Take A Deep Breath And ...

Blow out really hard.

Have I written about this before?  I have asthma and some seasons are worse than others for me.  Fall is my worst season.  Never look forward to it because I know what's coming for me when the Fall rains and colder weather arrive.

One thing I have learned to do for my asthma has other benefits too.  It's called pursed-mouth breathing.  Can't hurt anyone, so I'm not dispensing medical advice here.  But if you want to, literally, get your second wind, you can give this a try - even if you don't have asthma.

Here's what you do.  Very simple.  Take a breath, as deep as you can, then blow it out hard through your lips that are shaped like you are going to whistle or blow a trumpet.  Blow until you can feel it in your diaphragm - all the way down to your belly button.  Do that once or twice and you'll get your second wind.  And, if you're an asthmatic, you'll just be breathing better.  Check this out for more specifics.

One day when I was sharing the track with a grade school group as they were running a mile, I noticed that several kids who were lagging behind the pack were wheezing.  Activity like running a mile when you're out of shape can cause wheezing.  That alone doesn't mean you have asthma, altho' by one count, about 75% of school age children in the St. Louis area  suffer from asthma.   I questioned the gym teacher and learned that she knew nothing about asthma.  So, I took a moment to show her the pursed-mouth breathing technique.  No idea if she followed though, but at least I put the notion out there.

At any rate, this is a technique you might try and benefit from.  If it works for you, let us know.  I think any way I can get a second wind when I'm working hard is a good thing!




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