Sometimes in life it is the things we take for granted and assume are basic that can turn out to hold surprising benefits when examined in a new light. That is what I experienced in reading the new book by James Nestor: Breath. It is one of those books that is such a wonder to find. Where you ask yourself – why didn’t I know this? A book that once again reminds how fantastic is the human body and how simple practices can make a big difference in the quality of our life.
Let me share just one way (of many) that this book has changed my breathing and my life for the better. I never thought about how important it was to breathe through my nose rather than my mouth. Honestly, I kind of assumed, since childhood, that the mouth is for eating, talking, and breathing and that the nose was for smelling and ahh… also for breathing. So when it came to breathing there were given two choices: the nose for small breaths and the mouth for the big ones. Breath reminds us, pointedly, that the truth of the matter is that the nose (and not the mouth) is designed for breathing. The nose warms, humidifies, and filters air and the mouth does not. In fact, there are big health issues associated with mouth breathing, and so many of us mindlessly and habitually do it. This one chapter has changed the way I breathe. I now focus on breathing through my nose – even while exercising. And it is really better! Simple and profound and worth the price of the book, for sure. And there is much, much, more to discover in Breath. Check out the author page and get a copy through our Amazon affiliate link. You will breathe and live easier and better.
by Will Frye
