The Tool for Achieving Optimal Health and Longevity
Dr. Buteyko stated that he made the biggest mistake of his life was when, in order to promote his method, he agreed with his followers to call it an asthma cure. Why was it a mistake? Was it because his method does not stop asthma? Quite the opposite. It ends breathing difficulties better than anything else – just read and watch the asthma testimonials by the Breathing Center’s clients.
Dr. Buteyko stated that calling his method an asthma cure was a mistake because it narrowed the effects of his method to one disease when it could heal many. How is it even possible that one technique can cure many diseases? About thirty years ago, when I first heard about the Buteyko Method, this was a question I asked myself. I immediately answered it, “No way! This cure-all is certainly not possible”. I was wrong! Now, I am aware that instead of fighting a particular disease as conventional medicine does, the Buteyko method creates balance in the entire body, which is called health. As a result of the restored balance, one or many illnesses can naturally come to an end, and they do.
The Buteyko method aims to normalize the CO2 concentration in the lungs because when it is below the norm, optimal health is not an option. When doctors often call CO2 a waste gas, Dr. Buteyko called it the primary regulator of all bodily functions. He was the only modern physician who found this key to optimal health; however, he wasn’t the only one who knew about it and how to use it. Medicine men, yogis, healers, and spiritual practitioners called this key to optimal wellbeing prana, chi, the breath of life – to mention just a few names.
Would you eat healthy food with a goal to stop headaches? Would you exercise to lower your high blood pressure? You can, and your actions might generate the anticipated result; however, this outcome will be only one of many benefits generated by your healthier lifestyle. This is how holistic modalities work: they affect the whole body, not just one organ or system. As a holistic approach, the Buteyko method creates the same effect, but it is thousands of times more potent than those created by food, water, exercises, massage, acupuncture, homeopathy, chiropractic, etc. (More info)
Breathing is as powerful as nuclear energy, Dr. Buteyko stated. If you are trained to breathe correctly (the way wild animals do), your overall health will get stronger quickly. If you breathe incorrectly (through your mouth, or heavily, or loudly, or if you snore, or your nose is congested, or if you cough, or have excessive mucus, etc.), you contribute to creating an environment conducive to one or many diseases. Chronic over-breathing acts as a robber, stealing our vitality and the precious years of our lives.
Here is the Buteyko method in a nutshell:
- If the CO2 level in your lungs is normal, then your health is perfect, and there is nothing to worry about. You don’t need Buteyko breathing exercises!
- If your CO2 is in deficit (meaning your morning Positive Maximum Pause is below 60 seconds), then, you are not healthy, whether you have some symptoms or not. In this case, you need the Buteyko method!
Normalizing CO2 concentration by practicing the Buteyko method is as essential as taking your vehicle to a mechanic. If all the systems of your car are in good shape, it is reasonable to expect your vehicle to function well and last for a long time. The same is true for your body. If your morning PMP is stable at the level of 60 seconds or higher, your body will function well for a long time. “Function well” means that EVERYTHING will function well – your brain, nervous system, libido, liver, immunity, digestion, heart, etc., etc., etc.
The Buteyko method is health care, not disease care. During our turbulent times of COVID-19, I believe, it is crucial to understand and adopt this approach. You could get a vaccine shot, and then the second one, and the booster, and perhaps a different injection pharmaceutical would offer soon. These inoculations of chemical drugs might protect you from dying from COVID if infected; however, they will never make you healthy. And without optimum health, you are not protected from unhealthiness that can manifest itself as Covid, asthma, diabetes, migraines, anxiety, acid reflux, etc., etc., etc.
Most people living in “civilized” countries hyperventilate as a result of their unnatural lifestyle based on comfort. This is a major cause for lack of vitality (CO2 shortage). Most people cannot or don’t want to change their lifestyle; however, we can harvest the energy generated from a natural lifestyle by breathing as we live it. In short, you can sit in front of your computer on the 19th floor of your Manhattan office but breathe like you are riding a horse in the mountains of Colorado. We are fortunate to have a choice of how to breathe. If we start breathing as our ancestors did, we will build up our vital energy and make our (old?) bodies work like a new car.
So, measure your Positive Maximum Pause and decide whether you need to learn the Buteyko Method to achieve optimal wellbeing or not.