4. Benefits of Oxygen Starvation Effects

Fasting and intentional starvation have often been practiced throughout history as a means to cleanse, energize or heal the body, or to "get in touch with" the body and mind. There are still many programs, even in the U.S., that advocate fasting to promote health.  

The human body requires a certain amount of nutrients to function, so when it is deprived of its food supply, it begins to "crave" food. When this starved state is prolonged for a certain period of time, the body perceives it to be in an "emergency situation" and activates the body's natural "survival mechanisms."

First, the body forces all body functions to be more efficient or effective so that it can survive on the least amount of available nutrition. Secondly, the body enhances its "natural healing power," because, in an emergency situation, the body cannot afford to have any sickness or dysfunction that may interfere with or undermine its survival.  

During Controlled Breathing, similar "survival mechanisms" seem to be activated. In "normal" breathing, most people take 16 to 22 breaths per minute. In advanced levels of Controlled Breathing, the breathing rate may fall as low as one to three breaths per minute. Although the breath being taken in may be twice the volume of a "normal" breath, the oxygen intake is still significantly reduced. This causes "oxygen starvation effects" similar to the food starvation effects described above.

The body enhances all its functions and activates the natural healing power of the body. Furthermore, this enhanced state is carried over for some time after you stop the breathing exercise. This is due to the fact that the once activated "emergency measures" do not cease for an extended period of time just like any mental, emotional, and physical stress tends to be carried over and exerts lasting results even after the stress is removed.  

If food starvation or fasting is prolonged too far or taken to an extreme, it can be dangerous. Carelessly practiced food starvation or fasting for overly extended periods of time can cause serious and, sometimes, irreversible damages to the body or even death. This is because the body cannot survive without food intake for an overly extended period of time. Eventually, the body starts "eating itself" and may even "eat itself up." Therefore, a practice of prolonged starvation or fasting, no matter how beneficial it may be, must be closely monitored and supervised by experienced individuals.  

On the other hand, oxygen starvation is much safer than food starvation. When the body receives less than the minimum amount of oxygen it needs, the functions of the Neocortex go down to a lower level where it can no longer sustain its controlling power over the "natural" or "reflex" breathing mediated by the Medulla Oblongata, which can still survive on the lower level of oxygen. Consequently, "natural" breathing will be spontaneously restored.

Nevertheless, you should learn to "listen to your body" since your body has a "natural wisdom" for better survival. If you are disconnected between your mind and body, and are overly "cerebral," you may want to practice the Controlled Breathing exercise under supervision or in a group, at least in the beginning, until you can "get in touch" with your body sufficiently.  

Despite this caution, the oxygen starvation effects can be beneficial. Highly competitive athletes often train in high altitudes to get used to the "thin air" so that when they return to "normal" altitudes, they perform better, since they are acclimatized to a different oxygen content in the air. Therefore, it is possible to safely take advantage of oxygen starvation effects.

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