Do I Hyperventilate?

People often say, 'But I don't hyperventilate!'

Since no one measures your breathing pattern and you don't think about it often most people have no idea what their breathing is like. The symptoms of hyperventilation are many and varied. Here are the most common symptoms of hyperventilation.

 

Which of these symptoms are familiar to you?

RESPIRATORY SYSTEM

Short of breath, tightness in chest, sensitive airways, excessive production of mucus, long term blocked or running sinus, sneezing, coughing, frequent yawning, sighing or throat clearing.

 

NERVOUS SYSTEM

Light-headed, dizzy, unsteady, poor concentration, numbness, tingling and coldness especially in the hands and fingers and often in the face. In severe cases, loss of memory or loss of consciousness.

 

HEART

Racing, pounding or irregular heart beats.

 

PSYCHOLOGICAL

Degrees of anxiety, tension, depression and apprehension.

 

GENERAL

Mouth dryness, abdominal bloating, belching and flatulence, easily tired, poor sleep patterns, dry itchy skin, sweaty palms, general weakness and chronic exhaustion.

 

Buteyko is not just for asthma.

All hyperventilation-related symptoms will improve when the Buteyko Method is applied correctly.

Why can my breathing make me sick?

WHY ARE WE SICK?

Modern society with all its new drugs, fresh foods, and clean water, has more health problems than that of our predecessors. Conditions such as asthma, migraines, chronic fatigue, insomnia, and panic attacks were virtually unknown a generation ago. Today, everyone knows somebody with one of these conditions.

In under developed countries where life is hard, diet is poor and medical facilities are inadequate, there are virtually none of these conditions. Because of this, we have a habit of blaming the products of our current lifestyle, such as stress, pollution and junk food for causing them.

To see if this is true we must look at the basic human body and see what it was designed for. It is believed that man has been around for about 50,000 years. Early man was physically active for most of the daylight hours. He ate a variety of foods that were in season and at times went hungry. In those days most stress required a physical reaction, such as running from a wild animal.

Compare this to modern day man, who eats up to six times a day, does virtually no physical exercise and surrounds himself with stress he cannot physically react to. If you had a dog which you fed six times a day, but never exercised, you would not expect it to last very long. We do not treat our pets like this, yet we do it to ourselves.

Because no one knows what actually causes these conditions, we learn to live with them. Foods are removed from our diet, medications and mineral supplements are added. Behaviour is restricted by the avoidance of situations which trigger symptoms. We try to control our home environment by making it dust and chemical free. This is like trying to live in a bubble and is extremely difficult to maintain. Not only is it difficult to maintain but the condition does not go away. Even though you cut all these things from your lifestyle and you take the medications, the problem still remains.

THE ANSWER

A small group of people called 'Buteyko Practitioners' believe that they have the answer to the problem. It is a simple one called breathing.

People can go without food for a month, without water for a few days but only minutes without breathing. It is the most important function for all humans. Breathing is an automatic function and most people do not think about it unless they put their face in water or when they have trouble with it.

It is generally believed that the more you breathe, or the deeper you breathe, the better it is for you. This is physiologically incorrect and can be easily proven. Remember how bad you felt when you tried to blow up an air bed without a pump?

Our breathing pattern changes to suit the situation. When exercising hard we breathe more than when we sit down. Breathing more than you need to perform a given task is called 'hyperventilation'. Most people assume that by breathing more, they will increase the oxygen levels in their tissues. In actual fact it decreases oxygen levels there. Hyperventilation increases blood alkalinity and oxygen molecules are not released by haemoglobin easily so tissues actually begin to starve of oxygen.

By following the Buteyko programme breathing patterns begin to normalise and oxygen become available more easily. The breathlessness associated with breathing problems and panic starts to disappear.

Enjoy better health

The Buteyko Method involves a total approach to health that includes breathing exercises, principles for exercise, food, and sleeping, considered vital in order to maintain or restore balance and a return to vital health.

