Very happy for you Karen.
Quote from Karen's blog...
"Apparently, I breath too many times per minute – he guessed about 20 times per minute while a healthy rate should be about 8 times. Later when I tested myself at home, I got rates from 17 – 30. All far too high.
Additionally, if you breathe in, then out, then hold your nose, you should be able to do so for at least 30 seconds. 15 – 30 seconds is a sign of a moderate breathing problem, 0 – 14 a severe problem. I scored 12 seconds.
The rating test he gave me was also highly indicative of it. He said a score of about 10 was completely normal. I, on the other hand, had a score of 36!"
I am interested in the breathing info. What was involved in the rating test you mentioned?
As a wind instrument player and a singer I've breathed "well" as long as I can remember. My rate per minute is around 10. I can no longer however breath out and then hold for more than 16 seconds. I used to be able to do a controlled breath out for well over a minute, but that has declined significantly in the last few years. Today I couldn't go more than 20 seconds. I'd love to know why. It's not that I'm needing to take a new breath in, it just feels like my diaphragm and the muscles supporting it are too weak to maintain the necessary support any longer and the remaining air comes rushing out.