April 10, 2023

5 Favorite Breathing Products, 4 Favorite Newsletters, and the Here and Now

April 10, 2023

Listen Instead of Reading

If you enjoy listening, you can subscribe to the audio version on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Audible so you don’t even have to look at the email 😊

4 THOUGHTS

1. The Power of Breath Awareness (a joyful abiding in the here & now)

“The breath accompanies you the full length of life’s road: you learn about the body, feelings, mental formations, the mind itself, and, finally, the lawfulness of impermanence and emptiness of a substantial self.”
- Larry Rosenberg, Three Steps to Awakening

This passage beautifully highlights the power of breath awareness.

And perhaps this power is why the Buddha formally practiced mindful breathing, even after attaining enlightenment:

“Even after full enlightenment, the Buddha himself set aside personal retreat time for the practice of mindfulness of breathing, calling it ‘a joyful abiding in the here and now.’”

Here’s to using our breath to joyfully abide in the here and now a little more this week 🙏

2. Change How You Feel (almost instantaneously)

“Our breathing pattern can have an enormous effect on our psycho-physical state. This means that changing the way we breathe can literally change the way we feel, almost instantaneously. Want to be relaxed? Breathe like you already are.”
– Charlie Morley, Wake Up to Sleep

I’ve shared passages like this probably a dozen times now. But it never gets old, because it’s the most powerful part of breathing: we can almost instantaneously change how we feel anytime, anywhere.

Make sure you use this amazing gift at least once today 🙏

3. My 4 Favorite Newsletters

If you’re looking to diversify your wisdom, here are four of my favorite newsletters. There are many I enjoy, but I always read these four:

1. Light’s Daily Dose: This is my favorite one. It’s just a small inspirational wisdom nugget each day. It’s amazing. (Sign Up)

2. James Clear’s 3-2-1: You probably know this one. And of course, I copied his format ~3 years ago to create the “411” 😊 (Sign Up)

3. Brain Food: Random life-changing wisdom. A must-read every Sunday. (Sign Up)

4. Josh Spector’s Daily Email: The shortest email you’ll get. Sometimes it’s an idea, but usually a link to a cool resource. (Sign Up)

4. Five Breathing Products I Love

Although it’s hard for me to believe, people occasionally send me free breathing stuff. Here are some cool products I’ve tried and loved, in no particular order:

ResBiotic: Daily probiotic that targets the gut-lung access for better lung health. (Learn More)

Airofit: A super sophisticated resistance breathing device. (The one I use) (Here’s a cheaper Version that does same thing, just no bluetooth)

AER Filters: Gives our nose filtering a little boost. (UK store.) (If you’re in the US, you can get them on Amazon here.)

Anicca: A mindful breathing device. Don’t think it’s for sale to the public yet, but if you’re therapist of any kind, check it out. (Learn More)

BeWell “Breathing is Cool” Sweatshirt: Do yourself a favor, and go buy one of these right now. It’ll support an amazing cause, and you’ll have one of the coolest sweaters out there 🙏 (Link to Buy)

Breath is Life Learning Center

Learn & integrate different methods, philosophies, and approaches to breathing for better mental and physical health.

Join Today.

$14.99/month or $149/year

1 Quote

“May your adventures be truly great for as long as you take another breath. And may you live long as you seek to discover the wonders and the benefits that each breath has to offer in this, the journey of life.””

— Rev. Duffy Peet

1 Answer

Category: Sneezing

Answer: This reflex is characterized by successive sneezing as the result of exposure to bright light.

…

(Cue the Jeopardy! music.)

…

Question: What is the photic sneeze reflex?

In good breath,

Nick Heath, T1D, PhD
“Breathing is the compound interest of health & wellness.”

P.S. why do you have that thing?

* An asterisk by a quote indicates that I listened to this book on Audible. Therefore, the quotation might not be correct, but is my best attempt at reproducing the punctuation based on the narrator’s pace, tone, and pauses.

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Each Monday, I curate and synthesize information from scientific journals, books, articles, and podcasts to share 4 thoughts, 1 quote, and 1 answer (like "Jeopardy!") related to breathing. It’s a fun way to learn something new each week.

Nicholas Heath

December 13, 2021

weekly email

Breathing & Love, Rising Above the Clouds, and 4 Years in 4 Points

Nicholas Heath

December 13, 2021

weekly email

Listen Instead of Reading

4 Thoughts

1. Demonstrations of Breathing & Love

“Demonstrations of love are small, compared with the great thing that is hidden behind them.”
- Khalil Gibran

Call it what you’d like, prana, qi, & so on, but the same is true: Demonstrations of breathing are small compared with the great thing that is hidden behind them.

2. Breathing for Diabetes: 4 Years in 4 Bullet Points

Based on about 4 years of research and self-practice, the 4 key ways that regular breathing practices help diabetes are by:

**3. Breathing for (non) Diabetics: “Raising Our Heads Above the Clouds”**

“But many of the same interventions that can help us get our heads above water can just as effectively be devoted to raising our heads above the clouds.”
- Steven Kotler and Jamie Wheal, Stealing Fire

This is unquestionably true for breathing. Although everything I read, practice, and share is focused on keeping my “head above the water” as a diabetic, they can also “raise your head above the clouds” if you’re not diabetic.

Interesting side note: it’s typically broken people that find supplemental modalities like breathing—I guess because we need them the most : ) But if you’re not broken, all the benefits of breathing will be even more helpful.

So here’s to using our breathing to stay afloat, or rise above the clouds, today.

