LIVE A LONG LIFE...and stay healthy

BREATHING

We all breathe to survive. As simple as it sounds, most people do not breathe correctly! We breathe in too much Oxygen through our Mouth into our Lungs. The consequence is the increase in Asthma, Snoring, Apnea, Anxiety, Stress and generally bad health. According to the study of a Danish physiologist, Christian Bohr, known as the Bohr Effect. It might seem contradictory to our conventional wisdom! However, according to Bohr, breathing in more air (decrease in carbon dioxide CO2 ) provokes an increase in blood pH, which results in hemoglobin (proteins) absorbing more Oxygen from cells in the body, depleting energy. Conversely, an increase in CO2 (less breathing) results in a decrease in blood pH, resulting in hemoglobin releasing their load of Oxygen into cells, making us more energetic. Oddly, Bohr’s theory is supported by the teachings of Yoga 瑜珈, Meditation 打坐, Chi Gong 氣功 and Nei Gong 內功, thousands of years ago in India and China. These teachings all emphasized the importance of Breathing by inhaling air through the Nose into the Abdomen 丹田, but not the lungs. Most people breathe in 5-6 liters of air per minute into the lungs without any Control Pause…

Bohr Effect, “THE MORE AIR YOU BREATHE, THE LESS OXYGEN YOU GET”

Control Pause (CP) sec.	# of Breaths/min.	Air Intake (liters/min.)
0 (No CP)	10-12	5-6
5	4	2
10	3	1.5
15	2.4	1.2
20	2	1

Buteyko Breathing Method (BBM)

Dr. Konstantin Buteyko used the principle of Bohr Effect to develop a breathing method for curing Asthma in the 1950s, which he himself had suffered all through childhood. His 3-step BBM:

“Your Nose is for Breathing, while your Mouth is for Eating & Talking.”

   1) Breath-IN gently through your NOSE while counting to 5 (sec.)
   2) Breath-OUT through your NOSE completely while counting to 5 (sec.)
   3) Hold the breath (Control Pause) and count to 5 (sec.) or when feel the urge to breathe again. Then repeat the whole process. (See chart above)

Start with 5 control pauses and work your way up if you feel comfortable. BBM is documented to be helpful in relieving Stress, Asthma attack symptom and calming your mind during Meditation. One can possibly eliminate Apnea and the need of a CPAP when breathing with 5+ control pauses during sleep . However, result is different for everyone so just continue to practice and do not give up. The idea of NOT having to lug along the CPAP machine when traveling is enough incentive!

*Learn the "Buteyko Breathing Method" (BBM) to breath properly to eliminate Snoring, Apnea & Asthma, etc.*

The BEDS Program for living a Long & Healthy Life:
1. Breathing
2. Exercise
3. Diet
4. Supplements