Get to know the diaphragm better and breathe health

Talking about health is talking about breathing, and to talk about breathing is to talk about the diaphragm. This muscle is the most important in the body, with the permission of the cardiac muscle (the heart). It works tirelessly throughout life and allows the arrival of oxygen to all the cells of the body.

What is the diaphragm? What is it for?

But not only that, it is also the motor for the circulation of venous blood (which returns to the heart), it gives life to the digestive system, it is directly related to the pelvic floor, posture, the emotional world… It is, without a doubt, a key piece due to its direct action and its influences on all other systems.

The diaphragm is king because of its shape, its location and its function. It looks like an open umbrella, shaped like a dome. Above it is attached to the lungs and heart and below it is in direct contact with the liver and stomach.

It is located in the center of the trunk, where the ribs end. In fact, it is anchored in the last ribs. the diaphragm completely separates and compartmentalizes the thoracic cavity (lungs and heart) from the abdominal cavity (digestive system).

The diaphragm is the floor of the thorax and the roof of the abdomen. That gives you the power, and the responsibility, to influence every system in your body.

It is a muscle, albeit a very peculiar one, not only because of its shape, but also because of its composition. The center of the umbrella is a fibrous, hard area that does not contractit does not move, which allows the passage of vital conduits (aorta artery, vena cava, esophagus) and generates the peculiar movement of the diaphragm.

How does the diaphragm move?

Like all muscles, it has a contraction position and a relaxation position. The movement of the diaphragm is double and resembles that of a swimming jellyfish.

When breathing in, the center of the umbrella lowers toward the abdomen and the tips of the umbrella flare outward and upward. The umbrella flattens out: it goes down the center and opens up on the sides, as you can see, it’s something similar to the movement of jellyfish. In this movement, he gently pushes the entire intestinal tract down. This push is transmitted throughout the abdominal cavity until it reaches the pelvic floor, the part below the sphere.as you exhale, as air is expelled, the diaphragm bulges again, upwards, raising the roof of the abdominal cavity and carrying the entire digestive system with it. The pelvic floor is retracted by pushing the pelvic viscera upward, which in turn propels the intestines, which are picked up by the diaphragm as they rise.

The pelvic floor is also a diaphragm, the pelvic diaphragm. In a body in bodily harmony, the two diaphragms breathe together, that is, they move together.

the two diaphragms gently rock the digestive system. This constant movement keeps the tissues well irrigated, free of adhesions and well drained.

This harmonic movement is the motor of life for the digestive and pelvic systems. The body is designed to regenerate through movement.

Therefore, immobility is, at least, synonymous with problems: constipation, intestinal inflammation, adhesions, prolapses, hemorrhoids, hiatus hernias, inguinal hernias… this list could be made much longer. In all these situations the diaphragm is involved.

I don’t have space in this article to explain each relationship, but believe me when I tell you that there is. When the king has problems, everyone has problems. If the diaphragm doesn’t move, no one moves well.

We have seen a glimpse of how important the correct movement of the diaphragm is… The question is: do we really breathe with the diaphragm?

We breathe little, just enough to survive

Obviously we breathe, but we breathe little, we normally carry out a survival breath. I explain.

Breathing is a vital function, therefore, the diaphragm is not solely responsible. There are more muscles involved in breathing. The main ones are the diaphragm and the intercostals (between rib and rib), which open the ribs and allow the lungs to expand and fill with air. But the diaphragm is responsible for 70% of the oxygen charge.

That’s core muscles. You have to use them. Then there are the accessories, which we should only use when necessary: ​​scalenes, ECOM, pectoralis minor… all located in the upper part of the thorax, near the cervicals.

We know that the motor of respiration is the diaphragm, located below, at the end of the ribs, and that the accessory muscles are in the upper part of the chest. Take a few moments to observe yourself. Where do you have your breath.? In the upper part or in the lower part of the thorax?

Most breathe up, with the chest. That means survival breathing. It works to survive, but It does not bring health to the body. The diaphragm moves little and therefore the digestive and pelvic systems will move little.

Remember, movement is life and life is movement. We will continue talking about the diaphragm!