Quote:
Originally Posted by AnnRue
Weirdly, I looked it up, and turns out people in higher altitudes seem to lose weight due to being in the o2 deprived environment. I am going to guess that it is because they are struggling to get oxygen and it may be a drain on every system / heart / respiration -- actually making the body work harder at every moment.
There are two studies that "suggest" that breathing can directly affect metabolism. The first one was testing if breathing via different nostrils could make a difference to metabolism (which one did) and they found it did. Though I find the study flawed because I don't see how they could adjust for a stuffed up nostril. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8063359
The other one was about sleep apena where it showed that if you didn't get proper o2 at night you were likely to have ALL the effects that being over weight will effect -- insulin resistance, weight gain, cardiac issues.
So I think there is at least some suggestion that it is something that could make a difference. I think about how in the summer I always seem to have less trouble gaining weight. Could that be because I have my windows open right next to big trees?
People tap down 6 glasses of green tea a day to make about 3% change in metabolism. What if 6 or seven plants in your house and office produced the same result?
Moving around in high altitudes is really straining. I was in St. Moritz once in the Swiss Alps and there was this hotel by the lake and to get to the entrance, you had to walk up a small slope. At sea level, it wouldn't have been a problem. Over there, I had to stop for a moment half way, because lactic acid was building in my thighs and I was out of breath! There's a reason athletes have high altitude training camps :-)
I think proper breathing technique could help with a lot of things, but that's again a separate issue from the level of oxygen in the air. I know I am a very shallow breather and should pay more attention to it, though my reasons are more spiritual and emotional than physical.
Now, I don't mean to be discouraging! :-) I love all kinds of tests and to see if small changes make a difference! Perhaps getting a lot of plants would make a difference, but it might be for a different reason. Lowering cortisol levels is always a good thing, for example. Though there's also the chance that you'd get frustrated and stressed as well :-)
I would also suggest getting fresh herbs for several reasons. The smell of basil, for example, is just lovely and you can use it in cooking.
If you're concerned with your metabolic rate, then I would try some HIIT exercises. It totally makes you want to give up and vomit your guts out, but it's very effective in raising the metabolic rate for a long time after you've already finished it and it helps with insulin sensitivity. The problem is that it's very straining, so I would check with a doctor first in case of any physical problems that might put you in harms way.