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Buteyko Clinic USA offers unique breathing rehabilitation programs that result in long term drug free control over asthma, allergies, COPD, rhinitis, chronic cough, snoring, sleep apnea, anxiety, panic, chronic hyperventilation syndrome and other chronic conditions. Contact us today for a free consultation.

Buteyko therapy is gaining more recognition in the US. This new development is especially fortunate for asthmatics, since now they can show the study to their doctors to ask for this valuable addition to standard treatment.  But don’t forget, Buteyko breathing correction benefits overall health and is excellent for a number of other health conditions, even those poorly treated with conventional medicine tools.

Buteyko Validated by Evidenced-Based Best Practice Center as Breathing Technique for Asthmatics that Reduces Symptoms and Medication Usage

The US Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, AHRQ, finds the Buteyko breathing technique achieves “medium to large improvements in asthma symptoms and reductions in reliever medications”. The AHRQ findings mirror studies by the British Thoracic Society in 2008 and The Australian Department of Health and Aging in 2005

Press Release – Portland, Oregon, January 08, 2013

The Buteyko Breathing Educators Association, BBEA, praised the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, AHRQ, for its comprehensive review of 22 studies of breathing techniques, which found that Buteyko, a hyperventilation- reduction breathing technique achieves “medium to large improvements in asthma symptoms and reductions in reliever medications” AHRQ, 2012.

AHRQ’s findings represent another milestone for the BBEA. “Buteyko should be considered a frontline of defense in dealing with asthma patients to improve their wellbeing and quality of life.” Chris Bauman, Chairman BBEA.
The AHRQ’s Comparative Effectiveness Reviews, CERs, initiative worked with an Evidenced-Based Practice Center in Portland, Oregon, which was responsible for the findings on the benefits of Buteyko. The BBEA now looks forward to the Buteyko hyperventilation reduction method becoming part of a standard of care for all asthma patients.

The AHRQ findings, mirror the study by the British Thoracic Society in 2008 that showed Buteyko produced “benefits in terms of reduced symptoms and bronchodilator usage” for people suffering with asthma. The Australian Department of Health and Aging in conjunction with the National Asthma Council of Australia in 2005 also opined, after a systematic review of published clinical trials, that Buteyko achieved “a statistically significant and clinically important effect in the treatment of asthma”.

The BBEA believes that equal in importance with these studies, are the experiences of thousands of asthma sufferers who have been helped by qualified Buteyko Educators over the past 50 years. “ After learning the Buteyko Breathing Method I have been free of asthma symptoms and medication usage for nearly eight years. I am now able to log 3,000 miles of bike riding a year here in Bend, OR”. Don Gordon, BBEA Educator.

“For Buteyko educators this is more than just clinical trials and validation by the AHRQ, this is about improving the health of people whose lives have been compromised, and yes, especially the children” Chris Bauman. The CDC reports current asthma rates for children are at 10% of the population and increasing. The greatest increase is among “black children (almost a 50% increase) from 2001 through 2009”, According to the National Center for Health Statistics,NCHS, Data Brief Number 94, May 2012.

About the BBEA
The BBEA is an association of Buteyko Educators committed to training people in the Buteyko Breathing Method. The members of BBEA are required to comply with rigorous teaching and certified standards, along with on-going professional development. This will ensure that anyone who seeks help from a BBEA educator receives the safest, highest quality service and results possible
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Buteyko Clinic USA offers unique breathing rehabilitation programs that result in long term drug free control over asthma, allergies, COPD, rhinitis, chronic cough, snoring, sleep apnea, anxiety, panic, chronic hyperventilation syndrome and other chronic conditions. Contact us today for a free consultation.

If you are practicing the Buteyko Method, you know that the Reduced Breathing Exercise is one of the cornerstones of the practice. Professor Buteyko once said “the Reduction of Depth of Breathing by Relaxation of the Respiratory muscles” is the whole Method delivered in one sentence.

But the Reduced Breathing Exercise is also one of the most challenging, and frustrated students would often abandon it in favor of easier pauses, “steps” or extra physical activity. While pauses and exercise with nasal breathing are excellent for quickly producing large amounts of CO2, continuous Reduced Breathing practice is invaluable in order to teach body to keep as much CO2 as possible, even without conscious control of breathing. Besides, just like meditation, it quiets down the sympathetic response and promotes nervous system balance; that, on its own, gives us huge health benefits.
So, we would like to encourage everybody to keep trying to master Reduced Breathing, and hopefully this article will provide you with some help.

Some people would grasp the concept of Reduced Breathing quicker than others, but almost everybody is struggling at first. If you are one of the people who struggles most, forget about Reduced Breathing for a couple of weeks and concentrate on practicing Relaxed Breathing. Relaxed Breathing is Reduced Breathing’s younger cousin; it is the same practice, but without breath reduction. However, it provides a strong foundation upon which to build a solid Reduced Breathing practice.
It was for a reason that professor Buteyko said “The Reduction of depth of Breathing by relaxation of the respiratory muscles”. All respiratory muscles, not just the diaphragm. But basically, the whole body relaxation is a must to achieve meaningful results. One of the main difficulties, as I see it, is an inability to properly relax; it is the problem with all modern humans –most of us are continuously stuck in fight–or-flight response, or sympathetic dominance.

