Better breath, better health: 3 techniques you'll want to try!

The average adult breathes 12 to 20 times a minute at rest, which means you breathe a minimum of 17,280 times each day!¹ Breathing is vital for you to stay alive and healthy, which means lung health is essential. But how does this relate to the gut?

Your gut and lungs are connected via the gut-lung axis, a bidirectional communication pathway. Gut bacteria and metabolites communicate by educating immune cells that travel to the lungs and circulating cytokines that tune lung defences. Higher levels of metabolites such as SCFAs or postbiotics have been associated with better lung function.²³ Improving lung health can help gut health and vice versa!

Beyond the gut-lung axis, breathing exercises can affect the autonomic nervous system and are a useful tool to bring the body back to the parasympathetic state of rest and digest.⁴ By activating the parasympathetic nervous system, you can directly improve digestion and gut health.

Let’s take a look at three simple breathing practices to improve your health –

1. Box breathing

The box breathing technique is an even-count exercise. Start by getting into a comfortable upright position in a quiet place.⁵

Breathe in slowly through your nose for four counts.
Hold your breath for four counts, try to avoid inhaling or exhaling.
Exhale through your mouth for four counts.
Hold your breath for four counts before inhaling again.

Many people find it helpful to imagine a box or square with four equal sides as they complete each stage.

2. Diaphragmatic breathing

Diaphragmatic breathing stimulates the vagus nerve and sends signals to the brain to activate your parasympathetic nervous system.⁶⁷

To start, lie on your back with one hand on your chest and one hand on your abdomen below your ribcage.
Breathe in slowly through the nose, the hand on your abdomen should rise while the hand on your chest stays still.
Then breathe out slowly through pursed lips; your abdomen should lower as you exhale.

You can practice this for 10 minutes, twice a day.

3. 4-7-8 breathing

4-7-8 breathing is based on the yogic practice of pranayama; this technique also helps downregulate the nervous system.⁸

Begin by placing your tongue on the roof of the mouth, with the tip just behind your top front teeth and exhale through the mouth with a whoosh sound, emptying the lungs.
Inhale through the nose for four counts.
Hold your breath for seven counts.
Exhale through the mouth for eight counts, making a woosh sound again. Keep the tongue to the roof of your mouth through each part.
Repeat by inhaling for four counts, starting the cycle again.

When you first start practising breathing techniques, they may leave you slightly lightheaded, so take care of your surroundings and stand slowly if needed.

For more information on wellness practices, take a look at this article – Yoga and gut health: how this traditional practice can support your gut

Any questions? Contact one of our Nutritional Therapists via live chat, weekdays 8am to 8pm.

Better breath, better health: 3 techniques you’ll want to try!

1. Box breathing

2. Diaphragmatic breathing

3. 4-7-8 breathing

References

Questions? Talk to a Nutritional Therapist on live chat!

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