For those struggling to create or maintain well-being, it might surprise you to know that over a hundred of the most common health complaints in the western world have one consistent underlying element. You might be surprised to discover that all of the following conditions have a single factor that is either the direct cause or has a significant part in maintaining the illness process.
* Airway disorders including asthma, emphysema, snoring, sinusitis,
COPD, hay fever
* Headaches, neck and shoulder pain, some forms of muscle spasm
* Anxiety, panic and related phobic conditions
* Sleep problems, including sleep apnoea
* Immune system disorders including M.E.
* Low energy and reduced stamina
* Hay fever, sinusitis, chronic rhinitis
* High blood pressure
* Joint inflammation
It is the habit of chronic over breathing. Also known as hyperventilation, it is simply breathing more air per minute than you need for the level of activity. Sounds harmless, doesn’t it?
Why it's a problem (the technical bit)
However, our bodies need a very precise balance of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the blood stream AT ALL TIMES. That delicate balance is easily upset (think about how you feel if you blow up too many balloons!). This is because the body loses carbon dioxide too early in the breathing cycle.
It doesn't matter much if it's short term, but over time a process called the BOHR effect changes the PH of the whole system, reducing the rate of oxygen available to the cells. Breathing MORE actually makes it worse. At a specific level of carbon dioxide loss, smooth muscle tissue can go into spasm (causing asthma, IBS, or high blood pressure depending on the genetic history). Anyone can experience this – many Olympic athletes have asthma and related conditions, and people can develop the habit at any age, as a result of any long-term or intense strain on the system - flu, trauma, overload at work, pollution, pain from injury etc.
Even if those obvious symptoms don't appear, over time the immune system can become exhausted, resulting in a wide range of conditions from annoying to life threatening. M.E./C.F.S. is a common example which generally appears after a combination of pressures (eg: virus, bereavement, bullying; or candida, accident, long term stress). The body is conditioned to breathe too much all the time as a result of the well-known fight or flight response becoming habitual, and, in M.E. often goes with adrenal exhaustion.
Enhancing health with healthy breathing habits
Fortunately over breathing is a reversible habit – no matter how long you’ve been doing it. As healthy breathing is reclaimed as ‘normal’, the body begins to heal itself.
Using the clinically proven Buteyko Breathing Method, developed by Professor Buteyko and used for over 50 years for a wide range of conditions, Jen has combined the process with relaxation techniques, NLP and (if desired) Reiki to create the Personal Best Programme.
The programme begins with a breathing assessment including breaths per minute, which muscles are used to breathe, and several simple tolerance tests. Participants learn a range of physical and mental exercises to gradually reduce breathing rates sitting, walking, lifting light weights if appropriate, stair climbing etc and may even include
going to the gym with them
if that's useful. Little and often, with small adjustments, the body rapidly remembers how to breathe efficiently and effectively, increasing the oxygen uptake (YES, by breathing LESS!) and improving energy levels.
Rapid results can be expected for many conditions. For example, asthmatics who follow the Personal Best programme usually find they need less than half their usual reliever sprays (or even none at all) within the first week. For most people, sleep rapidly improves, and energy levels rise steadily as oxygen reaches healthy levels. Pain decreases for many conditions, as inflammation reduces significantly or completely over time. Even if you’ve developed the more extreme consequences of over breathing, you can expect measurable benefits in health and comfort levels.
There are programmes suitable for ages 5+. Combined with relaxation skills and powerful NLP techniques for personal change this ground breaking Programme changes lives. The core programme of 4 to 5 sessions is usually enough for people with mild conditions to retrain their breathing and reverse symptoms. More may be needed for severe or complex concerns, but generally phone support is sufficient for most people. Although support is always available, it is our intention that you become independent and confident in applying the principles to create your desired level of health and well-being for life.
Always seek medical advice
before reducing preventive medication.
Photo copyright Jen Tiller 2007