Biohack/Jedi Training: Grounding

Something as simple as standing on the ground with barefeet can improve your health and recovery. Another way to tap into free electrons that nature provides. The benefits are growing as more studies come along, among the benefits:

•  improves blood viscosity,
•  heart rate variability,
•  inflammation,
•  cortisol dynamics,
•  sleep,
•  autonomic nervous system (ANS) balance, 
• reduces effects of stress. 
• Practice as often as you can during day, preferably while harvesting sunlight.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

Biohack/ Jedi Training: Breathing

Most humans do not how to breath, much less know that mastering breathing is mastering the mind. Pretty important to say the least. Breath and emotional state are permanently linked, all of know this but fail to put it into practice. Everybody knows to tell a panicking or angry person to take deep breaths. Slow deep breaths and high stress are incompatible.
     Breathing is partially involuntary, so most everyone gets lazy. We have enough to do and think about. Take a deep breath, if your chest rises you are an inefficient breather. At rest, air needs to get down into the belly, so on the inhale your abs expand like a balloon. If not your shortchanging yourselves on oxygen intake and recovery. So the first goal is this:

LEARN TO BREATH

We all have 3 areas of the lung we can utilize for oxygen intake and most of us use only 2.

1. clavicular area around throat- for short shallow breathing like during intense exercise
2. chest area behind ribcage- where most of us breath at the moment. Seen in the rising and falling of chest.
3. diaphram, abdominal- where the most air can be held. Seen as expansion and contraction of belly

The first exercise is be still and take 6 deep breaths focusing on ballooning abs on the inhale and exhaling by drawing abs in towards spine. Minimal effort should be used. This should be done whenever remembered.

ENERGY: When fatigued or exercising (while not moving) more effort is used to take deeper breaths and exhale powerfully contracting the abs. Start with a couple if you cannot handle 6 and work your up in number and power. Quick way to recover between sets or performance time and helps drowsiness, especially if done in sunlight with maximum skin exposed.

RELAXATION: When winding down, cooling down or stressed do same technique but with almost no effort. The Exhalation actually requires no effort, it is lungs returning to deflated shape like a balloon. The transition between the inhale and exhale is important, it should be natural, effortless and smooth. Not abrupt starting and stopping.

WHENEVER: take a few deep breaths with abdomen and throughout day when you can remember. There's really no excuse to not perform one of following techniques daily.  

6 breaths first week or until mastered then add two per week.

Here is what to expect:
1. The true detoxifier_ You hear a lot about toxins, cleanses and fasts. The true detoxifier is the exhalation. 70% of toxin release is through the lungs. Deep breathing increases the efficiency. 
    Oxygens true purpose

2. Specific breathing patterns correlate absolutely with certain emotions. This is common knowledge, we all know this. Yet think about what this implies for a minute. Slow deep breathing through the abdomen and fear, anger and panic will never coincide. You control breathing, you control your emotions. You control emotions and you control stress levels. You control stress levels your winning the game of life. You show others how to do it and your on the road to sainthood.    
Think how your body feels when you are tense, angry, scared or stressed. It constricts. Your muscles get tight and your breathing becomes shallow. When your breathing is shallow you are not getting the amount of oxygen that your body needs.

All this talk about acidic and alkaline diets, the body has two ways of reducing acid. Peeing and breathing. It is a lot more convenient and easier on the kidneys to use the lungs as primary source. Also this chart should be a slap in the face for most people. 

