Day #16 - Just Breathe

Theme

Just Breathe

Description

We do it without thinking, we do it in our sleep; but do we do it properly? The virtues of breathing go as deep as our breaths should; from childbirth to weight loss you can benefit immensely by just doing what comes naturally

To Do

Focus on your breathing and how to get the most out of it... and how centered, calm and vibrant it makes you feel

Nourish Yourself

Here is an entire article on Eating Better Through Breath: http://ironrosepersonaltraining.com/articles/2011/02/part-1-breathe.html

Turns out taking time to breathe as you eat affords all sorts of health benefits

Get Up & Go!

There is (or is it ‘are’?) a bevy of blurbs on how to take a breather while exercising.  Take your pick of the three listed below (personally, I tend to favor all things Armstrong)

• http://www.livestrong.com/article/32942-breathe-exercising/
• http://www.firehow.com/20090226162/how-to-breathe-properly-during-a-work-out.html
• http://www.wikihow.com/Breathe

Tools

This is a fairly detailed test to determine how well you currently breathe: http://breathing.com/tests.htm

Tips

• How to Breathe, from Organic Lifestyle: http://www.organiclifestylemagazine.com/issue-15/how-to-breathe.php
• How to Breathe, from eHow Health: http://www.ehow.com/how_4496689_breathe.html
• The WikiHowTo on breathing: http://www.wikihow.com/Breathe

Tweak

Consider taking a yoga or tai chi class if you don’t already... or if you are already involved in one, consider taking a friend

Question

When do you breathe the easiest or most deeply?

Thoughts

"I'm gonna get out of bed every morning... breathe in and out all day long. Then, after a while I won't have to remind myself to get out of bed every morning and breathe in and out...” -Sam, Sleepless in Seattle

"The only reason I would take up jogging is so that I could hear heavy breathing again." -Erma Bombeck

“Who will tell whether one happy moment of love or the joy of breathing or walking on a bright morning and smelling the fresh air, is not worth all the suffering and effort which life implies." -Eric Fromm

Tidbit

According to National Center for Health Statistics (2002), 20 million people suffer from asthma in the U.S. Asthma can be life threatening as it took the lives of approximately 4,261 deaths in 2002. Researchers are unclear if this is due to improper preventative care, chronic overuse of asthma medications, or a combination of both factors.

Treat

And if that video wasn’t treat enough or your cuppa, here is something for you Faith Hill fans (http://youtu.be/yCmsZUN4r_s)

...as well as a piano & guitar based album with 34 tracks created to inspire relaxation and breathing: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004H3FT02/ref=dm_sp_alb?ie=UTF8&qid=1305485364&sr=1-32

Blogs & Articles

The Beauty of Breathing: 

• http://www.weightwatchers.com/util/art/index_art.aspx?tabnum=1&art_id=1391
• http://www.thechangeblog.com/the-beauty-of-breathing/

In Sum

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

Miley Cirus' Just Breathe tattoo