How Breathing Can Kill You

By Christopher Caile

Everyone knows that an adequate oxygen supply is critical to health. Of all the elements the body needs, only oxygen is in such constant and critical demand that if breath is cut off, in a few minutes one dies.

Few realized, however, that improper breathing, over time, could have dire consequences, leading to disease, ill health and even premature death.

Proper breathing isn’t easy. It takes a lot more than just filling the lungs with air. Oxygen must be transported to the cells by the circulatory system and absorbed by body cells. The efficiency of this process varies greatly and is influenced by many factors, including what we eat and drink, exercise and, even posture.

If our cellular oxygen supply is impaired, the energy used to fire our biological functions is reduced. Sheldon Saul Hendler, MD, PhD, notes in his book, “The Oxygen Breakthrough,” that an “emerging spectrum of disorders characterized by impaired immunity, and are at a still deeper level by disabled energy-making mechanisms in the cells.” Disorders include infectious diseases, auto-immune disorders, AIDS, chronic fatigue syndrome, anxiety, depression, respiratory aliments, cardiac symptoms, and susceptibility to aches, pains and irritability.

While poor breathing can negatively impact the body’s energy, oxygen shortages can be further aggravated by environmental and other factors. Polluted urban environments, for example, can significantly reduce the oxygen content of air. And, if air smells foul, we tend naturally to take shallow breaths, receiving even less oxygen. Other oxygen robbers include smoking, stress, allergies, toxins, and infectious agents. Stuart M. Berger, MD, author of “Forever Young,” notes that with age, a combination of reduced cardiac function and lung capacity cuts oxygen availability to the cells by as much as 50 percent.

That is why good breathing, to maximize oxygen intake, is the most important action we can do to improve our heath. “Good breathing” requires efficient use of the lungs (external breathing) to maximize cellular oxygen absorption for energy (internal breathing), as well as maximizing the bloodstream’s transport of oxygen to the cells (transport efficiency).

External Breathing

Put one hand on your abdomen and the other hand on your chest. Now, breath. Which hand moved? If only the upper hand moved, you are a chest breather. Your air is pulled in mostly to the upper regions of the lungs so your breath tends to be shallow, more rapid and inefficient.

If your lower hand moved too, you are breathing from your diaphragm (stomach breathing) and are pulling down a larger volume of air into the lower lung regions where more blood had settled so more oxygen can be absorbed. Optimum breathing involves the whole lung, upper and lower sections, in a deeper, slower breath cycle. This has a quieting psychological effect and reduces stress and anxiety.

This mind-body connection is a central tenant in Chinese Chi Kung, the science of body energy. This and other ancient practices are receiving growing attention from researchers, including Harvard University’s Herbert Benson, MD, author of “the Relaxation Response.”

Inner Breathing

The body is a composite of 75 trillion cells, all constantly absorbing oxygen. Oxygen fires with sugar, and the breakdown of fats and starches produces biological energy. This energy is ATP (adenosine triphosphate), the energy of life, the fuel that runs our cells and biological processes. It charges each cell with energy, much like a microscopic battery, consumed with every heartbeat, through muscle movement, or enzyme creation.

How much ATP do we use? Dr. Hendler states that every day the average person creates and uses and astounding amount, about equal to his or her own body weight. Most of us take in over 2,500 gallons of air daily to fuel the process.

Cell Efficiency

The efficiency of our cells to absorb oxygen through their membranes and expel carbon dioxide can vary significantly and can be negatively affected by what we eat and drink. The typical American diet is especially bad, due to its high cholesterol and fatty acids, dependence on animal protein and refined carbohydrates, and deficiency in vegetables, fiber and adequate water.

Consequently, cell membranes become less able to pass oxygen, and electron transfers, which are essential to cell energy production, are interrupted. Dr. Shelden explains, “A kind of bio-electric short … reverberates through all body parts.”

Diet recommendations to increase cellular oxygen absorption include cutting down on fats and cholesterol and most cheeses and increasing intake of vegetable d and fruits with emphasis on fish oils, fiber and protein from vegetable. Other recommendations include changing to skim milk and butter substitutes and switching to olive vegetable oils in cooking.

Transport Efficiency

Or blood is the intermediary between the lungs, which gather oxygen, and the body’s cells, which consume oxygen. In the process, carbon dioxide is transported back to the lungs to be expelled. Two important factors are the alkaline pH balance of the blood and the availability of red blood cells to carry oxygen.

