hello - I've had little concrete success with my Resperate over the last year or two. Not blaming Resperate or anything, it's a nice little device (IMG:style_emoticons/default/tongue.gif)

Anyway, I noticed in the documentation that one shouldn't use the device if you are doing Buteyko... that caught my interest, and I have been pursuing Buteyko ever since :-)

So perhaps someone with more knowledge can explain something to me.....

Both techniques ultimately depend on increased CO2 ... which (amongst other things) dilates the blood vessels ... hence lower BP?

Anyway, apart from the unpleasantness of doing some of the more extreme exercises (Maximum Pause) and clearly reperate and Buteyko could not be performed SIMULTANEOUSLY what is the problem if they were (for example) spread apart during the day?

One more thing: Resperate has to be done regularly for LIFE. Buteyko requires a lot of upfront effort, but drops into a 'maintenance mode' after the main training is complete. So ... some comments on this? Is Resperate really a milder form of Buteyko at the end of the day?

Thoughts appreciated!

BTW my Control Pause when I started Buteyko was about 10s, now it's up to about 30s so something good happening .... oh and my BP is down about 20pts :-)

I am *sure* Marguerite can guide me here :-)

Dear octavious,
Of course I wouldn't let you down. Why would I give you a mediocre response when I could get a scientific response from Dr. Benjamin Gavish, a biophysicist, and the inventor of the RESPeRATE!?! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

"Buteyko method aims to treat chronic hyperventilation by modifying breathing
pattern in attempt to increase CO2 concentration, e.g. by breath holding or
with slow & shallow breathing (hypoventilation).

Buteyko method is also promoted as a drug-free asthma therapy based on the
premise that raising blood CO2 through hypoventilation can treat asthma by
"relaxing" the airways, which are narrowed in asthmatic patients. Such
narrowing is the reason for using drug inhalers.

The few clinical studies done to assess this hypothesis confirm that the
usage of drug inhalers is reduced. However, there is no clear evidence for
the the role played by elevated CO2 concentration in "relaxing" airways.

Neither Buteyko nor studies evaluated of claimed about effect on BP.
However, as mentioned by Rowena (and my personal impression from a visit in
a clinic established by a student of Buteyko in Israel) such exercises are
associated with breathing efforts that is known to elevate BP. However, some
websites claim for benefit of Buteyko method for hypertensive patients."

Dr. Benjamin Gavish

In addition to Dr Gavish's response, there is an attachment of some material from Pub Med + a citation from a relevant patent application that I would like to e-mail to you.

Breathe Easy!
Marguerite (IMG:style_emoticons/default/cool.gif)