The Benefits of Deep Breathing

 

Sometimes, health benefits can be achieved by doing something incredibly simple, perhaps even obvious. Breathing deeply can qualify as one of these things and you might be surprised of the positive impact it can have on your body and wellbeing.

 

One of the most essential components of a healthy body is a healthy blood-stream, and the work that the blood-stream carries out on a day-to-day, minute-by-minute, second-by-second basis is remarkable and essential. The blood-stream transports oxygen and nutrients to the body’s cells as means of nurturing the circulation system so the body can resist illness and disease, and the engine which powers this is breathing.

 

Breathing helps to power the lymphatic system, which is also crucial to health and primarily helps to reduce of the impact of harmful materials in the body, by: staving off invasion from bacteria, viruses and fungi, recycling plasma proteins and expelling waste from lymph fluid.

 

Whilst, deep breathing is essential to these processes, it must be done in a highly systematic manner, for it to be truly effective. In order to breathe deeply in a productive manner you should, breathe in for one count, hold this breath for two counts and then exhale for two counts. With the application of this process, you are enabling time for cells to become fully oxygenated with blood, and for toxins to be expelled. In order to make the best of this process, it’s advisable to complete 10 cycles on a daily basis, which can serve as a means of improving your wellness without too much effort.

 

Categories: Blood, blood stream, body, Breathing, breathing nbsp, Deep Breathing, nbsp, stream

How to Have Great Sex Even If You Have a Lung Condition

Having trouble with your breathing can affect all areas of your wellbeing. Something as simple as spending time with your family or working on your fitness can be all the more complicated, as your problematic breathing makes it difficult to chase after your kids or exercise properly. Everyday tasks and once-enjoyable activities become a real mountain to climb, and the sheer effort of participating can put you off even trying to do the things you enjoy in the first place. This is no truer than when it comes to your sexual health; sex is good for your wellness, providing many physical, emotional and relational benefits. However, there’s no denying that sex is a tiring activity in the best of circumstances, and problematic breathing can put you right off even trying. But does this mean that sex is off the table forever? Of course not.

 

No matter what health problem you have, there is always a way in which you can enjoy sex – you just need to know how! When it comes to people with breathing problems, the British Lung Foundation (BLF) has come up with the necessary measures you need to take if you have breathing problems but want to continue to enjoy a healthy sex life (and who doesn’t?!). According to the BLF’s medical director Dr Noemi Eiser, even if you suffer from a lung condition, you do not have to ‘compromise on intimacy. It is important that you talk to your partner about any worries and are open-minded and understanding. Creating a comfortable and trusting environment will prevent stress and shortness of breath.’ Here are a few more sex tips from the leaflet Sex and Breathlessness, which have been recommended for people with breathing problems:

 

1. Try to Only Have Sex When You Feel Rested: ‘Have sex when you feel rested and your breathing is at its best,’ Sex and Breathlessness recommends. ‘Adequate rest will also take care of any stress you might be having because of your day-to-day life and that is always good for your sex life.’

 

2. Forcefully Cough Before Sex: Sex and Breathlessness notes, ‘If at all you are going to cough, it is better to do it beforehand. Cough up some phlegm before indulging in sex and it’ll make your chest feel much lighter during the activity.’

 

3. Avoid Morning Sex: ‘Try and avoid having sex in the morning as that is the time you will be very like to produce more phlegm,’ Sex and Breathlessness says. ‘If at all you feel extremely aroused in the morning, indulge in masturbation or foreplay to release tension.’

 

4. Avoid Sex After Alcohol or a Heavy Meal: Sex and Breathlessness asserts, ‘Having sex right after a heavy meal or too much alcohol is a bad idea for anyone with breathing problems. Your stomach might feel bloated and your breathing will be weaker than normal. You don’t have to have sex all day, so making a fixed time for sex when you are completely relaxed should be a good idea.’

 

5. Take a Break: Sex and Breathlessness advises, ‘In case you feel that you’re extremely short of breath during intercourse, just pause and take a few deep breaths to regain composure. You can resume having sex once you feel comfortable again.’

 

6. Switch Positions: ‘The typical missionary position may exert too much pressure on the chest,’ Sex and Breathlessness explains. ‘You could instead try positions like spooning.’

 

7. Try Home Remedies: ‘Besides taking these measures, it’ll also be a good idea to address your problems,’ Sex and Breathlessness says. ‘You could try home remedies like mint leaves or pudina to reduce cough and asthma. Besides these, avoiding triggers for asthmatic attacks and eating foods that build your immunity will also help.’

