MANILA, Philippines – Healthy lifestyle choices and medications are usually offered to manage high blood pressure, but for Jac Vidgen, senior practitioner of the Buteyko breathing retraining method, correct and proper breathing can also help relieve hypertension besides alleviating asthma, allergies, rhinitis, emphysema, sleep and anxiety disorders, and other cardiovascular and respiratory diseases.
“Buteyko breathing helps balance the carbon dioxide levels in the body to ensure that blood vessels remain unconstricted and that blood viscosity is maintained, so that oxygen easily reaches the brain and other organs, which can in turn lead to lower blood pressure,” Vidgen explains.
Vidgen says the lack of sufficient carbon dioxide, which Buteyko addresses through breathing techniques, constricts the blood vessels and prevents oxygen from being effectively delivered to the cells. When this happens, the heart must work harder, raising the blood pressure to maintain a safe level of oxygen in the brain.
Vidgen will conduct free introductory lectures on the Buteyko Method on Tuesday, August 3, 7-9 p.m. at Sustainable Living Club, 2/F Highway 54 Plaza, EDSA (across SM Megamall), Mandaluyong City (Call 470-2319); Wednesday, August 4, 7-9 p.m. at PhilDHRRA Partnership Center, 59 C. Salvador St. (left off B. Gonzales, Katipunan Avenue), Loyola Heights, Quezon City; and Thursday, August 5, 2-4 p.m. and 7-9 p.m. at In Touch Community Services, 48-A McKinley Road, Forbes Park (2/F Holy Trinity Church compound across San Antonio Plaza), Makati City.
For more information, call Jac at 897-1804 Unit 1801 or 0919-6356060, e-mail jacvid@gmail.com or log on to www.buteykoasia.com and www.buteykoasia.multiply.com.