Minute ventilation rates (chronic diseases)

Condition	Minute  ventilation	Number of  people	All references or  click below for abstracts
Normal breathing	6 L/min	-	Medical textbooks
Healthy Subjects	6-7 L/min	>400	Results of 14 studies
Heart disease	15 (+-4) L/min	22	Dimopoulou et al, 2001
Heart disease	16 (+-2) L/min	11

                         

Heart disease	12 (+-3) L/min	132	Fanfulla et al, 1998
Heart disease	15 (+-4) L/min	55	Clark et al, 1997
Heart disease	13 (+-4) L/min	15	Banning et al, 1995
Heart disease	15 (+-4) L/min	88	Clark et al, 1995
Heart disease	14 (+-2) L/min	30	Buller et al, 1990
Heart disease	16 (+-6) L/min	20	Elborn et al, 1990
Pulm hypertension	12 (+-2) L/min	11	D'Alonzo et al, 1987
Cancer	12 (+-2) L/min	40	Travers et al, 2008
Diabetes	12-17 L/min	26	Bottini et al, 2003
Diabetes	15 (+-2) L/min	45	Tantucci et al, 2001
Diabetes	12 (+-2) L/min	8	Mancini et al, 1999
Diabetes	10-20 L/min	28	Tantucci et al, 1997
Diabetes	13 (+-2) L/min	20	Tantucci et al, 1996
Asthma	13 (+-2) L/min	16	Chalupa et al, 2004
Asthma	15 L/min	8	Johnson et al, 1995
Asthma	14 (+-6) L/min	39	Bowler et al, 1998
Asthma	13 (+-4) L/min	17	Kassabian et al, 1982

Asthma	12 L/min	101	McFadden, Lyons, 1968
COPD	14 (+-2) L/min	12	Palange et al, 2001
COPD	12 (+-2) L/min	10	Sinderby et al, 2001
COPD	14 L/min	3	Stulbarg et al, 2001
Sleep apnea	15 (+-3) L/min	20	Radwan et al, 2001
Liver cirrhosis	11-18 L/min	24	Epstein et al, 1998
Hyperthyroidism	15 (+-1) L/min	42	Kahaly, 1998
Cystic fibrosis	15 L/min	15	Fauroux et al, 2006
Cystic fibrosis	10 L/min	11	Browning et al, 1990
Cystic fibrosis*	10 L/min	10	Ward et al, 1999
CF and diabetes*	10 L/min	7	Ward et al, 1999
Cystic fibrosis	16 L/min	7	Dodd et al, 2006
Cystic fibrosis	18 L/min	9	McKone et al, 2005
Cystic fibrosis*	13 (+-2) L/min	10	Bell et al, 1996
Cystic fibrosis	11-14 L/min	6	Tepper et al, 1983
Epilepsy	13 L/min	12	Esquivel et al, 1991
CHV	13 (+-2) L/min	134	Han et al, 1997
Panic disorder	12 (+-5) L/min	12	Pain et al, 1991
Bipolar disorder	11 (+-2) L/min	16	MacKinnon et al, 2007
Dystrophia myotonica	16 (+-4) L/min	12	Clague et al, 1994

Breathing Relaxes the Mind/Body and Brings Clarity


 Breathing Relieves Emotional Problems
Breathing will help clear uneasy feelings out of your body. 
Breathing Relieves Pain. 
Breathing Massages Your Organs

 Breathing  for Muscle function
Breathing Strengthens the Immune System
Breathing Improves Posture
Breathing Improves Quality and ph of the Blood 
Breathing Increases Digestion and
Assimilation of food
Breathing Improves the Nervous System
Breathing Strengthen the Lungs
Proper Breathing makes the Heart Stronger. 
Proper Breathing assists in Weight Control.

Breathing Boosts Energy levels and Improves Stamina

Breathing Improves Cellular Regeneration

Breathing Elevates Moods

Update Sept. 1, 2016
Since I have started this, many of its benefits have been proven over and over. Not only should this be a daily habit, it should be taught in schools. The benefits might be the cure for for many ailments physical and mental.
I can now take 12 deep full fast breaths before getting lightheaded, doing before a set in my exercise program or in between. It  provides an energy boost and has helped digestion.
The relaxation technique has been very effective also. The next step is to increase time between breaths and master the abdominal contractions upper/lower and left right.


