Breathing and detox month to cleanse yourself and get ready for the year!

After much (non-guilt) indulging during the holidays, let’s begin by cleansing and detoxing.

There’re four reasons why you want breathing as part of this month.

1. To start the year right.

Breathing is the best tool to eliminate tension when returning to work and a routine. Start by taking three deep breaths and focus on a calm place or feeling where you are relaxed and happy. 

2. To keep your lungs strong.

Flu is inevitable in the winter. While we may not have control over whether we catch the flu, we can always prepare by strengthening our lungs. Like any other muscle improving in strength when we exercise, the diaphragm also becomes more efficient with each contraction when we breathe and intentionally expand our lungs.

For further reading check this link.

1. https://www.healthline.com/health/ways-to-cleanse-your-lungs

 3. Detox 

Blood is the carrier of oxygen. When we breathe and simultaneously stretch, twist, and bend, we encourage oxygenated blood to travel from the lungs to the heart and every single nook and cranny in the body – organs, muscles, and joints to eliminate all the toxins from the body. Thus, breathing with movement is the perfect combination for a cleanse or detox program. 

4. Eliminate lower back pain. 

In Classical Pilates, the effortless breathing method strengthens the lungs and the four layers of the abdominal muscles which support the lower back.

Open your ribcage on the side as you take air in and up your nose and contract your abdominal muscles to help the lungs to push the air out. It’s as simple as that, but deep inside, it makes all the difference.

Simple example 100’s – breathe and pump your arms. 

• Expand your ribcage in all directions.
• Softly push the air out of your lungs using your abdominal muscles. 

The 100 exercise is just one example; all the exercises in the Pilates practice can have a whole other meaning when you apply this simple but profound technique.

Have a great year,

Jeanique