Another positive side effect from the reduced breathing for Eamon was a lessened need for food. His appetite was much lower than normal, and he gave up drinking completely on weekday evenings. With decreased stress levels, there was far less temptation for both alcohol and food. Eamon’s friends and neighbors have commented on how well he looks now that his weight has been reduced by more than thirty-five pounds. I have met with him a few times since, and although his BOLT score progress has slowed slightly, he not only looks like a different person but feels it as well. Eamon’s story stands out in my mind as he achieved a lot despite having a lot of distractions and difficulties going on. He was extremely dedicated and followed through with each task he was given. It is often the case that those who are the most unwell are the most determined to follow the program in order to get their health back. Suffering can be a very effective motivator, but it’s even better to make just a few small effective changes before you reach the breaking point.
My objective for this chapter is to show you the relationship between breathing and food consumption, not to tell you what and what not to eat. Of course there are foods that are best eaten in moderation or eliminated entirely from the diet, and these are well documented in most books on health and diet. A much more useful approach is to look at the reasons why you might be stuck on a permanent yo-yo diet, or continue to struggle to lose weight, and the answer may be closer than you think.
We can live without food for weeks, without water for days, but without air for just a few minutes. In terms of importance for survival, breathing is at the top of the list, followed by water, with food in last place. Health professionals, athletes, and nonathletes alike pay far more attention to their food than their breathing, but what happens if we switch this focus around? Improve your BOLT score by 10 seconds and you will find your appetite changing. Improve your BOLT score to 40 seconds and your life will change.
The loss of appetite and resultant weight normalization from obtaining a higher BOLT score may be due to a combination of several factors, including one’s blood pH shifting toward normal, the effects of simulated high-altitude training, or simply an increased feeling of relaxation helping to reduce emotional eating. In this section we will examine each of these elements to help explain why Oxygen Advantage exercises help reduce the appetite.
Overweight individuals tend to have poor breathing habits, such as chronic hyperventilation, frequent sighing, and breathing from the mouth and upper chest. Putting on a few extra pounds causes us to breathe more heavily, and not just during physical exercise—breathing volume is increased during rest as well. Based on my observations, there is a clear relationship between breathing volume and food consumption. The question is whether processed and acid-forming foods lead to the development of poor breathing habits, or might it be that poor breathing habits lead to cravings for processed and acid-forming foods? In my experience there is a feedback loop between breathing and weight gain, and this cycle must be broken if change is to occur.
The pH scale measures acidity and alkalinity, ranging from 1 to 14. On this scale, 1 is the most acidic, 14 the most alkaline, and 7 is neutral. As we saw in the first chapter, carbon dioxide plays a crucial role in the regulation of blood pH. Our bodies strive to maintain a state of balance known as homeostasis, which includes normal blood pressure, normal blood sugar, and normal blood pH within a narrow range of 7.35 and 7.45. This balance of chemicals is kept in check by the lungs and the kidneys. If blood pH drops below 7.35 it will become too acidic, causing breathing volume to increase as the lungs work to correct pH levels by offloading carbon dioxide (which is itself acidic). Over-acidity of the blood may occur when we eat processed and acid-forming foods, leading to heavier breathing and symptoms of bloating, lethargy, and weight gain.
Conversely, an individual who chronically overbreathes will expel too much carbon dioxide, increasing blood pH to alkaline levels above 7.45. One hypothesis for the relationship between overbreathing and weight gain is that the body craves processed and acid-forming foods in an effort to normalize blood pH. Correct breathing volume and a good diet work together to keep blood pH at a healthy balance.
Throughout evolution humans have adapted very well to coping with short-term stress. During short periods of stress, breathing volume temporarily increases as the fight-or-flight response is activated. Once the stress has dissipated, breathing volume will normalize once more, allowing carbon dioxide to accumulate and restore normal pH. However, when it comes to long-term stress, persistent overbreathing decreases carbon dioxide levels for extended periods of time, meaning blood pH is not given the opportunity to normalize.
Notable health practitioners around the world advise eating alkaline-forming foods such as fruit and vegetables and avoiding an excess of acid-forming foods such as animal protein, grains, and processed foods. And though the majority of us know what it means to eat healthily, the temptation of processed and sugary foods can sometimes be impossible to ignore. Are we just following the demands of our bodies, or is there a way to get rid of these urges for unhealthy food naturally?
Time and time again I have witnessed startling changes to the diets of my students who learn to practice reduced breathing, often without the need for deliberate avoidance or willpower. These individuals, when shown how to address their poor breathing habits and increase their BOLT score by at least 10 seconds, automatically find their diet changing to healthy foods over processed foods. It begs the question: Might breathing be the missing link in the majority of weight-loss programs?
Breaking the vicious cycle of acid-forming foods and increased breathing volume is certainly a factor in achieving weight loss and provoking a reduction in appetite, but there are other factors to consider when looking at the relationship between breathing and diet, such as the effects of simulated high-altitude training.
