Keywords: cancer, health, disease, tumour, oncology, cancer, immune system, malignant, development, metastasis, cancer, physiology, biology, biochemistry, treatment, solution, hope, recovery, cancer, cure, remission, hypoxia, oxygenation, carbon dioxide, cancer, breathing, hypocapnia, hyperventilation, cancer, beat, defeat, win, breathing retraining, cancer, Buteyko method, health, exercise, nutrition, cancer, diet, enzymes.
Part 1. Development of tumours
Let us consider some facts about the appearance, growth and development of malignant tumours; their spread to distant tissues and resistance to standard methods of treatment. What is the abnormal background, which is rarely discussed in popular books and articles about cancer, but which is known to professional oncologists?
First, let us look at tissues during the birth and growth of cancer cells or the initial stages of cancer. It has been known for decades that malignant cells normally and constantly appear and exist in any human organism due to the billions of cell divisions and mutations. These abnormal cells, under normal conditions, are quickly detected by the immune system and destroyed. However, the work of macrophages, enzymes and other agents of the immune system is severely hampered when the conditions of hypoxia exists. That was the conclusion of various studies. For example, Dr. Rockwell from Yale University School of Medicine (USA) studied malignant changes at the cellular level and wrote, “The physiological effects of hypoxia and the associated micro environmental inadequacies increase mutation rates, select for cells deficient in normal pathways of programmed cell death, and contribute to the development of an increasingly invasive, metastatic phenotype” (Rockwell, 1997). The title of this publication is Oxygen delivery: implications for the biology and therapy of solid tumors.
Summarizing the results of numerous studies, a group of biological scientists from University of California (San Diego) chose the following title for their article, The hypoxia inducible factor-1 gene is required for embryogenesis and solid tumor formation (Ryan et al, 1998).
Under normal conditions, even a group of hypoxic cells dies (or is easily destroyed). What about cells in malignant tumours? Researchers from the Gray Laboratory Cancer Research Trust (Mount Vernon Hospital, Northwood, Middlesex, UK) concluded, “Cells undergo a variety of biological responses when placed in hypoxic conditions, including activation of signalling pathways that regulate proliferation, angiogenesis and death. Cancer cells have adapted these pathways, allowing tumours to survive and even grow under hypoxic conditions...” (Chaplin et al, 1986).
There is so much professional evidence about the fast growth of tumours when the condition of hypoxia is present that a large group of Californian researchers recently wrote a paper Hypoxia - inducible factor-1 is a positive factor in solid tumor growth (Ryan et al, 2000). Echoing their paper, a British oncologist Dr. Harris from the Weatherhill Institute of Molecular Medicine (Oxford) went further with the manuscript Hypoxia - a key regulatory factor in tumour growth (Harris, 2002)
When the solid tumour is large enough and the disease progresses, cancer starts to invade other tissues. This process is called metastasis. Does poor oxygenation influence it? “...Therefore, tissue hypoxia has been regarded as a central factor for tumor aggressiveness and metastasis” (Kunz & Ibrahim, 2003). That was the conclusion of a group of German researchers from the University of Rostock and the University of Leipzig.
Since dozens of medical and physiological studies yield the same result, what about the following title? Tumor oxygenation predicts for the likelihood of distant metastases in human soft tissue sarcoma (Brizel et al, 1996). This title claims that tumour oxygenation predicts chances of cancer invasion.
The reader can probably guess about the effect of cancer treatment and the chances of survival for those who suffer from severe chronic hyperventilation. Indeed, “... tumour hypoxia is associated with poor prognosis and resistance to radiation therapy” (Chaplin et al, 1986).
American scientists from Harvard Medical School noted “... Hypoxia may thus produce both treatment resistance and a growth advantage” (Schmaltz et al, 1998).
“Low tissue oxygen concentration has been shown to be important in the response of human tumors to radiation therapy, chemotherapy and other treatment modalities. Hypoxia is also known to be a prognostic indicator, as hypoxic human tumors are more biologically aggressive and are more likely to recur locally and metastasize” (Evans & Koch, 2003).
