The Breathing Cure: Develop New Habits for a Healthier, Happier, and Longer Life with a Foreword by Laird Hamilton

by Patrick McKeown, Laird Hamilton (Foreword by)

Overview

NOSES ARE FOR BREATHING, MOUTHS ARE FOR EATING

“Many people believe that taking a deep breath increases body oxygenation. The opposite is the case.” — Patrick McKeown, bestselling author of The Oxygen Advantage

Imagine a breathing technique that can increase oxygen uptake and delivery to the cells, improve blood circulation, and unblock the nose. Perhaps it can help open the airways of the lungs, enhance blood flow and oxygen delivery to the brain, improve sleep and bring calmness to the mind. It might even restore bodily functions disturbed by stress, build greater resilience and help you to live longer. You might think this description sounds farfetched. But it isn’t.

The Breathing Cure will guide you through techniques that embody the key to healthy breathing and healthy living. McKeown’s goal is to enable you to take responsibility for your own health, to prevent and significantly reduce a number of common ailments, to help you realize your potential and to offer simple, scientifically-based ways to change your breathing habits. On a day-to-day basis, you will experience an increase in energy and concentration, an enhanced ability to deal with stress and a better quality of life.

The essential guide to functional breathing, learn techniques tried and tested by Olympic athletes and elite military. Clear your blocked nose, stress and relax your nervous system, improve lung function, prepare for competition and more. For use at home, in professional/amateur sports, by breathing instructors, dentists, doctors, physical therapists, strength and conditioning coaches, Pilates and yoga teachers, and anyone interested in health and fitness – from everyday wellbeing through to sporting excellence.

Breathe Light: experience optimal blood circulation, peak oxygenation, maximal exercise performance, relief from respiratory symptoms and the best sleep you ever had.

Breathe Slow: stress is a risk factor in 75 to 90 percent of all human diseases. Discover and apply the breathing rate scientifically proven to stimulate relaxation, reduce high blood pressure, boost your immune system, maximize HRV and improve blood glucose control.

Breathe Deep: physical and emotional balance comes from within. Learn how to strengthen your diaphragm muscle to achieve greater endurance and resilience, calmness of mind, focused concentration and ease of movement.

From the bestselling author of The Oxygen Advantage, The Breathing Cure: Exercises to Develop New Breathing Habits for a Healthier, Happier, and Longer Life
covers new, ground-breaking topics such as how breathing techniques can support functional movement of the muscles and joints; improve debilitating conditions such as diabetes, epilepsy, lower back pain, PMS and high blood pressure; how the nasal breathing technique can be a weapon against influenza and related infections especially Covid-19; and last but not least, help you to enjoy deeper sleep and improved intimacy.

Tap into your innate resilience. Fire up your potential. Enhance your health.

BREATHE BETTER NOW!

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781630061982
Publisher:	Humanix Books
Publication date:	07/27/2021
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Sales rank:	453,411
File size:	6 MB

About the Author

Patrick McKeown (Galway, Ireland) has helped thousands of people to substantially improve their sports performance and overall health by incorporating simple, medically proven principles and exercises into their lives. In 1997, after graduating from Trinity College in Dublin, McKeown applied the work of Dr. Konstantin Buteyko to address his lifelong asthma, soaring stress levels, and sleep-disordered breathing. In addition to running workshops throughout his native Ireland, each year he gives workshops in North America, Europe, and Australia on maximizing one's life’s potential through breath.

McKeown provides international instructor breathing re-education and training to address a variety of health conditions including sleep issues and asthma through ButeykoClinic.com; and for resilience and improved sports performance through OxygenAdvantage.com.

The author lives & works in the Galway, Ireland metro area.

LAIRD HAMILTON (Kauai, Hawaii & Malibu, California) is one of the world’s best known big-wave surfers. Over the last decade, Laird has transcended surfing to become an international fitness icon and nutrition expert. Many of today’s top professional athletes and celebrities look to Laird for training guidance, including instruction in his unique underwater resistance workouts. Hamilton is the New York Times bestselling author of Liferider: Heart, Body, Soul, and Life Beyond the Ocean and Force of Nature: Mind, Body, Soul, And, of Course, Surfing, and he has appeared in a number of feature films and documentaries, most recently Take Every Wave, a biographical feature documentary. In addition to his film work, Laird has appeared on numerous television shows including Oprah’s Master Class, 60 Minutes, CONAN, The Late Show with Steven Colbert, and Ellen.

https://lairdhamilton.com/

https://lairdsuperfood.com/

Laird lives with Gabby and his daughters on the Hawaiian island of Kauai and in Malibu, California.