Since 1957, scientists have identified that animals lose weight when living at high altitude. Sherpas and others who reside permanently at high altitudes are also generally thinner than their sea-level counterparts. Based on this observation, there have been many studies that point to the benefits of living at high altitude as a way to reduce obesity. The reason for this sustained weight loss seems to coincide with the lack of appetite experienced at high altitude due to a reduced saturation of oxygen in the blood.
In tests with mice it was found that moderate exposure to lower oxygen saturation can reduce body weight and, just as important, the levels of blood sugar and blood cholesterol. Researchers concluded that this was due to increased synthesis of EPO by the kidneys. This discovery has a particular resonance with the Oxygen Advantage program, since breath holding has been shown to increase EPO by up to 24 percent.
Of course, living at high altitude is not feasible or even economically possible for most people, and ironically obesity is also a risk factor for developing acute mountain sickness. But you needn’t climb a mountain to achieve sustained and effective weight loss. Reduced breathing exercises like those practiced in the Oxygen Advantage program provide a practical and accessible alternative to high-altitude training.
High-altitude training can be simulated by incorporating breath holding into physical exercise as well as practicing reduced breathing during rest. For individuals with a BOLT score of less than 10 seconds, or those who have any preexisting health concerns, I would recommend starting by becoming accustomed to breathing through the nose night and day. From there, you can practice the Breathe Light to Breathe Right exercise for 10 minutes, 4 times a day in order to reduce your breathing volume toward normal and increase your BOLT score. Even a gentle approach like this can be enough to kick-start a reduction in appetite and help toward achieving healthy weight-loss goals.
For those with a BOLT score of more than 20 seconds and who are relatively healthy, in addition to practicing the above exercise you can also begin to incorporate breath holding into your physical exercise to simulate high-altitude training, as described in chapter 7. Holding the breath dur
ing walking, jogging, or running to create a medium to strong hunger for air decreases the oxygen saturation of the blood to below 94 percent, which can lead to a suppression of appetite. I suggest that you add these exercises into your current training regimen to make the program easier to sustain over the long term.
Another reason simulated high-altitude training may contribute to weight loss is that walking or jogging with nasal breathing allows the body to work with oxygen (aerobically), while incorporating breath holds every minute or so makes the body work without oxygen (anaerobically). During an anaerobic state the body is forced to burn calories from fat stores in order to produce energy. Incorporating both aerobic and anaerobic workouts into your training program will lead to increased calorie burn and weight loss.
Finally, there are emotional and psychological factors to take into account when looking at the reasons behind increased appetite and weight gain. The relationship between stress and increased food intake is well documented, with food often providing a distraction or comfort to negate feelings of anger or loneliness, or financial or relationship issues. I imagine that most readers will have experienced, at one point or another, that their demand for food increases when they are bored, stressed, or feeling low. This is mostly an unconscious habit, just as smokers will light up a cigarette without making any conscious effort to do so. As if on autopilot, we find ourselves going to the refrigerator or cupboard to consume whatever is in sight, despite having no genuine sensations of hunger.
In a study conducted by the University of Minnesota, data was collected from more than twelve thousand individuals to determine the relationship between perceived stress and health behaviors. Results showed that high stress for both men and women was associated with smoking, a diet that was high in fat, and a reduction in exercise. As stress is known to increase food consumption, anything that helps to reduce the effects of stress can be useful as an aid to weight loss. Throughout this book I frequently discuss the importance of taking your attention from the mind and dispersing it throughout the body, focusing on the breath or the present moment.
When your attention is focused on the sensations of your inner body and your breath, it is impossible to maintain anxious, stressful, and distracting thoughts. These practices of meditation have been employed by human beings for thousands of years, and today many studies show the benefits of meditation as a means of helping with weight loss. Controlling stress and depression can be conducive to maintaining long-term weight loss, and while it is relatively easy to shed a few pounds with a burst of well-intentioned exercise and healthy eating, the Holy Grail is to reach and maintain your ideal weight—no one wants to spend their life struggling on a restrictive diet.
The exercise Breathe Light to Breathe Right on page 74 has been specially designed to help you bring your attention away from the mind and onto the breath. This exercise is performed while sitting or lying down, but a certain amount of focus and concentration is still required to follow the breath and gently allow it to reduce to create a tolerable air shortage. Observing your breath, slowing it down, and bringing a feeling of relaxation throughout the body is in itself a meditation. An additional benefit of practicing this exercise and nasal breathing is an improvement in body oxygenation, thereby reducing brain cell excitability and stress.
Meditation doesn’t have to be about sitting in a corner in a lotus position saying “om.” At first it will be necessary to find a quiet place to sit so that you can focus on observing your breath to practice, but in time this exercise can be brought into any aspect of your life. As described in chapter 8, make your life a meditation by taking your attention out of your head and into the current moment. It is impossible to experience life when we hide away from it by allowing the mind to be permanently occupied by worries and stress. You are not just a head. In fact, imagine you are headless. No matter what activity you partake in, bring your attention out of your head, into your body, and on to the activity. Become the activity. And you can apply this theory to your eating habits too.
