Testimonials
Rachael is phenomenal!! Her knowledge of breathing technique’s and COPD transcends your experience with her into confidence!! Her technique’s incorporates all facets of breathing and is truly better breathing for life. She is so professional in the relaxing environment that she creates for her patients well-being. She is fun loving, caring and patient. My Father has COPD stage 4. He goes to Rachael once a week and it has changed his life significantly!!! He walks with more confidence, his posture is upright, his breathing techniques has changed dramatically for the better, his Oxygen setting levels on his Oxygen machine for Oxygen usage is lower. He has more energy. He is a different man all thanks to Rachael!! She is your one stop shop to better breathing for life!! I highly recommend Rachael and are truly grateful to her!!! Amé Labuschagne (Grateful daughter) 🙏🏼
Rachael is absolutely brilliant. She is a true professional in her manner, her expertise, and her invaluable advice.
Thank you Rachael for preparing me for the next 20 years of growing old gracefully!
I had Coronavirus and contacted Rachel during my recovery period.I am 78 and felt very weak and vulnerable. Rachel was fantastic. Firstly she was empathetic and understood how fragile I felt. Rachel put me at ease very quickly and understood exactly what I needed to do. She set up a gentle regime which I follow rigorously and feel so much better. The regime increases with intensity as I feel stronger. I am also aware of others who are using Rachel and have total confidence in her ability and understanding. Please contact Rachel for your own recovery sake,she really is good.
Rachel Garrod is very knowledgable and explained breathing techniques/mucus clearing techniques better than anybody has ever explained to me. I would highly recommend.
For the best possible help for COPD breathers, Rachel Garrod is the one to call!
I saw Rachel a week ago for breathing therapy. I have bronchiectasis and asthma and recently had been coughing a lot more. Rachel is kind and professional and I felt she really listens.she spoke with me for a full hour teaching breathing exercises and making suggestions to help me. On Thursday she invited me to one of her breathing workshops. I found it very useful and informative and a very relaxed 2 hours with some lovely people. Thank also to Sally who was able to teach us some yoga breathing and stretching. So I can highly recommend Rachel and Sally and thir workshops and look forward to the next one😊 also the tuna sandwiches were delicious 😋.
Better breathing. Absolutely true. Rachel showed me some easy exercises which worked immediately. A lot of coughing where we aimed for. It’s part of my daily life. Rachel is a very professional and lovely person. Try it. You won’t regret it.
Having suffered post covid difficulty in breathing as well as suffering from asthma, after my sessions with Rachel, my breathing has improved significantly. I have also learned relaxation techniques which have been very useful.
Would highly recommend anyone who has had problems like me to try this.
Quick Links
Some things you might not know about nasal breathing
Did you know that the nose is part of the respiratory system? The nose should be our predominate method of inhaling and exhaling air, and there are several good reasons for this. The nostrils, hair and nasal passageways are designed to assist in filtering allergens...
Practicing Self Compassion
Self-compassion is a psychological concept that appears to be receiving long over-due attention. The term refers to a state of mind whereby the individual becomes open to their own suffering, not avoiding or disconnecting from it, but seeing it without judgment or...
Guide: Understanding the Differences: Emphysema vs Bronchitis vs COPD
Summary of this blog by Rachel Garrod Are you confused about the differences between emphysema, bronchitis, and COPD? Don't worry, you're not alone. Read through my extensive guide below, and understand each disease and its differences. Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary...
How Bendy Do I Need To Be ?
Most of us recognise the importance of stretching our muscles, but how much do we really need to do? On the one hand, as we age, muscles, tendons and ligaments become less flexible, this can have negative impacts on our posture and balance. In extreme cases, affecting...
Exercising with Diabetes
As we know diabetes is a huge problem in the UK and world-wide. There are two types of diabetes, Type 1 which is caused by a failure of the pancreas to produce insulin, no one quite knows why and Type 2 which is common in older people. Lifestyle changes are especially...
Colds, COPD & PE
I´ve read a couple of articles this month that have piqued my interest. The first concerns proof of something that I am sure many patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and other breathing problems already know. However, sometimes it´s just as...
Am I too ill to exercise?
We all know that exercise is good for us, people who are physically active have fewer health problems, are thinner, and have improved mood compared with sedentary individuals. Exercise provides an array of health benefits such as, reduced blood pressure and lowered...
Are you fatigued?
If you have Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), other respiratory disease, Long COVID or ME/CFM, then you probably also suffer with fatigue. In medicine we describe fatigue as a “sensation of overwhelming tiredness, lack of energy, and feeling of exhaustion that is not relieved by rest and interferes with usual functioning.” Fatigue is a multi-component symptom, one questionnaire, the Multidimensional Fatigue Inventory (MFI-20) describes subjective fatigue as encompassing five different components; general fatigue, physical fatigue, reduced activity, reduced motivation and mental fatigue, such as having difficulty concentrating.
