Open Thread Friday 4-10-2020

Compromised breathing is a major problem in modern society. Pollution, smoking, infectious disease and simply aging slowly erodes the effectiveness of our breathing capacity. Teaching breathing skills is not a common practice in the United States. Medical practitioners are doing a better job now than in the past. Competitive practices from alternative medical traditions have increased the use of breath techniques in allopathic medicine. The names of the exercises are different, but the tecniques are similar.

The examples in the following videos are really important to learn before you actually have need to use them to keep breathing. I have put together a selection with different teachers and body types hopefully one resonates with you - to your improved health.

Importance of breath techniques from a medical qigong perspective. (5:41 min)
[video:https://youtu.be/yAsBtoxX9aA]
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Belly breathing or diaphragmatic breathing to create a state of relaxation or simply relax the muscles in the upper torso and neck. (2:42 min)
[video:https://youtu.be/vMjTJf4-xz0?t=3]

Lotus breath or box breathing to reduce anxiety, calm an asthmatic episode or reduce panic breathing. Medical care is not always available and having lots of tools to try can sometimes prevent a bad situation from turning into a tragedy. (4:45 min)
[video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uLrGBprTBNA]

Pursed lip breathing to improve exhaling stale air from the lungs. Not being able to bring air into the lungs is very scary. Understanding what is happening and having a plan for a breathing episodes can reduce anxiety and the need for additional medications to treat anxiety related to breathing. (5:22 min)
[video:https://youtu.be/YWPtSzs6yUk?t=7]

Recap of the three different breathing techniques shown above. (6:48 min)
[video:https://youtu.be/2oXoiQfija4?t=81]

Preventing secondary lung infections might keep you or someone you care about off a ventilator. This video was created by a British physician who is treating coronavirus patients. (3:42 min)
[video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=58&v=HwLzAdriec0&feature=emb...

Unique presentation on the fundamentals of three yoga breathing techniques. Pretty upbeat. (12.11 min)
[video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_QTJOAI0UoU"]

Dr Campbell demonstrating how coronavirus is aerosoled and spread by breath. (first 4:12 min then reviews research articles)
[video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ycf6bAMKgjg]

________

Over the years I have seen very few people use their inhalers properly. There are many different inhalers and each requires a different technique. Look for a video of the specific brand you use use and review. Bad habits occur gradually, you should recheck your technique periodically. Ideally this would be happening during your medical visits. It does not happen for many patients, so please follow up on your own.

I have observed many individuals use an inhaler with this technique. It is NOT to be used in this manner for asthma or COPD. The medicine is not reaching the lungs. It is appropriate for an esophagus problem, but not breath problem.

Other common mistakes with inhalers.

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Lookout's picture

Sorry about the poor pun. Too many years in the 8th grade I guess.

Laughing ought to be good for your lungs.

Edit to add: OOPS didn't notice el's post of this from yesterday, but maybe some of you missed it too.

Here's a message from CA to the other states...
*A RECAP OF THE LAST THREE WEEKS*

AMERICA: Oh my god! Coronavirus! What should we do?

CALIFORNIA: Shut down your state.

AMERICA: Wait... what? Why?

CALIFORNIA: Because 40 million people live here and we did it early, and it’s working.

OHIO: Whoa... whoa... let’s not be hasty now. The president said that this whole coronavirus thing is a democratic hoax.

CALIFORNIA: He also said that windmills cause cancer. Shut down your state.

TEXAS: But the president said that we only have 15 cases and soon it'll be zero.

CALIFORNIA: The president can’t count to fifteen. Nor even spell it. Shut down your state.

NEW JERSEY: Us too?

CALIFORNIA: Yes, you guys too. Just like when Christie shut down the bridge, but it’s your whole state.

FLORIDA: But what about all these kids here on spring break?? They spend a lot of money here!

CALIFORNIA: Those kids invented the tide pod challenge. Shut down your state.

LOUISIANA: But wait let’s have Mardi Gras first. It entertains people.

CALIFORNIA: It also kills them. Shut it down.

GEORGIA: Ok well how about we keep the state open for all of our mega churches? Maybe we can all pray really hard until the coronavirus just goes away!

CALIFORNIA: Which is working like a charm for mass shootings. Jesus told us to tell you to shut down your state.

OKLAHOMA: What about the tigers?

