Breathing Remedies

asthma anxiety sleep fatigue

  • BREATHING
    • Breathing Assessment and Buteyko course
    • How I help – About Buteyko breathing
    • Symptoms of Disordered Breathing
  • POSTURE
    • Postural alignment therapy (Egoscue): conditions treated
  • FAQ
  • Success Stories
    • Asthma allergies sinusitis
    • Anxiety panic stress
    • Snoring sleep apnoea insomnia
    • ME/CFS
    • Dysfunctional Breathing
  • CONTACT

Asthma allergies sinusitis

Ruth came to see me primarily for her asthma which had been diagnosed nearly 30 years previously: “I was able to reduce my asthma medication about 3 weeks after starting Buteyko breathing method, taught by Janet, and 6 weeks later I had halved my dose. The

addition of Egoscue exercises was useful in helping me target breathing correctly to my diaphragm, rather than my upper chest.
I very rarely use my reliever inhaler now and I’m hoping to see further improvements. In general I feel as though I’m in control of my asthma, rather than it controlling me. I’m less afraid of it, and feel more in tune with my breathing.
I think the biggest improvement has been my sleep. Previously I was waking several times a night, or waking at 5am and being unable to get back to sleep but it has improved dramatically and I can now sleep right through the night.
I’ve also seen a huge reduction in my anxiety levels. I used to wake up feeling very anxious but this no longer happens”.
Ruth N 2021 (Stock photo by Eli DeFaria on Unsplash)

 

Before I took the Buteyko breathing course my health in general was poor, I was constantly fighting one ailment or another but the primary health issue was asthma. I was taking combined asthma medications, nasal sprays, anti histamines etc (you name it I took it).  My system had practically become immune to all medication: my work was affected to the point where I had to reduce my hours. I frequently had to visit either the ‘walk-in’ centre or A&E which usually resulted in nebulisers, steroid injections and oral steroids. The period of relief between steroid courses was getting shorter and shorter and I was also getting awful side effects from the steroids. In anni clarkeaddition I developed nasal polyps which resulted in my having to sleep in a chair in the kitchen most nights because I could not breathe if I lay down. My health problems also affected my husband: neither of us got much sleep and my constant coughing and nose blowing was fatiguing and distressing.  I couldn’t walk more than a few steps without gasping and coughing, I coughed after every laugh.  At work my cough was recognized all over the building, even my customers would comment on my breathing.  A visit to A&E on my birthday in 2016 was the final straw: I needed three nebulisers, a steroid injection to get my oxygen levels up from 91 to 95 and the only remedy the hospital could offer was yet another course of oral steroids.

Apart from prescriptions from my GP I tried a succession of diets aimed at reducing mucus build up, vitamins and minerals that support lung health.  In desperation I spent a fortune on a visit to an Iridologist and I did get some temporary relief but nothing lasting.

I had no real hesitation about trying Buteyko but I have to admit this was probably as much due to desperation as it was faith. I had been reading about Buteyko and had seen a number of videos on YouTube over a period of 2-3 years and from time to time I would re-visit the idea of Buteyko, but I knew it focused upon nasal breathing and until I had the operation to remove the nasal polyps I knew I’d struggle so I didn’t bother.  In December 2015 I had the operation for the polyps and although I could now breathe better, my asthma had become almost uncontrollable.  Some videos posted more recently by people like Patrick McKeown and others made me want to try it.

Within one week of doing the exercises I slept right through the night peacefully and best of all I slept in my own bed and not in a chair.  My cough stopped after about three weeks and my breathing felt so much more peaceful and relaxed. Dark circles under my eyes went and my eyes are brighter. I can walk anywhere now and I can walk for hours on end. I no longer need combined asthma inhalers now and I have not used my blue inhaler in quite some time. My dose of the preventer puffer is down to one puff twice a day and I am about to reduce that again to one puff in the evening. I don’t use any nasal sprays and I have gone through the whole of the pollen season without any anti-histamines at all. My overall health and well-being cannot be overstated: I find it hard to imagine the dark days now: it’s a bit like I watched a film about a sick person.  It’s hard to believe that was me. My husband, my family and friends all see huge improvements as do my colleagues at work.  Being a well and healthy person changes my outlook on everything.

