$ 11
ASIN : B0818ZZNLR Publisher : Riverhead Books (May 26, 2020) Publication date : May 26, 2020 Language : English File size : 1522 KB Text-to-Speech : Enabled Screen Reader : Supported Enhanced typesetting : Enabled X-Ray : […]
ASIN : B0818ZZNLR
Publisher : Riverhead Books (May 26, 2020)
Publication date : May 26, 2020
Language : English
File size : 1522 KB
Text-to-Speech : Enabled
Screen Reader : Supported
Enhanced typesetting : Enabled
X-Ray : Enabled
Word Wise : Enabled
Print length : 304 pages
Best Sellers Rank: #21 in Anatomy (Books)
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Customer Reviews: 29,224 ratings
| ASIN : | B0818ZZNLR |
|---|---|
| Publisher : | Riverhead Books (May 26, 2020) |
| Publication date : | May 26, 2020 |
| Language : | English |
| File size : | 1522 KB |
| Text-to-Speech : | Enabled |
| Screen Reader : | Supported |
| Enhanced typesetting : | Enabled |
| X-Ray : | Enabled |
| Word Wise : | Enabled |
| Print length : | 304 pages |
| Best Sellers Rank: | #21 in Anatomy (Books) |
| - | |
| Customer Reviews: | 29,224 ratings |
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Dennis Clark –
5.0 out of 5 stars
A thorough and engaging dive into breath
Nestor has provided the best exploration of breath I have ever seen. He covers the topic not only from a historical perspective, but also from a modern scientific perspective. The lengths he went to for the sake of gaining personal experience went above and beyond – my gosh 10+ years of research! This book is so full of great, thought-provoking information that I’ve already read it twice. Now I’m planning a third time.
One person found this helpful
MHayes –
5.0 out of 5 stars
A life changing book
In late summer before Covid, I began having difficulty with wheezing so loud I could hear every exhale. Even now I have no idea why. My doctor sent me for a lung scan and found that my lower right lobe was partially collapsed. I was told that this was for a lifetime. My doctor then described a breathing exercise to do even when it hurt. She told me to walk every day and to practice this routine while I walked.. even when it hurts keep breathing deep. I began and quickly noticed the difference. Yes it hurt. Yes I coughed so hard that I felt like I was choking. Long story short – my recent scans no longer show any damage to my lungs.A friend recommended a book that I read and found even more information about how to breathe properly. I began, even as I read to practice the strategies as written.I began to notice things like my “whistling” was actually a form of mouth breathing. I intentionally began to follow the breathing strategies every time I noticed that I was inhaling through my mouth. Even as I walk, I follow this strategy. As I drive — I follow the breathing strategy. Every time I catch myself mouth breathing I consciously follow the strategies.What I notice is that I sleep deeper. I no longer wake up in the middle of the night to drink water. I feel more at peace and moments of anxiety have decreased.I recommend this book. Especially to those folks who snore, have sleep apnea, breathing disorders or athletes wanting to improve their performance.
30 people found this helpful
smf –
5.0 out of 5 stars
There is more to breathing than you thought
I was surprised to learn so much from this book. It came highly recommended, and every time I considered adding it to my home library, I thought: “What is there to learn about breathing?” I finally decided to purchase it, and I’m glad I did. I recommend it to everyone I know, and I’m taking the time to write this review to recommend it to you.I now pay closer attention to nasal breathing, and I allocate time for deep breathing and meditation. You will learn about the important connection between ADHD and mouth breathing, as well as teeth and jaw formation in children. This book is worth buying and reading at least once a year, if not more. It’s an easy, fun book that takes an otherwise boring subject and simplifies it so everyone can understand it.
22 people found this helpful
Beguiled By Books –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Top 5 Book to improve your health!
Breath: The New Science of a Lost Art is one of my favorite books. All the work you do on being healthy, keeping stress levels low, and exercising doesn’t mean much if you aren’t breathing properly. James Nestor takes you through the science of how we breathe. You may not feel excited about that description, but you’ll find that this book is difficult to put down. Nestor explains how our breathing helped us evolve and why genetics, evolution, and a sedentary lifestyle contribute to our current state of poor breathing.He digs into how so many people have become mouth-breathers and the harm that causes us. Nestor also takes us through extraordinary human accomplishments like Greek free divers and the lung capacity of athletes around the world. He shares his own quest of what happens when you mouth-breathe exclusively for a week, and his story at how minutely changing the shape of his face through a mouth device helped him improve his breathing. Finally, Nestor shares tips, tricks, and techniques to improve your breathing so that you can improve your life. After reading this book, I began using the Wim Hof Method (video link) to improve my breathing and after a week, I began feeling positive effects.Breathing regulates stress, digestion, and sleep, to name a few. Imagine if you can improve your performance in the gym, at home, walking the dog, whatever, just through a few short exercises to improve your breathing. Since most of us are breathing improperly, imagine how many other functions within our body aren’t performing at their peak.This book is definitely worth a read to learn about this amazing science and to improve your overall health.
