Ventilation

Open the windows or set heating and air conditioning units to bring in fresh air. Air out your house every day. Keep proper ventilation in mind wherever you are. Avoid car exhaust, tobacco smoke, and stuffy ill-ventilated rooms.

Deep Breathing

Take several deep breaths to clear your mind and increase your energy level:

1. Find the freshest air available. Go outdoors if possible.
2. Stand erect.
3. Draw as much air into your lungs as they will hold. Imagine it going right down into your belly. Feel your stomach expand.
4. Hold your breath for a few seconds.
5. Empty your lungs as completely as possible; use your stomach muscles to gently push out the last bit of air.
6. Repeat the process five or six times.
7. Take a fresh air break several times daily.

Most people use less than half of their lung capacity. They are not getting all the potential benefits from the air they breathe. Consciously use your stomach muscles to fill and empty your lungs several times a day, and deep breathing will soon become a habit.

Exercise

A good workout forces you to breathe deeply and speeds up the circulation of oxygen-rich blood throughout the body; this saturates each cell with oxygen.

Whenever possible, exercise outdoors and in the morning, when the air is cleanest.

Posture

The way we stand and sit affects the amount of air the lungs can hold. When we sit up straight and walk tall, we allow them to enlarge and work at full capacity. When we habitually stoop or slouch it is impossible to breathe deeply. Superficial breathing soon becomes a habit and the lungs lose their power to expand and receive a sufficient supply of oxygen.

Clothing

What we wear affects the amount of oxygen available for our use. Loose comfortable clothing allows the lungs freedom to inflate; tight, constrictive clothing around the abdomen tends to restrict breathing.

Plants

From the rainforest to the city park to the home, plants serve the very important function of recycling the atmosphere. They absorb carbon dioxide from the air and produce oxygen for us to breathe. Some provide the added advantage of removing toxic pollutant from the air.

A Rural Environment

Fresh air has a different chemical makeup from the indoor air most of us breathe; it is ionized or electrically charge, which is the primary reason for its multitude of health advantages. This air is produced in natural settings, around trees and moving water, in sunlight, and after thunderstorms.

Fresh country air soothes the nerves, stimulates the appetite, and induces sound, refreshing sleep.

Read about the next law of health, Sunlight