© Michael Grant White 2002 All rights reserved Building Healthy Lungs, Naturally $7.00 "Mike White's techniques for proper breathing provide excellent and effective tools for self-empowered healing." James Biddle MD, Ashewville, NC Michael Grant White, NCLMT #1724, OBDMT © 2002. All rights reserved. http://www.breathing.com 866 My Inhale ISBN 1-883417-39-2 © Michael Grant White 2002 All rights reserved 2 Copyright 2001, Michael Grant White. All rights reserved. Permission to quote up to 150 words gladly given by crediting "Michael Grant White, Breathing.com" and a copy of the publication sent to address noted in the http://www.breathing.com/contact.htm page of this web site. Written permission required for larger passages. Non Profit 501 C3 corporations may reproduce and sell this booklet for fund raising purposes completely free of any charge so long as they do not change even one word of it without written permission from the author. We will provide a high reproducible .jpg file for the full color cover. Otherwise no part of this writing may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system without written permission in writing from this publication. Optimal Breathing Press Medical Disclaimer: Any practices or advice given in this publication is not intended to replace the services of your physician, or to provide an alternative to professional medical treatment. This publication offers no diagnosis of or treatment for any specific medical problem that you may have. Where it suggests the possible usefulness of certain practices in relation to certain illnesses or symptoms, it does so solely for educational purposes--either to explore the relationship of natural breathing to health, or to expose the reader to alternative healing approaches. The breathing improvement techniques, practices and products outlined in this publication are extremely gentle, and should, if carried out as described, be beneficial to your overall physical and psychological health. If you have any serious medical or psychological problem, however--such as heart disease, high blood pressure, cancer, mental illness, or recent abdominal or chest surgery--you should consult your physician before undertaking these practices. The purpose of this booklet. As proper breathing is generic to all humanity and a very small percentage of us do it optimally, I feel it wise to quantify and qualify just what is good breathing and how do we develop it and maintain it on a day to day and moment to moment basis. This booklet will provide you with information for easy and accelerated self help breathing development goals. You will find that the Optimal Breathingtm programs referred to within will greatly aid most people in most situations, even life threatening ones. © Michael Grant White 2002 All rights reserved 3 INDEX Page The purpose of this booklet. 2 Why bother about breathing at all? 3 How good or bad breathing can affect your life 4 10 major obstructions to Optimal Breathing 9 The lungs CAN be reactivated. 8 Regenerating alveoli 10 “Strengthening” the diaphragm? 11 Smoking 11 Posture 12 Breathing Exercises 13 Myths and Cautions About Breathing 13 The Most Effective Breathing Exercise There Is 14 Diet & Alternative Support 16 Signs of Great Breathing 19 Assessing objectively for how well you breathe 19 Results, Testimonials, Success Stories 25 Other programs contained in Video 176 37 The Optimal Breathing School 38 About Michael Grant White 39 Life Threatening Illnesses 40 Discount (safe and inexpensive) Blood Testing 40 © Michael Grant White 2002 All rights reserved 4 Building Healthy Lungs, Naturally Unabridged version Michael Grant White © 2002. All rights reserved. 866 My Inhale The average person reaches peak respiratory function and lung capacity in their mid 20's. Then they begin to lose respiratory capacity: between 10% and 27% for every decade of life! So, unless you are doing something to maintain or improve your breathing capacity, it will decline, and with it, your general health, your life expectancy, and for that matter, your spirit as well. Heart attacks, cancer, strokes, pneumonia, asthma, speech problems and almost every disease known to mankind is worsened or improved by how well you breathe; the quality of your respiration. With certain limitations as to genetic abnormalities, time and age of the individual, lung tissue can be revitalized. We focus somewhat on emphysema here to show others that even it can be improved and to use it as a role model and source of inspiration. You can utilize more aspects of this holistic program to progress faster. Why bother learning about breathing at all? Optimal Natural Breathingtm addresses a Utopian or non Utopian world in the best way