Out of breath
from The Blue Mountains Gazette, Wednesday, May 17, 2000
As a daily runner, swimmer and walker I see all too many other keen sports people either huffing and puffing as they run, struggle up hills or hang off the end of the swimming pool panting that they are out of breath. Are you one of these folk? Maybe you huff and puff just moving about your house or endeavouring to do the pleasurable things like gardening or playing with the kids or grandkids. Maybe you are just a young person yourself. Whatever your status you should NEVER BE OUT OF BREATH. You most certainly should NEVER exercise if you need a bronchodilator (puffer) to do so. Your body is saying "NO!" and you make it soldier on.
Easy for me to say? Yes, I work with countless folk with asthma and other breathing related problems every day. Once a person learns how to breathe correctly they are never "out of breath". Those unfortunate enough to previously need artificial means of bronchodilation find that they no longer need them.
By no means am I saying throw your puffers away. You asthmatics must use your preventers as prescribed and bronchodilators as need. Once you learn to breathe correctly you will not need your bronchodilator and will discover that in time you will be able to reduce and eventually not need your preventer either.
For those of you who have no obvious respiratory distress, except when you are exerting yourself, learning to breathe correctly will take you to new heights of enjoyment where only lack of leisure time will hold you back.
Whatever category you fall into here, if you breathe noisily, uncomfortably, through the mouth, with upper chest movement as opposed to diaphragmatic movement, you are overbreathing. If you are exhausted after exercise instead of invigorated, you are overbreathing. You see, you can deeply draw in as much air as you like but you will not get efficient oxygen delivery that way. Optimal oxygen delivery to every cell in your body relies on THE BOHR EFFECT. In layman’s terms, if you don’t have the correct level of carbon dioxide in your blood the haemoglobin remains "sticky" and cannot release the efficient level of oxygen to your cells - including your brain!
So for optimal energy, clear thinking, quick reflexes, improved metabolism, general good health as a result of the ability to breathe correctly, a Buteyko Breathing practitioner can help you. You don’t ever have to be OUT OF BREATH.
For assistance contact your local Buteyko Breathing Practitioner –for the Western Area of Sydney and Blue Mountains contact Jennifer Harris on 0414 833 857.