Mr. Asthma

Question:

>Everyone elses mileage may vary, but for me, I

Interesting info, but your message was truncated.  I’d like to hear more!   Al Fisher 13217 Deron Ave. San Diego, CA 92129-2511 Phone: (619) 484-2816; email

Response:

>>The cold, hard truth is: >There Is No Cure For Asthma. >Colin … most of us are well aware of this.  But isn’t the purpose of this net >to learn to cope better?  Within reason, whatever one does that works for them >w/o injuring themslves has merit.

We are doing that.  However, not everybody is here for that reason. There are people whose only interest is separating you from your money.  One of the frauds commonly hyped here involves ‘breathing excercises.’ P.S.  It is a very bad idea to post ‘real world’ addresses and phone numbers to Usenet.  Not everybody who reads your posts is honest (and sometimes not completely sane). For every complex problem there is a simple, concise, easy to understand and wrong answer.

Response:

> I’ve often heard that deep breathing techniques are good for asthmatics.  I’ve > tried it, but don’t seem to be getting it right.  Would someone suggest some > sources … preferrably web sites … that might provide additional insight? > Thanks … > Al Fisher

I’ve found the best way for me to deep breathe is get some exercise; jog around the track, go swimming, fast dancing. Exercise also is good for the body. Seems like a waste of time to sit in a chair doing ‘deep breathing exercises’ There is an apparatus that those with COPD can use to exercise the lungs; has 3 tubes with balls in that you suspend by sucking on the tube. However I haven’t heard it’s recommended for asthma.

Response:

There’s a book out by Paul Sorvino (yes, the actor) about breathing exercises for asthma. It’s called "How to Become a Former Asthmatic." The copy I have is from 1985. I don’t know if it’s still in print, but IMHO, it is excellent. He tells of his own experience with asthma and how playing a wind intstrument helped him come up the exercises in  his book. My asthma returned in a big way after many years, and I was just doing the breathing exercises before I read this message today. As Mr. Sorvino says in his book, it’s not only inhaling that is the asthmatic’s problem but also exhaling. Everyone elses mileage may vary, but for me, I

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> I’ve often heard that deep breathing techniques are good for asthmatics. I’ve > tried it, but don’t seem to be getting it right.  Would someone suggest some > sources … preferrably web sites … that might provide additional insight? > Thanks … > Al Fisher > 13217 Deron Ave. > San Diego, CA 92129-2511 > Phone: (619) 484-2816; email

Response:

>There’s a book out by Paul Sorvino (yes, the actor) about breathing >exercises for asthma. It’s called "How to Become a Former Asthmatic." The >copy I have is from 1985. I don’t know if it’s still in print, but IMHO, it >is excellent. He tells of his own experience with asthma and how playing a >wind intstrument helped him come up the exercises in  his book.

The claim that it cured the asthma should be enough to raise the suspicion that the book may be more hype than fact. The cold, hard truth is: There Is No Cure For Asthma. Anybody who claims otherwise is either trying to defraud you or has no idea of what they are talking about. For every complex problem there is a simple, concise, easy to understand and wrong answer.

Response:

>The cold, hard truth is: >There Is No Cure For Asthma.

Colin … most of us are well aware of this.  But isn’t the purpose of this net to learn to cope better?  Within reason, whatever one does that works for them w/o injuring themslves has merit. Al Fisher 13217 Deron Ave. San Diego, CA 92129-2511 Phone: (619) 484-2816; email

Response:

> I’ve often heard that deep breathing techniques are good for asthmatics.  I’ve > tried it, but don’t seem to be getting it right.  Would someone suggest some > sources … preferrably web sites … that might provide additional insight?

I don’t think a web site is going to help…there are a huge number of different ways to learn how to breathe more "thoroughly" singing lessons actor’s voice lessons Tai Chi Yoga wind instrument lessons chances are one or another is available somewhere near you at a reasonable or low price…just pick the one that seems most fun — eric "live fast, die only if strictly necessary"

Response:

I’ve often heard that deep breathing techniques are good for asthmatics.  I’ve tried it, but don’t seem to be getting it right.  Would someone suggest some sources … preferrably web sites … that might provide additional insight? Thanks … Al Fisher 13217 Deron Ave. San Diego, CA 92129-2511 Phone: (619) 484-2816; email

Response:

> I’ve often heard that deep breathing techniques are good for asthmatics.  I’ve > tried it, but don’t seem to be getting it right.  Would someone suggest some > sources … preferrably web sites … that might provide additional insight? > Thanks … > Al Fisher

Interesting…  but is it not the problem with us asthmatics that we cannot breath deep?

Response:

> I’ve often heard that deep breathing techniques are good for asthmatics. I’ve > tried it, but don’t seem to be getting it right.  Would someone suggest some > sources … preferrably web sites … that might provide additional insight? > Thanks … > Al Fisher > 13217 Deron Ave. > San Diego, CA 92129-2511 > Phone: (619) 484-2816; email

Hi Al, Are you referring to diaphragmatic breathing?  I learned to breath that way while playing the saxophone.  Instead of taking breaths with your upper chest/lung area, make a conscious effort to breath with your diaphragm (or stomach for a better way to describe it).  To test if you are doing this correctly, lay on your back with you hand on your stomach and take a breath…your hand should move up and down with each breath. My asthma doc said playing a woodwind would be good because it creates a "positive pressure".  I haven’t played for 25 years…but I may take it up again!! Best wishes, Patrice

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