CO2 Therapy is a brain and body hack
CO2 Therapy is one of the biggest brain and body hacks that i know (besides breathing).
I am soooo much in love with the influence of Carbon Dioxide for our physical and mental body.
Free, slow, rhythmic and optimal 3-dimensional breathing also has its own CO2 Therapy 24/7. This of course is very important to understand and work on.
Adding on extra CO2 through your airway or your skin are so crazy beneficial physically and mentally. I never believed it before i tried it myself now since the last 2 years.
It is simple and easy! I am using the Cardisuit form Anders Olsson and Conscious Breathing, that gives you the CO2 through the skin. Also I use the CarboHaler from Conscious Breathing, where the CO2 goes through my airways.
Please listen to Jomar and Maria who shares their experiences with the Cardisuit right here.
How does the Carbon Dioxide work in your body?
The main reason is that CO2 Therapy leads to more efficient oxygenation and energy production. Despite popular belief, that CO2 is just a simple waste product, optimum CO2 levels are vital for every bodily function.
Our body wants oxygen more than anything and carbon dioxide is heavily involved in all the steps of transporting the oxygen from the atmospheric air we inhale to the mitochondria in our cells.
1. CO2 stimulates breathing
To start with, carbon dioxide controls breathing. It is not lack of oxygen that makes us take the next breath, it is the build-up of excess CO2. Our brainstem is the center for survival functions like temperature, heartbeat, and breathing.
Chemoreceptors in the brainstem check the levels of CO2 and when they reach a certain level, a signal is sent to our diaphragm to move downward, which starts the inhale. Low tolerance for CO2 translates to faster and bigger breaths, which is the hallmark of stress and anxiety.
2. CO2 keeps airways open
Secondly, when we inhale, optimum levels of carbon dioxide ensures that the airways are kept open, by relaxing and widening the smooth muscle surrounding the airways, so that the air can flow easily in and out of the lungs.
3. CO2 keeps blood vessels open
Thirdly, when the oxygen we inhale has been transferred from the lungs over to the blood, optimum levels of carbon dioxide maintains open blood vessels, again by relaxing the smooth muscle that also surrounds the blood vessels, so that the blood can flow easily.
4. CO2 offloads oxygen from the blood breathing
The next step is that once the oxygen-rich blood reaches the tissues where oxygen is needed, CO2 helps offload the oxygen from the blood so that it can enter the mitochondria of the cells and be of use.
5. CO2 protects the mitochondria
And the final step is in the mitochondria, the powerhouses of our cells, where nutrients and oxygen are converted to energy. Oxygen is extremely reactive and if the energy production is not controlled, the mitochondria will be damaged and leak free radicals, which leads to oxidative stress and inflammation.
Carbon dioxide protects the mitochondria from oxygen damage, which makes CO2 a powerful anti-oxidant.
CO2 is the main facilitator
So, as we can see, in all the five steps of body oxygenation, carbon dioxide is the main facilitator. It is CO2 that paves the way for oxygen so that we can produce energy efficiently.
In all health issues, lack of energy is a major problem. Either the process is inefficient, so we produce too little, or we consume too much, or both. Like a company with low sales and too high costs.
Lower levels of CO2 are common in today’s society because of over-breathing and inactivity, which leads to restriction, friction, and resistance. This means we have to spend more of our resources on survival, and we have less energy to recover, repair, enjoy life, and personal growth.
Low energy, a racing mind, anxiety, pain, sleep problems, airway problems, heart and circulation issues, overweight, poor athletic endurance are some of the problems closely related to lower levels of CO2, and where CO2 Therapy could be beneficial.
Want to know more?
Please listen to tis talk with Anders Olsson from Conscious Breathing, who explains The history of carbon dioxide and its usage.