Buteyko Manual For Asthma Continued. Page 75 1. Nose filters out things that would cause severe damage to our lungs, including bacteria, pollens, dust, mites, other organic material, fungus, etc. If these were to go via our mouth and reach our lungs — we would have greater chance of disease. If you really want to get sick, find someone with the flu, and take big deep breaths through your mouth in front of them. Just breathing through your nose will reduce your chance of infections. 2. The nose humidifies and temperature-controls the air. Your lungs are very wet, and also do not like temperature changes. Air that reaches your lungs via your mouth is dryer and further from body temperature than air through your nose. It is a built in humidifier and air conditioner. You do not need a room humidifier if you close your mouth! 3. You will breathe less through your nose. There are two small holes versus one big gob. The balance of gases in your body is upset if you breathe more than is appropriate. 4. This the reason that most children older than 6 years will use to keep their mouth closed. If you were to ask your children to be actors, and play the part of someone who was really dumb, stupid and uncool[?], would their mouths be open or closed? The answer is that it you want to look dumb, then let your jaw hang. [“A slack-jawed yokel”?] How do you look with your mouth hanging open? DUMB! Rule Always breathe through your nose. There is only one reason that it will block up — and that is because you are breathing like an elephant. You are not an elephant, and your body will try and make you breathe less — it will make your nose block up, and make your lungs get wheezy, and will make you cough. The System The goal is to alter your child’s breathing pattern by having them breathe only through the nose, by having them do specific exercises called steps, and by making them understand the relationship between the depth of breathing and conditions like asthma and blocked/itchy/runny nose. Go to page 76     Go to beginning of Chapter | HOME | PRODUCTS | ORDER FROM | CONTACT US |