AIR
 A FORGOTTEN NUTRIENT
by Dr. Charles McWilliams

Of all the resources available to us in God's splendor are the fresh ocean breezes, starry nights, and the earth's freshest air. We on Nevis are always thankful, having returned from travels abroad from city's with polluted air, stale hotel rooms, and musty airports.

But having enough air does not mean our bodies are able to use it. Headlines and books are popping up about oxygen therapies for the treatment of all kinds of disorders. The successes of these therapies are due to what has now become all too common - futile breathing. We have become a world of shallow, thoracic - chest - breathers, neglecting the primary muscle of respiration - the diaphragm. Most of us do not use the diaphragm the way it was intended to be used, many scarcely use it at all.

Rapid, shallow breathing, punctuated often by sighing, yawning, or gasping, is due to erratic breathing leading to oxygen starvation. Futile breathing is the process where only the upper spaces of the lung's airways are used. When we breathe in properly, the diaphragm contracts and descends, making more room for air and expansion of the lungs. In proper diaphragmatic breathing, when the diaphragm contracts, the abdomen protrudes. That's why some refer to this type of breathing as belly breathing.
Futile breathing is the act of pulling in air just into the upper part of the lungs. This results in the body rejecting the air very quickly. The amount of air pulled in can be adequate, but the blood supply for absorption of oxygen is greatest in the lower part of the lungs. When this area fails to get adequately ventilated air, we end up with under oxygenated blood, leading to a widespread spectrum of ills.

"This has profound effects on many bodily functions," writes Dr. L. C. Lum, in an important paper in The Chest, Heart, and Stroke Journal, "and frequently results in chronic ill health." The symptoms of those suffering from futile breathing, Dr. Lum added, "are not trivial; on the contrary, many have such severe disabilities that they are thought to be suffering from serious illnesses such as heart disease, epilepsy, or intestinal disorders, to name a very few of the misdiagnoses commonly applied to this condition."
A more recent publication in the Journal of Royal Society of Medicine notes that few physicians recognize these breathing disorders and points out the symptoms as follows:

* chronic or intermittent fatigue
* chest pains and palpitations
* dizziness and faintness
* tingling and numbness in the extremities
* muscular cramps
* heartburn, stomach upsets, and gas
* panic attacks and anxiety
* sleep disturbances, night sweats

The editorial points out that once recognized, the problem is easily cured by a program of "breathing retraining and relaxation."

Breathing is unquestionably one of the most important acts you do in your life. The 2,500 gallons of air we breathe daily comes through the nose to give oxygen to the blood, vital for every life process. Breathing right gives you endurance, the ability to better concentrate, more energy, and better immunity.
To reap the full benefits of oxygen, we need to ventilate the lower lungs. Try this simple exercise and see if you are breathing properly. To do this you will have to obtain a good size book, preferably one you've read (try the Good Book ).

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This exercise will give you a sense of what diaphragm breathing is all about. Lie down and place a heavy book on the upper part of the abdomen. The edge of the book should just be touching your lower ribs.
Try to be relaxed and calm as possible. Your goal is to push up the book as high as you can as you inhale through the nose. Now, let the book sink down as far as you can as you exhale. In this exercise you are using your diaphragm to push the abdomen into your belly, making more room for your lungs to inhale. Your chest should expand somewhat, even when you breathe correctly, but this expansion occurs towards the end of expiration.
The proper rate for this exercise should be four to six breaths per minute (complete inhalations and exhalations). This exercise should be done for about 10 minutes daily, right when you get up, and just before bed should you wish to continue. Almost from the beginning, this exercise will make you feel better. As you become aware of diaphragm breathing, begin by applying it in real life situations, during times of stress. You'll begin to sense just how powerful a tool breathing really is as you begin to master difficult situations.