breathing Tag

Take a Deep Breath: Expand Your Health and Vitality

Breathing is one of the most important functions of the body, and it is the only automatic bodily function necessary for survival over which you have complete control. Your body will breathe without you knowing (in case you forget!), but you can also speed up, slow down or stop breathing at will. It is the connection between our subconscious and conscious mind (the cerebrum and cerebellum respectively), and provides the oxygen required by all of your body’s cells. Ideally, your inhalations and exhalations should be of equal length. When you take a deep breath your stomach should expand, and when you...

Mind Over Illness: Boosting Your Immunity With Your Thoughts

When our lives get hectic, many of us are concerned about illness such as cold and flu viruses. While it is true that eating healthy, exercising regularly, and getting plenty of rest can go a long way in supporting proper immune functioning, it is vital not to underestimate the power that the mind plays in directly affecting our immune systems. Research in Psychoneuroimmunology (PNI)–the study of how beliefs, behaviours, and environment impact our health and illness –has shown that our negative thought patterns or states can play a major role in contributing to illness. The good news, however, is that positive...