VOA慢速英语：深呼吸对肺部有好处

From VOA Learning English, this is the Health & Lifestyle report.

这里是美国之音慢速英语的《健康与生活方式报道》。

When was the last time you thought about breathing? Most people usually do not.

你上一次想到呼吸是什么时候?大多数人通常不会。

When we are healthy, breathing happens naturally and easily. Without much effect on our part, the human respiratory system works hard. Experts say we take about 20,000 breaths every day.

在我们健康时，呼吸自然而容易。人类的呼吸系统很努力地工作，而且不会对我们有太多的影响。专家表示，我们每天大约要呼吸2万次。

One such expert is James Hoyt, a doctor at the University of Colorado's Health Pulmonology Clinic, also called UCHealth. Hoyt is a pulmonologist -- a specialist on respiratory disorders.

科罗拉多大学健康肺科诊所(也称UCHealth)的医生詹姆斯·霍伊特(James Hoyt)就是这样一位专家。霍伊特是一名肺科医生，呼吸系统疾病专家。

On the UCHealth website, he notes that our "respiratory muscles are working every minute of the day, every day of our lives."

他在科罗拉多大学健康肺病诊所的官网上指出，我们的“呼吸肌在我们生命中的每一天，每一分钟都在工作。”

A muscle called the diaphragm separates the chest and abdominal cavities. As we breathe in, the diaphragm tightens. The chest cavity opens, and the lungs expand. When we breathe out, the diaphragm relaxes and moves upward, pushing air out.

一块叫做横膈膜的肌肉将胸腔和腹腔分开。当我们吸气时，隔膜收紧。胸腔打开，肺部扩张。当我们呼气时，隔膜放松并向上移动，将空气推出。

Deep breathing

深呼吸

When you breathe deeply, the air coming in through your nose fully fills your lungs, and the lower belly rises. On its website, Harvard Medical School notes that deep breathing may slow the heartbeat, lower blood pressure and lower stress. Deep breaths help your body fully exchange incoming oxygen with outgoing carbon dioxide.

当你深呼吸时，空气从你的鼻子进入，充满肺部，下腹会上升。哈佛医学院在其网站上指出，深呼吸可以减缓心跳速度、降低血压和减轻压力。深呼吸还可以帮助你的身体充分交换吸入的氧气和呼出的二氧化碳。

However, many people do the opposite of deep breathing. They take short breaths and have shallow breathing. Experts call this "chest breathing."

然而，很多人做的与深呼吸相反。他们呼吸短促，呼吸浅。专家称之为“胸部呼吸”。

Shallow breathing limits the expansion of the diaphragm and its movement. The lowest part of the lungs does not get a full share of oxygenated air. This can make you feel short of breath and worried, or anxious.

浅呼吸限制了横膈膜的扩张和运动。肺的最低部位不能得到充分的氧气，并会导致人体感到呼吸短促、不安或焦虑。

The American Lung Association notes that shallow breathing, over time, leaves old, stale air in the lungs. This leaves less room for the diaphragm to bring in fresh oxygen. And that means lower oxygen levels and less oxygen for exercise and activity.

美国肺脏协会指出，随着时间的推移，浅呼吸会在肺部留下陈旧、不新鲜的空气。这样隔膜就没有足够的空间来吸收新鲜的氧气。而这意味着人体拥有更低的含氧量和更少的氧气可用于运动和活动。

Easy deep breathing exercise

简单的深呼吸练习

Several health websites explain an easy deep breathing exercise.

一些健康网站介绍了一种简单的深呼吸运动。

Find a place to sit or lie down. Place one hand just below your ribs. Take a slow, deep breath -- or inhale -- through your nose. Feel your hand go up. Your stomach should rise and expand. Now breathe out slowly through your mouth. Make sure to breathe out -- or exhale -- all the way. Feel your hand and stomach go down.

找个地方坐下或躺下，一只手放在肋骨下面，用鼻子慢慢深吸一口气或者吸气，感受手部被抬起，同时胃部应该上升并扩张，然后用嘴慢慢呼气，一定要将气全部呼出，同时感受到手部和胃部往下走。

The American Lung Association website states that if done repeatedly, breathing exercises can help remove stale air from the lungs. This will increase oxygen levels and get the diaphragm to return to its job of helping you breathe.

美国肺脏协会网站指出，如果反复进行呼吸练习，可以帮助排出肺部的污浊空气。这将增加氧气水平，使隔膜恢复运转并帮助你呼吸。

Pulmonologist James Hoyt adds that "deep breathing is a good way to reduce stress and relax."

肺科医生詹姆斯·霍伊特补充说:“深呼吸是减轻压力和放松的好方法。”

Hoyt tells patients to avoid smoking, to eat a good diet and to get a good night's rest. He also urges them to seek help for respiratory conditions as soon as they are observed.

霍伊特告诉病人要避免吸烟，合理饮食，晚上好好休息。他还敦促他们在发现呼吸系统疾病后，立即寻求帮助。

Shortness of breath happens when you are worried, frightened, or are in poor physical shape. But it can also be a sign of health problems.

当你担心、害怕或身体状况不佳时，就会出现呼吸短促。但它也可能是身体出现健康问题的征兆。

And that's the Health & Lifestyle report. I'm Anna Matteo.

以上就是本期《健康与生活方式报道》的全部内容。我是安娜·马特奥。