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I start every day with deep nasal breathing. So what? Many would say, who
cares?
First:
My blood vessels care. The minuscule amount of nitric oxide
present in my nasal passage breathed deeply into my lungs with 10 or so breaths
immediately lowers my blood pressure. It actually works to physiologically
dilate my blood vessels. Breathe in deeply from your nose till your stomach
expands. Exhale slowly over 4 to 7 seconds through your mouth. Repeat for 10
breaths often. If you breathe out through you nose, where do you think that
precious nitric oxide goes? It's not inside your lungs helping expand your blood
vessels. Note: Nitric Oxide is not Nitrous Oxide which makes you dreamy in the
dentist's chair.
Second:
Lowering blood pressure lowers stress. Lowering your stress
makes caregiving an easier task.
Third:
If you don't take care of yourself first, you are most likely dumping
some of your pent up stress on the loved one you are caregiving.
Sometimes, if you are stressed, that loved one becomes a burden. You forget just
how much you love them. You are burdened by their neediness. You miss out on a
wonderful joyful giving experience with your loved one.
Take care of yourself first!
Start with the simple things like breathing right and smelling the roses.
Forget about the roses if you are allergic. ;-)
I learned this blood pressure altering breathing technique from watching
Doctors Mehmet C.Oz, M.D. and Michael F. Roizen, M.D. when they appeared on the
Oprah Winfrey show. They wrote a great book called, "YOU The Owner's
Manual" A brilliantly simple book that talks to the common person about
their body. | 
