Students, below is the info we covered in class today. Practice the breathing exercises you have learned in class and make sure to NASAL BREATHE at all times or as much as possible!
Shutting your mouth may just save your life.
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While you can breathe through your mouth, doing so bypasses the innate immune system benefits of nasal breathing. Your body has some pretty cool design features that go towards protecting you from viruses.
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1️⃣ Mucus and Cilia in the nasal cavities. These help trap inhaled pathogens and help to kill those germs or isolate them.
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2️⃣ Nitric Oxide produced in your nasal cavities and paranasal sinuses is a potent antifungal, antiviral and antibacterial agent.
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3️⃣ Whenever you inhale bacteria via your nose, exosomes, or tiny fluid-filled sacs, are immediately secreted from cells which directly attack the bacteria and also shuttle protective antimicrobial proteins from the front of the nose to the back along the airway, protecting other cells against the bacteria before it gets too far into the body (link in bio to a 2018 study on this).
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Mouth breathing has none of these features. So, as well as washing your hands and avoiding touching your face, try breathing through your nose to help protect yourself from viruses.
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