“Clinical evidence shows that tumor hypoxia is an independent prognostic indicator of poor patient outcome. Hypoxic tumors have altered physiologic processes, including increased regions of angiogenesis, increased local invasion, increased distant metastasis and altered apoptotic programs” (Denko et al, 2003).
The authors of one of the studies cited above mused about the origins of all these problems, “Surprisingly little is known, however, about the natural history of such hypoxic cells” (Chaplin et al, 1986). Why do they appear? What is the source of tissue hypoxia?
Conclusion. Appearance, development and metastasis of tumours are based on tissue hypoxia. They are cries of the organism for more oxygen.
Brizel DM, Scully SP, Harrelson JM, Layfield LJ, Bean JM, Prosnitz LR, Dewhirst MW, Tumor oxygenation predicts for the likelihood of distant metastases in human soft tissue sarcoma, Cancer Reserach 1996, 56: p. 941-943.
Chaplin DJ, Durand RE, Olive PL, Acute hypoxia in tumors: implications for modifiers of radiation effects, International Journal of Radiation, Oncololgy, Biolpgy, Physics 1986 August; 12(8): p. 1279-1282.
Denko NC, Fontana LA, Hudson KM, Sutphin PD, Raychaudhuri S, Altman R, Giaccia AJ, Investigating hypoxic tumor physiology through gene expression patterns, Oncogene 2003 September 1; 22(37): p. 5907-5914.
Evans SM & Koch CJ, Prognostic significance of tumor oxygenation in humans, Cancer Letters 2003 May 30; 195(1): p. 1-16.
Harris AL, Hypoxia: a key regulatory factor in tumour growth, National Review in Cancer 2002 January; 2(1): p. 38-47.
Kunz M & Ibrahim SM, Molecular responses to hypoxia in tumor cells, Molecular Cancer 2003; 2: p. 23-31.
Rockwell S, Oxygen delivery: implications for the biology and therapy of solid tumors, Oncology Research 1997; 9(6-7): p. 383-390.
Ryan H, Lo J, Johnson RS, The hypoxia inducible factor-1 gene is required for embryogenesis and solid tumor formation, EMBO Journal 1998, 17: p. 3005-3015.
Ryan HE, Poloni M, McNulty W, Elson D, Gassmann M, Arbeit JM, Johnson RS, Hypoxia-inducible factor-1 is a positive factor in solid tumor growth, Cancer Res, August 1, 2000; 60(15): p. 4010 - 4015.
Schmaltz C, Hardenbergh PH, Wells A, Fisher DE, Regulation of proliferation-survival decisions during tumor cell hypoxia, Molecular and Cellular Biology 1998 May, 18(5): p. 2845-2854.
Part 2. The fundamental cause of hypoxia in timours
Is it possible that our abnormal breathing can influence the internal breathing (gas exchange) and oxygenation of all body cells, tumours included? How?
Normal breathing
Normal breathing is invisible (no chest or belly movements) and inaudible (no panting, no wheezing, no sighing, no yawning, no sneezing, no coughing, no deep inhalations or exhalations). The mouth is closed
A healthy man breathes about 4 l/min (liters of air per minute). Due to this light breathing, he retains more CO2 in the body. He has 6.5% CO2 in the lungs and the arterial blood. The cells of his body have normal CO2 and O2 concentrations. These are the norms suggested by Professor of Medicine Konstantin Buteyko.
The official medical norm for ventilation is about 6 l/min and for CO2 pressure in the lungs is about 5.3% or 40 mm Hg.
The rate of breathing, or how many liters of air we breathe, is usually measured in special laboratories. However, ventilation can also be evaluated by finding the CP (control pause) or using the breath-holding time test. How
Sit down and rest for 5-7 minutes. Completely relax all your muscles, including the breathing muscles. This relaxation produces natural spontaneous exhalation (breathing out). Hold your nose at the end of this exhalation and count your CP (breath holding time) in seconds. Keep the nose pinched until you experience the first desire to breathe. This desire is involuntary and manifested either in swallowing movements in the throat or in the push of the diaphragm. (Your body warns you, “Enough!”). If you release the fingers at this instant, you can resume your previous breathing (in the same way as you were breathing just before you started to hold your breath).