Start with teaching yourself to relax -
Learning relaxation through tension

Sit comfortably in a quiet place where nobody disturbs you. Soft meditation music or nature sounds might aid relaxation.
Imagine your
• facial muscle (around the eyes, forehead, jaw, tongue)
• neck muscle
• back-of- your- head muscle
• shoulders
• arms
• hands
• chest
• abdomen
• legs
• feet
are slowly relaxing. Practice by intentionally tensing and relaxing each area for a few times. Then relax everything and notice how your breathing naturally reduces and slows down.

Relaxation through imagery, music, aromatherapy, bath etc.
Think of something that makes you feel relaxed, picture it – e.g. nature walk, bird sounds, running water sounds, rhythmic beach waves. Listen to your favorite slow quiet music. If you are familiar with essential oils use, rub or gently inhale a bit of lavender oil or other relaxation blends (be careful with inhaling oils if you have asthma, strong allergies or reactive airway disease; it is best to consult a knowledgeable naturopath). If you had a difficult, stressful day, taking warm Epsom salt bath will help you relax.

Then

Watch your breathing… like you are somebody else watching your breathing
Many people don’t notice their breathing. It is important to become aware of it – characteristics, pattern, where do you feel movement of the air, do you often mouth breathe, how different is you breathing when you talk, walk or exercise, chest or tummy movements etc… Spend some time getting acquainted with you breathing.

Ove-rbreathing is usually recognized by following characteristics – hearing breathing at rest, breathing is loud, noisy, irregular, erratic, with effort, mouth open, feeling air hunger, frequent sighs and /or yawns, upper chest movements
Normal breathing is usually recognized by following characteristics – Nose breathing, quiet, calm, gentle, relaxed, even inhales and exhales, regular, effortless, diaphragm (tummy) breathing

Then

Practice diaphragmatic breathing
Practice it while sitting comfortably with straight posture, or you can recline very slightly. Do not slouch. If you need to recline, do not recline more than 45 degrees from a perfectly straight upright position and make sure your back is firmly supported. Put a firm pillow behind your lower back to make sure your lower back is not caving in and abdominal area is open.

Find your breath. Notice how and where it flows. Put your hands -one on your chest, one on your abdomen. Make sure your chest is not moving with each breath. Abdomen should move out with each breath in, and move in (gently fall with no effort) with each breath out. Your chest should be still, especially upper chest. Lower ribs might move very slightly with abdominal breathing.

If you think you are still having a noticeable movement in you upper chest while trying to breathe abdominally, try following exercise:
Lay down on the floor, without a pillow, or, with a thin small pillow under your head. Slightly bend your knees, put a book on your abdomen and try to exaggerate abdominal breathing by sticking your tummy in and out to make book move up and down. It is harder to inflate chest while lying on the floor, so it will help you to isolate those abdominal movements. Then elevate your chest and head with more pillows and try again. Then sit in the chair and try to do the same while sitting straight. Watch that your upper chest is very still. If your abdominal movements were forced or exaggerated, once you relax, they should gradually slow down and decrease in amplitude.

Now put it all together (and hopefully enjoy!)
Find a quiet room where you are not disturbed. Try to empty your mind. Relaxed breathing should not be stressful, you can do no wrong, as long as you are fully relaxed and breathing with your diaphragm. Gently acknowledge how your breathing become lighter and slower. The more you relax, the lighter and slower it becomes.

Remember, practice makes perfect. If you can do it for just 5- 10 min in the beginning, that’s fine. You can gradually increase time to about 15-20 min, or progress to 3-4 sets of 5 min with 5-10 min break in between. Measure your CP and pulse before and 5 min after the set. If you see increase in CP and decrease in pulse, you’ve done an excellent job!

By the end of the second week, if you are comfortable with the Relaxed Breathing, you can start the Reduced Breathing Exercise. Now you are ready!
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Buteyko Clinic USA offers unique breathing rehabilitation programs that result in long term drug free control over asthma, allergies, COPD, rhinitis, chronic cough, snoring, sleep apnea, anxiety, panic, chronic hyperventilation syndrome and other chronic conditions. Contact us today for a free consultation.

1. Core principal.During any physical activity, ventilation of the lungs should not exceed current metabolic requirements. This can be achieved following recommendations listed below, as well as working toward permanent breathing normalization outside physical exercise time.

2. Warm up and cool down. Warming up allows one to gradually adjust breathing volume to match the rate of physical activity. Cooling down should be geared toward reducing one’s breathing while gradually decreasing physical activity.

3. Nose breathing. If one’s Morning Control Pause (CP) is not consistently above 20 sec, it is extremely important to nose breathe only. It is highly desirable to nose breathe only all the time, under any circumstances, including physical exercise. If one cannot tolerate physical activity with nose breathing, one should lower the intensity of the routine toward what is tolerable with nose breathing (e.g. slow down walking, limit exercise duration, take breaks etc).

