COPD & Breathlessness at 78… How Breathing Exercises Changed His Life | Real Story

Sleeplessness, breathlessness. We have never known that something is going on inside our body. We were living our things as usual and damaging our internal organs, and because of that we are suffering. She said, she asked me, how you came by what? My BP was 180/100. 2017, I have undergone bypass surgery. I know that it is a BP is high, sugar is high, and my problems are there. See, once you have gone to bed means I have attended your classes. I found that my breath was completely, it was all right. I came to know that there is different world outside. See, my back pain has reduced to 80%. It has gone now. To tell you one more thing is like now I can able to do cycling for about 1 to 1.5 kilometers. The wonder is fasting blood sugar has came down to 95, 95, 100. HbA1c now 26.2. Before it was about 10.7. Spinal issue I was having, that is that L4, L5, and S1, it was having problem. I was unable to sit on the ground. So after this exercises and all, now I can able to sit in the ground for about more than 2 hours. At this age, say, the remaining part of our life, we have to be independent.

Tonight's story challenges a belief many people quietly carry that after a certain age, change is limited. At 75, facing COPD, fluctuating sugar levels, and breathlessness that made even travel exhausting, our guest could have chosen acceptance. He could have called it aging. Instead, he chose curiosity. What began as an accidental encounter with a workshop became a deliberate decision to reclaim his breath. Not overnight, not dramatically, but consistently. From measurable improvements in sugar and lung capacity to stepping into a diamond commitment despite doubts about age, his journey is not just about recovery; it's about refusing to let age define possibility. Please join me in welcoming a living example that growth does not retire at 60 or 70, even at 75. It's Rajagopalan for you. Namaste, Rajagopalanji. Thank you, thank you so much for coming to Conscious Breathing Podcast. And I've seen you, like, you are very active on cameras, and every time you come to the classes and regularly practice. I just wanted to ask you always, like, what is your age?

My age is 75 years, sir.

75 years?

Yes, sir.

Wow! Still you are actively participating and coming on camera. That's very, very inspiring.

Yes, sir.

So you have mentioned that you joined my workshop accidentally.

Accidentally. Can you please talk about that? Sir, I was during June 2025, that is actually on 5th June, I was traveling by train from Coimbatore to Chennai. That whole night I could not able to breathe. Breathless, I was suffering a lot and whole night I was sitting in the thing, walking here and there for breathing. Suddenly what happened, I have seen my mobile. I can able to see your 2 days workshop. The problem whichever you are telling, which is 100% it was telling for me. Sleeplessness, breathlessness and this thing. All these points we have never noticed so far in our life. We have never known that something is going on inside our body. We have never noticed that things are going like this. We were living our things as usual and damaging our internal organs, and because of that we are suffering. So, immediately I joined the 2-day workshop. 2-day workshop I was able to recollect all those things and very confident, then immediately I joined silver. So, silver I have very, very confidentially I have done the I have attended your classes, I have done LFC. LFC after completing 30 days, I found that my breath was completely, it was all right. So, night I can able to sleep. Even one or two times I was waking up, but with all that, some lot of developments were there. So, immediately I continued LFC. Second round I continued. Then you have called for the Diamond Program. I immediately joined Diamond. After joining the Diamond program only, I came to know that there is a different world outside. See, we were all living in one life, one world, which we do not know that our body, internal body is functioning. Some of the classes which you have arranged for special occasions, those classes were wonderful. Our take-ups are very, very wonderful take-ups we have taken. Particularly one Madam, Geetha Madam, she told about nutrition and then how our body, this hip and waist ratio, and then this HDL and this thing triglyceride ratio. And all those things were wonderful. We have never known about all those things. So when we thought about how to eat, where to eat, when to eat, all those things, they are all different formula for us. And the Yoga Nidra program was wonderful. I have seen that whatever mistakes we have committed to our body, "All those things you are telling as if like an astrologer. I have wondered how you can able to tell all those things like that." Then in the Diamond Program, it is wonderful program, without missing any of these programs, I have consistently started this thing. My health-wise I have been able to improve. That is one thing, diabetic has come down, my BP level has come to normal. And actually to say that wherever I go, For eating and other things, even in religious places I used to seek for a table to take meal. You know that in our temples and all we have to take meals on the ground.

