Breath Slower and Live Longer

Breathing at a rate of 6 breaths a minute for just a few minutes a day is enough to your lower blood pressure. Several studies have shown that dedicating 15 minutes a day could lower your blood pressure by 12- 15 mmHg in 8 weeks. In this article, I’ll explain how. Later I give three easy ways to practice deep breathing that can actually extend your life span!

High blood pressure, over 140/90, puts you at increased risk of heart attacks, strokes, kidney damage, blindness and dementia, and it’s often called “the silent killer,” because you may not notice any symptoms until it’s done its damage. Overweight, inactivity, and heavy salt consumption increase your risk, while weight loss, exercise and sodium reduction (to less than 2,300 milligrams a day) are lifestyle changes that can reverse hypertension. Hypertension has been called “a disease of civilization and a sedentary lifestyle.”

Now we can add deep breathing to the list. Dr David Anderson, who heads research into behavior and hypertension at the NIH’s National Institute on Aging, notes that when people are under chronic stress, they tend to take shallow breaths and unconsciously hold them. This is known as “inhibitory breathing.”

Holding a breath diverts more blood to the brain to increase alertness (which is useful in responding to danger) but by changing blood gases, it changes the blood’s chemical balance to a more acidic one, which makes the kidneys less efficient at pumping out sodium. That reduces the kidney’s ability to regulate salt. Slow, rhythmic, and deep breathing, is also known as diaphragmatic breathing,

Slow breathing lowers blood pressure by another mechanism: Breathing at less than 6 breath a minute increases baroreflex sensitivity and reduces sympathetic activity.

Baroceptors are negative feedback pressure receptors in the blood vessel walls. Increased blood pressure stretches blood vessels which activates the pressure receptors or baroreceptors in the vessel walls. In response, the central nervous system reduces central sympathetic outflow. This reduces blood pressure both by decreasing peripheral vascular resistance and by lowering cardiac output. The modulation of BP changes by baroreflex activity controls vagal reflexes as well as sympathetic ones. Baroreflex sensitivity can be enhanced significantly by slow breathing at less than 10 breaths a minute.

In 2002, the Food and Drug Administration cleared the nonprescription RESPeRATE device as a means to lower blood pressure by pacing the rate of breathing. The device counts breaths by sensing chest or abdominal movement, and gradually slowing chimes signal when to inhale and exhale. Users follow the tone until their breathing slows from the usual 16 to 19 breaths a minute to 10 or fewer. Use of the RESPeRATE for 15 minutes a day for two months dropped blood pressure drop 10 to 15 points. The RESPeRATE unit costs from $200-300.

If you can’t afford that right now, there are other good ways of practicing slow, deep breathing, also known as diaphragmatic breathing, for fifteen minutes a day.

My first suggestion would be to get a good Chi Gong routine and practice it every day. One of my favorites is Shibashi Chi Gong,
which can be seen on YouTube. I like the Shibashi style because it’s simple and easy to remember. Chi Gong routines are physically relaxing and healing and all are performed in coordination with deep slow breathing.

Also good is Pranayama, or the practice of yogic breathing. Try
alternate nostril yoga breathing:

1. Close the right nostril with your right thumb. Inhale through the left nostril for 4 seconds.
2. Immediately close the left nostril with your right ring index and middle finger, and at the same time remove your thumb from the right nostril. Exhale through the right nostril for 8 seconds.

3. Inhale through the right nostril for 4 seconds. Close the right nostril with your right thumb and exhale through the left nostril to the count of eight seconds. Repeat seven times. Do not practice this technique if you have a cold or if your nasal passages are blocked.

Another, more modern technique is the Second Hand Technique. Use a clock with a second hand and the numerals 1 through 12 clearly visible on it, along with a silent electronic kitchen timer. Set the timer to 15 minutes.

