“In all serious disease states we find a concomitant low oxygen state…. Low oxygen in the body tissues is a sure indicator for disease…. Hypoxia, or lack of oxygen in the tissues, is the fundamental cause for all degenerative disease. Oxygen is the source of life to all cells.” ~ Stephen Levine
By Brigitte Mouchet
Life on earth as we know it could not exist without oxygen. Oxygen has not always been abundant in our atmosphere, however. It actually started to build up when cyanobacteria, also known as blue-green algae, appeared and started to convert sunlight into energy (photosynthesis), releasing oxygen as a by-product. Although oxygen accounts for almost 20.95% of our atmosphere, this percentage has been steadily declining over the last 800,000 years. The exact reason for this decline is unclear and is the subject of much debate.
Our body needs oxygen to function properly. We need oxygen to burn the fuel that we take in through the food we eat. When we breathe in, we also transport oxygen to our lungs, where our red blood cells then carry it to the rest of the body.
Breathing is so essential to life that it is worth taking a closer look at what it does for our health and well-being beyond the delivery of oxygen. This week’s Solari Wellness Series will include two interviews, first with Skye Birdsall (a yoga teacher and nutrition coach) and then with Dr. Robert Rowen, an integrative physician known for his pioneering work with oxidation therapy.
Skye Birdsall and I will discuss how breathwork can support our health—whether dealing with physical, mental, or emotional issues—not only by increasing oxygen intake but also through other positive effects on the body. We will also touch on the impact of the breath on the energy field—or biofield—as well as on consciousness. Dr. Rowen and I will talk about solutions that can help us optimize our oxygen utilization.
Join me for these inspiring interviews and check out our video of the week, where Skye Birdsall guides us through the five breathing techniques discussed in the interview to achieve the following results:
- Rest and digest
- Release CO2, toxins, and stuck emotions
- Release stress and relax
- Stimulate your energy
Photosynthesis and respiration: Need a refresher on your biology class? In this short video, Paul Andersen explains the processes of photosynthesis and respiration used by plants and humans to capture and store free energy.
Geological history of oxygen: How our earth evolved from having practically no oxygen in its atmosphere to where we are today (Wikipedia)
Ice cores reveal a slow decline in atmospheric oxygen over the last 800,000 years: Researchers at Princeton University analyzed ice cores collected in Greenland and Antarctica to determine levels of atmospheric oxygen over the last 800,000 years
Gary Kraftsow: Kraftsow, a leading expert in Yoga Therapy, has been a pioneer for over 40 years in the transmission of yoga for health, healing, and personal transformation. His website, Yoga International, provides a wealth of information for those who would like to explore the healing effects of yoga and breathwork.
Hero of the week:
Gregg Semenza is one of the recipients of the 2019 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for his work on how cells sense and adapt to oxygen availability. This work helps us understand the role of decreased oxygen levels in blood disorders, blinding eye diseases, cancer, diabetes, coronary artery disease, and other conditions.
Let’s Go to the Movies:
In this video, yoga teacher and nutrition coach Skye Birdsall takes us through five breathing techniques and their benefits: rest and digest; center; release CO2, toxins, and stuck emotions; release stress and relax; and stimulate your energy.
Please e-mail your questions for Ask Catherine or post them at the Money & Markets commentary here.
Talk to you Thursday!