1. Topic I’m taking a deeper dive into…
Two topics often overlooked when it comes to health and wellness are sleep and breathing. Recently, I was sent a link to a Joe Rogan podcast with James Nestor, author of Breath: The New Science of a Lost Art. (Thanks, Matt M.!) I loved the podcast and found it VERY interesting. I ended up getting the book (audiobook) and really enjoyed it. It’s packed with good info. The main takeaway… we breathe through our mouths, but should be breathing through our noses. Here is an excerpt from his book…
“Mouthbreathing, it turns out, changes the physical body and transforms airways, all for the worse. Inhaling air through the mouth decreases pressure, which causes the soft tissues in the back of the mouth to become loose and flex inward, creating less overall space and making breathing more difficult. Mouthbreathing begets more mouthbreathing. Inhaling from the nose has the opposite effect. It forces air against all those flabby tissues at the back of the throat, making the airways wider and breathing easier. After a while, these tissues and muscles get ‘toned’ to stay in this opened and wide position. Nasal breathing begets more nasal breathing.”
I feel working on breathing is hugely worth the time and effort, as the return can be life changing. I don’t have a personal success story just yet, as I just started working on it, but I’ll keep you posted. My first step… taping my mouth shut at night. Yep, it works. I take a small, postage stamp-sized piece of medical tape and tape my lips shut before bed. This ensures that I breath through my nose all night. (See the pic below.) Click here for the link to the Joe Rogan podcast (head up…some explicit language)… And Click here for the link to the book.
2. Something I’ve been happy to see…
With people having limited options for activities, many have turned to outdoor activities. I have noticed so many more cars toting bikes, kayaks, and stand up paddleboards, and patients talking about hiking, walking, and running. And living on a lake, I’ve never seen so much activity… boating, kayaks, stand up paddleboards, etc. So good to see! We need to be outdoors more, and we need to be more active. So cool to combine the two. The health benefits are incredible! And while all of the emphasis with COVID-19 is on washing hands, wearing masks, and staying inside, no one is talking about the things you can do to boost your immune system, which I believe is the MOST POWERFUL AND IMPACTFUL thing you can do to ensure staying well. So… it makes me very happy to see so many people partaking in outdoor activities. GET OUTSIDE AND EXERCISE!
3. Words that got me thinking…
A buddy of mine went to India for a month…actually ended up staying for a year…and had what turned out to be an amazing healing journey. I’ll share his story sometime in the future. But this morning, he sent me a text with words from the Dalai Lama. It got me thinking and reflecting on how we sometimes have to step back and look at things from a different perspective.
