Get Air!

Naturally Healthy!
Program 1:

Materials needed: Large balloon. (Blow it up ahead of time, and then let out the air. This will make it easier for you to blow
it up during the presentation.)

Handout: Balloons or bubble soap.

(Note: Do not say the name of the program yet.)

(Smile at audience and take several deep breaths before beginning.)

It’s good to be able to breathe.
Do you know what we show when we breathe? (Pause for response.) 1
We show that we’re alive!
That reminds me of something:
I have a riddle for you.
When you think you know the answer, don’t say it.
Just raise your hand. (Raise your hand to demonstrate.)
2

I am thinking of something.
You have used it many times today.
Snowboarders and skateboarders brag about getting it;
but they’ve never once held any.
You can’t see it, drink it, squeeze it, or pour it; 3
yet you need two gallons of it every minute!
It seems to have no substance; yet it supports many large,
heavy things.
(Hold up balloon.) I am going to fill this balloon with some of it.
(Blow up balloon; then let balloon go.)
Oops! There it went!
What is my word? (Choose someone to answer.)
Yes: AIR!

Naturally Healthy! © 2008 Young Disciple Ministries, Inc.

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 Get Air!
Naturally Healthy!
Program 1:

What is it about air that makes it so essential to us?

We’ll find out in this presentation: “Get Air!”

You could go for several weeks without food—

although you probably wouldn’t be happy about it.

You could survive several days without water—

although you’d get very thirsty.

But you could live only a short while without air.

If you quit breathing, you would die in just a few minutes.

No wonder God created air before He created people,

animals, or plants!
And He made it just exactly right!

God made air by a very exact formula:

78.084% nitrogen . . .

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20.947% oxygen . . .

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0.934% argon . . .

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. . . and very small amounts of other elements.

The mixture is just right.

Experiments have shown that if people breathe air that has more
oxygen in it, they soon have problems. 13
And if they breathe air with less oxygen in it for very long,
they also have problems.
God knew exactly what we needed!
Every part of your body needs oxygen from the air you breathe.
This is because your body is made up of many parts so tiny you
cannot see them without a microscope.
These tiny parts are called cells.
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You have 100 trillion cells in your body—

and every one of them needs oxygen.
If your cells do not get oxygen, they will die.
And if too many of your cells die, YOU will die!
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When you breathe, the air first goes into your lungs.
God designed your lungs to get oxygen from the air you breathe.

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 Get Air!
Naturally Healthy!
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Many tiny blood vessels, called capillaries, pass through the lungs.
Red blood cells in the capillaries pick up oxygen,
and then carry it into the blood stream.

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Your blood stream is like a superhighway for carrying oxygen.

It takes oxygen throughout your body, wherever it is needed.

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Oxygen is very important to your body.

It helps your brain think.
It gives you energy and helps you feel good.
It helps keep you healthy!
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If your cells get only part of the oxygen they need,

they are more likely to develop cancer.
If your cells do not get any oxygen, they will die.
If too many of your cells die, YOU will die!
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This is why anything that keeps your lungs from giving

oxygen to the blood is dangerous to your body.
No wonder smoking is so dangerous!

21

Even though air is so important, most people breathe just enough

to keep themselves alive.

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 Get Air!
Naturally Healthy!
Program 1:

Babies are different—they know how to breathe!

Next time you have a chance, watch how a baby breathes.
Watch her tummy move up and down as she breathes.
This means she is filling her entire lungs with air.
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Now watch an older person breathe.

Chances are, her abdomen will hardly move at all.

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How do YOU breathe?

Give yourself this test:
Stand up, and place your hands on your abdomen.
Now take several deep breaths.
What happens to your hands? 25
They should move OUT when you breathe IN;
and they should move IN when you breathe OUT.
Here’s a simple exercise to help you learn to breathe correctly:
Stand up straight with your hands on your abdomen.
Close your mouth and take three short breaths through your nose.
With each breath, your tummy should move OUT a little.
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Hold your breath a few seconds.

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Then make a hissing sound as you let the breath

out through your mouth.
As you breathe out, your tummy should go IN.
Do this several times a day, until it becomes natural
for you to breathe correctly. 28
(Ask everyone to sit down.)

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Did your mom ever tell you to quit slouching?

Good posture is actually very important for good health.
It’s hard to breathe deeply when you’re slumping.
Shallow breathing for even 30 minutes can increase
the carbon dioxide in your blood. 29
This increases your risk for high blood pressure and heart disease.
When you are standing correctly, your body will be in line:
Your ears, shoulders, hips, knees, and ankles.
If you find yourself slouching, just raise your chest
and push up and out.
This will help your body get back in line. 30

It takes time to learn to breathe correctly, but if you keep at it,

it will become a habit in a few weeks.
At the same time, you will find that you can think and reason
better—and remember things longer.
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You’ll find that it is easier to study and understand God’s Word—

and to make important choices that can affect your destiny.

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One more thing: Our bodies need FRESH air.

When we keep our rooms sealed up, the air we breathe
gets used over and over again.
It gets dirty and stale.
When we continue to breathe this air, we become 33
sluggish, gloomy, and sleepy.
Our bodies have a hard time fighting off germs, and we may get
sick.
So what should we do? Simple!
Open the windows!
Even if it is cold outside, make sure your windows are
cracked open a little so that fresh air can come in.
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This is especially important if you heat or cook

with wood, kerosene, or coal.
These fuels can rob your home of the pure air you need.

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If you live in a city with lots of pollution, then the

outside air may not be good for you, either.
You may need to get an air purifier.

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Better yet, talk with your family about moving to the country,
where you can treat your body to pure, fresh air.

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How often do you take a breath?

Most of us breathe between 12 and 20 times a minute.
If we stopped breathing, we would quickly die.

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How often do you talk to God?

Prayer is the breath of the soul—yet many people
do not talk to Him even once all day.
Without prayer, our souls become dead.
This is much more serious, because it leads to eternal death. 39

So, what’s stopping you?

Get air—today and every day!
Fill your lungs with God’s fresh air.
And remember to spend time getting the breath of the soul!
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Take-home suggestions:
Give each child a balloon or a small bottle of bubble soap. Remind them that without air, they could not even blow bubbles
or blow up a balloon. And without prayer, we cannot do anything truly good and right.
Resources:
Kevin Jefford and Janet Evert, “Essential Air.” Young Disciple magazine, Vol. 1, No. 19.
Dawna Sawatzky, Dawna’s Handy Guide. HandyGuide@[Link].

Naturally Healthy! © 2008 Young Disciple Ministries, Inc.

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