Breath Summary

"Change your breathing, change your life." Breathing is not just survival – it is a gateway to better health, stronger bodies, and even superhuman abilities.

1. Nose Breathing is Essential for Wellness

Breathing through your mouth can harm your health in more ways than you realize. James Nestor’s experiment, where his nose was intentionally blocked for ten days, brought this truth to light. During the experiment, he experienced worse sleep, higher blood pressure, and even a bacterial infection. It reinforced just how vital nasal breathing is.

The nose filters, warms, and moistens air, preparing it for the lungs. Mouth breathing bypasses these processes, leading to negative effects on respiratory health. It also diminishes the release of nitric oxide, which helps regulate blood pressure and heart rate. Breathing properly through the nose not only enhances oxygen use but also improves overall physical and mental health.

Interestingly, a 20th-century experiment with rhesus monkeys revealed the transformative role of nasal breathing. Researchers found that when monkeys were forced to breathe solely through their mouths, their faces deformed and airways shrank. Once they resumed nasal breathing, their faces returned to normal – a testament to the adaptable power of the human body.

Examples

• Nestor’s experiment caused a rise in blood pressure, poor sleep, and a bacterial infection.
• The nose’s physiological functions help clean and condition air better than the mouth.
• Experiments with monkeys showed facial deformities could be reversed through nasal breathing.

2. Evolution Made Human Breathing Harder

The shape of the human head has changed over millennia, and not for the better when it comes to breathing. As our ancestors developed larger brains, smaller mouths, and lower larynxes for speech, our airways became more compressed. Though their evolutionary advancements allowed for complex language and thought, they also made us more susceptible to breathing issues.

Things took a further turn 300 years ago when diets drastically softened due to food processing. Chewing became less demanding, which shrank our jaws over generations. With smaller jaws came crooked teeth and narrower airways, leading to increased breathing problems like snoring, sleep apnea, and asthma.

Cultural habits play a role too. George Catlin’s 19th-century study of over 50 indigenous communities found that their traditional diets and strict practice of nose breathing resulted in fewer breathing issues and healthier physiques. These findings suggest that returning to certain ancestral habits could alleviate modern respiratory issues.

Examples

• Larger brains and lower larynxes evolved to enable speech but narrowed human airways.
• Softer diets from food processing reduced the size of human jaws, worsening breathing.
• Catlin observed perfect teeth and better respiratory health among indigenous groups who practiced nasal breathing.

3. Exhaling Completely is as Important as Inhaling

Breathing isn’t just about taking air in – it’s equally about letting it out. Many people, especially those with respiratory issues, fail to exhale fully, resulting in a buildup of stale air in their lungs. The renowned choir director Carl Stough worked with emphysema patients in the 1950s, teaching them to utilize their diaphragms to exhale properly, leading to remarkable health improvements.

The diaphragm, a dome-shaped muscle beneath the lungs, plays a key role. Many adults don’t use its full capacity, and this gets worse with age or illness. Stough’s technique involved physical guidance to help patients fully expel air. The results were significant: patients increased their lung capacity, regained mobility, and even re-entered the workforce.

Simply engaging the diaphragm through exercises, such as lying flat and focusing on slow, intentional exhalation, can dramatically improve breathing efficiency. Proper exhalation clears out stale air and helps the body access its remaining healthy lung tissue more effectively.

Examples

• Carl Stough’s patients improved their lung function by mastering complete exhalations.
• The diaphragm’s efficient movement ensures better air exchange during breathing.
• One emphysema patient recovered enough to work as a ship’s captain after applying Stough’s methods.

4. Slow Breathing Unlocks Calmness

Around the world, spiritual practices from chanting “Om” to rosary prayers follow a common breathing pattern: slow, controlled inhalation and exhalation lasting roughly 5.5 seconds each. This rhythm naturally calms the nervous system and boosts oxygen efficiency.

Slow breathing optimally balances oxygen and carbon dioxide levels. When done correctly, slower breathing helps dilate blood vessels, improves circulation, and prevents symptoms like headaches or fatigue often caused by rapid, shallow breathing. This approach is quick to learn yet profoundly transformative.

In modern studies, people who practiced slower breathing even for a few minutes a day reported lowered stress, clearer thinking, and improved focus. Unlike rapid breathing associated with panic or anxiety, this method regulates the body’s systems and enhances relaxation.

Examples

• Spiritual practices worldwide have utilized slow, rhythmic breathing for centuries.
• Breathing slowly keeps carbon dioxide levels balanced, ensuring better oxygen use.
• Brief daily sessions of slow breathing reduce stress and improve mental clarity.

5. Chewing and Jaw Exercises Reshape the Face

The evolution of food processing has lessened chewing demands, leading to narrower jaws and dental problems. But there’s hope: James Nestor describes how engaging the jaw with proper oral posture or tools like the Homeoblock can positively alter facial structure and improve breathing.

