red blood cells

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Mindful vs. Slow Breathing, and How to Know the Nature of All Beings

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Listen Instead of Reading

If you enjoy listening, you can subscribe to the audio version on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Audible so you don’t even have to look at the email 😊

Reading Time: 2 min 3 sec

I hope the next 30ish breaths are the most nourishing of your day.


4 THOUGHTS

1. How to Become Mindful of the Nature of All Beings

“Moreover, breathing is not exclusive. Living beings differ in appearance and behavior. They eat various kinds of food. They sleep in many types of beds. But all living beings breathe. … When we focus on the breath, we become mindful of the universal nature of all beings.”

– Bhante Gunaratana, The 4 Foundations of Mindfulness

Just a thoughtful reminder that breathing unites all living beings, so when we focus on it, it can help us appreciate this universal connection 👏

2. An Excellent Summary of Some Benefits of Mindful Breathing

I found this summary by Daniel Goleman, Ph.D., in Why We Meditate and loved it. I hope it inspires you to practice as much as it did me 🙏:

“People who practice simple mindfulness of the breath, for instance, become more relaxed in their daily lives and recover from upsets more quickly than non-meditators. The method seems to calm the amygdala, so that we are pitched into the fight-or-flight state less often. And the more time over the years you put into this mindfulness method, the less reactive you become. Troubling events trigger you into an upset state far less often. If you are triggered, your upset is less strong. And—maybe the biggest calming benefit—you recover more quickly than you did formerly.”

3. An Excellent Summary of Some Benefits of Slow Breathing

In that same book, Daniel Goleman, Ph.D., also had a wonderful summary of the key benefits of slow breathing:

“To summarize all the studies: Along with this healthy variability in time between heartbeats, people doing slowed breathing reported feeling ease and comfort, being more relaxed, as well as having positive energy and a general feeling of pleasantness. …

Slowed breathing also seems to bring a significant change in brain function. …(EEG) studies found that slower breathing was accompanied by an increase in synchronized alpha waves, which signify the brain has gone into a state of rest, like a car idling. This shift in brain state was associated with benefits like lessened anxiety, anger, and confusion, and an increase in feelings of vigor.”

The natural question: Should I practice mindful breathing or slow breathing?

My super scientific answer: The choice is yours 😊

4. Why Breathing Brings Us to the Present Moment

You can’t retake a previous breath you’ve already taken. You can’t take a future breath you haven’t taken. You can only take the breath you’re currently taking.

That’s pretty darn obvious, but it’s crucial for why breathing brings us to the present moment. When you focus on your breathing, you cannot be anywhere but here and now.

1 Quote

“That is the point. You sail out across the sea, but it’s when you make your return that you may discover what you have been seeking is in fact inside yourself.””
— Erling Kagge

1 Answer

Category: The Human Body

Answer: Your bone marrow produces 2-3 million of these every second.

…

(Cue the Jeopardy! music.)

…

Question: What are red blood cells?

In good breath,

Nick Heath, T1D, PhD
“Breathing is the compound interest of health & wellness.”


P.S. a conversation with God

Become happier, healthier, and more mindful.

Let’s go beyond standardized approaches that do not account for your unique circumstances. I’ll meet you exactly where you are and serve as your coach and accountability partner on your journey toward living a happier, healthier, and more mindful life.

Learn More about One-on-One Coaching.

* An asterisk by a quote indicates that I listened to this book on Audible. Therefore, the quotation might not be correct, but is my best attempt at reproducing the punctuation based on the narrator’s pace, tone, and pauses.

 

How I Trained for Altitude and Why We All Benefit from Breath Training

 
 

Listen Instead of Reading

 

Autonomic Neuroscience says slow breathing is for diabetes & hypertension.

Harvard Medical School says yogic breathing is for stress.

And Tibetan Yoga says breath training is for everyone.

Let’s see how…

 
 
 
 

4 Thoughts


1. How I Trained for High Altitude (it’s not what you might think)

I thought, “I’m The Breathing Diabetic. I better be able to handle some altitude.”

