Breath
The New Science of a Lost Art
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Narrated by:
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James Nestor
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Written by:
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James Nestor
About this listen
A New York Times Best Seller
A Washington Post Notable Nonfiction Book of 2020
Named a Best Book of 2020 by NPR
“A fascinating scientific, cultural, spiritual and evolutionary history of the way humans breathe - and how we’ve all been doing it wrong for a long, long time.” (Elizabeth Gilbert, author of Big Magic and Eat Pray Love)
No matter what you eat, how much you exercise, how skinny or young or wise you are, none of it matters if you’re not breathing properly.
There is nothing more essential to our health and well-being than breathing: Take air in, let it out, repeat 25,000 times a day. Yet, as a species, humans have lost the ability to breathe correctly, with grave consequences. Journalist James Nestor travels the world to figure out what went wrong and how to fix it. The answers aren’t found in pulmonology labs, as we might expect, but in the muddy digs of ancient burial sites, secret Soviet facilities, New Jersey choir schools, and the smoggy streets of São Paulo. Nestor tracks down men and women exploring the hidden science behind ancient breathing practices like Pranayama, Sudarshan Kriya, and Tummo and teams up with pulmonary tinkerers to scientifically test long-held beliefs about how we breathe.
Modern research is showing us that making even slight adjustments to the way we inhale and exhale can jump-start athletic performance; rejuvenate internal organs; halt snoring, asthma, and autoimmune disease; and even straighten scoliotic spines. None of this should be possible, and yet it is. Drawing on thousands of years of medical texts and recent cutting-edge studies in pulmonology, psychology, biochemistry, and human physiology, Breath turns the conventional wisdom of what we thought we knew about our most basic biological function on its head. You will never breathe the same again.
©2020 James Nestor (P)2020 Penguin AudioYou may also enjoy...
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Editorial Review
Breath: The New Science of a Lost Art is James Nestor’s deep dive into how humans breathe and the impact this simple act can have on all aspects of our lives. He goes beyond the simple ins and outs of breath. He looks at everything from pulmonary science and lung capacity tests to ancient breathing techniques to determine where humans have lost our former breathing skills - and attempt to learn how to get them back.
Hailed as one of the best science books of 2020 by NPR, this bestseller is a fascinating listen. Journalist James Nestor brings all his reporting and investigative skills to this intriguing topic for an eye-opening experience that will change how you think about the simple act of breathing. From breathing exercises to lowering blood pressure and what it means to take a deep breath. Nestor uses modern research and honest curiosity to explore the respiratory system. He offers an education on the benefits of oxygen advantage and how learning to become a better breather can improve your life and overall health.
Breath by James Nestor is a natural breath of fresh air. This transformative book teaches us how breathing connects to the brain, the immune system, and the entire way the body functions. Whether you are searching for answers to sleep apnea, general shortness of breath, or health care issues like autoimmune disease, understanding how we breathe - and how to be a better breather - can have life-changing effects. Nestor narrates the book himself, adding his depth of knowledge and genuine curiosity to the experience. His keen interest in popular science and careful style makes for an exciting and informative listen that will change how you think about breathing.
I loved your informative stories! Your own studies and experiences were so relatable! I also loved hearing the hard work others have put in, and being informed of so many amazing studies.
Such a great book once you get through how and why humans lungs and sinuses are the way they are. That part of the science is a little more faith based in my opinion. Thankfully it didnt cheapen my opinion of the writing to much, and I continued on!
The rest of the book was life changing...so helpful for my healing journey! Thank you!
I needed to be honest about the beginning though ,that's what I'd want🥰
Blessings
Tania
wow! thank you!! life changing information!!!
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Excellent information
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Great Read with very interesting science behind it
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not loud enough
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to bring us back to our breath and its healing power.
Shut. Your. Mouth.
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that's it
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Good listen
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A must read!
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Just breath
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Intriguing
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