Well, for the most part running is a free activity. You could run barefoot and naked, but then you might get arrested, unless you have a large property or live on a nudist colony. I digress…

Fall has begun – my favorite season! It is the time when I get back into running because of the cooler weather. I say “get back into” because I haven’t been consistent with running for a couple of months. The hot weather is a good excuse to lay around and do nothing. It’s called the “Dog Days of Summer” for a reason. Actually, it is called that because late July is when Sirius appeared to rise just before the sun. Crazy Greeks!

Some people run to manage their weight, but I run to manage my anxiety. If you have anxiety, but hate running, then find a physical activity that you enjoy. Activity ideas that will not cost you an arm and a leg: swimming, walking, cycling, yoga, jumping, calisthenics, gardening, etc. If you are more extroverted, then find an activity you can do in a group – like basketball. It is important that you enjoy the activity, otherwise you will not keep up with it. It doesn’t have to be super strenuous, but something challenging to you. I am not a fast runner at all, but that doesn’t really matter. I’m not trying to win any competitions. I can be pretty competitive, but generally only compete against myself. My goal is to be faster and run farther than I did a week or month ago. Will exercise completely take your depression or anxiety away? It hasn’t for me, but sure makes it more manageable.

It’s okay if you start with only 5 minutes of activity a day, just get started. Starting is the hardest part, but it gets easier with each day of doing something active. After I was given the ‘all clear’ to exercise after giving birth to our third child, I just walked down the street and back. That was literally all I could do at that moment. Keep in mind, a year before I ran 9 miles. It can be a little embarrassing to start over, but you have to start somewhere. When I started lifting weights, I needed a spotter to help me lift the bar while performing a bench press. Needless to say, I felt like a loser in the gym, but I just kept on. I figured I was judging myself way more than anyone else. At a gym, no one is generally paying attention to you anyways, well, unless you are the type to make loud grunting sounds. Even if someone is sitting and judging you then that is their problem, not yours. Eventually, I added 2.5 pound weights to each side, then 5 pounds and so on.

If you need any sort of motivation to get moving, I recommend David Goggin’s audiobook “Can’t Hurt Me”. Just a disclaimer, there is quite a bit of colorful language and sensitive material. I did see a clean version as well, if you prefer. The story is about persevering in spite of many obstacles life can throw your way.

Another great, inspirational book is called “Facing your Giants” by Max Lucado. He really brings the story of David and Goliath to life and uses it to help you “face your giants”. It is a good book if you are going through more difficult times, and need a higher power to help you through it.

What books inspire you? Let me know in the comments or email me.

If you enjoy running and would like some books on the subject, then I recommend “Born to Run” by Christopher McDougall. He gives practical advice while recounting his adventures with ultra-marathons and running with a tribe in Mexico known for their long distance running. His book actually changed the way I ran, and the shoes I wear while running. Before, on longer runs, over 5 miles, my knees would be really sore and achy. I knew if I kept running I would most likely develop knee issues. At the time, I ran using heavily padded shoes, and would heel strike during runs. I switched to a more basic shoe with very little support, and trained myself to run on the balls of my feet. It would be a very similar run if you had to get to your child quickly outside while barefoot. You would naturally run on the balls of your feet and not strike your heel first. The problem with heavily padded shoes is that it makes it impossible to run on the balls of your feet. Ever since I switched shoes and running style, my knees do not hurt whatsoever. Now you don’t have to switch to Vibram’s five-finger shoes, although some people swear by them. I like a more traditional shoe style, so I have used Merrell’s trail shoes with vibram soles. The Vibram soles are great for muddy obstacles courses and slippery surfaces, such as wet roads.

There are plenty of activities, such as rock-climbing (at a gym), trampoline parks, gym memberships that can get costly. Then lets not forget about equipment, Peloton bikes, MIRROR, tracking devices, etc, etc. If that it was it takes to get someone motivated to stick with a program, then the cost would be worth it in that situation. It’s just not necessary. This year, I will be focusing on activities that will not cost me more to do as I’m trying to avoid unnecessary spending. More to come….

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A search into minimalism will give you loads of tips on decluttering and donating a lot of your stuff. But, that is really only part of the deal. You’ve got to stop adding to the stuff with purchases and other people’s stuff.

