Asthma
Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disease of the airways where the immune system overreacts to triggers, causing the airway lining to swell, muscles around the airways to tighten, and excess mucus to form. This leads to symptoms like wheezing, coughing, chest tightness, and shortness of breath. Flare-ups can be triggered by allergens, respiratory infections, exercise, weather changes, or stress, and severity can range from mild to life-threatening.
What you will learn:
Understand what asthma is, how it’s diagnosed, and how severity and types are classified.
Explore treatment options—from inhalers and nebulizers to biologics—plus when and why oral steroids are used.
Learn how to recognize and manage triggers, from seasonal spikes and climate change to respiratory infections and stress.
Discover practical self-management strategies, including action plans, yoga, school accommodations, and patient education tools.
Podcast Episodes about Asthma
Curated for you! We’ve organized our episodes to start with the basics and go deeper as you listen.
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A breakdown of what asthma is, how it develops, and why it affects breathing. This episode explains the role of the immune system, what happens during an asthma attack, and how doctors diagnose it.
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Learn how asthma is classified by severity, the different types—from allergic to exercise-induced—and why these distinctions matter for treatment.
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Explores the everyday reality of asthma control, as Kortney and Dr. G discuss what it feels like to live with well-managed versus uncontrolled symptoms.
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Breaks down how rescue and controller inhalers work differently—one for quick relief, the other for long-term control—and includes Kortney’s personal experience of confusion when first prescribed both, and how learning the difference changed her care.
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Dives into the lived experience behind controller medications. From learning to use inhalers with a spacer, to understanding Montelukast’s role, and even why being honest about mental health matters—this episode brings the personal back into prescribing asthma medicine.
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Explains how injectable biologics—such as Xolair, Nucala, Dupixent, and Tezspire—work differently from traditional inhalers, and highlights the patient journey of considering advanced therapies after years of uncontrolled asthma.
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Explores what biologic medications are, how they provide targeted treatment for conditions like eczema and asthma, and key questions to ask your doctor before starting one.
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Breaks down the different types of biologic therapies for asthma, eczema, food allergies, and nasal polyps, including when they might be considered and what makes them different from traditional medications.
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A deep dive into oral corticosteroids: when they’re useful for asthma flare-ups, and why repeated courses can lead to serious side effects. Dr. Sheth and Kortney explain the warning signs of overuse and share practical strategies to keep asthma under control with fewer steroid bursts.
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Discovers a potential game-changer in asthma rescue therapy: the BATURA trial tested adding a low-dose inhaled steroid (budesonide) to the usual albuterol inhaler in people with mild asthma.
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The third week of September is known as asthma “peak week”. Learn how triggers like allergies, germs, and weather shifts combine to raise risks—plus steps to prevent flare-ups.
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Explores how climate change affects air quality, allergen exposure, and lung health, especially in vulnerable communities managing asthma and allergies.
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Explores the role of yoga in asthma management, from improving breath control to reducing stress.
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Covers the step-by-step process of getting a 504 plan in place for your child with food allergies or asthma, from documentation to collaborating with school staff.
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Walks through Emma Amascato’s experience raising two children with food allergies and asthma, highlighting the process of seeking testing, handling asthma flare-ups, and building daily management routines.
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Breaks down how Dr. Thomas transforms the traditional asthma education model: beginning with his childhood illustrations and developing into a collaborative, medically validated medium for teaching patients and training doctors to communicate more effectively.
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Highlights what asthmatics need to know about COVID-19: why September often brings more asthma flare-ups, differences between asthma and COVID symptoms, safety and tips around mask-wearing—and how to prepare for the school year.
Nativating Health Insurance
Health insurance affects everyone with a chronic condition. These episodes break it down.
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A breakdown of how to choose the right health insurance plan, including key terms to know, understanding coverage for allergy care, and tips for navigating open enrollment with confidence.
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A practical guide to navigating insurance denials, including why medications get rejected, how to file an appeal, and what to ask your doctor to strengthen your case.
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An overview of health insurance essentials for doctors, including how coverage decisions are made, tips for navigating claims, and why understanding insurance helps improve patient care.
The Impact of Climate Change on Environmental Allergies
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Understand how climate change drives new health challenges, from increased pollen exposure to longer allergy seasons and rising respiratory risks.
