DIAPHRAGM

Let's learn something from babies.  They are just little people, you know.

The diaphragm is a muscle that runs along the bottom of our rib cage.  It separates the important upper organs in the chest (heart and lungs) from the other major organs which are situated in the abdomen.  The diaphragm's main function is as a breathing aid.

When the doctor tells you to take a deep breath, you contract your diaphragm upward to expand the chest and intake air.  We allow other small muscles to do most of the work in breathing all the other time.  If you are working hard, like running, your diaphragm takes up more of the work.

The diaphragm also does some work with digestion and bodily excretions.  Major arteries, nerve sheaths and the esophagus pass through the diaphragm in what are called hiatus.  You may have heard of a hiatal hernia - throw your shoulders back and sit up straight..

If you are sitting while you are reading this, imagine how the organs of the abdomen are cramped; squished one against another.  Now, take a real deep breath.  You straightened up, didn't you.  It would be so much better if you sat up straight all the time.

Back to babies.  If you watch a baby asleep in it's crib, you will notice that it's abdomen (stomach, belly) moves in and out.  The baby is using it's diaphragm to push downward to create more space behind the rib cage to intake air.  I think this must be the optimum way to breathe.  Try it.

The problem is:  in our culture, no one wants to have their belly protrude outward.  Its not pretty, I'll give you that (at my age, my belly sticks out all the time).  So do it when you are alone or in bed at night.  At least once each day.  It is a very healthy way to breathe.  You will use parts of your lungs which you may not have used for years.  Take deep, slow breaths into your belly area as well as your rib cage.  It may even put you to sleep.
O.O