Keeping your lips closed, teeth slightly touching, and tongue on the roof of your mouth works wonders for airways. For even better results, orthodontic devices stimulate bone growth in the jaw. Nestor himself gained two cubic centimeters of bone after just a few weeks of using the Homeoblock.

Additional habits like chewing tougher foods or gum also promote jaw strength. Engaging back molars not only grows bone but also creates better airway alignment, making breathing easier and boosting self-confidence by sharpening facial appearance.

Examples

• Nestor rebuilt his jawbone and widened his airway by using the Homeoblock device.
• Proper oral posture dramatically improves breathing alongside visible facial changes.
• Chewing activates stem cells in the jaw, growing new bone and clearing airways.

6. Extreme Breathing Yields Superhuman Results

Tummo practitioners in Tibet and Dutch “Iceman” Wim Hof exhibit extraordinary physical control through aggressive breathing techniques. From resisting freezing environments to intentionally altering body temperature, this type of advanced breathing pushes human limits.

These methods involve rapid, heavy breaths followed by deliberate breath-holding, triggering the autonomic nervous system into heightened states and reinforcing the body’s stress responses. Through intense practice, individuals can regulate their immune systems – something unimaginably beneficial in combating infections or illnesses.

Wim Hof’s feats, including running shirtless in the Arctic and fighting off E. coli injections, showcase the untapped power hidden within seemingly basic respiratory exercises. However, they also highlight the need for controlled, supervised attempts to explore such techniques.

Examples

• Tibetan monks use Tummo breathing to maintain warmth in the freezing Himalayas.
• Wim Hof developed techniques allowing him to fight infections like E. coli naturally.
• Heavy breathing alters the body’s stress response, enhancing endurance.

7. Changing Carbon Dioxide Levels Alters Consciousness

Both low and high carbon dioxide levels can create profound mental effects. Heavy breathing, like in Holotropic Breathwork, depletes the brain’s carbon dioxide, reducing blood flow and causing vivid, dream-like hallucinations. This state mimics the effects of substances like LSD.

On the flip side, carbon dioxide therapy exposes people to higher levels of CO2, inducing stress followed by deep calm. Dr. Justin Feinstein’s experiments show how these sessions can jumpstart relaxation for people struggling with panic or anxiety.

These techniques demonstrate how varying CO2 levels influence the brain, reinforcing its connection to the body. Though powerful, they should be approached with caution, as dramatic carbon dioxide changes can provoke panic or discomfort.

Examples

• Holotropic Breathwork leads to hallucinations by lowering carbon dioxide in the brain.
• Carbon dioxide therapy induces calm in anxious individuals after initial panic subsides.
• Stimulation of the brain's chemoreceptors through CO2 changes alters awareness.

8. Ancient Cultures Embraced Breath as Life Force

Breathing has been revered by ancient traditions as a pathway to vitality. Yogis in India and practitioners of traditional Chinese medicine view breath as a conduit of prana or ch’i – an energetic life force that permeates everything.

These practices focus on managing breath to channel energy. Yoga, as described in early texts, is less about movement and more about mastering breath. Achieving health and longevity, they believed, begins with inhaling and exhaling with awareness.

While Western medicine is only beginning to explore the universe of breath, ancient teachings already point the way to better living through mindful breathing practices. Their enduring relevance confirms that the simplest habits can lead to the greatest impacts.

Examples

• Prana and ch’i represent the vital energy accessed through deliberate breathing.
• Yoga, traditionally, prioritizes stillness and controlled breath over physical activity.
• Systems like acupuncture maintain flow by regulating breath channels.

9. Modern Science is Just Catching Up

Despite groundbreaking discoveries by individuals like Carl Stough or John Mew, the science of breathing remains under-explored in the West. Researchers like Justin Feinstein are working to change this by uncovering links between carbon dioxide levels and mental health.

Ancient breathing practices, whether Tummo or yoga, have stood the test of time because of their scientifically verifiable benefits. Tools like nasal dilators or oral exercises only enhance these results, offering practical and modern applications to age-old wisdom.

The everyday act of breathing holds the power to impact not only physical health but also emotional balance, making it a vastly underestimated tool for wellness.

Examples

• Most Western doctors still overlook breathing's role in overall health.
• Feinstein uses carbon dioxide therapy to treat conditions like anxiety.
• Ancient practices like yoga scientifically promote mental and physical balance.

Takeaways

1. Commit to nasal breathing by consciously keeping your mouth closed, especially during sleep or exercise. It will improve your airways and overall energy levels.
2. Practice slow, steady breathing for 5.5 seconds in and out daily to reduce stress and balance your body.
3. Strengthen your jaw and stimulate bone growth by chewing tougher foods or using oral devices like the Homeoblock.