Floor, sitting on the floor.

By God's grace now I can able to sit for 2 hours.

Wow.

See, my back pain has got reduced to over 80%, it has gone now. And the third one thing is I can able to— your breakout room is wonderful, this thing you have told. We can able to interact with so many people. Because I got an advantage of knowing some about 3 to 4 languages. I know Telugu, I know Kannada, I know Malayalam and Tamil. So the breakout room I can able to see one man is coming from Karnataka. Then I can able to speak to him. He was having some English medium school there I think. And one madam was there from Bangalore. She was some director or somewhere in this thing, I do not know. I have forgotten. So, their experiences and all, some 70% it was related to like our sabbaths only. And whenever you are giving some question and answer session, I need not ask any questions to you. By the way what other people are asking, we can able to get rid of all our doubts. This is the thing which is happening. And I am very much enthusiastic to meet all our Friends, to meet you in life also, I am very much this thing. So, I am wonderful now, I am very fresh. I can able to make activities. Every day morning I am getting up fresh. To tell you one more thing is now I can able to do cycling for about 1 to 1.5 kilometers. I am having this geared cycle only. 2 or 3 days back I have bought that cycle and I am now cycling for 1 or 2 to us. So, meals also, the habit tracker which we have given, that only has given a huge development for us. So, previously we were not guided by anybody, mentors nobody we were having. See, the meals which we have to finish before 7:30, avoid coffee and tea, avoid screening before 30 days, try to make 10 hours to 12 hours fasting and all. These are all wonderful lessons which I have got from CVH. And because of that I am much grateful to you and I got a lot of improvements also because of that. Health-wise it is so. As there is one in our class, one Dr. Murthy Sahib has told, "See, the physical damages happen to our body, we cannot able to repair. The remaining portion is good. You try to maintain the remaining portion and continue your life like that." So, I am making that same thing since I am keeping that in mind that we cannot repair the damaged portion. The remaining portion we have to save because the internal organs are very, very costly, you told once.

Yes.

Liver and then these lungs and all, very, very costly. So, we just do not know that they are so many costly. So far without any idea we have lived. Now after 74 years only I can able to find out all those things and how I am living. Peacefully, sir. Anything else which I can distinguish?

Consciously, like I mean from unconsciousness? Previously you were unconscious.

I was unconscious. Now only I have become conscious about what thing is happening inside. We will never know that these things are happening inside. Now only after slowly coming to the class and learning about these things, one by one, one by one people are telling, then only we can ever know these things are happening inside us. So, Because of that only we are getting lot of improvement in health-wise.

Absolutely.

And also we are getting lot of friends here. And this breakout room is wonderful, this thing you have. What I wanted to suggest you is, you slightly improve the timings of the breakout room. Because before we could able to consult one or two things, the timing is already over.

Okay. Yeah. You spoke about BP, diabetes, and all of these health challenges which you are going through. Can you tell us like before how much it was and now what changes have you seen in BP or diabetes and what other things?

Sir, my blood pressure was very much high. I will tell you one incident. When I was in Hyderabad, I was in Kachiguda. At that time when I was going for a walk up to Tank Bund, I used to walk up to Tank Bund. This happened long back. By the time when I reached near that Liberty Talkies, I started some, you know, this thing. Then one doctor was there called, her name, Lady Doctor. She was a chest specialist. Then I went to her for the checkup. She said, she asked me, how you came by walk? My BP was 180/100. Then they said, "You lie down here only." She made me to sleep there only for that night. That was my condition. And the second time when I was working in Odisha, that is Badrakoon place is there, there is Damraon Fort is there. There I was working. Then I was returning from my work, I was unable to— my leg has swelled like anything, left leg. I was unable to wear my shoes. At that time when I went and checked with the doctor, doctor also told, "What is the urgency for you to work here? You immediately go back, your health condition is very, very worst." Like that he told. My BP was at that time, it was 190 by 110. Now it is 130 by 80, 75, like that it has come.

