| Doctor
Buteyko
Konstantin Pavlovich
Buteyko was born
on the 27th January
1923, into the
small farming
community of Ivanitsa
(about 150km from
Kiev). Inheriting
his fathers’
enthusiasm for
machines, Konstantin
was enrolled into
the Kiev Polytechnic
Institute until
his studies were
interrupted by
World War II when
Buteyko joined
his country's
armed forces.
After his experiences
during the War,
Buteyko felt compelled
to study what
he called "the
most complicated
piece of machinery
of all" -
the human organism.
In 1946, he enrolled
into the First
Medical Institute
in Moscow. During
his third year
he started working
in the clinical
therapy group
under the departmental
head, academician
Evgeniy Mikhailovitch
Tareiev.
During this third
year at the Institute,
Buteyko was given
a practical assignment
which involved
monitoring diseased
patients breathing.
He spent hundreds
of hours sitting
by patient's bedsides,
recording their
breathing patterns
prior to death.
He noticed a considerable
and uniformed
deepening in patients
breathing with
the approaching
of death. By recording
these increases,
Buteyko found
that he was soon
able to form prognoses
on how many days
or hours were
left before the
patient's death
occurred. This
event determined
the area of Buteyko's
future interest.
In 1952, having
graduated from
the Institute
with Honors, Buteyko
continued his
experiments independently
along similar
lines. He asked
healthy subjects
to breathe deeply
for a period of
time, and found
that they became
dizzy and nauseous,
developed asphyxiating
symptoms such
as wheeziness
and coughing,
and eventually
fainted. This
(he had WRONGLY
been told) was
due to oxygen
over-saturation
of the brain.
During the second
month of this
independent work
it occurred to
Buteyko that certain
diseases may develop
as a result of
deep breathing.
He himself had
suffered form
hypertension for
some time, and
had often pondered
its causes. By
measuring his
carbon dioxide
levels, Buteyko
discovered that
his body's carbon
dioxide level
was lower than
recommended. It
was known that
over breathing
lowered carbon
dioxide levels
in the body. He
theorized that
if his low levels
were caused by
over-breathing,
then by correcting
his breathing
he may be able
to cure his disorder.
He immediately
began experimenting
on himself. Soon
he had trained
himself to breathe
in a more shallow
fashion. He found
that by reducing
his breathing,
some symptoms
such as headache
and rapid heart
beat also reduced.
When he increased
the depth of his
breathing, the
symptoms returned.
Buteyko concluded
that he had discovered
the reason for
his disease. He
immediately set
out to devise
a program by which
a patient's breathing
could be quickly
and effectively
measured and then,
if need be, reconditioned.
He had shortly
healed himself
completely.
Buteyko checked
and rechecked
his theory on
patients. He measured
the breathing
patterns of sufferers
of asthma, angina
and other diseases,
discovering, without
surprise, that
they too were
hyperventilating.
Once again by
correcting these
patients' breathing
to an acceptable
level Buteyko
was able to normalize
their carbon dioxide
shortfall and
their attacks
stopped immediately.
When they were
asked to return
to their previous
breathing patterns,
their attacks
resumed. It was
clear, that Buteyko
had stumbled across
a very important
discovery, a global
discovery, and
that current medical
thinking was upside
down.
Through further
research, Buteyko
was able to lay
down the theoretical
foundation for
this idea - hyperventilation
causes a depletion
of carbon dioxide;
low levels of
carbon dioxide
in the organism
cause blood vessels
to spasm and also
cause oxygen starvation
of the tissues.
This results in
a whole range
of "defense
mechanisms"
that have been
previously misunderstood
and labeled as
diseases. It was
not difficult
to surmise that
vessel spasm occurring
in hypertension
could occur also
with other types
of diseases, for
example: stenocardia
(angina pectoris)
with the resultant
myocardial infarction
(heart attack):
and arteritis
(inflammation
of the innermost
coat of an artery,
usually occurring
in legs) or ulcerative
stomach disease.