Many conditions are accompanied by fatigue but it is particularly profound in respiratory disease. There are different reasons for this, the obvious one being a lack of oxygen to the cells, but we now also know that in COPD, and other conditions, the immune system is chronically elevated which causes the “flight or fight” response to remain permanently raised. The damaged lungs release pro-inflammatory cytokines (such as TNF-alpha and Interleukin-6) into the bloodstream. These inflammatory chemicals can cross the blood-brain barrier where they trigger something known as “sickness behavior." This is a coping mechanism - your brain wants to help you heal and it manifests as a profound lack of motivation.
This is all good if the inflammation is short lived (like having a cold that recovers in a week or so) but if the inflammation is chronic and persistent, as it is in COPD, then the “sickness behaviour” can in fact make us sicker.
What can help treat this fatigue? A review paper published last year in Respiratory Medicine by Zhang and colleagues (2025) looked at 35 studies that considered fatigue in COPD and found four things that were effective in significantly reducing it. Pulmonary rehabilitation, aerobic exercise, progressive muscle relaxation and acupressure (although the confidence of this data was lower than the others).
Exercise and pulmonary rehabilitation work by improving the cardiovascular system, building strength in the peripheral and respiratory muscles and helping improve respiratory patterns. Pulmonary rehabilitation is effective for people with high initial levels of fatigue and lower levels and even appears to improve quality of life most in those with high levels of fatigue (Maarten Van Herck et al, 2019).
In one study from my team, we showed improvements in General Fatigue, Physical Fatigue and Reduced Activity after a seven-week pulmonary rehabilitation programme (Lewko et al, 2013). Whilst there were no changes in the Motivation or Mental Fatigue we would argue that seven weeks may be too short a period to achieve change in these areas of fatigue.
In fact, motivation is an interesting concept as we often “wait for the right motivation” to start a new plan or hobby, but motivation is triggered by activity - once we start doing the activity and see results we are more likely to feel motivated to continue.
If you are fatigued, and waiting for the motivation to get started with an exercise programme you’d be better off starting, and perhaps, when the benefits kick in then so will the motivation to continue. Click on the link below to find out more about my online pulmonary rehabilitation programme.
https://betterbreathingphysio.com/pulmonary-rehab-programme/
References
Lewko A, Bidgood PL, Jewell A, Garrod R. Evaluation of multidimensional COPD-related subjective fatigue following a pulmonary rehabilitation programme. Respir Med. 2014 Jan;108(1):95-102. doi: 10.1016/j.rmed.2013.09.003. Epub 2013 Sep 14. PMID: 24084060. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24084060/
Van Herck M, Antons J, Vercoulen JH, Goërtz YMJ, Ebadi Z, Burtin C, Janssen DJA, Thong MSY, Otker J, Coors A, Sprangers MAG, Muris JWM, Prins JB, Spruit MA, Peters JB. Pulmonary Rehabilitation Reduces Subjective Fatigue in COPD: A Responder Analysis. J Clin Med. 2019 Aug 20;8(8):1264
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6722504/
Xiaona Zhang, Jiali Xue, Yan Chang, Rui Zhang, Jie Zhao, Xindan Li, Hongyan Lu, Xirui Jiang, Fang Yu, Pengfei Yang. Non-pharmacological interventions for fatigue in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: a systematic review and network meta-analysis,
Respiratory Medicine, Volume 248, 2025. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rmed.2025.108409.
Do you suffer from fatigue?
If you have Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), other respiratory disease, Long COVID or ME/CFM, then you probably also suffer with fatigue. In medicine we describe fatigue as a “sensation of overwhelming tiredness, lack of energy, and feeling of exhaustion that is not relieved by rest and interferes with usual functioning.” Fatigue is a multi-component symptom, one questionnaire, the Multidimensional Fatigue Inventory (MFI-20) describes subjective fatigue as encompassing five different components; general fatigue, physical fatigue, reduced activity, reduced motivation and mental fatigue, such as having difficulty concentrating.
Many conditions are accompanied by fatigue but it is particularly profound in respiratory disease. There are different reasons for this, the obvious one being a lack of oxygen to the cells, but we now also know that in COPD, and other conditions, the immune system is chronically elevated which causes the “flight or fight” response to remain permanently raised. The damaged lungs release pro-inflammatory cytokines (such as TNF-alpha and Interleukin-6) into the bloodstream. These inflammatory chemicals can cross the blood-brain barrier where they trigger something known as “sickness behavior." This is a coping mechanism - your brain wants to help you heal and it manifests as a profound lack of motivation.
This is all good if the inflammation is short lived (like having a cold that recovers in a week or so) but if the inflammation is chronic and persistent, as it is in COPD, then the “sickness behaviour” can in fact make us sicker.