15 people found this helpful
CM –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Absolutely Fascinating
Well written. Couldn’t put this book down and I’m not the best reader! Gifted this book to over 22 people.
7 people found this helpful
Max M –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Most important book you’ll read in your life
Title says all
Jerry Daday –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Introduces an overlooked part of wellness and well-being
This book was a joy to read, very educational and personally transformational. Lately, I’ve been reading more books on health and wellness, being drawn particularly to books that focus on the connection between mind, body, exercise and nutrition (e.g. Peter Attia’s Outlive and Alex Hutchinson’s Endure). I think I eat relatively well and exercise regularly – but I think breathing practice has been something I’ve long overlooked as a part of personal wellness and well-being. James Nestor presents a convincing argument for the importance and utility of different breathing methods and techniques. He presents what he has learned through many years of research in an entertaining and enjoyable book, drawing on ancient text and practices as well as the wisdom of modern day practitioners and scientists investigating the influence of breath and breathing on our well being. The book has transformed how I think of breathing – and how I will do it for the rest of my life.
7 people found this helpful
Bryan Sandor –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Leaves me wanting more
This book is for everyone because everyone respires. I became interested in this book after being taught Transcendental Meditation. I thought a lot about accessible techniques known to ancient cultures but for the most part forgotten or unused by modern society. This book is a fascinating read and I appreciate the author meticulously explaining every detail he could.As an aside: after reading the first two sections I began to focus on how I breathed and noticed I did, passively, inhaled through my mouth. Since then I’ve focused on breathing through my nose and most of the congestion I’ve just learned to live with has greatly improved. It hasn’t gone away entirely but I’ve not had to take decongestants, antihistamines, or nasal vasoconstrictors once in over two months, since I began exclusively nose-breathing.
2 people found this helpful
Tom C. –
5.0 out of 5 stars
This book is the key to fixing “Health Care” by addressing and correcting the cause of disease.
I am a 75 year old dentist, in practice for 50 years, the last 20 of which have been devoted to improving our patients’ oral health and total bodily health by addressing their structural, functional and behavioral problems caused by impaired growth and development of their jaws , faces, and airways, resulting in dysfunctional breathing, chewing, and swallowing….. and a myriad of health problems that are mostly managed by medications from their physicians rather than addressing and correcting the cause. The lines between dentistry and medicine are getting blurrier every day now. James Nestor’s great book will help move this change forward, to the benefit of everyone. He obviously didn’t do all this work for the money. He was on a quest and is now sharing what he learned and how it helped him personally with everyone who will read this book.Our interdisciplinary team is part of a growing movement in our profession which embraces the principles in James Nestor’s book and applies them daily with positive measurable and documentable improvement and elimination of as many as 20 symptoms of chronic inflammatory disease processes including hypertension, anxiety, depression, chronic fatigue syndrome, upper airway resistance/snoring, obstructive sleep apnea, gastrointestinal disorders, obesity, atopic dermatitis, tmj pain, neck pain, poor posture and, yes, ADHD, which is almost always related to mouth breathing and poor quantity and quality of sleep.Oddly, this movement is not being led by physicians but by a growing group of enlightened dentists who, once they’ve seen the truth, can no longer ignore what’s been right there before our noses for so long, used to be part of dental and medical treatment, somehow faded after WWII, and finally is back in full flower, with science to support what’s wrong and how to fix it. Thanks to our movement, The American Dental Association has now mandated that every dentist should screen every new patient of any age, especially young children, for disordered breathing. This is the future of Health Care, and the future is now..For the first time in our history, a child born today will not live as long as its parents. We are breeding ourselves