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By Root 616 0

One such way is through the relaxation of excessive tension in our postures, movements, and actions. Tension, which involves muscular contraction, produces both lactic acid and carbon dioxide. By reducing chronic tension, we reduce the quantity of these waste products, as well as the work that the body needs to do to counteract them. The relaxation of chronic tension also makes possible the more efficient coordination of the various mechanisms involved in breathing. It is through the harmonious coordination of these mechanisms that we can take in oxygen and expel carbon dioxide with the least possible expenditure of the body’s resources.

THE RESPIRATORY MUSCLES

Healthy breathing involves the harmonious interplay not just of the rib muscles, abdominal muscles, and diaphragm, but also of various other muscles throughout the body. These include the extensor muscles of the back, which keep us vertical in relation to gravity, and the psoas muscles, which connect the vertebrae in the lower thoracic and lumbar areas to the pelvis and thigh bones, and are involved in both hip and spinal flexion (Figure 6). Unnecessary tension in the muscles of our shoulders, chest, belly, back, or pelvis—whether it is caused by negative emotions, physical or psychological stress, trauma, injury, or faulty posture—increases the level of carbon dioxide in our blood and interferes with respiratory coordination. It also overstimulates our sensory nerves, which, as we will see later, has an unhealthy influence on our overall functioning.

Figure 6

The Diaphragm—the “Spiritual Muscle”

Of all the respiratory muscles, the most important from the standpoint of our overall health is the diaphragm. Though few of us make efficient use of this muscle, it nevertheless lies at the foundation of healthy breathing. Shaped like a large dome, the diaphragm functions as both the floor of the chest cavity and the ceiling of the abdominal cavity (Figure 7). It is penetrated by—and can affect—several important structures, including the esophagus, which carries food to the stomach; the aorta, which carries blood from the heart to the arteries of all the limbs and organs except the lungs; the vena cava, the central vein that carries venous blood from the various parts of the body back to the heart; and various nerves including the vagus nerve, which descends from the medulla oblongata and branches to the various internal organs.

Although breathing can continue even if the diaphragm stops functioning, it is the rhythmical contraction and relaxation of the diaphragm that animates our breath and plays an important role in promoting physical and psychological health. When we inhale, the diaphragm normally contracts. This pulls the top of its dome downward toward the abdominal organs, while the various chest muscles expand the rib cage slightly outward and upward. This pumplike motion creates a partial vacuum, which, as we know, draws air into the lungs. When we inhale fully, the diaphragm can double or even triple its range of movement and actually massage—directly in some cases, indirectly in others—the stomach, liver, pancreas, intestines, and kidneys, promoting intestinal movement, blood and lymph flow, and the absorption of nutrients.

Even a slight increase in the diaphragm’s movement downward not only has a beneficial impact on our internal organs, but also brings about a large increase in the air volume of the lungs. For every additional millimeter the diaphragm expands, the volume of air in our lungs increases by some 250 to 300 milliliters. Research done in mainland China demonstrates that novices working with deep breathing can learn to increase the downward movement of their diaphragms by an average of four millimeters in six to 12 months. They are thus able to increase the volume of air in their lungs by more than 1,000 milliliters—in a year or less.9

At maximum inhalation, the muscles of the abdomen naturally contract to counterbalance the movement of the diaphragm downward and help limit the further expansion of the lungs. As exhalation begins,