Categories: better sex, Breathing, breathing problems, feel rested, heavy meal, home remedies, lung condition, nbsp, problematic breathing, sex life

How to Have Great Sex Even If You Have a Lung Condition

Having trouble with your breathing can affect all areas of your wellbeing. Something as simple as spending time with your family or working on your fitness can be all the more complicated, as your problematic breathing makes it difficult to chase after your kids or exercise properly. Everyday tasks and once-enjoyable activities become a real mountain to climb, and the sheer effort of participating can put you off even trying to do the things you enjoy in the first place. This is no truer than when it comes to your sexual health; sex is good for your wellness, providing many physical, emotional and relational benefits. However, there’s no denying that sex is a tiring activity in the best of circumstances, and problematic breathing can put you right off even trying. But does this mean that sex is off the table forever? Of course not.

 

No matter what health problem you have, there is always a way in which you can enjoy sex – you just need to know how! When it comes to people with breathing problems, the British Lung Foundation (BLF) has come up with the necessary measures you need to take if you have breathing problems but want to continue to enjoy a healthy sex life (and who doesn’t?!). According to the BLF’s medical director Dr Noemi Eiser, even if you suffer from a lung condition, you do not have to ‘compromise on intimacy. It is important that you talk to your partner about any worries and are open-minded and understanding. Creating a comfortable and trusting environment will prevent stress and shortness of breath.’ Here are a few more sex tips from the leaflet Sex and Breathlessness, which have been recommended for people with breathing problems:

 

1. Try to Only Have Sex When You Feel Rested: ‘Have sex when you feel rested and your breathing is at its best,’ Sex and Breathlessness recommends. ‘Adequate rest will also take care of any stress you might be having because of your day-to-day life and that is always good for your sex life.’

 

2. Forcefully Cough Before Sex: Sex and Breathlessness notes, ‘If at all you are going to cough, it is better to do it beforehand. Cough up some phlegm before indulging in sex and it’ll make your chest feel much lighter during the activity.’

 

3. Avoid Morning Sex: ‘Try and avoid having sex in the morning as that is the time you will be very like to produce more phlegm,’ Sex and Breathlessness says. ‘If at all you feel extremely aroused in the morning, indulge in masturbation or foreplay to release tension.’

 

4. Avoid Sex After Alcohol or a Heavy Meal: Sex and Breathlessness asserts, ‘Having sex right after a heavy meal or too much alcohol is a bad idea for anyone with breathing problems. Your stomach might feel bloated and your breathing will be weaker than normal. You don’t have to have sex all day, so making a fixed time for sex when you are completely relaxed should be a good idea.’

 

5. Take a Break: Sex and Breathlessness advises, ‘In case you feel that you’re extremely short of breath during intercourse, just pause and take a few deep breaths to regain composure. You can resume having sex once you feel comfortable again.’

 

6. Switch Positions: ‘The typical missionary position may exert too much pressure on the chest,’ Sex and Breathlessness explains. ‘You could instead try positions like spooning.’

 

7. Try Home Remedies: ‘Besides taking these measures, it’ll also be a good idea to address your problems,’ Sex and Breathlessness says. ‘You could try home remedies like mint leaves or pudina to reduce cough and asthma. Besides these, avoiding triggers for asthmatic attacks and eating foods that build your immunity will also help.’

Categories: better sex, Breathing, breathing problems, feel rested, heavy meal, home remedies, lung condition, nbsp, problematic breathing, sex life

As Easy As Breathing: 3 Kundalini Techniques for Better Sex

There are many ways in which fitness improves your sexual health, but is there such a thing as sexual fitness? According to wellness expert Susan Crain Bakos, author of The Daily Sex Bible: Inspirations and Techniques for the Best Year of Sex Ever, ‘You, too, can become a sex goddess. I’m perfectly serious: By investing a little time, less effort and no money, you can become a powerful erotic force, a woman capable of reducing your partner to a state of gasping, spent gratitude. All you have to do is become sexually fit – and I swear you won’t have to set foot in a gym.’ However, before you start imagining all sorts of weird, kinky exercises, fear not; achieving your sexual fitness and wellbeing is as easy as breathing.

 

Crain Bakos notes, ‘Like Kegels, breathing exercises are easy to learn and practice, and require only a few minutes…You don’t have to do breathing exercises every day or every time you make love. Some women use them only when they’re having trouble focusing on lovemaking or sustaining arousal during sex.’ The following breathing exercises have been adapted from Kundalini yoga, often described as sexual yoga because the exercises target your pelvic and genital areas.

 

1. The Breath of Fire: Crain Bakos advises, ‘Use this before or during lovemaking to get you in the mood or increase arousal, especially if you’re having trouble reaching orgasm. There’s no simpler way to oxygenate the blood, a process that increases sexual energy and elevates desire. Take rapid, rhythmic and shallow breaths through the nose. Keep your mouth closed. Breathe this way for one to three minutes.’