Scientific data
associated with
the physiological
role of carbon
dioxide is discussed
in more detail
in the "Buteyko
Theoretical Manual".
Buteyko worked
very intensively
at the Central
and Lenin Medical
Libraries researching
his theory. Was
it really possible
that for the entire
existence of the
medical science
such a simple
thought had never
occurred to anyone
else? He learnt
very quickly that
the answer to
this question
was yes. For centuries,
the majority of
the human race
had taught their
children to breath
deeply, and no-one,
even for a moment,
tried to reduce
breathing. During
his research,
Buteyko was lucky
to learn of a
few experiments
supporting the
viability of his
thinking. (See-
Bohr, Holden,
Priestly, Henderson,
De Kosta). This
then led to Buteyko
sharing his thoughts
with his teachers,
but he found no
support from any
of them.
He knew well,
through his studies,
that many medical
discoveries had
initially been
dismissed and
suppressed officially
only to become
accepted practice
years later. He
recalled the story
of sepsis in 1846.
A doctor friend
of Zemelweise
had cut his finger
while performing
an autopsy on
a woman who had
perished of sepsis
(or "puerperal
fever" as
it was then known).
Three days later,
the doctor also
contracted the
"puerperal
fever". Zemelweise
concluded that
"something"
had been passed
from the corpse
and into the doctors
cut, via the blood.
At the time microbes
were not yet known
of, they were
discovered by
Pastor 20 years
later.
With the desire
to confirm his
supposition, Zemelweise
began washing
his hands prior
to operations,
disinfecting them
with a chloride
of lime solution.
He suggested his
assistants also
follow this routine.
In those times,
about one third
of all new mothers
and surgical patients
died of sepsis.
A three month
experiment confirmed
Zemelweise's hypothesis,
and he lost no
patients thereafter.
He informed the
society of surgeons
and suggested
they follow his
example. He was
declared to be
mentally disturbed.
Similar destiny
befell Professor
Lister, an Englishman,
who ten years
later also called
for disinfection
of hands prior
to operations.
Only after this
discovery had
reached the ears
of the public,
and hordes of
patients' relatives
started to turn
up at the operations
demanding to know
if the surgeons
had washed their
hands before operating,
did this procedure
become accepted
by the surgeons.
This happened
half a century
after the initial
discovery by Zemelweise.
Historical knowledge
of this nature
made it clear
to Buteyko that
voicing his convictions
was not likely
to bring any positive
results at that
stage. He knew
he must organise
an experimental
laboratory . He
had to gather
evidence, develop
it, and only then,
announce the fundamentals
of his ideas.
Later that year
Buteyko became
a clinical therapy
intern under Academic
Tareiev again.
Here he was given
his chance to
establish a functional
diagnostics laboratory,
This project failed
due to lack of
funds, personnel
and equipment.
An attempt to
establish the
laboratory under
the auspices of
the Ministry of
Health in Moscow
was also unsuccessful
- the necessary
equipment was
made available,
but not the scientific
personnel. In
1958 Buteyko was
invited by Professor
Meshalkin to join
the Institute
of Experimental
Biology and Medicine
at the Siberian
Branch of the
USSR Academy of
Science (where
Meshalkin was
the director).
Once again he
set about the
task of establishing
a laboratory of
functional diagnostics.
This project was
completed in 1960.
In 1958 - 1959
Buteyko conducted
clinical studies
on nearly 200
people, both healthy
and sick. When
the first data,
various measurements,
associations,
deductions, correlations,
regulations, etc.,
were obtained,
all of these confirmed
the correctness
of Buteyko's discovery.
On 11th January
1960, he presented
his work to the
Scientific Forum
at the Institute
and tried to explain
the concepts of
his thinking.
He told those
present of the
experiments, which
showed the objective
linear relationship
between the depth
of breathing,
the content of
carbon dioxide
in the body and
vessel spasm and
degrees of illness.
Buteyko's colleagues
were stunned.