Look at the diagram below: after the test you can comfortably breathe as before the test.
If you hold the breath for too long time, the first inhale will be deep and noisy, as here:
It is possible to extend the breath holding even more, getting about twice long a time than the CP. This is called the maximum pause. However, afterwards, your breathing would be out of control. You are likely to gulp for air through your mouth taking several deep inhalations. This makes your subsequent breathing heavier and worse. Extended breath holds can even cause certain health problems.
Warning. Long breath holds (more than the CP) is dangerous for some people, for example, because of the dramatic increase in blood pressure. Other people can suffer from panic attacks or migraine headaches due to long breath holds.
It would make sense then to stick with a stress-free test, which is done until the first desire to breathe.
What is the meaning of the CP? If the level of oxygenation is low, the CP should be short. If tissue oxygenation is high, the breath holding time should be high. These simple ideas make common and physiological sense, although respiratory professionals know that there is more to this.
Russian medical Professor Konstantin Buteyko studied oxygenation, breathing and the CP measurement for most of his professional career. During the last four decades, he and his colleagues (over two hundred Russian medical doctors) tested at least a two hundred thousands patients by measuring their breath holding after their usual exhalation (the CP) many millions times. These physicians found and suggested 60 seconds CP, as a value reflecting, among other things, normal tissue oxygenation and absence of many health problems. That corresponds to ventilation of 4 l/min for a 70-kg adult.
There is also another norm: 40 seconds. For example, according to the physiological textbook “Essentials of exercise physiology” (McArdle et al, 2000), “If a person breath-holds after a normal exhalation, it takes about 40 seconds before breathing commences” (p.252). This time corresponds to about 6 l/min (the official medical norm for ventilation).
There is nothing wrong with having a short CP now (e.g., even about 10 s or less). This would mean that you can achieve more progress and make larger and more cardinal changes in your health and future life.
What is the pattern of normal breathing?
The durations of inhalations and exhalations, breathing rate, amount of air inhaled per breath and other parameters are individual. Medical and physiological textbooks suggest the following parameters of the normal breathing cycle: inhalation (about 2 s); exhalation (about 3 s); possible automatic pause or period of no breathing (1 s); the depth of inhalation is about 500-600 ml; and breathing rate is about 10-12 times per minute. The amount of air in the lungs (how we breathe) can be depicted on the diagram
This picture shows 4 breathing cycles of normal breathing: inhalation (the upward lines), exhalation (the downward lines) and possible automatic pause (the horizontal lines) accompanied by relaxation of all breathing muscles.
How do sick people usually breathe?
Sick people breathe heavily. Their breathing is visible (likely chest and belly movements) and audible (possible panting, wheezing, sighing, yawning, sneezing, coughing, deep inhalations or exhalations). The mouth may be open.
Sick people usually breathe about 10-20 or even more liters of air per minute. They have only 3-5% CO2 in the lungs and the arterial blood. Most cells are CO2 and O2 deficient - heavy breathing can make us O2 deficient, as we are going to learn later.
For sick people, the durations of inhalations and exhalations, breathing rate, amount of air inhaled per breath and other parameters are very individual. Many sick people can have the following parameters of the breathing cycle: inhalation (about 1.5-2 s), exhalation (1.5-2 s), no automatic pause; the depth of inhalation is about 700-1,000 ml; breathing rate is about 15-20 times per minute.
Note that the exhalation is forceful. Breathing muscles are strained in order to push air out of the lungs. Healthy people, as was shown above, need just to relax in order to exhale.
Sometimes sick people have an uneven or irregular breathing pattern that includes sporadic sighing, bouts of coughing, periods of fast breathing, etc. All these patterns reduce body oxygenation. They are symptoms of already existing low oxygenation with no more than 30 s CP.
