That's Fit

By now, we should all be aware of the importance of breathing. After all, it's what keeps us alive, right? So why is it that when we work out our hardest, we sometimes forget to breathe? That's when our bodies need it the most--when we're pushing our limits and challenging ourselves to the max.

So how's your breathing during your workout? For me, it's the weights that make me forget my breath. I take a weight-lifting class a few times a week and funny though it sounds, I usually need to be reminded by the instructor to breathe--otherwise I'll hold my breath until I get a short break. No wonder I get dizzy sometimes!

Feeling a little sluggish these days? It could be due to a whole host of issues; from workplace stressors to a lack of sleep, feeling like you're carrying a 50-pound weight on your shoulders all day can really slow you down. To help pick you up a bit, try these five, easy ways to boost your energy.

1. Drink More Water. Dehydration is one of the most common energy zappers you can encounter. Start your day with a nice, tall glass of water and then sip regularly on a glass or bottle throughout the day.

2. Don't Overindulge. As you may or may not know, research shows that it takes somewhere around 20 minutes for your stomach to send the "I'm full!!" signal to your brain. Consequently, we oftentimes keep eating well past the point where we should have cut ourselves off. Limiting your portion sizes will help prevent this mind/stomach disconnect to affect your diet.

3. Breathe Deeply. When you wake up in the morning, take even a few seconds to inhale and exhale several deep, oxygen-rich breaths. If possible, take a few minutes and perform structured breathing techniques at various times of the day.

4. Stress Less. Step back and make a brutally honest assessment of your life and try to identify some stressors that you can afford to let go. Eliminate all expendable items, deadlines, and projects that are causing you undue grief or tension.

5. Adjust Your Diet. Energy-robbing simple sugars are most commonly the culprit in the American diet. Excessive amounts of bad fats are also to blame. Processed foods are typically higher in simple sugars and bad sources of fat, as well as harmful preservatives. Do your best to nosh on foods containing low-GI carbs and good sources of fat, as well as an ample supply of protein.

For some additional tips on how to boost your energy, click here to read an article on About.com

We have become a nation of screen watchers. Television screens, movie screens, computer screens, and even cell phone and iPod display screens. Hell, even when we go to concerts, we usually pay less attention to the actual performers on the stage and focus our intentions instead on their image on the jumbo screens. While much, if not almost all, of this serves a purpose, eye doctors suggest that all this 'screen time' is doing a number on our eyes.

Dr. Jeffrey Anshel, founder of Corporate Vision Consulting, suggests performing what he calls the 3B approach to keeping your eyes from aging prematurely: Blink, Breathe, and Break.

Blink more often. Our blink rate goes down from about 12-15 times per minute to about times as few when we stare at a screen.

Breathe. When faced with stress, we tend to hold our breath. This tension affects our eyes over time.

Break. Take about 10 seconds every 10 minutes to take a break. Ideally, you should try to get up and move around. But, if this isn't an option, at least spend that time staring off to something in the distance and keep your eyes moving.

Hot flashes. Probably the most famous of all the menopause symptoms. But what if you could do away with them just by breathing a certain way? No pills, no hormones, just breathing.

It's called paced respiration, and the women who practice it can usually cut their number of hot flashes in half. Nobody really knows how or why this breathing technique works, but it does.

FitSpirit explores the mind-body connection and the intangible benefits we gain from our efforts to stay physically fit.

I once sat in a job interview just after college and listened to two young employees talk about their boss. She has great balance, they said about the woman I might work for. A great supervisor, a super mom, a valued member of her profession, this woman had it all together. What I heard was compelling. It made me want the same. Now, 13 years later, I still want the same thing. Sometimes, I think I have it. Sometimes, the balls I'm juggling seem to be tumbling down around me.

Perhaps it's not so much about balancing everything all at once. Maybe it's more about working on one item at time. Building a solid foundation is necessary for any structure that follows to have stability, right? First things first. Take the human body. If we wish to have successful jobs, happy families, and rewarding lives, our immune systems must be in good working order. So before you try to keep your balls in the air, consider laying your own solid foundation. Here's how:

• Breathe. Learn to breathe properly for a healthy immune system.
• Eat. But only small, frequent meals.
• Sleep. Studies show women who sleep only six hours or less per night are 20 percent more likely to suffer heart problems.
• Dance. Rhythmic exercise is more beneficial to the immune system than other kinds of exercise.
• Love. It's the antidote for negative emotions. Find ways to cultivate love in your life.
• Relax. A calm environment is soothing for your immune system. Listening to music can modulate immune system response.
• Enhance.Take vitamins and supplements appropriate for you. Vitamin D is a good one -- it promotes immune-system health.

