HealthJay

There are two types of breathing: Diaphragmatic breathing which can be done in various degrees of depth, and upper chest breathing which is lighter and less satisfying, filling and emptying only the upper part of the lungs with air. Both should be used during the day, depending on the time, place and circumstances. Added to this, there is balance breathing because just as much importance should be given to breathing out as well as breathing in air. Some people make a great display of breathing in, but make little effort to contract their respiratory muscles so as to squeeze out as much air as possible from the lungs. Inhaling feeds the blood with the oxygen it needs, exhaling removes the impurities.  The lung act as a cleaning and feeding station for the circulating blood. If you think of breathing in as the nourishing part of the operation and breathing out as the cleansing part, you can understand why balance breathing is so important. Whenever you breathe, there is always a little more air that can be squeezed out of the lungs by contracting the abdominal and diaphragmatic muscles until you feel that your belly has been drawn in until it almost touches your spine. This is wonderfully good for flattening the tummy too.

                Breathing unhurriedly and smoothly, inhale air through the nostrils, expanding the intercostal muscles of the chest. The diaphragmatic muscle lies under the lungs. As you breathe in it is pushed downwards, giving the lungs space to expand fully so that the maximum quantity of air can be inhaled. The abdominal muscles assist in this operation. When you exhale, the air is gradually released through the mouth, these same muscles now contracting so that the maximum amount of stale air is ejected. Lungs are like bellows, the muscles pulling them open to receive as much air as possible:  then, by contracting, they squeeze and squeeze the stale air out.

                Standing up, or sitting straight, raise the arms slowly sideways and upwards. This not only gives the chest more width to expand but it also acts as a chronometer, regulating the length and depth of each breath and giving it a pleasing, rhythmical regularity. Then the breath is expelled, synchronizing with the slowly descending arms.

                To maintain good health, you need approximately sixty ‘breaths in depth’ a day, which means about fifteen to twenty minutes. This can be broken up into five-minute sessions first thing in the morning, walking during the day, after a meal and last thing at night.

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MARCH 19

What can an ancient Chines method of self-defense do to improve your health? When the method is t’ai chi ch’uan, the answer is plenty. Although originally developed hundreds of year ago as a way for soldiers to overtake their opponents during battle, today t’ai chi is practiced as a disciplined form of no-impact exercise to strengthen muscles and joints, harmonize breathing, and improve circulation.

                Like yoga, t’ai chi involves a number of postures and specific breathing techniques. Unlike yoga, the postures are don in succession, creating dancelike movements that, in the words of Chines philosopher, are “as smooth as pulling silk from cocoon’. It is, in fact, the fluidity of the t’ai chi moves, along with the breathing and balance techniques, that contribute to its ability to lower hypertension, reduce the risk of developing cardiovascular disease, alleviate back pain, stomach ulcers, and gastrointestinal problems, and help fight anxiety.

                In addition, two studies published in the Journal of the America Geriatrics Society revealed that seniors over 70 who had done three months of t’ai chi were able to improve both their balance and their strength. Additional research from Emory University in Atlanta from that seniors over 70 who participated in regular sessions of t’ai chi reduced their risk of falling more than 47 percent.

                As with yoga, however, t’ai chi does require some professional training, so it’s wise to start out taking a class with a qualified teacher. If done correctly, some of the movements used in t’ai chi can cause injury. When done correctly, however, and under proper guidance, this form of exercise is not only safe but stress-free.

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MARCH 18

                Dancing fulfills all the requirements of aerobic exercise – it is rhythmic, it uses the larges muscles of the body, e.g., the arms and the legs continuously for at least thirty minutes at sixty to seventy percent of your maximum heart rate. It is low-impact type of aerobic workout. It also improves muscular endurance of the legs and arms and gives joy while doing the activity.

Dancing To Lose Weight

                Any form of physical activity that gets your large muscles moving continuously for thirty minutes to one hour will burn extra calories. As a total to lose weight, dancing will only work if you do it consistently at least three times a week over a period of time and in combination with a sensible diet.

                Many people who could otherwise not work out because they are bored by other traditional forms of exercises like running, walking, bowling, tennis, cycling, aerobic, weight lifting, etc. They swear by the weight-loss benefits of dancing (e.g. Ballet, Jazz, Modern, and most especially Ballroom Dancing). Since people enjoy the different types of dancing, they willingly do it as often as they can. That is the secret why they lose weight.

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MARCH 17

                Dancing is an ancient art and for centuries many cultures all over the world have look on it as necessary part of their daily lives

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                Primitive man danced to give himself vitality and stamina in order to survive. In the days before laxatives, the body movement was centralized round the stomach. The alternative contraction and relaxation of the abdominal muscles helped relieve the body of internal poisons.

                Confucius, the ancient Chinese philosopher, perfected himself in the form of body culture known as ‘Chong-Fu,’ and in fact may have originated the system as it comes from part of his name.

                The Greeks were renowned for their physical beauty and it was Plato, after all, who wanted to make dancing a compulsory part of education so that the race would be healthy and beautiful and, according to his philosophy, ‘move in a manner noble, harmonious and graceful’.

                The Yogis were influenced by the dance movements of China and Africa which provided the basis for some of their ‘Asanas’ – a system of posture designed to keep the body healthy and wake up the glandular system.

                Health and body cultures were regarded as necessities by the peoples of ancient China, Africa, India, Egypt, and Greece, who understood the therapeutic and beauty benefits that could be gained from certain rhythmical movements and postures that constitute dancing. 

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MARCH 16

                Staying in shape while you are pregnant is important;  it may even result in a shorter labor. According to one study, expectant mother who worked out three times a week had 21 percent fewer cesarean sections and faster recoveries.

                Or course, use common sense. Avoid any exercise that may cause you to fall (skiing, horseback riding). Skip high altitude and underwater sports, which diver too much oxygen from the fetus. Avoid exercises that require you to lie on you back (sit-ups, some yoga and aerobic positions), to keep the weight of your uterus from constricting blood flow through the vena cava, which returns blood to the heart. Finally, follow the MOM rules:

* Moderation. Exercising too hard diverts blood and nutrients from the baby. You should be able to converse while working out. Drink plenty of water to keep cool; and elevated core temperature can harm the fetus.

* Orientation. Consider your physical condition before you become pregnant. Don’t radically increase your level of physical activity, if you weren’t formerly active, try walking or short low-impact workouts on a treadmill or other cardiovascular machine.

* Modify. Even athletes fee more taxed during pregnancy. Many women dial down their workouts by as much as half. Switching to swimming or water aerobics can reduce stress on the joints. Walk instead of running once you reach the middle of the second trimester.

                Low-impact exercises are best for pregnant women. Avoid activities that involve hopping, or jumping, such as jogging.

Alcohol, Coffee, and Other Concerns

                While protecting your own health, you’ll also want to protect the health of your child. Everything you consume finds its way to the baby, so do not eat or drink anything that can harm it. One of the most important things a mother can do for her unborn child is eat well. She should consume a balanced diet.

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MARCH 15