Breathing Issues

Question
Hi George,

Thank you for your time with this website - this is great.  
I am new/beginning swimmer trying to train for some future triathlons.  Cardio-vascular wise, I am pretty fit for a 33 yr old, however as I have been doing lap swims 2 times per week, I can not get over the breathing hurdle.  As I swim from one side of the pool to the next, I am so out of breath, I feel sick to my stomach.  No matter what I do, I find it very hard to relax and slow my breathing down.  Do you have any suggestions?

Answer
Dan-
The best thing to do is to remember that you never want to hold your breath.  You should either be inhaling or exhaling.  It's not a matter of slowing down your breathing, just adjusting your timing to your stroke.  Keep the stroke nice and long and relaxed.  If you can try to breath on opposite sides(every third stroke-rlr breath,lrl breath)
Hope this helps
George