to extinction due to the post-industrial cultural changes beginning about 500 years ago with regards to proper diet, starting with lack of breast feeding. These changes, due to Epigenetic alteration of the expression of DNA, have now, as Nestor accurately states, have now become inheritable traits. All based on science.The flattening of our faces with incompetent jaws and airways, is the most rapid change in the evolutionary history of Homo Sapiens.The book and his website contain 500 references to science supporting what he says and what we’re now doing on a daily basis to improve the health and quality of life of ourselves, our families, our friends, and our patients.His book is a great public service in spreading awareness of the TRUTH.We’ve been hoping for years that someone exactly like James Nestor would come along without a conflict of interest and with the speaking and writing skills and the knowledge and charisma to take this message virally to the public, which will in turn demand that their health care providers forget their education and open their minds to this truth. Every dentist and physician should read this book. Anyone who snores or has a child or spouse who snores should read this book. Mothers, grandmothers, and wives should read this book as they are the Noticers and Motivators for family members who need help and don’t know where to get it.Nestor asked basic questions to try to understand and correct his own breathing problems and went on a search for the answers, following the exact trail (and more) of evidence and anthropology and knowledge that has brought our movement to where we are today. He ended up in the office of Dr. Ted Belfor, who provided him with a Homeoblock appliance which he wore nightly with his mouth taped for a year while working on naso-diaphragmatic breathing. He now breathes better, has more endurance, feels better, and has a more symmetrical face as shown in CT scans made before and after his self-treatment. I know exactly how this helped him, because I treated myself at age 68 with the same regime with Homeoblocks designed for me by Dr. Belfor. Our education taught us that growing bone in the human face was impossible after age 30. Colleagues told me I was just wasting my time. This is the same contempt before investigation seen in some of the negative reviews of his book on Amazon. This happens with all revolutionary ideas… First rejected, then violently opposed, then finally accepted as the truth after years, according to Schopenhauer and Jules Verne, the futurist of his generation.We made CT scans and facial photographs and casts of my teeth and jaws and sleep breathing recordings before and after my 18 month self-treatment, so that any positive changes could be measured and documented. I was a typical chronic mouth breather with poor head and shoulder posture. I had Central Sleep Apnea, caused by over-exhalation of CO2, as he discusses. I would just quit breathing during sleep until my CO2 levels got high enough to enable proper Oxygen transport to my body and brain. I had chronic respiratory illness and exzema as a child and was obese, topping out at 290 pounds at age 18. 5 hospitalizations and 3 surgeries for Crohn’s Disease. Stroke in my 40s .Advanced heart failure with permanent atrial fibrillation despite implanted pacemaker-defibrillator. Chronic Atopic Dermatitis with some lesions on my ankles for more than 30 years. Anxiety, Depression, Fatigue. What did I have to lose by trying this unusual approach?After 18 months with Homeoblocks, saline nasal spray before bed, mouth taped during sleep, and consciously working on posture, chewing, swallowing, and breathing through my nose with my mouth closed and my tongue in the roof of my mouth…I went from 245 pounds to 198 pounds without dieting. Still there after 6 years. Blood pressure normalized. No Chron’s symptoms anymore. All my skin lesions have completely healed. Better attitude and energy. More symmetrical face with measurable growth in all three dimensions in my airway and face. I’d call this something of miracle, and having lived it, we now use these same principles every day and have scores of documented case studies that show how successful it can be to help folks learn to breathe 24/7/365 from their noses and diaphragms while also improving their chewing and swallowing functions and behaviors.Nestor is a gift to us. This book and his appearances are the key to spreading the truth nationally and internationally so that the public can grasp this information and lead to a tidal wave of sea change inour current broken system of “sick care” as it becomes true Health Care by focusing on the importance of nasal breathing from the cradle to the grave. Six Stars!