But I didn’t train how you might think. Of course, I initially started with more breath holds. But I realized that the issue at altitude is lower air pressure.

- How I Trained for High Altitude Blog Post

This one was slightly too long to fit in as a “Thought,” so I made it a really short blog post.

Give it a read to learn my somewhat odd training method for my recent hike up to 13,200 feet…and to see if it actually worked (pictures included).

Please respond to this email if you have any thoughts on my reasoning…it was my first time at altitude, so I’d appreciate any feedback or thoughts you have.

***

Related: How To Breathe To Live Longer

2. Slow Breathing for Diabetes and High Blood Pressure

“Even in already well controlled diabetic patients, guided breathing had beneficial influences on cardiovascular autonomic control and a measurable impact on BP control.  It enriches available options for non-pharmacological blood pressure…reduction.”

- Effects Of Guided Breathing On Blood Pressure And Heart Rate Variability In Hypertensive Diabetic Patients

According to Johns Hopkins, approximately two-thirds of adult diabetics have high blood pressure or take medication for it. And people with diabetes and hypertension are 4x more likely to develop heart disease.

Fortunately, this study found that just 12 minutes a day of slow breathing (with no changes to medication) led to significantly lower blood pressure, increased heart rate variability, and a reduced spontaneous breathing rate (indicating reduced sympathetic arousal).

All of which led to this remarkable final statement: “If consistently used, guided breathing enhances restoration of physiological autonomic balance in patients with diabetes and hypertension.” Amen 🙏

Here’s to controlling our breath to control of our blood pressure, today.

3. Harvard Medical School: “Yogic Breathing Improved University Students' Response to Stress”

“When we anticipate a stressful situation, our breathing and heart rates naturally go up…but the yogic breathing group seemed to show protection against that type of stress. Their heart rate increased only slightly when they knew a stressful situation was coming.”

- Yogic breathing improved university students' response to stress

Enjoy this excellent and quick write-up showing that yogic SKY breathing can significantly reduce the stress response. It’s from the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, a world-class teaching hospital of Harvard Medical School.

The next thought builds off of this idea of “protection against stress”…

4. What Turbulence Can Teach Us About Breathing

When you’re flying and hit turbulence, you’re told to put on your seatbelt.

It’s reactive.

It’s similar to when turbulence hits in our lives. We react. We start eating healthy or meditating or exercising more.

But a regular breathing practice is proactive.

It helps you avoid turbulence altogether.

Or, if you can’t avoid the turbulence, it’s like your seatbelt. You’re already fastened in. You don’t need to rush back to your seat. You’re ready.

 
 
 
 

1 Quote

“Because the breath is such an excellent and abundant support for life and vitality for every being on the planet, everyone can benefit from training in the breath.”

– The Tibetan Yoga of Breath

 
 
 
 

1 Answer

Category: Hypoxia and Red Blood Cells

Answer: During hypoxia, this organ releases additional red blood cells to increase your oxygen carrying capacity.

…

(Cue the Jeopardy! music.)

…

Question: What is the spleen?

In good breath,

Nick Heath, T1D, PhD
“Breathing is the compound interest of health & wellness.”

P.S. “sorry, it’s my first day!”

 
 
 

Sign Up For The Breathing 411

Each Monday, I curate and synthesize information from scientific journals, books, articles, and podcasts to share 4 thoughts, 1 quote, and 1 answer (like "Jeopardy!") related to breathing. It’s a fun way to learn something new each week.

 
 

How Bruce Lee Sees Methods, Full Lotus, and the Beauty of Red Blood Cells

 
 

Listen Instead of Reading

 

This week, you'll learn how to become a mixed breathing artist, learn a decade-old idea still relevant today, and take a look into Wim Hof’s mirror.

Enjoy!