How we breathe can change our health in powerful and immediate ways.

The Buteyko Breathing Method can help people from 4 to 94 who suffer from asthma, sinusitis, allergies, snoring, sleep apnoea, anxiety, headaches, hypertension, and fatigue. It helps improve athletic performance and is good for stress management.

Learn more about the Buteyko Breathing Method ›

Is Buteyko right for me? Will it relieve my symptoms?.

Some 150 diseases may be linked to dysfunctional breathing.
Do you suffer from asthma, allergies, hay-fever, emphysema, chronic bronchitis, sinusitis, sleep apnoea, snoring, high blood pressure, fatigue, panic attacks and stress?.

Are you overbreathing?

Better breathing will help increase your energy, improve sleep and boost your immune system.
Clinically-proven Buteyko breath retraining method will control symptoms and reduce costly medications.

Find out more about private or small group classes in Toronto

Email Peter at Buteyko Education to:

• Schedule a personal consultation
• Get more information on upcoming classes in Toronto
• Arrange for a free Introductory Talk for students, health schools and corporations.

The Buteyko Breathing Method Training Course taught by Peter Robertson in Toronto includes

• 5-session course, follow-up, refresher classes and on-going support.

One-on-one private sessions are also available.

Classes are evenings during the week and mornings on weekends.
Classes are private or small 3-person.

You will learn the Buteyko theory and the application of the breathing exercises.

buteykoeducation.ca Policies

Guarantee

The Buteyko Breathing Method Training Course is delivered with a 30-day money back guarantee, if the programme is followed and recorded faithfully as presented, for 60 days and see no improvement in your condition, your money will be refunded.

Privacy

Your privacy is assured when you take the hidden hyperventilation test at buteykoeducation.ca. The only email you will receive from buteykoeducation.ca will contain your test results. Your email address will not be stored and you will not be contacted unless you send a request for more information or a follow-up consultation.

We value your privacy. Your email address will not be stored and you will not be contacted unless you email us with a request.
The Buteyko Breathing Method is an education program to improve your health by improving breathing.
The information talks, consultation and classes are based on the clinically-proven Buteyko breath retraining method to control symptoms related to asthma, allergies, snoring and panic attacks.
The goal of the information presented by buteykoeducation.ca is to teach this clinically-proven breathing technique in order to increase the learner's energy, improve sleep and boost their immune system.
Buteyko Education advises all participants to always follow your doctor's recommendations on the use of medications.

To schedule a personal consultation

email us or call 416 906 2404 | 

Buteyko Education Contact Information

If you have questions about our company policies, please contact us
email Buteyko Education
phone messages 416 906 2404

Mailing Address

Peter N. Robertson
Buteyko Education
30 Harwood Road,
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
M4S 2P3

Buteyko Education is managed by imedia.ca

Healthy Breathing and Buteyko

Breathe to Relax

Breathing is the most important thing we do.

It affects all seven systems in our bodies very profoundly. If we have healthy breathing patterns, the whole body responds.
When healthy breathing returns, the symptoms of your condition are alleviated and begin to disappear.
As they disappear, you no longer need as much medication or use of a C-PAP machine. As you feel better, you develop a stronger immune system and can become more active.
This makes you more fit and better able to cope with your condition, so that eventually it is possible to be symptom free and have no need of medications.
Always follow your doctor's recommendations on the use of medications.

Learn and practice the Buteyko Breathing Method in Toronto.

About the Buteyko Breathing Method

The Buteyko Breathing Method is a series of breathing exercises that restore normal breathing patterns which help to maintain the correct ratio of oxygen and carbon dioxide within the bloodstream.

The Buteyko Method was developed by Russian physician Konstantin Buteyko, who as a medical student in the 1940s made an observation that has changed the management and lifestyle of thousands of people with asthma, sleep apnoea, snoring, allergies, hay-fever, emphysema, chronic bronchitis, sinusitis, high blood pressure, panic attacks and other breathing disorders.
According to his research, some 150 diseases are linked to dysfunctional breathing.