 

2. Fire Breathing: Although this has a similar name to the first breathing exercise, it involves a very different technique. Before you incorporate it into lovemaking, you should practice the fire breathing exercise alone. Crain Bakos instructs, ‘Lie on your back, knees bent, feet spaced well apart. Start by taking deep breaths: Pull each breath into your body so deeply that you feel your diaphragm expanding. Imagine this huge intake of air going all the way down into your genitals. When you exhale, pull that air all the way up from your genitals and out of your body. After a dozen or so deep breaths, pant by breathing rapidly from your belly with your mouth open. Do this 10 or 20 times, then breathe deeply, inhaling through the nose and exhaling through the mouth. Make the breathing a continuous circular motion. Imagine a circle of fire, beginning as a small circle, composed at first only of nose and mouth, then expanding to include chest, belly and finally genitals. Feel the erotic heat moving in a circle throughout your body as you breathe. And feel your arousal growing with every breath.’

 

3. The Fire-Breathing Orgasm: Crain Bakos directs, ‘While you’re making love, flex your PC muscles in the same pattern as you perform your Fire Breath, squeezing as you inhale and releasing as you exhale. Start by flexing with the panting, then deep breathing and finally Fire Breathing. This may sound a little complicated, but it really isn’t; Fire Breathing becomes a reflex action after you’ve practiced it a half dozen times. Your orgasm will be stunning in its intensity.’

 

Hot stuff (pun intended) but does it work? Reader Jill, 34, reports, ‘I had problems with focus during lovemaking. I worried about whether he would come too soon, or would I come at all—and lost my momentum. Fire Breathing helps me regain sexual focus. The breathing and flexing get me very excited. I can make myself have an orgasm this way, even if he’s already come. I can hold him inside me and sustain his erection for a little while by the sheer force of my PCs. I have an explosive orgasm. And he loves it too.’

Categories: bakos, better sex, Breathing, breathing exercise, breathing exercises, crain bakos, deep breaths, kundalini yoga, orgasm, sexual, sexual fitness

How Should Your Breathing Change for Different Workouts?

While you may do it naturally, breathing can make or break your fitness routine’s success. If done incorrectly – whether you hold your breath, or breathe too fast, deep or shallow – your breathing can affect the exercise itself, how well you perform it, and your mind-body wellness. Let’s take a look at how you should breathe when performing different activities:

 

1. Strength Training: According to Certified Personal Trainers Jason Anderson and Nicole Nichols, ‘Strength training increases the body’s need for oxygen and automatically results in a faster breathing rate. However, many people have a tendency to hold their breath during strenuous activity like weight lifting. Known as the valsalva maneuver, this can limit oxygen delivery to the brain and cause dizziness, fainting, a spike in blood pressure and other complications. During strength training, the most important thing to remember about breathing is to just do it! Never hold your breath; be aware of how you are breathing at all times, whether through the nose or mouth. Beyond that, fitness experts recommend that you exhale on the exertion phase of the exercise and inhale on the easier phase. The exertion phase is typically the hardest phase of the exercise—lifting, curling, or pushing the weight. The easier phase brings you back to the starting position by lowering or returning the weight.’

 

2. Stretching: ‘Properly breathing while you stretch after your workouts helps your body relax so that you can return to a resting state, in addition to aiding in the mechanical removal of waste by-products of exercise,’ note Anderson and Nichols. ‘It may also allow you to increase your flexibility because proper breathing during stretches will help you to relax more fully and therefore stretch more deeply. Many people tend to hold their breath during stretching or to take short and shallow breaths, but ideally, we should take deep, relaxed diaphragmatic breaths. Most experts recommend inhaling through the nose and exhaling through the mouth when stretching. On every exhale, try to relax more fully or give into the stretch a little further, but make sure that you never stretch past a seven on a scale of 1-10.’

 

3. Pilates: Anderson and Nichols detail, ‘Pilates typically involves lateral or ribcage breathing…With your abdominals engaged (naval pulled toward your spine), inhale deeply through the nose without allowing your belly to rise; instead, think about the air filling your lungs and expanding them laterally and into your back while your belly remains tight and flat as if you are wearing a corset. On your exhale, open your lips slightly and push all of that air out of your mouth both forcefully and slowly, making your exhale audible (like a “whoooooo” or “seeeeeeee” sound). This style of breath keeps the abdominals engaged and helps you to perform Pilates exercises with greater ease and better control.’

 

4. Yoga: ‘Like Pilates, yoga has a unique form of breathing known as “ujjayi” breathing,’ Anderson and Nichols point out. ‘During this slow, even breath through the nose, one should inhale for four to five heartbeats, pause slightly, and then exhale for an equal length of time. The back of the throat constricts slightly to allow the air to create an audible sound. The audible breath serves as a “moving meditation” during a yoga practice…meaning that when poses get difficult, the mind can focus on the rhythm and sound of the breath to stay calm. This breath, which sounds like the ocean, helps you stay in the moment and centred while practicing yoga.’ Stepfanie Romine, a certified Ashtanga yoga teacher, adds, ‘The breath serves as a metronome for the body, each movement timed to the length of an inhalation or exhalation.’