Wow.

This is the improvement what I have got. Maybe medication also I am taking regular tablets and other things.

Since how long?

I am taking for a very long period because 2017 I have undergone bypass surgery. Okay. So from that time onwards I am taking regular pills for— because they say blood dilution and then heart and for controlling BP and all, I am taking medicines. But we thought that at that time it was high only. It was 140 by 90, 150 by 90, it was like that. Now it has slowly come down to 130, 140 by 80, 85, like that it has come down. Because I used to check my blood pressure every week. Sugar also I am checking every week. The wonder is fasting blood sugar has come down to 95, 95, 100 within that. This is happening only because of the timing, timely meals only.

Yeah. So before, how much fasting blood sugar?

Fasting was 180, 190, like that.

Wow, okay. And how long it took for you to bring it back to—

Sorry, it took around some 4 to 6 months to come bring back. The effect is that if you put your food, this thing, I stopped taking white rice. I started taking brown rice and millets. When I started doing this, immediately my sugar level came down.

Very good.

Now also, maximum I am taking only brown rice and millets. This gives a tremendous improvement in your this thing. My experience I am telling, sir. The exercises what you have told, it gives 33% of our improvement. Medicines what we are taking, it gives 33% of our improvement. Then this, our mental, this thing, willpower only, Gives another 33% of our improvement. With all these put together only we can able to maintain our, these things.

Absolutely, absolutely. I agree, I agree with you. And HbA1c, like, did you check HbA1c before and after Zavanix CBH?

HbA1c, now it is 6.2. I have checked around some 2 months back. And before? Before it was about 10.7, 8.9, like that it was there, HbA1c. First week I was not knowing that I am having sugar at all.

Okay.

Because the disease, sugar, nobody can able to predict. One of my friend has suggested, 'You have already crossed 50 years.' 'I don't have sugar.' Because people will not accept that. That is the mentality. He said, 'No, no, no, just you go once and check up. It cannot be predicted like that.' Then he went for sugar check. There is one GTT test is there, glucose tolerance test. Once it is conducted, immediately the doctor declared that you are having high sugar. From that time onwards, I am started trying to control that HbA1c. It is not at all— only that when the diet is changing, then only that HbA1c level and the fasting glucose level is coming down, sir.

It means 25 years you are having that?

Yes, sir. I am having 25 years, I am having sugar.

Wow, now last few months you have seen good drastic changes.

And now reduction is there for the last 6 months. It is there. Once we change our diet, yeah, immediately you can see the result in the diabetic. True, true. BP I cannot say because BP will come down gradually only. Suddenly we cannot turn, but sugar you can able to bring it very fast.

Very fast.

And also the turning and twisting exercises what we are doing for our spine. That gives a wonderful effect in the physical activities.

True. And you are also having some issues, right? Spinal issues.

Spinal issue I was having, that is L4, L5, and S1, it was having problem. The doctor suggested. I was unable to sit on the ground. So after these exercises and all, now I am able to sit on the ground for about more than 2 hours without any pain. See, we cannot— straining and sitting is different.

True.

Without strain, I can be able to sit for 2 hours, 1 or 2 hours. That is the thing. Very good pramana, this thing is there. Only thing is we should not skip any of our online classes or LFC. Even today I am doing LFC. In the morning I am getting up at 4:30, early morning. One round I am doing LFC, then I am coming and attending your classes.

Awesome, awesome. So that means you got addicted to LFC, it seems. Awesome, great, great. And also you mentioned that your profession, the profession which you are doing, that also led to some breathing issues.