4. Mouth breathing for a very short period of time could be justified only if
Morning CP is consistently above 20 sec (the higher, the better)
and
while performing high demand aerobic activity
and
stopping or slowing down is not an option (e.g. professional athletic competition)

5. Large volume chest breathing (often interpreted as “deep” breathing) should not be encouraged.

6. Intensity. The most optimum exercise is one that is done with maximum intensity, but consistent nose breathing. As a guideline for maximum intensity, a person should be able to suspend their breath for 5 seconds at any point during exercise, while still maintaining nasal breathing.

7. Duration. Generally speaking, the longer the exercise (up to 3 hours a day), the stronger the impact. But one has to consider their current state of health and determine most beneficial duration (for some people at the beginning of breathing retraining, most beneficial duration can be as little as 15 min twice a day). The duration should be gradually increased as one’s breathing is brought to healthy volumes. In many cases, moderate exercise will be more beneficial, because for the majority of modern people exercising beyond body’s limits would typically involve hyperventilation, and, in this case, it is not only useless, but can be harmful. With proper breathing and correct physical training one will be able to extend body’s limits in a healthy way, and therefore extend the duration of beneficial exercise.

8. Diversity. For maximum benefits, include all groups of exercises listed below. The same way we need to eat variety of foods to get full spectrum of nutrients, vitamins and minerals, switching and changing exercise routines will give your body optimal strength, flexibility, tone and weight. It will take “boring” out of your physical activity and allow the body to recuperate from repetitive muscle load.

9. Stretch exercises, including Yoga. Both are excellent warm up and cool down routines. Flexibility and balance have been long considered the attributes of youth. Yoga greatly increases upper body strength, which aids correct posture, which in turn promotes naturally reduced breathing volumes. Gentle breath holds and calm breathing that go along with many Yoga poses are recommended over techniques that might involve large volume breathing (e.g. some Pranayama breathing taught by modern Yoga instructors).

10. Core Exercises, including Yoga: Our body has core muscles located mostly in our back, abdomen and pelvis. Strengthening them can help protect and support our back, make body less prone to injury and help gain greater balance. Upper body strength plays a huge role in breathing normalization by setting the correct posture.

11. Weight training /resistance type exercises. This type of exercise assists in proper absorption of calcium and bone and muscle strengthening. It is also quite safe, and with weight/resistance load regulation, can be done by virtually everyone, regardless of age or fitness level. Increased muscle strength aids correct posture, which promotes naturally reduced breathing volumes.

12. Walking. Walking is a universal exercise, one that can be prescribed for any age or fitness level. When one starts breathing retraining, walking is the most natural choice of physical exercise to recommend, as speed and duration can be easily regulated. Once proper breathing is achieved during fast walking, one can move up to a combination of walking/jogging/running routines.

13. Shaking or aerobics. Exercise that produce natural shaking of the body (e.g., jogging, running, elliptical machines, dancing, trampoline jumping, jump-roping, most games, many team sports etc.) should be included in exercise routine. One of the advantages of shaking movements is lymphatic system stimulation. Even bigger advantages of aerobic exercise have been suggested in recent studies – release of endorphins, which act as natural painkillers, anti-aging benefits through stimulation of HGH (Human Growth Hormone) and limiting age related telomere shortening.

14. Perspiration. Sweating helps detoxification of the body.

Effectiveness of the exercise can be measured by comparing the “before” and “after” CP (what is Control Pause – How to measure your Control Pause) values. “After” CP value should be measured 30 to 40 min after the activity. Increase in CP value indicates a positive outcome.

What Fitness Specialist should know when working with people with respiratory conditions

Lung disease is a number three killer in the US, responsible for one in six deaths. Today, more than 35 million Americans are living with chronic lung disease such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), otherwise known as emphysema and chronic bronchitis.

To avoid triggering of respiratory symptoms, breathing volume should be balanced by the rate of physical activity, therefore

 Nose breathing should be ensured at all times during physical activity

 A person should not increase physical activity beyond the point where it is impossible for him /her to sustain nasal breathing

 A person should not increase physical activity beyond the point where he/she loses control of their breathing (e.g. breathing becomes erratic, gasping etc.)

 Large volume chest breathing (often interpreted as “deep” breathing) should not be encouraged by Fitness Instructor

 Exercise prescription should be based on individual CP measurements (among other factors)

 Proper warm up and cool down routines are essential for avoiding EIA, sudden asthma attacks, cough attacks or COPD symptoms aggravation

 Fitness Instructors should be familiar with commonly used asthma/COPD medications and have guidelines established for emergency procedures.

 Fitness Instructors should encourage trainees with breathing disorders / lung conditions to stay in close contact with their medical provider and practice correct breathing beyond their exercise time, such as to learn and practice the Buteyko Breathing to correct chronic hyperventilation.

Even among breathing/lung conditions patients, there is a huge variation in their health and fitness level. Therefore, individual recommendations will vary considerably. Regretfully, breathing patients typically make their biggest mistake by either not exercising at all, or over-exercising. Breathing instructors can help you with correct exercise prescription. If you think you cannot exercise due to debilitating symptoms you are experiencing, let the Buteyko Breathing coach consult you. You’ll be amazed at the difference!

