Proper breathing clears away stress and tension, quiets the mind, increases internal energy and vitality, boosts metabolism and unifies mind, spirit and body.

We usually breathe without any thought, mostly taking this life-sustaining process for granted. This is because no one teaches us about breathing as we grow up. This also is why most of us breathe incorrectly.
The good news is all that is needed to correct an incorrect breathing pattern is to take the time to focus on your breathing. As a result, you might be able to change your energy, emotions and life.
We breathe anywhere between 17,000 to 30,000 times a day and take in, on average, about 4,500 gallons of air—25 times that amount during exercise. Now can you see the importance of the breath?
No wonder our breathing profoundly influences our mind, body and overall health.
What Kind of Breather Are You?When looking at your breathing patterns, try to notice how much of the diaphragm you use and how much oxygen you take in. Are you allowing your diaphragm to expand fully in order to bring in enough oxygen to feed your body?
There are three types of breathers—nasal, chest and belly.
Nasal breathers are breathing only in their nasal cavity, not using the diaphragm to breathe, but instead leaving this organ to sit stagnant. The result is a lack of oxygen flow throughout the body.
Chest breathers are breathing only into their chest, using a slight portion of the diaphragm to breathe. This type of breathing brings in some oxygen, but still not enough.
Belly breathers are breathing into their bellies and using the full diaphragm to breathe as nature intended. They bring in enough oxygen to feed the body, mind and spirit.
You can be one of these types of breathers—or a combination of all three—at times; however, to gain the most life-force energy, it is best to be a belly breather all the time.
Belly breathing allows you to develop a balanced breathing rhythm at a slow, smooth pace. It keeps you present and helps you feel calm and peaceful.
Determine Your Breathing TypeTo determine what type of breather you are, lie supine and put your hands on your belly, then take a few normal breaths.
If your belly rises (expands or becomes full) as you inhale and falls as you exhale, you are a belly breather.
If your chest rises and falls, you are breathing into your chest and need to work on bringing each breath down to the bottom of the belly and diaphragm.
If neither the belly nor the chest rise and fall, you are breathing from your nasal cavity and really need to start working on bringing the breath down through the diaphragm.


The Massage-Breath ConnectionBreathing can also help in the healing process of the body. Getting a massage and working with a massage therapist who uses breathwork can help you learn how to breathe into your tension spots to release old emotions, stress and discomfort.
“If I am working a specific trigger point and I have the client breathe into the area as I am setting my intention along with her breath and intention, sometimes this will assist the muscles in the letting-go process,” says massage therapist Lori Yee. Clients also can find it easier to tolerate deeper work if they breathe into it as the therapist slowly works on the tension spot.
Therapists who use breathwork not only help in healing from the outside-in, but also can take the therapy to a higher level—that which comes from inside-out.
Using the breath also helps if a client is having a hard time relaxing. Maybe it’s her first time getting a massage, or she has a lot of tension in her body. Having the client take in slow, deep breaths from the belly will bring her to a deeper place of relaxation.
This empowers the client with a tool—focused breath—to help her connect back to the wisdom of her body.
The breath can be a powerful tool to encourage the client’s own inner experience and bring him back to sensing what is going on in his own body. The breath is a way back to checking in with what is going on inside us.
Follow the BodyMassage therapist Jeffery Compton likes to invite his clients to reconnect with their own experience by asking them to “breathe gently and deeply, not to force but to follow the body.”
He explains the breath cycle is a representation of the life cycle, in that each inhale and exhale is an inspiration and expiration. Each inhale is a new beginning, with a space present before we exhale as the natural ending of the cycle.
With a full exhale, we can find the stillness, the letting go and the ridding of waste products. Compton explains in this society we are focused mostly on the inhale and not on the stillness of the exhale, of the letting go. Instead, we try to hold on tightly to life, to control it, which in some cases will bring on anxiety.
Trusting in the wisdom of the body and letting go of the control of the breath can be part of the experience when receiving massage.
Other helpful ways to get some breathwork practice are with such exercises as yoga, Pilates and Qigong, which actively utilize the breath.
By using physical movement along with the breath, we gain both internal and external benefits. We maximize the effect of each movement of the spinal column, the tissues and organs of the body.
Beyond the BodyBreathing is not just a physical process; it is also closely connected to the functioning of the mind and emotions. Notice when you get upset, agitated, depressed—or when you get overly excited or happy—how your breathing patterns change.
When breathing rhythms change, your state of mind and emotions are affected. If you regulate your breathing patterns, your thoughts and emotions will become stabilized as well, allowing a more relaxed and at-ease body and mind. The breath is what will bring you back into balance.
Whether you practice breathing while receiving—or giving—bodywork, while moving and exercising, or while sitting still, improving your knowledge of breathing is the most powerful tool you have.
Start to practice belly breathing in everything you do, and see how your life starts to flow with your breath.
About the Author
Melissa A. Stone, C.M.T., is a fitness professional, owner of Balance Studio Spa in Felton, California, and author of The Key To Life is … Balance.

