Saylor Storm

The Buteyko breathing method was developed by Russian physiologist Dr. Konstanin Buteyko in the 1950’s. Dr. Buteyko observed that newborn infants breathe very gently while the elderly with health conditions frequently gasp for air. Dr. Buteyko spent his life improving the health of his patients by implementing his own breathing normalization techniques based on yoga breathing.

The breathing technique involves exercises that combine nasal-breathing, breath-holding and relaxation.   A baseline evaluation is performed by comfortably holding one’s breath and counting the seconds until a need for breath arises. A count of 40 or higher is optimal for overall health and the lower the number the greater the risk for serious health conditions. These numbers are easily increased by implementing Buteyko breathing exercises.

Buteyko breathing increases carbon dioxide levels which are necessary for optimal oxygen delivery to the cells. As a whole we tend to over-breathe thus lower our carbon dioxide levels.

Improving carbon dioxide levels has been shown to improve health conditions such as:

• Asthma
• Diabetes
• Reproductive disorders
• Psychological disorders
• Anxiety
• Panic Attacks
• Sleep disorders
• High blood pressure
• Stress
• Weakened immune system
• COPD
• Weight gain
• Emphysema
• Sleep apnea
• Hay fever
• Migraine
• Atrial Fibrillation

We’ve all been told to breathe deeply and according to Dr. Buteyko this is incorrect and can lead to serious health decline. Though mostly known for his work with asthmatics, by implementing Dr. Buteyko’s technique (through a coach, book or watching videos) nearly all areas of health can be improved.

To learn more, what the short video below:

Rabbit Hole #16

Biofield Tuning

Biofield tuning is a sound healing modality that helps relieve mental, emotional and physical stress. It is a targeting therapeutic system of the body using tuning forks. Biofield tuning provides targeting nervous system relaxation and alleviates a wide variety of health issues. It taps into the energy field that surrounds and permeates our bodies where memories are held.

In addition to relieving physical symptoms, biofield tuning is an excellent modality for clearing past emotional trauma. The tuning forks allow a shift of past emotions to occur and the results can be immediate and profound. Clients claim the practice is more effective than extensive psychotherapy.

A client lies on the table while the practitioner listens for changes in the client’s energy field, scans the body for resistance, then holds a fork in that area to clear the memory.

Benefits include:

• More Energy
• Greater well being
• Reduced pain
• Improved circulation
• Increased Energy
• Reduced damage from stress
• Reduced “stuck-ness”
• Remove energy blocks
• Improved sleep
• Improved quality of life

A specific tuning fork called a “sonic-slider” which is rubbed directly on the skin can include these benefits:

• Weight loss
• Increased muscle tone
• Smoother skin
• Reduced cellulite

To learn more about the fascinating world of biofield tuning, take a look at the video by below by the founder of biofield tuning, Eileen McKusick:

Ganoderma lucidem (also known as reishi, the king of mushrooms, and the mushroom of immortality) is a fungus mostly from Hemlock trees that dates back as far as 2,000 years in Asia for its medicinal uses.

Ganoderma boasts an impressive list of health benefits that include:

• Boosting the immune system
• Fighting infections
• Fighting cancer cells
• Reducing stress
• Reducing high blood pressure
• Reducing cholesterol
• Reducing cardiovascular disease
• Improving liver function
• Improving kidney function
• Improving respiratory function
• Fighting viral infections
• Improving HIV/AIDS symptoms
• Reducing pain during shingles outbreaks
• Building strength
• Building stamina
• Fighting fatigue
• Improving gut health
• Supporting sleep cycles
• Supporting brain health
• Fighting allergies

Reishi can be purchased in many forms such as tea, tinctures, capsules, coffee, hot cocoa, beauty products and energy bars. Due to its bitter taste, eating the mushroom directly is not recommended but is pleasant tasting in the coffee and hot cocoa forms.

These are my personal favorite forms of reishi:

https://amzn.to/35lOS8j

https://amzn.to/3ma0lyF

(Affiliate links)

To learn more about the king of mushrooms, check out the video below by Learn Your Land:

Black elderberry is a variety of the Sambucus tree that originally came from Mexico and grows to nearly 30 feet with clusters of white flowers. It can be purchased in the form of syrup, gummies, lollipops, lozenges, and capsules.

A study of 184 people found that 3-4 doses of syrup daily reduced flu and cold symptoms by 98% in both severity and duration. Its high level of flavonoid compounds offers antioxidant protection of cells making it advantageous for immune support.

