Foundational Principles of Health - Breathing

Poor breathing is usually found in the form of chest breathing where typically only the top two-thirds of the lungs are filled with air. With the bottom third of the lungs inactive, the diaphragm won’t descend into the abdominal space. One drawback of this is that the abdominal organs miss out on the frequent mild “massaging” that a belly breath can provide. It’s estimated that we breathe about 20,000 times per day, so that’s a lot of massaging to the abdominal organs! This frequent massaging (from belly breathing) improves lymph flow that is partially responsible for detoxification. 

Here are some things to consider with breathing:

• Waste is eliminated through the lungs. Chest breathing limits waste removal so therefore it’s best to belly breathe.

• Shallow breathing can create overall acidic blood. Breathing properly alkalinizes the blood.

• Shallow breathing may lead to sugar cravings.

• Shallow breathing decreases heart rate variability, a marker associated with self-regulatory capacity, adaptability, and resilience. A variable heart rate is preferable and is associated with healthy function. Inadequate heart rate variability for your age is indicative of chronic stress, depletion, and pathology.

• Take time to actively practice deep belly breathing. A great spot to do this is at one of the many beaches here in Turks and Caicos. Taking as little as 2 minutes to mindfully breathe can help with your respiratory awareness. As you practice you’ll eventually start to notice you don’t hold your breath as much, and your breathing pattern during normal daily activity will slowly improve.