Many of us are looking for the most simple, inexpensive, yet effective natural strategies to help optimise our health, and it doesn’t get any more simple or affordable than learning to breathe properly.
The Buteyko Breathing Method - named after the Russian physician Dr Buteyko who developed the technique - is a powerful approach to reversing health problems associated with improper breathing, the most common of which are oral breathing and mouth breathing.
According to the method, when you stop mouth breathing and learn to bring your breathing volume towards normal, you gain better oxygenation of your tissues and organs, including your brain.
Factors of modern life including stress, processed foods, the belief that it is good to take big breaths, and lack of exercise all increase our everyday breathing. Typical characteristics of overbreathing include mouth breathing, upper chest breathing, sighing, noticeable breathing during rest, and taking large breaths prior to talking.
Practitioners Anne and Margie, who are starting Buteyko classes in Athlone, have qualified with Dr Patrick McKeown, the world-renowned teacher of the Buteyko method.
Besides asthma and hypertension, there are many more areas where the Buteyko method is useful, such as anxiety and sleep apnoea. How you breathe affects the oxygenation of your organs; the detrimental effects of mouth breathing, hyperventilation, and overbreathing are well documented.
It costs the State €500 million per year to treat asthma patients, as there are 490,000 people still suffering from asthma.
The next clinic takes place this Saturday, February 13 from 12.30-1.30pm in The Dancing Soul, Monksland, Athlone. For more information contact Anne on (087 ) 1251338 or Margie on (086 ) 8076297.
