VO2
MAX is the measurement of heart and lung performance. It registers
the body’s maximum capability of sending oxygen from the lungs to
the muscles for energy production. It involves the heart’s ability
to pump oxygen-rich blood to the muscles; and the efficiency of the
muscles to uptake the oxygen, which can be utilised during exercise.
VO2 is usually experienced in the ability to continuously walk, run
and swim etc., for more than 15 minutes.
After the age of 30 there is a decline in function at the rate of 1% per year. This equates to a slow-down in cardiovascular and lung fitness, and the development of the loss of muscle and bone tissue, as well as joint stiffness. Now add to the top of the list the smoking factor and the respiratory problems caused by damaged lung cells - smokers often have 10 -15% less oxygen in their bloodstream than non-smokers. This is because when you smoke you inhale carbon monoxide molecules which bond to the blood cells. The impact of this reduces the blood cells’ ability to carry oxygen.
The body then reacts by producing more blood cells which thickens the blood, slows the circulation; and forces the heart to strain and work harder to receive the oxygen it needs to keep the muscles vital and the organs running. Now connect to that all the other deficiencies and harm to the body caused by cigarettes, and we find a very unhealthy state of affairs. If you suffer from obesity, and have excess fat layers around the chest wall and abdomen, you will have a restricted lung volume, which naturally affects breathing. And the longer you have been a smoker, the more pressure your heart is under to work harder, and the more congestion you have in your lungs.
"There
are typically many mutations in a single cancer. But there are a
limited number of ways that the body can produce energy and support
rapid growth. Cancer cells rely on these fuels in a way that healthy
cells don’t. The hope of scientists at the forefront of the Warburg
revival is that they will be able to slow — or even stop — tumors
by disrupting one or more of the many chemical reactions a cell uses
to proliferate, and, in the process, starve cancer cells of the
nutrients they desperately need to grow" [1]
Poisonous
fine crystal powder known as uric acid can be found in
oxygen-deficient blood. And substantial research has found that a
shortage of oxygen in the blood could well be the starting point of a
breakdown in the immune system, and possibly the single greatest
cause of all disease. Physiological and environmental factors such as
air and water pollution, smoking, alcohol, medication, processed
foods, lack of exercise, anxiety, stress, and physical trauma can all
steal vital oxygen from the body. All body cells need adequate oxygen
to function effectively. The brain requires oxygen to process
information, and the cells need to metabolize food in the correct way
in order to gain vital nutrients and eliminate toxins and waste
through oxidation.
"The reciprocal regulation of cancer cell's metabolic alterations and the microenvironment, involving extensive host immune cells and microbiota, have come into view as critical mechanisms to regulate cancer progression" [2].
Double Noble Peace Prize winner Dr. Warburg, discovered that when cells lack the right amount of oxygen the glucose in them begins to ferment, creating susceptibility to yeast imbalances, parasites, bacteria, and microbes. He has proved that cancer is a disease created by suffocation of the cells. It is very important to understand that cancer cells prefer an environment with decreased oxygen.
The human body is not designed for the low level oxygen intake that many people are now subject to. Improving the situation - which is what cessation is all about, can increase energy, help the heart rate, aid cholesterol levels, galvanize cell metabolism, boost cell turnover, help with blood lipids, joint flexibility, high blood pressure, loss of bone minerals, improved muscle mass, and even fat loss. It can assist our immune system by deactivating viruses, bacteria, and other damaging toxins; and it can set us on the road to improved vitality, clarity of thought, better skin, great looks, and a positive mental frame of mind. Air is our life force and breathing is a two-way street of taking in life-giving oxygen (fuel) and expelling carbon dioxide (waste).
Breathing supplies our cells with oxygen and removes carbon dioxide and wastes. (Carbon dioxide is a product of cell oxidation). Oxygen is extracted from the air in the lungs and passed into the blood through the walls of the lungs’ minute air sacs (the alveoli). Tiny capillaries and blood vessels take away the waste products in the blood back to our heart and lungs where the air and wastes are exhaled and exchanged for fresh oxygen as we draw in the next breath.
BREATHING
POWER
Most
people do not use breathing power to their full capacity, and
smokers’ breathing power is usually already diminished and only
gets poorer as the years go on. There are many smokers who suffer
from breathlessness. Physical activities are often demanding when
smokers experience shortness of breath and even chest ache. Smoking
adversely influences oxygen uptake which distresses every system in
the body. In addition to keeping us alive, breathing helps lift blood
from the lower body towards the heart, massages the liver and
stomach, aids the process of digestion, and ventilates the tissues.
