Can something as simple as breathing make a difference in how many calories your body burns? Yes, and there are at least two reasons why.

First, deep breathing has long been used as a relaxation technique, and the more you relax, the fewer stress hormones you have coursing through your bloodstream.

Stress hormones, including cortisol, prepare your body for fighting or running. To do that, they shut down all systems that are not needed for immediate survival, as though you were under attack. Since you are not (I hope) under attack, you want all your systems running at optimum level.

More oxygen, less stress, and more relaxation allows your body to work more efficiently, even at rest. You can get all that just by taking the time to breathe deeply.

Second, it takes oxygen to burn calories, just as it takes oxygen to burn anything else. If you ever started a campfire you know the fire will start faster and burn hotter if there's plenty of air. The digestive process needs oxygen, too - parts of the stomach lining use more oxygen than any other tissue in the body.

One of the reasons why exercise helps you burn more fat is that you take in more air when you're exercising. When you exercise regularly, your body will quickly become used to the increased amount of oxygen that is available to it, and will learn to use some of the "extra" oxygen to burn stored fat as fuel.

The China Study, the largest nutritional study every performed, found that Asian citizens often ate many more calories than Americans, but weight less. This may be due to the fact that the people studied in Asia have more physical jobs, so they exercise more.

Another factor is the types of foods they eat, with many more calories coming from fruit, vegetables and grains, and almost no calories coming from animal-based products. They also tend not to consume cow's milk, which contain natural growth hormones intended for calves instead of people.

However, another common habit among Asian people is the use of deep breathing exercises and meditative physical movements which increase their daily oxygen intake.

Marc David, author of The Slow Down Diet, believes it's possible to get much of the fat-burning benefits of aerobic exercise simply by getting more air. This includes starting your meal after taking some deep, relaxing breaths, and eating slowly so you can take a nice full breath of air between bites. Between meals, it's fairly easy to stop and take a few lung-filling breaths at your desk or while doing housework.

You can improve the quality of your breathing exercises by increasing the amount of oxygen in the air you breathe. Most inside air has less oxygen than outside air. This is especially true in the winter when doors and windows are closed against the cold, and in office buildings without operable windows.

If you can, open a window. If you can't find a window that opens, and you're breathing recycled air, make sure to get outside for a few minutes as often as you can. It will not just help your body burn more fat - it will also help you stay awake and alert, without resorting to another cup of coffee or a candy bar.