Asthma review revisit

[Guest guest]

Hey ,Thanks for that good review of asthma, if surely benefited all of us.  Just a couple of summary statements that may be helpful at this point....   Asthma is typical of the opportunistic dysfunctions that arise from dysympathetonia, or life in the fast lane without your brakes.  The level of sympathetic dominance in any person can be measured by their blood levels of lactate (indicative of core muscular tonicity) and cortisol (or hydrocortisone, indicative of core level of nervous system stress).  High levels of lactate and cortisol kill us, and learning to control these innate primacies is at the key of my understanding of wellness in humans.  Working with individuals on these factors over the past decade has lead me to see that the body listens to the breath moment to moment as to whether to be repairing or preparing to fight or flee.  It is a matter of mindful practice, to be able to recognize in the moment basic principles of relaxation within the body moment to moment.  Is the belly relaxed and expanding with inhalation?  Is the breath through the nostrils, in and out?  Is the exhalation slower than the inhalation?  Maintaining this level of consciousness is the goal of wellness (IMHO) and of yoga.  In yoga, we have stressful postures designed to open joint space and balance muscles, all for the purpose of maintaining a deeply relaxed body and attitude in the moment.  In order to release stress, practice releasing stress is necessary.  Simple changes in breath consciousness or control can have manifest benefits for everyone, but most dramatically in those who suffer from ubiquitous secondary effects of stress, including all symptoms of the cardiovascular, respiratory, digestive, eliminative, sexual and immune systems.  As we get better at staying relaxed moment to moment, O2 demands (leading to lactate) decrease, as well as cortisol levels (reduction in core nervous system activity) so that our natural energies can be maximized toward maximal health.  Cheers! Sears, DCNW PDX