I was working as a track maintenance engineer in railways. Okay, so my profession was to maintain the railway track. You may be knowing how much dust will come when one train passes. So, I have to stand from morning 7 o'clock to evening 5 o'clock in the railway track only. That too I worked in hottest areas like Rayalaseema. In summer season the temperature will shoot up to 44 to 45 degrees. And 40 years summer I have suffered. And also sometimes I worked in coal yards. That is in the port in Orissa, Dhamra port. It is owned by Tatas. I went on deputation there. The coal yard which is stocked there is 9 lakh tons of coal, it will come from Australia. They are taken to the Tata Iron and Steel Company in Jamshedpur. That coal yard I have worked for 1.5 years. How much coal might have gone inside? This is the main cause for our lung infections and other things. At that time we were not revealing that so much damages it will cause.

Yeah, unaware.

Yes, sir. Afterwards only we found out that this has caused so much, this thing and all. Now only we have woken up.

Especially like people who are right now, anyway, if they are working in polluted areas or anything, at least they should start taking care of their health.

Now whatever friends, my juniors, they are working, I am warning them through phone. I am telling them, "Don't work without wearing mask. So, whenever time permits, you come out from the yard, stand near some shady trees." These are all advices I am giving to those people. Luckily, I am having contacts of my juniors. See, whatever damage has come to us, that should not come to our young boys. That is the motto I am doing, sir. Awesome.

It's very, very important because they don't realize until they get a problem.

Same, similar to us. True, true.

So, like, at least we are doing our part. It's their part to take their side.

And one more point is, during my days, that is when I was a young boy and all, there was no institution like yours. No mentors. Nobody will come and tell this is good, this is wrong, this is and all. If you are sick, you go to doctor, he will give you 2 pills. And none of the doctor says how to prevent that disease. I think it is happening even today. If a fellow is suffering from some stomach problem, which doctor is telling you to prevent the stomach problem, these are all the foods you have to eat, when you have to eat? None of the doctors are telling. And during my days also, my younger days also, it was still worst. Because knowledge sharing, nobody will be there. And also this social media, nothing was there at that time. Even my period, the cell phone was not there. The first profession when I had taken up in railways, the communication we were doing with the carbon pencils. I think you have not seen it. Luckily, after so many years, I got a mentor like you. Yes, yes, yes.

So that's not your problem that time because there was no access to the knowledge. Now people having access to the knowledge, They should take care of themselves.

At least people now in these present days, they must take full advantage of this thing. I was also having a doubt when I want to come down to this diamond. After that I am advanced stage, you are telling it is a lifetime this thing. What is the use of entering in this stage into lifetime diamond? Then I was a little confused because your amount also is high. For me it is 'I'. Then I asked that one Anupama, one madam is there. Then I interacted with that madam. Madam, I am so old. Now what is the use of— She told me, 'Sir, I am guaranteeing you, if you join Diamond Course, within 3 months you will find a result. I am telling you, join.' Like that she told me. She has only encouraged me. Then something came into my mind, "Okay, let us follow her like that." So, on the same day I made some payment.

Okay.

Her words were very true. After joining Diamond, within 3 months I was able to see some miraculous developments. Mentors are required. Any person who is coming and doing mistake, Human nature is doing mistake. Correcting it, some character is required.

Are you happy of being part of Diamond now?

100%. I am very, very happy.

Investment is worth?

Yes, sir.

Investment is worth?

Yes, sir, it is worth. Investment is 100% worth. I bought, I am feeling whatever invested, I have invested, everything has been now completed.

You already got refund. Yes, yes, exactly. Especially like at this age, whatever you are doing is phenomenal, right? Like what really inspires you to take care of yourself?

