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about: Aaron Hoopes
SMART BREATHING
The human body is amazing just because it works. The natural bodily functions go on throughout our lives, and breathing is the most basic of them. We don’t have to be conscious of our breathing. The body breathes whether we pay attention to it or not. This normal, everyday unconscious breathing can be defined as subsistence breathing. Subsistence breathing is simply existing by maintaining the minimum breathing necessary to support life.
Subsistence breathing takes place in the upper lungs. It is normally shallow and uses only about one-third of lung capacity. There is nothing wrong with subsistence breathing. It keeps us alive. But is that enough? What happens when we encounter some kind of stress or strain which demands that we have reserves of energy to fall back on? The usual response is heavy, desperate panting until we have “caught” the breath we didn’t have. In the face of serious injury, illness or stress many, if not most, people restrict their breathing even more than it is restricted during subsistence breathing. The dysfunctional result is to lower their intake of oxygen just when they are most in need of a plentiful supply.
So what if we could build up a store of energy we could tap into when the need arose, giving us a special source of personal power? Smart Breathing is the key to achieving that power.
Smart breathing slows down the heartbeat and reduces stress and strain on the muscles of the heart. If you are at all familiar with biorhythms, it should not be a surprise to learn that an electroencephalogram (EEG) of a person practicing conscious breathing exercises shows a distinct synchronization of alpha waves in different parts of the brain. Alpha rhythm is the prominent EEG wave pattern in an adult who is awake but relaxed with eyes closed. However, the longer conscious breathing is practiced, the smoother and wider the synchronized alpha waves become even with the eyes open. With smart breathing more oxygen is supplied to the head, enhancing clarity of thought and stimulating brain activity.
There are other benefits of smart breathing as well. The deep rhythmic expansion and contraction of the muscles around the lungs serves to provide an internal massage to the inner organs of the body. This passive massaging stimulates the liver, kidneys, spleen and other internal organs, bringing vital energy to keep them healthy and functioning properly.
But let’s get to the really good news: reaping the benefits of conscious breathing is ridiculously simple.
Regular practice of Smart Breathing can bring dramatic results in a short period of time. Paying attention to your breathing heightens your general self-awareness. You begin to notice the way you are living and how your body is reacting to the lifestyle choices you make.
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BREATHE SMART
BREATHE SMART: The Secret to Happiness, Health and Long Life
Learning to breathe properly is the first step. Breathing is the basic fundamental aspect of our physical being. It is something we do all day everyday. It is vital that we have the skills to breathe effectively. Then we give the body the energy it needs to do what it is able to do.
In this little book, Aaron Hoopes brings twenty years of experience in the martial arts, fitness training and meditation to bear on one of the most fundamental dimensions of good health: proper breathing. He calls it a “secret” not because it is hidden or mysterious, but because so little attention is paid to it.
Breathe Smart shows us how, through “Conscious Breathing” we can raise our level of oxygen intake and reap the benefits of increased energy, better health, and a stronger sense of well-being.
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