Medical News

Relaxation is the key to good breathing and so is emotion, the more positive the emotion the better the breathing. Anxiety, fear, stress and tension all quicken breathing and make it shallower; pleasure, contentment and emotional and physical well being deepen and strengthen your breathing. Both conventional and complementary medicine understands the importance of good breathing.

But in some ancient systems it is the cornerstone of health, Indian holy men or yogis practice panorama, or deep breathing, to calm the mind and spirit. In traditional Chinese medicine, harmony comes when your inner life energy is at one with the life energy in the air around you. Shallow breathing is when you inhale an inadequate amount of air, largely because you have not exhaled enough air, is common and can have harmful effects on the body.

The key to avoiding shallow breathing is to concentrate on breathing out. Breathe in through the nose and out through the mouth, sighing as you do so. Every time you sit down, breathe out long and slow. Aim for a count of five on every out breath. When you walk, count two on each in breath and two on each out breath. Gradually increase the count on each out breath to five.

Your doctor can keep symptoms at bay, but if you stop taking medication, they may return, often worst than before. Also many of these ailments may have a psychological origin, caused by difficulties at work or at home, poor housing conditions and so on, and they derive much benefit from the holistic approach. The healthy functioning of the lungs is, of course, a vital part of the body’s survival mechanism. When the tubes carrying air to the lungs become inflamed an asthma attack occurs.