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

Autorentext

Patrick McKeown 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.

Klappentext

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!

Leseprobe

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…