19 October 2023 , 09:08
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Doctor Michael Mosley is an expert on all things intermittent fasting and weight loss, but in his popular podcast Just One Thing with Michael Mosley, he also discusses other simple tips to improve your general health and wellbeing.
In a recent episode, Dr Mosley, who invented the Fast 800 diet and popularised the 5:2 diet, spoke to Professor Jon Lundberg from the Karolinska Institute in Sweden, and it turns out we've all been breathing wrong. Breathing is second nature, but it turns out the way we do it can help significantly improve our health.
When it comes to breathing, some people inhale and exhale through their mouths, while others primarily use their nose - but it turns out one way is better than the other. In his podcast, Dr Mosley explained that breathing through your mouth can increase oxygen uptake, keep gums healthy, help fight off infection, and even enhance memory.
He explained: "You might be wondering how can it possibly matter whether you're breathing in through your nose or, like many people, through your mouth. How can it benefit your health? I have to admit, my producer and I were really sceptical at first, but the science behind it is surprising and very clear. Breathing through your nose really can improve your lung function, your blood vessels, and even your spacial awareness - and it can protect you against disease."
Some people find it hard to breathe through their noses due to things like chronic allergies or infections, but according to Dr Mosley, if "there's nothing wrong with your nose, switching to nose breathing could be one of the simplest things you can do to improve your health and well-being". Explaining why, he went on to say: "First off, breathing through your nose keeps your mouth healthier. Chronic mouth breathing can reduce the amount of saliva you produce, making your mouth drier and increasing the risk of things like tooth decay and inflamed gums.
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"Nose breathing could also give your brain a boost. In a recent study, 22 volunteers were given a memory test while they were in a brain scanner. When they were breathing through their noses, they performed better, and the scans revealed their brains were working more efficiently than when they were mouth breathing."
Breathing through your nose can also help fight infection. Dr Mosley spoke to Dr Lundberg, who first discovered that your nasal cavities produce nitric oxide. He explained: "Nitric oxide [NO] is generated in our bodies and with a main function of regulating cardiovascular function. So it dilates blood vessels makes the blood flow easier and it also reduces blood pressure in very, very high concentrations. Nitric oxide is a part of the immune system and it can actually help to kill bacteria and viruses."
According to Dr Lundberg, producing more nitric acid "benefits us in at least two ways". He continued: "First, we have a local production of NO in the nose and in the paranasal sinuses. So locally, we have super high levels of NO there, which I think help to sterilise the sinuses. If you read a textbook of medicine you will find that nasal sinuses are sterile, there are no bacteria there normally, whereas in the nose, the nose is packed with bacteria even in healthy subjects.
"The second thing we think is happening, which is even more intriguing, I think, is that when NO hits the vessels in the lung, it dilates them so that increases oxygen uptake. So we take up a little bit more oxygen when there is nitric oxide around."
Dr Lundberg explains that nitric oxide "attacks bacteria", and while "too diluted" to "kill the bacteria directly", it "dilates vessels, especially at the top of the lungs so that blood flow is shifted there so we get a better blood flow in that area". He added: "We have lesser blood flow, we're at the very top of the lungs because gravity drives the blood towards the ground if you see what I mean. So at the top of the lungs, there is a bad blood flow or any poorly perfused area is always susceptible to infection. Tuberculosis, for example, is classically seen in the top part of the lungs."