  ]]> http://www.asthmacare.us/ac_blog/?feed=rss2&p=1676 0 http://www.asthmacare.us/ac_blog/?p=1639 http://www.asthmacare.us/ac_blog/?p=1639#comments Sun, 18 Mar 2012 17:35:03 +0000 admin http://www.asthmacare.us/ac_blog/?p=1639

<Like this article? Visit our websites www.asthmacare.us and www.buteykohelponline.com >

A U.S. study discovered signs of exercise-induced asthma in more than one-third of college athletes assessed for breathing problems. Researchers at Ohio State University Medical Center screened 107 Ohio State varsity athletes for exercise-induced asthma. Forty-two, or 39 percent, of the athletes tested positive, and 36 of those 42 athletes had no prior history of asthma.

Dr. John Douillard, in his famous book Body, Mind and Sports writes “A New England Study reported on the health and fitness of kids who were state-champion high school athletes. The top athletes were given a standard health-related physical fitness test… The results were surprising. Nearly all the 16-, 17-, and 18- year-old state champions failed. Despite their athletic prowess, they could not pass a health-oriented examination of fitness….There appears to be a large number of former professional athletes with chronic career-ending conditions, such as chronic fatigue syndrome, exercise induced asthma and bronchitis, and pneumonia. … When I had the opportunity spending a few weeks teaching in Russia, Dr Yuri Belous, the chairman of the former USSR Committee on Physical Culture and Sports, was lamenting the chronic illness of his country’s top athletes … The estimated lifespan of NFL football player is a shocking 56 years, 19 years below the national average…. More than 200,000 deaths are reported each year from heart attacks during or immediately after exercise ”

Another hard-to-ignore fact is a growing epidemic of “exhaustion” disorders, such as adrenal fatigue, chronic fatigue syndrome, depression, fibromyalgia, and similar “fat folder” conditions. When such people share their experiences I was surprised at how many of them would say – I used to be highly energetic person, involved in various athletics, literally tireless. Then the downward spiral is set in motion, and the result is devastating – “run down” body, often unable to tolerate 5-10 min. walk, myriad of unexplained symptoms, such as persistent pains and aches, debilitating fatigue, poor concentration, insomnia, food intolerances, breathing problems, anxiety and more.

In my practice and in my community I witness people who are involved in athletics with strong conviction they are greatly contributing to their health, weight normalization and longevity. But what I often see is far from picture of health – I see highly stressed, chronic mouth- and chest-breathers. Many are developing poor exercise tolerance, continuously stuffed sinuses, breathlessness, anxiety, poor sleep, weight gain (despite exercise related calorie loss and good diet).

While we have no doubt that exercise is a vital component of human health, statistics of so many unhealthy athletes begs to recognize that not every exercise is beneficial. According to professor Buteyko’s theory, it is Exercise With Correct Breathing that can make all the difference in your health.

My Yoga instructor often says “Remember, your practice is always secondary to breathing. Yoga postures are secondary to breathing. Breathing always comes first.” She has no idea what a profound truth is hidden in those statements. Unfortunately, like many modern Yoga instructors, breathing techniques she suggests encourage hyperventilation instead of reducing it. Meanwhile, reducing chronic hyperventilation is a crucial factor for modern humans in order to get their health under control and to increase physical endurance.

I was really pleased with the opportunity to speak in front of the Minnesota School of Business and Globe College students, who are studying to be fitness trainers. Hopefully, it prompts them to rethink the concept of healthy exercise. Hopefully they’ll think like my Yoga instructor… only with Buteyko in mind.

The following recommendations are based on the seminars that I presented at Minnesota School of Business and Globe College. The Buteyko Method introductory seminars were given for a group of students studying to be fitness instructors (the course title is Exercise Prescription for Special Population). This information might be helpful whether you are a fitness or yoga instructor, or health club / fitness group participant, or a breathing disorder sufferer who needs to know the safest way to exercise to maximum capacity without triggering symptoms and aggravating your condition. Note, that following is not a full presentation and contains general guidelines only. For more info and individualized programs, contact the Buteyko Clinic, and find out about workshops and other services we offer.

(Continues in the next post) ]]> http://www.asthmacare.us/ac_blog/?feed=rss2&p=1639 0 http://www.asthmacare.us/ac_blog/?p=1594 http://www.asthmacare.us/ac_blog/?p=1594#comments Sat, 31 Dec 2011 04:17:19 +0000 admin http://www.asthmacare.us/ac_blog/?p=1594  
Just for fun we’ve compiled a table of animals breathing rate / life span. Not a scientific evidence, but enough to see the connection! Mole and Shrew are “relatives”, as well as House mouse and Bat, but Mole and Bat live in lower oxygen/higher CO2 environment. Their lifespan is times greater than that of above-the-ground “relatives”.

Happy New Year from the Buteyko Clinic!
Breathe less – live healthier and longer!

 
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Buteyko Clinic USA offers unique breathing rehabilitation programs that result in long term drug free control over asthma, allergies, COPD, rhinitis, chronic cough, snoring, sleep apnea, anxiety, panic, chronic hyperventilation syndrome and other chronic conditions.
Visit our websites www.asthmacare.us and www.buteykohelponline.com

Contact us today for a free consultation.

