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BREATHING |
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INTRODUCTIONInternal respiration occurs inside every living cell. It consists of a series of chemical reactions in which the energy in food molecules is released a step at a time. During this process, the food molecules are combined with oxygen and carbon dioxide is given off as a waste product: C6 H12 O6 +6O2 = 6CO2+ 6H2O + 2830 kJ. This translates as Glucose + Oxygen with aid of enzymes gives carbon dioxide + water+ energy. External respiration consists of all the activities involved in supplying each cell with oxygen and getting rid of the waste carbon dioxide. These internal actions of the transfer of gases within the body respiration; but the mechanical action that triggers this respiration is generally called breathing. Breathing is not a conscious function; you pull air into your lungs and then push it back out. We expand the chest cavity, creating a suction and pull air through the upper airways and into the lungs. At rest, the chest cavity can be expanded in several ways. The rib cage can be pulled outward (thoracic breathing). The muscular floor of the chest cavity can be pulled downwards (diaphragmatic breathing). |
CONTENTS |
| Diaphragmatic breathing is the most efficient because of
gravity; the distribution of the blood within the lungs favors the lower
area. With diaphragmatic breathing, more air is drawn into these areas,
thus efficiently mixing blood with oxygen. Diaphragmatic breathing is also the easiest and requires the least energy. In thoracic breathing, the air is drawn to the upper area of the lungs, while much of the blood remains in the lower portions and is not mixed with air as well as it is in diaphragmatic breathing. Breathers who are primarily thoracic take more frequent breaths than diaphragmatic breathers. Despite the fact that diaphragmatic breathing is obviously the most efficient method, most people fail to use it. When running and you get really tired, you breath using the thoracic breathing. This actually makes you take longer to catch your breath. NEVER breath using you mouth. |
A little extra knowledge: When we were babies, the umbilical cord provided us with nutrients and breath. Then, we breathed for ourselves using the diaphragmatic breathing when we were kids, drawing much energy to the central part of the body where the tan tien is. As we get older, our breathing is faster as we breathe higher into thoracic breathing (expanding our lungs). When people are in hospital from a severe accident, notice how they gasp for air and very rapid breathing is involved, as each breath is no longer enough to sustain the oxygen-starved body. Notice how we start from breathing from our center of the body to just the lungs as we grow older to breathes drawn only as far as the throat and not even entering the lungs (using the lungs to create vacuum only to draw in air). Therefore, always practice breathing using diaphragmatic breathing. |
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