Eating is a basic function that often receives very little conscious attention during our busy daily routines. It is common practice to stuff food into our mouths unconsciously, not even really tasting anything after the first bite. The next time you eat, observe how many times you actually noticed the texture, taste, and smell of your food. Did you eat most of your meal with your attention elsewhere? Or did you experience the sensory wonders of your food, bite by bite?
Forty-one-year-old Tessy considers herself a born worrier. As the eldest child, she often felt an overwhelming sense of responsibility toward her family and younger siblings; throughout childhood, her parents constantly reinforced the notion that Tessy’s primary role was to show a good example to her younger brother and sister. At school she excelled at both sports and academic work and became focused on achieving top marks—anything other than an A grade was unacceptable. The few times she received a C grade, she and her parents would get very upset. On one such occasion her father went to the extent of taping her report card to the refrigerator door to remind everyone in the house that marks like this were not to be tolerated.
It sometimes seemed to Tessy that her parents were trying to realize their own ambitions through her, but that it was impossible for them to be fulfilled. Her brother and sister had far less pressure put upon them, were required to do less homework and fewer household chores, and enjoyed much more freedom. These inequalities became even more apparent during their teenage years when the younger ones were allowed to watch hours of television and go to parties while Tessy was expected to concentrate on her studies.
Tessy grew resentful of her parents. She hated the fact that there was one set of rules for her and another for her siblings. Through the molding by her parents, Tessy felt that she always had to be a people pleaser and a perfectionist, and if she failed to reach her high expectations, she would feel very low and critical of herself.
Things came to a head a year ago when Tessy’s mother came to visit and stayed for a whole month. It was then that Tessy realized just how much her mother’s high-strung personality made Tessy feel stressed. Although she had long been an adult, Tessy had never escaped the attentions of her overbearing mother, who advised her, smothered her, and always said she knew what was best for her. As her mother had grown older, Tessy chose to keep the peace and continued to bottle up her feelings rather than confronting her.
Unsurprisingly, Tessy’s mother’s visit was very stressful. In a bid to distract herself from the stress, Tessy found herself eating more and more. Whenever she felt that things were getting to be too much, she would cook a meal or head to the local diner to dissipate her feelings. She enjoyed the pleasure of cooking, tasting, and eating, and now the food was serving an additional purpose by helping her to cope.
Six weeks ago, I received a call from Tessy complaining that she was feeling increasingly short of breath. Feelings of dizziness while driving had made her feel very anxious about her health, suspecting that something more serious was going on, and she had begun to suffer from breathlessness, unable to take a satisfying breath. Recognizing the angst in Tessy’s voice, I asked her to come in to see me the following day. She explained the situation that led to the changes in her breathing and the use of food as a crutch. She was conscious about having a “spare tire” around her waist, which wasn’t helping with her self-esteem, and she was anxious about her breathing issues—the time had come to make a change.
We started by measuring Tessy’s BOLT score and found it to be 10 seconds. Although she was predominantly a nasal breather, she used her upper chest to breathe and sighed regularly. I explained to her that optimal breathing should be difficult to see and not heard, with gentle movements from below the diaphragm. During stressed-out breathing, however, the opposite takes place, leading to an unnecessarily large breathing volume and all its associated problems. Tessy needed to learn how to use slow and gentle breathing to bring her body into relaxation.
F
irst, I asked her to place one hand on her chest and one hand above her navel and to become aware of her breathing, to feel the air as it entered and left her body. When she was conscious of her breathing, I asked her to breathe light and gently soften her breathing in order to create a tolerable need for air for a couple of minutes. Tessy felt uncomfortable with the feeling of air hunger, so I asked her to reduce the time spent on the exercise in order to gently condition her body to acclimatize to the sensation. She repeated 3 sets of 1.5 minutes each, with a small rest of 1 minute or so between them, and soon became accustomed to practicing the exercise.
To help quicken her progress, I decided to teach her a walking exercise with breath holds. This involved walking with her mouth closed for about 1 minute or so, followed by gently exhaling through her nose and pinching it with her fingers to hold her breath for 10 paces. Following each breath hold, Tessy continued to walk while breathing through her nose for 1 or 2 minutes, followed by exhaling through her nose and holding her breath. Tessy found this exercise much more comfortable and proceeded to increase the lengths of her breath holds to 15 and then 20 paces. Each time she advanced, I checked to ensure Tessy’s breathing remained under control, and soon she was able to hold her breath for 30 paces, even feeling comfortable with the feeling of air shortage. Tessy explained that she found it easier to practice reduced breathing while walking than sitting still, as she knew that the air hunger was only temporary.
Tessy made such good progress that we decided to move onto abdominal breathing to change her breathing pattern from the upper chest to the diaphragm and address her chronic overbreathing. For this exercise I asked her to stand up, as an upright position provides an ideal posture for abdominal breathing, and gave her the following simple instructions:
The Oxygen Advantage: The Simple, Scientifically Proven Breathing Techniques for a Healthier, Slimmer, Faster, and Fitter You Page 18