The holiday season is here, and we want to look and feel our best. Unfortunately, this time of the year coincides with the beginning of the dreaded increase in upper respiratory infections. People with weakened immune system and chronic respiratory conditions are especially at risk. Instead of loading on OTC cold /flu medications that are not effective, but often create more problems, these simple rules will help you to get over your cold /flu faster and avoid complications.

- To unblock congested nose, perform nose unblocking exercise. Good demonstration of the exercise you can find here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SeLqJXRVq-Y

- It is important to ensure nasal breathing all the time; every effort should be put into unblocking your nose, so you don’t mouth breathe.  If you have a severe congestion and nose unblocking exercise helps only partially, natural decongestant sprays (such as with grapefruit seed extract) can be a good add-on. Saline rinses can be very helpful also. For bedtime, if everything else fails, and you cannot breathe through your nose all night, OTC decongestant sprays, such as  Afrin, can be used, but not more than for 3 days.  Decongestant teas can be a good option, but  read the label. For example, overconsumption of licorice, often found in decongestant teas, might elevate blood pressure. Educate yourself on the herbs you are taking, and consume specific herbal teas/supplements in moderation.

- Do Short Breath Holds (SBH) exercise (3-4 sec breathholds) throughout the day, about 10-15 min at a time. A good demonstration of SBH exercise you can find here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MDtVGzSH_Uo&feature=related

- If you have fever, chills, fatigue, stay in bed and rest, but if not, try not to stay in bed all day, move  around. Lying down all day long will increase hyperventilation.

- Remember correct way to cough and blow your nose. Do not force cough. Do not blow your nose too hard. When need to cough, take a small breath through the nose, cough gently with your mouth closed or cap mouth and nose with tissue/hand/elbow. Gentle breath holding and quiet breathing with smaller inhales will stop coughing fit before it has a chance to develop. Start doing breath holds after normal exhale at the first sign of cough or if you need to relieve mucus. Sometimes you feel that mucus plug has shifted and makes you congested, but it is “not quite there” to cough it up effortlessly. Gently reducing your breathing together with doing holds will shift the mucus plug, while forcing it out by taking big breaths through the mouth and coughing repeatedly will make your airway constrict more. When blowing nose, blow gently, one nostril at a time, then wipe, then hold your breath for a few seconds.

-  Dental hygiene is very important during upper respiratory infections. Brush and floss your teeth twice a day, clean your tongue with tongue scraper. Sanitize your brush and tongue scraper often. Rinse with natural alcohol free mouthwash that contains herbal extracts and essential oils. Many of them have natural anti-viral / anti-bacterial extracts/oils in them.

- To relieve sore throat, use a solution of baking soda and salt in warm water. Gargle 2-3 times a day (once at bedtime). Don’t drink or eat for at least half an hour after gargling.

- Taking immune boosters might help. Echinacea can be taken at the very first sign of symptoms and continued for three days only. Recent clinical studies confirm that Elderberry can help prevent and relieve flu, including H1N1 virus. Elderberry can be taken for the duration of the flu / cold and as a preventative measure whenever you need a gentle immune boost.

- Drink plenty of liquid. Green and herbal teas and warm water with a bit of fresh lemon juice are the best. Avoid caffeine and alcohol. Tea with honey and lemon is excellent for soothing sore throat or relieving that “raw” congested feeling in your chest. Raw local honey is the best, if available.

- If you don’t have appetite, don’t make yourself eat; if you do, it is better to have smaller portions and lighter foods.

- Great foods that will speed up the recovery are homemade chicken soup (made from chicken meat with bones, root and other vegetables) and salads with raw garlic and onion. Raw garlic and onion are natural anti- bacterial and anti-viral foods.

- Try not to lower your temperature until it reaches alarming degrees such as above 102F (39 C)*. Raising temperature is body’s way to fight bacteria / virus. One natural way to gently bring fever down is to take a lukewarm bath (with the  temperature slightly lower than the body temperature).  If your fever is high, you experience weakness or dizziness, be sure you are assisted and supervised while taking a bath, and of course, always supervise children. One of the Russian folk remedies to lower temperature and fight virus is to drink plenty of hot tea with homemade pureed sugared berries or berry preserves, such as raspberry or black currant.  Resulting sweating usually causes drop in  temperature. Interesting, Dr Mercola suggests the tea, which he says works by the same principals.  A tea made from a combination of elderflower, yarrow, boneset, linden, peppermint and ginger; drink it hot and often for combating a cold or flu. It causes you to sweat, which is helpful for eradicating a virus from your system.

* The exception is if you know that you/ your child have a history of seizures or other complications caused by high fever.

