Nicholas Heath

June 28, 2021

weekly email

Phil Mickelson, and How Modern Science Helps Explain 2000-Year-Old Wisdom

Nicholas Heath

June 28, 2021

weekly email

Listen Instead of Reading

Hey,

Here are 4 thoughts, 1 quote, and 1 answer for this week. Enjoy!

4 Thoughts

1. The Real Lesson from Phil Mickelson: For Diabetes, and Life in General

Phil Mickelson used controlled breathing throughout the PGA Championship. So, when he won, it was an exciting moment for the breathing community.

But do you know what happened for the next tournament? He played poorly.

Of course, with sports, we accept that this is just part of the game. Even with his focused breathing, no one can win them all.

But do you apply this concept in your life, especially if you have diabetes?

Do you remember that life is more complex than sports? There’s no “one thing” that will ensure you always win.

But, and this is important, Phil still finished that next lousy round of golf. He didn’t just walk off the course because he wasn’t winning.

And that’s what we have to do. A high blood sugar doesn’t mean we should give up on our protocol. A poor night of sleep doesn’t mean this breathing stuff doesn’t work. Life is hard, and we all have off days. But, that’s precisely when we need our fundamentals the most.

Here’s to knowing we’ll have bad days and weeks, and finishing anyway, knowing we’ll eventually be on top again.

***

P.S. I know nothing about golf, so thanks to my dad for pointing out how bad Mickelson played when we hung out on Father’s Day, sparking this thought : )

2. Breathing is a Scalpel to Your Brain and Emotions

In 2017, a group of Stanford researchers discovered a small cluster of neurons that control your breathing—the breathing “pacemaker neurons.”

It turns out that these neurons extend to other parts of the brain that control emotions, and it’s a two-way street: The emotional areas can influence your breathing, but your breathing can also influence them.

On a recent RadioLab Podcast (aptly titled “Breath”), after learning this, Molly Webster likened her breathing to a scalpel to her brain and emotions:

“I feel like, in a way, he almost gave me like a scalpel to get inside my own brain and control it…If I actually change my breathing, it will change this breath pacemaker region, and it will send an ‘I’m chill’ signal to the fight or flight directly, and it will calm down.”

This brought a massive smile to my face. What a perfect analogy.

Practically and scientifically, you can know that when you take control of your breath, you take control of a small cluster of neurons that talk to other regions of your brain. So the scalpel is right there in your nose. Use it when needed.

***

P.S. Thanks to one of my best friends, Capt J.G., for sending me this podcast.

3. “Breathing Exercises for Better Metabolic Health”

“Research shows that controlled breathing can positively impact our nervous system, reducing stress and maybe even improving glucose control.”
- Levels, Breathing Exercises for Better Metabolic Health

This article is a perfect synthesis of research and practical advice on how breathing might help with blood sugars. It’s basically my entire website summarized into a 6-minute read…I feel rather long-winded now : )

Please read and share this one!

***

4. Moderate Breathing, in Moderation

“All breathing in moderation, including moderate breathing.”

A reader helped me add this one to the list of “Breathing Graffiti.” Thanks, M. Night Larry. It’s clever, and it has lots of practical wisdom too.

Remember that we take over 20,00 breaths a day. So Wim Hof is OK now and then. Breath holds are OK now and then. (If you’re in good health, of course.)

All breathing in moderation, even moderate breathing. That’s a simple and valuable principle to live by.

1 Quote

“When the mental state is disturbed, the life energy (prana) gets unbalanced and this leads to irregular breath; hence to regulate the mental state the yoga practitioner should regulate the breath.”

Hatha Yoga Pradipika, 300 A.D., from Role of respiration in mind-body practices: concepts from contemporary science and traditional yoga texts

***

P.S. This was from almost 2000 (!) years ago. The neurons controlling how this works (Thought #2) were only discovered in 2017. The paper linked above provides additional insight into the science behind this ancient wisdom.

1 Answer

Category: Breathing in History

Answer: The healing power of the breath was recognized this far back.

…

(Cue the Jeopardy! music.)

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Question: What is 7000 BCE? (pg. 58)

In good breath,

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

P.S. You know. Like a book.

Sign Up For The Breathing 411

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

April 26, 2021

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A Buffet of 13 Interesting Breathing Articles

Nicholas Heath

April 26, 2021

weekly email

I’ve been out of town, with less time than normal to work on the newsletter. So, I decided to share a buffet of interesting breathing articles this week.

I hope there are a few you enjoy!

4 Thoughts

1. Study Shows How Slow Breathing Induces Tranquility

“Breathe slowly and smoothly. A pervasive sense of calm descends. Now breathe rapidly and frenetically. Tension mounts. Why? It’s a question that has never been answered by science, until now.”
- Stanford Medicine News Center

We all know that slow breathing calms us, and fast breathing stimulates us. But in this great article, we learn that there are specific neurons “spying” on our breathing, “reporting their finding to another structure in the brainstem.”

Enjoy the interesting read!

