breathe Archives - Amazing Health Advances

Reduce Stress & Promote Detoxification with One Easy Exercise

The AHA! Team — Mon, 18 Aug 2025 21:54:10 +0000

Dena Schmidt via NaturalHealth365 – Breathing is something many of us take for granted. However, most people tend to breathe in a shallow way, contributing to stress and limiting oxygen intake. On the other hand, deep breathing activates the body’s relaxation response, supports circulation, and promotes overall well-being. Why is deep breathing so important? Proper breathing helps oxygenate the body and supports the movement of the lymphatic system, which plays a key role in immune function. While the body primarily eliminates toxins through the liver, kidneys, and digestive system, deep breathing can aid in overall detoxification by improving oxygen exchange and circulation. Reduce stress by activating your body’s detoxification system The lymphatic system neutralizes and transports toxins from the cells and dumps them into the circulatory system. The toxins are then cycled through the liver and kidneys and eventually excreted. However, while the circulatory system is pumped by the heart, the lymph system does not have such a pump. Breathing and body movement are required for it to work effectively. Without sufficient bodily activity and deep breathing, effective detoxification isn’t possible. The lymphatic system becomes sluggish, resulting in fatigue, inflammation, weight gain, and high blood pressure. Fortunately, deep breathing exercises are one simple exercise that can make all the difference to the health of the lymphatic system. Best deep breathing exercises to promote detoxification Eastern cultures and yogic traditions have long been aware of how important deep, mindful breathing is to health and well-being. The breath is central to practices like yoga and tai chi. Deep breathing brings a wealth of benefits to health and well-being. Here are some of the top reasons to remember to breathe deeply: Stimulates organs and lymph flow: The expanding and contracting effect of the diaphragm during deep breathing massages the internal organs and the lymphatic system. Cellular detoxification and oxygenation: Deep breathing naturally stimulates the body to rid itself of toxins, allowing more nourishing oxygen to reach the cells. Relaxation: Deep breathing exercises also trigger the parasympathetic nervous system, called the “relaxation response.” This promotes a calm sense of well-being. Breathing is a natural way to reduce stress and its effects on the body and mind. Fitness and weight loss: Breathing is essential to cardiovascular capacity and maximizing the effects of each workout. By reducing stress, deep breathing also encourages increased fat burning, so the body doesn’t burn glycogen instead of fat. Deep breathing exercises can be performed anywhere, anytime. Strive to cultivate the habit of breathing deeply as much as possible throughout the day, not just during your fitness routine or yoga practice (although it’s extremely beneficial during these times as well). For optimal benefits during deep breathing exercises, exaggerate your breath, lungs’ expansion, and diaphragm movement. Expand your belly and abdominal muscles during each inhale, and empty your lungs completely when you exhale. Even just a few minutes a day of this type of breathing can work wonders for the body, mind, and spirit. Sources for this article include: NIH.gov To read the original article click here.

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Urgent Warning About Ventilator Use on Coronavirus Patients, New Research Study