1,398 people found this helpful
Charley Sproule –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Informative book
Book Recommendation – A New York Times bestsellerAuthor: James NestorTitle: Breath – The New Science of a Lost ArtPublished by Riverhead Books, New York, 2020The book is available in most public libraries including the Dauphin County and Cumberland County Library Systems. The cost of the hard cover book from Amazon is $18.37. A paper back version and a summary are also available. The book is also available in E book and audio book formats. The book has been placed on the purchase request list for the Bethany Village Library.Quotes from the book cover pages follow:“Modern research is showing us that making even slight adjustments to the way we inhale and exhale can jump-start athletic performance, rejuvenate, internal organs, halt snoring, asthma, and autoimmune disease and even straighten scoliotic spines. None of this should be possible and yet it is. Drawing on thousands of years of medical texts and recent cutting-edge studies in pulmonology, psychology, biochemistry, and human physiology, Breath turns the conventional wisdom of what we thought we knew about our most basic biological functions on its head. You will never breath the same again.”Dr. Stephen Park Albert Einstein College of Medicine: “An eye opening, epic journey of human devolution that explains why so many of us are sick and tired. A must-read book that exposes what our health care system doesn’t see.”Joshua Foer, New York Times “A transformative book that changes how you think about your body and mind.”Comments by Bethany resident Charley Sproule:I have a lifelong snoring problem. Over the years I have tried a variety of methods to solve the problem. One helpful action is avoiding sleeping on my back, but this does not eliminate my snoring. Another attempt was using a device to open my nostrils. You tape it on to the outside of your nose. For me, the only result was some lost skin when I remove it in the morning. A medical specialist recommended surgery to remove some loose flesh in the back of my throat. I decided that was too invasive and did not schedule the surgery.The book Breath recommends another possible solution which is a method for keeping your mouth closed when sleeping. So far, the method has been working for me.The book contains step by step instructions on exercises to improve breathing, lung capacity and overall health. Readers who participate in yoga are likely familiar with alternate nostril breathing. A variety of other techniques are described in the book. For example, box breathing is used by Navy seals in tense situations. The book provides links to video instructions on some of the recommended techniques.The history of breathing practice described in the book includes many cultures and is fascinating and informative. Some divers have learned how to hold their breath for twelve minutes. Some runners have broken their records after using the techniques described in the book. A variety of health problems addressed by the techniques are described in the book. Cautions and limitations are also discussed.
22 people found this helpful
Kathleen A. –
5.0 out of 5 stars
This is an amazing book !!
I wish this was required reading in the high schools. Incredible information. And has changed my health for the better. Buy this book.
One person found this helpful
mickey –
4.0 out of 5 stars
Fascinating book
I have serious respiratory difficulties in my old age. This book has helped me find a path to recovery.My only complaint is probably about the “new style” of references: page notes only, no bibliography. Adequate index.
3 people found this helpful
1Corinthians15_10 –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great book for learning to nose-breathe and learn more about how breath affects your HEALTH
This book combines great research into breathing and a DIY style “this is what I’ve learned” style. Easy to read and great insight.As a person with chronic pain, ptsd, and heartrate issues, this book was recommended to me by a provider when discussing my stress responses and heartrate issues. It has really changed my health and quality of life.The Good: Whats not to talk about? This book has helped me deal with ptsd mental health issues, heart rate issues, back, neck, and joint pain, and it taught me to exercise in a way that is much more impactful on my health. Hearing that active athletes had better results breathing through only their nose during activity really is amazing. This book really does just share what people are learning, and it’s hard because breathing touches so many aspects of human life and society, most doctors and teachers and so on can’t really spend that much time on it.The Bad: Not in this book. In the world, why don’t we learn more about our sinuses, breathing, and how that affects our health? I’m a Christian and I’m not offended at all to see the evolutionary perspective on why our noses and sinuses are better technology than neanderthals and other primates and animals. knowing what makes them worse makes us more human and awareness of breathing impacts prayer, worship, and daily life. Feel free to learn more about “the breath” of life that the Creator gave you and all of us! Learn from anyone who can teach you anything about who you are and how you work so you can be free.The ugly: What happens when we don’t breathe through our noses is amazing. This guy is like the McDonalds guy who ate nothing but McD’s for a month and showed how it affected his health. “Mouth breathers” is not just a kiddy insult. It’s a real thing and we need to learn to breathe through our noses and include that in our health.
31 people found this helpful
Thomas I. Ellis –
5.0 out of 5 stars
A breath of fresh air
I highly recommend this book! When you start reading, you may be a bit perplexed, wondering “Where is he going with all this weird evperimentation with (obviously unhealthy) forced mouth breathing. But hang in there! It all becomes clear further on. After reading this richly informative and entertaining book you will never take your breath for granted again!
2 people found this helpful
JenJenJenJen –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Life changing must read! A book you will remember forever!
This book was originally recommended to me during my yoga teacher training. I absolutely loved reading this book! It is written so beautifully. James Nestor takes you back in time and to the present moment throughout the book so gracefully and basis his findings not only on personal experience but also on historical scientific research. I highly recommend this book to anyone in the fitness field or anyone just looking to improve their quality of life in the simplest of ways. This is a book that I will be thinking about and returning to forever! I recommend it to anyone I discuss books with. I am walking away with so much knowledge and awareness of one of the most simplistic things we do every day whether we are conscious of it or not—BREATHE.
