Alex Spence I am going to talk about my experience with my asthma and what was taught to me 11 years ago and has kept me 99.99% asthma free. 1
The Buteyko Method for Asthma 2
Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN) British Guideline on the Management of Asthma British Guideline on the Management of Asthma grants permission for British health professionals to recommend Buteyko, stating that the method "may be considered to help patients control the symptoms of asthma". The guideline also grades clinical research on Buteyko with a 'B' classification - indicating that high quality supporting clinical trials are available. No other complementary therapy has been endorsed by this body for the treatment of asthma. http://www.sign.ac.uk/pdf/qrg101.pdf 3
Show of Hands Have you heard of the Buteyko method? Do you know someone that has done a full Buteyko Course? Please feel free to share your experiences at any point 4
I would like to hear from you... We all know that medication can alleviate the symptoms of asthma. Have you observed any other factors that can help alleviate these symptoms? Any thoughts?... 5
Correcting Two Myths About Breathing 6
Myths Carbon Dioxide is a waste product and is bad for us The more we breathe the more oxygen we receive In both cases the opposite is true 7
First Myth Carbon Dioxide is a waste product and is bad for us Carbon Dioxide is important to our health and we should learn to normalise (reduce) our breathing so that we retain healthy levels of carbon dioxide. 8
How important is Carbon Dioxide to the Human Body? Very important. If Carbon Dioxide is low, we cough and splutter and seize up just like the car. 9
Second Myth The more we breathe the more oxygen we receive When we normalise (reduce) our breathing we create a higher level of carbon dioxide in our bodies. Carbon Dioxide helps release the Oxygen from the Haemoglobin to the organs, muscles and cells (The Bohr Effect). 10
The Bohr Effect Oxygen is more likely to stick to the hemoglobin when carbon dioxide levels are lower; thus starving the body of Oxygen. 11
Overbreathing creates low Carbon Dioxide......which in turn creates Oxygen starvation due to the Bohr Effect which in turn creates Lactic Acid which creates tension and sore muscles 12
Oxygen is less likely to stick to the hemoglobin when carbon dioxide levels are higher. This means that it can then be transferred to the organs, muscles and cells. 13
Why do asthma symptoms come and go? In a car we can measure the oil level with the dip stick. We can now measure our Health/Breathing/Carbon Dioxide level with the Buteyko Control Pause. 14
Qu. How healthy are you? Buteyko Control Pause Sit and relax for 10 minutes before starting. Mouth closed; breathe normally through your nose then pause your breathing on the out breath. Hold your breath until the first slightest sign of wanting to breathe. At this point you should be breathing normally through your nose again. Measure the time you were holding your breath. This is your control pause. 15
Qu. How healthy are you? Buteyko Control Pause Results Dr Buteyko encourages us to normalise our breathing to reach a 45 seconds Control pause for a healthy life. More info on the Control Pause... http://www.doctorbuteykodiscoverytrilogy.com/control-pause.php What does normal breathing look like? 16
Buteyko Normal Breathing Diagram taken from the Buteyko Breathing Charts Of course they should know about it, he said cautiously, But I m worried they may be so eager to count the seconds that they lose sight of the main object reducing depth of breathing by means of relaxation. Excerpts from the Buteyko Trilogy Experiments revealed that if a patient concentrated his attention on actually keeping count of his frequency of breathing the result was even greater overbreathing. And that results not in a reduction in breathing rate per minute, but in an increase! http://thebreathingman.wordpress.com/article/buteyko-breathing-charts-202i29i90v7sn-22/ 17
Buteyko, Asthma & The Body s Protective Mechanisms 1. There are two parts to Asthma: Smooth Muscle Constriction and Immune System Response (inflamed airways). 2. You may have a Genetic predisposition to Asthma 3. Asthma is one of the body s defence mechanisms against overbreathing. 18
Buteyko & Asthma 2012 Can Asthma be Cured? 19
Asthma cannot be cured, because there is nothing to cure 20
Asthma cannot be cured, because there is nothing to cure Asthma (bronchial spasm) is one of the body s Protective Mechanisms, protecting us against Breath Increasing Factors inflicted on the human organism If you have a genetic predisposition to asthma, bronchial spasm will be the dominant protective mechanism. Translated from the original Buteyko breathing charts http://thebreathingman.wordpress.com/article/buteykobreathing-charts-202i29i90v7sn-22/ 21
Breath Increasing Factors Mouth Breathing Overheating (due to clothing, room temperatures & lack of fresh air) Triggers (sensitivities to food, environment etc.) Lack of movement/exercise/physical work Overeating (too much volume, eating too fast & eating too much protein) Stress, Etc. 22
Breath Reducing Factors Nasal Breathing (every breath, in & out through the nose) Relaxation with keeping good posture (sitting & standing) Buteyko Therapy including Buteyko Breathing Exercises Eating restrictions (less volume until the feeling of hunger, less speed & less protein) Movement, Exercise & Physical work Etc. 23
Buteyko Nose Breathing Breath Reducing Factor Every Breath in & out through the nose. Asthmatics have to be TAUGHT to do Nasal breathing because they may have a blocked nose or feel the need for more air 24
" normalisation of breathing immediately triggers a healing process..." Buteyko Trilogy Volume 1 Chapter 17: The First Handbook www.thebreathingman.com 25