By insidesources on June 29, 2017 10:12 pm in Science
ShareTweetPostFlipPeople with anxiety and depression are disproportionately prescribed painkillers. That’s what new research from the Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center suggests, adding a complex layer to the opioid epidemic ravaging the United States and encouraging calls from New Hampshire’s congressional delegation to not move forward with the repeal of the Affordable Care Act.
The findings, which appear in the July issue of the Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine, show that nearly 19 percent of the 38.6 million American adults with mental health disorders use prescription opioids compared to only 5 percent of those without a disorder. Adults with depression and anxiety receive 51 percent of the 115 million opioid prescriptions distributed each year in the U.S., the study found.

​“Because of the vulnerable nature of patients with mental illness, such as their susceptibility for opioid dependency and abuse, this finding warrants urgent attention to determine if the risks associated with such prescribing are balanced with therapeutic benefits,” said Brian Sites, an anesthesiologist at Dartmouth-Hitchcock and one of the co-authors of the study.


Opioid prescribing in the U.S. quadrupled between 1999 and 2015, and during that time more than 183,000 people died from overdoses related to prescription opioids, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Sites also notes that because pain is subjective, “the presence of mental illness may influence the complex dynamic between patient, provider, and health system that results in the decision to write an opioid prescription.”
The study does not give a specific reason why people with mental disorders are more frequently prescribed opiates. The study encourages more research on this population to understand opiate addiction.
Those patients may have some form of physical pain, but their mental condition may cause them to feel that pain more acutely or be less able to cope with it, leading to increased requests for something to dull the pain. As a result, doctors trying to be empathetic to their patients’ complaints may tend to overprescribe opioid painkillers, Stiles said.
Research also shows that patients are more likely to take opioids when there aren’t specialists nearby. A study published earlier this year found that the number of seniors in rural America who take at least three prescribed psychotropic drugs ? including opioids and antidepressants ? tripled over a nine-year period. The study found that many of these prescriptions were given without a proper diagnosis.
Being able to identify a subset of the population that could be more likely to use opioids could help providers and policymakers address opioid use. It “suggests that there may be additional patient- and provider-related factors specific to those with mental illness that increase the likelihood of receiving prescription opioids,” the authors wrote.
U.S. Rep. Annie Kuster, D-N.H., was present for a press conference about the study on Monday. She said repealing Obamacare could be disastrous for New Hampshire’s opioid epidemic.
“This is critically important in New Hampshire, as we have gone from second in the nation in deaths from the opioid crisis and heroin to first for fentanyl,” she said. “That’s not what we want to be known as first in the nation for.”
The U.S. Congress is currently in a heated healthcare battle. The Senate is working on legislation to repeal the healthcare law, but a vote on the bill has been delayed due to opposition from Republicans. New Hampshire Democratic Sens. Jeanne Shaheen and Maggie Hassan have both stated their opposition to the healthcare overhaul and have sent many press releases condemning “Trumpcare.”
“This new study is yet another reminder that, to combat the devastating opioid crisis, we must make mental health treatment affordable and accessible,” Shaheen said in a statement.
Hassan said she opposes proposed cuts to Medicaid that would affect coverage of mental health and substance abuse services.
“As we work to combat the horrific substance misuse crisis that is devastating our communities and taking a major toll on our economy in New Hampshire, this study highlights how dangerous Trumpcare, which includes massive cuts to Medicaid, would be for our state,” Hassan said in a statement. “We need a comprehensive, holistic approach to combating this epidemic that addresses the underlying causes of addiction, including mental health issues.”