- If congestion and mucus persist and become bothersome, breathing exercises such as Short Breath Holds (SBH) or breathholds of about half of your Control Pause (What is Control Pause – How to measure your Control Pause) will help  to shift and expel mucus easier. There are few herbs that are natural expectorants, but be thoroughly informed of what you are taking. Do not take them for a long period of time. If you have lung conditions such as COPD,
pulmonary hypertension, bronchiectasis, consult your doctor before taking any herbal or other expectorant

- Let yourself fully recover and try not to expose yourself to cold temperatures outdoor until your symptoms subside significantly

- Having adequate levels of Vitamin D3 is shown to shorten the duration of the cold/flu and increase resistance to upper  respiratory infections in general. Safe sun exposure is the best way for the body to take and utilize Vitamin D, but in winter months it becomes problematic. Know your Vitamin D level; if you are deficient, take supplements (D3). Probiotic supplements and Cod Liver Oil / Krill oil / Fish oil are other good supplements to take to strengthen immune system and reduce inflammation. Oregano oil is known for strong anti-bacterial, anti-fungal properties. Supplementing with Vitamin C and Zinc can be very helpful during upper respiratory infections.

- All these measures should help you shorten the duration of your cold/flu and avoid complications, but if fever persist for more than 5 days, especially if you have lung disease or history of chronic respiratory / ENT infections, visit a doctor to make sure you don’t have pneumonia or other bacterial infection. Other symptoms that should prompt visit to the doctor include ear or sinus pain with a lot of nasal stuffiness or drainage, shortness of breath, cough that is not subsiding after a couple of weeks, coughing up dark colored green or yellow sputum.

- If you were diagnosed with bacterial infection and needed a course of antibiotics, follow by at least one month of probiotic supplements.

- And finally, consider taking a full Buteyko course, such as the one we offer. One of the major advantages of learning the Buteyko Breathing is that once your breathing is physiologically healthy, you become much more resistant to viral, bacterial and fungal infections.  It is that simple –PREVENT upper respiratory infections rather than fight them later.

Have a safe, healthy and joyful Holiday Season!

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Buteyko Clinic USA offers unique breathing rehabilitation programs that result in long term drug free control over asthma, allergies, COPD, rhinitis, chronic cough, snoring, sleep apnea, anxiety, panic, chronic hyperventilation syndrome and other chronic conditions. Contact us today for a free consultation.

Contrary to what most people think, under normal circumstances, CO2 controls our breathing, not oxygen. Our body carries more oxygen than we need – a ‘reserve’ in case of extreme situations where we might need a burst of energy. When the CO2 levels rise to what body’s chemical receptors ”are taught“ is the correct amount to trigger breathing cycle, they signal the respiratory center in the brain, and the brain, in turn, sends signal to breathing muscles to take a breath.

The problem here is that these chemical receptors are adjustable in order to adapt the body to different situations. If we over-breathe for longer periods of time, the chemo-receptors are “desensitized” and reset to trigger breathing cycle at lower levels of CO2.
The healthy level we should be triggered to breathe is about 40 mm Hg of arterial (pA) CO2. The average asthmatic is triggered by only 33 mm Hg of pA CO2 (the Brisbane trial). Smooth muscle constricts at about 30 mm Hg.

Ironically, the more you breathe (and the longer you neglect the problem), the less oxygen your body can utilize (although plenty is available), the more symptoms associated with blood vessel and smooth muscle constriction are present. As a result, you are left with breathlessness, wheezing, cough, nasal congestion, sleep apnea, headaches, brain fog, anxiety, fatigue, digestive dysfunctions and more.

What Buteyko does is teaching you to breathe physiologically healthy again—correcting dysfunctional breathing (which in time will “reset” your chemo-receptors) without use of drugs or devices.

You can effectively combat your asthma or other condition with good understanding of Buteyko principals, simple breathing exercises and useful information on how to incorporate the Buteyko breathing into your life.
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Buteyko Clinic USA offers unique breathing rehabilitation programs that result in long term drug free control over asthma, allergies, COPD, rhinitis, chronic cough, snoring, sleep apnea, anxiety, panic, chronic hyperventilation syndrome and other chronic conditions. Contact us today for a free consultation.

 Central Sleep Apnea

Central sleep apnea affects approximately 5% of sufferers and results from the brain not sending the right signals to breathe. Excessive breathing volume during sleep causes a reduction in the partial pressure of carbon dioxide. This shifts the pH of the blood in an alkaline direction. To maintain the pH within normal levels, a natural bodily response is to hold the breath, allowing the pH to revert to normal. In other words, central apnea occurs from breathing in excess of metabolic requirements.

Obstructive Sleep Apnea

During your school days, you may remember reading about Joe the “fat boy” from the Pickwick papers written by Charles Dickens in 1837.

Joe ate in great quantities and was liable to fall asleep during any situation. His breathing was heavy, he snored and he was continuously sleepy. Originally described as the Pickwickian syndrome, his breathing was later labeled as obstructive sleep apnea syndrome.
While obstructive sleep apnea more often affects men with a neck size of 17 inches or larger, it can also affect children and adults who are not overweight. Children who breathe through their mouth are at risk of developing cranio-facial changes, such as undeveloped jaws, smaller airways, and narrow faces. It also increases the likelihood of the child developing lifelong sleep apnea.

Obstructive sleep apnea is the most common type of apnea and is characterized by holding the breath from collapse of the upper airways during sleep. This holding of the breath, which prevents airflow to the lungs, may occur between five and fifty times per hour. Each breath hold can range from a few seconds to over one minute, causing one’s blood oxygen saturation to decline to as low as 50%.

