| Over the years, I have heard every reason about | | | | just breathe, but breathe well, we can completely |
| why people can't exercise-arthritis, tendonitis, | | | | alter how we feel. |
| bursitis, plantar fasciitis. You name it, I've heard it! | | | | Four Square Breathing |
| Together, I've helped people looked for | | | | This type of breathing can help you in the midst |
| appropriate forms of exercise that would help, | | | | of an anxiety or panic attack, can be used for |
| not harm. Substitution is always better than | | | | meditation or simply to calm yourself down. |
| elimination. It's better for the runner to walk than | | | | 1. Take a deep breath and hold it for four |
| to sit idle. It's better for the weight lifter to do | | | | seconds. |
| yoga than give up. But one of the most effective | | | | 2. Hold your breath for four seconds |
| forms of exercise can done by anyone despite | | | | 3. Exhale for four seconds. |
| what it is you might have. That exercise is | | | | 4. Do nothing for four seconds. Then, repeat. |
| breathing. We were born doing it and we do it | | | | Alternate Nostril Breathing |
| until the moment we die. Yet, few of us realize | | | | This is a yogic type of breathing that will help you |
| what a powerful and effective tool it can be in | | | | relax, achieve a blissful state of being and balance |
| our efforts to lose weight. | | | | both sides of your brain. If you do better with a |
| Why is breathing so terrific? Keep reading. | | | | visual aid there are videos on YouTube that will |
| Pranayama is a Sanskrit word meaning "restraint | | | | show you how to do this. |
| of the prana or breath". The word is composed | | | | 1. Breathe in through your left nostril, while holding |
| of two Sanskrit words, Prana, life force, or vital | | | | your right nostril closed with your finger for the |
| energy, particularly, the breath, and "ayama", to | | | | count of eight. |
| suspend or restrain. It is often translated as | | | | 2. Hold for the count of eight. |
| control of the life force (prana). The yogis make a | | | | 3. Breath out through your right nostril, while |
| whole practice of learning how to breathe | | | | holding your left nostril closed with your finger for |
| properly. Most of us take breathing for granted. | | | | the count of eight. |
| We assume that we already know everything | | | | 4. Breathe in through your right nostril, while |
| there is to know about how to breathe. | | | | holding your left nostril closed with your finger for |
| How Will Breathing Help Me? | | | | the count of eight. |
| For one, breathing brings oxygen to all of your | | | | 5. Hold for the count of eight. |
| cells. If you're an emotional eater constantly | | | | 6. Breath out through your left nostril, while |
| looking to fill up on food, perhaps you haven't | | | | holding your right nostril closed with your finger |
| considered that you might actually be starving, | | | | for the count of eight. |
| but not for food, for air. I can recall meeting a | | | | 7. Repeat from step one. |
| woman who lost a significant amount of weight. | | | | Breath of Fire |
| When I questioned how she did it she replied, "I | | | | Breath of fire is a part of Kundalini Yoga. It is |
| simply added in a breathing practice." More | | | | used to energize and detoxify the body. It |
| oxygen to your cells definitely means better | | | | produces heat. Please note, that you should try |
| metabolism but I get the sense that breathing | | | | this one in small doses and you should stop if you |
| offered more than just that simple miracle cure. | | | | become dizzy. |
| Breathing reduces tension, helps you feel | | | | 1. Sit in a comfortable position. |
| centered, lowers blood pressure, calms your mind. | | | | 2. Elongate your spine. |
| Having more increased resources of relaxation | | | | 3. Close your eyes. |
| make it easier to rely on food for comfort less | | | | 4. Relax your stomach muscles. |
| and to make better food choices more. | | | | 5. Now begin to breathe rapidly through the nose |
| A simple breath practice also begins to condition | | | | with equal emphasis on the inhalation and |
| your body so that it can be prepared for other | | | | exhalation. It will be like very fast sniffing. Keep |
| kinds of exercise. Your lungs expand and more | | | | the breath shallow, just at the tip of the nose. |
| accustomed to being full of air instead of the tiny | | | | Proceed at a comfortable pace and establish a |
| sips that most of us shallow breathers take. | | | | steady rhythm. You will find the stomach pulses |
| How to Breathe? | | | | on its own in rhythm to the breath. Continue for 1 |
| The two things you learn how to do as soon as | | | | minute. |
| you're born are breathe and eat, in that order. | | | | In under five minutes a day, you could breathe |
| Maybe when we don't do the breathing one too | | | | yourself to a better body, a calmer mind and a |
| well, we rely on our second skill a lot more. | | | | happier disposition. Why not give it a try? It's as |
| However, by taking five minutes a day to not | | | | simple as breathing in. |