Oxygen
is the most vital element in the human body. Around 90% of our energy
and all bodily actions are regulated by it, so when it gets run down,
our bodies react and begin to deteriorate. And it is not only what we
do directly that affects our intake – outdoor air quality is
rapidly declining. Sadly, it is not what it was in previous
generations. To begin with, the percentage of oxygen in the air has
severely declined – car and lorry exhaust fumes, plane emissions,
factory pollution, chemical plants, agricultural pesticides,
fertilizers and deforestation are all on the increase, with many
countries not signing up for, or interested in lowering output. In
some regions where the atmospheric pollution is high, the oxygen
carrying blood capacity of a healthy individual is degraded to that
of a pack a day smoker. So, if you are living in a busy urban area,
or near any factories, airports, or chemical plants and are a heavy
smoker, you can see the equation.
One
of the categories that pollution most harshly affects is smokers.
While the majority of us are powerless to change the air which
surrounds us, we can be affirmative, and do our utmost to improve our
body’s ability to utilize whatever fresh air is available. Indoor
pollution is probably something which most of us would not have
considered. Dust, bacteria, viruses, mold spores, pollen, dust mites
and cigarette smoke can actually make our internal environment more
polluted than outside! Daily indoor living, sleeping and resting
should always be in a well ventilated environment with a good supply
of fresh oxygen, so be sure to open the windows regularly, and try to
keep one open in the rooms you are spending time in. We need negative
ions (negative charges made by oxygen molecules) to benefit us and
lead us to optimum levels of health and fitness.
A
home air purifier with a Hepa air filter is a must. You may be able
to buy one with a built-in ioniser. Units do not have to be expensive
– you could just have a small one, the size of a small fan heater.
Filters have to be changed every few months, and you will get quite a
shock to see how black they can be! Making a change to better quality
air can start to show benefits even after a week. Indoor oxygen
levels can also be helped by Mother Nature and the plant kingdom can
be called upon to act as an air filtration system to help zap up the
toxins and stale air inside your home, and replace them with pure
oxygen and healthy humidity. Plants which are suitable are: aloe vera, English ivy, bamboo palm and Chinese evergreens, so try to put
one in each room.
Exercise
increases our oxygen intake so we must have a daily routine
encompassing some form, even if it is just a regular walk. Instead of
driving, try walking to the shops, or the local school, or the
library - there are numerous ideas to establish a new commitment.
Look at the different exercise ideas listed in my book, "The
Winning Way to Quit Smoking" to give you food for thought. And
always aim to spend sometime in the sun, as it encourages oxygen
activity in the tissues.
THE
OXYGEN ADVANTAGE
Smokers
who are on the path to cutting down and quitting will find this part
of the protocol one of their greatest supports. When you have cut
down or achieved the status of “non-smoker”, your new respiratory
system usage will give you both mental and physical support and
strength. By managing your breathing pattern you can find a general
improvement in all body functions, and you can control the subtle
energies within the body to ultimately gain full command over the
mind. The mind benefits can be so strong that when you feel the pangs
of breaking your resolution, you really feel empowered, and will find
it easier to “Just Say No!"
Children
and babies breathe naturally using full abdominal breath. By the time
adulthood is reached however, most people have lost it. My theory is
that the build-up of all the stresses, strains, struggling,
disappointments and traumas in life create mental tension which
hinders breathing capability. Unless they are exponents of various
disciplines such as yoga, for example, most people only employ
shallow breathing which is done from the chest by lifting the
rib-cage upward and outward, only using the top part of their lungs
and never utilizing the abdomen. It is astonishing to know that many
people use only one-third to one-fifth of their potential lung
capacity. – So basically, they are only getting a fraction of the
benefits, as they are literally depriving themselves of vital oxygen
and prohibiting the elimination of harmful waste products. Most
smokers come into this category as the only time smokers take deep
breaths is when they are inhaling cigarettes.
INHALATION
AND EXHALATION
The
diaphragm is the main muscle of respiration, and by working in tandem
with the movement of the rib-cage, air is inhaled and exhaled. To
check the status of your current breathing capacity you can put your
hand on your abdomen. - Proper breathing is governed by contracting
the diaphragm (a sheet of muscle located under the lungs and
rib-cage) which flattens out to let in the maximum air. As it goes
down, the abdomen expands as you draw in fresh air through the nose
then through the trachea and bronchial tubes, into numerous small air
sacs inside the lungs. Trying to work on this part of the protocol
will seem difficult at first, but done gradually and over time, it is
possible. By learning to breathe evenly and deeply, and by practicing
regularly, your new system of relaxed breathing will eventually
become habitual.
BREATHING
IN THREE STAGES
This
excellent technique is known as “abdominal or diaphragmatic
breathing”. The foremost rule is to breathe through the nose with
the mouth closed. First inhale slowly through your nose, first
pushing your abdomen out, then pushing your rib-cage out, and then
finally feeling the air entering your upper chest. There is now a
return journey three part movement. As you exhale pull in your
diaphragm which allows the air to first leave your lower lung, then
the middle, and lastly the upper part.