Some of this info I have gotten from Yoga Pranayama breathing techniques. Along the way I found this document. Written by a yogi, so the prescriptions and benefits of the advanced techniques sound fucking crazy. There is a little truth in every wivestale I say, and besides this is s great read.

I have copied and pasted excerpts. I have added no text, just highlighted important points and names,  left in all of the alleged benefits, which are pretty fucking awesome. Enjoy

                               PRANAYAMA

Regulation of breath or the control of Prana is the stoppage of inhalation and exhalation

‘Svasa’ means inspiratory breath

‘Prasvasa’ is expiratory breath.

Breath is external manifestation of Prana, the vital force.
Breath like electricity, is gross Prana
.
Breath is Sthula, gross. Prana is Sukshma, subtle.
By exercising control over this breathing you can control the subtle Prana inside.

Control of Prana means control of mind. Mind cannot operate without the help of Prana.

The vibrations of Prana only produce thoughts in the mind. It is Prana that moves the mind. It is Prana that sets the mind in motion.

The Prana is related to mind and through mind to will, and through will to the individual soul, and through this to the Supreme Being.

PRANA>>MIND>>WILL>>SOUL>>ALL

If you know how to control the little waves of Prana working through the mind, then the secret of subjugating universal Prana will be known to you.

The Yogi who becomes an expert in the knowledge Of this secret, will have no fear from any power, because he has mastery over all the manifestations of powers in the universe.
What is commonly known as power of personality is nothing more than the natural capacity of a person to  wield his Prana
Prana is the link between the astral and physical body. When the slender thread-link Prana is cut off the astral body separates from the physical body. Death takes place.

 It is Prana that you are breathing rather than the atmospheric air. Inhale slowly and steadily with a concentrated mind. Retain it as long as you can do it comfortably. Then exhale slowly. There should be no strain in any stage of Pranayama.

 Realise the occult inner life-powers which underlie the breath. Become a Yogi and radiate joy, light and power all around you.
The seat of Prana is the heart;
of Apana, the anus;
of Samana, the region of the naval;
of Udana, the throat;
while Vyana is all-pervading.
It moves all over the body
This body of Vayu is 96 digits (6 feet) in length as a standard.
The ordinary length of the air-current, when exhaled is 12 digits (9 inches). In singing, its length becomes 16 digits (1 foot), in eating it comes to 20 digits (15 inches), in sleeping 30 digits (22 1/2 inches), in copulation 36 digits (27 inches) and in doing physical exercise it is much more than that.

By decreasing the natural length of the expirer air-currents (from 9 inches), life is prolonged and by increasing the current, duration of life is decreased.

 The Centering of the Prana Inhaling the Prana from outside, filling the stomach with it, centre the Prana with the mind,
 in the middle of the navel-by centering at the middle of his navel, all diseases are destroyed;
at the tip of the nose By centering this Prana at the tip of the nose he obtains mastery over the elements of the air;
at the toes, by centering at the toes, his body becomes light.

Do this during the ‘Sandhyas’ (sunrise and sunset) or at all times.

 Thus the Yogi is freed from all diseases and fatigues.

He who drinks air through the tongue destroys his fatigue, thirst and many other diseases.
For him who drinks the air with his mouth, during the two Sandhyas and the last two hours of the night, within three months, the auspicious Sarasvati (Goddess of speech) is present in his Vak (speech), i.e., he becomes eloquent and learned. In six months he is free from all diseases. Drawing the air at the root of the tongue, the wise man thus drinking nectar enjoys all prosperity

