Welcome, everyone. Dr. Mercola helping you take control of your health. Dr Peter Litchfield is one of the best breathing experts in the world, I’m absolutely convinced, because I’ve done some deep training with him and really understand what he’s teaching. Normally, I have to – or don’t have to – but I frequently read a book for the person, but I’ve actually taken Dr. Peter Litchfield’s course that he provides and makes available, so I understand what he’s doing. And because of that understanding, I appreciate the enormous value. 

I’ve interviewed breathing experts before, many breathing experts actually in the past, and no one compares to the understanding he has of respiratory physiology and its impact on your health. And almost every one of you is going to benefit from listening to this carefully, because virtually very few people, very few people, appreciate as I did – I did not appreciate the prevalence of dysfunctional breathing habits that are typically developed as some type of trauma, emotional trauma typically. It gets embedded in your brain circuits, and when you encounter this trigger, it activates them and it lowers your CO2 (carbon dioxide) level. 

You may have been getting a hint over the last few weeks or months that I really value CO2. It’s probably one of the most important molecules in your body. And literally, I’m going to go deep into this in the coming year, strategies to increase your CO2 are probably one of the best things you can do to optimize your health. 

So, today we’re going to talk about your breathing because it’s kind of like having a hole in a bucket. Your bucket carries the water. This is an analogy, of course. And if you got a hole, it’s dripping, so you got to keep on filling it up. Well, the water equivalent would be CO2, and you really need CO2. The higher your levels you can get within biological normal optimal ranges, the better. Most of us are not even close to that. 

Across 35 years, as a psychologist and scientist, I have been responsible for designing agency-wide human performance and resilience programs for military Special Operations Forces, Federal Law Enforcement, and the Intelligence Community, for well over 100,000 personnel. 

What is human performance and resilience? High-frequency, high-consequence missions require biofeedback to optimize cognitive, socio-emotional, and physical skills, and reduce the adverse impacts of continuously performing at an elite level. In-between, we must quickly restore the ability to joyfully recreate with our friends, to be fully present with our beloved families, and to be peacefully at ease within ourselves. Extreme stress can cannibalize the careers, wellbeing, and the lives of the Force and their Families. 

What can both optimize cognitive and physical performance and reduce the adverse impacts of a life of service? I research, develop, test, and evaluate the least disruptive, easiest interpretation, simplest user experience of one’s capacity and baseline readiness. Performance and resilience biofeedback has reached a pinnacle in Better Physiology’s CapnoTrainer GO: wireless, silent, vibration-free, miniature, near real-time monitoring of one’s mental and physical state, in an easy to interpret graphical interface that allows you to identify the precise individualized skill or intervention, that re-regulates and marshals all of your mental and physical resources. With little study and time, the quick-start up, and rapid technical service for questions, will empower you with biofeedback more immediate than heart rate variability, heart rate, brain wave, skin conductance, or muscle tension, and yet each (HRV, ECG, EEG, EDA, EMG) can be integrated into it as a sensor suite. Nothing is more instantly controllable and more systemically impactful than breathing biofeedback which the CapnoTrainer Go revolutionizes. 

As a gold medalist for the U.S. National Team, I have strived for this in my own life, despite injuries and over training, but more importantly, to address my own learning disabilities, and the stress of my own career, and the normal day-to-day challenges of living a life of bills, parenting, aging, pains, and worries. So, I selfishly use wearable capnography to enjoy the fruits of life well-lived while maintaining my own peaceful, playful moments with my friends and family. For your own optimization and wellbeing, or to enable them in those you serve and support as a counselor, therapist, researcher, psychologist, physician, nurse, coach, trainer, chaplain, or non-healthcare professional, the CapnoTrainer Go is the best investment your funding you could make.” 

"By way of introduction, my name is Dylan McKay, and I am the co-founder of RenderSafe, a pioneering Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) company revolutionising Advanced EOD training and capability development for the Defence and Security industry. I also served for over a decade as a Commissioned Officer in the New Zealand Army, the majority of which I served as an EOD Commander in the NZ Special Forces (NZSAS). 

I have experienced first-hand the critical importance of evidence-driven strategies for optimising human performance in high-stakes environments during multiple operational deployments and whilst leading the NZ Special Forces Human Performance Programme (HPP) between 2017 – 2021. Leading a team of specialised professionals, our mission was to enhance the durability, longevity, and health of the unit's personnel, reduce injuries, and optimise human performance. 