What can help treat this fatigue? A review paper published last year in Respiratory Medicine by Zhang and colleagues (2025) looked at 35 studies that considered fatigue in COPD and found four things that were effective in significantly reducing it. Pulmonary rehabilitation, aerobic exercise, progressive muscle relaxation and acupressure (although the confidence of this data was lower than the others).
Exercise and pulmonary rehabilitation work by improving the cardiovascular system, building strength in the peripheral and respiratory muscles and helping improve respiratory patterns. Pulmonary rehabilitation is effective for people with high initial levels of fatigue and lower levels and even appears to improve quality of life most in those with high levels of fatigue (Maarten Van Herck et al, 2019).
In one study from my team, we showed improvements in General Fatigue, Physical Fatigue and Reduced Activity after a seven-week pulmonary rehabilitation programme (Lewko et al, 2013). Whilst there were no changes in the Motivation or Mental Fatigue we would argue that seven weeks may be too short a period to achieve change in these areas of fatigue.
In fact, motivation is an interesting concept as we often “wait for the right motivation” to start a new plan or hobby, but motivation is triggered by activity - once we start doing the activity and see results we are more likely to feel motivated to continue.
If you are fatigued, and waiting for the motivation to get started with an exercise programme you’d be better off starting, and perhaps, when the benefits kick in then so will the motivation to continue. Click on the link below to find out more about my online pulmonary rehabilitation programme.
https://betterbreathingphysio.com/pulmonary-rehab-programme/
References
Lewko A, Bidgood PL, Jewell A, Garrod R. Evaluation of multidimensional COPD-related subjective fatigue following a pulmonary rehabilitation programme. Respir Med. 2014 Jan;108(1):95-102. doi: 10.1016/j.rmed.2013.09.003. Epub 2013 Sep 14. PMID: 24084060. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24084060/
Van Herck M, Antons J, Vercoulen JH, Goërtz YMJ, Ebadi Z, Burtin C, Janssen DJA, Thong MSY, Otker J, Coors A, Sprangers MAG, Muris JWM, Prins JB, Spruit MA, Peters JB. Pulmonary Rehabilitation Reduces Subjective Fatigue in COPD: A Responder Analysis. J Clin Med. 2019 Aug 20;8(8):1264
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6722504/
Xiaona Zhang, Jiali Xue, Yan Chang, Rui Zhang, Jie Zhao, Xindan Li, Hongyan Lu, Xirui Jiang, Fang Yu, Pengfei Yang. Non-pharmacological interventions for fatigue in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: a systematic review and network meta-analysis,
Respiratory Medicine, Volume 248, 2025. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rmed.2025.108409.
Cancellation Policy
If you can't make it. I understand that things come up and sometimes you have to cancel. And that's not mormally a problem. If you let me know the morning of our appointment then that's fine, if the appointment is first thing in the morning you will need to let me...
Pulmonary Rehab Programme
Join the Pulmonary Rehab Hub – Your Path to Easier Breathing Starts Here. Chronic lung conditions can make everyday life feel exhausting. The Pulmonary Rehab Hub is your dedicated space for support, strength, and strategies to breathe easier and live better. Pulmonary...
Pulmonar y Rehab info
Transform your health with Rachel's online pulmonary rehabilitation programme. Pulmonary rehabilitation is the most effective treatment to improve exercise tolerance and breathlessness for people with respiratory disease. Receive weekly supervised pulmonary...
Pulmonary Rehab Hub
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FAQ
Find answers to common questions about Rachel's physiotherapy services and how she can help you achieve better health.Respiratory Muscle Training (RMT) utilises a gadget that applies resistance either to inhalation, exhalation or both. Think of it as using dumbbells...
Blogs
If you have Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), other respiratory disease, Long COVID or ME/CFM, then you probably also suffer with fatigue. In medicine we describe fatigue as a “sensation of overwhelming tiredness, lack of energy, and feeling of exhaustion...
Projects
Home Services Stop Smoking Dysfunctional Breathing Prices Projects Blogs+34 699 501 190rachelgarrod1@gmail.comLinda Vista Baja, Calle Los Eucaliptos 77, San Pedro, Marbella, Spain 29670
Contact
Phone: +34 699 501 190 Email: rachelgarrod1@gmail.com Location: Marbella, SpainHome Services Stop Smoking Dysfunctional Breathing Projects Blogs+34 699 501 190rachel@betterbreathingphysio.comLinda Vista Baja, Calle Los Eucaliptos 77, San Pedro, Marbella, Spain 29670
Rachel’s CV
Discover how my specialised programs can help you achieve better breathing and well-being. Join for unlimited access to the online resources and community with exercises and information to help you to breathe better.Telephone: +34 699 501 190 Nationality: British...
Contact
Linda Vista Baja, Calle Los Eucaliptos 77, San Pedro, Marbella, Spain 29670