After a period of holding the breath during sleep, the centre within the brain that controls breathing alerts the rest of the brain that the breath is being held and the individual partially wakes up. This is followed by gasping, a sharp intake of breath, and spluttering, which is often of great concern to sleep partners who in turn suffer from sleep deprivation. The sufferer is unaware that he or she is holding his or her breath, often feels that he or she slept well but wonders why he or she is so tired during the day.

All patients with sleep apnea breathe extremely heavily while sleeping. A normal routine is thunderous snoring followed by complete cessation of the breath.

Imagine sucking air through a collapsible rubber tube. As one sucks air through the tube, the walls of the tube tend to collapse inwards from the pressure created by drawing air. During a gentle draw of air, pressure is minimal and the inner walls of the tube do not collapse. However, during a strong draw of air, the walls can collapse and the more effort one makes to suck air through the tube, the more the walls collapse.
An engineer looking at this problem might offer two solutions. The first is to widen the tube. The second is to reduce the airflow.

Widening a human airway through surgery is a last resort. While losing weight from around the neck region is helpful, a more plausible option is to reduce breathing volume.

Large breathing volume causes the airway walls to collapse, resulting in holding of the breath. During the cessation of the breath, the chest and diaphragm continue to try to draw air into the lungs. This results in jerking and heaving as the diaphragm presses downward. The greater the heaving of the chest and diaphragm, the more the airway walls are drawn inward. Eventually, the patient begins to breathe again.

Symptoms resulting from sleep apnea include excessive daytime sleepiness, waking up tired, loud snoring, holding the breath during the night, loud snorts, gasps upon resumption of breathing, dry throat, dry mouth, and headaches in morning, problems with memory and concentration, heartburn or reflux, swelling of the legs, needing to urinate during the night, sweating during sleep, chest pain, and elevations in blood pressure. Of course, this loud snoring accompanied by loud snorts and gasps can also lead to marital problems.

 Side effects of CPAP

The normal treatment for obstructive sleep apnea is a CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) machine. The patient wears a mask over the face and air is applied at a pressure that exceeds the airway opening pressure, thereby enabling the patient to breathe without cessation. In simple terms, it may be best understood as a small vacuum cleaner working in reverse, applying sufficient air pressure to force the airways open.
The CPAP can resolve apneas in many patients, leading to improved sleep quality, decreased sleepiness, and lower blood pressure.1,2,3,4

The machine helps the patient as long as he or she continues to use it. On the downside, it does nothing to address the major contributory factor of sleep apnea, namely chronic overbreathing. Wearing a mask during sleep can be claustrophobic, uncomfortable, cumbersome, and inconvenient, and getting tangled in the tube can be annoying. The air is very dry, which may cause rhinitis, a dripping nose, a blocked nose, and nasal irritation. Even when the mask is worn correctly, the feeling of the airflow is often described as putting ones head out of a car window while the car is moving at 30 miles per hour. Partners and patients often find the humming of the machine very distracting. The machine has to be cleaned on a regular basis, but few do this. Overall, while it is accepted as the gold standard of treatment, the CPAP machine has major short comings.

During one study of 300 patients referred to the London Chest Ventilatory support unit, it was found that 96% of patients complained of at least one side effect resulting from the therapy, while 45% complained of a side effect from the nasal mask.5

In a study of 80 patients, Verse et al. found that the most prevalent side effects were disturbance of the mask during the night (71.3%), dry mouth (47.5%), dry nose (46.3%), pressure marks from the mask (41.3%), crusts within the nasal cavity (38.8%), and hearing loss (26.3%). Mouth and nose dryness were considered the most irritating side effects.6

In another study of 41 patients with OSAS, the paper noted that “the most frequently reported problems were a tender region on the bridge of the nose and discomfort associated with a dry nasal mucosa. Although CPAP treatment was initially accepted by most patients, adverse effects and other difficulties decreased patient compliance, with time, in many cases.”7

A paper published in The Canadian Respiratory Journal observed that “compliance is a significant problem and has been incompletely assessed in long-term studies.” After evaluating 80 patients to determine long-term compliance with CPAPA, the authors concluded that “although many patients with OSA derive subjective benefit from, and adhere to treatment with CPAP, a significant proportion of those so diagnosed either do not initiate or eventually abandon therapy.”8

The journal Sleep found that only 40% of the 162 newly diagnosed patients who required CPAPA therapy accepted the treatment. The paper noted that compliance was higher in higher socioeconomic groups than the lower.9 Other researchers found that “failure to comply with treatment has been reported to be as high as 25 to 50%, with patients typically abandoning therapy during the first 2 to 4 weeks of treatment.”10

According to Broström A et al., “Adherence to CPAP treatment is a multifaceted problem including patient, treatment, condition, social, and healthcare related factors. Knowledge about facilitators and barriers for adherence to CPAP treatment can be used in interventional strategies.”11

