Qigong Breathing

Life starts and ends by taking a breath. Our bodies need abundant oxygen to function properly and to help discard waste products like carbon monoxide. Every cell in the body actually needs oxygen to function properly. Today many people are conscious about what they drink and what they eat but very few think about how they BREATHE!

Breathing affects the whole body. It affects the nervous system, the heart, the digestive system, muscles, sleep quality, energy levels, concentration, memory and much more. Breathing is also our largest system for waste removal.

Did you know 70% of the waste products produced in our body are supposed to be removed via breathing? Only 20% are removed by sweat and only 10% from the kidneys and bowels.

Most people only use chest breathing. This type of breathing is not as efficient as it can become easily restrained or blocked. Our way of breathing is actually one of the first affected by stress and emotions.

According to a recent study in Sweden, 83 %of the adult  population uses chest breathing, i.e., they only use the top part of the chest. Thise is a very insufficient way of breathing as it uses more muscle power than the deeper and more relaxed abdominal breathing. People who use chest breathing take less effective breaths and, as a consequence, receive less oxygen and get rid of fewer waste products.

Deep and effective breathing reaches all the way down to the abdomen. The abdomen expands forward, to the sides and also towards the spine. The breathing movement can be felt all the way down to the pelvic area and up to the top of the lungs. Abdominal breathing has a calming and relaxing response as we take fewer and but more effective breaths. We absorb mor oxygen and release more waste products with each breath. As an added bonus we also add more life energy, Qi to our system by using abdominal breathing.