Most
terminally sick people (over 80-90%) have very heavy and deep breathing.
They breathe over 20 times per minute taking over 1 liter of air for each
breath. Their inhalations and especially exhalations are very short (less
than 1.5 s). They need more than 20 l of air for one minute. The CP is about
10 s or less, indicating critically low level of oxygen.
This picture shows 6 breathing cycles of very deep breathing: inhalation (the upward lines) and exhalation (the downward lines). Inhalations and exhalations are deep (usually exceeding 1 liter per breath) and fast (about 20 times per minute or more).
During life-threatening episodes (heart attacks, strokes, asthma attacks, epilepsy attacks, etc.) breathing is even heavier. The CP is only about 5 s.
What is the breathing pattern for people with large CPs?
Available
practical evidence indicates that when people have very large CPs (up to
60-180 s), they have very easy and light breathing pattern at rest (e.g.,
during sleep). The breathing rate can be only 3-8 breaths per minute with
slow relaxed inhalation and long automatic pause (period of no breathing),
up to 10 seconds. This corresponds to breathing 2-4 liters of air per
minute.
This picture shows 2 breathing cycles of breathing with large CP: inhalation (the upward lines), exhalation (the downward lines) and long automatic pause (the horizontal lines).
Here are all four breathing diagrams together.
What do we see? The more you breathe, the shorter the CP and less oxygen is provided for the cells!
The approximate relationship between ventilation and the CP is linear.
If your CP is 30 s, you breathe twice the norm (about 8 l/min for a 70-kg adult).
If your CP is 20 s, you breathe three times the norm (about 12 l/min).
If your CP is 15 s, you breathe 4 times the norm (about 16 l/min).
If your CP is 10 s, you breathe 6 times the norm (about 24 l/min).
According to various Western studies (see chapter 2), the CP accurately reflects health and symptoms for asthma and heart diseases.
In his doctoral thesis, one Russian scientist showed that the CP was the best and the most accurate single parameter (number) that reflects human health. It is more indicative and more important than heart rate, blood pressure, any blood test result, ratings of X-ray results, ECG, EEG, and so forth.
Do people notice their over-breathing (hyperventilation)?
Very rarely. Usually, people notice that their breathing is heavy when they breathe more than 20 or 30 l/min at rest (or 5-7 times the norm!).
Why is this? Air is weightless, and breathing muscles are powerful. During rigorous physical exercise we can breathe up to 100-150 l/min. Some athletes can breathe up to 200 l/min. So it is easy to breathe "only" 10-15 l/min at rest, throughout the day and night and not be aware of this rate of breathing. It is nevertheless normal during rigorous exercise to breathe, 50 or more l/min since, while we are exercising, CO2 and O2 concentrations in the arterial blood can remain nearly the same as at rest.
Experience shows that on average, only a few, if any, per 1,000 people have normal breathing (about 4 l/min ventilation and about 6.5% CO2 in the arterial blood) and a normal CP (60 s or more). Even if we accept less strict medical standards (6 l/min for ventilation, as in most medical and physiological textbooks, and 40 s for the CP), only a small percentage of the population satisfies this criterion.
Most modern people of the West are
heavy breathers. They breathe about 8-12 l/min and their usual CPs are about
20-30 s. However, more studies are required to find out the exact extent and
prevalence of this problem in the general population of different countries.
What is the CP of people with various diseases?
A typical asthmatic has a CP of approximately 15 s. Obese people and heart patients usually have CPs from 10 to 20 s (10 s for severely sick, 20 with a light degree of disease). During attacks of asthma, stroke, epilepsy, or heart failure, the sufferers have about 5 s CP.