Patrick McKeown (Galway, Ireland) has helped thousands of people to substantially improve their sports performance and overall health by incorporating simple, medically proven principles and exercises into their lives. In 1997, after graduating from Trinity College in Dublin, McKeown applied the work of Dr. Konstantin Buteyko to address his lifelong asthma, soaring stress levels, and sleep-disordered breathing. In addition to running workshops throughout his native Ireland, each year he gives workshops in North America, Europe, and Australia on maximizing one's life’s potential through breath. McKeown provides international instructor breathing re-education and training to address a variety of health conditions including sleep issues and asthma through ButeykoClinic.com; and for resilience and improved sports performance through OxygenAdvantage.com. The author lives&works in the Galway, Ireland metro area.
LAIRD HAMILTON (Kauai, Hawaii&Malibu, California) is one of the world’s best known big-wave surfers. Over the last decade, Laird has transcended surfing to become an international fitness icon and nutrition expert. Many of today’s top professional athletes and celebrities look to Laird for training guidance, including instruction in his unique underwater resistance workouts. Hamilton is the New York Times bestselling author of Liferider: Heart, Body, Soul, and Life Beyond the Ocean and Force of Nature: Mind, Body, Soul, And, of Course, Surfing, and he has appeared in a number of feature films and documentaries, most recently Take Every Wave, a biographical feature documentary. In addition to his film work, Laird has appeared on numerous television shows including Oprah’s Master Class, 60 Minutes, CONAN, The Late Show with Steven Colbert, and Ellen. https://lairdhamilton.com/ https://lairdsuperfood.com/ Laird lives with Gabby and his daughters on the Hawaiian island of Kauai and in Malibu, California.

Read an Excerpt

Excerpt from The Breathing Cure: Exercises to Develop New Breathing Habits for a Healthier, Happier, and Longer Life by Patrick McKeown

CHAPTER ONE: A NEW APPROACH

Patrick’s Story

In 1998 my life changed forever when I discovered how the poor breathing habits I had developed in early childhood were affecting my body and my quality of life. I was constantly tired, suffering from sleep disorders and respiratory problems, and was taking ever-increasing quantities of medication to try to control my asthma. Then I stumbled across the work of the Russian doctor Konstantin Buteyko, and, after making a few changes to my breathing, my symptoms dramatically improved within just a few short weeks. I learned first-hand how effective breathing re-education can be. Over the past eighteen years, following accreditation from Doctor Buteyko to teach his method to others, and working to develop my own program of training, I have witnessed life-changing improvements to the health of thousands of women, men and children.

My story starts when I was a boy, growing up in a small village called Dunboyne on the east coast of Ireland. From a young age I suffered from asthma, persistent wheezing and tightness of the chest. My nose was always blocked, so I got into the habit of breathing through my mouth, causing me to snore at night. Sometimes I even held my breath during my sleep, a potentially dangerous condition known as obstructive sleep apnea. From the age of fourteen until my early twenties I felt constantly exhausted, with little energy to apply in school or university. In 1994 I had an operation on my nose in order to relieve fifteen years of nasal issues. However, there was no advice post-surgery on the benefits of breathing through my nose or how I might make the change. And so I continued to experience the same problems I’d had prior to the procedure, including moderate to severe asthma, sleep-disordered breathing, breathlessness, poor concentration and high stress levels. My dysfunctional breathing patterns were starving my brain of oxygen, resulting in excessive over-thinking, tension and fatigue. I drove myself to achieve a decent education by spending countless hours studying, but it wasn’t easy. I had to place high demands on myself, and despite many years of hard work, my grades remained just about average. As my conditions worsened, my asthma medication intake increased to the point of hospitalization. By the time I reached my twenties, I was desperate for help.

As chance would have it, my solution was right around the corner. In 1998, I happened to read an article in an Irish newspaper about the work of Doctor Buteyko. At the time, his discovery (which later became known as the Buteyko Method) was relatively new to the Western world. I followed Buteyko’s technique and tried out an exercise that was meant to decongest my nose, just by holding my breath. I was so thrilled to discover that this simple method worked that I made the full-time change to nasal breathing. I also worked to slow down my breathing to help normalize the volume of air that I was taking into my lungs. Within a day or two of paying a little more attention to how I was breathing, my energy levels improved considerably, the tension in my head lifted, and for the first time in my life my breathing was easier. During that first week, I experienced what it was like to have a good night’s sleep and wake up feeling energized. For the first time in years I didn’t have to drag myself out of bed in the morning and spend hours trying to come round. The huge improvements to my health, energy and wellbeing that I felt within just a short period of time compelled me to learn more about the method, change my career, and train to teach the Buteyko Method to others. In 2002, I received accreditation from the founder of the method, Dr. Konstantin Buteyko, and ever since, my life has changed for the better in so many ways.

