You may feel this as wild connection between two things but I ask you to focus on it.

Observation 1: When you are anxious, fearful, stressful, your breathing becomes irregular and incomplete.

Observation 2: Stress reduces immunity. (Physical, Mental, Emotional stress)

Now, let us understand role of breathing in protecting body from pathogens.

Research 1: Proper nose breathing trigger Nitric Oxide generation in sinuses.

Yes, you read it right! Our body generate Nitric Oxide in sinuses when we breathe properly from nose.

Nitrix Oxide plays vital role in our health. We have written about it at length @ www.prachodayat.in. You can read importance of NO here: https://prachodayat.in/?s=nitric+oxide

The paranasal sinuses are major producers of nitric oxide (NO). We hypothesized that oscillating airflow produced by humming would enhance sinus ventilation and thereby increase nasal NO levels. Ten healthy subjects took part in the study. Nasal NO was measured with a chemiluminescence technique during humming and quiet single-breath exhalations at a fixed flow rate. NO increased 15-fold during humming compared with quiet exhalation.

Here, humming is nothing but one popular form of Pranayama i.e. Kapalbhati. Nasal No is then utilized in different ways to maintain the equilibrium in the body.

Research 2 : A Nobel Winner Explains Why The Way You Breathe Is So Important During The Pandemic

“Inhaled NO has literally turned blue babies pink and allowed them to be cured and to go home with mom and dad. Before the advent of inhaled NO, most of these babies died.”

Research 3: Harnessing nitric oxide for preventing, limiting and treating the severe pulmonary consequences of COVID-19

Highlights
SARS-CoV-2’s pathophysiology is increasingly understood, from entry through ACE2 to the cytokine storm of severe disease.
The rapidly growing body of literature identifies several mechanisms that may be targeted with nitric oxide.
Reported proofs of concept for inhaled nitric oxide treating COVID-19 demonstrate the need for randomized control trials.

All three researchers creates significance of proper breathing. Solution lies within us but we are not groomed for it. We are not trained for it!

Research 4: Nitric Oxide Inhibits the Replication Cycle of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus

Nitric oxide (NO) is an important signaling molecule between cells which has been shown to have an inhibitory effect on some virus infections. The purpose of this study was to examine whether NO inhibits the replication cycle of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS CoV) in vitro. We found that an organic NO donor, S-nitroso-N-acetylpenicillamine, significantly inhibited the replication cycle of SARS CoV in a concentration-dependent manner. We also show here that NO inhibits viral protein and RNA synthesis. Furthermore, we demonstrate that NO generated by inducible nitric oxide synthase, an enzyme that produces NO, inhibits the SARS CoV replication cycle.

Side note: What are other ways to increase Nitric Oxide in body? Mics info about Nitric Oxide

(1) Moong in food : In Ayurveda, protein rich moong is prescribed food for any diseases state, especially when the digestive fire is very low. Moong is rich in proteins i.e. nitrates. When it is digested, it also triggers Nitric Oxide pathways.

(2) Cow dung + Ghee based Agnihotra

Treating cut flowers and other plants with Nitric oxide has been shown to lengthen the time before wilting.

The Opiate drug Morphine , the addictive pain killer, works by an increase in Nitric Oxide release.

Nitroglycerin and Amyl Nitrite tablets serve as vasodilators because they are converted to Nitric Oxide in the body, to ease angina pain ( heart pain ).

Viagra which gives old lecherous rich men a hard on , works due to its action on Nitric oxide.

How Ghee can help?

Wrote this post in 2016. In the list of viruses inhibited by Nitric Oxide is Corona Virus 🙂 and Japanese encephalitis virus is also there.

Don’t reply on synthetic , processed nitrates (For example protein shake, protein powder etc)

One can get Dietary Nitrates from leafy vegetables. Problem with them is that they are row in nature. Compare to them, we can get digested/churned nitrates from cow-dung, urine and ghee. They are easy to digest and act on Nitric Oxide generation without much digestion toll of Prana. (Prana is consumed during digestion process).

https://prachodayat.in/high-cla-ghee-pathogen-protection/

Research 1 : https://www.atsjournals.org/doi/full/10.1164/rccm.200202-138BC

Research 2 : https://www.sciencealert.com/there-s-a-proper-way-to-breathe-to-keep-your-lungs-healthy-and-it-could-help-against-the-coronavirus

Research 3: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1089860320301701?via%3Dihub

Research 4: https://jvi.asm.org/content/79/3/1966