7 people found this helpful
Lani J O’Callaghan –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Ancient Wisdom, New Science
Very helpful information backed by science. Practical exercises for application.
One person found this helpful
JPS27 –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Perfect transaction.
Tenets of Buddhism.
Shari H –
5.0 out of 5 stars
everyday science you can use
excellent
Kyle Steppe –
5.0 out of 5 stars
This book will change the way you think about breathing
This book will change the way you think about breathing and possibly even how you breath. Truly a lost art as the title suggest, empowering us to take back control of our most basic function for health, and prosperity. A Must Read.
One person found this helpful
Sheila K. Aka Bruno’s Mama –
5.0 out of 5 stars
the art of breathing
Excellent book very deep and for someone really interested in the topic requires a lot more research on the subject that’s worth pursuing
2 people found this helpful
reader rejioce –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Good how-to ope n n your lungs….
Good read and lots to learn.
Tom –
4.0 out of 5 stars
More Narrative than Science
This book does a good job of raising some important topics around breath in our modern society. It is mostly an easy read with a lot of narrative. I would say it is too much narrative. Even the science is heavily filtered through Nestor’s writing, making it hard to trust the conclusions. Rather than teaching me a lot about the topics in the book, I feel it left me with a few nuggets of information to research more. That could have been done in fewer pages.
2 people found this helpful
Marilyn Shadid –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Fascinating Read!
I’ve learned so much reading this book! Some of it is too scientific for my likes but it’s super fascinating. So much we don’t know about such a simple thing!
One person found this helpful
fly fishihg pete –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Breath thru your Nose!
Look ,I’ve always known that nose breathing wuz better than mouth breathing….But this book has brought to my attention just HOW IMPORTANT it is. And some methods how to achieve that goal. … Since making a real effort toward towards that goal I can’t tell you how much faster I can get thru my workout with less heavy breathing while using the same weights and number of sets and reps.
Matt –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent read!
Breath is a very well-researched and well-written book with tons to teach you about perhaps the most fundamental thing in your life— breathing.
3 people found this helpful
BMoore –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Nice
With modern medicine turned into a one size fits all solution, this is a good way to be better prepared to take care of yourself.
Joan Lacey –
5.0 out of 5 stars
WOW learned so much!
This book is so informative. I learned so much and thought it was so helpful that I bought three copies to give to friends with breathing problems. I actually listened to this first on audiobook from the library.
Connie and Allen –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Doctor recommended to us
This book could change the way you sleep, feel and breathe. We had no idea that the way your breathe is so important – air in, air out right?? Nope. Very well written
One person found this helpful
CIA Enterprises –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great read!
This was an incredible read! I was a mouth breather esp at night, but now I use a little tape and I sleep so much better!
Linda Zager –
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Must Read for Every Yogi
I consider myself a yogi, but I will admit I started this journey with stretching to counter the aches and pains of working out. Then, I took up yoga as an alternative to working out, as I was getting bored in the gym. I followed along without much thought, the instruction to breathe methodically with poses, breathing in and out through my nose as instructed.This book, through research and self-study experiments, explains the life improving and even life-saving importance of proper breathing. Why proper breathing is part of proper yoga. I am left with an understanding of the scientific reasons why breath with movement is critical to the practice.And even besides yoga, a habit of proper breathing will likely improve health and quality of life. Eat right, exercise right, and breathe right.
7 people found this helpful
NuttyNuts –
4.0 out of 5 stars
Life game-changer
I’ve breathed heavily since I was a kid. I have a deviated septum (and lupus, so avoid surgery, if not necessary) and assumed I would have to live as a mouth breather for most of my life. Have been using a small strip of surgical tape while I sleep to force nose breathing for nearly two weeks and I am amazed how my nostril airways have opened up! Such good quality, science backed info.4 stars only because its a pet peeve of mine when authors force a 300-page book to substantiate the full price. This could have been a more succinct, 100-pager!