Traditional Chinese Medicine, including Chi Kung, has always observed the constitutional characteristics of patients and the proper yin/yang balance of foods. Dr. Theodore Baroody, Jr., author of “Alkalize or Die,” states that slight changes in acid base balance of the blood have significant effects of oxygen availability to the tissues. For example, slight acidity associated with an excess of hydrogen ions, which combine with oxygen to create water, depriving the blood of large quantities of oxygen, causing oxygen deficiency. Especially detrimental is the standard American diet. It derives much of its calories from acidic foods, which alter the blood pH balance.

Dietary recommendations to obtain blood alkaline pH values, or Yin foods, include raw vegetables and fruits, salad greens, bean spouts, raw fish, coffee, tea and milk (acidity-alkaline balance makes no distinction between skim and whole milk). Acidifying or Yang foods should b eaten in moderation. The include sugar, honey, alcohol, white flour, meat, fish (preferable to higher cholesterol meat), eggs, nuts, whole grains, beans and legumes.

Another overlooked factor in oxygen transportation is the available quantity of red blood cells to transport oxygen. World-class athletes often train at high altitude to boost aerobic capability with the body adjusting by pumping out more red blood cells to compensate for lower atmospheric pressure. For thousands of years, Chi Kung and Indian Yoga have used a variety of prolonged breathing exercise, for example breath lengths gradually slowed to over a minute. Many believe this technique stimulates the body to compensate by producing more red blood cells. If exercise is maintained, the blood level of oxygen transportation is increased.

O2 therapies and supplements

Medical researchers claim increased oxygen may be effective against cancer, AIDS< and other diseases, as is medical ozone and low levels of hydrogen peroxide. Experimental trials are being conducted on the use o hyperbaric oxygen treatment to fight cancer and other illnesses. Also, many traditional herbs, nutrients, and drugs have been shown to be effective in immune and energy disorders. Supplements such as organic germanium boost the blood’s ability to carry more oxygen, according to Kazuhiko Asai, PhD, author of “Miracle Cure-Organic Germanium.”

Breathing properly, however, reduces the need for treatments, supplements and medicine. The Chinese and Indian Yogis have used breath therapy for thousands of years. A combination of improved physical breathing, proper diet and exercise, effectively maximize oxygen intake, transportation, absorption and use by the body.

Breathing is not a simple act, but rather a holistic process of maintaining good health.

This article was re-printed with permission of Holistic Health Journal

About the Author Christopher Caile

Christopher Caile

Christopher Caile is the Founder and Editor-In-Chief of FightingArts.com. He has been a student of the martial arts for over 65 years.

He first started in judo while in college. Then he added karate as a student of Phil Koeppel in 1959 studying Kempo and Wado-Ryu karate. He later added Shotokan Karate where he was promoted to brown belt and taught beginner classes. In 1960 while living in Finland, Caile introduced karate to that country and placed fourth in that nation’s first national judo tournament.

Wanting to further his karate studies, Caile then hitch hiked from Finland to Japan traveling through Scandinavia, Europe, North Africa, the Middle East and South and Southeast Asia — living on 25 cents a day and often sleeping outside.

Arriving in Japan (1962), Caile was introduced to Mas Oyama and his fledgling full contact Kyokushinkai Karate by Donn Draeger, the famous martial artist and historian. Donn also housed him with several other senior international judo practitioners. Donn became Caile’s martial arts mentor, coaching him in judo and introducing him to Shinto Muso-ryu under Takaji Shimizu.

Caile studied at Oyama’s honbu dojo and also at Kenji Kurosaki’s second Tokyo Kyokushinkai dojo. In his first day in class Oyama asked Caile to teach English to his chief instructor, Tadashi Nakamura. They have been friends ever since. Caile also participated in Oyama’s masterwork book, “This Is Karate.”

Caile left Japan with his black belt and designation as Branch Chief, the first in the US to have had extensive training in Japan directly under Oyama Sensei. As such, Oyama Sensei asked him to be his representative on visits to his US dojos to report on their status.

A little over a year later, Nakamura, Kusosaki and Akio Fujihira won an epic David vs. Goliath challenge match against Thailand’s professional Muay Thai Boxers in Bangkok, Thailand, thrusting Kyolushinkai and Nakamura into national prominence.

Back in the US Caile taught Kyokushinkai karate in Peoria, Il while in college and later in Washington, DC. while in graduate school. Durimg this time Shihan Nakamura had moved to New York City to head Kyokushinkai’s North American Operation.

