the
key
to
vital health
by Artour Rakhimov, Ph.D.
Revised 2-nd edition:
February-May 2008
the
key to vital health
Disclaimers and warnings
While the author has used
reasonable efforts to include accurate and up-to-date information in this book,
there are no warranties or representations as to the accuracy of such
information and no guarantee or promise about effects and treatment of any
health conditions is given.
The information provided in this book and its
pages is for guidance only and should be used under the supervision of a
qualified medical physician, or a family doctor, or a Buteyko practitioner. The
user of this book should not alter any medication without professional medical
advice. Before undertaking any breathing exercises one should seek medical
advice from one’s physician, family doctor or a qualified Buteyko practitioner.
The author assumes no liability for the
contents of this book, which may or may not be followed at one’s own risk.
Thus, any liability for any impact, problems, or damages is expressly
disclaimed.
Please be aware that breathing exercises,
including breath holding, have powerful effects on the human organism. These
effects may cause serious health problems in the event of incorrect application
of breathing exercises.
Special warnings for people
with serious health problems
Breathing exercises can cause large and rapid
changes in blood flow to the brain, heart, liver, kidneys, stomach, large and
small intestines and other organs, as well as changes in blood concentrations
of certain hormones. Such changes may result in different adverse effects.
There are many other consequences of manipulation in breathing that can lead to
stress and various problems. These effects can be particularly dangerous for
people with serious existing health problems or special conditions (diabetes,
severe renal disease, chronic acute gastritis, intestinal ulcers, Crohn’s
disease, inflammatory bowel disease, irritable bowel syndrome, acute brain
traumas, any bleeding or acute injury, pregnancy, etc.).
the
key to vital health
Book content
Chapter 1.
Scientific studies about breathing-health connection
Introduction
1.1 Minute ventilation in health and disease
1.2 Do people notice their over-breathing (hyperventilation)?
1.3 The main effect of hyperventilation
1.4 Do we need this “poisonous” CO2?
1.5 CO2 deficiency: the main physiological effect of
hyperventilation
1.6 Medical studies of hyperventilation
1.7 Studies about the hyperventilation provocation test
1.8 Hypoventilation as a health problem
1.9 End-tidal CO2 and different health problems
1.10 Hypoxia and blood shunting
1.11 Critical care patients and arterial CO2
1.12 Breath-holding time and its clinical significance
1.13 Role of nitric oxide
1.14 Changes in the ANS (autonomous nervous system)
1.16 Why breathing?
1.17 Evolution of
air on Earth
Conclusions
Q&A section for chapter 1
References for chapter 1
Chapter 2. The
physiological mechanism of immediate regulation of breathing
Introduction
2.1 Biochemical control of respiration
2.2 The main
physiological parameter, which controls breathing of healthy people
2.3 Hypoxia and
its contribution to regulation of breathing
2.4 Control of
breathing during breath holding
2.5 Control of
breathing in people with chronic hyperventilation
2.6 Breath holding
control in diseased states
2.7 Connection
between BHT (breath holding time after normal expiration) and arterial CO2
Conclusions
Q&A section
for chapter 2
References for
chapter 2
Chapter 3. Lifestyle
factors that matter
Introduction
3.1 Stress, anxiety and strong emotions
3.2 Physical inactivity
3.3 Overeating
3.4 Deep breathing exercises
3.5 Overheating
3.6 Talking with deep inhalations, a loud voice, or a high pitch
3.7 Mouth breathing
3.8 Morning
hyperventilation
3.9 Embryonic and foetal development in a woman hyperventilating during
her pregnancy
3.10
Special factors for infants
3.12 Exposure to toxic chemicals
Conclusions
Q&A section for chapter 3
References for chapter 3
Chapter 4.