5 people found this helpful
Leonardo Wild –
5.0 out of 5 stars
BREATHE TO LIVE
You can survive without eating for about 30 or a bit over. You can survive without drinking water for about 3 to 6 days. How long can you survive without breathing? Most people, only a few minutes at best and even then, it’s so important, that if you try NOT to breathe, you’ll faint and your reticular complex will kick in and do the breathing all by itself, without your intervention.And because breathing is considered so “natural” that most of us don’t ever really think about it, James Nestor takes us on a voyage of discovery, in itself “out there” to the point of making us squirm in discomfort, as a way to wake us up to the importance of understanding why we breathe the way we do.It turns out, that just as there are many types of food, not all healthy, there are many different ways of breathing, also not healthy. Oh yes, you might stay alive, but you might get sick and James Nestor says why.It turns out, most people don’t breathe well, or even in a healthy manner. Why?Well, read BREATH. I guarantee you’ll enjoy it and by the time you finish, find the fastest, simplest, most efficient way to feel and be healthier. I also read The Oxygen Advantage by McEwon (which I also highly recommend and which James Nestor mentions in BREATH), so many of the details Nestor explains I was already aware of, yet it brings many other facets to the “story of breathing” that makes it worthwhile to … well, yes, read both books. They will certainly have a longer lasting effect on your life, in a positive way, than spending your money on a nice bottle of wine 🙂
Adam Fisher –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Changed my life!
This book changed my life more than any book since… Born to Run back in 2009? It’s full of amazing information, super fun to read, and is, like I said, life-changing. I snore a bit, my endurance is less than I’d like, and often I find myself just a bit low on energy. What this book taught me was that all things are connected! It’s the breath (obviously). What’s more, through a few simple exercises all of it can be safely and easily cured. Why didn’t my doctor tell me this? It’s all in here… and it works! I literally feel better because I bought and read this book.Plus, the book is really just a lot of fun to read. It’s a worthy worthy follow up to Nestor’s last book, DEEP, and this one just gets deeper and wierder and even more full of adventure. My favorite part is the chapter about how the human skull has changed over the last couple hundred years because of changes in how we breath. It could have been really boring — but Nestor doesn’t just write about it, he actually goes to Paris, crawls into a sewer, and breaks into the secret catacombs below the city to actually hold a hundreds of year old skull Hamlet-style. (“Alas poor Yorik…” &c. ) You actually see the skull and how they change! Unforgettable stuff. IMHO The book is a must read and must buy…
538 people found this helpful
1MorHacker –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent Book!
There are numerous long, well written and excellent reviews here already. So I will write a short one. James Nestor’s book, “Breath,” is a fascinating, well researched and well written book about a subject which you had no earthly idea you might even remotely be interested. However, once you start reading it, you immediately realize that it affects your overall health and well being in far more ways than you could have imagined. You also realize that you can and should be doing it better. And that improving is relatively easy and will markedly improve your quality of life. I finished reading the book once, and am now rereading it and making notes. I’ve also started using several of the techniques on a daily (and nightly) basis, and in only a few weeks am sleeping better with far fewer interruptions and having almost no problems with my usual seasonal allergies. There’s also a website, mrjamesnestor.com with useful videos and other information for those who want to continue to learn more about this important and surprisingly interesting subject. Highly recommended.
15 people found this helpful
Amazon Customer –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Very helpful book
Found this to be a profound read at most times, others times sort of got off topic. I will be revisiting periodically to freshen up my skills. Would recommend for anyone trying to find a way to relieve a bit of your stress. Sound techniques.
4 people found this helpful
Jacqueline C. –
4.0 out of 5 stars
Very enlightening, But
This is a very interesting book, but because I am a Christian I do not agree with the evolution portion of it. To me, it was kind of weird the way he talked about how our early ancestors appeared on rocks and were a microscopic ball of sludge; and began life breathing carbon dioxide. But, just the dynamics regarding the proper way of breathing and how it greatly affects our overall health and the stories of reference makes it worth reading. I’ve learned that we are not going to agree with every writer’s ideas and opinions, but can still find value in their research and stories.Update: I guess it’s always good to read a book to the end before giving a review. Although the author talked about being evolved from primates, he also made other references to breath and breathing, such as Genesis 2:7, describing how God breathed the breath of life into man and/or the Chinese Taoist text that noted that the nose was the “heavenly door” and that the breath must be taken in through it. I hope to complete the book soon and I may give another update. I am still enjoying the dynamics of it. I’m taking notes and will definitely apply some of the techniques of breathing. I am also learning a lot about other information that he is providing, such as other’s research, the body as a whole, etc.
