Buteyko Breathing

Do you suffer from asthma, sleep apnoea, sinusitis, panic attacks, hayfever?

You can reduce symptoms and medications and rid yourself of CPAP machines. The BUTEYKO Breathing Technique is the answer!

How does Buteyko work?

People with respiratory disease over breathe 2-3 times more than normal. This hyperventilation means breathing heavily, erratically, rapidly or through the mouth when there is no need for it. Often, hyperventilation occurs unconsciously, resulting in irritation, inflammation and constriction of airways.

The Buteyko method consists of breathing exercises specially designed to restore normal breathing patterns and greatly reduce asthma and other symptoms.

But I don’t hyperventilate... do I?

Symptoms associated with hyperventilation include:

Respiratory System	Shortness of breath, tightness of chest, oversensitivity of airways, excessive sneezing, production of mucous, long-term blocked nose or running sinuses, excessive yawning and sighing.
Nervous System	Light headedness, dizziness, unsteadiness, poor concentration, memory loss, numbness, tingling and poor circulation particularly in the hands, fingers and face.
Cardiovascular System	Racing, pounding or skipped heartbeats.
Psychological	Anxiety, tension, irritability, depression.
General	Snoring, poor sleep patterns, fatigue, dry mouth, abdominal bloating, belching, flatulence, reflux, etc.

What can Buteyko do for me?

1. Reduce your symptoms of asthma, sleep apnoea, hyperventilation attacks, snoring, sinusitis, hayfever, allergies, anxiety and breathlessness.
2. Reduce or eliminate your medications or use of CPAP machines dramatically.
3. Improve productivity and reduce absences from work.
4. Give you improved performance in sport.
5. Allow you to return to beloved activities, foods and places you had to give up.

How do I know Buteyko is effective?

In 2003, a 6 month clinical trial in Gisborne, New Zealand showed these results:

Asthmatic Buteyko subjects:	reduced reliever medication by 85%	reduced preventer medication by 50%
Asthmatic control subjects:	reduced reliever medications by 37%	reduced preventer medications by 0%

In 1994-95, a 12-week medical trial in Brisbane was sponsored by the Australian Association of Asthma Foundations and found:

Asthmatic Buteyko subjects:	reduced reliever medications by 96%	reduced preventer medications by 49%	reduced asthma symptoms by 80%
Asthmatic control subjects:	rreduced reliever medications by 6%	reduced preventer medications by 0%	-

People of any age can benefit

As we age, we recover more slowly from illness, find ourselves with chronic, debilitating conditions and, more frequent respiratory symptoms. We go to the doctor who tells us to ’Live with it’ and writes another prescription.

Buteyko is about tapping into our body’s natural ability to heal itself. With improved breathing patterns, not only do respiratory symptoms disappear but we can experience increased energy, better quality sleep and a stronger immune system. All of these things contribute to improved general health, fewer medications and a better quality of life. A client of 91 can attest to this!

Buteyko classes are small with ample personal attention. The exercises are gentle and require no special clothing or tools.

Children and Buteyko

Asthmatic children have had fewer years of breathing incorrectly. Consequently, they often show faster improvement in their condition. Colds and allergies can be triggers for a serious attack. Because Buteyko contributes to boosting the immune system, fewer colds and allergy symptoms result in triggering fewer asthma attacks. Eventually children can stop taking both reliever medication and preventer steroid medication. A parent’s involvement, enthusiasm and encouragement are essential for significant progress. Children as young as 4 years can learn the modified version of Buteyko. A specialized program for parents with infants and toddlers is available upon request.

No other treatment has been proven to show such dramatic improvement!

Colette Harman graduated from the Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine in 1990. In 1994 she opened a naturopathic practice in her home town of Kincardine, Ontario. A citizen of Kincardine came into her office one winter day in 2002 and described his amazing experience with the Buteyko breathing technique and this piqued her interest. After researching the technique and recommending it to various patients, all with great results, Colette Harman decided to receive training as a Buteyko practitioner in May, 2006. Harman knows, as a naturopath, it is important to treat the underlying cause of illness rather then just treating the symptoms.

"The Buteyko Breathing Technique is the missing link in my healing arsenal. What could be more fundamental than your breathing? By improving one’s breathing with the Buteyko technique it is possible to improve dozens of health conditions such as asthma, allergic rhinitis, sleep disorders, chronic fatigue, etc. I am excited to teach this technique to patients and clients alike because I have seen how effective it is and how it can completely change a person’s life."

Courses will be offered regularly throughout the year. For information on upcoming courses or to request a Buteyko course in your community, please contact us.

More Information

For more information, please visit Buteyko Canada and Buteyko Breathing Network