possible. It is a qualified and quantified look and feel that is reflective of the best that can be had in the moment. It stems from a strong foundation and allows for freedom and depth and range of maximal experience. It allows for singing, athletics, meditating, laughing, bliss, crying, speaking out, performing delicate tasks, recovering from stress(s) of habituated activities that cause shallow or distorted breathing, the quickest and most thorough healing of wounds, illnesses, physical as well as emotional/spiritual. It allows us to run the full range of emotions, and yet come back to deep peace, etc. "Reasonable" is defined by our individual values. Hopefully we seek those values that support our highest way of being. This can take time to learn and practice on a day to day basis. If it not achieved then it is not optimal because states of peace, love and joy are what my research has lead me to believe is the physical body's natural state of being and allows for the longest and most satisfying life. The Center for Disease Control, National Center for Health Statistics, showed that the fourth leading cause of death in this country in 1994 was emphysema and bronchitis. Elsewhere reported, asthma has increased 66% in the last ten years. When the oxygen supply lessens the heart must work harder. Germs, viruses, and bacteria are anaerobic: © Michael Grant White 2002 All rights reserved 5 they cannot survive in high concentrations of oxygen. Here are just a few of the ways Optimal Breathing can affect your life: IMMUNE SYSTEM Your breath and breathing aids the immune system by: • Lessens stress responses by regulating the nervous system that staves off diverting energy from healthy immune system function increasing oxygen to kill germs, viruses and parasites and support healthy bacteria. • Oxygen works very much like T cells in that is kills harmful bacteria, germs and viruses. • . Adding copious oxygen offsets fatigue, listlessness, repeated infections, inflammations, allergic reactions, slow would healing, chronic diarrhea and infections that represent an overgrowth of some normally present organism, such as oral thrush, systemic candidiasis, or vaginal yeast infections; • Extra oxygen molecules attach to toxins and pollution and form toxic waste that is excreted from the body via the breath and other means of elimination which lessens work for immune system. • Accelerating regeneration of tissues by allowing the regenerative systems of the body to heal/regenerate instead of fight off invaders. • It is not thought of that way but it really is a primary component of the immune system. People often die in hospitals of the combination or pneumonia and immune system weakness. Oxygen levels and the immune system are completely interdependent. THE RESPIRATORY SYSTEM • Dramatically aids in relief of many long term respiratory difficulties such as asthma, bronchitis, COPD • Reduces chest pains due to tight muscles thus the tension causing anxiety of "heart attack potential" is reduced • Opens up the chest to make breathing easier and fuller which facilitates strengthening of the life force, emotional stability and mental clarity to feel more energetic • Maintains blood acid alkaline balance which supports optimal cellular function elimination CIRCULATORY SYSTEM • Improves blood circulation and relieves congestion • Increases supply of oxygen and nutrients to cells throughout the body • Increases flow of oxygen to oxygen loving organs such as the brain and eyes © Michael Grant White 2002 All rights reserved 6 • Eases the strain on the heart by increasing oxygen to the heart THE NERVOUS SYSTEM • Calms a chronic "fright or flight" anxiety state by reversing the breathing patterns which began at the time of the original trauma • Healthfully stimulates the nervous system when fatigue is present • Helps reduce overeating response to stress • Depending on the technique used, healthy breathing can balance brain hemispheres THE DIGESTIVE SYSTEM • Proper diaphragmatic action acts as a pump to massage the internal organs, significantly aiding their function • Optimal breathing calms the emotions which in turn allow the digestive system to stay in a stronger expression of parasympathetic rest, digest and heal. URINARY SYSTEM • Excess water (in the form of vapor) is expelled • Reduces swelling of the body (edema) • Decreases stress on organs of elimination, thus helping the body to naturally cleanse and tonify THE LYMPHATIC SYSTEM • Increases depth and continuity of lymphatic fluid circulation which plays a crucial role in eliminating toxic wastes and strengthening the immune system • Helps speed recovery after major illnesses MUSCULAR/LIGAMENTS • Relaxes muscle spasm and relieves