4 people found this helpful
Daniel J Sandberg –
5.0 out of 5 stars
learn to breath
Great book for anyone with chronic breathing problems, those wanting to increase performance, and all of us wanting to live better
One person found this helpful
Kristina –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Game Changing Book
This book has really transformed the way that I breathe, which is a big deal for someone with asthma.
One person found this helpful
Monica –
5.0 out of 5 stars
This book is wonderful!
Such a great book for yourself or a gift! A great read or a great listen. The breathing exercises in the back are wonderful!
One person found this helpful
donna –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Just what I was looking for.
Seller ship out quick
Anamaria Aristizabal –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great book about an essential topic
The book makes a great case for paying essential attention to breathing and its effects on health and mental health.
Amazon Customer –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Just breathe
Very interesting read. Something so simple, yet forgotten. No fancy gadgets, or over priced supplements to waste your money on.
3 people found this helpful
Michelle Ryan –
4.0 out of 5 stars
A great introduction, but left wanting more …
The book starts out strong with an intriguing approach to the wild mystery of good breathing and why it’s so important (perhaps the most important) thing we do — and why we should pay greater attention to cultivating how well we breath and how it acts simultaneously as a barometer and tool for our own well-being.It was enjoyable to learn about the author’s journey into breath awareness through modern research, but I wish he’d gone to the trouble of finding out a lot more on the roots of breath work in ancient human societies—he touches upon it, but he didn’t really go there, alas. (Disclaimer, I’m a yoga practitioner of about 33 years, old school yoga that focuses on breathing as the most important part of the practice—vs. the exercise-oriented stuff that pays little attention to anything else besides postures and burning calories and looking fit, which most folks mistake for “yoga” these days.)He does at one point say that the original folks who really deeply explored the breath and devised breath practices (pranayama) were from ancient India. But for some strange reason, he doesn’t actually GO to India to research this further, or to find teachers of pranayama to learn directly from the source. (And believe me, these folks do live and teach and can be found in India, or even online via zoom these days.)Instead, his research into yogic pranayama techniques brings him to…Brazil (?) to interview a widely respected teacher (well, widely respected/practically canonized there at least, but essentially unheard of outside of Brazil) who from what I can determine, cherry-picked elements from yoga to develop his own obscure, highly athletic method that seems to combine yoga practices and capoeira. This teacher claims that his method is rooted in teachings that “predate” Indian yoga practices. A search to verify this claim turned up nothing to support it. And, as it turns out, there is very little there, there…the author was vague about the breath practices he learned while visiting this Brazilian yoga studio.So I was left wanting more frankly, a little disappointed he didn’t delve into the actual roots in his ten years of research. That effort would simultaneously honor those roots and give more of us in the West the encouragement to explore these ancient methods that came to us mostly from India. That is, a few recommendations of yogic modalities and teachers actually from India, the actual place where pranayama was birthed and shared, would have been a good thing on a book that deals with, essentially, Indian pranayama practices.
22 people found this helpful
Stomperdell –
3.0 out of 5 stars
Sweeping Unsubstantiated Conclusions, Repetitive Admonitions
I am a retired research biologist and I found this book readable and interesting. But I would not go so far as to say it deserves the attention and praise it is getting if one is concerned, as I am, that the authors sweeping generalizations and conclusions are based on conjecture and a scattergun approach of throwing every factoid about breathing at the wall, going back into the earliest religious or other writing as support for the simple case that it is better to breath through one’s nose as much as possible versus through the mouth. The author is obviously not a scientist, giving credence to a few weeks or months of observations under poorly controlled conditions to small samples and reaching subjective conclusions (if they match his assertions). He confuses evolutionary selection with a faulty and discredited Lamarckian approach supporting inheritance of acquired characteristics. I found myself repeatedly disagreeing with the author and tiring of the same adage — “Keep your mouth shut”!
6 people found this helpful
Burning down the house –
5.0 out of 5 stars
what might breathing do for you?
