Why You Should Be Doing Wim Hof Breathing

This article, “Why You Should Be Doing Wim Hof Breathing,” is the first article I’ve written here in months.  For the past two years, I’ve been producing 2-3 new articles per week, quite religiously.  My last article was written on February 4th, 2020 ~ & on February 5th, 2020, I found out that my beloved lab, Dylan had cancer.  Those next few days were a blur, moving him in & out of the hospital, having tests run, trying to keep him comfortable; & obviously writing took a back seat to that new reality.

One of the last photos I took of my dog, Dylan, before he passed away.

Then, on February 9th, only a few days after finding out that he had cancer, I had to have Dylan put down.  With it being such a sudden loss, I felt overwhelmed by a grief I hadn’t experienced in some time: I had just lost my best friend.  After that, the writing I did was for myself: not for this site.  It was private, & more personal ~ & I may or may not share it in the future (though I know many, many people have lost both dogs & family members in the last few months: tragedy seems like it’s all around us right now). 

My point in sharing all this, is that this article you’re reading right now is the first article I’m writing after an extensive hiatus.  And the world has changed, dramatically, in these last two months: corona-virus & quarantines are happening worldwide, as people are stuck inside their homes, trying to flatten this deadly virus’ curve.  Meanwhile, the economy is at a stand-still ~ & if you’re involved in industries such as restaurants or travel (like I am), then your income is probably non-existent right now.  Millions are applying for unemployment & SBA loans, trying to make it through this very rough time. 

But what else can we DO??  Surely, there must be something we can DO??!  To help ourselves; to not get sick; to boost our immune systems, NATURALLY. 

Why You Should Be Doing Wim Hof Breathing

And the first thing that came to my mind was a crazy Dutch man called Wim Hof.  He’s also called the “Ice Man.”  If you listen to Joe Rogan’s podcast, or Tim Ferriss’, or Russell Brand’s: you’ve probably heard of him.  He advocates the use of a specific breathing technique (that is free, quick, & EASY to do) for maximum respiratory wellness ~ which is particularly relevant these days. 

Wim Hof is a world-renowned extreme athlete & advocate of both deep breathing & exposure to the cold as being GREAT for building our immunity. Photo courtesy of WimHofMethod.com

And what made me think of him in this crazy time is that, in addition to holding over 15 World Records (for his ability to withstand the cold & complete extreme athletic endeavors), is that Wim was once injected with a specific virus: & when scientists witnessed what the virus did to his blood, they were astounded: because his blood absolutely REPELLED it.  The virus could not exist in such a well-oxygenated, alkaline, & inflammation-free environment as his blood.

So, in this unprecedented time, I suggest giving this breathing technique a try.  It consists of 30 rounds of taking deep breaths, & the key is: you INHALE more than you EXHALE.  Why??  To bring more oxygen into your system, & into your cells.  At the end of that 30 rounds of breathing (which takes about two minutes): you hold your breath for about 15 seconds, & then let go.  That’s it. 

Simply by doing this, you’ll feel more AWAKE, more ALIVE, & more PRESENT: no caffeine necessary.  Give it a try.

In the video below, with Russell Brand, scroll ahead to the 51-minute mark, where Wim Hof takes Russell through an entire sequence of this breathing, while explaining its benefits.  The whole interview is also well-worth a listen, for better explanation of the Wim Hof Method.

Another way to do the breathing is to simply download the Wim Hof App, & have it on your phone at all times: this is what my friend Amanda & I are doing right now, & we check-in with each other when we complete our breathing.  The app tracks how many “sessions” you do each day, & it records the length of time you’re able to hold your breath.

Using Wim Hof Breath for Maximum Immunity

There are three main reasons why I think Wim Hof breathing is so valuable during this time:

1. It enhances the capacity of your lungs (which are heavily impacted by any respiratory illness), & builds your overall immunity by richly oxygenating your blood;
2.  Healthy, well-oxygenated cells are able to combat viruses far better than unhealthy cells, as has been scientifically-proven; &
3. Like a good yoga class, deep breathing calms the mind & body ~ which we can frankly all benefit from right now, vs. being in a perpetual state of anxiety & uncertainty. 

For more information & answers to FAQ about the Wim Hof Method, visit his official website.  

xoxo Noelia

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