I have been engaged in exercise since high school. I started playing racquetball at age 25 and played into my mid-fifties. I have always enjoyed jogging and have participated in 10k’s, 5k,s and some half-marathons throughout my life. Five years ago while running at a challenging pace, my breathing totally slowed down and I could not catch my breath. After resting for a month and starting back up, the same result.For the next four years I looked for the answer. I was diagnosed with exercise induced asthma. Every time I would start back up jogging, my airways would tighten and it would last up to a month. I tried everything, e.g. maintenance inhalant, rescue inhalant, a breathing nebulizer, Himalayan rock salt inhaler. Nothing worked for over four years.Finally I came upon a book describing The Buteyko method discovered by Professor Konstantin Buteyko. Professor Buteyko suggests that we are overbreathing through our mouths and that we have to retrain on how to slow down our breathing through our noses. I read the book and understand the theory but because it takes some discipline I went to the Buteyko Web Site and found a Practitioner in the Cincinnati area. His name is Greg Rittenhouse. There was a fee for the initial visit but Greg is so dedicated and sincere in wanting to see a positive outcome that he has been available continuously to answer any questions that I may have. It has been six months and my Controlled Pause has increased demonstrably and my jogging has returned in grand style. Miracles do happen.