I am a much calmer person these days and I understand my triggers more. I don’t think I had fully appreciated how debilitating asthma is and the impact my poor health had on my husband: I see huge improvements in him too as he is not stressing about me. I would recommend Buteyko to anyone with any kind of breathing issue but particularly for people who are determined to get on the other side of asthma.  I would also recommend it to people with anxiety issues too. Doing my own research beforehand was useful and understanding a little of the science behind it helped me pick myself up when my confidence was wavering.  However, I can over think things and sometimes this caused tensions or anxiety that would slow my progress.

I wouldn’t suggest Buteyko to people who want a magic bullet and who are not prepared to take on the time commitment and daily discipline of the exercises.  In my case it has been a bit like turning a tanker around: my progress has been slow and steady and aside from a couple of setbacks I have seen improvements every week.  But it has required discipline, patience and above all commitment.

 (Anni Clarke, retail/fashion, Manchester 2016)

 

 

Ella-Harris-playing-Annie-Wilde-in-Wrong-Un-by-Boff-Whalley-3-c.-Tim-Smith1-wpcf_180x180It has been about 8 montths since I did the Buteyko training and I am breathing clearly pretty much all of the time. I’m now doing Buteyko alongside the neti pot and (the practice of pouring saline fluid through one nostril and out the other) and the two practices together have so far been the answer to my constant nasal congestion. The thing is I had tried to do the neti pot before but my nose would get so blocked when I bent over to do it that it just felt frustrating. Now I do Buteyko with it and it feels great.

I was finding it very hard to breathe before the course and now I feel much more aware of what is happening and how to help it calm down.
I was concerned that it was a lot of money but everything I have learnt has been invaluable.

I have more awareness about my breathing, causes and solutions for when it is strained. I make more time to relax and see a direct relationship between stress and how easy I find it to breathe. I notice a direct link between tension in my stomach area and tight breathing/congestion in my nose and wheeziness. I tend to feel a tightness in my stomach when standing, talking, any movement and it’s becoming easier to relax any tension as soon as I notice it. I remember someone saying it takes about a year to really learn Buteyko. I’ve been doing it for about 8 months and I can really see how my body is getting more used to relaxing and breathing properly.

I wasn’t expecting for there to be such an emphasis on relaxation or that using the Buteyko technique would help me relax as much as it did.

I really appreciate all the support from you Janet. Your calming emails helped to ease out any stress I was feeling about the process and encouraged me to keep going. The Buteyko technique can feel like hard work at times but it has given me a solution when I was really losing hope.   –  Thank you

(Ella Harris, Actress  Hebden Bridge, 2014)

I started visiting Janet 8 weeks ago so I am still working on improving my breathing. The reason for my starting the course was the frequent chest infections I have always been bothered with- and which seem to be lasting longer.

Before I took the Buteyko breathing course I was struggling to get over a type of viral bronchitis. My main problems were exhausting cough, blocked sinuses and poor sleep, with inevitable energy loss and low morale. The GP had advised me to give it time and rest.

I did hesitate before starting the course because of the financial commitment but the symptoms  began to improve within the first few days of the breathing course, which was so encouraging. I was amazed how the nose breathing eased the mucus/sinus congestion and rapidly the coughing. Nose breathing at night also brought much improved sleeps.

It is a challenge to do the exercises regularly (and my breath control during speech is my biggest challenge) but I have been amazed at how much my whole quality of life has improved  and the welcome sense of calm that comes with practicing the Buteyko breathing exercises.

Janet gave good clear guidance and kind support which made for an enjoyable and positive experience.

(Collette, High Peak 2013)

For years I have suffered with sinusitis and a number of other problems. In July 2010 I was finally diagnosed with M.E. and, like many other people suffering with M.E., I have tried several remedial therapies.

After hearing a talk at the Stockport ME Association, given by Dr Janet Winter on the Buteyko method of breathing, in May this year I booked on a one-to-one course at her Breathing Remedies Clinic, hoping that it would help ease my sinus problems and possibly help with the fatigue from M.E.