Western methods of breathing retraining
Introduction
4.1
4.2
4.3
4.4 St. Bartholomew's Hospital,
4.5
4.6 Department of Psychiatry,
4.7 Department of Psychiatry,
4.8
4.9
4.10 Lothian Area Respiratory Function Service,
4.11 Service de Psychosomatique, Hospital du Sacre-Caeur
4.12 Laboratory of Pneumology, U.Z.Gasthuisberg, Katholieke
4.13 New Zealand Guidelines Group,
4.14
4.15 Common features and some differences of Western methods of
breathing retraining
Q&A section for chapter 4
References for chapter 4
Chapter 5. History and advance of the Buteyko breathing method
Introduction
5.1 Some
historical facts about the origins of the method
5.2 Breathing and
modern diseases
5.3 Development of
specific health problems
5.4 Practical
discoveries and their application
5.5 Advance of the
method in the
5.6 Advance of the
method in western countries
5.7 Experimental trials of the Buteyko breathing method
Q&A section for chapter 5
References for chapter 5
Chapter 6. The
control pause
Introduction
6.1 The HVPT (hyperventilation provocation test)
6.2 The CP test
6.3 Life-style
factors that influence the personal CP
6.4 How CP
measurements relate to aCO2 values
6.5 Conditions for
correct CP measurements
6.6 CP and various
breathing patterns
6.7 The CP and
general health
6.8 CP and various
systems and parameters of the organism
6.9 The link
between the CP and symptoms
6.10 Maximum,
average and minimum daily CPs
6.11 Other pauses
and their definitions
6.12 Potential
dangers of long breath holds and strong air hunger
6.13 Short pauses
as safer alternatives
Q&A section for chapter 6
References for chapter 6
Chapter 7. Level
1: First steps for
better health
Introduction
7.1 Nasal
breathing only
7.2 Mouth taping
7.3 Prevention of
sleeping on the back
7.4 The Emergency
Procedure during acute or life threatening situations
7.5 Other possible
applications of the Emergency Procedure
7.6 Constant basic
control of breathing
Q&A section for chapter
7
References for chapter 7
Chapter 8. Level
2: Breathing exercises, sleep, focal infections, and cleansing reactions
Introduction
8.1 General goals
of the breathing exercises
8.2 Preliminary
requirements for learning breathing exercises
8.3 Learning the RB (reduced breathing)
8.4 More about
relaxation and posture
8.5 Gradualism –
an approach to learning air hunger
8.6 Which
breathing exercises to choose from?
8.7 What are the criteria of success?
8.8 How much to exercise?
8.9 Day-after-day progress in breathing retraining
8.10 Evening and morning CPs
8.11 General observations about sleep
8.12 Why
breathing gets deeper during sleep
8.13 Modern Western sleep
8.14 Methods to
prevent night hyperventilation
8.15 Supplements
8.16 Steroids
8.17 Order or priorities of actions
8.18 Focal infections
8.19 Practical
actions in relation to focal infections
8.20 Breathing and
focal infections: practical cases
8.21 Cleansing
reactions: their causes, basic mechanisms, and symptoms
8.22 Practical
steps during the cleansing reaction
Q&A section for chapter
8
References for chapter 8
Chapter 9. Level
2: Personal changes, physical exercise and other useful tools
9.1 Personal
changes due to the first breathing sessions
9.2 Exercise
9.3 Some practical
suggestions regarding your personal hygiene and oral health
9.4 Diet and
nutrition
9.5 Heat/cold
adaptation
9.6 Development of
correct speaking skills
9.7 Prevention of
hyperventilation conditioned to favourite activities
9.8 A typical long
session of the Buteyko breathing with light intensity
9.9 What to expect
and goal setting
9.10 Imagery and
visualization
9.11 Measurements
of pulse and its significance
9.12 Possible
intensities and durations of the breathing sessions
Q&A section for chapter 9
References for chapter 9
Chapter 10. Level
3: CP 60 or excellent health
Introduction
10.1 Constant
breathing control
10.2 Why it is
difficult to break through 40 s threshold
10.3 Physical
activity and breathing exercises
10.4 Strengthening
the weakest parts of the organism
10.5 Posture
10.6 Sleep
10.7 Avoidance of
allergies
10.8 Other special
activities
10.9 Other dietary
suggestions
10.10 Negative
emotions and their relation to muscular tension and physical activity
10.11 The check
list of questions for getting CP 60
Q&A section
for chapter 10
Chapter 11. Breathing
and some GI problems
Introduction
11.1 Normal
digestion and abnormalities
11.2 Chronic
hyperventilation and its effects on the GI system
11.3 Interaction
of these destructive CHV factors with the organism
11.4 Factors that
define the time of digestion
11.5 Breathing
control during and after meals
11.6 Chewing and
particle size of the swallowed food
11.7 Effects of
various foods on breathing
11.8 Focal infections and their GI effects
11.9 Positive effects of high CPs on the GI tract
11.10 Triggers of
GI problems and the soft diet
11.11 Mechanical
shaking of the body
11.12 Use of
spices
11.13 Other
observations and suggestions
Chapter 12.
Special topics related to the Buteyko method
12.1 Review of
some effects that take place at 10 and 20 s CP.
12.2 Emphysema and
breathing retraining
12.3 Sleep apnoea
and breathing retraining
12.4 Hypercapnic
vasoconstriction
12.5 Practical
suggestions for the youngest Buteyko students (0-1 years old)
12.6 Teaching
young children (from 2 up to 14-16 years old)
Q&A section
for chapter 12
References for
chapter 12
Chapter 13. Various other breathing-related subjects
Introduction
13.1 Hatha yoga teaching and
breathing
13.2 Hibernation
13.3 Breath holding abilities in
animals
13.4 Breathing in relation to
metabolic and health states
13.5 Breathing analogy in health
and disease
13.6 Homeostasis and various simple
parameters that reflect it
13.7 Socio-psychological aspects of
breathing
References for chapter 13
Chapter 14. Future
of the Buteyko movement and challenges of Buteyko breathing teachers
14.1 Current
trends
14.2 The hidden
challenge of the modern world: the Buteyko team vs. abnormal lifestyle factors
14.3 Teaching the
method: what is the core?