Dr. Buteyko noticed that the condition of patients in the acute respiratory ward deteriorated when their breathing rate increased. He also noticed that those who reduced or normalised their breathing rate began to recover.
This fact had been noted long before, and is based on a physiological phenomenon described by Dr. Christian Bohr in 1904 (the “Bohr Effect”) essentially, the more you breathe, the less oxygen is available to your tissues.

For more than thirty years Buteyko researched dysfunctional breathing and hyperventilation and the effect it has on the human body. His research and application of these observations allowed him to develop the breathing techniques that today bear his name.

Why restore normal breathing patterns

Breathlessness, sighing, snoring, nasal drip, poor sleep, fatigue, blocked nose, cold hands, frequent headaches – all these indicate poor breathing patterns which can lead to chronic debilitating conditions such as asthma, allergies, hay-fever, emphysema, chronic bronchitis, sinusitis, sleep apnoea, snoring, high blood pressure, fatigue, panic attacks and stress.

But if we start with the most basic of the basics – how we breathe – we can change our health in powerful and immediate ways.

The Buteyko Breath Retraining Method is a series of breathing exercises that restore normal breathing patterns.
When healthy breathing returns, symptoms are alleviated. As they disappear, you no longer need as much medication or use of a C-PAP machine. With less medication in your system, you feel better; the immune system strengthens and energy improves. This makes you more fit and better able to cope. It is possible to be symptom-free and drug-free! Breathing affects everything – right down to the cellular level.

This program is not about throwing away your drugs, nor does it involve physical therapy or meditation, vitamins, special diets, or any special equipment. People may find their need for medication decreasing over time; however, they are advised not to change any prescribed medication without consulting their doctor first.


Buteyko Breathing Clinic

Supporting Articles 

Note: All articles are PDF.

Asthma

• Summary of Buteyko's Theory on Asthma. Note to medical doctors. Peter Kolb BSc(Eng), MSc(Med), CPEng(Biomed). BIOMEDICAL ENGINEER. Updated 16 September 2001.
• A breathing breakthrough. A new alternative can empower asthma sufferers and boost endurance for athletes. BY VIVIAN ORLOWSKI. Health Quarterly • Autumn 2005.
• Hyperventilation: The Tip and The Iceberg L. C. Lum. Journal of Psychosomatic Research, Vol. 19, pp. 375 to 383. Pergamon Press, 1975. Printed in Great Britain.
• Asthma- Ignorance or Design? The Buteyko method has had great success in controlling asthma, reversing symptoms and removing the need for medication, which is why it poses such a threat to the pharmaceutical companies.
• Extracted from Nexus Magazine, Volume 13, Number 1 (December 2005 - January 2006) by Jennifer Stark © 2005.
• Buteyko: A useful tool in the management of asthma? This article explains the aims of Buteyko and discusses the increasing evidence base for methods thatreduce ventilation and may benefit many patients with asthma, not just those with established chronic hyperventilation.
• Sandy Thomas. Faculty of Health and Social Care, Glenside Campus, University of the West of England. International Journal of Therapy and Rehabilitation, October 2004, Vol 11, No 10.
• Quotes from Doctors about Medications.
• A Breathing Technique Offers Help for People With Asthma. Jane E. Brody, Personal Health - New York Times. November 3, 2009.
• Experts to Consider Withdrawal of Asthma Drugs. Denise Grady. New York Times. July 13, 2005.

Sleep Apnoea

• Obstructive sleep apnoea and breathing retraining. Mary Birch, RN, BA, MBioE, Grad Dip Soc. Registered Buteyko practitioner. August 2004.

