DR. MICHAEL DOBLIN
HEALTH & WELLNESS Take a deep breath
Oxygenation improves blood circulation in the brain, warding off Alzheimer’ s and dementia. Deep breathing is essential in wound healing, expediting the healing process and in closing the wound faster and more thoroughly. Deep breathing is also an essential element in the immune system because it maximizes the energy necessary for our immune system to defend itself against potential and existing disease conditions. Four steps to take a deep breath include:
1. Inhale through your nose, expand your belly, and fill your chest while counting to five. 2. Hold, and count to three. 3. Exhale completely with a slightly open mouth while counting to five. 4. Repeat until satisfied.
Deep breathing via sleep position
The position we sleep in can enhance our breathing. If we sleep on our backs, our tongue and soft palate will relax and gravity will cause them to obstruct our airway. Sleeping on your stomach puts your nose, mouth and diaphragm in an awkward position to inhale air. Ideally, the best sleep position is on one’ s side. In this position, your airway is most exposed and gravity is minimized. Deep breathing via relaxation techniques Like most everything else, breathing is most efficient and effective when it is moderate and consistent. Stress, agitation and any type of emotional upset can create shallower, more rapid breathing. Relaxation techniques such as meditation, yoga and self-hypnosis will result in deep, strong, slow and consistent breathing. Breathe slowly, purposefully and deeply to feel relaxed instantly. Deep breathing via exercise
Exercise conditions the body to optimally inhale and utilize the air we breathe. Upon exertion, we expand our nostrils and forcibly inhale air into the trachea, down into the lungs, and eventually it makes its way into the blood stream. The oxygenated blood travels to your muscles, giving them the ability to more effectively utilize the body’ s accumulated food stores for energy production, in effect creating a condition in which your body becomes a more efficient biological engine by maximizing power, minimizing waste and decreasing accumulated fat stores. Deep breathing improves blood flow by releasing carbon dioxide and increasing the oxygen supply more effectively. Deep breathing via weight loss
Breathing is more efficient in a lean body than one encumbered with excessive weight. Learning how to use the most efficient food groups on a timely basis to create energy, assist in organ repair and enhance the immune system can be a science of common sense. In utilizing the food groups of protein, vegetables, fruits and grains, we should not overindulge. We recommend eating smaller meals of mixed food groups multiple times during the day( i. e., five meals a day). By doing this, the nutrients are utilized on an as-needed basis, our appetites are satisfied and little is left for fat storage. Deep breathing during the day can be like a full massage for your internal organs, improving the entire body’ s circulation, enhancing digestion, maximizing nutrient utilization and minimizing fat storage.
72 NEW JERSEY COPS ■ FEBRUARY 2017