References

1. Pepperell JC, Ramdassingh-Dow S, Crosthwaite N, et al. Ambulatory blood pressure after therapeutic and subtherapeutic nasal continuous positive airway pressure for obstructive sleep apnea: a randomised parallel trial. Lancet. 2002;359:204-10.
2. Hack M, Davies RJ, Mullins R, et al. Randomised prospective parallel trial of therapeutic versus subtherapeutic nasal continuous positive airway pressure on simulated steering performance in patients with obstructive sleep apnea. Thorax. 2000;55:224-31.
3. Norman D, Loredo JS, Nelesen RA, et al. Effects of continuous positive airway pressure versus supplemental oxygen on 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure. Hypertension. 2006;47:840-5.
4. Shivalkar B, Van de Heyning C, Kerremans M, et al. Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome: more insights on structural and functional cardiac alterations, and the effects of treatment with continuous positive airway pressure. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2006;47:1433-9.
5. Kalan A, Kenyon GS, Seemungal TA, Wedzicha JA. Adverse effects of nasal continuous positive airway pressure therapy in sleep apnea syndrome. J Laryngol Otol. 1999 Oct;113(10):888-92.
6. Verse T, Lehnhardt E, Pirsig W, Junge-Hülsing B, Kroker B. [What are the side-effects of nocturnal continuous positive pressure ventilation (nCPAP) in patients with sleep apnea for the head-neck region?].[Article in German] Laryngorhinootologie. 1999 Sep;78(9):491-6.
7. Kuhl S, Hollandt JH, Siegert R. [Therapy with nasal CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) in patients with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS). II: Side-effects of nCPAP therapy. Effect on long-term acceptance] Laryngorhinootologie 1997 Oct;76(10):608-13.
8. Wolkove N, Baltzan M, Kamel H, Dabrusin R, Palayew M. Long-term compliance with continuous positive airway pressure in patients with obstructive sleep apnea Can Respir J. 2008 Oct;15(7):365-9.
9. Simon-Tuval T, Reuveni H, Greenberg-Dotan S, Oksenberg A, Tal A, Tarasiuk A. Low socioeconomic status is a risk factor for CPAP acceptance among adult OSAS patients requiring treatment. Sleep. 2009 Apr 1;32(4):545-52.
10. Zozula R, Rosen R Compliance with continuous positive airway pressure therapy: assessing and improving treatment outcomes. Curr Opin Pulm Med. 2001 Nov;7(6):391-8.
11. Broström A, Nilsen P, Johansson P, Ulander M, Strömberg A, Svanborg E, Fridlund B Putative facilitators and barriers for adherence to CPAP treatment in patients with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome: a qualitative content analysis. Sleep Med. 2010 Feb;11(2):126-30. Epub 2009 Dec 9.

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Buteyko Clinic USA offers unique breathing rehabilitation programs that result in long term drug free control over asthma, allergies, COPD, rhinitis, chronic cough, snoring, sleep apnea, anxiety, panic, chronic hyperventilation syndrome and other chronic conditions. Contact us today for a free consultation.

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 In the wake of Japanese disaster we searched the web for statistics on nuclear plants. In the US alone we have over 100, and 4-6 new ones might be built by 2018.While nuclear disasters are considered rare (how rare is reasonably rare?), the outcomes might be especially devastating and lasting for decades. Even the most modern plant can suffer from a huge natural disaster, like Japanese earthquake and tsunami.
And no matter how far we are in the world from the place of event, the above-normal amounts of radiation can reach us by air, water, contaminated fish and such.That tragic event naturally raised a question – what can we really do to protect ourselves if something like this happens? There are a lot of nutritional recommendations you can find now on natural health websites, including supplementing with potassium iodide, sea vegetables and immune support herbs. However, not knowing your iodine level and other health parameters, it might be unsafe for some to supplement with potassium iodide. It will not offer a lot of protection either.

Consider the Buteyko Breathing. Not only it optimizes your immune and digestive systems, it prepares your body to fight harmful outside influences with greater efficiency.

This month it will be 25 years since the Chernobyl catastrophe (26th of April, 1986). In 1990, at Shevchenko’s Central Hospital in Kiev, Ukraine, there was the Buteyko Breathing Method trial involving victims of Chernobyl disaster; some of the participants were those who responded first and therefore received large doses of radiation. After the treatment, the participants reported decreased headaches, decreased stomach pain as well as significantly diminished dizziness, nausea and fatigue. The official results were reported as –out of 50 patients with radiation sickness due to Chernobyl’s nuclear plant disaster, 82% of patients had considerable improvement in blood analysis, cardiovascular parameters (blood pressure, pulse, etc.), work of the digestive system, and reduction in medication. No cases of side effects or complications due to the breathing exercises were reported.

We all wish that more long-term studies could be done in the Western medical world on different applications of the Buteyko Method. With such impressive results after small trials, how can we disregard this simple and effective technique?

Meanwhile, you can start Buteyko breathing to improve your own and your family’s health. This way, the most important part of your “emergency preparedness kit” will always be with you.

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Buteyko Clinic USA offers unique breathing rehabilitation programs that result in long term drug free control over asthma, allergies, COPD, rhinitis, chronic cough, snoring, sleep apnea, anxiety, panic, chronic hyperventilation syndrome and other chronic conditions. Contact us today for a free consultation.