The Science Behind the Health Benefits of Unrestricted Nasal Breathing
Did you know that breathing through the nose creates an avenue of air that is: moisturized, humidified and even somewhat filtered?
Furthermore, when we breathe through our nose, the air passing through the nasal airway and contacting the turbinates — shelf-like bony structures — is slowed down. This allows the proper mixing of the air with an amazing gas produced in the nasal sinuses called nitric oxide (NO). Nitric oxide is secreted into the nasal passages and is inhaled through the nose. It is a potent vasodilator (dilatation of the blood vessels), and in the lungs it enhances the uptake of oxygen. NO is also produced in the walls of blood vessels and is critical to all organs in the body. Click here to read the entire article
Once Nitric Oxide is secreted into the nasal passages and is inhaled through the nose, this will help you understand the importance of breathing through your nose. This article has been condensed. Visit Wikipedia to read the complete article. Nitric oxide, also known as Nitrogen Monoxide, is a molecule with chemical formula NO. It is a free radical and is an important intermediate in the chemical industry. Nitric oxide is a by-product of combustion of substances in the air, as in automobile engines, fossil fuel poser plants, and is produced naturally during the electrical discharges of lightning in thunderstorms. In mammals including humans, NO is an important cellular signaling molecule involved in many physiological and pathological processes. It is a powerful vasodilator with a short half-life of a few seconds in the blood. Low levels of nitric oxide production are important in protecting organs such as the liver from ischemic damage. Despite being a simple molecule, NO is an important biological regulator and is a fundamental component in the fields of neuroscience, physiology, and immunology, with discovery of its key roles leading to Nobel Prize winning research in these areas. It was proclaimed “Molecule of the Year" in 1992.
Main article: Biological functions of nitric oxide NO is one of the few gaseous signaling molecules known and is additionally exceptional due to the fact that it is a radical gas. It is a key vertebrate biological messenger, playing a role in a variety of biological processes. It is a known bio product in almost all type of organisms, ranging from bacteria to plants, fungi and animal cells. The inner lining of blood vessels uses nitric oxide to signal the surrounding smooth muscle to relax, thus resulting in vasodilation and increasing blood flow. Nitric oxide is highly reactive (having a lifetime of a few seconds), yet diffuses freely across membranes. The vasodilating antihypertensive drug minoxidil contains an NO moiety and may act as an NO agonist. Similarly, Sildenafil citrate, popularly known by the trade name Viagra, stimulates erections primarily by enhancing signaling through the nitric oxide pathway in the penis. (helping to lower blood pressure and help improving male performance are just two examples, Nitric Oxide improves cardiovascular health and affects EVERY organ in the body.)