Thanks to new 411 reader A.L. for inspiring this thought!

2. This Ridiculously Simple Breathing Technique Is Scientifically Proven to Improve Mental Focus

“I can't promise that it will make everything go smoothly, or take all your jitters away. But I can guarantee that you'll feel more focused and calm than you did before.”
- Inc. Magazine

Perfectly said. If you need a quick way to increase focus, it might be as simple as making “your exhalations longer than your inhalations.”

Enjoy the super quick read.

And, if you want to dive deeper down the rabbit hole, here are a few more:

3. The Importance of Breathing, from the American Institute of Stress

Please do yourself and favor and check out this issue of Contentment from the American Institute of Stress. They dedicated the entire thing to breathing.

Here’s what’s included:

The Health Benefits of Nose Breathing
Healing Power Of The Breath
The Setup Breath: Exhaling Deeply First
Re-Association: Fusing Awareness and Sound with Deep Breathing Practices
Take A Deep Breath
Yogic Breathing: Ancient and Modern
One-Minute Relaxation Exercise for Busy People

The first two were my favorites. You’re sure to find one or two you enjoy too.

P.S. I found this through an excellent Medium blog post.

4. Significant Brain Changes Found in Children Who Regularly Snore

“Children who regularly snore have structural changes in their brain that may account for the behavioral problems associated with the condition including lack of focus, hyperactivity, and learning difficulties at school.”
- Significant Brain Changes Found in Children Who Regularly Snore

This was a somewhat troubling read on how sleep-disordered breathing might explain hyperactivity and aggression in children.

With complex issues like these, it’s likely not as simple as “one thing.” But, this is an important read, especially if you have or work with children.

Thanks to great friend E.S. for sharing this with me.

Related Quote: “If respiration truly acts as a fundamental organizer of oscillatory brain activity, then surely its modulation could be utilized to modulate brain activity to promote sleep.” - Frontiers in Psychiatry (2019)

1 Quote

“In a single breath, more molecules of air will pass through your nose than all the grains of sand on all the world’s beaches—trillions and trillions of them.”

- James Nestor, Breath

1 Answer

Answer: In the early 1770s, this gas was independently discovered in England and Sweden.

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(Cue the Jeopardy! music.)

…

Question: What is oxygen?

In good breath,

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

P.S. Enough for the next 11 days

Sign Up For The Breathing 411

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

April 5, 2021

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A Danger of Breathwalking, and How I Almost Stepped on It

Nicholas Heath

April 5, 2021

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Listen to this post in 6 min 28 sec:

Welcome to another issue of The Breathing 411,

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

There’s also a fun bonus thought on the “Dangers of Breathwalking.”

I hope you enjoy it!

4 Thoughts

1. The Lungs Lead, Heart and Mind Follow

“This knowledge is spreading back to the West through disciplines such as yoga and mindfulness, but also through techniques aimed at improving endurance, and even intimacy. These practices demonstrate that the mind and the heart follow the lungs, not the other way around.”
- Michael J. Stephenson, MD from Breath Taking

Study after study has shown that breathing gives you access and control over your heart and mind, in ways such as increasing heart rate variability and synchronizing brain waves. That is, the lungs lead, the heart and mind follow.

But even with all this research, sometimes it takes an eloquent quote from a respected pulmonologist to make it seem so obvious.

Related Quote: “The obvious is that which is never seen until someone expresses it simply.” -Kahlil Gibran

2. Why Slow Nasal Breathing Could Be More Important in Type-2 Diabetes

Both type-1 and type-2 diabetes benefit from slow nasal breathing.

However, it could be more beneficial in type-2 diabetes since the primary issues there are reduced insulin production and reduced insulin sensitivity.

And it just so happens that slow breathing increases insulin production and improves insulin sensitivity. But maybe most importantly, nasal breathing helps you sleep better, which will indirectly boost insulin sensitivity.

Obviously, slow breathing isn’t going to cure you of type-2. But it’s safe, effective, and super practical. It seems like a no-brainer.

P.S. For T1Ds like me, all these things are still very helpful. We just won’t get the added benefit of increased insulin production…stupid pancreas…

3. How to Improve Concentration Using Your Breath

“by focusing on and regulating your breathing you can optimize your attention level and likewise, by focusing on your attention level, your breathing becomes more synchronized.”
- How to Improve Concentration Using Your Breath

In this great short article, you’ll learn that to improve your concentration, “It’s as simple as breathing through your nose.”

You’ll also get some excellent quotes from James Nestor and the director of the Yale Stress Center. Well worth the quick read. Enjoy!

Related: The nose knows: How breathing through your nose improves your health (This was linked in the Thrive article—it’s an excellent deep dive into the benefits of nose breathing, mainly from clinical doctors. I absolutely loved it. I just didn’t agree with the very last sentence.)

4. John Wayne’s Perfect Breathing Advice (almost)

“Talk low, talk slow, and don't talk too much.”
- John Wayne, Advice on acting

If we replace “talk” with “breathe,” we arrive at the perfect breathing advice:

Breathe low, breathe slow, and don’t breathe too much.

