Ok, this is the "weird" one :)
#3 in the Series of getting well, STAYing well!
What do you do all day every day and rarely even think about it?
Breathe. We do this about 54,000 times a day, almost every breath an unconscious effort.
What is the #1 marker of longevity?
Not muscle mass (although that is right up there). Not happiness (ditto). Not genetics (which actually has very little to do with it because epigenetics*.)
*epigenetics is the ability to turn genes on and off with lifestyle choices.
Here it is:
The #1 marker of longevity is lung capacity. Basically, the longer you can hold your breath, the longer you will live.
WHAT?!?
Yeah, that’s what I said.
A sister WAPF chapter leader recommended the book Breath on our forum. She mentioned his knowledge of mouth-taping (this is where it gets weird) which Hal and I have been doing off and on for a few months… mostly off because it’s so weird.
Well, I listened to the book written by this really smart guy who has done all — and I do mean ALL — the research: read all the books, traveled the world interviewing experts, read all the studies, AND participated in several.
We can’t all be scientists and know everything about everything. I think the trick is knowing WHO to trust to know a thing or two about a topic. This is my superpower :) I can say without reservation that James Nestor is an expert on breath, how using it incorrectly damages health and shortens life, and vice versa!
Let’s talk about the vice versa — living longer, healthier lives — now!
Here are my “in a nutshell” recommendations:
#1 Train your body to breathe ONLY thru your nose. If you snore or have sleep apnea, you are literally cutting your life short, not to mention your ability to THINK. Mouth breathing is linked to brain fog, INSOMNIA & never getting to the REM stage of sleep, heart trouble, a myriad of unnecessary health issues, along with changes in the structure of your mouth & face!
It’s crazy how important this is and no doctor or dentist has ever mentioned it to me!!! Or anyone I know.
The best way to train yourself is to tape your mouth shut at night. I know, I know… WEIRD.
Here is James Nestor interviewing Dr. Mark Burhenne, a DDS who teaches all his patients to mouth-tape:
We are now mouth-taping every night without fail. This is the tape I use. I tape vertically leaving the corners open so I don’t feel claustrophobic. I used to use this one which is much fatter and I taped horizontally. That works, too. I prefer the skinny tape!
#2 Practice slow breathing. Nestor describes several ways to do this in the book, fascinating info! Here’s what I do: for 10 minutes each morning, during my Miracle Morning routine, I close my eyes and relax in a sort of meditative posture. I breathe in for 3 counts, hold for 1 count, exhale for 8-10 counts. The exhale is where all the power is!
#3 Eat something crunchy at least once a day so you have to CHEW! Chewing helps build strength in your jaw and helps change the structure and health of your teeth and gums.
The declining health of his dental patients over the course of his career is what drove Dr. Weston A. Price to travel the world, seeking answers to his questions about WHY this was happening. Today we know that a diet of soft foods with no chewing required — like a McDonald’s burger & fries — leads to not only tooth decay but degradation of jaws!
Listen to the book — even just a few minutes a day. Seriously life changing!!!
As always, do your best. We are not saints :) xo Sally
PS. These “getting well, staying well” posts are not shared with anyone else. They can be found on this blog, but they are here for my challenge participants. Have an amazing day!
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