DIY EWOT SYSTEM
HACK BUILD YOUR OWN EWOT SYSTEM (EXERCISE WITH OXYGEN THERAPY)
FOR A FRACTION OF THE COST OF COMMERCIALLY AVAILABLE UNITS!
Welcome to our ‘hack-your-own-EWOT-system’ tutorial. The first thing to remember is that you should not engage in EWOT (Exercise With Oxygen Therapy) without first consulting with your physician. If he / she gives you a thumbs up, it’s time to start studying everything you can get your hands on, including EWOT research. Secondly, realize that I am not suggesting that you use the same products and materials that I did.
There are probably much better options and methods for those who are in the know — mechanics, handymen, plumbers, or engineer types. The third step alone (how to add O2 to the system in a manner that is both easy and either expandable / reversible is worth double the ten bucks you paid for this tutorial. This hack is not for everyone. However, if you have a few DIY-repair type of skills (or know someone who does), you can save a fortune since the average cost of a turn-key system is well over $1,000, with many costing double or even triple that.
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The other aspect of hacking an EWOT system is why — why would anyone want to undertake a project like this in the first place. Rather than me getting into the nuts-n-bolts of the matter, just realize that there is an immense amount of research on the metabolic benefits of using various forms of oxygen manipulation (hyperbaric O2, EWOT, Buteyko, deep breathing, etc, etc) to affect both brain and body. Rather than go into that all here, just follow THIS LINK if you are interested.
There are five distinct aspects of putting together an EWOT system. I have listed them in order of the flow of oxygen in the system.
- OXYGEN SOURCE: Because you need a renewable source of O2, you really need an oxygen generator (actually, if you can get several, the more the merrier) as opposed to purchasing oxygen in tank form.
- LINE-IN TO THE RESERVOIR BAG: You will need a way to get the O2 from the oxygen generator into the reservoir bag.
- RESERVOIR BAG: Pay attention because your EWOT reservoir bag needs to be made from non-toxic material as opposed to something like PVC.
- LINE-OUT FROM THE RESERVOIR BAG: This is where the O2 goes after the reservoir bag inflates / fills up.
- A NON-REBREATHER MASK OR HIGH-FLOW NASAL CANNULA: Although everyone claims to have the best mask(s), I’ll show you where you can get them, or buy the individual components to make your own.
THE EWOT OXYGEN GENERATOR / CONCENTRATOR
OXYGEN CONCENTRATORS
are just that; devices that take room air, and “concentrate” the O2 by
removing nitrogen to create a breathing mixture that is somewhere
between 90-96% pure. While concentrators cost anywhere from $600 to
$1,700 new and require a prescription, it’s easy to find them
on Craigslist or similar for a fraction of this cost. In fact, I’ve
bought several for 75 bucks, and know a person who rebuilds them for
“hobby” purposes.
Bottom line, there is no reason to purchase one of
these creatures new. And since they are prescription devices, for many
of you it would be impossible to do even if that is what you would
prefer. Most complete EWOT systems being sold online come with used or
refurbished concentrators (concentrators have hour meters that show you
how much use they have had when you purchase them).
Be aware
that even with a smaller EWOT reservoir, a single concentrator can take a
long time to fill the bag. For instance, a 5 LPM concentrator would
take nearly an hour and a half to fill the (relatively) small bag
below. That’s why if you can get additional concentrators for your
system, the time-to-fill dramatically decreases, while the time you have
to exercise before running out of O2 dramatically increases. For
instance, an 80 minute fill-time becomes a 40 minute fill-time if you
have two concentrators pumping O2 instead of one.
THE “HACKED” DIY EWOT OXYGEN RESERVOIR BAG
Getting the right kind of bag is a big deal since plastics and PVC contain a variety of highly toxic components (HERE) — components that you don’t want to be pulling deep into your lungs where they can make it into the systemic circulation and be carried to any and all parts of the body — particularly dangerous if you are already dealing with THE LEAKIES.
It would nice if it were as easy as using taped sheets of plastic, a large inflatable pool toy or giant beach ball — something that costs next to nothing. What most of the commercial reservoir bags are made from, however, is a material called TPU (thermoplastic polyurethane). Although the number of options is growing and someone will undoubtedly find something better and less expensive, I am using a PVC-free TPU air mattress by Lightspeed.
By the time you calculate in the baffles, this air mattress will hold around 450 cubic liters. If a larger bag is needed, two bags could be connected together in series using the exact same techniques we will discuss today.
Part of the reason that I like the TPU air mattress over other “hacks” is that one of the two “lines” (line-in / line-out) is already there, whichever side you decide to use it on. Although you can add an air-stem yourself, my mechanic and I tackled mine. One other nice thing about this bag is that fact that it has loops on one side that would allow you to easily hang your bag against a will (as you can see, mine is mounted against the ceiling).
