R
Resistense
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The book Breath is composed in three parts: the experiment, the lost art and science of breathing, and, "breathing+".
It is investigative journalism, as the author and fellow pulmonaut Anders Olsson undertake an experiment to measure the effects of prolonged mouthbreathing (and later, overbreathing). It then moves to an historical survey of breathing methods documented throughout the world, with the author also seeking out and interviewing sources with knowledge of these methods. All the while the author is experimenting with breathing and discovered, interrelated factors; like jaw and bite position and development, tongue pressure on the soft palate and into the teeth (and also with orthotics) to strengthen the bones, frequency of chewing, chewing for hours a day, and the timing of breaths or holds and attendant diaphragmatic control. My assertion and interpretation of the two most salient points from the first two sections is: 1. breathe through the nose, with the tongue positioned in the head behind the teeth and pressed into the soft palate so as to maintain a certain pressure, with diaphragmatic control underneath, and 2. conscious control of the process is possible, and a propitious ratio for continuous breathing appears to be 5.5 seconds per inhale and exhale, 60/11 breathes per minute. Lastly, in breathing+, the author goes to pursue techniques that, "...will not hold to the slow-and-steady style."
1. Shut your mouth
2. Breathe through your nose
3. Exhale
4. Chew
5. Breathe more, on occasion
6. Hold your breath
7. How we breathe matters
Lastly, there is an acknowledgements section, an appendix, about 40 pgs. of notes, and an index.
It is investigative journalism, as the author and fellow pulmonaut Anders Olsson undertake an experiment to measure the effects of prolonged mouthbreathing (and later, overbreathing). It then moves to an historical survey of breathing methods documented throughout the world, with the author also seeking out and interviewing sources with knowledge of these methods. All the while the author is experimenting with breathing and discovered, interrelated factors; like jaw and bite position and development, tongue pressure on the soft palate and into the teeth (and also with orthotics) to strengthen the bones, frequency of chewing, chewing for hours a day, and the timing of breaths or holds and attendant diaphragmatic control. My assertion and interpretation of the two most salient points from the first two sections is: 1. breathe through the nose, with the tongue positioned in the head behind the teeth and pressed into the soft palate so as to maintain a certain pressure, with diaphragmatic control underneath, and 2. conscious control of the process is possible, and a propitious ratio for continuous breathing appears to be 5.5 seconds per inhale and exhale, 60/11 breathes per minute. Lastly, in breathing+, the author goes to pursue techniques that, "...will not hold to the slow-and-steady style."
Beginning on the next page, in the epilogue, "In a nutshell,", the author goes on to summarize, "...what we've learned.", under the following seven headers:
The names may have changed over the years, the techniques may have been repurposed and repackaged in different cultures at different times for different reasons,
but they were never lost. They've been inside us all this time just waiting to be tapped.
They gives us the means to stretch our lungs and straighten our bodies, boost bood flow, balance our minds and moods, and excite the electrons in our molecules. To
sleep better, run faster, swim deeper, live longer, and evolve further.
They offer a mystery and magic of life that unfolds a little more with every new breath we take.
-James Nestor, from pg. 202 in Breath
1. Shut your mouth
2. Breathe through your nose
3. Exhale
4. Chew
5. Breathe more, on occasion
6. Hold your breath
7. How we breathe matters
Lastly, there is an acknowledgements section, an appendix, about 40 pgs. of notes, and an index.