Sitting comfortably in a quiet room, focus your attention on your breathing, watching the sweeping second hand of the clock. Each complete breath should last 10 seconds. Breath in for 4 seconds, hold a second, and out for 5 seconds. As the sweeping second hand passes each number you could silently repeat the following to yourself: In, 2, 3, 4, exhale, 7, 8, 9, 10.

If your mind drifts, bring it back to concentrating on the clock.. Your timer will keep you from having to worry about the time. Try measuring your pulse rate and blood pressure before, during, and immediately after your deep breathing sessions. You may notice a significant difference even in one session; however permanent healthy change will take several months of consistent practice.

How to Keep Your Mind From Aging

An age wave, or “silver tsunami” of baby boomers has turned anti-aging and longevity medicine and cosmetic surgery into a growth industry. By 2030, twenty percent of the population, or 71 million people, will be over the age of 65. Older adults often cling to a youthful identity—they write in letters to the editor that they are “70 years young”—even while laughingly referring to “senior moments”when they momentarily forget someone’s name. Their “over-the-hill” birthday card might have been received thirty years prior! Underneath the levity or denial , there is a horror of growing old.

One of the most frightening aspects of growing old is the prospect of becoming “senile”–losing one’s memory. When 1,155 people over 65 were asked what they were most worried about as they aged, more were worried about losing their memories than were worried about uncontrollable pain: 60% to 49%!

Expecting to become “senile” is an example of an internalized negative stereotype of aging, that, even though not fully conscious., can act as self-fulfilling prophecy. Jokes people commonly make about their senior moments”, may even be undermining their own memory at the time they make them. This can have a cumulative damaging effect on self-esteem over time.

Cognitive impairment is nowhere near as common as people think.

Power Hypnosis in the SF Bay Area

My website is dedicated to turning people on to the transformative power of hypnosis. On my website are many experiences people have had with hypnosis and hypnotherapy. Imagery that creates a sense of positive expectancy can actually extend your life. I’d be like to invite you to visit my website, hynospace.com

My office is located in the northeast SF bay area and I also offer customized hypnotherapy CDs. Please stop by.

and take a look.

Hypnotherapy

So many diseases are functional in nature and don’t become structural until they are well-progressed. Functional diseases (such as IBS) are beautifully responsive to hypnotherapy. And self-hypnosis is an easily learned form of meditation with a difference: it has a trajectory or direction! I teach self-hypnosis in an adult education setting as well as having a private practice in hypnosis. I find the first thing I must do in a session is help people locate what they want! They always know what they don’t want and they have plenty of insights, but insights are a dime-a-dozen. Insights never helped a person lose even one pound! In my class, we focus on helping people articulate their desired goals in a positive, personal, specific, and exciting way.

The Yellow Wonder: A Safer Alternative to NSAIDs

Chronic Inflammation and Aging
Chronic inflammation has been linked to allergies, arthritis, asthma, atheroschlerosis, coronary heart disease, diabetes, digestive disorders, hormonal imbalances,osteoporosis,psoriasis, stroke, and arthritis. It is thought now that inflammation plays central role in almost every degenerative process associated with aging, from inflamed gums that may provoke cardiovascular disease, to Alzheimer’s Disease. The inflammatory response is responsible for loss of bone mass and joint cartilage accompanying aging. The Need for a Safe Anti-inflammatory
Control of inflammation is a logical way of arresting the progression of the degenerative process of aging. NSAIDs (non-steroidal antiinflammatory agents) such as baby aspirin is taken daily as a preventative for atheroschlerosis. NSAIDs are widely used for chronic arthritis.
In mice bred to develop premature Alzheimer’s Disease NSAIDs have been shown by suppressing the development of amyloid plaques from inflammation to reduce their risk of developing Alzheimer’s by over 80%!

Unfortunately, there is a price to pay. NSAID’s users face an extremely high risk of stomach ulcers, gastrointestinal tract bleeding, thrombotic events, and even kidney and liver damage.