I am now forty-eight years old. My wellbeing, focus and quality of life are immeasurably superior to those of my sixteen-year-old self. Had I not read that article in the newspaper I dread to think how my health would be today. I was one of the lucky ones. I’ve brought about massive positive changes in my life simply by learning how to reverse the poor breathing habits I had developed innocuously over the years. Now, I hope to impart the same information to you.

A New Approach

The practice of breath control for health and spiritual progression has existed for millennia in Eastern cultures. For instance, the yogic practice of Pranayama is an ancient way of exercising the breath primarily to vary its speed. It encompasses things like alternate nostril breathing, abdominal breathing, forceful breathing and chanting. However, even amongst yoga practitioners it’s considered in some of its manifestations to be an advanced technique. The methods detailed in this book have a few commonalities with yogic breathing. They are also backed up by decades of scientific research in order that you fully understand why they work and how to use them. They are immediately accessible, take a short time to learn, incorporate easily into your daily routine whatever your current level of fitness, and will provide you with the tools to continue to improve your health for the rest of your life. It’s time to go back to basics.

Functional Breathing Pattern Training

Functional breathing can help improve quality of focus, concentration, posture, and sleep, support the spine, reduce anxiety and take the hard work out of breathing. It can help you to move better, meaning there’s less risk of injury in sports and in day-to-day tasks such as lifting and carrying your child. It can also reduce the onset and endurance of breathlessness and exercise-induced asthma (bronchoconstriction). Physiologically, it results in long-term improvement to blood circulation, dilation of the upper airways (nose) and lungs, and oxygen delivery to the cells, optimizing important connections between the respiratory system, heart and blood pressure.

At this point, I’d like to note that what we’re talking about here is a re-training of functional breathing habits for daily life. You may at some point have learned breathing exercises in a yoga class, with a personal trainer or on YouTube. You may have experienced good results, then promptly forgotten about your breathing the minute you stepped outside the studio or gym. Sometimes we aren’t given the context that allows us to carry those exercises as part of a daily routine. In this book, we’ll look at how your breathing is affecting your health, and how to use that knowledge to feel better. Every day.

Understanding the Problem: Causes of Suboptimal Breathing

In order to begin to grasp the importance of breath training, it is first necessary to understand what the problem is. When breathing is such an intrinsic function, it can be hard to accept that we could do it better unless there’s an obvious issue that causes regular discomfort. Even then, we might not realize that the problem could be addressed by simply improving our breathing patterns.

A breathing pattern disorder, otherwise called dysfunctional breathing, is a condition in which breathing is problematic and produces symptoms such as breathlessness. It manifests as a psychologically or physiologically based habit such as breathing too deeply, breathing too fast (both symptoms of hyperventilation), upper chest breathing during rest, or breathing irregularly with frequent breath-holding or sighing . Breathing pattern disorders affect 9.5 percent of the studied adult population, rising to 29 percent among people with asthma and 75 percent in those with anxiety. These figures are unsurprising, given that asthma, anxiety, panic attacks and stress all negatively influence breathing patterns, feeding back to create a vicious cycle of inefficient breathing.

The tendency to breathe too much air, which is called chronic hyperventilation and was first described in the literature in 1938, is the most common and extensively studied trait in breathing pattern disorders. One typical characteristic of chronic hyperventilation is fast breathing, often through an open mouth. This can occur both during the day and while asleep. Other signs include using the upper chest to breathe and having noticeable breathing patterns. The term chronic hyperventilation is often used synonymously with dysfunctional breathing, but it is only one type of breathing pattern disorder, and when strictly classified by its biochemical definition it refers to breathing in excess of metabolic requirements, causing blood carbon dioxide levels to drop.

While it may seem that dysfunctional breathing is a problem confined to the respiratory system alone, it has a significant impact on overall health. For example, excessive breathing is closely linked with cardiovascular disease. A research study of an intensive coronary unit in a Minneapolis hospital found that of 153 heart attack victims, 100 percent breathed predominantly using their upper chest, 75 percent were chronic mouth-breathers and 70 percent demonstrated open-mouthed breathing during sleep . In terms of the widespread impact on general health, a 1998 study reported that patients with just fourteen common symptoms were responsible for almost half of all primary healthcare visits in the US. Of these complaints, which included abdominal pain, chest pain, headache and back pain, only 10 to 15 percent were found to be the result of organic illness. However, every one of these ailments is recognized as a common symptom of disordered breathing. Put simply, the quality of breathing has significant implications for health and longevity.