CALIFORNIA: What about a dentist. Shut it down.

WYOMING: Hold up, maybe we should go county by county like the president said.

CALIFORNIA: Stop acting like there are counties in Wyoming. There are no counties in Wyoming. Wyoming is a county. Shut it down.

PENNSYLVANIA: But big coal.

CALIFORNIA: But big death. Shut it.

WEST VIRGINIA: But we were the last state to get coronavirus!

CALIFORNIA: And don’t make us explain to you why that was. Shut it down.

NORTH CAROLINA: But the republican national convention is coming here!

CALIFORNIA: SHU... ok fine, do what you want.

Thanks for the OT. Y'all have a good one!

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“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”

studentofearth's picture

@Lookout [video:https://youtu.be/BPcHw5ujQJk]

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Still yourself, deep water can absorb many disturbances with minimal reaction.
--When the opening appears release yourself.

magiamma's picture

Breathexperience or Middendorf Breath Work is one of today's leading somatic practices that develops the theme of allowing the breath to come and go on its own.

https://griffintoffler.weebly.com/about-ilse-middendorf.html

http://breathexperience.com/

https://www.goodtherapy.org/learn-about-therapy/types/middendorf-breath-...

And...
I found this disturbing

Ocasio-Cortez Decries Trump Halt to Federal Funding of Coronavirus Testing as 'Completely Irresponsible' Amid Pandemic

https://www.commondreams.org/news/2020/04/09/ocasio-cortez-decries-trump...

About NY death rates

https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/04/10/coro-a10.html

Neither Trump nor Cuomo was asked about the discrepancies between the fatalities declared as caused by the coronavirus and the sharp spike in deaths of people at home in New York City. Mark D. Levine, a member of the City Council’s health committee, has noted that there are currently 200–215 people dying in their homes each day, up from 20–25 a year ago. This suggests that thousands of people who have died from COVID-19 are not being counted.

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Stop Climate Change Silence - Start the Conversation

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studentofearth's picture

@magiamma @magiamma coronavius saga that have been detrimental to the USA population. From strictly identifying, treating and minimizing an infectious outbreak the CDC, FDA, federal government and other agencies seem to have hindered early containment. Inspite of missteps at a national level our states, communities, health professionals and fellow citizens have made progress. So the Federal policies and support services change once again.

Reuters is reporting testing is continuing in Wuhan.

Concerns remain over an influx of infected patients from overseas as well as China’s ability to detect asymptomatic patients, and the government in Wuhan has tried to reassure the public that it remains vigilant.

Feng Jing, who runs a group of community workers looking after the Tanhualin neighbourhood in Wuhan, said during a government-run tour for journalists on Friday that they would continue to carry out extensive checks on residents.

Thanks for the Middendorf Breath Work links. When I have explored it in the past, never got past needing to take a class from a certified teacher. Since there was not one locally I used other spiritual, ancient healing and martial art techniques which are freely shared.

edit spelling

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Still yourself, deep water can absorb many disturbances with minimal reaction.
--When the opening appears release yourself.

magiamma's picture

@studentofearth
The people who started the middendorf institute left a number of years ago. I studied with Ilsa middendorf in the late 90s when she was 85. I was very sick when I started and over the three and a half years got better. And have continued to stay better. I do some parts of the practice daily. I do not teach or do the hands on work anymore. She studied in China and India in her early 30s and brought it back to Berlin. There they work with doctors in their medical system. And opera singers oddly enough. There are not so many practitioners in the states since the founder returned to Berlin unfortunately. Anyway the work is amazing and I wish it were more accessible. Some parts of it are like Tai Chi and Chi Gung. The work also incorporates sounds.

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Stop Climate Change Silence - Start the Conversation

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studentofearth's picture

@magiamma when it was important. It is amazing the healing that can be self generated from our bodies.

Found some video searching her name. There are some aspects similar to Chinese traditions, do not know Indian traditions well enough to comment. Makes me wonder if there are some old European traditions that have been lost to history also included.

[video:https://youtu.be/jmBKIxJPMbA?t=1030]

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Still yourself, deep water can absorb many disturbances with minimal reaction.
--When the opening appears release yourself.

magiamma's picture

@studentofearth
That there were over 7,000 breathworkers in Berlin at the time I was studying many working within their medical system.

