Sinus Health and humming

__________
Instead of whistling a happy tune, try humming.

Researchers at the Karolinska Hospital in Sweden discovered that humming increases ventilation in the paranasal sinus cavities. This is significant because your sinuses are major producers of nitric oxide, which helps dilate capillary beds and increase blood flow. When nitric oxide levels were measured during humming, researchers found that they were 15 times higher than during normal breathing. Even more amazing is the fact that humming dramatically increased the exchange of gas in the nasal
sinuses. During humming, the gas exchange between the nasal passages and the sinuses was 98 percent during just one exhalation, almost a complete exchange. During normal exhalation, without humming, the gas exchange rate was only 4 percent.

Why does this matter? Poor gas exchange and poor circulation in the
sinus cavities promote the perfect environment for bacterial growth and
infections. Based on the results of this study, the researchers feel
that daily breathing exercises involving humming could help reduce the
incidence of sinusitis and upper respiratory infections. (Am J Respir
Crit Care Med 02;166(2):131-2)

When you hum, you feel the vibration along the roof of your mouth and in
your nasal cavity and sinuses. It's amazing that this simple sound
vibration can have such a profound effect on the exchange of gases and
circulation in your upper respiratory tract. This phenomenon undoubtedly
is linked to the increased mental clarity experienced by individuals who
hum mantras during meditation. It could be that humming various sounds for long periods of time would increase blood flow and oxygenation in the
brain.

If you suffer from chronic sinus problems, try humming several times a
day on a regular basis, and see if you don't notice an improvement. In
fact, it appears that a little humming would probably do us all some
good, especially during winter. It beats a flu shot any day of the week.

Great article, Jackie.
I'm printing it out for my Sweet Adeline Chorus. We use humming all the time to warm up our voices. This will encourage more of us to hum more on our own. I certainly plan to use this more myself.
Elaine

Thanx, Jackie...

I've had chronic sinus problems ever since a sports accident 35 years ago left me with a broken lower eye orbit smashed into my maxillary sinus. Think is dark as a black hole on translumination and it doesn't take much to set it "OFF". Then it's down hill from there... bronchitis for a couple months, antibiotics (many of which are no longer useful), yada, yada.

I'll start humming...... ummmmmmmmmmmm, ummmmmmmmmmmmmm. Maybe a tune or two, eh. Thanx.

BTW, I presently have the flu. Yes, it set of a 5 day bout of AF, but is stable now.... I am better than I have been in 6 days, but no where near cured. I guess the 'stress' the flu triggered it. Go figger.

Steve - Oh, that's really too bad about your eye and now this flu and afib.
Take care of yourself and don't push too hard. These are dangerous times.

I and friends use therapeutic essential oils of plants for sinusitis problems; better and more effective than antibiotics and far less dangerous for the system as well. If you are interested in knowing more, just email me privately and I'll share some of the information. These oils are like magic and have been used therapeutically for centuries. Back to basics.

In the meantime, treat yourself kindly and be patient with recovering from the flu.

I'll be sending good, healing thoughts your way. Jackie

Mmmmm. Mmmm. MMm. MMm. MMMMMmmmm. MMMMMmmmm. MMMMMM-------MMmmmmm.

I just hummed silent night.

Thanks, Jackie.

Richard

So I guess there's more to chanting "Ommmmm" than just enlightenment!

Ommmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm


:-)