The DOC Podcast

In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Louise Oliver, an NHS general practitioner, functional breathing practitioner, and founder of Breath Doc Programs, who discovered the profound impact of dysfunctional breathing after her own struggles with perimenopausal snoring. We dig into why physicians are rarely taught about airway and breathing dysfunction, the biochemistry of over-breathing and "air hunger," and how retraining your CO2 tolerance can be life-changing.

We also explore how daytime breathing habits shape nighttime breathing, why puberty, pregnancy, and menopause reshape airway function, the troubling gaps in sleep apnea research for women, and a nuanced take on mouth taping. It's a wide-ranging conversation that challenges assumptions about one of the most basic things we do every moment of our lives: breathe.

TIMESTAMPS
- 0:00 – Introduction
- 3:47 – Meet Dr. Louise Oliver
- 3:49 – Dr. Oliver's journey to functional breathing
- 9:59 – What actually counts as evidence-based medicine
- 14:04 – Why traditional medicine overlooks breathing dysfunction
- 19:28 – The mechanics of over-breathing and air hunger
- 25:23 – How to retrain your breathing
- 33:28 – How over-breathing affects the whole body
- 38:42 – Breathing and the autonomic nervous system
- 46:16 – Why daytime breathing habits shape nighttime breathing
- 52:51 – Women's health, hormones, and breathing
- 53:38 – Breathing through puberty, pregnancy, and menopause
- 1:14:50 – The gap in women's sleep medicine research
- 1:20:10 – The truth about mouth tape
- 1:25:46 – Closing thoughts and where to find Dr. Oliver

LINKS
  • (00:00) - Introduction
  • (03:47) - Meet Dr. Louise Oliver
  • (03:48) - Dr. Oliver's Journey to Functional Breathing
  • (09:59) - What Counts as Evidence-Based Medicine
  • (14:03) - Why Medicine Overlooks Breathing
  • (19:27) - The Mechanics of Over-Breathing and Air Hunger
  • (25:22) - Retraining Your Breathing
  • (33:28) - How Over-Breathing Affects the Whole Body
  • (38:42) - Breathing and the Autonomic Nervous System
  • (46:15) - Daytime Breathing Habits Shape Nighttime Breathing
  • (52:50) - Women's Health, Hormones, and Breathing
  • (53:38) - Breathing Through Puberty, Pregnancy, and Menopause
  • (01:14:50) - The Gap in Women's Sleep Medicine Research
  • (01:20:11) - The Truth About Mouth Tape
  • (01:25:46) - Closing Thoughts and Where to Find Dr. Oliver

What is The DOC Podcast?

The DOC Podcast brings you unique educational content taught by Dr. Mike DeLuke, a Board Certified Orthodontist with over 20 years of clinical and academic experience. Dr. DeLuke built his orthodontic practice from scratch in the early 2000s and grew it into a multimillion-dollar enterprise in less than 10 years. He was able to retire from his private practice at the age of 46 years old, and now devotes his energy to teaching his colleagues how to succeed both personally and professionally. He also provides locum tenens coverage for colleagues in South Florida.

Dr. DeLuke has served as a faculty member at numerous hospitals and orthodontic residency programs around the country, including as the cleft craniofacial orthodontist at Albany Medical Center in New York, and as a clinical professor at The University of Connecticut in the Department of Orthodontics. He is presently an adjunct professor in the Department of Pediatric Dentistry at Healthcare Network and a Visiting Professor in the Department of Orthodontics at Montefiore Einstein Hospital in the Bronx.

The DOC Podcast will bring you in-depth discussions and interviews with industry leaders and experts on a variety of topics, including clinical excellence, practice management, finance and wealth creation, health and wellness, taxes and accounting, fitness, and much more!