The Problem
Asthma is a disease caused by the inflammation and narrowing of small airways in the lungs. According to the WHO, it affected 262 million people in 2019 causing 455,000 deaths. It is the most common chronic disease among children, and is often under-diagnosed and under-treated.
The most common treatment for asthma is using inhalers that help open the airways or reduce inflammation. A recent study confirmed that over-reliance on reliever inhalers poses a risk of severe asthma exacerbation, which may lead to hospitalization and even death. Fortunately, medication is not the only solution.
The Buteyko Method (also known as Buteyko Breathing Technique) offers a clinically proven drug-free treatment for asthma. It significantly improves the quality of life for people with asthma and reduces their reliance on bronchodilators.
The Method
In 1958-1959, Konstantin Pavlovich Buteyko conducted his first clinical studies on nearly 200 people. They showed that many chronic health conditions, including asthma, allergies, and sleep apnea, were caused by over-breathing, which lowered carbon dioxide levels in the body. Despite initial resistance from the medical establishment, Dr. Buteyko's research gained recognition after successful clinical trials in 1968 and 1980. In both trials, the Buteyko Method had a 100% success rate in treating patients with asthma and related conditions.
This method stood the test of time: it has since gained popularity around the world and is used to treat a variety of respiratory illnesses.
"Thirty-seven years have passed since the time I found the cause of several of the most widespread diseases that belong to so-called "civilization diseases" (bronchial, cardiovascular, allergic, etc.). These diseases have one common cause - alveolar hyperventilation or deep breathing. It had occurred to me that a reduction in the depth of breathing or normalization of breathing may treat such diseases. An experimental study proved the validity of this presumption; more so, as it was based on the laws of physiology, biochemistry, biology, and other disciplines."
"...The essence of the method is to decrease the depth of breathing by willpower and by relaxation of breathing muscles until one achieves a slight feeling of lack of air. All mentally healthy adults and children from the age of three can use the method."
Dr. Konstantin Buteyko
"Buteyko Method: the experience of the implementation in the medical practice", Odessa, 1991
The Solution: A Mother and Daughter's Journey
When Lola's young daughter Vera began experiencing breathing difficulties and nighttime asthma attacks, doctors quickly prescribed the standard treatment: Ventolin with a nebulizer. Concerned with alarming side effects of the treatment plan, she very quickly she found herself looking for an alternative solution.
Through friends, she learned about the Buteyko Method—a natural approach already popular in Australia for treating respiratory conditions without heavy medications.
"I wasn't going to give my 4.5-year-old child medication with such side effects," Lola recalls. "We needed a viable and proven long term solution."
Mother and daughter attended a Buteyko clinic in Sydney where Vera, despite her young age, quickly learned the Buteyko Breathing Technique. Over just a few weeks of consistent practice, Vera's symptoms decreased dramatically, eventually eliminating her asthma attacks completely—without reliance on medications.
Inspired by her daughter's recovery, Lola didn't stop there. She became a volunteer at the clinic in Sydney, eventually working there professionally. Her journey led her to train directly with Dr. Buteyko himself, receiving certification from his clinic while he was still alive.
"I watched how he conducted his sessions and helped hundreds of his patients," says Lola.
Today, Vera still uses the Buteyko Method principles whenever needed—to unblock her nose during allergies or manage cold and flu symptoms. Most importantly, she hasn't experienced asthma attacks since childhood.
"I still remember the method because mom and dad made me practice it a lot," Vera shares. "If my daughter ever has asthma, I'll help her do it too."
Lola and her husband, both certified Buteyko practitioners trained by Dr. Buteyko himself, later developed Buteyko Pro—an online program that makes these life-changing techniques accessible to anyone, anywhere, at their own pace.
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