Categories: abdominals engaged, breath, breath serves, Breathing, easier phase, exertion phase, experts recommend, phase, Strength Training, yoga

Yogue, Strike a Pose: How Desk Yoga Can Keep You Going

A lot of us spend all day sitting at a desk, but did you know this is wreaking havoc on your mental and physical wellbeing. You may be more concerned about corporate wellness, and so don’t care that you’re sitting and typing away all day. However, no matter how productive all that desk time is, it can cause aches, strain and tension in every muscle in your body, and you may need a hard-earned yoga break. Stopping to strike a pose can help you to relieve that stress, and get your overall wellness back on track to tackle the rest of the long workday. Here are seven yoga postures to get you started.

 

1. Konasana. Also known as the right angle pose, konasana is a simple and effective way to relieve your tight back and legs. It works to open and stretch your hamstrings and calves, elongate your spine and torso and strengthen your arms. With your arms placed on a wall at shoulder-height, shoulder-width apart, slowly walk your feet back until they are directly under your hips (hip-width apart). Bending at your hips, walk your hands down the wall until they are in line with your shoulders again. Your hands should be flat on the wall with your fingers evenly spaced and all pointing upwards. Hopefully, your body is now in a right angle (hence the name of the pose) but if you start to feel contractions or tightness in your lower back or hamstrings, bend your knees and arch your back so that you lift your sit bones up towards the ceiling. This should open up the lower back and sacral area.

 

2. Vidalasana: Otherwise titled the Cat-Cow pose, the vidalasana gently massages your spine, and opens your upper back, chest and shoulder areas. You start on your hands and knees, with the respective limbs directly under your shoulders and hips, shoulder-width/hip-width apart. Throughout this sequence, the tops of your feet should remain flat on the floor, your arms should be kept straight and firm and you should breathe in and out through the nostrils. Move your shoulders back and your sit bones up towards the ceiling, arching you lower back and inhaling as you do so. Then, exhale and round your back up towards the ceiling and bow your head. Repeat this several times, making sure your movement and breathing is synchronised.

 

3. Deep breathing: Ok, this one isn’t technically a poses but as deep breathing frees your mind, opens your senses and gives you a feeling of self-sufficiency, I think we can let that slide. Plus, you can easily do this in the office without getting any funny looks, so you may be onto a winner here. All you need to do is sit upright, cross-legged like a yogi, or just in a chair if you don’t fancy flooring it. Make sure your spine is not compressed by lifting up and lengthening your body. Again you breathe in and out through your nose for this exercise. Simply inhale into your lower belly so that it naturally fills and puffs up a little bit. Using your abdominal tone, expand your ribs and widen your torso. This will already give you a sensation and motion in your breath that you may have never felt. Breathe up into your chest and lungs until the area expands so much that it stretched to your collarbone. Then, exhale deeply down through your body until all of the air is pushed out. If you’re a beginner, just do this for a few minutes, but build up to longer periods of time of this breathing.

 

Categories: body, Breathing, Deep Breathing, hip width, pose, poses, shoulder, shoulder width, sit bones, width, yoga

What Could Be Causing Your Lung Problem?

There are a number of reasons why you can develop lung problems, from developing asthma to dust and chemical irritants. In fact, airborne irritants can even cause asthma. Then there is the outdoor problems – toxic car fumes, secondhand smoke and toxins in the air can all lead to coughing and wheezing, particularly if you already have respiratory problems. There are some lesser known irritants though that can exacerbate your problems – here is a list of the less common triggers that could be affecting you from your everyday lifestyle.

Fireworks

There have been a number of reports over the years that fireworks can cause asthma attacks, with one particularly worrying incident in 2000 stating that a 9 year old girl with mild asthma suffered a severe attack and died, after playing with sparklers at a picnic on the Fourth of July. When lit, the ever-popular Roman Candles, bottle rockets and sparklers release a number of chemicals which include sulphur dioxide. This can make asthma worse when it’s inhales, particularly in concentrated amounts. And it can get worse if you attend large-scale firework displays, as the smoky fallout can contain barium aerosols, which it has been suggested can make asthma worse.

Air bags

Studies have shown that asthmatics who stay in their cars after a crash are likely to suffer attacks, as the aerosol compounds which are released into the cabin when the airbag inflates act as an irritant.

Flour

Love to bake? It could be causing your lung troubles! When inhaled in large quantities, flour dust can irritate the lungs so much that there is actually a term for it – baker’s asthma. This is actually one of the most common forms of work-related asthma, and there are many professional bakers who have been known to develop asthma due to an allergy to wheat flour.

