What if the way you breathe could transform your health, your mindset, and even your teaching?
In this fascinating first half of our conversation with Anastasis Tzanis, former Special Forces officer turned functional medicine practitioner and author of Breathing for Yoga (co-written with Patrick McKeown) , we explore how a life of extremes led him to uncover the quiet power of breath.
Anastasis shares his journey from the physical discipline of the military to the mental intensity of finance, and how both left him searching for balance. His story is a reminder that the breath bridges every system of the body and mind, and that true transformation begins with awareness.
In this episode:
How stress, sleep, and allergies can all point to dysfunctional breathing
The difference between biomechanical and biochemical breathwork
Why every student’s breathing pattern is unique (and why one cue never fits all)
The science behind hypercapnia and carbon dioxide tolerance
How yoga and breath together reveal the mind–body connection
Whether you’re a teacher wanting to integrate more science into your classes or a curious practitioner looking to breathe better, this conversation offers both insight and inspiration.
About Anastasis
Anastasis is a nutritional therapist and breath-work instructor known for his results with patients having autoimmune, cardiovascular and hormonal challenges. He has helped countless individuals improve their health through private consultations, over 150 workshops, and lectures across 8 countries.
Maxing-out life out as a Greek Special Forces paratrooper, earning a Master’s degree at the rigorous Brandeis University, and trading derivatives in New York and London for 7 years, Anastasis experienced first hand how detrimental stress can be on one’s health. All this led to a health crisis that stopped him in his tracks and prompted a deep study of naturopathic medicine to heal himself.
Learn more about Anastasis here
About Alba Yoga Academy
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