Interesting read, but you want to know, what did it do for me? And what might it do for you?My baseline: I’m female, 64 years old, resting heartrate 60, average blood pressure 120/80, 5’ 2” 128 lbs. No pre-existing conditions. 90% vegan. No health insurance coverage. I have somewhat of a “computer” neck with my head more forward than it should be and a dowagers hump forming (you know, that hump on the back of the neck that makes old people curl over) Running: I’ve been running at least intermittently for most of my life and never thought I should or could breathe through my nose while running. However, I tried it – a bit troublesome at first but eventually I get into a groove and it works well. James is right, you feel much cleaner breathing through your nose.Snoring: I don’t snore on a regular basis but wanted to see if taping my mouth shut at night would help me sleep better. I did that for 2 or 3 nights. Results were meh, not enough of a difference for it to be THE solution.Some parts of the book were spooky, like when I timed my resting breathing and it came out to exactly 5.5 breaths per second.Playing music: Here is where the book really helped me. I play the flute which is all about breathing. Deeply breathing way down into my lower back and then using my diaphragm to push the air up and out in a controlled fashion made me feel stronger and MORE air is being pushed forth. Breathing that deep and into my back also helps my back, core muscles and posture.Tongue: I do the “MEW” exercise with my tongue every day and can feel my head and neck repositioning (for better or worse, only time will tell LOL).Chewing: Did you know that in the macrobiotic diet you are supposed to chew each bite 50 times? There’s a good reason for that and this book reinforces this with even more reasons to do so. I’ve therefore slowed down my eating and am not putting so many foods into smoothies any more, opting to chew the ingredients instead. I got the gum suggested, it tastes great, has no sugar and is relatively inexpensive (Falim gum on amazon it’s about $6.99 for 100 pieces).Stand as straight as you can, pretend you’re being dangled from a string on top of your head, let everything relax and straighten out. Now breathe, but with no effort – air flows in, (the nose perceives the whole environment in a fraction of a second) air flows out. You can do this while running too.Very good, consider yourself part of the universe. Breathing helps keep us in sync with the world out there.Thank you to Mr. James Nestor for taking the time to research and write this book. He walked the walk, so he can talk the talk.
35 people found this helpful
Rick McQuaide –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Life Changing information!
The author provides detailed information on the importance of breathing properly. Most people take breathing for granted. There are simple techniques that could extend your life! It is worth your time to read this book!
S. R. Purchon –
5.0 out of 5 stars
An important book
Breathing isn’t something we generally give a lot of thought to in our western culture. This book dives deep into why the matter is important. How much investment in therapies and pharmaceuticals might we be able to spare ourselves with just some basic considerations, and a little more awareness of how we breath?
Deb –
4.0 out of 5 stars
Very interesting, tricky to put into practice
This was a really interesting book and very relevant to me, having struggled with sinus issues (and mouth-breathing) for years. It gives me hope I can improve my life and health. Some of it is pretty over the top, and it’s hard to know how good the science really is. But it certainly has enough simple, safe ways to potentially improve your health via better breathing.
One person found this helpful
Derrick De La Rosa –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Very informative and enjoyable read
Very informative and enjoyable read
Amazon Customer –
5.0 out of 5 stars
very informative
Good read. It is important to learn about how the body works, particularly around something that we can control. Which is our breath.
One person found this helpful
LJB –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great book!
This book is fantastic. I’ve given it to friends and family and recommended it to lots of people. I learned so much – the author’s research is very impressive! Highly recommend!
One person found this helpful
P Van Dam –
5.0 out of 5 stars
I am in awe of this book
I am only a couple of chapters in and I cannot get enough-haven’t read anything this mind blowing in years. Looking forawrd to seeing what the rest of the book holds. So much great information.
Annie –
5.0 out of 5 stars
a fantastic read. thank you.
It has been a very interesting read. I have been practising my breathing and I am now spreading the word amongst family and friends.
gemg –
4.0 out of 5 stars
Interesting
BreatheI checked this book out from the library and had it on hold for awhile. I’ve read quite a few superlative recommendations of the book being life changing for some, so I was curious.I enjoyed the book but it definitely was far out there at times due to anecdotal religious/medical ancient practices. However, the author had misgivings about many of the same stories but he persevered in his quest for knowledge and a cure. He continues to practice the breathing techniques he gives in the book after a decade so it seems to have helped him.What I didn’t like about the book was it’s organization. By the time I was done with the book I was just not interested in going through the extensive footnotes which are not part of the text, which is annoying to me. I tried to figure out all the techniques as I read and they are listed in the appendix at the end, others would do well to go there first. As I read, I wondered why people I know didn’t get help from medical professionals if these techniques showed such miracles. I started reading more closely and realized the author made statements that could be perceived as facts the way they were written.I am not a medical professional but I do know that breathing is a part of mindfulness and stress management and they have been recommended by doctors. For this reason I think the book has merit and I recommended it to friends and family members with chronic lung issues.
6 people found this helpful