Gas appliances

The byproduct of gas appliances, nitrogen dioxide, has been connected to asthma symptoms in children, according to a 2008 study. Researchers found that children who lived in homes with higher levels of NO2 were more likely to cough, wheeze and suffer from tight chests. Even with just small amounts emitted from stoves, fireplaces and heaters, this byproduct can aggravate asthma.

Candles

If you love to burn candles of an evening in your home, you’re probably blissfully unaware of the effects that it has on your respiratory system. A study carried out at the South Carolina State University found that paraffin-based candles, which are the most popular form, emit in toluene and benzene. However, beeswax and soybean candles don’t emit these chemicals. You won’t be at risk if you decide to light the odd candle during a romantic meal or while you’re having a bath, but if you don’t ventilate the area you may find that your asthma symptoms worsen.

Printers

A lesser known trigger, laser printers and photocopiers actually emit ultrafine particles which make your symptoms worse. In 2009, an account from a 62 year old woman who began coughing and wheezing at work was published. Her job was selling lottery tickets in a small kiosk, and it was found that the ink used in the ticket printer was making her ill. Once she stopped working in the kiosk, her symptoms gradually disappeared. If you work in an admin job where you are dealing with printers and copiers a lot, you may find that your asthma symptoms are worse during the times when you’re dealing with this equipment.

Categories: Asthma, asthma symptoms, asthma worse, Breathing, candles, gas appliances, lung, problems, Symptoms, worse

How to Breathe When You"re Exercising

It’s as simple as breathing in and breathing out – or is it? When we exercise, getting enough oxygen into the body is vital for our stamina and strength. There is an art to inhaling that most people don’t value enough. The best breathing techniques could improve your stamina and boost your performance, helping you reach your peak fitness. Smooth and efficient breathing can hep the body to perform it’s various functions properly, as well as helping to calm the mind, enable you to exercise for longer, and to put an end to those stitches in your side. When you’re running, getting your breathing right is the difference between a difficult running session around the block and real endurance. Studies have even proven that improper breathing can impair your speed and performance.

 

There’s no set rule for runners, but most agree that they find it comfortable to take a breath every two foot strikes. This means that you take one left step and one right, whilst breathing in, then two steps whilst breathing out. This works best as your diaphragm and the surrounding organs are at the liberty of gravity, so by getting your breathing in line with your movements you will be able to breathe more comfortably. There is some debate as to whether it is better to breathe through your nose or your mouth, and the studies conclude that breathing through your mouth is the best option as this causes the least amount of resistance – if you are breathing through your nose, you’re making things unnecessarily hard for yourself. Of course, nose breathing does have its benefits, as it increases the CO2 saturation in the blood, which can calm you down. It also helps to minimise the amount of allergens you inhale and to warm the air as it enters the lungs (great for outdoor workouts in the colder months). It depends on what is best for you, so trial both ways of breathing and see which you prefer.

 

When you’re taking part in high intensity sports, breathing is something of a difficulty. But your breathing is crucial to stabilise your core and postural control muscles. When you’re anticipating a heavy weight or impact, you should take a deep breath and then brace the core – this will help to protect the spine. With any exercise, it’s best to breathe from the diaphragm rather than the chest as this increases the amount of oxygen you can provide to the muscles. Your ribcage should expand in a 3D pattern, top to bottom, back to front and to the sides. Aerobic exercise is just one of the forms of exercise that can benefit from good breathing practices.

 

The main thing to remember is that you need to breathe out, as many people try and hold their breath subconsciously. Holding the breath increases pressure in the chest cavity, but holding it too long can stop the blood getting back to the heart and can raise your blood pressure. It’s even possible to train your respiratory muscles which has been proven by researchers to improve your performance and stamina, particularly in high-intensity sports. Of course, there are other factors which can impede your breathing – smoking, allergies and asthma can all affect your breathing ability, in particular during exercise sessions. Giving up smoking will improve your breathing, in everyday life and during exercise, but if you’re worried you have asthma or allergies you should speak to your GP who can advise you how to exercise safely and control these conditions.

Categories: breath, Breathe, Breathing, exercise, high intensity, intensity sports, performance, stamina

What Are the Health Risks of Volcanic Ash?

There are several live volcanoes around the world, and the eruptions that sometimes occur from this have led to concerns about the effect of volcanic ash on our health. Naturally, there is the risk of some respiratory damage when inhaling such matter, but how severe is it and should you be concerned? After the renowned Icelandic volcano eruption which occurred several years ago, more people are worried about how their health will be affected by such an event if it were to happen again. There is little publicity in the way of information about what people should do in such an emergency. Volcanic ash is formed of fine rock particles, minerals and glass. The ash is rough and mildly corrosive, and it doesn’t dissolve in water. When a volcano erupts, the ash can spread in the air for thousands of kilometres away, depending on the type of eruption and the wind speed. Because ash is made up of millions of microscopic particles and fragments, it can be inhaled deep into the lungs and lead to problems with one’s breathing. How damaging this is depends on a number of factors, including how often and for how long you were breathing in the ash, how big the particles were, and whether you also breathed in volcanic gases. If you have heart or lung problems already, this may make your situation worse.