A safer alternative to NSAIDs
The active ingredient in turmeric, an ingredient in curry power, may provide a safer alternative to NSAIDs. Turmeric (curcuma longa), a member of the ginger family, contains curcumin, a potent natural anti-inflammatory agent. Studies have shown turmeric can benefit arthritis, skin disorders, , cancer, uveitis, skin problems, and Alzheimer’s Disease. Unlike NSAIDs which are damaging to the GI tract and cardiovascular system, curcumin may even be protective to both. Curcumin has been used safely for thousands of years as part of Indian traditional medicine. It is non-toxic and free of side-effects.

Actual Writings on Hospital Charts

1. She has no rigors or shaking chills, but her husband states she was very hot in bed last night.2. Patient has chest pain if she lies on her left side for over a year.

3. On the second day the knee was better, and on the third day it disappeared.

4. The patient is tearful and crying constantly. She also appears to be depressed.

5. The patient has been depressed since she began seeing me in 1993.

6. Discharge status: Alive but without my permission.

7. Healthy appearing decrepit 69-year-old male, mentally alert but forgetful.

8. The patient refused autopsy.

9. The patient has no previous history of suicides.

10. Patient has left white blood cells at another hospital.

11. Patient’s medical history has been remarkably insignificant with only a 40-pound weight gain in the past three days.

12. Patient had waffles for breakfast and anorexia for lunch.

13. She is numb from her toes down.

14. While in ER, she was examined, x-rated and sent home.

15. The skin was moist and dry.

16. Occasional constant infrequent headaches.

17. Patient was alert and unresponsive.

18. Rectal examination revealed a normal-size thyroid.

19. She stated that she had been constipated for most of her life, until she got a divorce.

20. I saw your patient today, who is still under our car for physical therapy.

21. Both breasts are equal and reactive to light and accommodation.

22. Examination of genitalia reveals that he is circus sized.

23. The lab test indicated abnormal lover function.

24. The patient was to have a bowel resection. However, he took a job as a stockbroker instead.

25. Skin: somewhat pale but present.

26. The pelvic exam will be done later on the floor.

27. Patient was seen in consultation by Dr. Blank, who felt we should sit on the abdomen, and I agree.

28. Large brown stool ambulating in the hall.

29. Patient has two teenage children but no other abnormalities.

Celery Can Lower Your Blood Pressure

Eating celery regularly can control high blood pressure without drugs according to China’s Hunan Hemotological Research Center.

Scientists at the National University of Singapore researched celery’s effect on systolic blood pressure, administering it to genetically hypertensive rats for thirteen days.  Low doses of 0.5 mg a day decreased systolic blood pressure  over the thirteen-day period.

Researchers at the University of Chicago who fed animals celery extracts equivalent of two stalks of celery a day were able to lower their blood pressure readings by 14 percent Systolic blood pressure readings went down an average of 15 points.

Celery contains a chemical called apigenin which dilates the blood vessels and very small amounts of 3-n-butylphtalide (3nb) which relaxes the smooth muscles lining the blood vessels. (3nb also lowers the level of stress hormones called catacholamines.)

Celery’s naturally high sodium content can satisfy the craving for salt on low-salt diets, but celery also contains high amounts of potassium. Celery contains 341 milligrams potassium and 125 milligrams sodium per 100 gram serving. Any food with a ratio of at least three parts potassium to one part sodium is good for hypertension.

A high-salt diet causes sodium to be retained in the cells with a large amount of water. An abundant amount of potassium is necessary to displace the accumulated sodium in the cells or else the body will retain water, elevating the blood pressure. Doctors prescribe diuretics or “water pills” in order to remove the water. These work by removing sodium from the body. But when sodium is removed, potassium is also removed. Celery contains a natural diuretic but the balance between sodium and potassium is not unbalanced as with synthetic diuretic drugs.

