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E-book "Oxygenate yourself: breathe less"
(Foundations of the Buteyko breathing method; 94 pages)
ISBN-13: 978-0-9545996-8-3

This is my small e-book about importance of breathing and theoretical foundations of the Buteyko breathing method. This book is based on my numerous lectures, seminars, talks and presentations in different countries around the world.

The book is available here only in software downloadable PDF form. It has 94 pages (about 1.1 MB).

The objective of this book is to explain simply:
- normal and abnormal breathing patterns;
- the consequences of over-breathing or chronic hyperventilation;
- the importance of the breath holding time test for human health;
- quality of life factors and their relation to breathing;
- various life style factors and their influence on breathing;
- the appearance and development of various diseases and their relation to breathing.

Content of the book
"Oxygenate yourself: breathe less"
(Foundations of the Buteyko breathing method)

Introduction…………………………………………………………………........2
Chapter 1. CP (control pause): your oxygenation index……………………..3
1. 1 You can easily measure your oxygenation index……………………………3
1.2 What are the CP norms?................................................................................4
1.3 How much are usual CPs when we are sick?.................................................5
1.4 The CP: the most accurate parameter of health……………………………...7
1.5 What is the typical CP of people with various diseases?................................7
1.6 Can I often measure my CP?.........................................................................7
1.7 Is the CP stable or very changeable during a day?.........................................8
1.8 What are the main daily factors that influence CP changes?..........................8
References for Chapter 1…………………………………….…………………10

Chapter 2. Breathing and oxygenation…………………………………...….12
2.1 What is normal breathing?...........................................................................12
2.2 What is the pattern of normal breathing?.....................................................12
2.3 How do sick people usually breathe?...........................................................13
2.4 What is the typical pattern of breathing of sick people?...............................13
2.5 What happens with the pattern of breathing and oxygenation for terminally
ill people and during acute life-threatening episodes? ……………………………14
2.6 What is the breathing pattern for people with very large CPs?.....................15
2.7 How many people have normal breathing?..................................................16
2.8 What is a relationship between ventilation and the CP?...............................17
2.9 More breathing – less oxygen in tissues!? Why?..........................................17
2.10 Greatest health-related superstitions of humanity…………………………18
2.11 Why CO2 is often considered a “toxic, waste and poisonous” gas?...........19
2.12 What are the primary physiological effects of low CO2?...........................20
2.13 When chronically hyperventilating, should I experience all these bad effects?.............................................................................................................24
2.14 How do people with diseases react to voluntary hyperventilation?.............25
2.15 Deliberately heavy breathing can create problems, but does it have any
relation to real life?...........................................................................................25
2.16 How is our breathing regulated?................................................................27
2.17 Why is it not possible for a sick person to resume normal breathing using
will power?.......................................................................................................27
2.18 Do people notice their over-breathing (hyperventilation)?..........................28
References for Chapter 2……………………………………………………….29

Chapter 3. Breathing and modern diseases………………………………….30
Introduction……………………………………………………………………..30
3.1 Asthma……………………………………………………………………...32
3.2 Heart disease………………………………………………………………..33
3.3 The brain and the central nervous system…………………………………..36
3.4 GI (gastrointestinal) problems………………………………………………37
3.5 Cancer………………………………………………………………………38
3.6 Hormonal problems…………………………………………………………40
3.7 Other health concerns………………………………………………………41
References for Chapter 3……………………………………………………….42

Chapter 4. Breathing and quality of life……………………………………..45
Introduction……………………………………………………………………..45
4.1 Can heavy breathing cause problems with sleep?........................................45
4.2 Are breathing and digestion connected?......................................................48
4.3 What is the link between breathing and common body postures?.................49
4.4 How is the joy of physical activity related to breathing?..............................50
4.5 Which feelings and emotions can people experience because of hyperventilation?...............................................................................................51
4.6 Which personal skills and abilities are affected?..........................................52
4.7 What about the influence of temporary hyperventilation on performance?...52
4.8 What is the impact of breathing on perception of the outer world?...............52
4.9 How can people react when there is a lack of normal perception?...............53
4.10 How are addictions connected to breathing?.............................................53
4.11 Can being overweight be caused by hyperventilation?..............................54
4.12 Is there a connection between taking medication and breathing?...............54
4.13 Does over-breathing make life less meaningful?........................................55
4.14 Do we accomplish less in a personal life when breathing is heavy?...........56
4.15 What problems in society would be solved if normal breathing were again,
as long time ago, a norm of life for most people?..............................................56
References for Chapter 4…………………………………………………….....57

