What is the problem?    

Diabetes represents a situation wherein there is a deficiency of insulin.

This deficiency can occur in three ways:

1. Low or poor quality insulin production

2. Poor delivery/uptake.

3. Deficiency in both production and uptake.

The Common medical approach

A common approach is to administer insulin. This makes immediate sense but does not address the reason as to why there is a deficiency or how it could be ameliorated or even reversed.

A recent and popular development is long acting insulin, which is much more convenient for the patient to administer – one dose covers them for many hours or most of the day.  

There are also a large and growing number of other medications for what is known as (non insulin dependent diabetes) which aim to control sugar levels, limit damage to other systems and improve circulation etc.

None of the above treatments actually address the underlying cause of diabetes. Initially these treatments improve the symptoms and are obviously helpful and can temporarily augment well being and quality of life.

But the underlying condition is progressive and has not been treated at all. It gets worse – strength of medications is routinely increased to suppress symptoms, complications arise in circulatory and other systems and the general health of the patient deteriorates.

The concept of diabetes being “controlled” by medication is a misnomer. Immediate symptoms are temporarily suppressed, but the disease is progressive and the destination is towards a very much compromised level of health and an often diverse array of related health problems.

Dangers of conventional treatment

Because the underlying cause of the disease is not being addressed – the condition is naturally progressive and symptoms diversify as the disease deepens. Drugs and synthetic insulin have immediate and obvious benefits but their side effects are unavoidable and accumulative. These effects are generally played down by medical authorities – but invariably leave the health of the patient severely compromised and vulnerable.

 Professor Buteyko’s Approach

Professor Buteyko realized that sufferers of diabetes sustain a disturbed metabolism which is consistent with a low level of carbon dioxide – a substance critical for its proper functioning.

What would happen if this level of carbon dioxide was improved? It turns out that all hormonal activity is improved with the normalization of carbon dioxide. And that includes the production and uptake of insulin.

The breathing connection

The level of carbon dioxide within the organism is regulated by our breathing pattern. The level of carbon dioxide within the organism needs to be around two hundred times (6-7%) more than is in our environment (0.035%). Therefore over breathing or chronic hyperventilation (CHVS) will cause the level of carbon dioxide to fall.

Professor Buteyko found that all sufferers of diabetes have CHVS and concluded that diabetes is a consequence of CHVS.

Treatment

Professor Buteyko’s approach to treat diabetes addresses the cause of it – a deficiency of carbon dioxide, which leads to metabolic disturbance including insulin deficiency. This involves the practice of his method to change the breathing pattern, which improves the level of carbon dioxide and thus insulin production and uptake. As far as the administration of insulin is concerned, Professor Buteyko recommends that it is constantly adjusted so that only what is precisely required is administered and that overdosing is strenuously avoided.  Professor Buteyko claims that the over use of medications and insulin actually causes the condition to further deteriorate.

Measuring insulin deficiency

Everyone agrees that diabetes results in insulin deficiency – but measuring insulin deficiency is an arduous and expensive procedure. So, blood sugar is generally measured instead because it is easy and cheap to do. But measuring insulin via blood sugar is both unreliable and inaccurate. Often the measurements may coincide – but all too often results in overdosing.  Professor Buteyko developed another approach to measuring insulin requirement, as a part of his method for the treatment of diabetes.  His approach ensures that the patient gets a more precisely measured dose i.e. the actual amount they require and not a dangerous overdose.  

Quick Results

It usually becomes apparent within a few weeks that diabetics can do well with significantly less insulin and or medications and that as their breathing pattern changes, these results further improve. Soon, it becomes obvious to patients; they are actually reversing the disease at its genesis.

The Process

1. In theory, Buteyko’s Method is very simple. But in practice for diabetics it requires careful administration and close supervision by a qualified practitioner.

2. Initially, the patient needs to undergo an assessment and a simple breathing test, which can be done over the phone after they have submitted a patient information form.

3. Then they are taught the basics of the method and through coaching, their skills are gradually augmented.

4. They are taught how to overcome and reduce symptoms with the skills they have developed and can usually begin to control even acute symptoms within a week or two.

5. Proper use of medications and insulin are explained, so that their condition remains stable throughout the process. Patients are not advised to simply stop medications, but instead taught how to monitor their actual requirement skillfully and in such a way to avoid overdose. In this way the condition can be improved and medications sensibly reduced according to actual requirement.

6. Duration of treatment varies according to severity of the conditions, patient compliance and other factors, but is usually within 2 months – but positive results begin to occur within a week or two.

7. Sessions with a practitioner are usually conducted each day for the first 10 – 15 days (around 30 – 60 mins) and then 2 – 3 times per week. Patients will be required to practice the method 3 – 4 times per day for around 20 - 30 mins.

8. The patient will always have access to a practitioner and consultations with a Senior Buteyko Consultant will be provided on an as required basis.

Would you like to reverse the underlying cause of diabetes?

Would you like to avoid future complications of this disease?

Would you like to reduce dependence on medications?

We have practitioners of Buteyko’s Method that are well experienced in providing such results. see Practitioners and Consultants

Positive results can usually be attained within a few weeks of training and coaching.

We have practitioners stationed in the US, UK, Europe and Asia who are supervised by Senior Buteyko Consultants with decades of experience.  We also train via phone and Skype.

If you would like to discuss the process and or find out more – please email us at info@learnbuteyko.org

For more information about LearnButeyko, please go to www.learnbuteyko.org

To read an article written by Professor K.P Buteyko about his approach for the treatment of diabetes, please go here