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July 2014 | Read this issue and more at www.healthandwellnessmagazine.net |
Bend over from the waist while simultaneously pushing out all the air from
your lungs. Slowly return to a vertical
position while inhaling at the same
rate. Be sure to fill your lungs to the
greatest degree possible and hold this
breath for a count of 20 seconds, or as
long as you can manage. While counting, extend both arms fully overhead.
Relax while lowering your arms and
slowly exhale. Repeat four times.
Rib Stretch
Standing upright, expel all the air
from your lungs. Slowly breathe in,
expanding your lungs to maximum
capacity. Hold the air for as long as 20
seconds. While counting, rest both
hands on your hips, thumbs facing
front with pinkies touching the small
of your back. Release the air slowly
and relax. Repeat three times.
Breathing
Techniques
Increase Lung
Capacity
By Angela S. Hoover,
Staff Writer
Breathing is something we can
easily not think about since it’s an
automatic process. Yet oxygen is vital
for our physical, mental and emotional
well-being. Take notice now – are you
breathing shallow or deep with your
abdomen, quick or slow paced, and
are you breathing from your nose or
mouth? Focusing on and controlling
our breathing can increase lung capacity, reduce stress and anxiety and be
incorporated into meditation.
Breathing exercises enhance the
body’s ability to absorb and make use
of oxygen, and this improved lung
function can guard against illnesses. A
larger lung capacity improves stamina
and overall health.
Pushing Out
Doctors Paul and Patricia Bragg,
authors of Super-Power Breathing,
popularized this breathing technique
for improving lung