 

Short-term exposure to volcanic ash isn’t known to be a major health hazard, although it can lead to eye, throat and nose irritation. However, researchers are unaware what the long-term effects are to people who have inhaled the ash. The risks are thought to be the same as those in people who breathe in smog, which can lead to increased risks of minor breathing problems, heart and lung diseases becoming worse, and premature death in severe cases. Volcanic ash is also known to cause skid conditions on the roads, create mudslides and clog the air intake of engines, leading to them stalling. However, after an eruption of Mount St Helens in 1980, studies were undertaken on animals to see what the effect was – researchers noted that there was only minor impact on them, even when they were exposed to a lot of ash. The main health outcome of that particular eruption was eye, nose and throat problems.

In order to minimise your risks, you should try not to breathe in deeply if you can avoid it to stop tiny particles from going deep into your lungs. If you can, use a dust or filter mask to minimise your exposure to the damaging ash and fragments. Those wil heart and lung problems, children and the elderly should take extra cautionary measures – this means keeping windows and doors closed, staying indoors where possible, and avoiding strenuous outdoor activities which will require them to breathe in more deeply. If you live in an area where the risk if higher, be sure to keep abreast of the news in your local area so that you can be sure of the air quality. If you think you’ve been affected by volcanic ash, you should speak to your GP who can advise you further on what to do next. Of course, there are more physical effects as well, such as heavy ash fall on roofs causing damage to the home which can lead to roofs falling in on people. This is something which should be checked at the time to assess any possible risk to those living in the home. However, falling ash isn’t yet known to cause any serious health problems to already healthy people.

Categories: ash isn, Breathing, health, health concerns, lead, lung problems, people, problems, volcanic, volcanic ash

The Big Finish: How to Have More Amazing Orgasms

When it comes to your sexual health, you can get a bit obsessed with “the orgasm.” Still, while it’s true that sexual wellness is about more than reaching an end goal, that doesn’t mean if you have trouble climaxing that you should simply go without. I mean, your wellbeing doesn’t depend on an orgasm, but they’re still pretty enjoyable! Knowing more about the elusive Big O can help to unlock the path to reaching it, so let’s see if you can finish your bedroom experience with a bang.

 

First and foremost, if you don’t feel aroused, you won’t have an orgasm. This is a simple fact that can really change how you approach orgasms. Arousal begins in the section of your brain where your sense of smell intersects with your emotions, memory and sexuality. Therefore, triggering this limbic area with stirring smells can kick-start the arousal process throughout your body, which eventually leads to orgasm. The olfactory scents that turn you on may be different to what other people like. Napoleon was known to request his wife not to wash for a week before he came home, whereas a friend of mine loves the smell of men’s aftershave so much she sprays it on her pillow! Whatever does it for you, find a way to sniff it out more often.

 

It may seem like stating the obvious, but another important aspect of arousal is movement. A lot of people tense up and stop moving around during sexual activity, but you need to get those hips moving. You can also experiment with moving all of your limbs, rolling your neck and stretching into new positions to trigger points of arousal you never even knew about. It might be helpful to try strengthening your core as part of your exercise routine, as the ability to hold onto someone you love from the inside will make you feel both strong and sexy.

 

As you’re probably aware from any sex scene in any film ever, people express their arousal through breathing. When you’re aroused, do you tend towards long and slow breaths or do you experience short, fast inhalations? How does your breathing impact your connection to your body, your partner and your orgasmic possibilities? If the answer is “not much,” perhaps changing your breathing pattern can transform your sexual experience. With your partner, try to synchronise your breathing and movement. Although it’s a simple step, refocusing your breathing to come together will deepen your connection to each other, as well as expanding your idea of orgasm.

 

While communication and working with your partner is a key part of reaching orgasm, doing your own solo experiments can help you learn about your body without embarrassment or reservation. When you know the sensations and build-up that lead you to the point of no return, try pulling back and introducing a different form of touch or breath before you try to reach it again. If you struggle climaxing, you may be desperate to reach that point for fear that you won’t have another opportunity, but the longer you wait to surrender to your orgasm, the more power and energy you build up and eventually release. Not only does this enrich your experience with know-how you can pass on to your partner, but it makes each orgasm all the sweeter.

 

Finally, a small application of great, clean lubricant can get you aroused and orgasming in no time, as your body expresses arousal messages as genital secretions. Lubricant isn’t only great for painless friction and more time to experiment; it also helps to trick your brain into feeling aroused if you’re not naturally producing lubricant yourself (which a third of women struggle with).