After practising the Buteyko method (which I continue to do each day) I soon found it helped to reduce the congestion in my nose and I have had no recurrence of sinusitis.  In addition I have found that carrying out the breathing method helps to relax and calm my mind and this has definitely helped with my chronic fatigue.  Dr Winter has been very supportive throughout and I know I am able to contact her at any time.

(Eric, Marple, Stockport, 2013)

 

I have had mild breathing problems all my life, I am borderline Asthmatic. Since leanring Buteyko the difference it has made to my life is amazing. I have been having very bad panic attacks at night for years. I have since learned that I must have been Hyperventilating at night and having a very bad nightmare. Since learning how to keep my mouth shut at night, the difference is amazing. No more nightmares, also I am not as thirsty. I must have been sleeping with my mouth open and it made me very thirsty. Also I had a very bad persistant cough which I could not get rid of. I was given a Reliever Inhalor to use when I needed it. Since learning the Breathing Exercises, my cough has gone and I no longer need to use an Inhalor. I could certainly recommend Janet to anyone, with Asthma and with many other problems.

Philippa Knight, Care assistant  High Peak 2009

Share

About me, Buteyko breathing educator

Janet Winter breathing and posture educator (Buteyko and Egoscue)

Dr Janet Winter (PhD)

Hello, I am Janet,  a  Breathing educator (Buteyko), and Posture specialist (Egoscue).

I help people recover from asthma, allergies, sinusitis, anxiety, sleep problems, headaches, IBS chronic fatigue (ME/CFS) and more, by improving their dysfunctional breathing.

Listen to a client’s (Suzy Glaskie, functional medicine health coach at Peppermint Wellness) 15 minute podcast on how Buteyko helped her.

I teach natural health control with no drugs, gadgets or manipulation. You can sign up to my newsletter here.

Phone me 01663 743055 (Dr Janet Winter) or contact me here.

What I do

Breathing education gently retrains a disordered breathing pattern and helps people naturally recover from breathing-related health problems.

The Buteyko Method relieves asthma symptoms, and has been listed in the UK Asthma Guideline since 2008.
I am a member of the Buteyko Breathing Educators Association and am fully insured.

I am also a qualified postural alignment specialist (PAS) Egoscue method. Good posture is essential for good breathing and proper function in general.

My background

I was involved in healthcare/biomedical research for 30 years although previously in a very different role: before training as a Breathing educator, I spent 20 years in drug discovery looking for new painkillers for a major pharmaceutical company based in a London Institute.
I worked as a neuroscientist and cell biologist, directing a team of bench scientists. (So I am not a medical doctor but I have a PhD in Neuroscience) I authored or co-authored more than 50 journal articles and reviews on my research.  My professional profile can be seen here on LINKEDIN.

Why I became a breathing educator

If you are reading this because you have CFS/ME, I know what you are going through. I know what it is like to hold onto a job by my fingernails, worried about how we would feed the family if I lost my job, come home and eat and sleep and spend my weekend recovering.

I had no social life. I was lucky to quickly get to a consultant who diagnosed me with candidiasis, and anti-fungals and a yeast and sugar-free diet helped a lot, but not enough.

I felt I had been “written off” and had nothing to offer. I was a mum, partner and employee with massively reduced physical and mental output compared with previously.
For me (after trying many different avenues, cranial osteopathy, chiropractic, mercury amalgam filling removal and more – I became a “fat-folder patient”).

How I got sick

I suspected my symptoms were “stress related” but they did not ease when I left my stressful job and moved out of London to the countryside.

Looking back on my history I can clearly see my own physical and emotional stresses accumulating, from a very traumatic bereavement, on-going work and family stresses, then a really bad summer respiratory infection and cough that was not shifted by two different antibiotics (but they probably contributed to unbalancing my gut flora, hence the fungal overgrowth/candidiasis).

A cough seems to be one of the best ways to mess up your breathing pattern, and many of my clients tell me “I was fine until I had that cough/chest infection, and I never really got my health back!!”

The breathing centre in the brain gets to think that big volume breathing is normal and unless you know about it, it is sometimes hard to recover. Luckily you CAN retrain your breathing by doing a series of gentle exercises and making some life style changes, and you CAN have hope of better health.