I was introduced to Dr Peter Litchfield by a mutual colleague in 2019 and after recognising the profound impact and value that his work held for our people, a few team members and I completed Dr Litchfield’s entry certificate programme, called the Science of Breathing Behaviour Analysis. After completing the course a number of our team, including myself, went on to become Certified Breathing Behavioural Analysts and we also established a “battle-lab” so that we could experiment with the implementation of new technologies such as the CapnoTrainer. 

An aspect of performance and health that was investigated during the battlelab, was the application of breathing behavioral analysis and modification (CapnoLearning), both to mitigate stressors and promote optimal performance. Data obtained suggests that improving breathing behaviours in SOF Operators can result in rapid and significant performance improvements, demonstrated by improved scores in physical tests, enhanced focus, and cognition during “shoot, move, communicate, decide” scenarios, reduced risk of injury and improved passing rates for SOF selection courses. 

I have now integrated the use of the CapnoTrainer GO and Go-Pro cameras in our training courses at RenderSafe to enhance the learning outcomes for participants. The system is lightweight and small enough to fit in a standard pouch and the nasal cannula can be worn without interfering with personal protection equipment such as eyewear, helmet, and face masks. The physiological data collected from the CapnoTrainer GO, in conjunction with video footage, combined with the individuals subjective reporting empowers participants to recognise how their psycho-physiological responses effect cognition and performance during training tasks. The intent is to provide participants with greater self-awareness of the impact of their own learned breathing behaviours on performance, and then, using CapnoLearning principles, develop their ability for self-regulation which is critical for them to deal with the complex, stressful, and lethal situations they will encounter during crisis response. 

The CapnoTrainer GO can help the SOF Operator to recognise and understand their own individual breathing responses to stressors. Recognising these responses (breathing behaviours) is the first step in an individual’s ability to self-regulate, providing them access to critical cognitive abilities and skillsets they need to perform under extremis circumstances. Unfortunately, this fact is normally overlooked in training delivery. This is why we use the CapnoTrainer GO during training serials that replicate high risk, non-permissive environments then we can systematically increase exposure to more complex training scenarios by using stress inoculation techniques while simultaneously working with each participant to understand how they are responding psycho-physiologically. 

As someone deeply invested in health and peak performance, I cannot speak highly enough about the CapnoTrainer GO. This innovative instrument seamlessly integrates hardware and software, offering a transformative approach to breathing education and behavioral analysis. With its intuitive interface 

and personalised training tools, the CapnoTrainer GO has revolutionised the way we understand and manage individuals breathing behaviour. Through live physiology feedback and recorded data analysis, you will gain invaluable insights into your respiratory habits, enabling you to optimise your breathing for enhanced focus, relaxation, performance, and well-being. 

Whether you're a military operator or athlete striving for peak performance, a professional seeking stress management techniques, or simply someone committed to living a healthier life, the CapnoTrainer GO is a game-changer. It empowers you to learn about your breathing with precision and confidence, unlocking your full potential one breath at a time". 

Respectfully, 

Dylan McKay 

 My accidental exposure to capnometry and hypocapnia 20 years ago changed my practice of physical therapy forever and improved my effectiveness with all types of patients. Since that time, I have been pioneering the use of CapnoTrainers in my busy outpatient orthopedic private practice. In-house practice-based research indicated 66% of 100 consecutive patients entering the clinic have some level of hypocapnia. My study of the breathing sciences and the associated behavioral physiology through the Professional School of Behavioral Health Sciences has transformed my approach to all patients, especially those in chronic pain as well as sports performance. Our testing and treatment protocols utilizing the CapnoTrainer are now an integral part of our practice with every type of diagnosis we see. I am very grateful to bring this unique and effective treatment to our patients and the practice of Physical Therapy. 

Denise Campbell, 

PT, ATC, OCS, Dip. MDT, FAAOMPT, Diploma Breathing Sciences 

Founder/CEO of Southwest Sport and Spine Center 

"As a retired physician, having specialized in medically unexplained symptoms for many years, I found that the end-tidal measurement of carbon dioxide in the breath was an essential component to successful work with people suffering from these kinds of symptoms. During my clinical work using the CapnoTrainer, I saw many people recover their physiological resilience and lose symptoms that had been present for many years. Clients work through breathing practicums programmed into the CapnoTrainer software, which allows them to auto-adjust their breathing style when challenged by stress or retained trauma. The CapnoTrainer helps clients learn to self-calm, self-regulate, and successfully overcome symptoms often making what was unexplainable explainable. 

Dr David L Beales, FRCP; MRCGP; Dip Psych 

London, United Kingdom 

 .”