Sissy
Very Valuable Member
 
Age : 50
Joined : 20 Oct 2006
Posts : 715
|  Subject: Breathe to help prevent colds and the flu  Fri 29 Dec 2006, 9:11 am | |
| One of the best ways( and free) to help boost your immune system is to breathe. Germs and viruses require a warm, moist environment to live. The first thing we experience when we catch a cold is a sore throat. That's because the throat is the first environment the cold germs come in contact with. If you live in a colder environment in the winter, go outside and take a deep breath through your nose and then exhale through your mouth. Do this 3 times. The cold air will disrupt the warm, moistness of your throat and nose and kill the germs. Everytime you walk out of a building, do this. I don't even remember the last time I had a cold because I practice this all winter.
Another free preventive measure that everyone can do (whether you're in a warm or cold environment for winter) is to just sit quietly and breathe. Start with the abdominal muscles and work the breath up along the ribs and into the lungs as far as you can without straining. Then, slowly release the breathe working from the lungs down to the abdomin.
This will have a calming effect on you, which in turn, will relieve stress that dampens the immune system. Just a few minutes every day will make you feel much better.
So, take the time and notice how often you hold your breath during the course of the day. You'll be amazed. Happy breathing everyone. |
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Teri
Very Valuable Member
  
Age : 53
Joined : 17 Oct 2006
Posts : 264
Localisation : South of Boston, Englewood Fl & Nova Scotia
| | Subject: Re: Breathe to help prevent colds and the flu Mon 15 Jan 2007, 4:59 pm | |
| | Breathing deeply is one of the first things you learn in yoga. I have asthma and recently had a bad spell, I think the deep breathing techniques helped me get over the attack faster |
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