A Brief History of the Buteyko Method

 

When people are first introduced to the Buteyko Method, they have a lot of questions. And rightfully so! What is hyperventilation (over-breathing)? What are its dangers? When was the Buteyko Method first developed? In this article, we’ll cover the last query. If you’re intrigued about the origin of the Buteyko Method, we’re tracing its history. Keep reading!

1. Origination and Development

The Buteyko Method was first developed in the 1950s by renowned Russian/Ukrainian physiologist Konstantin Pavlovich Buteyko. However, it wasn’t officially studied until much later.

Born in Ivanitsa in 1923, K.P. Buteyko was a brilliant man who devoted his life to studying humans. Over the course of his life, he made some of the most profound and groundbreaking discoveries. His knowledge helped thousands of people restructure their lives. To this day, K.P. Buteyko’s insight continues to benefit people across the globe.

K.P. Buteyko started his medical training in 1946 at the First Medical Institute of Moscow. He would monitor the breathing of terminally ill patients before they passed away. He spent countless hours observing and analyzing breathing patterns. As a result, he was able to accurately predict the time of death of these patients.

When he was in university, K.P. Buteyko was diagnosed with malignant hypertension. He was given twelve months to live. Buteyko started researching his illness and devoted his time to understanding the effects of hyperventilation/over-breathing. He noticed that every time he reduced his breathing, his headache, heartache, and kidney pain temporarily ceased. To confirm his suspicion, he took five heavy mouth breaths. As he guessed, the pain returned.

This was the big breakthrough that would end up transforming Buteyko’s own life and millions of other people’s lives. Shortly after, he started the journey of giving theoretical shape to his findings and supporting them with practical evidence.

He worked with asthmatic patients and researched extensively. He also worked on many theoretical aspects of his findings at the Central and Lenin Medical Library. In 1959, he did clinical research on 200 people, some healthy and some sick. In 1960, he presented the correlation between the depth of breathing and carbon dioxide levels in the body to the Scientific Forum at the Institute.

In the coming years, Buteyko continued to actively research. He was assisted by 200 qualified medical personnel and was given access to the most advanced technology of the time. By 1967, 1000+ patients had recovered from asthma and a range of other illnesses, thanks to Dr. Buteyko’s methods.

In 1968, the Buteyko Method was studied for efficacy at the Leningrad Institute of Pulmonology. The second official study was conducted in 1980 at the First Moscow Institute of Pediatric Diseases. It eventually resulted in the official implementation of the Buteyko Method for treating bronchial asthma.

The Buteyko Method gradually started reaching other parts of the world, including the United States, Australia, Britain, and New Zealand. As it reached more and more people, its life-changing effects started becoming more known.

2. The Buteyko Method Today

Presently, the Buteyko Method is considered the most natural, healthy, and instinctive breathing method. It outlines the dangers of hyperventilation and encourages people to adopt Buteyko Breathing techniques, including nasal breathing. When people breathe through their noses, they consume less air. This reduces the risk of hyperventilation.

Mouth breathing, on the other hand, results in a large amount of air being inhaled and, consequently, a large amount of vital carbon dioxide being exhaled. Over time, mouth breathing affects the immune system and makes people more susceptible to developing respiratory problems.

When a person chronically hyperventilates, their blood pH increases abnormally and becomes more basic or alkaline. The body cannot adjust to this drastic change. As a result, the person starts feeling lightheaded and may even experience shortness of breath. Their heart starts racing, their muscles cramp, their chest tightens, and they experience a tingling/numbing sensation in their fingertips or toes. As chest pressure increases, the person can pass out.

Hyperventilation is extremely dangerous. When the kidneys start losing phosphorous and magnesium, energy levels are affected. Phosphorous plays a vital role in the production of adenosine triphosphate (ATP), a molecule that stores energy. When phosphorous and magnesium levels drop, the body cannot produce more energy.

Since the body requires energy for normal functioning, the person’s overall health is affected. The immune system is unable to create antibodies and fight infections, the liver cannot metabolize fats, proteins, and carbohydrates properly, the kidneys are unable to remove waste, extra fluid, and acids from the body as efficiently as they should, and so on.

Think of this like a chain reaction. Muscles and nerves are also affected. The body suffers tremendously and becomes fatigued. If this happens repeatedly, overall health is severely jeopardized.

The Buteyko Breathing Method recognizes the dangers of hyperventilation and promotes techniques that improve respiratory and pulmonary health. It treats breathing problems and health challenges by modifying breathing patterns.

By switching to the Buteyko Method and normalizing their carbon dioxide and oxygen levels, people have managed to restore their health and live a vibrant, happy life.

3. How Can I Get Started?

If you’re new to the Buteyko Method, take some time to dig deeper. Buteyko knowledge is vast and extensive. As you peel back the layers and become familiar with its underpinnings and benefits, you’ll feel relieved and grateful for the knowledge.

The Buteyko Breathing Center should be your first stop. Its co-founder Sasha Yakovleva was trained at the Buteyko Clinic in Moscow by the originators of the Buteyko method. Sasha is one of the few people who was fully educated on the authentic Buteyko Breathing Method in its purest form.

Her platform, The Buteyko Breathing Center, is home to a wide range of valuable resources, including:

How To Heal Asthma Naturally By Buteyko:
https://www.breathingcenter.com/category/buteyko-blog/science/  

Can Buteyko Breathing Help Lower Blood Pressure?

Yogic Prana And Buteyko Breathing: Are They Connected?

Nasal Congestion: Causes And How To Prevent It

· Breathing Normalization Meditations 

· Buteyko Breathing Step-by-Step Video Course

· Buteyko Breathing Exercises and Method

Start by connecting with a Buteyko Breathing Practitioner. They’ll walk you through the basics and help you make the most of Buteyko Techniques that are right for you. It’s time to put your health and wellness first.