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By LitCraft, May 30, 2010 6:45 pm

According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), 7 million children in the U.S. have asthma. That’s roughly 9.4 percent. The condition resulted in more than 3,600 deaths in 2006.

Back in 1952 Russian doctor named Konstantin Buteyko began to explore the possibility that increasing oxygen intake was contributing to reduced oxygen levels. The doctor observed that over-breathing or mouth-breathing resulted in lower carbon dioxide (CO2) levels in the blood.

Carbon dioxide is normally thought of as a “waste gas,” but it actually triggers the release of oxygen from the blood to the body. Buteyko reasoned that if asthmatics were gasping too much air, they were breathing a higher volume of air than the average person, but getting less of the oxygen and its benefit.

Buteyko developed a method of breathing exercises that many believe can reduce wheezing, asthma, allergies, chronic pulmonary disease, and in some cases eliminate asthma altogether.

His approach to dealing with asthma is to train asthmatics to breath less air and retrain their bodies to operate with the higher, more normal amount of CO2.

According to proponents of the method, simply closing your mouth and breathing through your nose will provide you with cleaner breaths, more temperate air, and higher (healthier) CO2 levels.

If you’re grasping or gasping for asthma help, check out his books or his website.

Breathe well.

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By LitCraft, May 2, 2010 10:22 am

Researchers in Cambridge Massachusetts and Bonn Germany have invented “Cuddle Spray.” The moniker may change, but inhaling will still give you that warm fuzzy feeling.

The oxytocin based nasal spray has been tested on men as an emotion modifier. Tests show that men who inhale Cuddle Spray are more empathetic and emotionally responsive.

Other test results suggest an increased amount of trust in business transaction for people who inhale Cuddle Spray.

One of the possible uses of Cuddle Spray that the investigative team suggested was to enhance the social comfort of autistic people. Oxytocin causes an increase in trust and could promote more social behavior in people with autism.

Cuddle Spray is not on the market yet.

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By LitCraft, April 13, 2010 10:01 am

When I started tutoring dyslexics, we had colored overlays for text. Roughly 50% of learners found them helpful and would always request them. Now we have dyslexia eyewear.

Both items promote clearer definition between text letters and the page they’re printed on. This facilitates letter recognition while eliminating eye strain when reading.

Here’s the modern update: Irlen glasses. These come in a variety of colors, and individual testing is done to ensure the correct color lens is provided to each person.

These have also been used successfully to reduce light sensitivity from computer screen glare, and to reduce migraines.