To address the overprescription problem within the mental health community, Sites has suggested physicians need more access to alternative medicine besides opioids, including acupuncture, massage therapy, physical therapy, and non-opioid pharmaceuticals.
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HYATTSVILLE, MD--(Marketwired - June 27, 2017) - MedStar Health Research Institute and MedStar Washington Hospital Center, in partnership with Healwell, are the recipients of a Palmer Foundation grant to study and compare effective dosages of massage therapy on pain and distress relief for hospitalized palliative care patients.
The primary investigator of the grant is Hunter Groninger, MD, FACP, FAAHPM. Dr. Groninger serves as MedStar Washington Hospital Center's director of Palliative Care, where he conducts patient care, teaches, and participates in research activities. The interdisciplinary Palliative Care team takes a holistic approach to care that emphasizes the physical, emotional, social and spiritual needs of patients at any stage of serious illness, and provide services simultaneously with life-prolonging treatments.
The research funded will investigate massage therapy as a cost-effective alternative or supplement to pharmacologic therapy for palliative care patients. Over one year of data collection, the study will seek to measure three strategies of massage therapy for patients. Its aim is to establish metrics for therapeutic massage dosing to reduce palliative care pain and distress, which are also cost-effective. Outcomes will be measured through a comparison of baseline surveys, interventions, and post-intervention surveys, with additional data being collected through a Patient Satisfaction Survey.
"This study builds on existing palliative care research addressing nonpharmacologic supportive care for the seriously ill," said Dr. Groninger. "As a result of increasing patient and regulatory demand for integrative nonpharmacologic therapies, healthcare systems are being compelled to investigate optimal dosing of nonpharmacologic symptom-directed interventions, such as massage therapy that provide clinicians viable cost-effective options for pain/symptom distress management."
Healwell is an Arlington, Va.-based non-profit agency whose mission is to improve the quality of life for people affected by acute, chronic, and terminal illness through integrative hands-on therapies, education, and research.
Over the past 25 years, The Palmer Foundation has awarded hundreds of domestic grants to 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations, primarily in Midwestern and Mid-Atlantic states, as well as international grants to worthwhile organizations working in countries where family members have lived. The Foundation currently focuses its grantmaking in the areas of youth empowerment, the environment, and public health.
About MedStar Health Research Institute
The MedStar Health Research Institute is the research arm of MedStar Health, the largest healthcare provider in Maryland and the Washington, D.C., region. MHRI provides scientific, administrative and regulatory support for research programs throughout the MedStar Health system. MHRI's expertise includes translational research into disease prevention, diagnosis and treatment. These programs complement the key clinical services and teaching programs in the 10 MedStar hospitals and other MedStar entities. For more information, visit www.MedStarResearch.org.
About MedStar Health
MedStar Health is a not-for-profit health system dedicated to caring for people in Maryland and the Washington, D.C. region, while advancing the practice of medicine through education, innovation and research. MedStar's 30,000 associates, 6,000 affiliated physicians, 10 hospitals, ambulatory care and urgent care centers, and the MedStar Health Research Institute are recognized regionally and nationally for excellence in medical care. As the medical education and clinical partner of Georgetown University, MedStar trains more than 1,100 medical residents annually. MedStar Health's patient-first philosophy combines care, compassion and clinical excellence with an emphasis on customer service. For more information, visit MedStarHealth.org.

GO

Wall to wall carpets are an easy way to ‘anchor’ décor

FEW things are more welcoming and relaxing than the plush softness of a clean wall-to-wall carpet under your feet. In addition, carpets are an easy way to “anchor” the décor of your home.

