Dr. Robert Hyatt director of the Mayo clinic's Pulmonary Function Laboratory stated that "the average patient has lost half of his lung function by the time he sees a doctor for shortness of breath"¹.

Dr. William B. Kannel a former Boston University professor of medicine and heart specialist found that "the lungs forced vital capacity (FEV1) is indirectly related to the rate of all cardiovascular diseases and to overall mortality".

Many of us are on the way toward radically reduced breathing ability and we just don't know it. For optimum quality of life it is indispensable to know which conditions are most likely to cause SOB, whether or not we can feel them on a moment to moment basis.  We only realize we have lost a great deal of breath when shortness of breath gets so bad someone puts an "illness" label on it. Flat tires come a lot quicker when the tire has been worn down to the threads and so does illness and death related to shortness of breath. It will readily appear, in almost any form, when the breath is smaller, weaker, or uncoordinated and when it is at less than optimal functioning.

It's been said many times, that the average person uses about 10% of their brain. Twenty percent seems about average for lung function. To me, 20% almost classifies as shortness of breath, only most think it is "normal" and live entire lives with less then even mediocre breathing.

Shortness of breath can stem directly and indirectly from many sources. Present time problems such as heart attacks, lung disease, asthma, and suffocation are comparatively easy to observe.

Leading edge health practitioners realize there may be many aspects to shortness of breath that may not be considered by much of Western Medical Science. Poor physical conditioning, recurrent lung infections, poor posture, over-tight clothing, obesity, junk food, stress, unresolved emotional issues, toxic environment, recent surgery, prescription drug side effects, and even pictures of people we do not like, whom we are afraid of, or find extremely exciting .........can as well take our breath away and cause, or exacerbate shortness of breath. SOB is largely a matter of degree and individual susceptibility.

The most important aspects from a health standpoint are the chronic types of shortness of breath that reduce lung volume, increase breath rate, hinder breathing coordination and invite unneeded effort to breathe.

Shortness of breath is much like soil erosion. It creeps up on us. But unlike erosion, SOB is largely unnoticed, because we do not know what to look for. SOB does not develop overnight and takes years to present itself and suddenly we have "attacks" of it.

What happens from say a healthy lung to the point where it is riddled with a cold, bronchitis, asthma or emphysema? There must be many tiny and incremental steps or events that lead to a larger sum total equaling what we call shortness of breath. How can we spot these almost microscopic tendencies or "speed bumps" of life?

Anything that habitually and repeatedly reduces a natural breathing volume, strength and coordination is setting the stage for appearances of varying forms of shortness of breath. More obvious versions grow and fester in our human bodies; Asthma, emphysema, bronchitis and most COPD are caused by small, incremental steps, not big ones. For example someone could develop asthma just by slouching for months in a poorly ventilated environment or by engaging in repeated competitive sports like track or football.

If you can't measure it you can't manage it. My suggestion is that we learn what is going on on a day to day basis that determines whether our breathing is getting better or worse. Breath is life. Shortness of breath equals shortness of life. We teach people breathing skills that are measureable.

FIRSTLY
YOU first may want to rule out any existing life threatening medical conditions by seeing a licensed health professional.

SECONDLY
If: You have done this already and they have either:

1. Diagnosed your condition and given breathing work as a prescription

or

2. Told you either
     a. There is nothing wrong with you
     b. There was nothing they could do
     c. They prescribe drugs or surgery and you would prefer to handle the problem without drugs or surgery.

Then please consider our primary approach.

1. Natural Healing Annual, Rodale Press p.180