Categories: arousal, aroused, Breathing, Lubricant, nbsp, orgasm, Orgasms

How to Revive Your Dog in the Event of an Emergency

If you have a dog, you will know that they are part of the family, and that their wellness is almost as important as that of any other member of the family. You may have thought long and hard about doing a first aid course, or finding out a bit more about what to do in a paediatric emergency, but do you know how to look after the wellbeing of your dog in the event of an emergency?

 

If your dog stops breathing on their own in the event of sudden illness or an accident, you may find yourself required to do cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) in order to keep the dog’s oxygen going to the vital organs until help arrives.

 

Start by making sure that your dog is unconscious – you can do this by talking gently to your dog, rubbing him or gently shaking him to try to wake him up. It is paramount that you ensure your dog is unconscious and not in a deep sleep before attempting rescue breathing, as if your dog were to wake up to find you mouth to mouth with him, you could end up getting seriously hurt.

 

Start by clearing the dog’s airways by extending his head and neck and trying to keep them in line. Open his mouth and pull the tongue forward. Make sure that the mouth is clear of saliva or vomit by using your fingers.

 

Check again at this stage to see if your dog is breathing, as sometimes just aligning the head and neck can start the dog breathing on his own. If there is no sign of breathing after 10 seconds, start to do CPR.

 

Pull the tongue forward, hold the mouth and lips shut by cupping both your hands around his muzzle. Put your mouth over his nose and blow air into the nostrils until you see the chest expand. For a dog, do the same thing but use your mouth to seal his nose and mouth. Do this four or five times and keep checking for breathing.

Categories: Breathing, cpr, dog, Emergency, event, mouth, nbsp, pet

How to Breathe Away Your Mental and Emotional Baggage

Traditional Chinese healing uses special breathing techniques that can have a big impact on your spiritual and emotional wellness. Grandmaster Erle Montaigue, a Chinese martial arts and healing instructor, explains that your breath resides between your mind, body, and spirit, and so can bring harmony to these three areas of your well-being. Plus, breathing techniques serve to clear and focus your mind, increase your energy levels, relax your stress levels and help you lose weight.

 

First and foremost, you need to learn how to breathe from your belly. Your stomach should move out and expand when you inhale, and move in and contract when you inhale. While it sounds simple, this breathing technique facilitates deeper and more relaxed breathing which, in turn, increases your lung capacity and pumps your blood with more oxygen. When there is more oxygen in your blood, your metabolism works more efficiently and waste is removed from your body better.

 

Natural breathing helps to reduce stress and alleviate anxiety, so it’s a great one to do at the end of a busy work day. Lie down in a comfortable position and place your hands over your belly button. Then you simply breathe through your nose, and use your stomach to move your hands up and down. Once you’re able to breathe naturally from your stomach throughout the day, you’re ready to use the breath to clear your mind. Sitting on a chair with your back straight and your feet flat on the floor, begin breathing through your nose (using your stomach, of course). Gradually slow your breathing, and focus on the temperature of your breath as it passes in and out of your nose. Doing this for five minutes, three or four times a day, helps to clear your mind of thoughts and relax.

 

To increase your awareness, focus and discipline, inhale as you count to five and exhale as you continue count to ten. You can then change these numbers once you become comfortable with the exercise, aiming to inhale on a count of 10 and exhale on a count of 20. This means that you’re taking two breaths every minute, and should try to do this for 10 minutes after five minutes of mind-clearing breathing. This helps to make you aware of your surroundings, in tune with your emotions, and more in line with a rational and realistic view of things.

Categories: Breathe, Breathing, Breathing Techniques, count, inhale, mind, Mind Body and Spirit, Traditional Chinese Healing

Could You Lose Weight Simply by Breathing In and Out?

Many people know that they need to lose weight to benefit their wellness and well-being, but they struggle with exercise and eating salads. Losing weight simply by breathing in and out may sound like a dream come true, but it could be a real possibility if the Long Breath Diet turns out to actually work.

 

Miki Ryosuke, a former actor, claims that he has lost over two stone as well as five inches from his waist in just seven weeks, simply by following the Long Breath Diet. The 55 year old actor says that to follow the diet you simply have to spend just two minutes each day focusing on taking deep breaths and exhaling aggressively.

 

The guru for the new diet says that he invented it purely by accident whilst he was doing some breathing exercises to help him cope with some long-term back pain. Whilst doing these breathing exercises, he noticed that he was starting to lose weight without doing anything altogether. Following on from this, he drew up what is now known as the Long Breath Diet. This involves the dieter holding a specific body position and then inhaling for three seconds followed by exhaling strongly for seven seconds.

