AIR

Pure fresh air is very important! That means good air with lots of oxygen. Walking in forests and nature is great! Do deep breathing exercises daily, in the morning. Even in winter have windows open a little and air rooms daily. Avoid smoke, chemicals, sprays and aerosols..

AND God said, Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters. And God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament: and it was so. And God called the firmament Heaven, And the evening and the morning were the second day." Genesis 1:6-8

And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul. Gen.2.7

The Most essential element to sustain life is oxygen.

Without food you will die in a few weeks.

Without water you will die in a few days.

Without air you will die in a few minutes.

Blood and cells are dependent upon oxygen.

Fresh air invigorates the vital organs and aids the system in ridding itself of accumulated impurities. Fresh air also brings life to the skin and has a decided influence on the mind. Fresh air contains negative ions which help to immune system fight disease. The lack of fresh air causes specific problems such as fevers, colds, and lung diseases.
"The stomach, liver, lungs and brain are suffering for want of deep, full inspirations of air which would electrify the blood and impart to it a bright, lively color, and which alone can keep it pure, and give tone and vigor to every part of the living machinery." -- Ellen G. White, Testimonies Vol. 2, pp. 67-68
In the morning, step outside and breathe deeply; then expel all the air in your lungs. Repeat this about 3 or 4 times. Have fresh air ventilating in your home day and night. Exercise in the open air will promote good circulation. air is the free blessing of Heaven.
"In the matchless gift of His Son, God has encircled the whole world with an atmosphere of grace as real as the air which circulates around the globe. All who chose to breathe this life-giving atmosphere will live and grow up to the stature of men and women in Christ Jesus." -- Ellen G. White, Steps to Christ, p. 68

The inside of the lung resembles a sponge. All of these tiny pockets (about 300 million) provide over seventy square yards of surface area for the exchange of gases in and out of the blood stream. An adult breathes about 16 times per minute, taking in about one pint of air per breath. This intake adds up to about 2,000 gallons of air per day. During normal breathing this air travels at about 50 miles per hour, but during a sneeze or cough it can reach speeds of 750 miles per hour.

The maximum amount of air a person can inhale and exhale in one breath is called the vital capacity. A good vital capacity is related to a greater life expectancy. Several factors can affect a person's vital capacity: smoking, air pollution, posture, exercise, obesity, and shallow breathing.

For the person who smokes, the dangers are listed on the cigarette packages themselves. Lung cancer, emphysema, and carbon monoxide poisoning are among them. With every puff of smoke the air passageways narrow, making it more difficult to breathe. The cilia are paralyzed, thus preventing them from doing their job of cleansing the lungs. Mucus-clogged and irritated air passageways are ripe for emphysema and bronchitis. Carbon monoxide reduces the oxygen-carrying capacity of the blood. Nicotine constricts the blood vessels, elevates the blood pressure and heart rate, and irritates the heart itself.

In pregnant women these poisons cross the placenta and harm the fetus. Cancer-producing tars blacken the lungs. Marijuana smoke has many of the same health-damaging effects, plus some that are unique. Its active ingredient, THC, stays in the body longer than any other drug. With continued use it builds up in the fatty tissues, especially in the brain and in the testes and ovaries.

Cigarette smoke is also one of the main indoor-air pollutants. Those regularly exposed to second-hand smoke over an extended period of time are put at a significant risk for developing the same diseases and sharing some of the same physical impairments as the smoker. Small children, pregnant and lactating women, the elderly, and these with respiratory or heart diseases are the most vulnerable, and may not even be able to tolerate minimal exposure. These persons are also the ones most likely to be affected by other types of indoor pollution.

Bacteria, molds, fungi, house mites, and other disease-producing organisms have a hard time multiplying in rooms that are kept well-aired and sunned. Make sure your ceiling, walls, and floor are adequately insulated to minimize as much unnecessary heat loss as possible. Energy conservation need not be at the expense of one's health. Also to ensure a supply of fresh air while sleeping in bed, open the windows in another room and keep your bedroom door open. Thus the fresh night air can get in without your being in a draft and getting chilled.