14.4 The method
and its impact on environmental and lifestyle factors
14.5 Ten
typical mistakes made by breathing practitioners
14.6 Teaching and
promoting the Buteyko method in new places
Appendix 1.
Summary and explanation of normal respiratory and some related values
Appendix 2.
Approximate relationship between breath holding time and alveolar CO2
concentration
Appendix 3.
Symptoms of hyperventilation syndrome treated in
Appendix 4.
Clinical effects of the Buteyko breathing method on common health problems
(based on work of Russian Buteyko doctors and own experience)
Appendix 5. Macro-minerals and their signs
of deficiency
Appendix 6. Typical changes due to the Buteyko
breathing exercises and subsequent normalization of breathing
the
key to vital health
Introduction
What do we need in order to be healthy? Most
people, including many medical doctors and health professionals, would probably
say that a good diet, exercise, healthy environment, and proper rest are all
important. Other people may add relaxation exercises, supplements, herbal
remedies and other factors. Meanwhile, there is one factor, which is usually
missing in typical answers. That is normal
breathing (or breathing in accordance with existing medical and
physiological norms).
Humans can live for days without water and
for weeks without food. However, we can survive without breathing for not more
than a few minutes. Can it be so, then, that breathing is as important as water
and food? In my view, breathing is the missing link in the modern philosophy of
health. We know too little about its importance and its effects on various
processes, systems, and organs of the human body.
This book is written for an inquisitive
reader who has keen interest in respiration, its basic theory, hyperventilation
and its effects, the regulation of respiration in health and disease and
breathing retraining therapies. The book will also separately describe the
discoveries and practical work of Doctor Buteyko, a detailed description of his
breathing method, and relevant known medical investigations and physiological
experiments. Such attention to the Buteyko method seems justified to me due to
its remarkable success in the treatment of various chronic health problems,
which are often considered incurable.
While this book does contain scientific terms
and methods, it is not required that the reader be medically trained in order
to understand the information presented here.
Each chapter of this book starts with an
introduction formulating the questions to be discussed. After the main text of
theoretical chapters, general conclusions are suggested. Each chapter has a
Q&A (Question & Answer) section and chapter-related references.
Finally, let me express my gratitude to all
people whose help made the existence of this book possible. In particular,
sincere thanks to Stuart B. Wiley (Canada), Paul Ryner, Carol Baglia,
Roger Young, Suzanne Nicole (USA), Patrick McKeown, Anne Burns (Ireland),
Carolina Gane (Holland), Elizabeth MacDomnic and Duncan Robertson (UK) for
proofreading and/or valuable remarks which improved the quality of the
manuscript.
Chapter 1. Scientific
studies
about breathing-health
connection
Introduction
In this chapter we will examine what medical
science has been studying during last hundred years. Our goal is to establish a
relationship between breathing and both health and disease.
How should we breathe? How do sick people
breathe? Is there any connection to the severity of the health problems? What
has been found out about breathing of severely sick and critically ill patients?
How do most people breathe when they die and before that? Are there any simple
practical tests, which indicate if personal breathing is normal or not?
1.1 Minute ventilation in health and disease
What is the norm of breathing? How many
litres of air per minute should we breathe while sitting at rest? The
physiological norm of minute ventilation can be found in many physiological and
medical textbooks. It is about 6 litres per minute (Guyton, 1984; Ganong,
1995). So, let us keep in mind this important number: 6 litres of air per minute.
Table 1.1 summarizes information about minute
ventilation at rest in different diseased states.
|
Disease |
Minute ventilation (± standard deviation) |
Number of patients |
Reference |
|
Chronic heart failure1 |
15 (±4) l/min |
22 |
Dimopoulou et al, 2001 |
|
Chronic heart failure1 |
16 (±2) l/min |
11 |
Johnson et al, 2000 |
|
Chronic heart failure1 |
14 (±4) l/min |
88 |
Clark et al, 1995 |
|
Diabetes |
10-20 l/min |
28 |
Tantucci et al, 1997 |
|
Asthma |
15 l/min |
8 |
Johnson et al, 1995 |
|
Asthma |
14.1 (±5.7) l/min |
39 |
Bowler et al, 1998 |
|
Asthma |
12 l/min |
101 |
McFadden & Lyons, 1968 |
|
COPD2 |
12.2 (±1.9) l/min |
10 |
Sinderby et al, 2001 |
|
Hyperthyroidism |
14.9 (±0.6) l/min |
42 |
Kahaly, 1998 |
|
Cystic fibrosis3 |
10.4 (±1.4) l/min3 |
10 |
Bell et al, 1996 |
|
Epilepsy4 |
7.88 l/min4 |
12 |
Esquivel et al, 1991 |
Table 1.1 Minute ventilation
of patients with different health problems.
Table 1.1
comments:
• 1. There