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2 Table of Contents The Cleansing Breath... 3 The Thinking Man s Breath... 6 Ujjayi Pranayama... 9 Kapalbhati Pranayama About the Author Page 2

3 We take many things for granted in life; however, without a doubt breathing has to be in the top five. Oxygen is the most vital nutrient for our bodies. It is essential for the health of the brain, nerves, glands and internal organs. We can do without food for weeks and without water for days, but without oxygen we will die within minutes. One of the major secrets of vitality and rejuvenation is a purified blood stream. The quickest and most effective way to purify the blood is by taking in extra supplies of oxygen from the air we breathe. By purifying the blood stream, every part of the body benefits, as well as the mind. Your complexion will become clearer and brighter and wrinkles will begin to fade away. In short, rejuvenation will start to occur. The average person reaches peak respiratory function and lung capacity in their mid-20 s then they begin to lose respiratory capacity between 9% and 25% for every decade of life. So, unless you are doing something to maintain or improve your breathing capacity, it will decline, and with it, your general health and your life expectancy. The respiratory system should be responsible for eliminating 70% of your metabolic waste. The remaining 30% should be eliminated through defecation - 3%, urination - 8%, and perspiration - 19%. So, if you think that going to the bathroom every day is important, or that working up a good sweat is healthy, think again - start to value the quality of a simple breath. Of course, we all know how to breathe. It is something that occurs to us automatically, spontaneously, naturally. We are breathing even when we are not aware of it. So it seems foolish to think that we should take time to learn how to breathe or focus on the quality of our breath. Page 3

4 Yet, our breathing often becomes modified and restricted in various ways, not just momentarily, but habitually. We develop unhealthy habits without being aware of it. Our posture can greatly affect our capacity to breathe efficiently. Therefore, it is vital for us to address good postural alignment. A slouched position will reduce the ability of our diaphragm (the main breathing muscle) to work efficiently and will diminish lung capacity. Many of us have become habitual chest breathers i.e. rapid shallow breathing. Chest breathing is inefficient and can result in an approximate 25% decrease in oxygen being transferred to the blood resulting in poor delivery of oxygen and nutrients to the heart, brain, skeletal muscles, organs and tissues. Chest breathing also utilizes the neck and shoulder muscles. If you think how many times you inhale in one day, no wonder fatigue, pain and discomfort in this area is so common. You can test if you are a chest breather by placing your right hand on your chest and your left hand on your abdomen. As you breathe, see which hand raises more. If your right hand raises more, you are a chest breather. If your left hand raises more, you are an abdomen breather. Abdominal breathing is also known as diaphragmatic breathing. Good diaphragmatic breathing will lead to an improvement in stamina for both fighting off disease and athletic activity. Like blood, the flow of lymph, which is rich in immune cells, is also improved. By expanding the lungs air pockets and improving the flow of blood and lymph, abdominal breathing also helps prevent infection of the lung and other tissues. Most of all, it is an excellent tool to stimulate the relaxation response that results in less tension and an overall sense of well being. Breathing exercises such as this one should be done twice a day or whenever you find your mind dwelling on upsetting thoughts or when you are experiencing pain. Place one hand on your chest and the other on your abdomen. Breathe in through your nose. When you take a deep breath in, the hand on the abdomen should rise higher than the one on the chest. This insures that the diaphragm is pulling air into the bases of the lungs. After exhaling through the mouth, take a slow deep breath in through your nose imagining that you are sucking in all the air in the room and hold it for a count of 7 (or as long as you are able, not exceeding 7). Slowly exhale through your mouth for a count of 8/10. As all the air is released with relaxation, gently contract your abdominal muscles to completely evacuate the remaining air from the lungs. It is important to remember that we deepen respirations not by inhaling more air but through completely exhaling it. Page 4

5 Repeat the cycle four more times for a total of 5 deep breaths and try to breathe at a rate of one breath every 10 seconds (or 6 breaths per minute). At this rate our heart rate variability increases which has a positive effect on cardiac health. Abdominal breathing is just one of many breathing exercises. But it is the most important one to master before exploring other techniques. So the next time someone tells you to take a breather take it. It may be the most important thing you do for wellbeing that day! Page 5