AHA Publisher — Mon, 08 Jun 2020 07:00:59 +0000

Sara Middleton via NaturalHealth365 – In the United States alone, over 105,000 people have died with a COVID-19 infection since the pandemic began in December 2019. And, while the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) acknowledges that some of these deaths have been “misclassified” – perhaps more than many people realize – it’s certain that many people are getting sick and suffering from this viral infection. Yet, the main “treatment” of this illness – the use of a ventilator – is being seriously questioned. No doubt, there are many healthcare providers working tirelessly to discover the best way to treat COVID-19, as well as what the ideal “medical management” of patients should be. But as more research and data comes out, many medical experts now worry that the use of a ventilator could cause more harm than good. A new analysis sheds some important light on this controversial issue. New Study Suggests Many COVID-19 Deaths May Have Been Hastened or Brought on by Inappropriate Mechanical Ventilation In April, the American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene published a paper summarizing the best available evidence for respiratory care in hospitalized COVID-19 patients. That data reveals doctors and physicians should re-evaluate their reliance on mechanical ventilation for this population, and stop being so quick to intubate people. The reason: it appears mechanical ventilation can damage the lungs of very ill (and especially elderly) COVID-19 patients – in other words, it can cause more harm than good. This is likely due to an as-yet poorly understood function of the new disease, which seems to behave differently than other respiratory illnesses. Possible theories include: Lungs of severely ill COVID-19 patients are often covered with a thick mucous, preventing the lungs from being able to uptake any oxygen (even if it’s being forced into the lungs via a vent). Healthy lung tissue sitting nearby damaged tissue is elastic, making it susceptible to inflammation, tissue damage and other types of “ventilator-induced injury” when exposed to high pressure forced oxygen-enriched air (imagine filling a balloon with an air hose used for car tires) It’s a bit ironic, of course, to see medical professionals voicing their concerns over the excessive use of ventilators just weeks after the media was in a fury over ventilator “shortages” and lambasting state officials for failing to procure enough machines for their hospitals. Bottom Line: Mechanical Ventilation are Likely to Be Overprescribed as Doctors Scramble to Figure Out Other Medical Options To be clear, there are some COVID-19 patients for whom mechanical ventilation seems appropriate – for example, people who are deteriorating quickly and experiencing severe respiratory failure, despite being given excessive noninvasive respiratory support first (such as high flow oxygen via a nasal cannulus). But this new research indicates that intubating someone simply because their blood oxygen levels are low, for example, is unwarranted and “jumping the gun,” to say the least. We are now hearing reports from doctors around the world who are left awestruck by their hospitalized coronavirus patients who seem to be tolerating extremely low levels of oxygen. Many point out that because seriously ill patients are the ones that should be put on ventilators, this could at least partly explain why 50 percent or more of COVID-19 patients who end up on ventilators die. That is, their critical illness coupled with underlying health conditions would likely have led to their demise anyway, with or without mechanical ventilation. But sadly, this correlation may not explain away all the ventilated COVID-19 deaths. Many doctors now suspect that too many COVID-19 patients have been put on ventilators even when it wasn’t medically indicated. It may be some time before we learn the true impact of this tragic medical misstep. Sources for this article include: WebMD.com, AJTMH.org, Statnews.com, Worldometers.info, CDC.gov, NIH.gov, Lung.org, MassGeneral.org To read the original article click here.

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Pursed Lip Breathing Benefits for Better Lung Function (Plus How to Do It)