4. The Buddha, 20 Years after Enlightenment

Did you know that the Buddha was still meditating 20 years after his enlightenment? (I guess it never ends, folks 😄)

What kind of meditation, you might wonder? “Mindfulness of breathing.”

Extra Thought: Take High Altitude Yoga Alongside Me One Last Time

My wife is moving on to a new yoga adventure 🎉. But, she’ll be teaching the High Altitude Yoga class we designed together one last time.

The class incorporates slow breathing, breath holds, and yoga into a challenging but fun 45-min flow.

It’s $8 and happening tomorrow morning (Tuesday, Dec 14) at 6:15 a.m. EST. I’ll be there, and I hope you’ll join me in taking it!

Take High Altitude Yoga One Last Time

1 QUOTE

“Relaxing the breath, breathe in. Relaxing the breath, breathe out. Then joy arises naturally.”
- Bhante Gunarantana
The Four Foundations of Mindfulness in Plain English

1 ANSWER

Category: The Diaphragm

Answer: This organ rests on the top of the diaphragm.

…

(Cue the Jeopardy! music.)

…

Question: What is the heart?

P.S. This was inspired by Jill Miller’s amazing line: “Thank you from the bottom of my heart. Which is of course, my diaphragm.” (Makes me laugh every time.)

In good breath,

Nick Heath, T1D, PhD
“Breathing is the compound interest of health & wellness.”

P.S. and I’ve never respected anything more

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Nicholas Heath

August 2, 2021

weekly email

Delightful Practice, Reverse Arambhashura, and The Buddha’s Take on Science

Nicholas Heath

August 2, 2021

weekly email

Listen Instead of Reading

Hello,

Here are four thoughts, one quote, and one answer for this week.

I hope you enjoy it!

4 Thoughts

1. What Science Has in Common with The Buddha

“Research in general tells us something about most people. Given that our concern is for what we, rather than what most people, should do, current medical practice alone cannot have a definitive answer…We need to learn how to integrate what the medical world knows to be generally true with what we know, or can find out, about ourselves.”
- Ellen Langer, Ph.D., Counterclockwise

Ellen Langer was the first woman to be tenured in Harvard’s Psychology Department. She’s a badass, and this book is insanely good. If you’re interested in applying scientific research in your own life, it’s a must-read.

The above passage is particularly critical for breathing. As we continue to learn new things about breathwork, the most important thing is to integrate that knowledge with our personal situation to find out what’s best for us.

And remember, just because it worked in a study doesn’t mean it will work for you.

As the Buddha supposedly said, “Believe nothing, no matter where you read it, or who said it, no matter if I have said it, unless it agrees with your own reason and your own common sense.” It seems like Dr. Langer would agree : )

How do we do this in our own lives? Let’s turn to another brilliant mind for more advice in Thought #2.

***

Related Quote: “I believe books are medicine. A library is a medicine cabinet. What can heal one person may not work at all for somebody else. You know when something is healing you, just as you know when something isn't.” - Sandra Cisneros (I know it’s about books, but still so good.)

2. Delight in Practice: How To Integrate Science Into Your Life

“So look for what feels good and meaningful in what you’re already doing, and perhaps find additional things that are naturally pleasurable for you…Practice is less effective if it’s heavy and somber most of the time. It’s ok to have fun with it.”
- Rick Hanson, Ph.D., Neurodharma

How’s that for a book title? There was no way I could not read that one : )

It’s packed with insight, but I thought this passage paired perfectly with Thought #1. To begin applying the new things you learn about breathing, start with what you already find meaningful, and add on from there.

For example, suppose you love the Oxygen Advantage. But, then you learn that taking big breaths every now and then is beneficial for lung capacity. In that case, you might try adding 5 big breaths before each breath hold you perform. If you like it, you keep it. If not, you don’t.

We also don’t want to take it too seriously (often guilty here). As Dr. Hanson also tells us, “It’s good to bring playfulness, even delight, to your practices.”

Here’s to applying rigorous science in our lives in a delightful way, today.

***

Related Quote: “As long as you derive inner help and comfort from anything, keep it.” - Gandhi

3. Forbes: “How Breathing Calms Your Brain, And Other Science-Based Benefits Of Controlled Breathing”

“A brief review of the latest science on breathing and the brain, and overall health, serves as a reminder that breathing deserves much closer attention – there’s more going on with each breath than we realize.”
- David DiSalvo, Forbes Magazine

Here’s a quick summary of some of the science-backed benefits of breathing from Forbes. It was written 2017, but just as relevant today.

I liked the headline-paragraph-headline-paragraph style. Concise and informative. I hope you enjoy it too!

4. Slow Breathing as Reverse Arambhashura

There’s a Sanskrit word, arambhashura, which means something like “hero in the beginning.” We’ve all been there. You start a project all excitedly, but the excitement wanes. You hit some roadblocks. You decide it’s not worth it.

A slow breathing session is like reverse arambhashura. Because of the positive breathing-relaxation feedback loop, you gain motivation as you go. And when you’re done, you’re more focused, relaxed, and happy than when you began. You’re a hero at the end.

Here’s to practicing a little reverse arambhashura today.

1 Quote

“The kind of success I am most interested in is the sort available to every human being living, breathing, thinking, and doing things on this earth.”
– Tom Morris

1 Answer

Category: Body Oxygen Consumption

Answer: For the energy to perform their vital functions, the lungs themselves consume this percentage of the total body oxygen consumption.

…

(Cue the Jeopardy! music.)

…

Question: What is 5%?

In good breath,

Nick Heath, T1D, PhD
Diabetes is Tiny. You are Mighty.

P.S. I actually needed to hear this…