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7 We have previously discussed the cleansing breath and how to change from becoming a chest breather to using your diaphragm correctly to achieve heightened well-being. I would like to give you information on another wonderful breathing technique: Alternate Nostril Breathing. The majority of us will not breathe through each nostril equally; right now, you will be favoring either your left or right nostril. By simply practicing a few rounds of alternate nostril breathing for a few minutes each day, you can help restore any imbalances in your brain, improve sleep, encourage a calmer emotional state, boost your thinking power and soothe your nervous system. Interested? Left Nostril For Calming Right Nostril For Energy Your nose is directly linked to your brain and nervous system. Breathing in only through your left nostril will access the right feeling hemisphere of your brain, and breathing in only through your right nostril will access the left thinking hemisphere of your brain. Consciously alternating you breath between either nostril will allow you to activate and access your whole brain. Technique 1. Close the right nostril with your right thumb and inhale through the left nostril. Do this to the count of four seconds. 2. Immediately close the left nostril with your right ring finger and little finger, and at the same time remove your thumb from the right nostril and exhale through this nostril. Do this to the count of eight seconds. This completes a half round. 3. Inhale through the right nostril to the count of four seconds. Close the right nostril with your tight thumb and exhale through the left nostril to the count of eight seconds. This completes one full round. Page 7

8 Start by doing three rounds, adding one per week until you are doing seven rounds. Benefits of Alternate Nostril Breathing 1. Improves Energy Levels: A few rounds of alternate nostril breathing are a quick pick-me-up if you are feeling flat, tired or even stressed. It provides your body with a much needed dose of oxygen to the blood, therefore revitalizing you. 2. Improves Brain Function: Alternate nostril breathing brings equal amounts of oxygen to both sides of the brain for improved brain function. Five minutes of alternate nostril breathing before an exam or interview is a great way to access your whole brain for improved performance. 3. Cleanse Your Lungs: A daily five-minute practice morning and night of alternate nostril breathing is a great way to remove stale air and impurities from the bottom of your lungs. Remember, 70% of our body s waste products are eliminated via our lungs. 4. Improves Sleep: If you can t sleep at night lie on your right-hand side, gently close your right nostril and breathe through your left nostril. This will allow you to access the right hemisphere of your brain, which is calming. Alternate nostril breathing should not be practiced if you have a cold or if your nasal passages are blocked in any way. Page 8

9 Ujjayi pranayama: Ujjayi breathing (to become victorious or to gain mastery) consists of a gentle breath that is both relaxed and energized, allowing for a balance. Ujjayi pranayama sounds simple enough, in and out through your nose, but on each exhale, you should attempt to make the sound of an ocean wave in the back of your throat, you can achieve this by constricting the back of the throat, similar to the constriction made when speaking in a whisper. It's important that you're not trying to ingest more air, but shift the quality of your breath. Benefits of Ujjayi pranayama include:- improved concentration, release of tension diminished pain from headaches relief of sinus pressure decrease in phlegm strengthening of the nervous and digestive systems Page 9

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11 Kapalabhati pranayama: Kapalabhati is known as the skullshining breath for good reason. It may feel a little weird at first, but once you get the hang of it, your head and body will both feel far lighter. To begin, start with a deep inhale and forcefully exhale drawing all the air out of your belly. After your next full inhale, begin to exhale forcefully out through your nose 15 to 30 times quickly without taking an inhale; actively draw your belly in with each percussive exhale. After you've completed a full cycle of 15 to 30 quick exhales, passively inhale and exhale for a few breaths and enjoy before another round. Benefits of Kapalabhati pranayama include:- Relaxation Weight loss Minimizes risks of infections and allergies in the respiratory system. Improves flexibility of the diaphragm Improved energy levels Sithali pranayama: This is a great technique for those of us living in Florida. It is a cooling breath that has an immediate effect on your entire body's temperature. Begin by curling up your tongue into a tube-like passage. Inhale through your mouth (keeping your tongue just like this!), then close your mouth and hold your breath for five to 10. Exhale slowly through your nose. Repeat for 15 to 20 times or whenever you feel sufficiently cooled off! This is a great quick fix if you're feeling superhot or sticky. Benefits of Sithali Pranayama include:- Improved focus Reduce agitation, anger and anxiety Pacify excess heat in the system So go on take a breather, it s good for you! Page 11

