Breathing for health and wellbeing

There are many systems of breathing. The ones I am familiar with have come from the martial arts, self protection, sports performance, yoga, and meditation. But there is one method which concerns itself only with breathing for health and well being. It is called the Buteyko method, named after the founder, Professor Konstantin Pavlovich Buteyko. The method is based on the concept that some people's breathing is out of balance and this imbalance of gases potentially causes a cascade of health problems from allergies, asthma, fatigue, snoring, stress, panic, IBS, and on and on.

According to Buteyko, if breathing is not kept at the level necessary to meet the demands of metabolism, the stores of carbon dioxide and oxygen that are kept in the body become unbalanced. This causes a problem because these gases rely on each other to keep the body performing at the highest possible standard. Having sufficient oxygen but insufficient carbon dioxide does not provide this, nor does the reverse imbalance.

While having insufficient carbon dioxide or oxygen can be fatal, so too can excessive amounts of both gases. Antioxidants help to deal with too much oxygen in the form of free radicals. An excess of CO2 is usually avoided because it is constantly being removed when exhaling. The constant aim, therefore, is to have the optimum balance of both carbon dioxide and oxygen to ensure good health. This is achieved by efficient breathing rather than deep breathing.

Here is where Buteyko differs from other traditional methods. According to Buteyko, western society has an established misconception that deep breathing is beneficial. It also indicates the following misconceptions about breathing:

• Deep breathing is relaxing and gives you more oxygen
• You breathe in oxygen and breathe out carbon dioxide
• A good cough gets rid of mucus
• Chest should be out, stomach should be in
• Hyperventilation means taking big, deep breaths
• Deep breathing is not at all relaxing during a panic attack

According to Buteyko, good breathing means breathing sufficient air to the meet the demands of metabolism and no more. It is akin to taking in more calories than are required to meet the demands of physical activity, only the consequences are more dire. Buteyko calls it "the carbon dioxide syndrome".

As radical as this sounds, the Buteyko theory is that hyperventilation is the root cause of many of today's health problems. I have certainly not done the subject justice in this short space, but I encourage you to do your own research. If you have unexplained symptoms and notice your breathing is not normal (such as breathing in through your mouth), you might consider looking into the disease of deep breathing as explained by the Buteyko method. It can also be used by anyone who wishes to improve their health, sports performance, and general ability to cope with modern living.