I never did get that job. But I got something from the interview that's kept me thinking for a long time now. For that, I am grateful.

Some people experience it more than others, but I think most of us have gone through it at some point in our lives: that frustrating inability to get a deep breath when you're really nervous or anxious about something. This article I came across was published awhile ago, but it's got a great set of tips (complete with stick man illustrations!) on how to "reboot" your lungs and get over that annoying shallow breathing pattern we sometimes get stuck in.

If nervous breathing happens to you often how do you deal with it?

Ready for a challenge? I've got one for you. Don't worry, you won't be alone as you conquer the feat I'm about to assign. I'll do it with you, and so will other readers -- won't you, readers?

You've got the whole day to complete your task. Get up early and get it over with, tackle it at lunch, make it an evening appointment. All that matters is that you do it. You'll feel better after you do. I promise.

And your homework is: Walk. Today, I want you to take a brisk, feel-it-in-your-butt, pump-those-arms power walk. Since I don't know your fitness level, I can't tell you how much to accomplish as you work that body. But I will say this: Push yourself. Sweat. Breathe heavily. Struggle a little.

FitSpirit explores the mind-body connection and the intangible benefits we gain from our efforts to stay physically fit.

On June 21, hundreds of people celebrated the start of summer on the longest day of the year by commencing yoga class in a city marked by madness. Smack dab in New York City's Times Square, on the island at the intersection of Broadway and 7th Avenue between 43rd and 44th Streets, yoga enthusiasts rolled out their mats and set up shop for the annual Mind Over Madness Yoga event. This year's extravaganza was the largest ever.

The purpose of this yoga fest? To face the challenge of finding tranquility and transcendence in the midst of the world's most commercial and frenetic place.

If ever we all have something in common, it must be the desire to find calm in the midst of chaos. Who doesn't want to breathe easy, rid themselves of anxiety, and tackle life with a peaceful energy? It's human nature to seek serenity.

While summer is behind us and the madness of this official event is long over, it's not to late to pull out your own yoga mat. Take it to the center of your own town if this strikes your fancy. Or simply find a quiet place and strengthen your mind, body, and spirit with the 3,000-year-old practice that is good for every bit and piece of your soul.

I was in a minor car accident when I was younger, and because I'd hit my head the paramedics insisted on taking me to the hospital to get checked out. It was the only time I've ever been in an ambulance, and one of the things that stands out in my memory is the EMT putting the oxygen on my face and apparently trying to lighten the mood by smiling and saying "breathing this pure oxygen is totally going to give you a natural high."

Well it didn't give me a natural high, and according to this new research it may have actually done some damage instead. Testing shows that inhaling pure oxygen has exactly the opposite effect than intended: it triggers the release of hormones and chemicals that can potentially hurt the brain and heart, and that interfere with normal blood flow and oxygenation of vital organs. It seems a mix of carbon dioxide and oxygen proves to be much better, or even just plain old room air -- which they already use for patients in Europe. Who knew?

In just a few days more people will be starting new fitness plans than at any other time of year. Some will be seasoned athletes simply renewing their focus, and many will people starting up for the first time in a long time. For everybody, but for those newbies particularly, making sure you breathe correctly when working out will make a big difference in how healthy and effective your New Year's workout plan will be.

Start out by relaxing and taking a few deep breaths. Cough if you need to clear your throat, and breathe slowly. A good rule of thumb is to count while you breathe -- breathe in for two seconds and breathe out for four seconds. And if you feel out of breath at any point, slow down the pace to a comfortable level.

Whether you're newly diagnosed, or have had asthma for years, it's important to make the most out of the short time you have with your doctor during an appointment. He or she will ask you a lot of questions, but here are at least 3 questions you should make a point to ask them:

Can you help me identify my asthma triggers? Asthma triggers can be any number of things, and it's important to determine what yours are -- so you can avoid them if possible, or at the very least be prepared.

Am I taking my meds correctly? This may sound like a silly question, especially if you've been dealing with asthma for a long time. But many people may not be getting the most effective relief from their rescue inhalers, and it's recommended that you ask your doctor to demonstrate the correct way to use one -- regardless of how experienced you think you are.

Is there a way to improve my treatment? You should talk with your doctor about fine-tuning your treatment at every visit, because even though your current regimen might be working it's possible it could be even better.

And who doesn't want to breathe better?