Shortness of breath… You know, when it seems like it takes forever to catch your breath…

Or when you’ve had a nagging cough for weeks or even months on end…

Or when your chest feels tighter than a clam with lockjaw.

Those are all indications that you could be suffering from shortness of breath…

However, the problem is that the warning sign of shortness of breath isn’t linked to just one condition. In fact, it’s one of the most common medical symptoms out there.

That’s why today I wanted to tell you more about why you’re experiencing shortness of breath…

And when it could be something serious.

But let’s start first with something you need to know if you want to understand your own shortness of breath better…

Oxygen – The Missing Link

You almost surely know that you’re body needs oxygen – it’s how we breathe after all…

Yet many people don’t really have a firm grasp on what oxygen does and why it’s so vital to the healthy function of your body.

Now, I’m just going to paint a broad picture here instead of going into the minute details…

Obviously, your lungs need oxygen to effectively breathe. But here’s some other ways that oxygen is used:

• Changes the food you eat into energy.
• Used by cells to repair damage.
• Is transported throughout the body by red blood cells.
• Involved in muscle contraction.
• Calms your nerves.
• Is the primary fuel for brain activity.

And pretty much everything else your body does. To put it bluntly, oxygen is the single most important component for humans.

As you might have guessed, when your body is having trouble receiving or absorbing oxygen, the result is shortness of breath…

And it manifests in many other ways as well…

I Feel So… Tired

If your shortness of breath is accompanied by weakness, chronic fatigue, or dizziness, the first thing to take a look at is your body’s iron.

That’s because a lack of iron in the body is a serious condition…

And it’s better known as anemia.

When you have reduced iron, what happens is your body produces less red blood cells. And when you have less blood cells, it means that not enough oxygen is reaching the various parts of your body or being absorbed properly…

Which is why you experience a shortness of breath.

Fortunately, rates of anemia have gone down in recent years. However, an estimated 3 million Americans still suffer from this blood and oxygen condition…

And if you’re one of them, I urge you to try the following hack to get your iron back to proper levels…

My First Step Treatment for Anemia

Western diets are generally protein-heavy, which naturally includes a lot of iron.

However, when you have anemia, your first step is to ramp up your iron intake and make sure that the problem is not simply with your diet…

Here are a few eating suggestions that will increase your iron intake:

• Meats – Nearly all meats are rich in iron, but especially red meat. Try mixing in some beef or lamb dishes and replacing your everyday snacks with hard-boiled eggs.
• Legumes – Beans, peas, lentils, and peanuts are all solid sources of iron.
• Dried fruits – When you have a sweet craving, choose dried figs or apricots instead of soda or a candy bar.
• Whole Grains – Switch to oatmeal for breakfast or a healthy, iron-fortified cereal.
• Seeds and Nuts – Sunflower seeds, pistachios, sesame seeds, and cashews are iron boosters and can easily be added to salads and other dishes.

The good news about anemia (if there is any) is that it can often be corrected with your diet.

Unfortunately, that’s not always the case with other serious causes of your shortness of breath…

Causes like…

Trouble Breathing Caused by OBESITY

You might know that I’ve talked about obesity before, but one thing I didn’t talk about then was how much being overweight can affect your oxygen levels…

And while you’re working harder and harder to get more air into your lungs, the truth is that it’s extremely difficult for your body to adapt to this condition…

Which means that with every pound you gain, you’ll be pushing your body’s ability to receive and absorb oxygen…

Eventually reaching a point when your body can no longer keep up…

And you feel shortness of breath.

That’s one of the primary reasons why being obese puts you on the fast track for so many negative health problems – your body simply can’t get the oxygen it needs…

Leaving it in a weakened state and more susceptible to infections, heart attacks, strokes, and many other issues.

If you’re overweight or obese, my frontline defense listed here will help you start taking the steps you need to ensure proper oxygen levels…

My Frontline Obesity Defense

I’m sure you know that losing weight isn’t easy, and what I’ve found works best with my overweight patients is to take baby steps, both literally and figuratively…

1. Cut out the sugar and complex carbohydrates. Your body needs fuel, but lean meats, vegetables, and fruits are a much better source than desserts and bread.
2. Start moving more. You don’t have to run a marathon tomorrow, but make a conscious effort to move your body, even if it’s just a short walk in the backyard.
3. Find a social circle of other people who want to lose weight. Nothing works better than having a good support network of like-minded others that have the same goals as you.

You may also want to advise your physician or natural medicine doctor that you’re trying to lose weight and they may have more tips to share (I have plenty of weight loss advice, but the steps listed here are just my frontline defense).

However, it is quite possible that your shortness of breath isn’t coming from a physical source…

The Physical Aspects of Stress and Anxiety

Now, if you think stress and anxiety aren’t as serious as anemia and obesity, then let me tell you right now…

They can be even worse.

When you’re stressed, it’s natural that your body tightens up – that’s your instincts kicking in…

And when your body tightens, your heart starts to race and breathing becomes more difficult.

Now imagine that you’re dealing with chronic stress or anxiety and you’re body is being pushed into this state over and over again.

Not only is your heart under more strain, but your brain, muscles, and organs get less and less oxygen…

Which means that they’re no longer able to perform to their full ability.

And it’s not just a mental condition – these physical symptoms are real, not imagined!

Living a high-stress life is already difficult without adding shortness of breath problems on top.

But if you’re experiencing shortness of breath from anxiety on a regular basis, it’s time to do something about it…

The lack of oxygen can compound itself and pretty soon, you could be facing more and more health problems.

I hope this article has shown you that shortness of breath is a warning sign to take very seriously…

And so is your body’s oxygen level.

It’s the key component in everything we do, from sleeping through the night to being able to use our muscles to simply thinking coherently.

If you want to boost your energy levels naturally, I recommend you…