 

Ryosuke is confident that those who are carrying out these breathing exercises for two to five minutes every day will soon start to see the weight fall off them.This can be achieved by clenching the buttocks and then standing with one foot in front of the other, with most weight being on the back foot. Holding this position, the dieters should then inhale for three seconds and slowly raise their arms up above their head. Once they have done this, they then breathe out tensing all of their muscles at the same time for seven seconds.

Categories: breath, breath diet, Breathing, breathing exercises, diet, long breath, Lose weight, simply, weight, weight simply

A beginner"s guide to Yoga

Yoga is an ancient art and one in which many people feel anxious about starting, due to the many positions and techniques involved. While it is a complicated exercise, there are positions which anyone can do and which are easy to learn. If you want to learn yoga from scratch, it’s best to start off with the simply meditative poses to begin with, before building up to the more complex poses – this is the way it has been taught for centuries, so you will be following the techniques of thousands of years worth of yoga teachers. Once you have perfected these movements, you can then progress to more advanced stages of yoga for the therapeutic gains that yoga can offer. Don’t be put off if you find that these simple poses are difficult to begin with – it’s just a case that your muscles are not flexible enough at this stage, but this will improve with time. For this reason, it’s advised that you warm up your joints and muscles beforehand to make the poses more easy to perform.

The Sun Salutation is a common position associated with yoga and is a Surya Manaska method for people who have never performed yoga before. This is a simple and easy-to-perform workout which uses a combination of energy, form and rhythm. The Sun Salutation stimulates your neuro-muscular system and keeps the balance between your body and mind. You should practice this for at least 15 days before moving on to other meditative postures.

You begin by standing with your palms folded in Namaskara Mudra in front of your chest, keeping your feet closed together. Keep your breathing normal and try to relax, in order to calm your mind.

The second position involves raising your hands upwards whilst keeping your palms in the same position, so that your hands are now touching your ears – now stretch your hands and abdomen upwards as far as you can, inhaling as you do so.

Bend forward and keep your palms at the side of your respective feet, making sure that your forehead is touching your knees and exhale.

In the fourth position, you need to sit down on your toes and push your right leg backwards – this will mean your left leg is automatically in front between your palms. Look straight ahead as you do this and inhale, as well as raising your head a little.

Take your left leg back, which was in front of you, then raise your hips upwards, making them align with your head – support this action with your hands and exhale, remaining calm all the while.

In the sixth position, you can now lower your body with the support of your palms onto the ground, ensuring that your knees, head and chest are touching the ground. If you can, try to hold your breath here before moving on to the seventh position.

Keeping your waist lower and raising the upper parts of your body, keep your hands straight and inhale again. The breathing techniques in yoga are important to balance the body and mind, and to maintain a sense of calm.

Bring your head down to the ground and raise your hips in a V-like shape, looking towards your heels and exhaling. You can then move on to repeating the previous movements, like so - for the ninth position, repeat the fourth pose and draw air in. In the tenth position, repeat the third pose and exhale. Repeat position number two and inhale, before returning to the initial pose and breathing normally once more.

Yoga is a complex art, but this is a relatively simple workout which can revitalise you in the mornings and improve your flexibility before moving on to more advanced poses.

 

Categories: beginner, Breathing, flexibility, yoga

Birmingham Hospital Pioneers Asthma Treatment

It is too often a familiar story: struggling desperately to try to breathe, Anthony McGuinness sees his life flash before him. He was suffering from another asthma attack – and this one seemed to be as deadly as the others if not worse. The father-of-three, who is from New Oscott, Birmingham, was rushed immediately to hospital where he underwent life-saving treatment. But when things started to get wrong the medical staff had to resort to giving him the powerful horse tranquilliser Ketamine.

“I had an attack at home and called 999,” says Anthony, who suffers from the serious condition called Brittle Asthma. An ambulance came and rushed me to hospital where I stabilised and was expected to get better. But through the night my breathing deteriorated and when I woke up a nurse was sitting on my bed. Unbeknownst to me she had been listening to my breathing for a while.”

Within minutes I had three doctors from intensive care and a nurse around my bed who said I had not had a good night and needed to go to intensive care. My breathing deteriorated again and I was gasping so they gave me intravenous medication. But it still wasn’t working so I was given Ketamine. They actually give it to horses, it is quite a powerful drug”.

Since the very worrying incident where he was given the drug, the budding actor has made remarkable strides with his condition. That is all thanks to a new device that is being used at Birmingham’s Heartlands Hospital to monitor sufferers of asthma.

The device works by monitoring the levels of nitric oxide that is in exhaled breath, which is essential for diagnosing the condition and determining the amount of prescribed steroids that should be given to a patient.

Birmingham Hospital Pioneers Asthma Treatment

Categories: Asthma, birmingham, Breathing, breathing deteriorated, condition, hospital, intensive care, treatment