One of the challenges in the fight against Covid-19 has been a national shortage of ventilators. This specialized equipment supports an exchange of fresh air into the lungs and a removal of used air out of the lungs. In other words, it forces oxygen in and removes carbon dioxide using tubes inserted into your airway or in some cases with the use of a mask.
These highly specialized ventilators are commonly used in patients who have challenges with lung function as a result of a disease processes. They are lifesavers in many cases and a great asset in the field of medicine. Prior to the common use of these ventilators the prognosis for a seriously ill pulmonary patient was grave indeed.
Our county, state and federal governments are taking action to work on the perceived shortage of ventilators during the Covid-19 pandemic and I feel that we will conquer that problem. But remember that these ventilators are used in a reactive course when someone becomes ill and chances are, as you are reading this, you have no need for a medical ventilator.
The history of health and healing tells us that prevention of disease is better than reacting to the effects of it. With a strongly contagious virus like the novel coronavirus, prevention is possible with great effort but there is a chance that one might contract and express the disease. In that case survivability depends on the state of your health at the time of infection, proper palliative medical care and your genetic predisposition for optimum health.
Many years ago I began the study of martial arts. This has had a profound effect on the course of my life resulting in my international certification as a Master of Tang Soo Do Karate and a Master of Ki Gong (Chi Gong). In fact, in many ways it led my academic studies toward my Doctor of Chiropractic degree. As a result, I have studied the art of breathing for many years. It may seem strange that the simple act of taking a breath can actually be so complex as to lead to a study of it. The truth is that most people who study breathing forget about it most of the time and effort must be made to concentrate on the techniques and physiologic effects of proper breathing.
Good healthy lung tissues tend to better resist disease organisms. A healthy breath is not a panacea against infection but healthy tissues are always better off than diseased tissues or organs when fighting off illness. Makes sense doesn’t it?
When one has a challenge there is a choice. You either succumb to the challenge in a helpless way, let nature take its course or you take action. I want to suggest that now, more than ever your ability to take a healthy breath and feed your lungs with clean air is of utmost importance. So, I would like to share with you a technique for taking a special kind of breath. It’s known as the Healing Breath or Reverse Breathing.
Stand up and take a deep breath through your nose. In a normal breath you may notice that your upper chest and lower abdomen expand slightly. In a Reverse Breath you concentrate on pulling your abdomen in while you breathe in deeply. Now as you are standing take a deep, breath through your nose while strongly pulling your abdomen in. You will notice that as you do, your chest expands greatly. The next step is all about timing. Try timing your inspiration for a count of 10. When you reach 10 you should have a completely full breath of air, you shouldn’t possibly be able to get any more in. The next part is important. As you exhale for a count of 10 get all of your air out while pushing your belly out. Repeat the process:
- Stand up
- Breathe in through your nose for a count of 10 while pulling your stomach in
- Breathe out through your mouth for a count of 10 while pushing your stomach out
In each breath inspire completely and exhale completely. Repeat 10 times.
As you fill your lungs envision pure clean air, as you let your air out visualize the release of toxins. Concentrate when breathing and enjoy the process. In the same way that aerobic exercise strengthens your heart, breathing exercises make your lungs more efficient. As always if you have any questions about your health, please don’t hesitate to contact me. Breathe in, breath out and know that your good health begins with you.
