Post: #1

This is Day 18 of Live a Healthier Life in 21 Days Challenge, Jan 2012 run. Subscribe to the free newsletter for lifetime access of personal development articles and future challenge announcements like this one.

Today is Day 18 of Live a Healthier Life in 21 Days Challenge! There are now only *3* days left before the challenge comes to a close.



Today's task is what's seemingly the most basic of human functions, yet something which most of us take for granted - Breathing.

Breathing is the foundation of life. Do you know that most people don't breathe properly? Majority of people in the world are shallow breathers. We only use only the top portion of our lungs for our breath, whereas a full breath is one where your lungs are completely filled, your abdomen expands and there’s minimum movement in your shoulders. An average person takes about 15 breaths every minute, for about 21,600 times a day. That's a lot of goodness and air we're depriving our body of with shallow breathing.

Why is breathing so important?

From How Stuff Works:

Quote:Breathing oxygenates every cell of your body, from your brain to your vital organs. Without sufficient oxygen, your body becomes more susceptible to health problems. For example, in a study published in The Lancet, cardiac patients who took 12 to 14 shallow breaths per minute (six breaths per minute is considered optimal) were more likely to have low levels of blood oxygen, which "may impair skeletal muscle and metabolic function, and lead to muscle atrophy and exercise intolerance."

In contrast, deep breathing raises levels of blood oxygen, promoting health in many ways — from stimulating the digestive process to improving fitness and mental performance.

All of us already know how to breathe properly - babies are known to have the most natural breathing in all our life stages. It's because of all the stress, tension, external influences that cause our breathing to become incorrect.

Here's a test to tell if you're breathing correctly.

1. Put your palms against your lower abdomen and blow out all the air.
2. Now, take a big breath.
3. What happens? Does/Do (a) your chest puff out, your shoulders rise and your stomach gets sucked in or (b) your chest, shoulders and stomach remain relatively still as air flow in deeply to the pit of your stomach?
   

If your answer is (b), you're on the right track. If your answer is (a), you're relying on your external body to breathe rather than using your diaphragm. Key reasons why we breathe this way include being in a constant state of tension (which causes light, shallow breathes), constantly "sucking" in our stomach to look like we have a tighter abdominal/smaller tummy, or possibly negative experiences from the past.

However, that's a bad practice. Our abdominal area contains the most vital organs and it's important to let it pulse. Tensing our stomach all the time like a perfect statue creates tension in our body instead. It is by practicing the proper breathing techniques that we automatically gain the right posture at the same time.

Watch this short 48 second video from Youtube on the breathing process.





Today, our task is to breathe deeply and fully, throughout every moment of the day. With every breath you take, lower your diaphragm muscle and expand your abdomen. Breathe in deeply. Don't use force - breathe naturally and with ease. Allow the fresh air to fill you from inside out. Visualize how you're getting more power, vitality and goodness from the universe with every breath you take. Enjoy today with love, peace and harmony. Let's all live healthily in life together.

Day 18 of Your 21-Day Healthy Living Plan

What are your tasks listed for today? Do them with excellence and report them in your 21DHL Journal.

Also, read your group mates' 21DHL journals and cheer them along! Pick a few members' journals and make it a point to post meaningful replies there.

Update Your 21DHL Journals

Once you are done for the day, update your 21DHL Journal. You are also welcome to update your 21DHL Journal multiple times throughout the day. Post all your results for today's task and your 21-Day Healthy Living Plan directly in your journal.

If you have any questions specific to today's task, post them here.

"If you want to get something you have never gotten before, you've to do something you've never done before."
Personal Excellence - For people passionate about achieving excellence in life

Post: #2

Celes!! I really love this task. This is something I have been trying to make a habit for quite a while now. Still not quite there yet. Its seems breaking an old habit takes time
Anyway, I really wanted to ask you if this forum will still be functional after day-21 because a lot of people(me included) would like to continue posting our progress. Its like a daily dose of motivation.

Post: #3

Thanks, this is especially helpful for singers. Cause wrong breathing doesn't give you much of a voice

"The truth will set you free, but first it will make you miserable."

Post: #4

(01-18-2012 06:16 PM)JadePenguin Wrote:  Thanks, this is especially helpful for singers. Cause wrong breathing doesn't give you much of a voice

You sing?!?

Post: #5

(01-18-2012 05:31 PM)Scorpionsage Wrote:  Celes!! I really love this task. This is something I have been trying to make a habit for quite a while now. Still not quite there yet. Its seems breaking an old habit takes time
Anyway, I really wanted to ask you if this forum will still be functional after day-21 because a lot of people(me included) would like to continue posting our progress. Its like a daily dose of motivation.

Hi Scorpionsage! The forums will be closed on 23 Jan as share in the announcement on Day 16. But not to fret though - After the challenge, I welcome all of you to create your healthy living journals in the Health & Fitness Forums, where you can continue to journal your healthy living goals/progress on a daily basis. It'll be just like the Live Your Best Life Journal Forum, except this is specific to healthy living goals.

"If you want to get something you have never gotten before, you've to do something you've never done before."
Personal Excellence - For people passionate about achieving excellence in life

Post: #6

(01-18-2012 06:36 PM)Scorpionsage Wrote:  You sing?!?

Used to; with my high school music teacher. I wasn't any good but probably improved over the years. I have an extraordinarily low voice for a female and have real trouble singing even average alto lines

Running out of breath was also a frequent problem...

"The truth will set you free, but first it will make you miserable."

Post: #7

(01-19-2012 04:40 AM)Celes Wrote:  Hi Scorpionsage! The forums will be closed on 23 Jan as share in the announcement on Day 16. But not to fret though - After the challenge, I welcome all of you to create your healthy living journals in the Health & Fitness Forums, where you can continue to journal your healthy living goals/progress on a daily basis. It'll be just like the Live Your Best Life Journal Forum, except this is specific to healthy living goals.

Thanks so much, Celes! I'm so grateful for this!

---

Jade!!! Hehe!! I have trouble hitting both the high and low notes.
I can't really expect to sail thru it when I haven't even been practicing!!
I'm gonna start working on it.
You work on your singing too! Then post it on youtube!
Me love to check it out!!! XD