The Magic of Your Sighs: De-Stress with a Quick Breath Trick
Control what you can control, and breathe easy about the rest.
STATIN ISLAND
Facts: as we age, our original factory hardware is not as reliable as it once was. Try as we may to check all the right boxes– a balanced diet, an active lifestyle, a present mindset, and relationships with boundaries- our health can sometimes clap back and say “this one's out of your hands.” Such is the case with cholesterol. As we have already learned, just as healthy-presenting people can have hidden visceral fat or low bone density, so too can the fittest and leanest still have high cholesterol. And when arterial plaque is hereditary, no diet or exercise will do the work that statin drugs can do. However, a stigma around taking statins persists, based on fears of developing muscle weakness, pain, or even dementia, despite a lack of evidence establishing this link. In reality, statins are more about reducing the risk of disease rather than just lowering cholesterol, which can benefit those like that lean machine with a family history of arterial plaque. Some doctors are even avidly pro-statin for their effective prevention of disease. And for my money I'd rather get on the bus with that guy than take the ferry.
STRONG ISLAND
So what have we learned, friends? That we can only control so much when it comes to our health. But luckily, you can control becoming stronger. Unlike “good ” vs “bad” cardio, and “good” vs “bad” protein, there is little debate that building strength is good for everyone, whether your goal is muscle tone, weight loss, or living healthier for longer. And this means EVERYONE-ladies, please get over the myth (that was likely started by a dude, let's face it) that lifting weights will make you “bulky." They help you get lean and build the all-important bone density that will help keep you upright into your Golden Girls Era. You already know I’m a fan of rucking to sneak in some extra strength training, but while you're still in the throes of your new year/new you gym routine, there are some truly simple ways to work weights into the rotation, for example, these 6 exercises performed even once a week. Now go crush it.
HERE’S A TIP, MAKE THE CHANGE
We can sneak in the healthy stuff but sometimes the unhealthy stuff sneaks in on us, and it sucks. One useful trick when a stressy situation or feelings of overwhelm take over: the physiological sigh. This is a neat little tool from the breathwork toolbox that we’ll continue to unpack in future issues. It’s very simple: take a deep inhale, and then at the very top of that inhale take another quick sip of breath, then release all the breath in an audible sigh. This 3-step breath can help expel extra carbon dioxide from the tiny sacs in your lungs and slow the heart rate to calm the nervous system. It looks like this. And here’s the science behind it. Give it a shot, and don’t be shy to get loud. I mean, look how not-stressed these guys look.
Be well, and also have fun,
xo
Erica
