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 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 twenty-five thousand 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.
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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.
provides a strong foundation without a rugged roof
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Read/listen to this book, you won’t regret the important information, even if you’re fine with your breathing, maybe you can notice someone mouth breathing and point them to this book.
What a great book.
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good book
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Standing Ovation!!
James Nestor I sing your praises regularly, THANK YOUU!!!
Exceptional
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You even get many guided techniques for you to follow along with and practice, included at the end of the audiobook version for free.
Wow. Incredible how much I learned
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