep interruption. In addition, it causes the person to be more susceptible to other medical issues such as hypertension, heart attack, stroke, diabetes, weight gain and more. It also causes problems with sleeping partners, since someone with sleep apnea usually has very loud snoring problems.
Treating Sleep Apnea
Sleep apnea victims will normally be prescribed a breathing machine for sleep apnea called a CPAP machine. This stands for continuous positive airway pressure. The breathing machine for sleep apnea continuously blows air into the sleeping person’s lungs so that their airway doesn’t collapse and cause them to stop breathing. It is noninvasive and is approved by the Food and Drug Administration.
In order to get a breathing machine for sleep apnea you will need a prescription. However, if you have health insurance, then the cost is normally covered. A CPAP machine is usually fairly small, about the size of a shoebox. It is made up of three parts: the breathing machine, a nose or full face mask, and flexible tubing to connect the mask to the machine.
Using a CPAP Machine
The first breathing machine for sleep apnea was invented during the 1980s. They have come a long way since that time and are now available in several different styles, sizes, and types. It all depends on the type of sleep apnea the person has and what type of treatment best serves their needs. The newer models are also much quieter than the older, bulkier machines in the past.
Despite the fact that a breather machine for sleep apnea is vital to the health of the user, statistics show that about half the patients prescribed to use on stop after only a short period of time. This is usually due to the fact that it can be awkward or uncomfortable to wear the device.It may normally take several days or longer for someone to get used to wearing a CPAP device, so newcomers to it should be advised to not give up wearing it in the first day or two of treatment.
In order to get these levels up, there are now many kinds of CPAP machine accessories to help make using the machine more comfortable. These include special pillows to cushion the tubing and mask, cloth covering for the tubing, many styles of headbands to hold the mask, devices to hold the tubing next to the bed, and more.
Other Types of Breathing Machines for Sleep Apnea
Besides the CPAP machine, there is two other type of breathing machines for sleep apnea: Bi-Level and Auto Pap.
Bi-Level –This is also called a VPAP machine. It is for those patients that need one level of air pressure for breathing in and a different setting for breathing out. This type of machine automatically changes back and forth.This type of breathing machine for sleep apnea is usually prescribed for someone with central sleep apnea. It can also be set up so that if the wearer stops breathing, it will automatically turn on after a certain amount of seconds.
Auto PAP – This is a new kind of breathing machine for sleep apnea. It is capable of automatically adjusting the machine to provide various air pressures depending on the breathing patterns of the user. This type of a breathing machine for sleep apnea can run either in auto mode or regular CPAP mode. It has special software installed in it that helps to run it when the patient needs it most, plus, it is usually prescribed for Obstructive Sleep Apnea.
Advantages of Breathing Machine for Sleep Apnea
There are many advantages to using one of the three types of breathing machines for sleep apnea. Of course, the obvious is to reduce the wearer’s risks for problems such as heart attack, stroke, hypertension and weight gain.
In addition, the person wearing it should be much less tired upon waking up from sleep, thus will have less of a risk of falling asleep while performing daily tasks such as driving or operating machinery.
They will also have a better memory and likely will be in a better mood since they will not be tired all of the time. Also, if you have sleep apnea you will be at a greater risk during surgery if the doctors are unaware of your condition since you could stop breathing during the procedure.
Disadvantages of Breathing Machine for Sleep Apnea
Even so, there are a few disadvantages you may face when wearing a breathing machine for sleep apnea. Some users experience issues such as nasal congestion, runny nose, dry eyes or mouth, skin irritation, chest discomfort, or headaches.
However, many of these problems can be solved by wearing the right type and size of mask, as well as using saline nose drops, or some sort of skin moisturizer. Plus, using nasal pillows instead of a mask helps some people, which are soft attachments that go directly into the nostrils instead of wearing a mask.
Some types of breathing machines for sleep apnea also are fitted with a humidifier to help keep a person’s throat and nose from getting too dry. If the noise of the machine bothers users, one solution is to also turn a fan on in the room to provide a low level noise that will block out the breathing machine noises.
To be certain a breathing machine for sleep apnea is working correctly, users should also always double check for any leaking air. If the seal is worn out or not adjusted properly, the mask will leak and you won’t get all the benefits of the breathing machine for sleep apnea.
The bottom line is that sleep apnea is a dangerous, but very treatable problem that affects thousands of people all over the world. If you are having problems with snoring, being tired in the day, day time sleepiness or fatigue and think you may have sleep apnea, you should see your doctor right away.