She is with Jurg in that video. He founded the SF institute. I was in the third class that graduated from there. They were only accepting people who were health practitioners in other areas - rolfing, feldencrais, etc. I only got in because they needed one more person. Later people told me that the felt that I was sculpting there breath when I worked on them. Who knew. Clay, breath. Makes sense.

There are many of similarities to Tai Chi. I just started a class in that a bit ago. Anyway cool stuff. Saved my life, really. Definitely lucky. Thanks for all the information you share in your essays.

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Stop Climate Change Silence - Start the Conversation

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mimi's picture

Holding my breath? That would be countreproductive, right?

Friend, I just can't help to look for something to poke fun off every hour these days. I am just kidding and no offense meant.

Take care and many thanks for a serious, well-intended and fact based and detailed exposé.

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studentofearth's picture

@mimi

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Still yourself, deep water can absorb many disturbances with minimal reaction.
--When the opening appears release yourself.

There are a number of Tai Chi breathing exercise videos available for free.
A simple web search will find them.
When I took classes many years ago the teacher talked about a master who beat TB by practicing Tai Chi.
Another thing that can be very helpful if you are sick and have trouble breathing is Postural Drainage
My Mom was an RN who worked in a hospital that did initial trails on Penicillin back in the day.
She was a big proponent of Postural Drainage from a time before the age of antibiotics when it was a way you could save your patients life.

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studentofearth's picture

@jbob Plenty of excellent videos to follow along and teachers around the country. In 1885 John Dudgeon M.D. wrote Kung-Fu or Tauist Medical Gymnastics introducing Tai Chi to Western Acedmia. He compared it to the Greek medical gymnastics, German Curative Gymnastics and the French Science of Movement.

Among the movements which are embraced within the domain of this method are massage, friction, pressure, percussion, vibration, and many other passive movements, of which. the application made with intelligence produces essential hygienic and curative results. These different movements have been in use in China since the most ancient times. They are employed to dissipate the rigidity of the muscles occasioned by fatigue, spasmodic contraction, rheumatic pains, the effects of dislocations and fractures, and in many cases of sanguiferous plethora in place of bleeding.

A great article explaining the technique of Postural Drainage. So many lung issues are are not bacterial. Antibiotic use replaced many hands-on techniques in medical practice. When reintroduces many techniques are labeled quackery or shunted to auxiliary subspecialties one does not often visit as preventative care.

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Still yourself, deep water can absorb many disturbances with minimal reaction.
--When the opening appears release yourself.

CB's picture

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enhydra lutris's picture

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That, in its essence, is fascism--ownership of government by an individual, by a group, or by any other controlling private power. -- Franklin D. Roosevelt --

studentofearth's picture

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Still yourself, deep water can absorb many disturbances with minimal reaction.
--When the opening appears release yourself.

I posted about how promising this drug is a while ago here.
Some people were worried about the down side of it, mostly birth defects.
With the older population that is in high danger birth defects are not an issue.

The antiviral drug, which is also known as favipiravir, has emerged as a potential drug to treat patients infected with the coronavirus. It has been developed by Japanese company Fujifilm Toyama Chemical Company, a unit of Fujifilm Holdings.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has on Wednesday given the green light for the country’s first clinical trial of the new drug, to be used by three Massachusetts hospitals.

Massachusetts General Hospital, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, and UMass Memorial Health Care in Worcester will launch small trials of the drug, a doctor involved in the efforts told the Boston Globe. The U.S. trials would involve around 50 or 60 patients with the coronavirus, the Boston Globe reported.

Dr. Keith T. Flaherty from the Massachusetts General Hospital further told the Boston Global that the Avigan study was among the more promising of around 30 clinical trials considered by the hospital.

In China, the drug was hailed by health officials there as “clearly effective” when used on 340 patients in trials in the Chinese city of Shenzhen, as it showed reduced recovery time and improved lung function, The New York Post reported.

These patients tested negative for the virus with a median of four days after becoming positive — much lower than the average of 11 days for those who were not given the medicine, according to the Guardian.

On April 5, Japan’s Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said his country intends to provide nations stricken by the coronavirus pandemic with the Avigan free of charge. He said the clinical trials were underway in the Asian country to ensure its effectiveness and safety for potential use in treating symptoms caused by the virus.
The Japanese government had so far received requests for the new drug from more than 30 countries, Suga added.