I definitely do not consider myself a hoarder by any means, but it seems that my house is filled to the brim. The best solution to that issue is a bigger house, right? Maybe to some, but not for me. Below are my thoughts and opinions on consumption and only that. If you want to get that big house and fill with things that satisfy you, then by all means do so. I don’t consider myself to be an activist. Generally the word “activist” brings to mind someone that wants you to change your ways, but forgot to look into the mirror first.

I had a plan, first I was going to declutter my clothes and then slowly replace it with better quality pieces. In my head I had a certain look I wanted to exude: natural, classic, simple style. If I look like I’m confident and have it together, then it must be reality, right? If I buy new lipstick, new shoes, new anti-aging (insert whatever) then I’ll still be young and sexy. If I buy a new gym membership, new workout clothes, new exercise app then I’ll be slim and fit. If I buy new kitchen gadgets, different food, new meal plans then I’ll lose weight and not always be hungry. The list goes on and on. Maybe this isn’t you, but this sure describes me. I need new stuff to make me new and improved; Amanda 4.0, upgrade contains less complaining and more action. If only it were that easy!

My kids like stuff too, especially my daughter. She recently got a new tablet, but really wants an iPad. I do not allow internet access on her tablet and she has time controls on her tablet. The iPad would be harder to monitor (or at least for me), and maybe that is the whole reason she wants one. My point is I found myself telling her constantly, “You need to appreciate the things that you have instead of always wanting more”. Then this inconvenient thought crept up on me: “Maybe you should take your own damn advice.” You can teach your kids ideals all day long, but if you don’t live by them, how can you expect them to?

Now I’m trying to live by example: No shopping for 1 year. Obviously I’m not going to live in the wild, hunting and foraging for food. I will shop for food and tolietries I need to get on in the world. Although I will limit eating out and only get toiletries I need (you have no idea all the different soaps and shampoos I will waste money on). I will not spend money on clothes, shoes, memberships, apps, makeup, new tech, etc. Not sure if I should include memberships that I already have like audible, Apple Music? For gift purchases for others, and other needs the kids may have, I’ll consult with my husband (the most frugal one of us). Sorry kiddos, Christmas is going to be a little bare this year as I’m the one that overspends each year. Just thought I’d point out that this is completely my idea, no pressure from my husband. The timing I think works out perfectly as we are saving up for a house. The challenge to this will be to find activities that are free and blog about it.

I’m also keeping a notebook of all the things I want to buy, but will not. I already have 20 items on it…..The list will be helpful so I’ll remember what to purchase next year. Kidding! Joking aside, it will be interesting to see what items I still want after the year is up.

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Have you ever caught yourself looking at your phone, maybe Facebook, and you don’t remember when exactly you picked up your phone. It is almost like when you are driving and all of a sudden you think “Where the hell am I?”. I’ll just go on Facebook to check if anyone has commented on the super cute photo of my children I posted, only to realize I’ve spent 30 minutes looking at funny animal videos. You know the dog videos where the dog’s communication is translated for you at the bottom of the screen, “Hey Hooman, gib me bacon”. Facebook knows how to keep my attention, and that’s the point. During my blog I’ll be referring to Facebook often, but you can substitute any addictive social media, gaming apps, etc.

During Lent season, a few years ago, I decided to give up Facebook. At first I had a hard time staying off of it because I would automatically “touch” on Facebook after checking my email or the news. I ended up moving the app so I couldn’t use muscle memory to open it. Then after a while it got easier and easier. I replaced the time I had spent on Facebook with reading, talking to my kids more, or just sitting to contemplate. It was strange, but it felt like a big relief to not know everything about everyone, and everyone’s opinion on everything. Once Easter was over I could get back on, but I almost didn’t want too. After a few days I would check it out, but only for a few minutes. Then after a few weeks of that I was back on it again just like before, mindlessly scrolling through my feed.

Every year since, I take a social media break during Lent and a month in the fall. But, eventually I ended up getting an Instagram account, then YouTube. I refuse to get on Twitter though, I felt I was getting plenty of social media through my other accounts. I came across digital minimalism when I was checking out minimalism on YouTube. Cal Newport’s Ted Talk came up on my feed, see link below.

I checked out his book, “Digital Minimalism: Choosing a focused life in a noisy world“. Although he has never had a social media account, I still thought he had an effective argument on why you should give up your social media. Or at least approach it with intention and forethought. He goes even further than social media, and suggests we need to rebuild our relationship to technology from scratch. He proposes taking a 30 day break from technology and focusing on hobbies and activities that are worthwhile and more fulfilling. Then after the 30 days, you can start bringing in (or don’t bring in) apps/technology that are purposeful in your life. I’m not going to give a full review of the book, but do recommend checking it out.

