MY LIFE Matters: Health and Wellness Issue - 21

YOGA Wellness
lose about 12 percent of our lung capacity
by the time we hit 50, and then the decline
speeds up. We are forced to breathe faster
and harder, making it even more difficult
to just catch a breath. But it's not all bad
news. Unlike problems with other parts
of our body, such as the liver or kidneys,
we can improve the airways in our mouths
and reverse the entropy in our lungs at any
age. We can do this by breathing properly.
A 70-year research study focused on
heart disease gathered two decades of
data from 5,200 subjects. The results were
astonishing. They discovered the greatest
indicator of life span wasn't genetics, diet,
or the amount of daily exercise as many
had suspected. It was lung capacity. Larger
lungs equaled longer lives because big
lungs allow us to get more air in with fewer
breaths. They save the body from a lot of
unnecessary wear and tear. That's the first
step in healthy breathing: extending breath
to make them a little deeper, a little longer.
Try it. For the next several minutes, inhale
gently through your nose to a count of
about five and then exhale, again through
your nose, at the same rate or a little more
slowly if you can. This works out to about
six breaths a minute. When we breathe like
this we can better protect the lungs from
irritation and infections while boosting
circulation to the brain and body. Stress
on the heart relaxes; the respiratory and
nervous systems enter a state of coherence
where everything functions at peak
efficiency. Just a few minutes of inhaling
and exhaling at this pace can drop blood
pressure by 10 or even 15 points.
Scientists have known for decades that
inhaling through your mouth saps the
body of moisture, irritates the lungs, and
loosens the soft tissues at the back of the
mouth. Mouth breathing has also been
linked with neurological disorders, periodontal
disease, and an increased risk of
respiratory infection.
Fortunately, a remedy for many of our
chronic health problems is right under
our noses. It requires no batteries, WiFi,
headgear, or smartphones. It costs
nothing and takes little time and effort.
Therapeutic breathing as done in yoga is
a therapy our ancestors self-administered
for thousands of years with only their lips,
noses, and lungs. Let's hope that this time
around we don't forget it. l
REASONS
TO DO
YOGA ...
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Everyone can
participate
Promotes Bone
health & Muscle
strengthening
Flexibility and
Mobility
Improves your
sex drive
Balance and
Posture
Improves
relaxation
A natural
sleep aid
Reduces
stress
Improves your
self-esteem
Calming and
mood lifting
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
Improves your
breathing
All abilities including
chair-based yoga
Energizes
you
Connects you to a
supportive community
Helps the body detoxify
and aids in organ function
Can help you give and
receive gratitude
Helps build a strong bond
between mind and body
Helps build
mental focus
Yoga can be an
introduction to meditation
and intentional thinking
Yoga can change your
life like it did mine
MY LIFE MATTERS
HEALTH AND WELLNESS ISSUE SPRING 2023
21
VALENCIA'S
TOP 20
MY LIFE Matters: Health and Wellness Issue

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of MY LIFE Matters: Health and Wellness Issue