AHA Publisher — Mon, 11 May 2020 07:00:32 +0000

Christine Ruggeri, CHHC via Dr. Axe – For people struggling with dyspnea, or difficulty breathing, a technique called pursed lip breathing is often used to improve oxygenation. Imagine you’re blowing out the candles on your birthday cake while slowly exhaling — it may look a little strange, but this breathing exercise actually removes stale air from your lungs. If you’re looking to strengthen your lungs with this air trapping technique, practice breathwork at least 10 minutes a day and notice the difference. What Is Pursed Lip Breathing? Pursed lip breathing is a technique that allows you to control your oxygenation and ventilation. It’s done by breathing air in through the nose and exhaling through the mouth with a slow, controlled flow. During the exhale, which is drawn out, your lips are puckered or pursed, which is done for good reason. When your lips are pursed and exhalation is drawn out, it stimulates the autonomic nervous system and promotes relaxation. This has been shown to optimize lung mechanics and exercise tolerance among adults with dyspnea. It works by removing stale air that can become trapped in the lungs, and it decreases the amount of breaths you take in an effort to get enough oxygen. Normally, when a person exhales, the diaphragm relaxes and forces air out of the lungs. When the diaphragm is weak and doesn’t function properly, stale air becomes trapped in the lungs and won’t allow room for fresh air that contains oxygen. This leads to shortness of breath and trouble breathing. Pursed lip breathing for asthma, dyspnea and other lung conditions is a popular technique that’s part of lung rehab programs. This air trapping method is low-risk and allows people suffering from breathing issues to engage in physical activity more easily. Who Can Benefit from It? Because breathing exercises like pursed lip breathing help strengthen the lungs, they are used in pulmonary rehabilitation programs for conditions that cause shortness of breath and reduced oxygenation. This is one of the most common breathing exercises for COPD, or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. It can also be used for other lung conditions that cause trouble breathing, chest tightness, chronic coughing, excessive mucus production and wheezing. People struggling with the following conditions may benefit from pursed lip breathing: emphysema chronic bronchitis asthma For people with these lung conditions, practicing breathing exercises is meant to get more oxygen into the body so everyday activities, such as walking or climbing stairs, become easier. How to Do It People with COPD and dyspnea tend to take frequent shallow breaths. The purpose of pursed lip breathing is to keep the airways open longer, removing stale air in the lungs and getting in more oxygen. At first, this breathing exercise may feel strange, but with practice it will become easier and more natural. First, sit up straight, relax your shoulders and release your tongue from the roof of your mouth. You want to release tension from the body and relax. Next, inhale deeply through your nose for about two seconds. Then purse your lips and breath out slowly for about five seconds. Act like you’re blowing out a candle. Repeat daily. How often should you do pursed lip breathing? It can be done anytime you’re having trouble breathing, like during or after exercise, after walking up stairs, and when lifting something heavy. It also can be practiced daily, for five to 10 minutes, to improve oxygenation and lung function. Benefits/Uses Pursed lip breathing is commonly used among adults with COPD because it helps promote relaxation, reduce shortness of breath and release air that’s trapped in the lungs. Here’s a breakdown of its benefits and uses for lung function: 1. Improves Breathing When researchers analyzed the benefits of pursed lip breathing among patients with COPD, they found that it improved levels of oxygenation and led to significant positive changes in respiratory function. A study conduced in Los Angeles indicates that pursed lip breathing was able to improve dyspnea (trouble breathing) and physical function in Veteran Affairs patients with COPD. It does this by slowing the breath, allowing the diaphragm to relax and removing trapped, stale air from the lungs. 2. Promotes Lung Rehabilitation This method of breathing is a type of respiratory training that strengthens muscles and improves lung function. When you exhale slowly with pursed lips, it gets rid of the stale air that’s been trapped in your lungs and allows new air to come in. With daily practice, it can improve breathing and lung function. Studies also display that it significantly decreases tension and breathing frequency, while improving oxygen saturation. 3. May Enhance Physical Performance Researchers in Brazil found that practicing pursed lip breathing may improve exercise performance in patients with COPD. Eight studies were used for the systematic review and meta-analysis, and results indicate that pursed lip breathing during exercise (such as walking) reduced minute ventilation and respiratory rate. A study published in the European Journal of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine showed that exhaling with puckered lips during exercise improved exercise tolerance, breathing patterns and oxygenation among COPD patients. For people who experience trouble breathing and shortness of breath, practicing breathing exercises can help improve oxygen intake during physical activity or even when walking up stairs, lifting heavy objects and walking around the house. Risks and Side Effects There are no risks or complications associated with this breathing exercise. However, you do want to be sure you’re practicing properly, so if you notice that it’s decreasing lung function in any way, talk to your health care professional. If it makes you lightheaded, take it slow and only do a few breaths at a time, until you get used to this type of breathing. Other Breathing Techniques When it comes to improving lung capacity, there are several breathing techniques that may be helpful. They all involve relaxing the body and increasing the amount of oxygen that reaches the lungs. In addition to purse lips, some other breathing exercises for COPD or trouble breathing include: Diaphragmatic Breathing: Diaphragmatic breathing, also called belly breathing, trains your body to let your diaphragm do the work. To do diaphragmatic breathing, breath in through your nose until your belly fills with air. Let the air expand your stomach and then breathe out slowly through your lips. Breath Counting: Breath counting is an excellent way to improve oxygenation while also promoting relaxation. To do this breathing technique, take a deep breath and when you exhale, count “one.” Next, after a deep breath in, exhale and count “two.” Repeat this pattern until you have exhaled to five, then start the pattern over again. Do this for a few minutes every day. Huffing: Huffing, or huff coughing, helps move mucus from the lungs and clear the airways. You do this by taking a deep breath until the lungs are about three-quarters full, then hold the breath for two to three seconds and exhale forcefully, but slowly. Repeat this exercise several times, always ending with a strong cough. Conclusion Pursed lip breathing is a breathing exercise that’s done by breathing in for two seconds and then exhaling slowly, for about five seconds, while pursing your lips. This technique removes stale air that’s been trapped in the lungs and improves oxygen saturation. It improves lung function for people dealing with trouble breathing and lung conditions like COPD and asthma. To read the original article click here. For more articles from Dr. Axe click here.

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