If you live in the city, the early morning hours usually have the cleanest air. It is also a good idea to take advantage of clear days by getting outdoors. The best way to escape air pollution is to live in the country. To give you an idea as to the potential differences in air quality, mid-Pacific ocean air contains about 15,000 particles per cubic inch of air as compared to 5,000,000 in big cities. In summary: "When the air is bad, try not to breathe it."

There is something else that makes fresh air fresh besides oxygen and the absence of pollutants, and that is the type of ionization in the air. Ions are tiny, electrified particles of matter. Fresh air may contain between 2-3 million ions in each breath, which is 5-10 times more than stale air. (Oxygen usually carries a negative charge and carbon dioxide a positive charge.) Aerospace research and experience has suggested that air ionization is in itself a health factor apart from the oxygen content alone.

We do not yet understand how it works, but numerous studies have associated negative ions, specifically negatively ionized oxygen, with several health benefits. These include an increased rate and quality of growth in plants and in animals, dilation of the air passageways and improvement in the cleansing action of the lungs, heart rate, blood pressure, and metabolic rate. Mentally, one can experience a sense of exhilaration, or become more relaxed and mildly tranquilized. Hay fever and asthma symptoms may improve. Tumor growth was slowed in laboratory animals. Rats learned twice as fast. Positively charged air, on the other hand, produced the opposite responses and tends to be associated with headaches, dizziness, nausea, and fatigue.

Negative ions are lost as they adhere to walls, fabric materials, and air-conditioning ducts; tobacco smoke, smog and crowds of people tend to use them up, too. Sunshine, living green trees, and the breakup of water droplets, as occurs around waterfalls and the ocean surf. add negative ions back into the air.

Now that we've cleared the air, there is one more thing to do, and that is to breathe properly. Breathe in and out through the nose as much as possible. The nasal mucosa moisturizes, filters, and warms the air as it is breathed in. As it is breathed out some heat and moisture is returned to the membranes to affect the next breath.

Oxygen is the most crucial element for our survival. We can survive weeks without food, days without water; but only minutes without oxygen. Yet because of shallow breathing habits we can deny ourselves optimal levels of oxygen for better health. Early signs of insufficient oxygen are impaired judgment and memory, dulling of intellect, and a tendency to impatience and irritability.

Many people are forced to stoop or sit for much of the day. This usually makes for poor posture and causes many back problems. Maintaining good posture, taking stretch breaks often, and getting exercise whenever you can will help. Remember when walking, to visualize that string again supporting you from the top of your head and thus avoid walking with your neck thrust forward thus interfering with breathing. After all, even if your nose does get there first, nothing much will be done until the rest of you arrives.

A good aerobic exercise program combined with muscle toning and stretching exercises is necessary for good health besides being an aid to proper breathing and maintaining a strong set of lungs.

Tight clothing around the chest or abdomen makes proper breathing difficult, as does restrictive clothing that does not allow the free movement of the arms above the head. It is better for women to avoid the unhealthful fashion of tight bras and wear a camisole or undershirt instead.

Normal deep breathing aids digestion by massaging the abdominal organs. Blood is assisted in its return to the chest by the negative pressure that is developed with each deep breath. This pressure helps to reduce the chances of congestion headaches, the pooling of blood in the legs, and aids in the digestive process. Deep breathing gets more oxygen into the blood with each breath, allowing the heart to slow down a little.

A good habit is to go outside in the fresh air and take 10~20 slow, deep, abdominal breaths after each meal and just before retiring for the night. And as we enjoy this time of relaxation, we can give thanks to our Creator God "that giveth breath unto the people." Remembering that "He giveth to all life, and breath, and all things." So, "let every thing that hath breath praise the LORD. Praise ye the LORD." Isaiah 42:5; Acts 17:25; Psalm 150:6

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