I didn’t jump on his advice right away, but filed it under “good info for later”. Then a few months ago, I was scrolling through my feed and was just sick of it all of a sudden. My feed was filled with negative posts about COVID-19, left vs right, etc., along with advertisements curated just for me. I’m not against being aware of what’s going on in the world, but if I immerse myself in it and marinate… That is a recipe for anxiety, panic and depression. It felt as if the world was falling apart, but when I looked physically around me, it wasn’t that bad…

That day I decided to delete most of my apps. Yep, I took Facebook completely off my phone. I don’t remember my password so now there was an inconvenient boundary from getting into it. I went further, deleted all my news apps, YouTube, games, Audible, Netflix, shopping apps, etc. Only kept apps for the weather, maps, bible, banking, Kindle and MapMyRun. For the first two weeks of this, I can’t tell you how many times I checked the weather and my checking account. I could give you an hourly update on temperatures, and if anyone fraudulently used my checking account I would know about it immediately. It took awhile for me not to automatically pick up my phone. Did I do the full 30 days? Well I put Audible back on my phone, but only listened to it in my car. After 30 days, I put YouTube back on my phone. At the start my phone probably had about 25 total apps (I’m including settings, app store, camera…everything). I’ve added back 22 apps, but none of that is social media.

Yep, I have been without social media since June 4, and I’m still a functional human being.

Now it’s late August, so what have I done with myself? Apart from spending time with family, I started a blog (this very one you are reading). I’m still using technology, but doing it to create, not to consume. I have found that I enjoy writing and look forward to it during my free time. Maybe I’m not the best at it, but the more I do it, the better I will get.

I do watch YouTube videos and have found that some of the content produced can be helpful or entertaining. You sure can get lost in it like anything else; I try not to look at the recommended feed, only at the channels that I subscribe to. I’ve made a couple of videos as well, but don’t expect to become a big influencer. I do have a fear of public speaking, so I’m hoping that practice in front of a camera will help. Check out my video on digital minimalism below.

Finally, technology isn’t going anywhere, it’s only going to expand and get bigger. But, we don’t have to be helpless bystanders just scrolling through a never-ending feed.

When I told my husband I wanted to try out a Sensory Deprivation Tank at one of the local spas in town, he said “like the movie ‘Altered States'”. In the movie a psycho-pathologist experiments with sensory deprivation using a flotation tank and hallucinogenics. I guess my husband was picturing me taking Ayahuasca or LCD, floating in a tank while returning to a primitive state of consciousness (or going bat-shit crazy). I read the movie was inspired by a real life neuroscientist/psychoanalyst John C. Lilly, who developed the isolation tank. He started using LSD while often floating in isolation. Although the brief history I read about him seems fascinating, I am mostly interested in sensory deprivation to help with my anxiety.

There have been several studies done on sensory deprivation flotation in reducing anxiety and other stress disorders. I had become interested in trying it out after reading researcher Dr. Feinstein was using it in his research on treatments for anxiety disorders. From my experience, when I’m feeling especially anxious, I’m very hyper aware of my body, heartbeat, smells, etc. We live in a sensory overloaded environment, with cars, computers, phones constantly dinging, Facebook feeds enticing us to keep scrolling, news articles with emotionally-charged headlines in order to get our “clicks”. It is really no wonder we are progressively getting more anxious, stressed, and depressed. Is momentary sensory deprivation the answer? As previously mentioned there are studies that have shown a reduction in symptoms. I’d say it is definitely worth looking into!

So how does the sensory deprivation tank work? A tub, not more than a foot deep, is filled with so much Epsom salt that you can float unsupported. At most places you can choose an open float tank or enclosed float tank. In my video, see below, you will see an example of an open float tank. If you do have anxiety or claustrophobia I would recommend the open float tank. From what I’ve seen of the enclosed float tanks there are two types, one with a tall wall structure surrounding it, and another with a “lid” that enclosed the float tank. Once you start your float the lights will turn off, and you can listen (or not listen) to soothing music (spa like music). If you truly want to deprive the senses, then you will not want the music. As you are floating it might take some time to completely relax your body and just “be”. The temperature of the water should be at or close to body temperature. You want as little sensory inputs as possible to get the full effect. Some people say it feels like floating in space. I have never been in space, so I can’t make a judgement call on that.

