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Nose Breathing – Why it Is Essential

Tiny hairs that remove the impurities from the air that we breathe. Often, the impurities are so small that they are microns or lesser in size.

When we breathe through our nose, the air that we breathe is mixed with an amazing gas that is found in our nasal sinuses, Nitric Oxide (NO). This gas is secreted into the nasal passages, and when the air that we breathe comes in contact with it, the resultant air that contains NO is useful for dilating our blood vessels and that results in the increase of carrying capacity of our blood vessels. The difference in mouth breathing and nasal breathing is that these capacities of nasal purification and humidification are absent when one breathes through the mouth. Once we start breathing through the mouth, the things like humidification and concentration of NO do not take place leading to significant health effects on our bodies.

When we are ill, we often breathe through the mouth. This increases the risk of infection further as the impurities in the air that we breathe are not blocked or weeded out by the nasal hairs or follicles. Hence, this becomes a loop where we breathe through our mouth because we are ill and we stay ill because we are breathing through our mouth. That’s why doctors try and provide us with medication that treats the nasal congestion first. It is often the case that decongestants are prescribed for clearing the nasal passages, so that we can start breathing through our nose again.

If you are suffering from sinusitis, the conditions described above may be familiar to you. Sinusitis results in the nasal packages getting blocked and this prevents the patients from breathing through the nose. It has been found by scientists in Sweden that humming might be an effective way to decongest your nasal passages when you have a sinus attack. Though this may seem frivolous, it can be tried by sinus patients as there are no side effects and if it helps the cause, it is much better. You can also take rhythmic chest breathing and other exercises that help you relieve the breathing issues that you may have and help you breathe through your mouth normally.

Source: http://www.healthguidance.org/authors/733/Jonathan-Pitts
Jonathan Pitts


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Various Back Massage Techniques

Back Massage is one of the best ways through which you can relive yourself from back pain. You can use various back massage techniques for benefits, such as relaxation, increased body awareness, better blood circulation and improved lymphatic drainage for release of toxins. Selecting a right back massage technique is important for receiving maximum benefits. Typically, during the back massage, a masseur uses massage oil to decrease friction created on the skin and to prevent the pulling of skin hair. The less the quantity of oil applied, the greater is the friction and deeper will be the pressure. Use light stroking movements throughout your massage to move from one area to another, to soothe an area of localized deep tissue or to make a transition to another stroke.

Step By Step Guide for Back Massage

Mentioned below are few steps, which detail a back massage technique for relieving one from back pain.

The person receiving the massage should lie down on his/her belly on a firm, comfortable surface, such as a floor mat or firm bed. Make sure that you the whole back of the massage receiver is comfortably within reach. Stand by the side of the person and place one hand on the lower back and teh other between the shoulder blades, over the heart.

Warm up the back by applying thumb pressure along both sides of the spine simultaneously: Start from the lower back and knead gently with your thumbs up to the neck area. This will also promote relaxation.

Use a smooth, delicate stroke, called "effleurage", to apply massage oil. In one long stroke, slide your palms down either side of the spine to the pelvis; scoop out around the hips and back up the sides to the shoulders. Maintain contact with the back. Move your hands over the back to start a new area. Continue up both sides of the neck to the base of the head.

Starting at the spine, slide your palms in opposite directions outward to the sides of the back, starting with the lower back area, and moving up to the shoulders.

Knead the fleshy muscular areas at the top of the shoulders, the mid-back area and the buttocks to loosen any tight muscles and fascia, which is a connective tissue.

Source: http://www.healthguidance.org/authors/350/Saurabh-Jain
Saurabh Jain


Saurabh Jain is the Executive Editor of http://www.pregnancy-period.com.