The Essential 4 Series: Inhale and Exhale (Intro to Breathing)

Right now in NYC, it's about 17 degrees outside. I can't speak for all the West Coasters and those down south, but Canadians will agree that it's really cold. For the past month or two, I've been watching the movements of people, when they are walking in the wintertime. For the most part, people have their heads bent, shoulders up and mouths open.

Sounds weird doesn't it? Not the heads bent or the shoulders up but the mouths open. What's really weird about it is that if you were to ask any of these people if they realize that their mouths are open while they walk, they will say "NO!" However, most people don't even think about their mouth when they walk.

Now, I didn't tell you this before but my chiropractor told me that if your head is down (neck is bent) for more than 10 seconds, there is a problem. Your neck should not be held in this position for long periods of time. Yet, most people in the wintertime do exactly that (as if their 2 scarves and head coverings aren't enough). Reading the last series, I'm guessing you can gather that keeping your shoulders up for long periods of time is not a good idea either. I said to you in the past that good posture leads to good breathing so it's safe to glean that your neck bent and your shoulders up will cause problems not only for your neck and shoulders but also your breathing will be affected.

"So what does this have to do with your mouth open?," you might ask. I'll get to that very soon. Trust me. ;)

I know first hand what cold can do to muscles. When I was working at MTV, I had a bad car accident. We already discussed how my neck was affected. So 6 months since the injury and I'm at work, doing my job like a busy little bee. I had moved to a different cubicle and the previous owner busted the vent so that "he could get air." As the cold air hit me, I felt funny...after a while, I couldn't move. It was painful to move my neck or even my legs. My chiropractor had to come to my job and practically help me thaw out. The cold maybe good if something is swollen but not in my case. Cold constricts and heat expands muscles. So if you're helping the cold to constrict your muscles and then you go in heat and they expand (even though you might still be in the bent neck/shrugged shoulders position unconsciously), wouldn't that make them a bit confused? I truly don't know how colds and flu happens to people (or why) but one theory most people have is that they are in the cold for too long and then go into heat (or naturally speaking, weather changes from really cold to unseasonably warmer temperatures). I can't speak for your nose or your throat, but when it comes to the aches and pains that comes with colds and flus, my theory seems very plausible.

Let's try an exercise:
Put your chin to your chest and shrug your shoulders. Keep your head and shoulders in this position for as long as you can and try to breathe through your nose (do this for at least 10 breaths). Notice the changes.

I asked 10 people at my job to do this exercise. Of them, 2 people's face turned red, 4 people had problems breathing (and their mouths opened wider with each inhale/exhale), 1 person felt winded and weak after doing it, and the other 2 people said that their neck and shoulders hurt (no problems with breathing...however, they were the only 2 people that did this exercise standing up). I explained to them that when posture is bad, breathing is affected (hence the reason why people's face turned red or others opened up their mouths).

When your neck is bent and your shoulders up, you're actually cutting off a good amount of circulation to your head. Your mind will think "ok...since I can't get enough air from my nose, I'll just get it from the mouth." Your mouth opens to take in air. However, your body doesn't receive enough (if any) of the benefits of this air. If you're standing, you may not feel a difference in your breath, but your body will take on the stress and your brain will receive it in the form of pain or discomfort.

You know, I shouldn't chuckle when I say this but I can't help myself. I had to chuckle because every time I said this to a person at work, they looked at me shocked and then says in a low voice, "I really do that, don't I?" It's really crazy that in the wintertime, people walk around with their heads tucked into their chest, their shoulders shrugged up and their mouths open! And you're wondering why you get sick and feel pain!!? ;)

I think I'm going to end it here right now because I have some of my "guinea pigs" at my desk, asking me more questions. heheehe They're telling me that it's a lot of information that they just took in. Instead of bogging you all down, I'm going to let you marinate with this, savor this flavor, and beg for more "health food." Next time, my plate will be full with why air is so important, which organs are used for breathing, and what breathing really does for your body.

Until next time,
Stay Strong, Stay Healthy and Fight dis-ease!