Secrets to Better Breathing

Secrets to Better Breathing

Pumping oxygen to your screaming muscles seems automatic—go hard, suck wind, repeat. But done with care, breathing can help you perform better in almost any sport.

SWIMMING
PROBLEM : It’s hard to swim fast and straight.
BREATHING FIX : Breathe on both sides, says swim coach Kevin Koskella, of triswimcoach.com. And focus on turning your torso instead of your head, rolling your body until your mouth is above water. “Raising your head will slow you down and disrupt your stroke rhythm,” says Koskella.

RUNNING
PROBLEM : Your muscles tighten up on hills or when you’re pushing through the last mile.
BREATHING FIX : Try fully inhaling and exhaling through your nose, which will help facilitate breathing from the abdomen. This calms you down and relaxes your muscles, says Scott Jurek, a seven-time champion ultramarathoner.

CYCLING
PROBLEM : When you’re tucked in racing position, tight shoulders and neck make it hard to draw a deep breath.
BREATHING FIX : When seated, “keep your fingers loose on the handlebar, as if you were going to play the piano,” says Dirk Friel, a USA Cycling certified coach. Your muscles will loosen, your chest will open, and your heart rate will decrease.

BASKETBALL
PROBLEM : Your free throws are bricks.
BREATHING FIX : “Many players have this habit of holding their breath when they shoot, ” says Erik Spoelstra, a bench coach for the Miami Heat. “But the key to a good shooting stroke is to stay relaxed, and to do so, you should take a breath and let it out just before or during your shot".

Herbal Remedy for reducing Phlegm

Herbal Remedy for reducing Phlegm

Chamomile : An anti-inflammatory, appetite stimulant, digestive aid, diuretic, nerve tonic, and sleep aid. Helps colitis, headaches, fever, diverticulosis and pain. It is a traditional remedy for stress and anxiety, indigestion, and insomnia.

Caution: Should not be taken for a long period of time, as this may leadto ragweed allergy. Should not be taken by those allergic to ragweed.

Peppermint : Flower Tops Leaves - Enhances digestion by increasing stomach acidity. Slightly anesthetizes mucous membranes and the gastrointestinal tract. Useful for chills, colic, diarrhea, headaches, heart trouble, indigestion, nausea, and spasms.

Anise - Seeds - Aids digestion, clears mucus from air passages, combats infections and promotes milk production in nursing mothers. Good for indigestion and for respiratory infections such as sinusitis. Also helpful for menopausal symptoms.

Tea For Digestive Problems

1oz. chamomile
2/3 oz. peppermint
1 oz. caraway seeds
2/3 oz. angelica

Use 1 tsp of the mixture per cup of hot water. Steep the mixture 10 min. and strain. This tea soothes the gastrointestinal tract and stimulates digestive activity, making it useful for stomachaches or a too-full feeling.

Heartburn Tea
1 tablespoon Chamomile
1 table spoon Peppermint
2 pods Star Anise

Boil pods for 5 minutes and steep the chamomile and peppermint in the Anise tea.
Drink one cup every hour for two hours before bedtime.