Finally free from asthma!

Marie was five years old when her doctor decided to put her on spray medication for her asthma. Her asthma attacks had been consistently severe and so near between that her parents knew she wasn’t going to sustain long.

Nevertheless, life went on for Marie, who is now 25. It was difficult for her though. Her steroid-based medication helped a lot but it affected her weight. Her mood swings and her laryngitis were also staples in her daily life.

"I would have very bad bouts of asthma. I couldn’t walk from the bedroom to the bathroom without having an attack" Marie recounted.

Then Marie heard about the Buteyko breathing technique from a colleague. This technique taught her to breathe the "correct way." In fact, part of the technique required her to sleep with her mouth taped to train her to breathe through her nose. Soon after, she was asthma-free, drug-free and getting on with her life.

Invented by Russian scientist and professor Konstantin Buteyko, the breathing method is premised on the fact that incorrect breathing patterns can lead to a number of illnesses, asthma included.

By teaching patients breath control, the Buteyko method significantly improves the symptoms of 150 illnesses, including asthma, bronchitis, emphysema, snoring, hay fever, sinus, allergies, chronic fatigue and panic disorders.

The Buteyko breathing method has helped a lot of asthma sufferers so much so that the good news about it has reached the Philippines through Buteyko practitioner Jac Vidgen.

"The method teaches breath control which allows sufferers to control their condition and eliminate their dependence on drugs and medication apparatus. Patients are taught techniques and exercises. For instance, asthma sufferers tend to breathe deeper but we teach them just the opposite – to calm down, breathe gently, close their mouth and wait until the carbon dioxide builds up so their airways relax," Vidgen said.

Vidgen has conducted several successful sessions in the Philippines. However, he wants to spread the Buteyko gospel more, knowing that there are a lot of asthma sufferers in the country. Blame it on rampant air pollution, too.

To tell asthma sufferers how to kick this illness through the Buteyko method, Vidgen will be holding free lectures on the following dates: July 18, 11 a.m., Sanctuario de San Antonio, Makati, and 4 p.m., Ateneo de Manila University’s Institute of Social Order, Quezon City; July 30, 11 a.m., Earthlite Center (4/F, COD Department Store, Cubao), and 4 p.m., Kinderhaus, 14 Bohol Avenue, Quezon City.

Workshops are scheduled on the following dates: July 13 (Makati); Aug. 3, 4, 5, 10 (Earthlite Cubao); Aug. 7, 8, 8, 9, 14, 19 (Ateneo) and Aug. 16, 17, 18, 21, 23 (Kinderhaus). Call Sonia at 427-2172 or Palou at 929-9901, or Jac Vidgen at 0917-9512527 or e-mail [email protected].