Buteyko and Children

• Buteyko breathing technique and asthma in children: a case series. Patrick McHugh, Bruce Duncan, Frank Houghton. THE NEW ZEALAND MEDICAL JOURNAL. 19 May 2006, Vol 119 No 1234. © NZMA.
• Asthma, Children and the Buteyko Method. Sussanna C. Czeranko. ND.
• Thumb-sucking or mouthbreathing?.
• Smoking mums risk babies’ lungs. July 19, 2005
• Pregnancy and Asthma Medications.
• Orthodontry and Buteyko. Dentistry and Buteyko agree that mouth-breathing contributes significantly to orthodontic problems. Open mouth breathing allows the tongue to fall to the bottom of the mouth and remove the support that it usually provides for the upper jaw.
• The negative effect of mouth breathing on the body and development of the child. This has a negative effect not only on the development of the jaws the shape of the developing cranium and the occlusion but also on the general health of the child. Dr John Flutter BDS (London) Dental Surgeon. Brisbane, Queensland. 9 July 2006. 17 pages

Benefits you may experience from improved breathing

• Reduce or eliminate the medication you take
• Learn how to use the least amount of medication for the greatest effectiveness
• Be free from symptoms and cut out emergency trips to the hospital
• Enjoy much better quality of sleep and eliminate snoring
• Greatly reduce your absentee rate at work or school
• Improve your athletic performance and reduce recovery time
• Have greater understanding of your condition and learn to monitor it accurately
• Find relief from the inconvenient and chronic conditions you have ‘learned to live with’
• Engage in physical activity without fear of attack.

Your investment of time and money in retraining your breathing patterns will be repaid in a matter of weeks. In medications alone, people often recover the cost in a matter of months.

Publications

• Clinical Trials on the Effectiveness of Buteyko. 
• Dr. Buteyko on breathing patterns and natural pauses.  Excerpted from his 1969 lecture in the Moscow State University.
• Shut your mouth and save your life.  George Catlin, with 29 illustrations from the Author.

• Report on Buteyko centres in Russia, United Kingdom, Holland and Germany.  Peter Kolb. November 2004 to January 2005.

Buteyko Partners

• Buteyko Breathing Educators Association Inc. Non-Profit organization providing standards and certification of Buteyko Breathing Educators
• Buteyko Canada Christine Bauman
• Buteyko New Zealand.

 

“Everyone should know this. It works!”

Tom Byrne. Asthma sufferer for 74 years. Asthma Free since January 2006. 

FACT: 10 people die from asthma every week in Canada.

Buteyko Classes in Toronto

Buteyko Breathing Classes

The Buteyko Breathing Method Training Classes are weekends and evenings. Small 3-person classes. We learn the theory and the application of the Buteyko exercises.

The Complete Buteyko Breathing Method Training Course

Taught by Peter Robertson includes:

Consultation

You will be sent a registration form to fill out. Upon reviewing your responses, you will be asked further questions to be sure Buteyko would be of use to you and for points of clarification.

20-page WorkBook and course materials

To follow along and record your progress during the course and to be used after as a resource.

The 5-session course

Each class is 90 minutes, spread over a 5 day period. Classes are usually private, one-on-one. There is breathing/awareness “homework” each day. The maximum commitment per day is about 1.5 - 2 hours, but then tapers off again as your breathing is retrained. Eventually, your healthy breathing becomes automatic and the exercises unnecessary.

On-going support:

Through email or telephone.

Course Fees

$400. inclusive.

Individual Sessions

$100. inclusive.

Typical Class Schedule

Classes are typically the first 3 weeks of every month.
Weekdays Evenings 4:30 - 7:00 pm
Weekends 9 - 11:30 am.

Contact Us

If you are interested in learning about healthy breathing, to schedule a personal consultation, for information on upcoming classes or to arrange a group class in the Greater Toronto area, please use the general inquiries form below, email us or
leave a message for Peter at 416 906 2404.

If you would like to arrange for a free Buteyko Introductory Talk for your organization, you may also use this form below: