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until you feel a tolerable air shortage and hunger for air do not recommend reducing
breathing to the point of air hunger per se but do recommend the bread and butter of the
Buteyko system resistance breathing breathing through the nose and breathing
slower and less These are legitimate methods to counteract hyperventilation Allow me to
explain why
Resistance Breathing
Resistance breathing is any kind of breathing that creates resistance to the flow of air You can
create resistance by breathing through clenched teeth pursed lips or a straw Resistance
breathing forces the breathing musculature to work harder thus strengthening it substantially
over time Because it proceeds slower and disallows air gulping it forces the diaphragm to do
the work
Many people use elevation training masks during exercise to create intense pulmonary
resistance to strengthen the muscles of respiration These masks are meant to simulate the
benefits of training at high altitudes Studies show that the masks are useful and imagine the
masks might be very helpful when used with diaphragmatic breathing However simply
breathing through the nose is a free and easy alternative to train resistance breathing
Why Nasal Breathing is Healthier Than Mouth Breathing
Because the nasal passages are narrower than the oral one taking a full breath through the
nose takes significantly more time and effort It takes more work to breathe exclusively
through the nose compared to breathing through the mouth It is hard work for the diaphragm
and will make it stronger fast Also it forces you to breathe more slowly at an even pace Youll
notice that you cannot gasp through the nose and several researchers agree that one cannot
easily hyperventilate when breathing through the nose consider nasal breathing the sixth
tenet of optimal breathing
Most mammals breathe exclusively through their noses with their mouths closed but there
are a few exceptions Some mammals will breathe through the mouth when engaging in
intense cardiovascular activity Others use mouth breathing for evaporative cooling like a dog
panting on a hot day Some mammals will breathe through their mouth during an aggressive
confrontation Usually the dominant animal will breathe exclusively through the nose and the
subordinate one will open the mouth and pant nondiaphragmatically Many dog trainers
interpret nose breathing as defiant and mouth breathing as acquiescent The dog that pants
rapidly with an open mouth is usually seen as the most obedient Chronic mouth breathing like
hyperventilation is a submissive handicapping signal Otherwise mammals breathe almost
exclusively through their noses Whenever a veterinarian sees a mammal at rest breathing
through its mouth it is taken as a sign of sickness or serious injury
In humans mouth breathing is thought by many experts to increase the stress response
It has been shown to lead to high blood pressure poor posture cognitive disturbances
PROGRAM PEACE Self Care Exercises to Reprogram Your Mind and Body
and heart problems In newborns it is a sign of failure to thrive However there is no medical
consensus merely because not enough studies have been performed Neither is there any
rubric in medical science helping people to stop breathing through their mouths This is a
serious oversight
Shut Your Mouth and Save Your Life
In George Catlin wrote the book Shut Your Mouth and Save Your Life in which he extolled
the virtues of nose breathing He was an American adventurer who specialized in painting
portraits of Native Americans in the Old West He observed a large proportion of Native
Americans breathing exclusively through the nose even during sleep He attributed their good
health and serene countenance to this habit He even saw mothers encouraging their infants
and children to breathe through their noses If a baby opened its mouth to breathe the mother
would gently push the babys lips together to ensure nasal breathing He compared this to
Europe where it seemed to him everyone breathed with their mouths
He claimed the American Indians referred to the white men not only as palefaces but as
blackmouths due to their penchant for breathing through their mouths He said that
breathing through the mouth leads to a derangement of the whole face which is not natural
carrying the proof of a long practice of the baneful habit with its lasting consequences and
producing that unfortunate and pitiable and oftentimes disgusting expression which none but
civilized communities can present He called mouth breathing the most abominable and
destructive habit that ever attached itself to the human race
The following are two drawings by Catlin from the book They illustrate what he saw as the
difference between English mouth breathers and Native American nasal breathers
are yy
oy Let
aS s LN As
tf Ni FS AUS
f A
VES ao
ve Nezy
is ee Wi h g
Ni
Al
Ys
Illustration George Catlins sketch comparing mouthbreathing Londoners to nosebreathing
American Indians
Catlin wrote that no excitements could cause the Indians to part their lips He said their
mouths remained closed unless they were eating or speaking and that they even smiled with
their mouths closed He recounted a story in which a quarrel arose between a white fur trader
and a Sioux brave The men decided to settle the dispute naked in a prairie with knives
Chapter Breathe Less Nasally and without Pharyngeal Tension
Minutes before the fight Catlin intervened and convinced the men to reconcile and shake
hands Afterward he asked the brave whether he was afraid of the other man who was both
bigger and stronger The Indian replied No not in the least never fear harm from a man who
cant shut his mouth He wrote that both Indian mothers and medicine men told him that
Native Americans breathe through their noses to ensure strength confidence athleticism and
long peaceful lives
If were asked to name a single habit that could be corrected to increase longevity and
quality of life it would be mouth breathing So the question arises What is the best way to
ensure nasal breathing Well at first take its not easy There are two main hindrances to
nasal breathing it is easy to forget to breathe nasally and we transition from nasal to
mouth breathing unconsciously when we become stressed However spending time with the
mouth taped can help you to overcome each of these issues
Taping the Mouth to Ensure Nasal Breathing
You may think you breathe through your nose but you likely often switch to mouth breathing
Many people switch from nose to mouth breathing when they feel nervous or when they are
socializing You may have never noticed it but you probably make this switch repeatedly as
your stress levels fluctuate throughout the day In many cases the diaphragm is not strong
enough to support nasal breathing under stressful conditions Breathing through the nose is
unnerving for many people in social situations
was very uncomfortable nose breathing in my twenties partly because it made me look
expressionless was afraid people would think looked boldfaced or insolent But my face
looked disrespectful while nose breathing only because was uncomfortable doing it Once