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enhydra lutris's picture

@jbob

this data point for the day when it starts getting widely used here:

On April 5, Japan’s Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said his country intends to provide nations stricken by the coronavirus pandemic with the Avigan free of charge. He said the clinical trials were underway in the Asian country to ensure its effectiveness and safety for potential use in treating symptoms caused by the virus.
The Japanese government had so far received requests for the new drug from more than 30 countries, Suga added.

You can bet your ass that the price for the hoi polloi will be a number greater than zero. IF (and only if) it is widely enough known that the product is free they'll still charge for administering it. "Well we have to charge 327.50 to recover the cost of shipping and handling, clinic staff, alcohol wipes, disposable ppe for the staff and overhead." The question is, how much will they be charging for a free drug?

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That, in its essence, is fascism--ownership of government by an individual, by a group, or by any other controlling private power. -- Franklin D. Roosevelt --

studentofearth's picture

@jbob with favipiravir. Glad trials are starting in the US. Did your article mention if they were testing the oral or intervenous dose? My quick search did not reveal dosage details.

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7 users have voted.

Still yourself, deep water can absorb many disturbances with minimal reaction.
--When the opening appears release yourself.

enhydra lutris's picture

recall when I was in high school practicing pranayama and all the disbelief from parents peers and teaches with respect to the need to learn to breathe, after all, we all do it from the very beginning, "it's instinctive". I' ll watch them all shortly, I'm in the middle of a recording of something that was called Sunday Night / Night Music back at some point in time with Jools Holland and an eclectic assortment of guests. The one I'm listening to featured, so far, Randy Newman and Slim Gaillard, and a group named "Take Six" - found it on Boing Boing here: https://boingboing.net/2020/04/09/celebrating-the-mad-genius-of.html

be well and have a good one.

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That, in its essence, is fascism--ownership of government by an individual, by a group, or by any other controlling private power. -- Franklin D. Roosevelt --

studentofearth's picture

@enhydra lutris listening to Sunday Night / Night Music. Got lots of complaints when the hay delivery was late to the donkeys.

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Still yourself, deep water can absorb many disturbances with minimal reaction.
--When the opening appears release yourself.

enhydra lutris's picture

@studentofearth

not binge. I'll be watching for at least a week or so.

be well and have a good one

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That, in its essence, is fascism--ownership of government by an individual, by a group, or by any other controlling private power. -- Franklin D. Roosevelt --

snoopydawg's picture

President Obama Shared Advice for Mayors on the Power of Truth, Building Strong Teams, and Supporting Essential Workers in Moments of Crisis

NEW YORK, NY – Participants from more than 300 cities around the world, including mayors, local leaders, and members of response teams joined Bloomberg Philanthropies’ fourth virtual COVID-19 Local Response Initiative convening today, where President Barack Obama and Michael Bloomberg addressed the mayors on the challenges associated with the pandemic. Joined by Dr. Joshua M. Sharfstein, MD, the Vice Dean for Public Health Practice and Community Engagement for the Bloomberg School of Public Health at Johns Hopkins University and director of the Bloomberg American Health Initiative, and Dr. Tom Frieden, president and CEO of Resolve to Save Lives and former director of the Center for Disease Control, and Dr. Kimberlyn Leary, Associate Professor of Psychology at Harvard Medical School and in the Department of Health Policy and Management at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Mr. Bloomberg and President Obama highlighted the critical role mayors have in responding to the crisis and supporting vulnerable residents.

“It is wonderful to be [here] with mayors, because as the former mayor of Chicago, Richard Daley, once said, nobody knows how to find a president or a governor, but they know how to find a mayor,” said President Barack Obama at the beginning of the convening. “I’ve had a chance to work with you in the past, and I couldn’t be prouder of the work that so many of you are doing. And Mike, thank you for helping put this together. Because I know it’s making a difference at a time when I know a lot of folks feel isolated. To be able to share information and best practices makes all the difference.”

“Speak the truth. Speak it clearly. Speak it with compassion. Speak it with empathy for what folks are going through. The biggest mistake any us can make in these situations is to misinform, particularly when we’re requiring people to make sacrifices and take actions that might not be their natural inclination,” said President Obama as he shared his perspective on the power of honesty and evidence during this time.

President Obama also urged the mayors to build strong, reliable teams of experts. He said, “The more smart people you have around you, and the less embarrassed you are to ask questions, the better your response is going to be.”

