This is a chapter 1 summary of “Multidisciplinary Approaches to Breathing Pattern Disorders” by Leon Chaitow. The second edition will be coming out this December, and you can preorder it by clicking on the link or the photo below Motivation Breathing has been something I have been interested in very much since I first learned about its power from Bill Hartman and through the Postural Restoration Institute, and this excellent book is a great way to get a full overview. The first chapter covers too much anatomy to go through every little detail in my short blog post. So study up. Here are the highlights. Structure, Function, and You In order to have favorable respiration, structure makes all the difference. Adequate thoracic, ribcage, and breathing muscle mobility must be restored and maintained in order to uptake a quality breath. This can be achieved via re-education and training. Realize too that psychological distress can also play a huge role in how we breathe. Disorders such as anxiety and depression can have corresponding breathing dysfunctions. It may be the way the body responds to ensure survival. Ergo, when attempting to change breathing patterns favorably, one must address both structural and psychological factors. Homeostasis Homeostasis is the body’s process to normalize itself. If too many homeostatic-disrupting tasks are occurring at one time however—such as nutritional deficiencies and toxin ingestion—homeostatic function can become overwhelmed. This systematic stress can lead to breakdown and a switch to heterostasis, in which the body must be treated. We
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