Oxygen therapy and its positive effects June 26, 2012 Filed under Wellbeing Posted by Cairo West

Homeopath and advocate of naturopathic medicine Maha Abou Taleb has a new way to fight the ageing process and increase health and well-being, and she is ready to share it. Her portable air-inhalation machine brings innovative technology to Egypt and is the only one of its kind in the country. Cairo West Magazine went to try it out.

by Francesca Sullivan

Hippocrates said: ‘The way to strength, youth and health is to practice moderation in everything, exercise your body every day and breathe clean air.’ There is no excuse for not following the first two pieces of advice, but for those of us living in Cairo the third is a little trickier. Of course if you have moved out to 6th of October it may well be that cleaner air was a motivation for doing so. But did you know that on average all but a mere 6% of the oxygen we inhale is exhaled without being used? The older we get and the poorer our health, the harder it is for our bodies to make use of the oxygen we breathe in order to produce energy, and our anti-oxidative capacity is weakened. Cell damage increases; we start to look, and feel, older and more tired.

Driving out to meet Maha Abou Taleb one early morning, I am feeling a little worse for wear. But sadly, lack of sleep and the stresses of every day life just seemed normal. I am curious to find out whether a little oxygen therapy will perk me up, and exactly how it will be administered. The idea of taking oxygen through a tube conjures up images of hospital emergency rooms, or Michael Jackson in a hermetically sealed bubble. But when Maha welcomes me into her home with a bright

smile and easy manner, all I can see is a simple looking box on her lounge coffee table, which one might easily move from one place to another. She sits me on the sofa and links a thin plastic tube to the machine, which has two nasal prongs to be inserted, leaving me free to talk or use my hands.

‘Just breathe normally’ she tells me as I lean back and she begins to tell me how the process works, and how she became involved with it. ‘I have always been interested in a natural approach to health, and completed courses in homeopathy from the LCCH in London and Lakeland College, also in the UK. Recently I have noticed the strong upsurge in plastic surgery and use of Botox in Egypt, and I am against it. But at the same time I realize we can all benefit from anti- ageing processes. So I began doing research into oxygen therapy, and came across this unique patented system invented in Germany called Airnergy. In a country as polluted as Egypt the very idea of inhaling purified air is attractive, and the more I learned about the benefits of oxygen the more interested I became. But it is this particular machine that differs from regular oxygen therapy systems – most of which are used only in hospitals, with regular oxygen treatment extra

oxygen – often in high concentration – is forced into your body, sometimes with negative consequences.’

According to the science behind the Airnergy system, it is often counter-productive to overload the body with more oxygen when it cannot even utilize the small amount from regular inhalation. This can actually increase oxidative stress rather than reducing it. Of course conventional oxygen therapy can be essential in anesthetics, emergencies and intensive medicine and to treat certain lung diseases, but for many chronic diseases and preventative health, a practical system with zero side effects makes more sense.

To understand better how the air we breathe affects our bodies, we need to know something about the respiratory system. When we inhale, air warmed and moistened by the nose and mouth travels down to the lungs, which contain branches of tiny bronchi and capillaries. Air sacs transfer the oxygen to the blood, and connect to a network of arteries that carry oxygen-laden blood to the heart. The blood is then pumped through to the organs.

Moisture in the air improves the body’s utilization of oxygen, which is key to the way the Airnergy unit works: air is passed through purified water as part of its process. Energy from the oxygen is turned into activated water molecules in a process similar to photosynthesis in plants. It is these molecules which are breathed in and carried to specific areas around the organism, measurably improving oxygen utilization and anti-oxidant capacity at a cellular level. The list of ailments that can be treated with the simple inhalation of ‘purified’ air is long and varied.

Complaints as varied as fibromyalgia, diabetes, circulatory problems, heart and vascular illnesses, Alzheimer’s, rheumatic diseases, visual problems, high cholesterol, chronic tiredness, allergies, liver problems, tinnitus and bronchitis, have all been improved according to documented research into the Airnergy system, as well as pain, sleep disorders and skin diseases. Yet for those of us in basic good health there is also the feel-good factor. Not to mention enhanced sporting performance and better powers of concentration.

This is a healing machine; it is not just preventative. It helps circulation, enhances your metabolism and can even improve your memory.’

Results have been so impressive that Maha says she is discussing becoming the sole agent for Airnergy here in Egypt. Although the unit is portable, she works from her clinic, giving each client forty minutes each time. For optimum results from a course of ‘purified air therapy’, Maha recommends two or three sessions a week for at least one month. Sessions cost between LE 125 to 1LE 60, with packages available. For example a course of eight sessions costs LE 1000.

I am still sitting on the couch, still inhaling through nasal tubes, and far from feeling ‘energized’ I am actually very relaxed. ‘This is a common experience people have when on the machine,’ Maha explains. ‘They start to feel sleepy. But it is a form of deeper relaxation, and shows the system is working.’ After the interview I drive away and spend the rest of my day feeling surprisingly rested. It may be a coincidence, but that night I have to admit to sleeping wonderfully well!

Contact Maha Abou Taleb on 01117734773