I have an acetylcholine-dominant brain; I’ve always been addicted to speed. My brain is extremely focused on solutions, and at the same time it likes to take shortcuts. I’m probably an adrenaline junkie too. Over the years, I’ve attended breathing courses, yoga courses, studied stress management, listened to experts on stress medication, and I’ve been a proud member of the Minnesota Model twelve-step program for 28 years. This model is about the “here and now”, one day at a time, one thing at a time, meditation and so on.

A few years ago, a dear friend of mine, Sanna Ehdin, sent me a funny little ‘plastic thing’ after attending a breathing course with Anders Olsson. As we both work with self-healing, I am used to hearing about different methods, therapies, “cures”, pills, powders, etc. in infinity, and while I am most often curious, I am also skeptical.

At first, I didn’t understand anything on how to practice breathing with this thing AND the instructions was in Russia! And when my friend said that taping her mouth at night gave her better sleep and more energy, I thought she had completely lost it. Talking about being easily deceived.

I have had so many new insights that I am taken aback

However, last summer while researching the next update of my book The Sugar Bomb 3.0, I saw an article about breathing in a newspaper. It was an article with Anders Olsson about Conscious Breathing. What really grabbed me was the phrase “over-breathing.”

I have an addictive personality, and I meet those all the time in my profession. We over-eat, over-spend, over-work, over-stress, over-drink, and overdo drugs. In short we OVER DO everything. Moderation doesn’t exist in our world.

Suddenly I had gotten a brand new piece of the puzzle, and the overall picture became much clearer to me. I immediately ordered the book Conscious Breathing and the Relaxator. I read the book in one stretch and realized that someone (Anders) understood the issues in a new way.

I am a nurse and an orthomolecular medic, but I had never previously seen the scientific issues being explained in such a simple and clear manner. I was completely hooked. Excited is the right word! I felt deep in my stomach that this is super important. I have had so many new insights and revelations about new contexts that I am completely taken aback.

Breathing retraining – now a part of my everyday life

I started to diagnose my own breathing and, goodness gracious, I was over-breathing, breathing shallowly, and mouth-breathing. My mouth was like the Sahara desert in the morning, and I snored badly, atleast according to my dogs. I started training with the Relaxator, practicing breathing retraining in the car, while walking the dogs, when I washed the dishes, and so on.

What appeals to me the most is that I don’t have to set aside time to do the training, I have enough of that in my work. I do not need a bag with equipment, or to go to a specific place, I just hang the Relaxator around my neck and can retrain my breathing habits wherever I am.

I am 61 years old and time has run its course with my body—I have tender joints, stiffness, back pain, weak muscles, and poor posture. I tire easily, and I have always disliked going to the gym. Over the years I’ve bought many gym memberships, but only used them once and then got tired of it. However, I have always been agile; dog walking in the woods is my favorite method of exercise along with gardening, cycling and similar activities.

My physiotherapist had been insisting that I do strength training to prevent further body decay. I put it off, which unfortunately led to my back breaking down last spring. I had difficulties going for my long walks, gardening and cleaning. I also gained weight. In short, I was in very bad shape during the summer, a few months ago.

Feeling younger and have more energy

I shall never forget the first time I taped my mouth at night, my dogs thought I was crazy. It is so funny to hear peoples reactions to mouth taping, they think it sounds horrible, just as I did. My friend and I can have a good laugh at it now. So what have actually happened since the summer? Well, since then I have become much more alert. I feel less stressed and more focused. I have more energy, less pain, and I sleep better. I started going to the gym, and even got myself a personal trainer, and feel so much stronger and younger.

And I know it’s just a matter of time before I lose the weight I gained because of the back problems I experienced during the spring and summer. I assume it will take a while though, as our metabolism slows down when we ger older. But that is totally fine. The other benefits I’ve gained overshadow it.

I have recommended this simple method to all my patients, and now the results are pouring in— they are experiencing the same benefits that I have. My personal trainer (PT) has now bought the book and today I will give him a Relaxator.

Thank you Anders for this fantastic contribution to increasing human wellbeing.