Breathe

You probably don’t notice or think about your breathing unless you’re running to catch your dog or trying to mimic Michael Phelps by trying to swim half the length of the pool underwater. But paying attention to your breathing and doing some simple exercises to improve it, will have a great effect on your overall health – and it’s very easy.

Each time you are sitting in traffic, or reading a blog or watching TV, plan to practice this breathing technique. Imagine that as you breathe in, you are trying to inhale all the way to your heels. Yes, your heels. By focusing on your heels, you ensure that you fully expand your lungs, diaphragm and as a result “squeeze” all the vital organs in your body which will help improve the lymph and blood circulation through them.

My teacher explained this breathing technique in terms of a karate student trying to break a block of wood with a swift chop. Those who focus on the block itself would fall short and end up with a broken hand. But if instead they focused their attention on the floor below, the wood block simply became something on the way to their final goal and was much easier to break.

With a little practice you can put something as simple as breathing to use and really improve your overall health.