 
 
 
 

4 Thoughts


1. On Bruce Lee, “Methods,” and Becoming Mixed Breathing Artists

“The individual is of first importance, not the system. Remember that man created method and not that method created man, and do not strain yourself in twisting into someone’s preconceived pattern, which unquestionably would be appropriate for him, but not necessarily for you.”

- Bruce Lee, Striking Thoughts

I think we can safely say Bruce Lee would be against using any one breathing “method.” He didn’t even believe there were different forms of fighting.

In fact, many consider Lee to be the original Mixed Martial Artist. Let’s follow his lead and become the first Mixed Breathing Artists.

That means we become both methodical and flexible. We focus on science and self-expression. We don’t strain ourselves to fit into a specific method; instead, we use what’s appropriate for a given situation.

Here’s to using the mixed breathing arts to conquer life’s challenges, today.

***

Related Quote: “Any technique, however worthy and desirable, becomes a disease when the mind is obsessed with it.” - Bruce Lee

Another: “The more complicated and restricted the method, the lesser the opportunity for the expression of one’s original sense of freedom.” - Bruce Lee

2. What Full Lotus Can Teach Us About Breathing

“Years after I had mastered the full Lotus, another teacher walked by while I was sitting, tapped on my shoulder, and gestured toward my full Lotus: ‘That is the whole problem for you.’ ”

- Larry Rosenberg, Breath by Breath

This is one of my new favorite stories. Larry Rosenberg had a teacher who thought sitting in full Lotus was essential. So, he practiced diligently and deliberately for 10 years. Finally, he could sit comfortably in it.

Then, a few years later, a different teacher saw him sitting in Lotus and told him, “That is the whole problem for you.” What one teacher said was essential, another said was his problem. His Lotus was perfect; that wasn’t the issue. It was his obvious attachment to it.

The lesson for us is that we cannot attach ourselves to any one approach to breathing (just like Bruce Lee didn’t attach himself to any single martial art).

Of course, we need to be grounded in science-based principles. But remember to be open. The method you’ve perfected might be the one that’s holding you back the most.

3. From NPR: “Just Breathe: Body Has A Built-In Stress Reliever”

“The breath isn't something Western medicine should blow off. It's a powerful tool for influencing individual health and well-being. And the best part is all the ingredients are free and literally right under your nose.”

- NPR, Just Breathe: Body Has a Built-In Stress Reliever

NPR published this article over a decade ago, but it’s still relevant today. Check it out to learn how we can use slow and fast breathing to stimulate the nervous system, and how slow breathing might change gene expression.

Enjoy the quick read!

4. The Beauty of Red Blood Cells

“These experiments revealed a novel activity of the RBC [red blood cell]: the RBC regulates its own principal function—that is, O2 delivery.”

- Extrapulmonary Effects of Inhaled Nitric Oxide

There are about 1 billion oxygen molecules on each of the trillions of red blood cells in your body. That’s a lot of oxygen. As the red blood cells circulate, they deliver this oxygen where it is needed most.

And as it turns out, the red blood cells themselves help regulate this process. Specifically, when they sense areas of low oxygen, they release a bioactive form of nitric oxide. This expands the vessels, which allows more blood flow and, ultimately, more oxygen delivery. It’s quite complex, and quite beautiful.

***

Related: Nitric oxide carried by the red blood cells is essential for blood flow regulation and whole-body oxygenation

 
 
 
 

1 Quote

“In this way, the breath is like a mirror that shows you the state you are in.”

- Wim Hof

 
 
 
 

1 Answer

Category: Oxygen in Your Body

Answer: In terms of atoms, oxygen makes up this percent of total body mass.

…

(Cue the Jeopardy! music.)

…

Question: What is 65%?

In good breath,

Nick Heath, T1D, PhD
“Breathing is the compound interest of health & wellness.”

P.S. we should do this more often!

 
 
 

Sign Up For The Breathing 411

Each Monday, I curate and synthesize information from scientific journals, books, articles, and podcasts to share 4 thoughts, 1 quote, and 1 answer (like "Jeopardy!") related to breathing. It’s a fun way to learn something new each week.