If it is true that oxygen deprivation can result in brain damage, does it not follow that bad posture can lead to retardation? No, it is not true. Bad posture cannot lead to brain damage, but bad posture can affect your breathing and resultant oxygen intake, with some very serious consequences.
See my blog post “Bad Posture: How it Affects Your Breathing” for an explanation as to precisely how bad posture can play havoc with your breathing.
We all know that we will die if we do not breathe, but exactly what is it that oxygen does for us?
Quite simply, your body requires food (in the form of appropriate nutrition) to produce energy so that your body can function. These nutrients are “burned” by your cells and in the process, the cells produce carbon dioxide. This carbon dioxide is toxic and needs to be expelled by the body.
Oxygen plays a critical role on this “cycle of life”. This is how it works.
When you inhale, the oxygen in the air is absorbed into your bloodstream through alveoli, tiny sacs in your lungs. When the oxygen enters your blood, a passing protein molecule (called hemoglobin) collects the oxygen. Each molecule of hemoglobin can transport four molecules of oxygen. This oxygen is then transported to all parts of your body and is used by your cells to make water, an essential requirement for life. Your cells make two molecules of water out of every molecule of oxygen that is delivered to it by the hemoglobin.
When this conversion process occurs, energy is released. Your cells then use this energy to perform the everyday functions that your body needs. The toxic by-product of this conversion, the carbon dioxide, is then removed from your body by the oxygen.
As you can see, oxygen is critical to your health and the smooth-running of your body. Proper breathing is essential to get the oxygen to your lungs and to expel the toxic carbon dioxide.
Bad posture can easily hold your breathing hostage and seriously impede the amount of oxygen you get and this is bad for your health. Improving your posture will vastly improve your health, increase your energy levels and improve your productivity.
To learn more about improving your posture, please visit http://www.posturepal.com/
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Love the article title! Here's something to consider. Posture is the window to the spine and researchers have proven that a loss of the normal neck curve results in “demyelination of nerve fibers”. Demyelination causes impairment in sensation, movement, and cognition, depending on which nerves are involved. This certainly results in some form of retardation.
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Kentaro S, Masaya N, Yuji N, et al. Spinal kyphosis causes demyelination and neuronal loss in the spinal cord: A new model of kyphotic deformity. Spine. Vol 30 (21), Nov 1, 2005; pp 2388-2392.
Good article. I have learnt a lot by reading this article. I would like to use back brace for my back pain. please suggest me. thank you
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