Having become firm in the posture and having preserved perfect self-control, the Yogi should, in order to clear away the impurities of the Sushumna,
 sit in Padmasana, and
having inhaled the air through the left nostril, should retain it as long as he can
and should exhale through the right.
Then drawing it again through the right and having retained it
, he should exhale it through the left,
 in the order, that he should draw it through the same nostril, by which he exhaled it before and had retained it. To those who practise it according to these rules, through the right and left nostrils, the Nadis become purified within three months.
 He should practise cessation of breath at sunrise, at midday, at sunset and at mid-night, slowly, 80 times a day, for 4 weeks. In the early stage, perspiration is produced; in the middle stage the tremor of the body; and in the last stage, levitation in the air. These results ensue out of the repression of the breath, while sitting in the Padma posture. When perspiration arises with effort, one should rub his body well. By this, the body becomes firm and light. In the early course of practice, food with milk and ghee is excellent.
One, sticking to this rule, becomes firm in his practice and gets no Taapa (burning sensation) in the body. As lions, elephants and tigers are gradually tamed, so also the breath, when rigidly managed, comes under control
. By the contraction of the muscles of the neck and by the contraction of the one below, viz., Apana, the Prana goes into the Sushumna, which is in the middle, from the west Nadi. Sushumna Nadi is between Ida and Pingala. The Prana which alternates ordinarily between Ida and Pingala, is restrained by long Kumbhaka; then along with the soul, its attendant, it will enter the Sushumna, the central Nadi, at one of three places where it yields space for entrance through such restraint of breath, and in the navel, by the Sarasvati Nadi, on the west. After such entry it is that the Yogi becomes dead to the world, being in that state called Samadhi. Drawing up the Apana and forcing down the Prana from the throat, the Yogi free from old age, becomes a youth of sixteen. Through the practice of Pranayama chronic diseases, that defy Allopathic, Homeopathic, Ayurvedic and Unani doctors will be rooted out.
Trataka (Gazing) Gaze steadily without winking with a concentrated mind at any small object, until tears begin to flow. By this practice all diseases of the eye are removed. Unsteadiness of the mind vanishes. Sambhavi Siddhi is obtained. Will-power is developed. Clairvoyance is induced.

 Nauli This is abdominal churning with the help of rectus muscle of the abdomen. Bend the head down. Isolate the rectus muscle and turn it from right to left and from left to right. This removes constipation, increases the digestive fire and destroys all intestinal disorders.

Kapalabhati Do Rechaka and Puraka rapidly like the bellows of a blacksmith. This destroys all the disorders of phlegm. Detailed instructions are given separately.
The Five Essentials Five things are necessary for practising Pranayama. First a good place; second, a suitable time; third, moderate, substantial, light and nutritious food; fourth, patient and persistent practice with zeal, ease and earnestness and lastly the purification of Nadis (Nadi-Suddhi). When the Nadis are purified the aspirant enters the first stage in the practice of Yoga—‘Arambha’. A Pranayama practitioner has a good appetite, good digestion, cheerfulness, courage, strength, vigour, a high standard of vitality and a handsome appearance. The Yogi should take his food at a time when Surya Nadi or Pingala is working, i.e., when the breath flows through the right nostril, because Pingala is heating and digests the food quickly.
Pranayama should not be practised just after taking meals, nor when one is very hungry.
Gradually one should be able to retain the breath for 3 Ghatikas (one hour and a half) at a time.

Through this, the Yogi gets many psychic powers. When anyone wants to stop the breath for a long period, he should remain by the side of a Yogi Guru, who knows the practice of Pranayama thoroughly. The breath can be suspended by graduated practice from one to three minutes without the help of anybody. Suspension for three minutes is quite sufficient for purifying the Nadis and steadying the mind and for the purpose of good health.

The practice of Pranayama should be commenced in Vasanta Ritu (spring) or Sarad Ritu (autumn) because in these seasons success is attained without any difficulty or troubles.