At this age, see, the remaining part of our life, we have to be independent. See, once you have gone to bed, means your total life is a misery. We are damaging our life and as well as we are making other people also to suffer. Somebody has to come and look after us. So, that is another one big thing. So, till we live, we have to be dependent upon ourselves. I have to make my own duties and all without any straining others. That is a big thing. All the world peoples, they should live to the biggest satisfaction of themselves. Yes. Whatever knowledge we have gained also, we have to teach to some people. Yes, absolutely. After whatever you have given, that thing I have to tell. See, today I am telling, I was a smoker and I have spoiled myself. Now I have taken a pledge. Every day when I go out, I want to tell, if I see a smoker, minimum one fellow, I am telling the ill effects of smoking. "Sir, one tablet what I am taking is Pilfrinex 800, 600. 15 tablets cost ₹1,000. That tablet we have to take morning one, afternoon one, and night one." See, what is the cost of the tablet? That also they have to take lifelong. So, without knowing the difficulties of this COPD and other things, people used to smoke. At least we have suffered, but we have not— whether they are hearing or not, that is different. But we have to tell one fellow. If out of 100 fellows, at least one fellow has taken it seriously, that is a success for us. Like that.

Absolutely, absolutely. And before joining CBH, did you believe that like it's possible to reverse BP, reduce your diabetes levels and all of this?

I used to check, sir, but I do not know. I know that it is— BP is high, sugar is high, and my problems are there. It is not getting reduced. See, doctors are prescribing tablets, they are asking me to take. If you take a tablet in the morning, no, this sugar, the BP tablet, it can able to control only 12 hours. So, morning if you take a tablet, it brings down the BP and after some time it rises. Sugar also, how we know? When you check, it is normal. We do not know when it is rising and when it is dropping. There is no mechanism. Now only recently they have found out one insulin pump, which if you inject in that, it is studying the body, every 15 minutes or 10 minutes, then whatever acquired of sugar it has to come down, it is pumping. That machine also costs about 6 to 7 lakhs. Everybody cannot afford to take all those things. So, we do not know what is happening inside. So, we do not know how to control it also. So, whenever you go for a test, after seeing the result, we will feel sorry for some time, then we will go on because our birth pressure is like that, our life pressure is also like that. And nobody knows how to— nobody is there to tell me what to do with that.

True. Yeah, only symptom we are addressing, we are not addressing what exactly it is.

What exactly it is, how to come out of it, nobody is there to address.

Nobody, yeah. And even doctors don't have time. Okay, you have come, okay, like now we have these numbers, this is the data, 'And you take this medicine.' They may prescribe, but they don't have time.

You will wonder, one pulmonologist doctor is there in Coimbatore. He is seeing 100 patients every day. How much he will show attention to a particular patient?

True.

Simply he says, 'Come on, how are you?' Gentleman like that, he will put a hand on your— 'Come on, you breathe properly,' he will say. Okay, continue the medicines, please.

Yes, like they don't talk about how to change your breathing or anything.

They have no business. True, true, true.

Exactly, that's a missing element of our health. If that is the case, like I think we can have a better health and people can live better life, better quality life, right? So you see, at this age, like, uh, you have worked so hard for years. Yes, this is the time for you to Relax and enjoy. But again, people end up with some other health issues and that makes them not—

Because of the environment which we are working for long period of duration, health automatically deteriorates. That is, there should be a mechanism. See, the patients are having different stages. Different stages patients are going to a doctor. Some fellow is affected 20%, Even for the 20% fellow, doctor can warn. This is your condition, you go like this, you can able to recover like that. That also they are not telling. That is the pity present days.

Yeah, the whole healthcare system is based like that, unfortunately. How is the support system in Diamond membership and all?

Support system is wonderful, sir. These classes which we are giving after, on this one, So many information we are getting. Not only health issues. See, health issues is one side. The other thing is spirituality level also you are giving a lot of these things, sir.

Wednesday classes.

I can able to by heart so many Sanskrit shlokas. This concentration has come now. See, every day morning I am making one, this thing, Sanskrit shloka. I am writing it in my board, name board. And then I am writing it in Tamil. And then I am putting a meaning of that in Tamil. Then I am sending it by WhatsApp to some limited number of groups of my friends.

Great idea.

