I’ve been researching breathing and health.  My July newsletter covered this topic from a macro perspective.  One specific area that surprised me was the ‘breathing volume and oxygen uptake efficiency’ test.  I have always been very healthy throughout my entire life.  I’m on no prescription medicines and have not been except for specific treatments of a temporary nature.  I’ve lifted weights and run for decades – not to be competitive, but for appearance, flexibility, strength, endurance, improved health, improved immunity, etc.

A couple of years ago I changed my running regime from slow, long distance jogging to explosive sprints – run as hard as I can for as long as I can – then recover and do it over and over again.  I believe it is a very good exercise for my heart, and it gives me a little more time for other things during the day.  As a runner, I know that speed and endurance is directly related to the ability to use the oxygen you breathe in as efficiently as possible.  I took the following test (along with many others) to assess my level of performance compared to the norm.  I was surprised with my results – they were not what I had expected.

There are four ways to eliminate waste from your body – defecation, urination, perspiration and breathing.  Breathing accounts for over 70% of the waste elimination process.  I do breathing exercises daily, but I now realize that I need to more and to do different ones to gain improved efficiency in my oxygen uptake and efficiency.  Please take the following test and see how well you compare to the rest of the world.

You can perform this test lying down, sitting in a chair or standing.  I recommend standing.  Stand with your legs at shoulder width apart and with a very slight bend to your knees – don’t stand stiff legged.  Inhale as much air as you can and count aloud as fast as you can as you exhale.  It should be loud enough to be heard and understood – imagine an auctioneer whispering.  Count until you can’t count any more – use every cubic centimeter of oxygen you have in your lungs.  Bend over if you have to to extract that last little bit of air.  You can do this several times to see how high a number you can reach.  In the past week I have been able to almost double the number I achieved in my initial test.

Do not start counting until you start your exhalation process.  Don’t skip and numbers.  Don’t hold your breath as you are counting – let it come out slowly.  Don’t whisper.  If you reach 100, then start over at one.  Ensure you include the entire number – forty, forty-one, forty-two, forty-three, etc.

The worst recorded test value has been four and the best is 310, yes, 310 – I shook my head at that number also.  If you are above 90, then you are OK, but should continue to improve.  Here is the statistical breakdown of the test results from thousands of test takers.  59 and below (47% of takers) is rated as POOR.  60-89 (35% of takers) is rated as FAIR.  90-109 (10%) is rated as GOOD.  110-149 (5%) is rated as very good.  Above 150 (2%) is rated as excellent.

There is a direct correlation between the numbers you counted and you overall health.  The lower your test score, the higher the likelihood that you have a disease (that you might not know about) or can easily catch a disease.  The histories of the test takers have shown those with the lowest numbers have the highest number of health issues.  Those with ‘excellent’ numbers rarely encounter a disease.  Oxygen is used by your body to kill germs, viruses, yeast, and fungi; to increase vitality; to improve sleep, to heal wounds, to calm your nervous system, to enhance your body’s waste elimination system, etc.

Longevity is dependent on your breathing volume.  It can be measured scientifically by measuring the amount of air you can expel in one second.  The more volume you process in you lungs in one breath indicates a higher efficiency of oxygen uptake and absorption.  Oxygen uptake is somewhat counterintuitive.  Some would think it is the amount of oxygen you retain when you hold your breath.  However, it is really measured during the exhalation phase of your breathing – that is why the higher you can count indicates higher oxygen uptake efficiency.

Choices have consequences.  Your Prosperity Professor, Red O’Laughlin