Habit #2 "Remember How To Breathe Like a Baby"

As a Registered Nutritionist, I have clients who come to me with a variety of ailments seeking to restore balance in their body. In this series "Habits for Vitality", I'm going to give you some basic habits to incorporate into your life to help you make the changes necessary to live an Optimal Life.

Stress causes numerous physiological changes, including changes in how we breathe. When we are stressed, our breath becomes shallow usually due to increased blood pressure, then oxygen levels drop and stress increases. A viscous cycle thus begins. One of the most important ways to get stress under control is to slow down our breathe cycle.

Isn't it amazing how our body does things without us even knowing it? Our breath is essential to our survival and we can only last six minutes maximum without breathing in more oxygen.

Did you know that 75% of diseases have been related to poor breathing techniques!
Try this first, stand up straight and put your right hand on your heart (centre of your chest) and your left hand on your stomach. Breathe normally and observe what moves and when. Do not take in more air than you normally do, but rather, quietly observe your breath and notice which hand is doing most of the moving.

Take a moment or two to notice how you breathe. Is it your chest hand or your stomach hand that moves first? Place both your hands on your lower ribcage now. Relax your abdomen, and as you inhale a normal amount of air, feel your ribcage expand all around. Allow the air to come out all by itself. Notice how your spine moves.

How did you breathe? Like a baby or are you a chest breather? Now concentrate on deeply filling your lower lungs first then your upper chest. Empty the lower then your upper chest. Breathing properly utilises more calories, relaxes you and makes you feel phenomenal! Spend at least a few times a day while in your office or while driving, concentrating on your deep breathing techniques. It will relax and reenergise you.

Deep breathing massages all our internal organs including the heart, decompresses our spine, oxygenates each and every cell in our body, and can relax your mind if you breathe deeply. Try having an argument when you are consciously breathing deeply with your respective other or friend. It's impossible; your body is too relaxed. You can't possibly argue and breathe deeply at the same time!