So, some 20 people or 30 people, whether they study or not, that I do not know. But from that last December 15th onwards, every day morning, this is my first job. And then every 2 hours I am taking, 1 hour I am taking puja. So this gives our mental, this thing is there, very happily we can passing our time. Now we do not know how this 12 hours goes.

Yeah.

By the time 10 o'clock, bed is inviting us.

Yes, yes, awesome. Thank you, Rajagopalaji. And what is the last message you would like to give to the viewers?

I am telling our friends, consistently you follow the instructions given by Bhadrinath Ji, that is LFC, don't skip LFC. See, whether you are in Diamond or whether in Silver or whatever it may be, LFC every day you have to do one. First you start from day 1, complete up to 30, then again you start from day 1. Like that I am doing for the past 7 months. That is first thing. Then I am taking, as you have told, I stopped taking coffee or tea on an empty stomach. Morning I will take jeera water for the last 7 months. Continuously I am taking 2 glasses of jeera water, then doing all these exercises, then first coffee will be only by 8 o'clock main. Nothing is happening. Previously, immediately when I get up, I required one cup of coffee, filter coffee.

Okay.

From that stage we have transformed.

Yes.

See, this transformation is not so light.

Yes.

Unless our mind willpower is there, we can't be able to do it. That willpower is coming only through these habits. For that I have much inducted you, sir.

Thank you, thank you, thank you so much. I know you all are waiting for special segment. And today we have a special segment. I want to ask you, what is your favorite breathing exercise?

My favorite breathing exercise is box breathing, sir. First, then second one is humming bee sound. Wow, this, this thing. And then Kapalbhati. Great.

So now we'll practice box breathing. Okay, so let's do it together. So please sit comfortably, roll your shoulders back, palms facing upwards. Focus on your breath. Keep your shoulders and neck relaxed. Box breathing means you have to inhale, hold, exhale, and hold. Okay, so we'll inhale for 3 seconds, hold for 3 seconds, exhale for 3 seconds, hold for 3 seconds. One of the powerful breathing practice, also known as Samavritti Pranayama. So let's do it together. Close your eyes. All of you, breathe in 1, 2, 3, hold 1, 2, 3, exhale 1, 2, 3, hold 1, 2, 3. While inhaling for 3 seconds, hold for 3 seconds, exhale for 3 seconds, hold for 3 seconds. We'll repeat this. Close your eyes. Breathe in 1, 2, 3. Hold 1, 2, 3. Exhale 1, 2, 3. Hold 1, 2, 3. Inhale through your nose. Hold. Exhale through your nose.

And hold.

Keep repeating this. Focus on your breath. Maintain smile on your face. Inhale slowly, hold, exhale and hold. Do it as per your capacity, do not overdo. In case if your capacity is not 3 seconds, you can reduce it to 2 seconds. Slowly and gently, last time. Exhale, hold and relax. Observe the changes and gently open your eyes. Box breathing is one of the powerful breathing practices When you do it regularly, you'll see lot of improvement in your lung capacity, calmness, anxiety. Whenever you feel stressful, just implement this for few rounds. You'll see lot of calmness in you. Practice it regularly to see the benefits. It was very, very inspiring at this age, whatever you're doing. And I'm sure like this gonna inspire millions and millions of people in the coming days. And thank you, thank you so much for coming here and being consistent with our practices. It means a lot.

Thanks a lot, sir. Today I have been able to see you physically, that itself is a gift for me because all along I was seeing you only in the screen and I am much blessed today I came forward. I am looking forward for a very good retreat tomorrow and day after tomorrow. Thank you very much, sir.

Thank you, thank you so much. You have just watched another powerful episode of Conscious Breathing Podcast. Thank you so much for staying with us. Till the very end. It truly means a lot. If you haven't subscribed yet, don't miss out. Your journey towards a healthier, medicine-free life and more conscious life can begin today. And if you are ready to go deeper, register for my upcoming workshop. The link is in the description. I would love to see you there. That's it for today. I am Badrinath Gella, founder of Conscious Breathing Hub, and I'll see you soon in my upcoming workshop.