Chapter 5. Why do we breathe too heavily?..................................................59
Introduction……………..………………………………………………………59
5.1 Does an open mouth affect health?..............................................................59
5.2 Is physical inactivity a factor?.....................................................................60
5.3 What about overeating?..............................................................................60
5.4 What breathing changes occur during sleep?...............................................61
5.5 Can overheating make us breathe more?......................................................61
5.6 What about poor posture and tense muscles?...............................................61
5.7 Do we breathe more while talking?.............................................................62
5.8 Can nutritional deficiencies influence breathing?.........................................62
5.9 Can toxic chemicals and pollutants from air, water, food and other sources
lead to hyperventilation?...................................................................................63
5.10 Are there any special factors for babies?...................................................63
5.11 Is psychological stress important?.............................................................63
5.12 Do other factors also generate stress?........................................................64
5.13 Which factors are practically most important when we get sicker?............65
5.14 Do old movies and films show that breathing in the past was different?.....65

Chapter 6. The Buteyko breathing method and related questions…………67
6.1 Work of Professor Buteyko and his colleagues…………………………….67
6.2 Clinical trial for asthmatics in Glasgow (2003)…………………………….67
6.3 Clinical trials for asthmatics in New Zealand and Australia……………….68
6.4 Russian and Ukrainian trials for patients with liver problems, AIDS, radiation
disease, childhood asthma, adult asthma and heart disease…………………….69
6.5 Were there any clinical trials or studies for heart patients?..........................71
6.6 Is the efficiency of oxygen extraction depended on breathing?....................71
6.7 I have been taught that yogi and very healthy people have deep breathing and
that deep breathing is good for the health. Is that wrong?..................................72
6.8 Can I try voluntary hyperventilation in order to feel its effects?...................72
6.9 I like to go to yoga classes and swimming. Are they good for my breathing
and health?........................................................................................................73
6.10 Are there many activities and health therapies that improve breathing?.....73
6.11 Flyers and websites of Buteyko practitioners rarely say anything about the
breathing exercises. Are there secrets?..............................................................74
6.12 Are there some special personality traits that help me with learning the
method?............................................................................................................74
6.13 Can I get healthier by practicing breath holding or delays in breathing?....74
6.14 Is it useful to practice slow breathing since healthy people have small
breathing frequency?.…………………………………………………………...75
6.15 How soon can I achieve normal breathing and a 60 s CP?.........................75
6.16 What are the typical long-term results (after year or two) and do many
people achieve a 60 s CP?.................................................................................75
6.17 Are there many people who claim that breathing retraining was useless for them?................................................................................................................76
6.18 How do I know that a certain breathing teacher is good for me?................76
6.19 Why did Professor Buteyko introduce his norms for breathing?.................76
6.20 Is it possible that some people can have large CPs while still having health
problems or being sick?....................................................................................77
6.21 What are the changes in breathing during breathing retraining?..................78
6.22 How much time should I practice daily in order to progress with breathing?.........................................................................................................78
6.23 Are there any age requirements?................................................................78
6.24 If I have achieved normal breathing and a 60 s CP, should I practice these
breathing exercises for the rest of my life?........................................................79
6.25 Do all people need this large amount of physical activity?.........................79
6.26 How can I let them go?.............................................................................80
6.27 Does the Buteyko method help with all diseases?......................................80
6.28 Is CO2 the only reason for the success of the Buteyko method?................80
References for Chapter 6……………………………………………………….82

Appendix 1. How to find the CP using other breath holding time tests……83
Appendix 2. Summary and explanation of normal respiratory and some
related values…………………………………………………………………..83

Normal parameters of different lung volumes…………………………...……..83
Normal parameters of lung ventilation………………………………………....83
% saturation of hemoglobin with oxygen and amount of dissolved oxygen at
different O2 pressures……...…………………………………………………..84
Normal gas content of the arterial blood……………………..………………...84
Normal gas content of the venous blood…………………………………….....84
Normal components of work of quiet breathing………………………………..84
Normal gas exchange parameters at sea level……...…………………………..85
Appendix 3. Typical changes due to the Buteyko breathing exercises and
subsequent normalization of breathing………………………………………86
Content of the book………….…………………………………………………89
About the author Dr. Artour Rakhimov……….………………………………..93

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