Eating celery may be enough to lower mild high blood pressure readings to normal levels. But even for those who have extremely high blood pressure, celery can improve the effectiveness of high blood pressure medication, so that less medication is needed to do the same job.

Magnesium

Magnesium (Mg) is a co-factor in several hundred enzymatic reactions in the human body, so a deficiency of magnesium can result in a wide variety of health problems. The symptoms of many chronic conditions are indentical to those of magnesium deficiency. Conditions such as mitral valve prolapse, migraines, attention deficit disorder, fibromyalgia, asthma and allergies have all been linked to a Mg deficiency. Interestingly, these conditions also tend to occur in clusters in the same person. A magnesium deficiency may be the root cause.

Allergic Reactions
Many people suffer from allergies and chemical sensitivities and take antihistamines to lower histamine levels. Rats with magnesium deficiencies have increased histamine levels. Mg is needed to reduce histamine levels. When lab rats are deprived of magnesium, they develop allergy-like symptoms. Many studies in humans have pointed to Mg deficiency as a factor in allergies and allergic skin reactions.

Asthma
Asthma is has been linked to Mg deficiencies. Asthma and allergies not only frequently occur together, but they frequently occur together along with GI problems in many chronic disorders. Gastrointestinal upset is often a sign of malabsorption which can be a cause of mg and other nutritional deficiencies.

Mg is known to be important for proper lung functioning. A study from Brown University showed “remarkable” improvement in children with asthma who were treated with intravenous magnesium. A study reported in the Lancet notes a direct correlation between dietary levels of Mg and asthmatic symptoms. People with diets higher in magnesium have fewer asthmatic symptoms.Mg prevents pre-asthmatic lung changes in animal studies. Magnesium sulfate is used as a treatment for asthma.

Anxiety
Magnesium deficiency causes increased levels of adrenaline and higher levels of anxiety. Magnesium deficient rats have an increased level of urinary catecholamine excretion a byproduct of increased adrenalin. Magnesium supplementation reduces the level of urinary catecholamine excretion, and reduces the anxiety symptoms. Panic disorders and seizures hare closely linked to Mg deficits. Even a mild deficiency causes sensitiveness to noise, nervousness, irritability, mental depression, confusion, twitching, trembling, apprehension, insomnia, muscle weakness and cramps in the toes, feet, legs, or fingers. In a study from England, more disturbed and excitable patients had abnormal (either high or low) magnesium levels and it was conjectured that the most disburbed patients had some abnormality of magnesium metabolism. A study in Bulgaria found magnesium abnormalities in patients with schizophrenia and depression.

Attention Deficit Disorder
A medication containing magnesium has been used successfully to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. In Poland, children with ADHD were been found to more deficient than controls in magnesium. Magnesium supplementation in these children decreased their hyperactivity. In Germany, boys with reactive behavior problems were successfully treated with a medication containing magnesium. In a study on guinea pigs, those that had Mg deficiencies induced showed changes in their brain waves.

Hearing Loss or Sensitivity
Mg supplementation has been found to prevent noise-induced hearing loss in humans. Guinea pigs fed magnesium-rich diets suffered less hearing loss than controls when exposed to loud noises. Rats fed Mg reduced diets suffered hearing losses, and these losses were corrected by adding magnesium back into the diet. Magnesium deficiency may also be a factor in tinnitus (ringing in the ears), a condition that often co-exists with noise sensitivity.

Migraine Headaches
Migraine headaches are another condition that has been linked to both magnesium deficiency and sensitive hearing. Mg therapy has been shown to be effective in treating migraines. Intravenous magnesium sulfate therapy has been shown to provide immediate relief from migraines headaches. Associations have been noted between anxiety disorders and migraines. Anxiety disorders also have a close link to magnesium deficiencies. A USDA Agricultural Research study reported that around half of all the people who suffer from migraine headaches have a low amount of ionized magnesium in their blood. Magnesium supplementation reduces both the duration and total number of migraines, including premenstrual migraine headaches. Women often experience menstrual migraines, migraine headaches that start before or during their periods. Perhaps not coincidentally, other studies have noted that right before menstruation is when magnesium levels in women tend to dip.

