Asthma Free Naturally: Everything You Need to Know to Take Control of Your Asthma, Featuring the Buteyko Breathing Method, Suitable for Adults and Children

by Patrick McKeown

This is a highly effective programme for adults and children which incorporates the revolutionary Buteyko breathing method. Patrick McKeown is a former chronic asthmatic who went on to become one of the very few accredited Buteyko practitioners in Britain. The Buteyko breathing method is the single most effective self-help treatment for asthma and can be used by adults and children. With the programme, asthma sufferers can: / stop persistent attacks and coughing / reduce their dependency on medication / unblock nose naturally with a simple exercise / prevent attacks during sports / explain breathing exercises to a child / learn about diet, sleeping and other lifestyle factors

Genres: Health, Nonfiction, Science

289 pages, Paperback

First published August 1, 2005

About the author

International best-selling author of The Oxygen Advantage and creator and master instructor of the Oxygen Advantage® technique, Patrick McKeown is widely regarded as one of the world's leading breathing re-education experts.

Reviews

[Jeff · Rating 5 out of 5]

Highly recommended and not only for asthma sufferers. The Buteyko method of breathing is like weight lifting for your respiratory system… with consistent practice you get stronger with the control pause as your metric. Essentially avoid mouth breathing, and take very small breaths into your abdomen. Read this book in February and am yet to have an asthma episode since. Might update this review to note upon next episode to confirm how long I prevented one and also if the method helps recover. If you have asthma or mouth breathe, or know someone who does, read this book for better health outcome naturally.

[Isabel · Rating 4 out of 5]

So helpful ...helped me catch misconceptions

Your respiratory centre stimulates or relaxes breathing to maintain carbon dioxide at set levels. Mind blown here. Previously was hammered in that you need high levels of carbon dioxide as it is the concentration that leads to a higher oxygen exchange. Now it clicks more. So how does my high red blood cell count relate though? .....The key is releasing the oxygen bound to your red blood cells to release the oxygen. This only occurs when your CO2 levels are high enough....

Closed mouth breathing reinforced yet again. Talking being such an issue in messing with breathing patterns leading to lower carbon dioxide....can I use this to avoid having to share at pd please. Also why so hard to talk during an exacerbation.....always found it a bit odd how it feels as tiring as walking...why when I get home I don't want to talk but just be.

The control pause as an indicator of asthma level. Wonder if better than peak flow...as that seems so unreliable. The short breath practice with bely breathing...just letting in a little air 2 in 3 out...just like wim hof. Need to read his next.as curious more.on the cold. That shower challenge is brutal and have to end with warm so not miserable all day.

So premise is that this will raise co2 levels by reducing also respiration....whole 6 per minute if I remember right. This in turn will make my lungs less reactive as they will not need to be. Will definitely give this a shot as find the taped sleeping beneficial. I have to try something as the cleaning chemicals have put me back on meds. Definitely has me rethinking my career....well or just another excuse besides srgs lol.

Need to reread. Book is pretty short....just fundamentals which is what I need.

[Natali · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! I learned SO much reading this book! I suffered from asthma as a child and my daughter was recently hospitalized with pneumonia that we think was brought on by an allergy. I do not think she is asthmatic but I picked up this book because I wanted to understand what resources there are to control asthmatic triggers and it turns out there are A LOT!

I had no idea that overbreathing was such a chronic problem, nor that mouth breathing was so dangerous. I think non-asthma sufferers could learn a lot from this book and pick up tips for improving overall health. After reading this book, I found a Buteyko therapist near me in Portugal to work with my daughter and I am going to make some changes to my family’s diet and linens.

The information is presented in an easy-to-understand and organized fashion. Although the author does worry about overuse of medication, he is not anti-medication nor does he use scare tactics about pharmaceuticals. He suggests using the Buteyko techniques in conjunction with ones physician and I intend to do just that with my daughter.

I read this book in one afternoon and will likely read a few more by the same author. So eye opening!

[Michelle Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a very informative book to gather more knowledge on breathing methods, specifically to help out my asthma. I have taken some of the ideas in the book to test out the last two weeks and haven't had to take my rescue inhaler yet, which is amazing since fall is one of my worst times with ragweed allergies. Even if I don't continue with the twice daily breathing exercises, I am a huge believer now in the power of nasal breathing with having been a lifelong mouth breather prior.

[Bernice Henderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Outstanding

A joy to read. Have put into practice the breathing exercises, increasing exercise and not eating after 7pm.I am delighted how much more in control I feel. Also have been watching to Patrick McKeown on Utube and listening to many podcasts.

[Debra Green · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely Amazing Info

I love this book so much. In the two weeks that I have tried the method that is taught in this book, I have already seen improvement in my asthma. I am 57 years old and finally I have the means to be healthier!

[Harpinder · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good book for Asthmatics and looks like the best treatment plan for Asthma.

[John · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is about the Buteyko method of getting free from Asthma without medicine, just by breathing properly and less. The idea is that carbon dioxide relaxes muscles and thus prevents asthma attacks, and by breathing less and correctly, you teach the lungs to hold more amounts of CO2 in rather than exhaling it out. I'm not sure about the validity of these claims, even after reading the book, because it is not a very scientific book as the author explains that there are only a few studies made(and those sounded bugious) - rather than making correct studies himself. Instead he uses short case studies of some people who apparently were helped. He also, as people do, blamed big pharma and the government for this method not to be as widespread as he think it should. I assume there is somehting to it and could try to implement some of the things to check out the effectivness of it all(like breathing through the nose, checking if it helps to hold breath when an attack is coming etc.), but mostly I had this looming feeling of pseudoscience at works. The book is also super repetetive, and say almost everything at least five times over. It is a quick and easy read though, but not enough to prove anything or convince me. I could drop this down to 2 stars, but I give it a pity 3.

[Osprey Hosting · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found the breathing exercises in this book to new very useful. I do not have asthma however I do sometimes suffer from rhinitis, also occasionally sinusitis and I have found the breathing exercises to be very effective at relieving the discomfort that comes along with either of these conditions. I would highly recommend learning them.

[Ariane · Rating 1 out of 5]

Not worthwhile. I'm not sure how much stock there is in the Buteyko method, it was nearly impossible to do because...well... humans need to breathe. I skimmed the rest of the book and it appeared to continue the repetitive and fairly fluffy nature of the first 90 or so pages.

[Abdullah Mothana Obadi Ali Al Yemen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very detailed book and a lot of information and help to understand a this illness and will be try some of his method.

I believe this is a very good read and he is a very outstanding in his field of work and I love to read all is book to help me and my son.