During my float, it took me awhile to relax my muscles, but it did make me aware that I was holding a lot of tension in my shoulders and neck. I tried to focus on either my breath or my heartbeat. When my thoughts would drift to the menagerie in my head, I would have to bring it back to my breath. I was probably very relaxed for 10-15 minutes, then it was all done. It might be something you have to work at, like meditation, to get the benefits. Before I try it again, I would like to practice meditation daily for a few minutes. I think this will help me to relax quicker during the float session. Watch my video to get my full take on the experience.

Words of caution: when I say there is a lot of salt in this tank, I’m not joking. I read that there is about 6 pounds of Epsom salt per gallon of water. You can imagine what a super saturated salt/water mixture would feel like on any skin wounds (although it would probably be a good cleansing for any wounds), chafed skin areas, eyes and your hair. If you wear contacts bring your lens cleaner, and a case. The place I went to had a shower in the room with the tank, along with shampoo, conditioner and body wash. They also offered me ear plugs to keep the salt out of the ear canals. I didn’t put the plugs in correctly, because I had crunchy, salty ears the next day. If I had rinsed out my ears well, afterwards I wouldn’t have had that issue. I flushed out my ears in the shower which solved the problem. Next time I may skip the plugs and just be sure to thoroughly rinse out my ears.

I have read that a few people might experience hallucinations or psychosis during the float. I did not feel any altered states of consciousness during the float nor did I feel like I could fall asleep. I know not everyone will react the same, so proceed with caution if you feel you are prone to moments of psychosis. It is possible that it could make you feel nauseated or have vertigo; my friend reported she felt very nauseous during her float experience.

Otherwise, enjoy your float! Have you tried out sensory deprivation therapy? If so let me know about it.

When you are expecting, feeling a life growing inside you can be the most wonderful feeling ever. Nothing is more truly amazing then feeling a little one move, hiccup, kick you in the kidneys or under a rib….Yet it can also be an incredibly exciting, scary, anxiety ridden time.

My pregnancies have all progressed with minimal issues and produced healthy babies. For that, I am extremely thankful and count my blessings every day. So how could it be, after delivering a healthy baby into the world, I could be depressed or anxious? The hormone flux that happens after birth is very real. After delivering my third child my doctor mentioned that I should expect to feel a bit weepy. I already knew that for the first two weeks after delivering that I would basically be “out of my mind”. This is what happened after the first two childbirths. It was different with number 3, I found it hard to minimally function. It was all I could do just to take care of the baby. We only had a few visitors at the hospital, but it felt like a big ordeal to keep the illusion of holding it together. These were people that I trusted and cared for, not strangers. Luckily my husband was with me for most of the time as the older children were with their grandparents. For some reason taking care of the baby was easy, but taking care of myself, like going to the bathroom, showering, felt intensely difficult. It didn’t get better when I got home. It felt like a literal weight was on top of me. It was a chore to get out of bed or eat something. Hell, just sitting at the dining room table was an achievement.

This was the time I realized I needed to do something. I talked to my physician’s nurse over the phone and got a prescription for Prozac. I didn’t want to take medications because I was breastfeeding, but I had to do something. From what I researched on the internet, most anti-depressants are relatively safe during breastfeeding. I do prefer to treat my anxiety and/or depression with diet, exercise, meditation (I haven’t been good at this one), etc. But, its kind of hard to exercise when showering drains you of all energy. Granted I just had a baby so being tired and overwhelmed is expected; however, I knew this felt different. I say all this because I think its important to reach out when the blues turns into something dark and bleak. This post is just one of many opinions out there on treating anxiety and depression. Lots of folks want to tell you to exercise at least 30 minutes a day and eat vegetables to ward off the blues. Unfortunately it is not so simple. What are you going to do if you can’t physically get out of bed or want to eat? Sometimes it is necessary to take antidepressants, anti-anxiety or other medications. Don’t let anyone make you feel ashamed for needing medications or therapy!

For me anti-depressants are not a panacea for my anxiety or depression. They really just take the edge off, so I can exercise, eat healthy, meditate, etc. I do hope to taper off my medicine eventually, but I do not feel the need to rush it. For others taking medications will be life-long. This is something that needs to be discussed with one’s physician or mental health professional.

I would love to be able to cure my anxiety/depression. But for now I am always looking to find ways to manage it effectively.