My recovery

Changing my breathing back to a more normal pattern really helped me. It was a big missing piece of my health puzzle, and one I had frankly never considered. One definition of stress is “anything that makes you breathe more”. And I know now that breathing too much can actually deplete the body of oxygen. And stress can be emotional or physical.

So that is why I do what I do and why I am passionate about it; I found a way to improve my chronic fatigue by better breathing and I trained as a breathing educator so I could help others with this devastating disease. There is so little help out there for them (you?).

Then chronic backache made good breathing impossible, and I discovered postural alignment therapy (Egoscue) to help with that. And I am still amazed at the progress I am making -it’s wonderful to have decreased pain and increased function when I had accepted decline at my age was inevitable. It’s not!


ambassador_blue

Share

Follow me

  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Recent Posts

  • Cold water therapy and Buteyko
  • Facemasks against coronavirus; tips
  • How to breathe for immune health: self help for Coronavirus protection
  • Breathing quotes; why it might be worth learning to breathe well…
  • Is yoga breathing damaging your health?
  • The importance of nasal breathing: 11 reasons to breathe through your nose
  • ME/CFS, POTS (postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome), joint hypermobility, teenagers and anxiety
  • Smiling and snoring; humming, posture and sinusitis.
  • Posture and breathing
  • Records of three better breathing success stories
  • The microbiome in asthma and ME/CFS
  • Self-compassion to reduce the stress response in ME/CFS/SEID
  • Is ME/CFS/SEID linked to disordered breathing/overbreathing/hyperventilation?
  • A new name “systemic exertion intolerance disease” (SEID) for ME/CFS?
  • Self-improvement is a big job. Breath retraining requires personal discipline and effort.
  • ME/CFS/fibromyalgia/anxiety: are you stuck in fight or flight?
  • How did we get a disordered breathing pattern/hyperventilation in the first place?
  • Better breathing enhances sports performance
  • How hyperventilation harms: part 3 hyperventilation can unbalance the blood gases and reduce transfer of oxygen from the blood to the organs and tissues that need it.
  • How hyperventilation harms: part 2 hyperventilation can narrow the blood vessels and reduce blood and oxygen supply.
  • How hyperventilation harms: part 1 hyperventilation can narrow the airways.
  • Five health benefits of breathing with your diaphragm
  • Three more good reasons to breathe through your nose and not your mouth.
  • I know how to breathe or I would be dead wouldn’t I? –5 Interesting responses I have had when I tell people that I am a breathing educator!
  • My Blog Tour – meet Viviann, Gillian and Nicola – all three have inspired me
  • The disease of deep breathing? Three dysfunctional breathing patterns; have you got one?
  • ME/CFS/fibromyalgia? You are not broken: Never give up hope, I recovered, so can you.
  • Unhealthy breathing patterns and low oxygen: link with ME/CFS and fibromyalgia?
  • Five ways that chronic cough can damage your health; and how better breathing helps
  • Do you ever feel out of breath or dizzy or exhausted after only minimal exercise? How are you breathing?

latest tweets

  • Next newsletter includes 1) Buteyko breathing for COVID lockdown anxiety 2) Oxalates in food -joint pain/fibromya… https://t.co/zyQbWZTD18 January 25, 2021 16:41
  • Cold water therapy and Buteyko https://t.co/YSXArDg5nr January 25, 2021 15:15
  • Voted for "Breath" in the Final Round of the 2020 #GoodreadsChoice Awards https://t.co/TQQsIJO11f via @goodreads November 24, 2020 20:53
  • follow me on twitter

Tags

abdominal breathing asthma belly breathing blocked nose breathless bronchodilation carbon dioxide chest breathing chronic cough Coronavirus cough deep breathing diaphragm dizzy fibromyalgia fight or flight hyperventilation ME/CFS nose orthostatic intolerance oxygen poor circulation red alert self compassion sinusitis threat yoga breathing

Asthma allergies sinusitis

Anxiety stress panic

Snoring sleep apnoea insomnia

Sports performance

Facial development/ crooked teeth

Copyright © 2021 · Beautiful Pro Theme on Genesis Framework ·

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it.Ok
This site uses cookies: Find out more.