Finally, President Obama encouraged city leaders to support their most vulnerable residents. “We’re seeing disparities in how people are affected in cities and towns and communities across the country. Look out for the vulnerable. When you start looking at issues of domestic abuse and you start looking at racial disparities that are popping up in your cities, paying attention to that is the kind of leadership I know all of you aspire to. You have to be intentional about it, and dedicate folks to thinking about those issues.”

1- Was he paid for this speech and if so how much? Did they get their money's worth?

2- Was any of this pep talk helpful for how to get help to people in their communities that is on the verge of losing every? Have any of them declared no evictions for 6 months after the epidemic ends? Mortgage relief? Encourage them to get help to people ASAP so that they don't end up losing everything including thousands of small business?

link

Maybe it's just me, but where is the there there?

- Barack Obama — OUR TRUE President!

- Actually our true president is Hillary Clinton, but I’m confident that, without voter suppression and Russian meddling, she would have acted quickly and competently.

Hmmm then why isn't she sitting in the Oval Office?

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Which AIPAC/MIC/pharma/bank bought politician are you going to vote for? Don’t be surprised when nothing changes.

studentofearth's picture

@snoopydawg they have won the primaries. Now focus on deflecting attention to the actions during his presidency contributing to our current state of affairs.
Preventing a public option and Medicare for All.
Banker bailout and get out of jail card so they can repeat their activity.

Don't want to raise my blood pressure to high, so stopping the list building.

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Still yourself, deep water can absorb many disturbances with minimal reaction.
--When the opening appears release yourself.

The Liberal Moonbat's picture

https://www.reddit.com/r/SandersForPresident/ continues to rally in all senses EXCEPT the literal.

He has NOT withdrawn.

He has NOT endorsed anyone else, let alone BlueTrump.

The primaries remain unfinished, and he is STILL on the ballots.

We all got a gut-punch yesterday, but this is NOT over!!!

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In the Land of the Blind, the One-Eyed Man is declared mentally ill for describing colors.

Yes Virginia, there is a Global Banking Conspiracy!

studentofearth's picture

@The Liberal Moonbat reality. I thought I saw a headline Bernie made an announcement about quitting the race. Should have read the info instead of jumping to conclusions.

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Still yourself, deep water can absorb many disturbances with minimal reaction.
--When the opening appears release yourself.

I hope everyone is safe, healthy, and finding something worthwhile and enjoyable to occupy the days of being shut in.

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"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981

mhagle's picture

I have practiced deep intercostal breathing for years as a singer. Never thought it would be a good thing to fight a virus.

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Marilyn

"Make dirt, not war." eyo

studentofearth's picture

@mhagle Just need to know when to refocus them.

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Still yourself, deep water can absorb many disturbances with minimal reaction.
--When the opening appears release yourself.

the videos you posted. Interesting stuff, and certainly a worthwhile topic on any day, but perhaps especially in these days where, for various reasons, we might find ourselves short of breath.

One story: a good friend was dying of lung cancer and initially signed a DNR--do not resuscitate--form. He was at home convalescing and had an "episode"--he could NOT get enough air. He was calm, but almost panicky too, both knowing this might be it and trying to stay strong in front of his spouse and kids.
When he got to the ED, he immediately requested the DNR papers and ripped them in two. He later said that he would have done anything, ANYTHING, for just a little more AIR. This guy was a brother. He strength was immense, physically, morally what-have-you. Not someone that ever wilted under pressure or a fight. But...he ripped that fucking piece of paper up and said NOPE, I need AIR. Later, he looked us in the eye and said, "believe me, you would have done the same, and you ought to know, if you can't breath, you will do ANYTHING for air. ANYTHING."
I honestly can say, at no time have I ever, and I mean ever, believed a statement like I believed that one. That was truth.
He is gone now, the cancer took him a few months later. But peacefully, thanks perhaps to morphine.
But yeah, Breathe. It is so much at our root of who and what we are. In. Out. So very nice.
In..and...Out.

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studentofearth's picture

@peachcreek It is human nature to put off learning about what is not immediately effecting us. Your freind's story is a great example of how situations in life change our outlook.

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2 users have voted.

Still yourself, deep water can absorb many disturbances with minimal reaction.
--When the opening appears release yourself.