In the book Behavioral and Psychological Approaches to Breathing Pattern Disorders by Beverly Timmons and Robert Ley, the authors share a comprehensive list of the symptoms and signs of hyperventilation. This list was drawn up by L C Lum, an Emeritus of the Department of Chest at Papworth and Addenbrooke's Hospitals, Cambridge, UK, and sent in personal communications in 1991. We will meet Dr. Lum again later in the book.

Faulty breathing can affect any organ or system producing symptoms including:

• General: fatigue, poor concentration, poor performance, impaired memory, weakness, disturbed sleep, allergies
• Respiratory (breathing): breathlessness after exertion, a tight chest, frequent sighing, yawning and sniffing, an irritable cough, the inability to take a satisfying breath
• Cardiovascular (the heart and blood vessels): irregular or fast heart beats and palpitations, Raynaud’s Syndrome, chest pain, cold hands and feet
• Muscles: muscle pain, cramping, twitching, weakness, stiffness and tetany (muscles that spasm and seize up)
• Gastrointestinal (the digestion): heartburn, acid regurgitation or hiatus hernia, flatulence or belching, bloating, difficulty swallowing or the feeling of a lump in the throat, abdominal discomfort
• Neurological (the nervous system): dizziness, headaches and migraines, paresthesia (tingling or numbness, pins and needles) of the hands, feet or face, hot flashes
• Psychological: anxiety, tension, depersonalization, panic attacks, phobias

L. C Lum, 1991

As explained earlier on, there are three main factors at play in the development of breathing pattern disorders.

1. Biochemical
2. Biomechanical
3. Psychological

While the cause of problem breathing may vary from one person to another, environmental factors, lifestyle habits and genetic predisposition are common triggers. In many instances these disorders are simply the result of a lack of awareness, and a lifelong habit of breathing through the mouth.

Table of Contents

TABLE OF CONTENTS for The Breathing Cure: Exercises to Develop New Breathing Habits for a Healthier, Happier, and Longer Life by Patrick McKeown

FOREWORD

INTRODUCTION

• Are You Breathing Comfortably?
• What is the Oxygen Advantage®?

CHAPTER ONE: A NEW APPROACH

• Patrick’s Story
• A New Approach
• Functional Breathing Pattern Training
• Understanding the Problem: Causes of Suboptimal Breathing
• The Three Dimensions of Healthy Breathing
• CO2: Not Just a Waste Gas
• Is Your Breathing ‘Healthy’ Breathing?
• How to Measure Your Breathing

CHAPTER TWO: HOW TO BREATHE

CHAPTER THREE: THE HEART-BREATH CONNECTION

CHAPTER FOUR: THE SECRET OF MOVEMENT

CHAPTER FIVE: WHEN BREATHING HURTS

CHAPTER SIX: WHEN SLEEP MAKES YOU SICK

CHAPTER SEVEN: HEALTHY, HAPPY CHILDREN

CHAPTER EIGHT: THE SECRET TO HEALTHY BLOOD PRESSURE

CHAPTER NINE: FREEDOM FROM RESPIRATORY DISCOMFORT

CHAPTER TEN: INTIMACY

CHAPTER ELEVEN: DIFFERENT FOR GIRLS

CHAPTER TWELVE: FEMALE SEX HORMONES AND THE BREATH

CHAPTER THIRTEEN: SUGAR, SUGAR (DIABETES 1 & 2)

CHAPTER FOURTEEN: SEIZURE CONTROL AND THE BREATH

CHAPTER FIFTEEN: BREATHING EXERCISES

• Checking your BOLT Score
• Important Guidelines for Practice
• Detoxification
• Exercise 1A: Unblock the Nose
• Exercise 1B: Box Breathing
• Exercise 2: The Three Aspects of Breathing
• Exercise 2A: Breathe Light, Biochemistry
• Exercise 2B: Breathe Light, Biomechanics
• Exercise 2C: Breathe Light, Cadence
• A Question of Air Hunger
• Exercise 2D: Breathe Light, LSD
• Exercise 3: Breathe Light, Walking
• Exercise 4: Breathe Light, Jogging
• Breathing Recovery Exercises for Asthma, Stress, Anxiety, Panic Disorder
• Exercises to Stop a Panic Attack
• Exercise for Reduced Breathing Before Bed
• Program Based on Bolt Score, Age and State of Health
• Exercises for Children

APPENDIX ONE: PHENOTYPES OF OBSTRUCTIVE SLEEP APNEA

APPENDIX TWO: THE BREATH AND THE SINGING VOICE

APPENDIX THREE: ABC (ADULT BREATHING CLASSIFICATION)

