“Spirituality is not a separate part of us, it is bound up with the body and the whole person, long before we enter this world. The word “spiritual” is often off-putting or misunderstood, because it is thought to be something esoteric and hard to define. But it is not, it is about coming from the heart.”
                                                                            ~ Unknown

Asthma

Asthma occurs when the main air passages of the lungs narrow resulting in difficulty in breathing. The narrowing occurs when the bronchial tubes become inflamed, the muscles of the bronchial walls tighten and the cells in the lungs begin to produce excess mucus.

Symptoms:
include wheezing, a sensation of the chest tightening and difficulty breathing. An acute asthma attack can be fatal.

Treatment:
Most people use a combination of preventative and quick relief medications to treat their asthma (link www.asthma.org.au)

These exercises can be practiced after an attack has been relieved by medication and in conjunction with preventative medications. They help to open the chest and to alter your breathing rate. This altered rate changes the oxygen/carbon dioxide concentration in the blood, similar to popular Buteyko methods.

1. Sufi curls: come into a comfortable cross legged position, begin to rotate your upper body in big circles, whilst keeping your bottom anchored to the floor. Breathe in as you come forward and breathe out as move back. Do this for 1 minute in each direction.

2. Bring your Thumbs to touch your fingers and rest them on your shoulders so that your upper arms are parallel to the floor. Rotate from side to side, breathing in to the right and out to the left. Move as quick as is comfortable for 1-2 minutes. This exercise helps open the chest and stretch the intercostals muscles between the ribs.

3. Come to sit on your knees (place a cushion under your knees or ankles if they vet sore) and rest your hands palm facing down on your thighs. Keeping your chin parallel to the floor you’re your spine so that your chest comes forward on the inhale and your back arches on the exhale. As the muscles in your back warm up begin to move faster for 1-2 minutes.

4. Stay sitting on your knees with your hands resting on your thighs. Lift your shoulders up to your ears and then let them drop again, using the muscles of your shoulder rather than your neck or arm muscles. Again do this as quickly as is comfortable for 1-2 minutes. This practice helps to relieve the tension that builds up in the upper chest and shoulders. Finish by holding your shoulders up for 20 seconds before letting them relax.


Written by:  Rachael Freeland