THE WHAT:
The quip "shut your mouth & save your life" is essentially the practice of a more general perspective: minimal breathing. Or, more accurately, the management & reduction of habitual OVERbreathing. Overbreathing is symptomatic of modern cultures affected deeply by environmental, cultural, & social stressors which can affect negative biochemical & physiological "adaptation". It simply refers to the habit of breathing a greater volume of air than what the body requires. Breathing too much for a short period of time does not pose significant problems if it is short-lived and non-habitual, but when is does become repeated over an extended period adverse biomechanical (and ultimately physiological) changes do take place, principally increased sensitivity/lower tolerance to levels of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the body, and hyper-tonic breathing organs/muscles.

The easy fact to remember is that haemoglobin disassociates from oxygen (O2) when in the presence of carbon dioxide. Overbreathing, then, "washes" CO2 from the lungs, blood, tissues and cells, causing haemoglobin to maintain its bond with O2 and reducing its delivery to bodily tissues and organs. This condition is called 'hypocapnia', which, as well as affecting O2 delivery, leads to a narrowing of the airways and 'vasoconstriction', reduced blood-flow to the heart and other organs and muscles ultimately limiting your body's ability to oxygenate. Increased arterial CO2, on the other hand, has been described as a 'potent vasodilator' which facilitates the movement of blood to bodily tissues.

Overbreathing, like any autonomic/habitual act, is something you won't be aware of unless you bring awareness to it. This applies strongly to the signs & symptoms of overbreathing - you may not (as I was not) be aware of how they negatively affect you in your daily life and physical performance.

To learn more, the 'Breathing & Diaphragm' Elements programs are supported by extensive resources in the form of written .pdf's, videos, and programming. Find them in the 'Elements' store: http://movemoremp.com/elements

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