Repeat
this three part movement once again. Firstly, as you inhale feel the
diaphragm moving downwards into the abdomen, filling the lowest part
of the lungs with air as the abdomen expands. Secondly, as you draw
air into the middle part of the lungs, feel the inter-costal muscles
expanding the rib-cage, and thirdly, as you draw air into the upper
part of the chest lift the collar bones and fill the top part of the
lungs with air. And then with just as much thought exhale from lower
lungs to middle lungs, to upper lungs.
There
is little thought given to exhalation, however it is extremely
significant. When we breathe out the diaphragm rises and with the
help of the inter-costal muscles the stale air and waste is forced
out of the lungs. When we do not exhale fully, we then go on to
inhale, leaving the stale air which is still in the lungs to be
sucked deeper into the sacs. The result is lower oxygen levels in the
alveoli, and therefore lower oxygen levels throughout the body.
PRACTICE
Remember
that you can practice your new way of breathing anywhere and any time
- whenever you have a spare minute to focus and get yourself started.
- You could be sitting at a desk at work, or on a bus or a train, or
in your sitting room at home. Keep in mind that it is not possible to
achieve if you are slumped over or tensed-up, so always be
self-aware.
BREATHING
TO DE-STRESS AND RELAX
Breathing
is linked to our emotions. The activation of “our stress response”
makes us breathe rapidly from the chest which is an action known as
hyperventilation. There are various techniques which use breathing as
a tool to control mind over matter. Whenever you feel stress or
tension creeping up, or if you are anxious from the strong urge you
feel to smoke, do as follows: First drop your shoulders, and allow
them to expand to the sides to broaden your back. Now close your eyes
and take 5 slow deep breaths counting 1234 as you breathe in and
counting 1234 as you breathe out. Imagine that you are drawing in
life-force and vitality from the air. - This could take the form of a
color, so envisage a rainbow and choose one color or the whole image.
Imagine that you are radiating this immense light all over your body,
from your very core outwards in all directions. On the first few out
breaths you could exhale whispering a quiet A-h-h-h! This will help
to relax your muscles around the neck throat and mouth.
Breathing
reflects your physical health and cigarette history – the number of
years you have been smoking, and the amount. Breathing can be shallow
or deep, slow or rapid and is a good indication of our physical and
mental condition. It can often reflect our intense thoughts,
distress, and current emotional disposition. When we are depressed we
may find ourselves sighing a great deal and talking as we breathe
out. When we are angry or nervous we take shallow breaths, and even
hold our breath, and when we are agitated we hyperventilate
(over-breathe), and take in too much carbon dioxide into the blood
which causes faintness, feelings of anguish, and other psychological
repercussions.
Oxygen
is a neurotransmitter (chemical messenger). Are you aware that when
your breathing is not at its optimum, the brain is the first organ to
suffer, and stress develops much faster? This is because it requires
large amounts of oxygen and glucose as well as a spectrum of
nutrients. Although the brain accounts for only 2% of our body
weight, it consumes around 20% of obtainable oxygen and glucose. Have
you noticed how when you are thinking intensely about something -
often a negative or worrying subject, your breathing becomes very
shallow - this is known as “coastal breathing” and is a natural
response to stress.
If you have been taught to monitor your breathing power, and upgrade to a higher capacity of inhalation and exhalation, you will often lose the negativity and stress that were surrounding your thoughts, and you will think in a more positive light. Relaxed breathing is rhythmical and slow, and feels totally natural. The long smooth inhalations calm us and relieve anxiety; they even help to ease minor physical aches and tensions. This is because a signal is sent to the brain that we are breathing harmoniously, and the brain in response sends signals to our physical body that we are relaxed, and should remain that way.
So
the benefits of proper breathing are clear – you will increase your
ability to deal with complex situations without feeling strained,
have better emotional restrain, improved physical and mental control
and co-ordination, greater concentration and positivity, a higher
level of energy, and better body function. These benefits will make
you far stronger against the battle of quitting, and in time, you
will find relaxed breathing will become the norm even at times of
stress. I believe that Princess Diana, who I was lucky enough to
meet, once said, "Breathing is a pleasure", so do not
continue to compromise the rewards by lighting up - quit for good!
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References
[1]. Apple, Sam (2016). "An Old Idea, Revived: Starve Cancer to Death." New York Times Magazine.
https://www.nytimes.com/2016/05/15/magazine/warburg-effect-an-old-idea-revived-starve-cancer-to-death.html
[2]. Researchgate (2018). "Metabolic reprogramming for cancer cells and their microenvironment: Beyond the Warburg Effect."
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/326036154_Metabolic_reprogramming_for_cancer_cells_and_their_microenvironment_Beyond_the_Warburg_Effect