Extra Thought: The “Dangers” of Breathwalking

I’ve become somewhat obsessed with breathwalking. I use it in short 1-3 min intervals several times a day. It’s phenomenal. Thanks again, Louise!

Last Tuesday, I was walking around my backyard, completely focused on my breath. Then, I came about this close 🤏 to stepping on a snake. The snake had its head up, ready to bite. And here I am, Mr. Breathwalker, completely oblivious…lol.

Luckily, I managed to jump over it (maybe letting out a quick scream) and immediately starting laughing at the irony of the situation.

Focusing on your breath most certainly improves your concentration. But in the comfort of your backyard, that concentration might backfire!

Related: Thanks to M.C. for sharing this excellent 4.5 min video:

Breathwalking With Dr. Jim Nicolai | Andrew Weil, M.D.

1 Quote

“Few of these scientists set out to study breathing. But, somehow, in some way, breathing kept finding them.”
- James Nestor, Breath

1 Answer

Answer: In 2018, it was estimated that this percentage of the U.S. adult population had diabetes.

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(Cue the Jeopardy! music.)

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Question: What is 13%? (and 90-95% of those cases are type-2)

In good breath,

Nick Heath, T1D, PhD
Diabetes is Tiny. Breathing is Mighty.

P.S. Easter family get together

Nicholas Heath

March 29, 2021

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How Breathing Makes Everything Possible

Nicholas Heath

March 29, 2021

weekly email

Listen to this post in 5 minutes:

Greetings,

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

4 Thoughts

1. Breathing Makes Everything Possible

“That oxygen, life, and lungs all came into our world in relatively close succession is no coincidence. Only with oxygen and some means of extracting it are all things possible—thinking, moving, eating, speaking, and loving. Life and the breath are synonymous.”
- Michael J. Stephen, MD, Breath Taking

I often feel crazy. The more I learn about breathing, the more I feel like I must be falling for a big trick. It seems as if all of life’s problems come back to the breath. It really just seems too simple to be true.

Then, I read a beautiful quote like this. One that succinctly states just how breathing, quite literally, makes everything possible. And it reminds me that it is, in fact, the opposite: It’s not crazy that all of life’s problems come back to the breath. It would be crazy if they didn’t.

2. Lesser-Known Ways Nose Breathing Helps Diabetes

You probably know how indispensable nose breathing is by now. But there are other lesser-known reasons it is particularly helpful in diabetes.

In this recent article, I examine nasal breathing through the lens of diabetic complications, nasal and systemic nitric oxide, stress, and sleep.

It’s a different perspective, and I hope you learn something new about nose breathing, whether you have diabetes or not.

If you don’t have time to read it, here are a few take-home messages:

People with diabetes have reduced blood flow, reduced tissue oxygenation, and less bioavailable nitric oxide.
Nasal breathing increases blood flow, improves tissue oxygenation, and might increase an essential form of bioactive nitric oxide.

3. Take a Deep Breath (American Physiological Society)

“That’s the wonderful thing about it. There are no side effects. It’s cheap. And everyone has had the experience of taking a single deep breath—you take one, and you feel it; it’s relaxing.”
- Jack Feldman, PhD, Distinguished Professor in Neurobiology at UCLA

This one started out slow, but wow, there was so much good information, especially in the last section on “Slow Breathing and the Brain.”

Enjoy the excellent read:

Take a Deep Breath: Featured article from the January 2021 issue of The Physiologist Magazine

4. Why Most Breathing Advice for Beginners is Wrong

"Yes, in our hyperachieving, go-getter world, I’m telling you to lower the bar. Not because I don’t want you to achieve great things, but because I know that you need to start small in order to achieve them."
- BJ Fogg, Tiny Habits

Though well-meaning, most advice for starting a breath practice is wrong.

We’re told we need to do twenty minutes in the morning, twenty minutes before bed, and maybe six additional breathing "check-ins" throughout the day. It’s overwhelming just to think about it.

Sure, if your motivation is high, this approach might work. But it also might set you up for failure, instead of setting you up for long-term growth.

To make it stick, behavior change scientists say we need to start small. For example, starting with 1 minute is more valuable than starting with 1 hour.

And ironically, starting small is the only way to go big. As BJ tells us, "Over the last twenty years, I’ve found that the only consistent, sustainable way to grow big is to start small." Conversely, starting big often leads to giving up.

So let’s lower our breathing bars, start small, and create breathing habits that set us, and those we teach, up for lasting success.

1 Quote

“Oxygen is the life force, the source of life’s infinite possibilities.”
- Michael J. Stephen, MD, Breath Taking

1 Answer

Answer: Over a lifetime, the average nose hair grows this long.

…

(Cue the Jeopardy! music.)

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Question: What is over 6 feet?

This is the same resource as last week, but this is too ridiculous not to share : )

In good breath,
Nick

P.S. The dmv be like…