Breathing oxygen is something most of us take for granted and don’t pay much attention to but we should. Optimal breathing is probably the most significant factor in your overall health and longevity. The benefits of optimal breathing include positive impacts on your respiratory system such as eliminating waste through your breath. According to ‘The Tao of Breathing’ by Dennis Lewis, 70% of our body’s waste products are eliminated by your lungs. That is reason enough to pay more attention to your breathing. The circulatory system relies on breathing to carry oxygen to every cell and the more we are focused on breathing into parts of our body that are causing us distress and being more mindful, we can use our breath as a healing tool and direct it to areas of congestion or discomfort. For instance, you could breathe in healing colors like green to areas of pain.

Breathing exercises can calm the nervous system by promoting the parasympathetic branch of the nervous system (versus the sympathetic branch which is fight or flight/stress)and balance both hemispheres of the brain depending on the technique. When we have thoughts or emotions that are stressful, we tend to hold our breath or breath shallowly. This makes us feel more anxious and blocks our inherent self-regulating property that comes from optimal breathing. Bringing your attention back to your breath can focus you on the present moment and reduce the stress response. Optimal breathing also has positive effects on your digestive, urinary, endocrine system and your skin. So what are some ways you could use breathing to enhance your health?

One breath I use commonly is called the relaxing breath. I learned this from Dr. Andrew Weil’s cd’s on breathing exercises (for more info or to purchase please visit his website). To do this breath, you put the tip of your tongue against the back of your front teeth. You breathe in silently through your nose for a count of four. Then hold your breath for a count of seven. Exhale through your mouth (with your tongue still connected to the back of your front teeth) for a count of eight. This completes one full breath. It is recommended to work up to four breaths (and no more) when you feel comfortable with this technique. This is a great breath to do whenever you are feeling stressed or anxious. It helps reset your nervous system so you are in more of a parasympathetic state or calming state. Don’t underestimate the power of breathing to help with coping with anxiety or any less than optimal mood state.

I also recommend that patients just meditate on their breath. Lie down for this exercise or sit with your spine straight in a chair. Start with ten minutes and focus on your breath. Follow your breath as you inhale and exhale. Breathe from your abdomen and fill your entire lungs up with a full breath – if it helps put one hand on your chest and the other hand on your abdomen. Whenever thoughts come up that distract you from your breath, gently bring your attention back to your breath. Don’t worry if you find it challenging to focus on your breath. Your mind will show up telling you that this is boring, a waste of time or whatever thoughts are needed to take you off your focus on breathing. Just keep bringing your attention back and before you know it, the time will be up. (I use a egg timer when I meditate. You just set the time and it will go off when the time is over). It takes discipline to meditate on your breath; the payoff is a quieter mind in the long run and a state of relaxation in the axis of your mind/body/spirit plus all the health benefits that come along with optimal breathing. Start with ten minutes daily and work up to twenty minutes twice daily if you are really keen.

Breathing connects you to all of life. You need breath to thrive and be vital and be connected to your inner being. Breathing also connects you to a greater life force that energizes all things and can guide you in your life’s journey. We are all interconnected; we are all one. Remembering to breathe is the first step to greater connection to the whole.

Emotional Freedom Technique has been a wonderful addition to my mind/body medicine specialty. This technique was developed by Gary Craig, a former Stanford engineer and personal performance coach who recognized that thoughts can greatly impact well being and personal performance. EFT is a form of alternative psychotherapy that involves tapping on acupuncture points. According to Traditional Chinese Medicine, harmonious flow between organs and systems is reliant on these meridian pathways and is crucial for health and well being.

Instead of inserting needles, the end points of meridians are tapped on in order to improve energy flow throughout the meridian system (which is the body’s energy bloodstream). It is not important to know what meridian is out of balance because the tapping sequence covers all the meridians. Meridian tapping techniques are an effective way of changing emotional states. Tapping these meridians while voicing positive affirmations helps clear any short circuits in your energy flow which restores your mind and body’s balance.

You really must experience EFT in order to appreciate it. A client may come in with one particular issue and after some rounds of tapping, what happens is something else that the client may not even be aware of bubbles up. So often what you think is the issue is not the root cause of the disturbance. EFT makes things more clear. It is a gentle technique that does not elicit strong emotions that are overwhelming to the client. Whatever happens to bubble up is relevant and the obvious next step in healing the current disharmony.

I love EFT because it works on anything. I have used it on chronic pain, arthritis, addictions, grief (death in the family), stomach aches, autoimmune disease, anxiety, depression, fatigue, lack of motivation, low self esteem, relationship distress, fears, phobias,and migraines with success. It is especially beneficial if you are an emotionally sensitive individual.

There is immediate benefit from using EFT. You will experience results even from one session. If you are a private person, rest assured you do not have to go into any dark history that you would rather not revisit.  Whatever is top of mind in the moment is all that needs to be briefly addressed.

I’m passionate about EFT and I hope you will come in and experience it for yourself. It is a technique that once learned can be used as a self help tool. People that endorse EFT include Dr. Deepak Chopra and Dr. Bruce Lipton, both innovative leaders in medicine and healing today.

Kapha individuals are the strong, stable, dependable types. They are easy going and not ruffled by much. They are most resilient in the face of stress. In their balanced state, they are calm and sweet. They value family and relationships. If you are in relationship with a Kapha type, count yourself lucky. You are likely in a love filled supportive relationship. Kapha types when out of balance can be the most likely type to put on body weight; they can also struggle with fatigue and apathy when in this state. They may sleep too much when in a state of imbalance. Environmental factors that can cause a Kapha to be aggravated include too much damp; cold will also aggravate them.

In terms of dietary factors that will aggravate Kapha types, factor in too many sweets, heavy, deep fried foods or cold foods. Salt and sour can also aggravate. Substances that are pungent balance Kapha (think chili pepper, garlic, herbs and spices including cumin, coriander, cinnamon, pepper and basil). These substances help stimulate digestion and metabolism. Foods that are bitter (dark leafy greens) also help keep Kaphas lighter and play a role in detoxification. Foods that are astringent such as legumes, fruits and vegetables help absorb excess water in the body. Clear vegetable soups with legumes would be a balancing meal for Kapha types.

Nuts can be too oily for Kaphas although sunflower and pumpkin seeds are okay for them. The best grains for Kapha include barley, buckwheat, millet and couscous. Rice and wheat should be eaten in small amounts. Nightshade vegetables (tomatoes, potatoes, eggplant, peppers) can aggravate but fresh green chili peppers are recommended. Fruits such as cherries, berries, pears, and apple are especially balancing. Dried fruits are also tolerated.

Kaphas should eat light at breakfast and dinner; their main meal should be at mid day. Avoiding dairy helps Kaphas reduce their congestion which may show up in the sinuses or chest in the form of bronchitis. Drinking warm ginger tea can also help balance them. They should avoid drinking ice cold drinks.

Kaphas are not a constitutional type that needs to eat frequently. Rather they can do well eating less frequently; snacking in between meals is not a benefit to them. However they should not skip meals or fast. They should eat lightly. Because they have a tendency to gain weight, it would be useful to train themselves not to overeat.

Kaphas need to exercise regularly. Engaging in mental activity is beneficial for them. Travel and meeting new people can invigorate Kaphas. Don’t allow yourself to oversleep and make time to go sweat from time to time at your health club as steams are beneficial to Kaphas. For more information on balancing Kaphas, please read ‘Perfect Health’ by Deepak Chopra.