Health Notes #8

Breathe For Life

Breathing is not done just with our lungs. Every cell in our body must breathe to stay alive. Breathing starts with our lungs but extends to all parts of the body by means of our red blood cells.

Improper breathing results in less oxygen in the lungs and less energy-filled oxygen for transport to the body cells. You will notice with most adults that they have very little movement in the abdominal area while breathing. The chest goes up and down instead. Most adults have forgotten or restricted the normal breathing pattern which they had normally at birth.

How we breathe makes a lot of difference to the quality of life and our zest for living. Shallow and restricted breathing leads to fatigue, exhaustion, anemia, and depression. If you have any of these symptoms, or even if you don't, try breathing using your abdominal muscles more.

Failure to breathe properly robs us in every area of life--memory, creativity, concentration. It also dulls such fine points of mental activity as will power, discernment, and judgment. It also affects our feelings such as pain, anger, and low self-esteem.

Purposely breathe with your abdominal muscles protruding with each inspiration and retracting on exhaling. Take your breaths using your nose and not your mouth. This is important because the nasal membranes warm, filter, and add moisture to the inspired air.

Practice breathing this way until it becomes a habit. It will take concentration, diligence, and perseverance to reverse the patterns established over many years. But the reward is worth the effort.

If you live in the country take advantage of the fresh air. Open the windows and let the outside in. Even in the winter there should be some ventilation. It is better to have cool air with oxygen than warm air that stifles.

Bedroom ventilation is most important. During most of the year its windows should be partially open at night. During the winter, you could have indirect ventilation by opening a window in an adjacent room, such as a bathroom, to avoid a direct draft.

Best of all, get outside and take a vigorous walk, work on a garden, or do some other useful exercise fit for just you.

Apple Bread-Fest

2 Tbs. lemon juice

4 c. sliced or grated apples

4 c. ½" bread cubes

½ c. wheat germ or ground granola

1½ c. apple juice concentrate (12oz.)

½ tsp. salt

1 tsp. vanilla

½ c. toasted peanuts or other nuts

½ c. raisins

1 tsp. coriander (optional)

Slice or grate apples into lemon juice and mix in bowl to coat apples. Add remaining ingredients. Stir together carefully in order not to break bread cubes. Spoon into lightly sprayed 9"X 13" baking dish. Do not pack. Bake at 400^o F. for 30 minutes. You may need to cover during part of the baking depending on your oven. Serve hot with nut or soy milk.

Note: To make ground granola, blend your favorite granola in your blender until fine.

This can be served as a breakfast dish or as a dessert. Try spooning the Lemon Sauce recipe in Health Notes #4 over the top.

Potato Loaf

1 c. bread crumbs

1 T. flour

1 med. chopped onion

2 T. soy sauce

½ c. chopped nuts

½ tsp. garlic pwd.

1 c. raw grated potatoes

Add just enough milk or water to hold together. Flatten mixture in a bread pan or small casserole and serve it as a loaf.

Bake until potatoes are done at 350^o F. You can also shape into burgers, about 1/3 c. size. I use a measuring cup as a scoop. These come apart easily but are very good. Serve with gravy or tomato sauce, if you choose.

Coconut Cream Frosting

1 c. water

¾ c. unsweetened coconut

1 T. cornstarch

¼ tsp. salt

3 T. honey

1 tsp. vanilla

Blend well. Pour into saucepan, and thicken, stirring constantly. Cool and spread on cake, cupcakes, or strawberry shortcake.

• A poor man can be a happy man,

But a happy man is never a poor man.