Sagarbha Pranayama is that Pranayama, which is attended with mental Japa of any Mantra, either Gayatri or Om. It is one hundred times more powerful than the Agarbha Pranayama, which is plain and unattended with any Japa. Pranayama Siddhi depends upon the intensity of the efforts of the practitioner. An ardent enthusiastic student, with Parama Utsaha, Sahasa and Dridhata (zeal, cheerfulness and tenacity), can effect Siddhi (perfection) within six months

3 bahndas
The first is called Mula Bandha.
The second is called Uddiyana, and
the third is Jalandhara.
Their nature will be thus described. Apana which has a downward tendency is forced up by contracting and drawing the anus upwards. This process is called Mula Bandha.
When Apana is raised up and reaches the sphere of Agni (fire), then the flame of Agni grows long, being blown about by Vayu. The Agni and Apana come to or commingle with Prana in a heated state. Through this Agni, which is very fiery arises in the body the flaming of fire which rouses the sleeping Kundalini. Then the Kundalini makes a hissing noise, becomes erect like a serpent beaten with a stick and enters into the hole of Brahmanadi (Sushumna). Therefore Yogins should daily practise Mula Bandha

Personal Biohack Day 1

Tomorrow I will string together 30 consecutive days of my suggested hacks
Morning
-water
-eggshells dissolved in apple cider vinegar added to little water, honey, creatine and glutamine
-cold thermogenesis : cold showers and face submersion in ice water.
-high fat breakfast
-sunlight, grounding
-deep breathing technique:(pranayama)
6 deep breaths using abs-chest-throat technique, hold til uncomfortable then release withouth effort
6 breaths using alternating nostril technique
-gaze without blinking with a concentrated mind until tears flow(Trataka)
-churn rectus abdominus (Nauli)
-mindfulness

Evening
No electronics after 830
Total darkness at night
Backward review of day

Biohack/ Jedi Training: Cold Thermogenisis

Be cold! 
Have you seen anyone from a cold climate come to San Diego in the winter? They are easy to spot, usually sporting shorts and tank tops while locals are bundled up. You have probably heard of acclimatization before but do you know what is going on within the cells?  You see nature has a way of providing mitochondrial benefits to those who do not access to regular sunlight. The cold weather actually trains the mitochondria to become more efficient heat generators. Efficient mitochondria are essential for energy production and fat burning. Think of the goosebumps you get as a mitochondrial workout. When the cold no longer bothers you, you have become efficient at heat production, which is energy production which is metabolism, fat burning.  Now imagine practicing this with sunlight harvesting at the same time.
The goal is to work up to ice baths. I admit this technique has been the toughest. This how I eased into it. If I can do it, then anyone can.
- If starting in  Winter or Fall no heater or robe and getting ready in shorts only. This was sufficient to get some shivering and goosebumps going.

-Finish off showers with cold water rinse, when ready next:

-Entire shower taken in cold water, when ready next:

-Submerge face in ice water, this is recommended protocol from Dr. Kruse: The safest way to adapt to is to submerge your face first into water in a sink where you add ice to with a cooking thermometer.  Wait until the water is between 50-55 degrees, and enter face first and see how long you can tolerate it using a time piece.  Record the time.  For the next two weeks work your way up until you need to take a breath for O2.

 If you have taken ice baths before and can handle it, you want to start there. The rest of us will have to work our way there.

What is happening: heat expands and cold contracts. So if cells are smaller, it will take less time for the signals to get to there destination. Making for faster and more efficient reactions.

Cold temperatures and strong electric currents are the only two things in the universe that increase magnetic flux. Increasing the efficiency of signalling and cellular processes. 

It seems brutal at first, but remember: you are not stressing your body, you are stimulating its quantum heat machines (mitochondria)  to work better by releasing heat.  Heat is infrared light.

As of now Sept. 2015, I have been doing the face dunks inconsistently over last couple of months. Energizing for sure, if your feeling a little sluggish or drowsy definitely give it a try. I have worked up to a minute, but then some days you try and do less. Supposedly saturated fats beforehand helps out duration. Clients that have tried so far have all reported positive feedback, whether with aches or pains, or with energy. This is looking to be a "mandatory" technique to use daily, make it a habit.    

https://www.jackkruse.com/the-evolution-of-the-leptin-rx/

Beginners can check also-

http://www.sharpe8020.com/#!Cold-Thermogensis-Immersion-The-Secret/cr77/574608210cf29ab9ec2d62f3