In 1976 when Kaicho Tadashi Nakamura formed the World Seido Karate organization, Caile followed. Living then in Buffalo, NY, Caile taught Seido karate and self-defense at the State University of New York at Buffalo (SUNY Buffalo) for over 15 years where he also frequently lectured on martial arts and Zen in courses on Japanese culture.

Caile moved to New York City in 1999 to marry Jackie Veit. He is now an 8th degree black belt, Hanshi, training in Seido Karate’s Westchester, NY Johshin Honzan (Spiritual Center) dojo. In Seido Caile is known for his teaching of and seminars on kata applications. He also produced a 14 segment video series on Pinan kata Bunkai currently available to Seido members.

Caile is also a long-time student and Shihan in Aikido. He studied in Buffalo, under Mike Hawley Shihan, and then under Wadokai Aikido’s founder, the late Roy Suenaka (uchi deshi under Morihei Ueshiba, founder of Aikido and was Shihan under Tohei Sensei). In karate, Suenaka (8thdan) was also an in-house student of the Okinawan karate master Hohan Soken.

Having moved to New York City, Caile in 2000 founded this martial arts educational website, FightingArts.com. Twenty-five years later, in 2025, it underwent a major update and revision.

For FightingArts.com and other publications Caile wrote hundreds of articles on karate, martial arts, Japanese art, Chinese Medicine and edited a book on Zen. He also developed relationships with a cross section of leading martial arts teachers. Over the last four decades he has conducted extensive private research into karate and martial arts including private translations of the once secret Okinawan hand copied and passed on Kung Fu book, the Bubishi, as well as an early karate book by the karate master Kenwa Mabuni. He periodically returns to Japan and Okinawa to continue his studies and participate Seido karate events. In Tokyo he practiced (with Roy Suenaka Sensei) in a variety of aikido organizations with their founders – including private interviews and practices at the Aiki-kai Aikido Honbu dojo with the son and grandson of aikido’s founder, Doshu (headmaster) Kisshomaru (an old uchi-deshi friend) and his son, Moriteru Ueshiba and in Iwama with Morihiro Saito. On Okinawa he studied Goju Ryu karate under Eiichi Miyazato, 10th dan founder of Naha’s Jundokan, and also with Yoshitaka Taira (who later formed his own organization, who specialized in kata Bunkai. While there Caile also trained with Hohan Soken’s senior student, Master Fusei Kise, 10 dan as well as with the grandson of the legendary karate master Anko Itosu.

Caile’s other martial arts experience includes: Diato-ryu Aikijujitsu and Kenjitsu, kobudo, boxing, Muay Thai, MMA, Kali (empty hand, knife and bolo), study of old Okinawan Shoran-ryu & Tomari body mechanics, study of old Okinawan kata under Richard Kim, study of close quarter defense and combat, including knife and gun defenses, Kyusho Jitsu and several Chinese fighting arts including 8 Star Praying Mantis, Pak Mei (White Eyebrow), and a private family system of Kung Fu.

Caile is also a student of Zen as well as a long-term student of one branch of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chi Kung (Qigong). As one of two senior disciples of Chi Kung master Dr. Shen (M.D., Ph.D.) Caile was certified to teach and practice. This led to Caile’s founding of the The Chi Kung Healing Institute on Grand Island, NY. In Western NY, he also frequently held Chi Kung seminars, including at SUNY Buffalo and at the famous Chautauqua Institution in Chautauqua, NY. His articles on Chi Kung also appeared in the Holistic Health Journal and in several books on alternative medicine.

Caile holds a BA in International Studies from Bradley University and MA in International Relations with a specialty in South and Southeast Asia from American University in Washington, D.C. While in Buffalo, NY he also studied digital and analog electronics.

In his professional life Caile also worked in public relations and as a newspaper reporter and photographer. Earlier he worked in the field of telecommunications including Managing a Buffalo, NY sales and service branch for ITT. He then founded his own private telephone company. This was followed by creation of an electrical engineering company that designed and patented his concept for a new type of low-cost small business telephone system (which was eventually sold to Bell South). The company also did contract work for Kodak and the US space program. Simultaneously Caile designed and manufactured a unique break-apart portable pontoon boat.

Most recently Caile co-founded an internet software company. Its products include software suites with AI capability for control and management of streaming media, such as video and music, an all-in-one book publishing software product for hardcover, eBook and audio book creation and security software for buildings and government use.

For more details about Christopher Caile’s martial arts, work experience and life profile, see the About section in the footer of this site.