My next adventure will be to check out the sensory deprivation tank! This will either put me on the fast track to a relaxing, meditative state or a full-fledged panic attack. Stay tuned…..

Do you have too many things? Or do you need more and more? Could having too much clutter be effecting your mental health?

The space in which we live should be for the person we are becoming now, not for the person we were in the past

Marie Kondo

I like stuff! I like buying new, shiny, pretty things. I like to shop just to shop. It’s an endorphin rush, shopping can be addicting. I would say I have a mild addiction. I’m not in tons of debt because of shopping, but I have occasionally hidden purchases from my husband. Not that what I was buying needed to be concealed, but that I would buy stuff that I didn’t need for way too much money. If you and your significant other are trying to save money or pay off debt it would be rather annoying if the other was always making frivolous purchases.

Then I came upon a book by Marie Kondo, “The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up”. Now I would not call her a minimalist, but the book got me thinking about the stuff I owned.

During this post I will be focusing on clothes.

The first step was gathering up all my clothes into one pile….

You don’t realize how many clothes you have until you see the clothes mountain you can create on your bed. Yes, there is a bed under there. This picture was from early 2019. Admittedly I have to say decluttering clothes does help alleviate anxious feelings. Although I think having less clutter in general helps with anxiety. When it comes to clothes, downsizing leaves you with fewer choices. It doesn’t take me a full 20 minutes to pick out something to wear. I was able to reduce down to half a closet from a full closet. My husband’s clothes has been invited to hang with mine now.

Since then getting rid of my clutter is still an on-going process. Technically I decluttered, but didn’t do the full Marie Kondo work-up. I got off the wagon so to speak, well life happened and I got pregnant with our 3rd child. I had maternity clothes packed in my trunk to give away when I found out; they were promptly placed back into the closet. I did purchase more maternity clothes, but did so through a secondhand shop. Now that our third child is 7 months I have given away my maternity clothes, but still have nursing tops. I would say even with these life changes I purchased what I actually needed and still maintained a minimized wardrobe.

Now the temptation would be once you decluttered all the clothes that don’t “bring you joy”, would be to replace it with “better” clothes. My problem with clothes is I love something on the hanger or other people, but not so much on me. Then I almost force it to work on me, I’ll tell myself “Well if I lost a couple pounds”, or “this will be great when it snows” (I live in Texas, there is no snow). I really do have to watch my self-talk because I can talk myself into anything. I am my own worst salesman. Now before I buy something I make myself wait a few days. Also, I think about what I actually need before shopping for it. Just being aware of what I own has helped me from shopping mindlessly. And pausing to ask myself why I “need” this item now has helped me recognize when I’m starting to feel anxious, depressed or stressed. There are better (and cheaper) ways to reduce anxiety and stress that are just as effective as shopping.

I have really enjoyed minimizing and will be writing more on this topic. Now to get my kids to minimize their belongings…..

Why am I writing about my adventures to find better health solutions for mental and physical well-being? What are my expectations or intentions?

Have you ever had an anxiety or panic attack? Have you ever felt your heart pounding in your chest so loud that you were sure everyone within earshot could hear it? Or felt sweat pouring down your back? Seen your hands shake or the room start spinning? Couldn’t breathe or felt like you were choking? Felt like you surely were going to pass out and die? More than likely you have felt some or all of the feelings above as anxiety disorder is very common, statistically speaking. There are more than 3 million cases in the United States per year.

Then why is anxiety or even other mental disorders not being discussed more often in the open. No one likes to admit or talk about their anxiety or depression because they are afraid to be seen has weak, crazy, unstable, etc., by others (whom are likely suffering their own mental health issues). It doesn’t help when you share your mental health issues with others only for them to say something to the effect of “can’t you just snap out of it”, or “you can control it, mind over matter”. Maybe you can control it with your mind, but nonetheless this is really an insensitive statement and not helpful at all. Anxiety has to be one of the worst feelings in the world, so if I could willingly snap out of it, I would. It’s a little embarrassing (and expensive) when you bring yourself to the ER only to find out that you are not at death’s door, but having anxiety. It took several years of multiple doctor visits, a MRI scan and neurological evaluation to convince me that I wasn’t suffering from an ailment surely to kill me, but anxiety. Anxiety is no joke, and not something you can snap out of by wishing it away.