There are, however, apparently healthy people who may be free from any organic disease and have a usual CP that is low (down to 10 s or even less). If this is a case, chronic hyperventilation produces numerous physiological abnormalities in the body (see below), including reduced perfusion of all vital organs, low tissue oxygenation, abnormal state of the nervous cells, spasmodic state of muscle cells, and many other negative effects. It is a matter of time then for some tissues, organs o systems of the organism to succumb to disease with negative symptoms and pathological conditions, depending on the interaction of hereditary characteristics, and environmental and life-style factors.
The following relationships generally hold true:
1-5 s - severely sick, critically and terminally ill patients, usually hospitalized.
5-10 s - very sick patients, often hospitalized.
10-20 s - sick patients with numerous complaints and, often, on daily medication.
20-30 s - people with poor health, but often without serious organic problems.
30-40 s - people with normal health, according to official medical standards, while some health problems, diagnosed or not, are possible (gastrointestinal, hormonal, musculoskeletal, etc.).
40-60 s - good health.
Over 60 s - ideal health, when many modern diseases are virtually impossible.
These numbers are based on limited research and the practical experience of Russian and Western Buteyko practitioners. There are still many physiological questions and problems. Why is short breath-holding time (or the CP) associated with various diseases? What are the changes in the control of breathing when health improves or deteriorates?
Often, you may find that the following practical observations are true. If the chest moves with each inhalation-exhalation cycle (at rest while sitting), then the CP is below 30 s. If, in addition, during breathing the shoulders move, then the CP is below 20 s. Finally, if the head moves, the CP is below 10 s.
When a healthy person starts to hyperventilate (breathe more air per minute):
More CO2 is removed from the lungs with each breath
and therefore the level of CO2 in the lungs immediately decreases;
In 1-2 minutes, the CO2 level in the blood falls below the normal levels;
In 3-5 minutes most cells of the body (including vital organs and muscles) experience low CO2 concentrations;
In 15-20 minutes, the CO2 level in the brain is below the norm.
Hence, too much carbon dioxide is removed from all cells. When breathing is heavy all the time, the CO2 level in all body cells is chronically low.
How can CO2 influence oxygenation of the tissues?
There are two direct CO2 effects:
- The Bohr effect;
- Vasodilation-vasoconstriction effect.
The Bohr effect
The description of this physiological law can be found in standard physiological textbooks since it was confirmed by dozens of professional studies.
What is the Bohr effect? As we know, oxygen is transported in blood by hemoglobin cells. How do these red blood cells know where to release more oxygen and where less is needed? Or why do they unload more oxygen in those places where it is more required? The hemoglobin cells sense higher concentrations of CO2 (end product of energy production) and release oxygen in such places. The effect strongly depends on the absolute CO2 values in the blood and the lungs.
If CO2 concentration is low, O2 cells are stuck to the red blood cells. Hence, CO2 deficiency leads to hypoxia or low oxygenation of the body cells (the suppressed Bohr effect). The more we breathe at rest, the less the oxygenation of our cells in vital organs, like brain, heart, liver, kidneys, etc.
Hemoglobin cells in normal blood are about 98-99% saturated with O2. When we hyperventilate this number is slightly larger, but without CO2, this oxygen is tightly bound with red blood cells and cannot get unloaded into the tissues. Hence, now we know one of the causes why heavy breathing reduces tissue oxygenation of all vital organs.
The Bohr effect is crucial for our survival. Why? At each moment of our lives, some organs and tissues work harder and produce more CO2. These additional CO2 concentrations are sensed by the hemoglobin cells and cause them to release more O2 in those places where it is most required. This is a smart self-regulating mechanism for efficient O2 transport.
For example, without the Bohr effect, you could not walk or run even for 3-5 minutes. Why? In normal conditions, due to the Bohr effect, more O2 is released by red blood cells in those muscles, which generate more CO2. Hence, these muscles will get more O2 and can continue to work with the same high rate.
Vasodilation-vasoconstriction effect
CO2 is a dilator of blood vessels (arteries and arterioles). Arteries and arterioles have their own tiny muscles that can constrict or dilate depending on CO2 concentrations.