Menstrual Cramps
In a 1992 study, at the University of Parma, Italy, found Mg administration to be a reliable therapy of primary dysmenorrhea (menstrual cramps). In a 1990 study, researchers in Germany found that magnesium “had a therapeutic effect on both back pain and lower abdominal pain on the second and the third day of the cycle.” In another study from Germany, 50 women suffering from primary dysmenorrhea were treated with magnesium. After a six-month period, 21 out of 25 women showed a decline of symptoms.

Muscle Cramps
Tight, painful muscles are a primary factor in fibromyalgia. Magnesium is needed to release muscle contractions. Without Mg, tensed muscles stay in a contracted state. Mg supplementation is an established treatment for muscle cramps. Mg requirements rise during pregnancy. Many women experience pregnancy- induced leg cramps. These cramps have been shown to be alleviated by magnesium therapy.

Fibromyalgia
Patents with fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome are often found to be low in Mg. Supplementation with magnesium malate is a common treatment for fibromyalgia. Women with fibromyalgia have been found to have abnormal serum levels of hyaluronic acid. The authors of this study suggested serum hyaluronic levels may be used to diagnose fibromyalgia. Elevated serum hyaluronic acid levels may be yet another symptom of a Mg deficiency.

Osteoporosis and Osteopenia
Mg deficiency has been linked to osteoporosis. Mg deficiency induced in rats results in reduced bone growth, osteopenia (an underlying feature of rickets) and an increase in bone fragility. Mg supplementation has been shown to reduce bone turnover, a condition associated with osteoporosis. Women with osteoporosis have been found to be Mg deficient.

Seizures
Often, when researcher want to study epilepsy, they use Mg deficient rats as models. In Saudi Arabia, children with low serum Mg levels were found to have a high frequency of seizures. Researchers in Belgium note that magnesium depletion can cause a marked irritability of the nervous system, eventually resulting in epileptic seizures. Researchers in Australia observed that sheep fed low Mg diets developed epileptic convulsions.

Magnesium Deficiencies – the Rule, not the Exception
Most Americans’ diets are deficient in magnesium. Magnesium is a bulky mineral that makes a tablet very large, so manufacturers put very little in vitamin-mineral supplments. In addition, many forms of magnesium such as magnesium oxide are not well-absorbed. It’s not uncommon for me to look at an x-ray and see a tablet-shaped density in the area of the lower bowel….having passed through the GI system largely intact. Irritable bowel syndrome or chronic diarrhea can be responsible for poor magnesium absorption. Alcohol use is another possible cause of magnesium deficiency; in fact, some experts believe hangovers are actually acute, temporary episodes of mg deficiency. Diets high in salt can cause a loss of magnesium. In my next post, I’ll give tips on the best way to replete or replenish magnesium deficiencies–the best absorbed forms of magnesium.

Hypnosis Can Reverse Chronic Health Problems

Someone once said, “Hypnosis is not a panacea, but it is undoubtedly the single most powerful and underutilized resource in health care and personal development today.” Hypnotherapy can reverse long-standing chronic health problems.

So often when we have a problem with a body part or organ,

Bent Out Of Shape

A young mother came back today doing much better. Yesterday she had bad headaches, suboccipitally and swollen sinuses, tender scalp. When I palpated her, her back was tender and distorted. Last time she had been in was in October. I did auriculotherapy and adjusted her neck and back. I’m proud that my adjustments are swift and comfortable. She felt somewhat better when she left. An hour after the adjustment her headache was gone. It’s back today but has eased up considerably. I wish I knew the best way to convince her to come in more often. My fee is slightly higher than average. I know it’s hard to afford. But if she’d just make it in once a month, she wouldn’t have to suffer like that! We’d nip any problems in the bud.