What causes shortness of breath?
According to Hugues Gauchez, excess weight is not the only reason for pathological shortness of breath. Smoking, stress, diet and age also contribute to shortness of breath. That said, excess weight is one of the main reasons: "When you are overweight, it is more difficult to move your body - both for weight and occupied space.For example, when the belly circumference is over 90 cm, it is a metabolic disease. The ribs are stretched apart and the diaphragm is flattened.”
Less mobility in the diaphragm - the breathing muscle - increases breathing frequency and reduces the amount of air absorbed. Are you still following? That's the beginning of a vicious circle: more and more air is taken in to increase oxygen levels but it is never enough. What's more, not enough carbon dioxide is evacuated. What happens next? Hyperventilation - even faintness.
When you have “pathological” breathlessness, you tend to avoid physical activity to avoid the discomfort. That's perfectly normal. Hugues Gauchez reminds us that it's important to exercise regularly to build muscle! We need muscles to carry our body, to stay independent and to be able to move around on our own. The more we move, the more mobile we are.It's important to go "step by step" as Hugues says. Progress with patience, regularity and above all with medical supervision, is more reassuring.