12 Cheryl Alker has worked in the health and wellbeing industry for over 30 years. During that time she has helped world class athletes to people with hip replacements and everybody in between to achieve their specific goals. She also worked in corporate health, has lectured throughout Europe and the USA, is a health and fitness writer for many publications and has written training programs for the health and fitness industry that has been granted Continuing Education Credits with The Florida Board of Physical Therapy, the National Association of Sports Medicine, The American Council of Exercise and The National Association of Strength Training to name but a few. She has also worked with a United Kingdom Governmental backed program to train and certify exercise professionals. The extensive knowledge she has gained on many subjects within the health and wellbeing industry was her reason for starting 24Seven Wellness & Living. Her ultimate goal is that 24Seven Wellness will become a source of reference for you to enjoy on subjects such as health, nutrition, alternative therapy, green living and motivation. The content will be provided through articles, Ebooks, small Vlogs (video blogs) and training videos. Cheryl is also the founder of Secret Back Pain Cure She developed the Secret Back Pain Cure program due to the fact that working with so many people first hand gave her a huge insight into the staggering numbers of people suffering with back related issues but more importantly that back pain is indiscriminate, it can affect a world class athlete as much as it can an elderly sedentary person with a hip replacement. This at home program in the form of educational DVD s and Ebooks has helped literally thousands of former back pain sufferers worldwide not only to gain relief from their back pain but also to provide an approach that ensures it will never return, putting you back in control of your life. Alker s back pain cure program follows a specific protocol:- Elongate the muscles that are short and tight pulling the bones out of alignment Strengthen the core to provide an inner belt of support to the lumbar spine Muscular re-education of the back muscles with a focused strength program The Ultimate Back Pain Relief Program consists of three DVD s each providing a piece of the puzzle to a pain free life. Page 12

13 Secret Back Pain Cure - flexibility first. Highlight the muscles that are short and tight and elongate them through a focused stretching program. Alker explains when muscles are short and tight they draw our bones out of alignment causing poor posture, poor range of movement, poor functionality and ultimately pain and discomfort. Stretching the muscles that are responsible for drawing our bones out of alignment allows the body to sit in a more neutral position. Core for Life - Understanding how core strength is vital to long term relief of lower back pain is vital to your recovery. This DVD explains exactly how the core functions and how to train it affectively and safely even when you are suffering with back pain. Adding core strength is vital to anyone with back pain Alker explains particularly lower back pain. Strengthening the deeper layers of our abdominal corset provides us with a natural inner belt giving our lumbar spine support and stability. Secret Back Pain Cure 2 - the third piece in the puzzle. After following the first two steps of the program your back is ready to be re-educated. This DVD takes you through a laser sharp back strengthening program that re-teaches the back muscles their role in the body providing you with a back that is strong and secure in it s ability to brace the spine in it s natural S shape. Alker explains Due to the continual C shape we hold our body in when sitting at a desk, computer, driving, eating or just watching TV our back muscles have forgotten their role in the body and have been locked long, losing strength and the ability to stabilize. This new found strength will ultimately provide you with the long term support you need to ensure your back pain is a thing of the past. Page 13

14 This information is solely for informational purposes. IT IS NOT INTENDED TO PROVIDE MEDICAL ADVICE. 24Seven Wellness, 24Seven Wellness & Living, Secret Back Pain Cure, Cheryl Alker the author nor publisher take responsibility for any possible consequences from any treatment, procedure, exercise, dietary modification, action or application of medication which results from reading or following the information contained. The publication of this information does not constitute the practice of medicine, and this information does not replace the advice of your physician or other health care provider. Before undertaking the exercises contained in this Ebook or any course of treatment, the reader must seek the advice of their physician or other health care provider. Copyright Cheryl Alker under the seal of the Copyright Office in accordance with title 17, United States Code. The right of Cheryl Alker to be identified as the Author of the work. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted, in any form or by any means without the prior written permission of the publisher, nor be otherwise circulated in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published and without a similar condition being imposed on the subsequent purchaser. Page 14