Black elderberry benefits include:

• High in vitamin C
• High in fiber
• High in flavonols
• High in anthocyanins (twice more that blueberries)
• Helps fight cancer
• Helps fight harmful bacteria
• Supports immune system
• Protects against UV radiation
• Increases urination
• Contains antidepressant properties
• Used to treat HIV
• Improves gum inflammation
• Helps with weight loss
• Improves sinus pain
• Improves upper respiratory symptoms

Fresh black elderberries can be highly toxic and should be avoided. I prefer the capsules below:

Affiliate link: https://amzn.to/3lujKdd

To learn more, watch the video below by Out of the Doldrums:

Resistant starch is starch that is resistant to digestion and functions like a soluble, fermentable fiber. The starch goes through the small intestine undigested and reaches the colon where it feeds the friendly gut bacteria. Resistant starch improves both the type of friendly bacteria in the gut as well as the number of friendly bacteria.

Resistant starch has many health benefits including:

• Improved insulin sensitivity
• Lower blood sugar levels
• Reduced appetite
• Improved digestion
• Stimulate blood flow to the colon
• Improve absorption of minerals
• Inhibit growth of pathogenic bacteria
• Prevent absorption of carcinogenic compounds
• Improves blood fats
• Improve hydration
• Improve immunity
• Help heal a leaky gut

There are four different types of resistant starch:

• Grains, seeds and legumes
• Raw potatoes and green bananas
• Starchy food like rice and potatoes that are cooked then cooled
• Man-made via chemical process

In the gut, the resistant starch forms short-chain fatty acids, mostly butyrate, which is the preferred fuel of the cells that line the colon. Resistant starch can improve digestive disorders such as ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease. It can reduce the PH level in gut, which can lower inflammation leading to a lower the risk of colon cancer.

Twenty grams a day of resistant starch is considered optimal. Most people find it easiest to drink potato starch to include the full amount to their diet. Here’s an affiliate link to Bob’s Potato Starch on Amazon:

https://amzn.to/33oP5rN

To learn more about resistant starch, check out the video below by Dr Becky Gillaspy:

The Tabata method is a form of HIIT (high intensity interval training) exercise training developed by Japanese scientist, Dr. Izumi Tabata, at the National Institute of Fitness and Sports in Tokyo.

In the 1990’s Dr. Tabata conducted research on 2 groups of athletes. The first group was asked to exercise moderately for 1 hour a day, 5 days a week, for 6 weeks. The second group was instructed to exercise for 4 minutes a day (20 seconds at high intensity with 10 seconds of rest for 8 rounds), 4 days a week, for 6 weeks.

At the end of the study Tabata and his team found that the first group had improved their cardiovascular capacity but not their anaerobic fitness. The second group had improved their cardiovascular system more than the first group (by 14%) plus they had increased their anaerobic fitness by 28%.

Benefits of Tabata training include:

• Time saver
• Fat burner
• Increased metabolism long after exercise
• Builds muscle (unlike endurance exercise which can tear muscle down)
• No equipment needed
• Burns 13 calories per minute

Cons of Tabata training include:

• Not for beginners
• Uncomfortable due to intensity
• High impact – risk of injury
• Monotonous

Tabata training can be done in a class or at home with no special equipment. Training can incorporate a wide range of exercises from pushups, squats, and, burpess to kettlebell swings, single barbell exercises, and cycling. A typical workout would include 4 sets of exercises done at 4 minutes for each set. For example; 1 set of pushups for 4 minutes (20 seconds on with a 10 second rest), 1 set of squats for 4 minutes, 1 set of burpees for 4 minutes, and 1 set of mountain climbers for 4 minutes. The total workout time is under 20 minutes and should not be repeated more than twice a week.

There are numerous Tabata videos on YouTube with specific Tabata music for timing and inspiration such as the one below:

In 1987, David Kibbe, a New York based image professional published a book called, Metamorphasis, which illustrates his own body typing system. Kibbe’s book is detailed and comprehensive, breaking the body types into 5 main categories:

  -Dramatic (yin)

  -Natural

  -Classic

  -Gamine

  -Romantic (yang)

Kibbe’s typing is broken down by bone structure, basically starting with yin lines (rounded, soft, curvy, feminine), and at the opposite end is yang (sharp, angular, masculine, and prominent features). Think Marilyn Monroe as the yin, rounded type and model, Tilda Swinton, on the opposite end of the spectrum as the yang or sharp type.

