Breathing Exercises---Excellent for Your Whole Person

[Guest guest]

I found this on a Stop Smoking Blog, but breathing exercises are

excellent for the immune system and for over-all well-being.

Breathing everything OUT is every bit as important as breathing in.

Most people carry around with them stagnant air, apparently, because

they don't breathe out all the way.

I don't know if it's already happened or is on its way to happening,

but in the Disunited Kingdom, Wales is taking the excellent step of

eliminating public smoking. The blogger who does the following site

suggests replacing sitting around smoking with (gasp!) exercise!

http://tinyurl.com/37vzde

Breathing exercises too can prove to be useful in controlling the

urge to

smoke. It is common knowledge that the human body takes in a lot of

toxic

substances, both through the air and through food and drink. Apart

from

this, various toxins are also released in the body as a result of the

various processes that are going on. These toxins have to be released

on a

continuous basis or else they will accumulate in the body with serious

results.

One of the best ways of releasing these toxins is by means of

exhaling while

breathing. One funny fact is that most of do not breathe properly.

Just take

a look at the picture like this. With each breath that we take, we

take in

oxygen. This oxygen is carried by the blood to every cell of the body

and

every cell must indeed get enough oxygen not just to survive but to

remain

healthy as well.

So it is imperative that we make an honest attempt to breathe

properly. But

first of course we have to make sure that we are breathing in

unpolluted

air. The time best for breathing exercises is early in the morning

when the

air is comparatively unpolluted. Now what you have to do is this.

Again, sit

comfortably so that there is no strain to any part of your body. It

is not

imperative that you close your eyes, but I have always noticed that

the

exercise works better when the eyes are closed.

When you are ready, what you have to do is to breathe in deeply and

slowly,

and feel the fresh air filling up your lungs until it just can't take

any

more. Conjure up images of the air encircling throughout your body and

reaching every cell, literally bathing it with oxygen. Of course it

doesn't

happen that way but the image helps a lot. Then hold your breath for

a few

seconds and then very slowly exhale letting out all that foul air.

Again conjure up an image of all the toxins being released from your

body.

Every cell has become free of the burden it was carrying. Now pause

for a

second or two and again breathe in deeply, slowly letting your lungs

fill up

with all that good, clean, rejuvenating air. Repeat this exercise at

least

ten times and take your time for it taking care not to rush through.

When you have done that part of the exercise it is time for the

second part.

Again sit with your eyes closed, but this time, keep one nostril

closed with

the help of your index finger. It is best to close the right nostril

first

and that too with your right index finger. Now breathe in deeply and

slowly

through your left nostril keeping the right nostril closed. When you

have

held air for a second or two, release your right nostril and breathe

out

through it.

While you are breathing out conjure up an image of all the toxins

being

released form your head and the brain especially. And as you breathe

in

conjure up images of the clean air circulating though out your brain

freeing

it of all the worries and trouble and lightening it.

Repeat this exercise with the other nostril closed and in this way

alternate

between the nostrils at least ten times. The entire breathing

exercise need

not take more than ten minutes. But you will be surprised at how light

hearted and free you will feel after the exercise. Once you have

practiced

it for three or four mornings, you will be in a position to do the

exercise

each time you get the urge to smoke. The breathing exercise can easily

become a substitute for the urge to take in that hourly doze of

nicotine.