BREATHE

The lungs expand to pull in oxygen and contract to release carbon dioxide. Carbon dioxide is the main exhaled metabolic waste product. About seven gallons of carbon dioxide is exhaled every day. Carbon dioxide produces the bubbles in soda pop. The next time you drink something carbonated remember that the body considers carbon dioxide a waste product. We do not often breathe as deeply as we should to maximize energy-giving oxygen in the tissues. It is helpful to consciously breathe as deeply as possible. Expand the  abdomen visibly on the inhale and push the breath out a little farther than usual on the exhale to remove more carbon dioxide. Set aside time to breathe this way or do it whenever you think of it. After a while, deeper breathing will become habitual. Deep breathing also massages the lymph collection points in the chest along with the nearby organs towards the chest, promoting better functioning.