For most people, asthma is a disease you manage with inhalers, pills, and a prayer that the ER isn't your next stop. But new research is upending that view and changing everything we know about managing the condition.

The big shift? Medication alone might be the least effective way to manage this chronic condition.

Asthma is, after all, inflammatory by nature, but the lifestyle choices that fuel or fight inflammation are often ignored in traditional care plans.

What if the real triggers aren't just pollen or pets, but processed food, poor sleep, and unchecked anxiety? And what if healing asthma requires more than bronchodilators, like learning how to breathe all over again?

So what does a truly modern, whole-person approach to asthma look like?

In this episode, I'm joined by Dr. Atoosa Kourosh, an Asthma, Allergy & Immunology consultant physician and integrative medicine leader who's spent two decades treating asthma from every angle, not just the pharmaceutical one.

We dive into what the latest science says about lifestyle as medicine, and how breathwork, nutrition, exercise, and gut health are changing the game for asthma patients everywhere.

Things You'll Learn In This Episode

Why your exhale matters more than your inhale Most asthma patients struggle more with getting air out than in. What do breathing techniques like Buteyko and Papworth do that traditional deep breathing doesn't, and how can they rewire the lungs for better control?

Can a Mediterranean diet reduce airway inflammation? Forget calorie counting. How do whole foods, fiber, and fermented veggies change your lung health through your gut?

How obesity triggers two kinds of asthma dysfunction What's the double whammy effect of body fat on asthmatic lungs?

The cortisol-microbiome-asthma triangle What happens to your microbiome when you miss a night of sleep?

Guest Bio

Dr. Atoosa Kourosh, MD, MPH, RYT, is a physician, board-certified in Pediatrics, Asthma, Allergy & Immunology, and Public Health. She's also a patient health advocate. Dr. Kourosh combines treatment modalities from cutting-edge and mainstream medicine with the best of functional and integrative medicine therapies and traditional philosophies to treat the whole person in their environment. She is chair of the American College of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology Integrative Medicine Committee and is an internationally renowned expert on holistic and integrative health. Visit https://www.doctoratoosa.com/ to learn more.

About Your Host

Hosted by Dr. Deepa Grandon, MD, MBA, a triple board-certified physician with over 23 years of experience working as a Physician Consultant for influential organizations worldwide. Dr. Grandon is the founder of Transformational Life Consulting (TLC) and an outspoken faith-based leader in evidence-based lifestyle medicine.

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