Breathe

When a baby is born, the physicians, nurses or midwives check to see if the baby can breathe. Just as our heart beats, breathing is something we do all of the time, including when we sleep. As we get more in shape, we are able to breathe deeper so that we do not have to breathe as many times when we exert ourselves. This is also true of our heart beats. The stronger our heart muscle becomes, the bigger will be our stroke volume, and the slower our heart will beat as we exert ourselves. This does not mean that our hearts are not capable of beating faster or our lungs of breathing faster if necessary.

Breathing helps us to ground ourselves, and is a key ingredient of medication, yoga and Pilates. Observe yourself: How do you breathe when you walk down the street or sit in a chair? keep your posture straight and breathe deeply. Being aware is the first step.

Take deep breaths by having your transverse muscles push out your rib cage when you breathe. This gives your lungs more room to expand. See what this does for your mental awareness, stress level and exercise performance.

Don't forget to check out www.louizapatsis.com!

My third book, Pocket Guide to Fitness, is available on http://www.authorhouse.com and http://www.amazon.com. If you look up my name on those Web sites, you will find my other books The Boy in a Wheelchair and Life, Work and Play: Poems and Short Stories. These two books are on my Web site http://www.louizapatsis.com.