Surgeons took
the studies as
some dirty trick,
because Buteyko
offered to treat
such diseases
as asthma, hypertension,
angina, without
a knife. Invasive
surgery never
cured these diseases
anyway, everybody
knew that, and
mortality was
high. But the
Buteyko method
gave a quick,
almost 100% recovery.
Quite naturally,
Buteyko had expected
the surgeons to
be delighted but
unfortunately
their reaction
was quite the
opposite. Nevertheless,
he did received
temporary approval
from Professor
Meshalkin who
chaired the Forum.
He said he understood
the perspective
and wanted the
research continued.
Over the next
ten years of the
laboratory's existence,
Buteyko and his
team were able
to obtain extensive
information on
the basic functions
of the human organism
- whether healthy
or diseased. The
laboratory was
equipped at the
highest level.
There was a compendium
of over forty
various instruments
capable of registering
almost all basic
functions of the
human organism,
and producing
approximately
100,000 pieces
of data per hour.
Analysis of this
information was
done on computers,
mathematically
deriving physiological
measurements and
the various conformities
of the body's
processes.
Two hundred medical
specialists were
trained in the
laboratory, most
of whom, by the
way, had suffered
from one condition
or another and
successfully treated
themselves with
the method. Soon
they were all
treating other
patients utilising
Buteyko method.
Official statistics
showed that as
at 1 January 1967
more than 1000
patients suffering
from asthma, hypertension
or angina had
been successfully
treated and had
totally recovered
from their illnesses.
Despite this,
Meshalkin categorically
refused Buteyko's
request for a
trial to be conducted
at the Institute's
clinic. Shortly
thereafter Meshalkin
mysteriously implemented
brutal repression,
up to the forcible
confiscation of
the laboratory
equipment. There
were to be no
publications,
and strong reprimands
were made for
any public appearances
or speeches on
the subject. This
attitude was exhibited
not only by Professor
Meshalkin but
by all of his
student-surgeons.
In 1963 Professor
Meshalkin had
also subjected
a few new ideas
which challenged
current opinions
of surgery, to
a similar treatment.
As a result of
these unseemly
management practices,
the Institute
was disbanded
and closed.
This disbandment
may have saved
Buteyko's laboratory.
He was able to
keep one third
of all the instruments,
personnel and
the original laboratory
premises. From
1963 to 1968 the
laboratory was
attached to the
Institute of Cytology
and Genetics of
the Siberian Branch
of the USSR Academy
of Science. Professor
Meshalkin's clinic
was reassigned
into the system
of the Russian
Ministry of Health.
Buteyko's repeated
requests to accredit
his method had
not met any support
whatsoever.
Only in January
1968, after representations
made by the local
and foreign press
in defence of
his discoveries
was the trial
carried out in
Leningrad, at
the Institute
of Pulmonology
under Academician
Uglov. Shortly
before this, a
visit was paid
to Buteyko's clinic
by the Minister
of Health, Academician
Petrovsky. The
Minister informed
Buteyko that if
he successfully
treated at least
80% of the patients
given to him,
Petrovsky would
make recommendations
for an immediate
entrenchment of
the method into
standard medical
practices. He
promised also
to make available
a 50 bed clinic
for the continuation
of Buteyko's clinical
work. The Minister
had one condition
- that the patients
used in the trial
were the most
serious and difficult
cases, not otherwise
treatable by conventional
methods of medicine.
Of the 46 patients
who underwent
Buteyko's treatment
44 (95%) were
officially recognised
as cured. Only
2 from the 46
had a smaller
positive effect.
Some of the patients
had up to twenty
different conditions
each. One of the
female patients
had been recommended
to undergo a mastectomy,
as she was diagnosed
to have a malignant
tumour in the
initial stages.
She had refused
the operation.
She was included
on the list of
patients because
of her asthma.
She recovered
not only from
her asthma but
from the rest
of her complaints,
including the
tumour.
It should be added
that the two patients
not included in
the success rate
were also relieved
of their diseases
after further
treatment and
had informed the
Minister responsible.
