292 The Blue Dot Tour [3 Nov 2014]

My brother and I went to hear Dr. David Suzuki last month when he was in Saskatoon with his Blue Dot Tour. The tour is named for the appearance of planet Earth from space – a pale blue dot in the vast cosmos. Seeing the Earth from this perspective has made us realize that this planet is our only home and that all living things on it – people, animals and plants – are in a sense our family.

We live in one of the most beautiful countries on Earth with abundant fresh water, natural spaces and wildlife. But we are falling behind in protecting these resources, which make up a large part of our identity as Canadians. Much more than that, the environment is what sustains our very life – the air we breathe, water we drink and food we eat. To ensure a healthier and more secure future, we must balance environmental protection and economic development.

Suzuki claims that more than 20,000 Canadians die prematurely every year due to environmental pollution. More than 110 countries recognize their citizens’ right to live in a healthy environment, but not Canada. One of the goals of the Blue Dot Tour is to work towards including this right – to fresh air, clean water and healthy food – in the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

Some of my relatives have no respect for Suzuki and consider him a hypocrite because he travels by jet and owns a large home. But he is not opposed to resource development or wealth, just development at the expense of air, water, and soil quality. To me the hypocrites are the industry leaders who lobby for the right to pollute the air, water and food, but still expect to breathe clean air, drink pure water and eat wholesome food. If environmentalists shouldn’t drive a car, then owners of polluting industries shouldn’t eat, drink or breathe!

Visit bluedot.ca for more information on this tour and join the movement. I did and you can too.

P.S. I’m pleased that Ascenta Health, my distributer of NutraSea fish oil supplements, is a major sponsor of the Blue Dot Tour.

For more information on this or other natural health topics, stop in and talk to Stan; for medical advice consult your licensed health practitioner.

156 Diaphragmatic Breathing [12 March 2012]

We have two ways to breathe – with our neck and shoulders and with our diaphragm. With the first method we use our neck and shoulder muscles to raise our ribcage allowing the lungs to expand and air to flow in; with the second we contract the diaphragm – an up-domed flat muscle across the bottom of the ribcage – allowing the lungs to expand downwards. When under stress or exertion we use both to maximize oxygen intake.

Diaphragm breathing has several advantages: it is very energy efficient and uses more of your lung capacity; it helps blood and lymph circulation; and it is relaxing. Neck and shoulder breathing can become a habit with some undesirable consequences: neck and shoulder muscles become tight causing pain and headaches; the head is pulled forward leading to jaw tension and TMJ problems; and tension on the neck vertebrae can cause nerve compression with symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome.

How do you breathe? Chances are you unconsciously breathe with the neck and shoulders. To find out, lie on the floor and place one hand on your chest, the other on your belly. If your chest hand moves you are breathing with your neck and shoulders. Practice breathing so your belly hand moves out with your in-breath and in with the out-breath. If you tire quickly, you need to strengthen your diaphragm.

To strengthen your diaphragm, lie on the floor and place a sandbag or other soft weight on your belly between your belly button and lower ribs. A one pound bag of rice works well. Practice breathing to lift the bag softly and slowly with the in-breath. Keep your other hand on the chest and stop the breath when it starts to move. As you exhale let the bag assist you as it sinks in towards your spine. Take 10 bag-assisted breaths, then remove the bag and follow with 10 relaxed normal breaths. Start slowly and increase the repetitions as your diaphragm strength improves until you can comfortably repeat 3 cycles each morning and bedtime.

By re-learning to breathe with your diaphragm you will give your neck, shoulder and jaw muscles a much needed rest. You may be surprised at what symptoms disappear and how much better you feel.

I learned this breathing technique at a recent massage therapy course by Doug Alexander who taught the treatment of jaw pain and TMJ dysfunction with massage.