When the CO2 level is low, total resistance becomes greater and vital organs (like the brain, heart, kidneys, liver, stomach, spleen, colon, etc.) get less blood due to the constriction of small blood vessels. As physiological studies found, blood flow to these organs is proportional to blood CO2 concentrations.
Voluntary hyperventilation led to 35% reduction in the blood flow to the brain in comparison with the conditions at rest. This result is quoted in the medical textbook written by Starling & Evans (1968), while the effect is well documented and has been confirmed by dozens of professional experiments.
According to the Handbook of Physiology (Santiago & Edelman, 1986), cerebral blood flow decreases 2% for every mm Hg decrease in CO2 pressure. When people have 20 mmHg CO2 in their blood (half of the official norm), they have about 40% less blood supply to the brain in comparison with normal conditions.
Since hyperventilation is an important part of our “fight-or-flight” response, during hyperventilation the blood is generally diverted from vital organs to large skeletal muscles. Studies found decreased perfusion of the heart (Okazaki et al, 1991), brain (discussed above), liver (Hughes et al, 1979; Okazaki, 1989), kidneys (Okazaki, 1989), and colon (Gilmour et al, 1980). Typically, the blood flow to vital organs is directly proportional to arterial CO2 values.
Studies on oxygenation of various tissues during hyperventilation
This scan shows brain oxygenation in two conditions: normal breathing and after 1 minute of hyperventilation. Red color represents most O2, dark blue least. Brain oxygenation for over-breathing is reduced by 40%. (Litchfield, 2003).
Other western studies confirmed that hyperventilation compromises oxygenation of vital organs, like liver and kidneys (Hughes et al, 1979; Okazaki et al, 1989), and heart (Okazaki et al, 1991) (e.g., Hughes et al, 1979; Hashimoto et al, 1989; Okazaki et al, 1991).
What is the possible chain of events for cancer development?
Here is a scientific hypothesis for further investigation. Chronic hyperventilation washes out CO2 from each cell of the human organism. Since CO2 is a dilator of small blood vessels, low CO2 concentrations lead to the constrictions of arterioles causing problems with blood and oxygen delivery. In addition, low CO2 values cause inability of red blood cells to efficiently release whatever little oxygen they bring (the suppressed Bohr effect). The final outcome is hypoxia in the tissues, including vital organs. Since all vital organs are going to suffer from hypoxia, malignant cells can thrive in tissues and parts of the body which are most compromised (the genetic component of cancer). Excessive toxic load due to smoking, dietary toxins and poisons, radiation, and other causes, can intensify hypoxic effects in certain parts of organs of the organism (the environmental component of cancer). Further growth of the tumour and its metastasis are also controlled by the same factors, where tissue hypoxia plays the central role.
This model does not explain the basis for all cancers since more research is required to establish the exact chain of events for various conditions.
It would not be a surprise that cancer patients breathe about 2-4 times more air than the medical norm. As a result their tissue oxygenation is below the norm, while the breath holding time is short. Professional studies of Russian doctors revealed that when the breathing holding time or the CP is below 20 s, even for some minutes or hours, the Krebb cycle (also called citric acid cycle) is reversed and tissue hypoxia, anaerobic metabolism, and fatigue are the immediate results. The practice of Russian doctors, as well as western breathing teachers, show that most people have their shortest breath holding times during early morning hours (usually 4-7 a.m.). Hence, if a person's CP drops below 20 s, cancer progresses and the tumour grows.
Gilmour DG, Douglas IH, Aitkenhead AR, Hothersall AP, Horton PW, Ledingham IM, Colon blood flow in the dog: effects of changes in arterial carbon dioxide tension, Cardiovasc Res 1980 Jan; 14(1): 11-20.
Hashimoto K, Okazaki K, Okutsu Y, The effects of hypocapnia and hypercapnia on tissue surface PO2 in hemorrhaged dogs [Article in Japanese], Masui 1989 Oct; 38(10): 1271-1274.