All other body types fall somewhere in between the two extremes of yin and yang. Between the dramatic and romantic types there are mixtures of types; classic, which is an even balance of the two, not too rounded and not too sharp. Think grace Kelly on this one. Then there’s the gamine, which is also a mixture of round and sharp, but containing both sharp and rounded lines, not a blend of the two mixed together. Halle Berry is an example of a gamine. Lastly, there is the natural body type, which falls between the classic and dramatic types, having very few yin features. Blake lively is a good example of a natural type.

Kibbe breaks each of the 5 types further ending with 13 sub-types as follows:

• Dramatic
• Soft Dramatic
• Natural
• Flamboyant Natural
• Soft Natural
• Classic
• Dramatic Classic
• Soft Classic
• Gamine
• Flamboyant Gamine
• Soft Gamine
• Romantic
• Theatrical Romantic

Each of the basic five types are broken down into softer or more angular versions of that type.

This may all seem confusing and overwhelming but there are tests online you can take to determine your type as well as a ton of information on the Internet. Kibbe takes into account your overall bone structure, face structure, the shape of your hands, the length of your limbs, etc. Your body type will not change with age or with weight gain and the guidelines will work for men as well as women. Kibbe’s goal is not to change or bring balance to your body type but rather to work with your natural body lines. By wearing the correct clothing, jewelry, and hair for your body type you will look your best. Imagine Grace Kelly with long, tousled hair and loosely fitting bohemian style clothing, it just doesn’t work with her classic body type.

For a comprehensive guide to the Kibbe body types, click here:

For further information, check out this video by Aly Art:

The evidence of beetroot dates back to Neolithic civilizations in both Egypt and the Netherlands. Ancient Greeks cultivated beetroot in 300 B.C. and only ate the leaves; they used it for both binding and dressing wounds. They ate it for a longer life and considered it to be worth its weight in silver. The Romans used it as a laxative and to cure a fever.

Beetroot powder is loaded with nutrients, including:

• Protein
• Fiber
• Vitamin C
• Vitamin B6
• Folate
• Magnesium
• Potassium
• Manganese
• Iron

Beetroot powder is high in nitrates and coverts to nitric oxide in the body. Its many health benefits include:

• Protects cells from damage.
• Relaxes blood vessels.
• Improves circulation.
• Decreases blood pressure.
• Strengthens the heart.
• Increases endurance.
• Helps you to power through high-intensity workouts.
• Reduces recovery time.
• Boosts brain health.
• Fights inflammation.
• Supports liver health.
• Encourages weight loss.
• Helps erectile dysfunction (by increasing nitric oxide just as Viagra does).

Below is a link to my favorite beetroot powder. One word of caution; do not be alarmed by any pink or red-hued urine or feces after consuming the powder.

https://amzn.to/2Z1VXse

If you are interested in learning more, check out the video below:

The flower, hibiscus sabdariffa, was domesticated in Sudan or West Africa nearly 6,000 years ago and was used primarily as a beverage or food. In ancient Egypt hibiscus tea was used as a beverage to cool off pharaohs in the desert heat. Today hibiscus tea is known around the world for its many health benefits.

Hibiscus tea health benefits include:

• Lowering blood pressure.
• Improving insulin sensitivity.
• Lowering blood fat levels.
• Protecting the liver.
• Fighting bacteria.
• Reducing cancer risk.
• Aiding in weight loss.
• Reducing inflammation.
• Improving digestion.
• Reducing anxiety and depression.
• Reducing the risk of catching a cold or flu.

Hibiscus tea is loaded with vitamin C, antioxidants, flavonoids, carotene, anthocyanins (which gives it its deep, red color), niacin, calcium, iron, and ascorbic acid. The tea is caffeine-free, has a pleasant taste, and is easily consumed hot or cold.

Here’s a link to my favorite hibiscus tea: https://amzn.to/32NXWl6

To learn more, check out the video with Dr. Paul Haider below:

Skin brushing has been around or thousands of years dating back to the ancient Egyptians, Greeks, Romans, Chinese, Russians, Turks, and Scandinavians. Its many health and beauty benefits are widely known in Ayurvic medicine.

Skin or body brushing benefits include:

• Reduces appearance of cellulite.
• Eliminates dead skin.
• Enhances blood circulation.
• Stimulates oil glands.
• Enhances cleansing of the lymphatic system.
• Promotes even fat distribution.
• Rejuvenates the nervous system.
• Enhances digestion function.
• Enhances kidney function.
• Allows for better absorption of products.

Dry brushing should never scratch or harm the skin. Natural bristle brushes are best, pressing firmly and gently over the skin in long strokes toward the heart. Once a day to once a week is recommended on dry skin just before showering or bathing.

This type of brush id perfect for skin brushing: https://amzn.to/3lIG57R

To know more, watch the video below: