ASTHMA
There is a way out...

The earliest clear memories I have go back to when I was about four years old, shortly after this time most of my childhood memories are clouded with problems caused by Asthma. The first time I can remember having an attack was at about the age of six, I was on holiday with my Grandparents in a caravan in Wales.

Shortly after going to bed I could not breathe properly, I was gasping for breath, it felt like I was suffocating, I was really frightened. My Grandmother tried everything she could think of to help me, but with little result, I think she was probably just as frightened as I was. Anyway the next day she took me to the camp doctor and he gave me some medicine, I have no idea what it was except that it didn't do any good. The rest of the holiday nights were spent sleeping in a sitting position, we eventually discovered that the attack was triggered by the feather pillows.

The problem continued when we returned home and our family doctor eventually put it down to 'Nervous Asthma', even though I'm not a nervous person, he just asked my mother questions that would help him to confirm this diagnosis. He didn't prescribe any medication at this point, he just sent me to the local clinic to learn breathing exercises along with several other children, probably suffering from similar problems.

Over the next few years my condition slowly deteriorated until the point where medication was the only way we knew to control it, fortunately I never had an attack bad enough to be hospitalised, although one of my sisters did. Along with the asthma came hayfever, this was particularly bad compared to the other people around me who had it. I had resigned myself to taking medication for the rest of my life having not 'grown out of it' as they insist on saying. Every time I had a cold it would go straight to my chest and end up as bronchitis, very uncomfortable!

More recently the asthma and allergies had become worse, so I took up Mountain Biking as a form of exercise in the hope that if I was a little fitter then my chest should be stronger! It did help a little, but I still needed to use my inhaler before exercise and anti-histamines all summer long. By this time I was also having severe allergy attacks about once or twice a month, sometimes bad enough to keep me away from work for a day or two.

Several times I went to see my doctor about the allergies, but he just changed or increase the medication. I kept asking about alternative cures and ended up trying courses of injections and desensitising drops, all to no avail. The last time I had a really bad allergy attack, I was away from work for a couple of days, so as the attack calmed down I decided to search the Internet for information. At first I came across another allergy testing clinic and was so desperate that I sent for their details, but when it arrived I found it was very similar to what I had already been through. After more searches I eventually found some information about the Buteyko technique, fortunately at about the same time as the now famous BBC QED TV program about Sasha Stalmatski and this "cure".

After watching the television program and reading the information from the Internet I decided to send off for Alexander Stalmatski's book 'Freedom From Asthma' (available discounted from Amazon.co.uk). Once I read the book I was totally convinced this had to be what I was looking for, it all made perfect sense, something the doctors didn't always do! Anyway I decided to book myself onto a weekend course with Sasha Stalmatski. It was the best 300 pounds I've ever spent. He explained everything in detail to an audience of about 30 people, and was happy to answer any questions, we soon learnt how to control our breathing properly and he taught us exercises to gradually improve the condition of our lungs. It was amazing to see big changes in some people, even after just two days. The course was arranged through the Hale Clinic in London, their freephone number is 0800 0187879 (UK only).

Since that course I have improved immensely. Now when I go mountain biking I don't even think about asthma or inhalers, I no longer wake in the middle of the night needing medication and more recently I've been able to stop taking the steroid inhaler that I've been using for years! I had a repeat prescription list from my doctor with six items on it... now I've scrapped that list and have only had one new prescription item during the last year. Now after a little more effort I am totally free of all medication and looking forward to a much healthier life in the new millenium.

My recommendation to anybody suffering with any respiratory related condition is to please checkout the Buteyko Method, you won't regret it! A little will power is far better than a lot of medication.

10 Things you can do now to help reduce your Asthma.
1. Learn to breathe through your nose, not your mouth. It is possible - You should become obsessive about this!	2. Only eat when you are hungry. Don't eat for eating's sake or to please others (including pushy parents).
3. Use your preventative medication correctly while you learn to breathe correctly.	4. Avoid too much high protein and processed or junk food. Concentrate on a healthy balanced diet.
5. Use a small piece of medical tape (about 25mm square) to keep your mouth closed during sleep, and try to sleep lying on your left side.	6. Use regular exercise to keep your body in reasonable shape. Have a medical check-up if you are unsure about your present state of fitness.
7. Be constantly aware of your breathing pattern and avoid deep breathing, even during exercise.	8. Don't lie in bed too long, once you wake up make the effort to get up.
9. Read the book Freedom From Asthma and learn about the root causes of your condition.	10. Learn to cure your Asthma with the Buteyko method - you won't regret it!

You can order the book 'Freedom From Asthma' direct from Amazon.co.uk by clicking HERE.

Here are some links to checkout...

http://www.haleclinic.com/breathconnection.html

http://www.buteyko.co.uk/buteyko/

http://www.wt.com.au/~pkolb/buteyko.htm

http://www.buteykovideo.com/trials_brisbane.htm

http://www.asthma.co.nz/