Hughes RL, Mathie RT, Fitch W, Campbell D, Liver blood flow and oxygen consumption during hypocapnia and IPPV in the greyhound, J Appl Physiol. 1979 Aug; 47(2): 290-295.
Litchfield PM, A brief overview of the chemistry of respiration and the breathing heart wave, California Biofeedback, 2003 Spring, 19(1).
McArdle WD, Katch FI, Katch VL, Essentials of exercise physiology (2-nd edition); Lippincott, Williams and Wilkins, London 2000.
Okazaki K, Hashimoto K, Okutsu Y, Okumura F, Effect of arterial carbon dioxide tension on regional myocardial tissue oxygen tension in the dog [Article in Japanese], Masui 1991 Nov; 40(11): 1620-1624.
Okazaki K, Okutsu Y, Fukunaga A, Effect of carbon dioxide (hypocapnia and hypercapnia) on tissue blood flow and oxygenation of liver, kidneys and skeletal muscle in the dog, Masui 1989 Apr, 38 (4): 457-464.
Santiago TV & Edelman NH, Brain blood flow and control of breathing, in Handbook of Physiology, Section 3: The respiratory system, vol. II, ed. by AP Fishman. American Physiological Society, Betheda, Maryland, 1986, p. 163-179.
Part 3. General approach to treatment of cancer
The main goal of the treatment is to eliminate the foundation of cancer: tissue hypoxia. Cancer treatment, therefore, should be based on restoration of normal breathing parameters (ventilation, blood carbon dioxide content, tissue oxygenation, frequency and other parameters of breathing reflecting the balance between the parasympathetic and sympathetic nervous systems). Normalization of breathing is a slow process that in cases of cancer takes longer time due to excessive level of tissue pollution.
The most advanced system of breathing retraining is based on the Buteyko breathing method. This breathing retraining program is developed by Konstantin Buteyko, MD. It is approved by the Health Ministry of Russia; tested by Russian and western published medical trials; and practiced by over 200 MDs in Russia.
The ultimate goal of the Buteyko method is to achieve his standard of ideal health manifested in 60 s CP at any time of the day or night. Such breath holding time ensures thorough oxygenation of all tissues and inability of appearance of any tumor or existence of conditions for tumor elimination.
Some ideas or principles of the Buteyko method are adjusted to individual needs of the patient (e.g., exercise, sleep positions, diet, and supplements). Russian practice clearly revealed that very few patients are able to learn the method from the manual or book. Presence of the breathing teacher is crucial for permanent breathing retraining.
The Buteyko method was tested in various trials on patients with asthma, heart disease, chronic fatigue syndrome, sleep apnea, radiation disease (after Chernobyl disaster), liver cirrhosis, and HIV/AIDS. During large western trials on asthmatics, disappearance of malignant tumours was the side effect of the therapy. An important practical observation of breathing teachers is that restoration of tissues, including elimination of inflammation, tumours, and scars, need about 35-40 s CP at all times. The duration of restoration depends on many factors, related to the current homeostasis and input parameters of the biological system that is monitored through changes in respiratory characteristics, especially the CP (Control Pause). According to published observations of Russian doctors, the Buteyko method is very effective during earlier stages of cancer (stages 1 and 2), while there is definite improvement in quality of life for patients who have cancer in stages 3 and 4.
Specifically, cancer treatment also requires appropriate nutritional support, including use of enzymes, raw diet, sprouting, etc. However, it should be kept in mind, that none of these auxiliary factors (or special diet or supplements) or even all of them are going to work, unless the fundamental cause of cancer (hypoxia) is addressed with breathing exercises based on reduction in ventilation (reduced breathing).
The final goal of the cancer patient is to normalize breathing and oxygenation of the body manifested in 60 s CP.
November 2007
(This article is based on information contained in the books “Breathing, health and quality of life” and “Normal breathing: the key to vital health” by Artour Rakhimov, both available through www.normalbreathing.com.)
© 2008 Artour Rakhimov (If you copy the content of these pages for educational purposes, please, indicate the site address and author's name).
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