Breath: The New Science of a Lost Art by James Nestor. Did you ever consider you are breathing incorrectly? I never would have considered this myself. On the surface, most would certainly cast aside the notion that we breath incorrectly. Yet, this book could change your life.
For example, we take 670 million breaths over the span of our life. Breathing is certainly finite. Yet how you breath unquestionably impacts how many breaths you have left.
Do you consider yourself healthy? Then consider this book for your loved ones: parents, family, friends, and coworkers. Do you know anyone afflicted with ailments such as scoliosis, rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, or type 1 diabetes? Those conditions certainly impact not only how well anyone can breath, but also impacts how they perform daily basic tasks.
Part One – The Experiment
James is effective in communicating how since the dawn of time tribes around the globe have been focusing on breathing to increase their life, cure ailments, and even keep straight teeth. On the other hand, in American today sleep apnea, diabetes, high blood pressure and more ailments may be slowed, reversed or greatly reduced by simply breathing correctly.
For this purpose, Swedish researcher Anders Olsson joined James for a fascinating breathing study. Jayakar V. Nayak, MD, PhD tested their breathing over two, ten-day experiments. In just ten days of incorrectly breathing directly impacts your health. At the same time, lingering health issues can further deteriorate.
Part Two – Lost Art and Science of Breathing
One should certainly not overestimate the wisdom of ancient tribes. This book is certainly not about yoga. Yet an early concept known as ‘life force’ and ‘vital energy’ really had little to do with poses as we have observed in America, but rather simply sitting in the lotus position and breathing.
If you are more comfortable acknowledging western approaches, research from Stanford University’s Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery Center will echo similar outcomes regarding breathing first written thousands of years ago. In addition, research at UC San Diego, University of Pennsylvania, the University of Buffalo, University of Copenhagen, University of Pavia, Radboud University Medical Center in the Netherlands and the Czechoslovak Academy of Sciences all published research that support this book.
This second section also addresses exhalation, slow breathing, and even chewing. For all those reasons James brings added insights to areas not believed to impact our breathing.
Part Three – Breathing+
The remainder of the book is focusing on breathing techniques. I was reminded of Grit as James described the dedications made to achieve this research. Finally, Dr. Nayak provided both James and Anders their final set of test results:
Pages 302-303
Two months after the Stanford experiment ended, Dr. Jayakar Nayak’s lab emailed Anders Olsson and me the results of our 20-day study. The major takeaway we already knew: mouthbreathing is terrible.
After just 240 hours of breathing only through our mouths, catecholamine and stress-related hormones spiked, suggesting that our bodies were under physical and mental duress. A diphtheroid Corynebacterium bug had also infested my nose. If I’d continued breathing only through my mouth for a few more days, it might have developed into a full-fledged sinus infection. All the while, my blood pressure was through the roof and my heart rate variability plummeted. Olsson’s data mirrored mine.
The remainder of these chapters focus on much deeper views into basic biological functions. How we breath during specifics tasks contributes to better health resulting in a longer life. It was enlightening to learn what we chew impacts on our health as well. When coupled with breathing it draws in to focus a common sense approach that escapes us in our daily busy lives.
In conclusion, our changes to breathing will not come overnight. My efforts took many days to adjust, nevertheless my results are promising. In this situation, make the effort to learn and adjust your breathing for benefits beyond what you think is possible.
I am certainly referring Breath to family, friends, and coworkers. Should you run into trouble convincing others, may I suggest Catalyst, or The Power of Moments.
Joe Rogan | Why Being a “Mouth-Breather” Is Bad For You
Dr. Rangan Chatterjee | Why Changing The Way You Breathe Will Transform Your Body and Mind
Tom Bilyeu | Learn Why The Way You’re Breathing Is Destroying Your Quality of Life
Oxygen Advantage | Patrick McKeown meets James Nestor
Take A Deep Breath | Interview with author James Nestor
Float Conference | The Lost Art and Science of Breath