Décor specialists agree that you’re investing in your home and lifestyle by choosing the most suitable wall-to-wall carpets for every room.
Your choice of colour and texture will influence the feel and style of your space. Natural colours will match any and every shade.
Light-coloured carpets will make a room feel bigger and brighter while darker carpets create a cosier, more intimate appearance. But light-coloured carpets are not a wise choice for rooms with heavy, grubby foot traffic – thicker, patterned and shaded carpets work best for these areas.
Why fitted carpets?
Cost carpeting is one of the most affordable floor coverings on the market.
The huge variety of colours, textures and materials available allows homeowners to choose anything, from pure wool – which is not only luxurious and durable but also stain-resistant – to more affordable options.
Dust levels are far lower in carpeted homes because carpet fibres trap dust particles until you vacuum them.
Many allergies are caused by dust but carpets trap these particles. Regular vacuuming will reduce the incidence of dust mites.
The non-slip surface of carpets makes them safer for children and the elderly, who might not be perfectly steady on their feet.
Carpets also reduce injuries if falls do take place.
Research has proven that the texture of a wall-to-wall carpet acts as massage therapy for bare feet. Soft, plush carpets also soften the impact on muscles and joints.
Wall-to-wall carpets feel warmer in winter and cooler in the summer months.
Carpeting not only absorbs sound, doing your neighbours a favour in the process, but also enhances the quality of sound from your TV or sound system.
With proper care, your carpets will provide you with years of service.
Regular vacuuming and steam-cleaning will significantly extend the lifespan of a carpet.
- Homemag.co.za

Olayinka 
If your neck’s all knotted up, it’s no surprise that a massage can make you feel a whole lot better.
But the benefits of a good rubdown may run a little deeper than you may think. Here, 8 surprising ways getting a massage is doing your body good.
MASSAGE BENEFIT: POOP EASIERAll backed up in the bathroom? Massage might help people who suffer from constipation, according to research published in the International Journal of Nursing Studies.
Researchers broke up 60 people with constipation into two groups—one received laxatives along with abdominal massage, while the others were given only laxatives. After eight weeks, the people in the massage group reported less severe gastrointestinal symptoms and less abdominal pain that the laxative-only group. They also pooped more frequently, too.
MASSAGE BENEFIT: FIGHT OFF SICKNESSThe feel-good effects of a massage may extend deep into your body. People who received Swedish massage showed changes in their immune system responses after the sessions, according to a study out of Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. In particular, they experienced a boost in the number of circulating lymphocytes, white blood cells that help fight infection.
MASSAGE BENEFIT: EASE BACK PAINChronic low back pain is notoriously hard to treat—and according to new guidelines, you shouldn’t reach for the pills for relief, either.
But massage may be a drug-free way to feel better fast. About 50 percent people with chronic low back pain who were given 10 sessions of massage therapy experienced clinically significant improvements in their pain, a study in Pain Medicine found. And the effects were sustained—75 percent who experienced improvements after 12 weeks still showed the benefits at the 24-week mark.
MASSAGE BENEFIT: SLEEP SOUNDLYPeople who suffer from back pain tend to have problems sleeping. But massage therapy might help fix that, too.
In University of Miami School of Medicine study of 30 adults with chronic low back pain, those who started 30-minute long massage sessions twice a week for five weeks noted a significant reduction in sleep disturbances, meaning less awakening during the night or trouble falling asleep. Since the massage also reduced the pain, it’s possible that less aches means higher-quality shuteye, the researchers believe.
MASSAGE BENEFIT: END EXERCISE SORENESSIf a tough workout has you limping, the answer might be on the massage table: People with trap soreness after a hard workout experienced a reduction in soreness intensity after a 10-minute massage of the affected muscle, according to a study in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research.
Can’t fit in the masseuse after your gym session? Another solution may be just to keep moving: Those who performed “active rest”—in this case, 10 minutes of shoulder shrugs—experienced a similar reduction in soreness.
MASSAGE BENEFIT: BOOST YOUR MOODIt’s not just your imagination—you really do feel better after a massage. And those benefits might extend to people who suffer from depression, too.
After analyzing 17 studies, researchers from Taiwan concluded that massage therapy sessions significantly reduce their depressive symptoms. Still, more controlled studies are needed to nail down which massage therapy protocols are most effective, the researchers say.
MASSAGE BENEFIT: EASE ANXIETYPeople with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) may benefit from a massage, too, a new study from Emory University discovered.
After six weeks of Swedish massage therapy, patients with GAD experienced a significant reductions in scores on the Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale, which measures feelings of worries, tension, fears, insomnia, dry mouth, and restlessness.
MASSAGE BENEFIT: LOWER YOUR BLOOD PRESSUREYou don’t just feel chilled out after a massage--your blood pressure might take a dip, too, according to a study from Iran.
Women with prehypertension who received Swedish massage for 10 to 15 minutes three times a week saw a 12 mm Hg drop in their systolic blood pressure after their sessions. And the BP-lowering effect remained for 72 hours after the massage.