Consequently,
in effect, Buteyko
could describe
the results of
his method as
having had a 100%
success rate.
The official conclusions
of the trial,
which was monitored
by the health
ministry, were
sent to the Health
Minister, academician
Petrovsky. These
conclusions were
never seen by
either Buteyko
or the Siberian
Branch of the
Academy of Science.
The Minister later,
in a phone call
to the chairman
of the Siberian
Branch, academician
Lavrentiev, advised
that the trial
had failed, with
only two out of
the 46 patients
having been cured.
This unexplained
falsification
served as a foundation
for closing the
Buteyko laboratory.
On 14 August 1968,
all of the scientists
were dismissed
without any offers
of alternative
employment, and
all of the equipment
was confiscated
or pilfered.
However, even
against such great
odds, the method
survived. The
originally trained
team of medical
practitioners
continued to treat
patients. Although
not one official
medical establishment
in Moscow was
using the method,
it was being used
in Harkov, Chernigov,
Kahovka, Leningrad,
Krasnoyarsk, Khabarovsk,
Sverdlovsk, etc...
Success after
success forced
the government
to once again
look into the
method. The second
official trial
was conducted
at the First Moscow
Institute of Paediatric
Diseases in April
1980 at the direction
of the Government
Committee for
Science and Technology
of the Soviet
Ministry of USSR.
The study confirmed
the findings of
the earlier trial,
conducted in Leningrad:
100% success rate.
This time the
results were officially
recognised.
Whilst the Russian
trials tended
to focus on treatment
of Asthma, it
should be understood
that this method
is also extremely
effective for
a whole range
of related disorders
such as allergies,
rhinitis, bronchitis,
sleeping disorders
(such as sleep
apnoea), breathing
problems, etc.
Arnold
Ehret
Arnold Ehret
received his degrees
at 21 and taught
college until
drafted for military
service. Released
after nine months
because of "neurasthenic
heart trouble,"
Ehret resumed
his teaching career
at 31 despite
chronic ill health,
suffering from
kidney trouble
with consumptive
tendency.
Under the care
of 24 different
physicians at
one time or another,
Ehret finally
turned to natural
methods, vegetarianism
and mental healing,
but still without
completely satisfactory
results. A sojourn
in Nice, living
on a radical milk-and-fruit
diet proved helpful
but only partially
beneficial.
The following
winter, Ehret
traveled to Algiers,
living almost
exclusively on
the plentiful
native fruits.
His condition
rapidly improved
and he was emboldened
to try short fasts,
hopefully desiring
to assist Nature
in the cleansing
properties of
fruit and climate.
Success crowned
his efforts, for
not only did he
regain good health,
but also unbelievable
energy, strength,
and joy of living.
He and a companion
undertook an 800-mile
bicycle trip from
Algiers to Tunis
-- returning completely
exhilarated by
their feat!
Through years
of continuous
experimentation
on himself and
others; studying
diets in Central
and Southern Europe
and the Middle
East, Ehret successfully
developed his
MUCUSLESS DIET
HEALING SYSTEM.
Thousands of patients
were taught these
methods of regaining
health in what
he called his
"Fruit Fasting"
Sanitarium in
Switzerland.
Coming to the
United States
just before World
War I (which conflict
later necessitated
his remaining
there), Professor
Ehret embarked
upon an immensely
popular lecture
tour.
Who was Arnold
Ehret? was written
by Fred Hirsch
an associate and
student of Professor
Ehret. Fred graduated
from Ehret's Mucusless
Diet Healing System
class of 1922.
Carrying the
Torch
At fifty-six,
while enjoying
a superior state
of health known
to only a few
people, he met
an unfortunate
accident; suffering
a basal fracture
of the skull which
caused almost
instant death.
After Ehret died
in 1922, Fred
Hirsch continued
Ehret's life work.
Fred maintained
the club and published
Ehret's books.
Today this legacy
lives on through
the members of
the Arnold Ehret
Health Club and
Ehret Literature
Publishing Company.
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