Listen Instead of Reading
A Breathing Gift This Week
Have you read the Holstee Manifesto? It’s amazing. This is my adaptation, The Breathing Manifesto. (I literally just copied their format. I’m not that creative, lol). Print it, hang it, and enjoy it!
Alright, on to this week’s 411…
4 Thoughts
1. The Body is Complex, So We Should Listen To It
(Read Time: 32 seconds)
“Our bodies are complex interconnected systems of biological processes that interact differently under the influence of the unique genetic coding and environmental factors that we each experience.”
- Dr. Ellen Langer, Counterclockwise
That passage gets a “Wow!” 🤯x 100
So if anyone ever tells you one breathing method is best, or one diet, or one anything related to your health, remember this message from Harvard professor Ellen Langer. Our bodies are insanely complex. There’s no way of knowing what’s best for you without trying it and listening to your own body.
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Related Quote: “What we mean is, in the field of peak performance, too often, someone figures out what works for them and then assumes it will work for others. It rarely does. More often, it backfires.” - Steven Kotler, The Art of Impossible
2. Will This Be Laughed at in 2000+ Years?
(Read Time: 43 seconds)
“I delved into the medical research … I was amazed by how the yogis of India and Tibet, prior to the invention of modern technology or research instruments, gained a thorough knowledge of the effect of the breath, proper and improper, on our physical, emotional, and spiritual health.”
Building off the previous thought, here’s a perfect example of the power of listening to the body. Without science, ancient yogis discovered the healing power of the breath, which modern science is only now starting to “validate.”
Of course, you know I’m obsessed with reading science papers : ) But in 2000+ years, do we really think any of them will still be meaningful? Or will they be laughed at? Probably the latter.
But results based on human experience, like those discovered by yogis millennia ago, are timeless.
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P.S. This thought, and thought #1, are exactly why I’m obsessed with breathing : ) We can read the science, immediately apply it, and discard what doesn’t work for us.
3. How to Practice Mindfulness While You Walk
(Read Time: 31 seconds)
“Through breathwalking, I can access the same state of calm as people doing yoga and meditation but on my own terms” - James Nicolai, MD
- From Weight Watchers: How to Practice Mindfulness While you Walk
Yes, that’s right, Weight Watchers 🤦 Every single conscious and unconscious bias I have went into high gear when I saw it.
But this is the most succinct yet comprehensive article on breathwalking I’ve come across. It’s well worth the 3 min it’ll take you to read it. Enjoy!
4. Why Breathing is the Compound Interest of Health and Wellness
(Read Time: 37 seconds)
An obvious (yet overlooked) aspect of breathing is that we’re always doing it. This presents the opportunity for infinite compounding gains over time.
Compounding requires two ingredients, time and consistency, which are built into breathing. Other health interventions, such as new diets, also compound. But they are usually more sporadic, limiting their chances of endless growth.
But breathing is always there. It just takes tiny shifts, such as breathing only through our noses, for the compound interest to start accruing.
So here’s to watching our tiny 1% breathing investments compound into ridiculous growth over time.
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Related: Smiling and the Warren Buffets of Breathing
Related Quote: “Peak performance works like compound interest. A little bit today, a little bit tomorrow, do this for weeks and months and years and the result won't just be a life that exceeds your expectations, it'll be one that exceeds your imagination.” - Steven Kotler, The Art of Impossible
1 Quote
“One of the most remarkable facts of existence is under our noses all of the time.”
- Rick Hanson, Ph.D., Neurodharma
1 Answer
Category: The Complex Human Body
Answer: According to recent estimates, the human body has approximately this many cells.
…
(Cue the Jeopardy! music.)
…
Question: What is 30-40 trillion?
In good breath,
Nick Heath, T1D, PhD
“Breathing is the compound interest of health & wellness.”
P.S. One last look
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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.