Anxiety/depression affects everyone differently, granted the symptoms are generally consistent, but not everyone reacts the same. For me anxiety is a never-ending negative feedback loop. I had a bad panic attack while driving across town, next time I was behind the wheel all I could think about is “I hope I don’t feel like that again”, then – boom, panic attacks. I went from loving to drive to being afraid to drive down a street. At my worst I would panic at stoplights, heavy traffic, highways, bridges, so basically all of driving. I was bordering on becoming severely agoraphobic, never wanting to step out of the door. Now I am able to drive, but still avoid highways, high bridges, and bridges over large bodies of water. This is just one example of how anxiety/panic has effected my life. As you can imagine anxiety has become a major cause of disruption in my life.

I hope blogging or writing about my experiences will not only help me, but maybe help or inspire someone else as well.

Apparently we, modern humans, are breathing all wrong!

I’m not even sure where I first heard the name Wim Hof, but one night I found myself watching him on Joe Rogan’s podcast. As someone who works in medical science I really wanted to dismiss this kooky guy. He seemed a little “out there” for me, but it could have been the language barrier. However, this guy has broken multiple world records for the longest time in ice, highest climb on Mount Everest only wearing shorts and shoes, ran a full marathon in the Arctic circle, again only wearing shorts and shoes. To be clear I do not have aspirations to climb Mount Everest or sit in an ice bath for over a hour. Even so I thought I should be open to his advice. So I started doing the recommended breathing method every morning for the past few weeks. Turns out the breathing method does help train you to increase your carbon dioxide tolerance. My record for breath holding so far is 2 minutes and 25 seconds. Some days seems to be better than others. Why would it be beneficial to increase your tolerance to carbon dioxide? According to Dr. Feinstein (out of Tulsa, Oklahoma) it could help people with anxiety. He believes some people that have panic attacks are more sensitive to carbon dioxide and have a low tolerance for it. I read (listened really) this information in an audio book, “Breath: The New Science of a Lost Art” by James Nestor.

Cold water or ice immersion therapy is also something Wim Hof recommends along with breathing exercises. I have dabbled in the cold showers, but not consistently. The fact that I’m open to cold showers is amazing progress for me. This is coming from someone that loves their hot, hot showers. I usually like the temperature just below point of burning flesh; generally when I get out my skin is red, the walls are crying and the steam is thick. I have not jumped to purchasing the 10 week course because not sure if I’m committed enough for the amount you spend. I will continue to do the basics, and see about doing the 10 week course at a later time. More to come…

From the audio book mentioned above I’ve learned that it is very important to breathe through your nose and not your mouth. When you breathe through the nose the air is warmed, humidified, conditioned and mixed with nitric oxide. Not only do the little hairs in your nose catch bacteria, pollutants, dust, and other particles, but nitric oxide kills the bacteria. Nitric oxide also works as a vasodilator in the body as well. The vasodilation increases oxygen absorption into the body. Basically it’s way more efficient to breathe through your nose. Mouth breathing is meant to be only as an alternate route of breathing during times of illness, laughing, etc. Chronic mouth-breathing can lead to sleep problems, such as snoring and sleep apnea, dental carries, facial deformities, bad breath, fatigue, etc. Well that is a problem for this mouth-breather currently writing this post. So how the heck does one break a decades long habit? During the day you can concentrate on nasal breathing by keeping the mouth shut, but you will need to correct yourself over and over again. What about at night though? You got to tape your mouth shut. When I first told my husband that I will be taping my mouth shut at night, he was incredulous (at least he wasn’t happy about the prospect). I’ve only done this a few nights, and do notice I sleep deeper now. Am I getting a full nights sleep now? I have a 7 month old so short answer “no”. I will continue the practice though.

Since reading about breathing, the practice of “Mewing” has popped up. At first glance you’d think “mewing” would involve making kitty-cat noises, but it’s actually named after the originator of the practice, Dr. Mike Mew. It’s about learning proper tongue posture in the mouth, which is supposed to help open the nasal passages, and redefine the jaw line. You can look on youtube for plenty of videos on how to mew. Some of them are pretty amusing. I’ve had jaw surgery on both bottom and top jaws, so not sure if mewing would help with titanium plates in my jaw. I don’t seem to have much problem placing my tongue at the roof of my mouth; however, just keeping it there and not opening my mouth to breathe will be a hard habit to break.

More to come on breathing and breath-work. I haven’t even scratched the surface, there are plenty of breathing methods out there, such as holotropic breathwork and more.