RESOURCES

REFERENCES

Preface

FOREWARD to THE BREATHING CURE: Exercises to Develop New Breathing Habits for a Healthier, Happier, and Longer Life by Patrick McKeown

I'm not sure what first sparked my interest in breathing; whether it was surfing — being held underwater without air — or if I was led to explore my day-to-day breathing practice as part of my journey to maximize my efficiency as a human and become as high performing as I can be. Either way, my quest for correct breathing led me to Patrick McKeown and his clinical work with over 8,000 people, ranging from medical patients to elite athletes. I appreciate the value of ‘feeling’ things and learning through experiencing, but Patrick's scientific explanation of what is happening in the body when I nasal breathe as opposed to mouth breathing truly helped me understand how to use my breath as a tool to support my health and boost my performance.

Patrick's passion for breathing education comes out of his own personal experience. Even though he himself was an extremely dysfunctional breather and an asthmatic — he was told by his doctors that he would be on medication and limited in activities for the rest of his life — he cured himself through breathing practices.

I must admit, I was surprised to learn what a large percentage of us are living with hidden breathing dysfunctions that wreak havoc on our health, sleep and performance. I truly appreciate that Patrick's teaching empowers people to be proactive in supporting their own good health. Patrick simply explains the importance of nasal breathing and balancing respiratory gases to create better health and mitigate illness, chronic disease and injuries.

The Oxygen Advantage was a game changing read and is one of the top books we recommend at XPT, not only for health and fitness professionals but for any individual looking to optimize the most important processes in their body.

If breathing and the breath is the essence of life, and it is meant to be intuitive, then how do we find our way back to the basics? Patrick makes this a comprehensive journey that anyone can use and share with their friends and family.

Laird Hamilton, XPT Extreme Performance Training, August 2020

Editorial Reviews

Praise for The Oxygen Advantage: Simple, Scientifically Proven Breathing Techniques to Help You Become Healthier, Slimmer, Faster, and Fitter by Patrick McKeown

“Patrick McKeown, breathing trainer and author of The Oxygen Advantage, recommends breathing through your nose…It’ll feel weird, but within a few weeks, you’ll notice you can exercise longer and don’t tire as quickly.” — Dr. Oz, bestselling author of YOU: THE OWNER'S MANUAL and THE GOOD LIFE

“The Oxygen Advantage is one of the best books that I have read this entire year... one of my favorite books in the world actually" — Ben Greenfield, author of New York Times bestseller Beyond Training

“McKeown introduces readers to The Oxygen Advantage, an innovative but complex breathing technique that purportedly improves overall health… McKeown’s confident attitude should help his book appeal to a wide audience.” — Publishers Weekly

“I’m an NFL wide receiver and my Bolt Score was 13. Three weeks later it’s 30 and improving; running has gotten so much easier. I’m in better shape for another opportunity because I’m so much better at the simple act of breathing. It really does add up!” — Jay Wisner, NFL Free Agent

"The Oxygen Advantage: the hottest book on the market for understanding breathing and breathwork.” — David Jackson, School of Calisthenics podcast

“The Oxygen Advantage has helped my Olympians become more aware of their breathing. We practice nasal breathing during foam rolling, warm ups, cool downs and during certain prescribed exercise. I would highly recommend The Oxygen Advantage to any coach looking to get any additional benefit for their athletes.” — Andrew Kacsor, Head Strength & Conditioning Coach for the KRS Vanke Rays

“Mastering one of the most powerful mechanism in our body can have a tremendous impact on both well being and performance. Because we breathe 24/7, breath training is potentially endless. I have been looking for a technique that could effortlessly trigger diaphragmatic breathing to improve the mind/ body connection. Moving towards the 2021 Olympic Games in Tokyo, we have now integrated the Oxygen Advantage breathing techniques into our daily training and recovery.” — Julien Billaut, Australian Canoeing and the New South Wales Institute of Sport Canoe Slalom High Performance Coach

“I have taken the Oxygen Advantage Instructor course and can’t say enough good things about it! I have been taping my mouth for my strength training sessions as well as my Tactical training. I have been playing with the knowledge Patrick McKeown has so willingly shared and began experimenting with my team. The conditioning results have been exceptional but I expected that based on what I learned in the course. Using Oxygen Advantage for the reduction of stress in SWAT and other High Stress Law Enforcement activities is what I am most interested in now and I have a lot to work with thanks again to Patrick McKeown. For those out there who are considering taking the course do yourself a favor get off the fence and do it. Money well invested in your health!” — Joey Williams, Patrol Lieutenant, SWAT Commander Responsible for Training, Berkeley, CA

From the Publisher