Bad breath, also known as halitosis, affects everyone at some point, but for many people is a long-term problem. There are endless factors that can cause bad breath, such as bad oral hygiene, smoking, dry mouth, diet factors and dental problems such as tooth decay and gum disease.
The most important step in treating bad breath is treating the cause. Oftentimes this takes time, such as dental work or diet changes. It’s also important to make sure to follow proper oral hygiene. However, there are also some simple methods can be used to help with bad breath. This includes homeopathy, which is a form of alternative medicine. Homeopathy works to help treat bad breath that is caused by specific factors, making it more effective than most general treatments for bad breath.
Mercurius Solubilis and Pulsatilla for Bad Breath
The homeopathic medicine known as mercurius solubilis should be taken by those with offensive bad breath that is caused by tooth decay. This homeopathic treatment works especially well if the tongue is coated in yellow and the person has excess salivation. Ideally around 30C potency of mercurius solubilis should be taken twice daily.
The homeopathic medicine known as pulsatilla should be taken by those with bad breath that is sour. Oftentimes this bad breath is caused be eating lots of foods that are high in fat, so this treatment works best for those with a high fat diet. This treatment works especially well for those that eat a lot of meat, especially meat that is high in fat such as red meats. Ideally around 30C potency of pulsatilla should be taken twice per day.
Nux Vomica for Bad Breath
The homeopathic remedy known as nux vomica should be taken by those with bad breath that is accompanied with either heartburn or constipation. This treatment works best for those with bad breath that drink a lot of alcohol, or have bad breath that is caused or worsened by drinking alcohol. Ideally around 30C potency of nux vomica should be taken twice per day.
Although homeopathy can be very helpful with the treatment of bad breath, it should always be used along with proper oral hygiene. Homeopathic remedies are readily available at many grocery stores, especially large chains and natural based grocery stores. Although homeopathic medicines require no professional diagnosis, it is easy to find a licensed homeopath that can assist in finding the best homeopathic remedies for an individual.
Our breath has the power to indulge the mind and the body into a serenity space. Breathing gently brings the mind and body into a state of peace, while is powerfully nourishing each cell in our body filling us with life. The Healing Breath Therapy is one branch of what most people know as Rebirthing.
What is Rebirthing?
Rebirthing was originated by Leonard Orr in 1962. The breathing technique that Orr developed was based on the healing of his own birth trauma. A few years later, Sondra Ray begins working together with Leonard Orr and both worked towards the expansion of Rebirthing. This therapy helps in the healing of the trauma a new born experiences. After healing birth or the early years of a child, most people feel healthy, with mental clarity and emotional well-being.
The Modern Version of Rebirthing
Today, Healing Breath Therapy is the modern version of Rebirthing. The Healing Breath Therapy uses a diversity of breathing techniques to enhance the well-being, emotionally and physically. “The Healing Breath Therapy is a breathing process that helps to bring emotions, memories, and heal those emotions through the process of breathing,” explained Rev. Rael Flamenco D.D.PhD., Rebirther for more than 25 years.
This breathing therapy has become an interesting healing process to restore the physical and emotional health. Like in Rebirthing, every Healing Breath Therapy session is unique. No session can be the same, even for the same person. Every session works towards the empowerment of each individual by liberating any harmful thoughts and memories. “Each technique is developed to make a vibration in your body to release whatever is blocking your life from happiness,” said Rev. Flamenco.
“People are restricted to show emotions, such as anger or happiness, and this is repressing their natural spiritual system. People have a tendency to suppress their feelings since childhood. People grow up repressing themselves and pleasing other people,” continued Rev. Flamenco.
Healing Breath Exercise
1.Find a comfortable space to sit.
2.Close the eyes and start breathing in and out through the nostrils. Inhale and feel the ribs and stomach expand. Exhale and feel the movement of the ribs and stomach contracting.
3.Listen to the breath going in and out. The body will start relaxing while feeling the rhythm in your ribs and stomach from the breath.
4.Choose an affirmation, something easy or simply a word. Start repeating the affirmation and keep breathing.
5.To finish the exercise, start slowly moving your arms and legs and then open the eyes.
“At the moment a person starts consciously breathing, he or she is closing the door to the outside and focusing on itself,” said Rev. Flamenco.
The most important thing in Rebirthing or the Healing Breath Therapy is the comfort and respect to the person who is experiencing the Breath Therapy. This is why it is very important to know the certification and experience of the rebirther or the instructor of any kind of Breath Therapy.
