How did Niraj Naik transform his life from chronic illness to breathwork mastery, and what led him to create the revolutionary SOMA Breath program?    In this episode of I AM HUMAN, I interview Niraj Naik about breath work and the SOMA Breath program. We learn about the importance of the breath, the paradox of oxygen vs. CO2, and how we can utilize breath work to increase our wellbeing and joy.    Niraj discusses his transformative journey from chronic illness to self-healing through breathwork, leading to the creation of the SOMA Breath program. Known as the renegade pharmacist, Niraj shares his insights on optimizing breathing to combat oxidative stress, enhance athletic performance, and elevate energy levels. He highlights the benefits of practicing breathwork on an empty stomach and the importance of integrating it into daily routines for holistic health and stress management. The episode delves into the limitations of modern medicine and the pharmaceutical industry, emphasizing the need for personal responsibility in health management. Niraj advocates for lifestyle medicine and pranayama as empowering alternatives for both doctors and patients, addressing issues like physician burnout and systemic pressures in healthcare. The SOMA Breath program's unique approach, combining music and rhythmic breathing, is presented as a tool for achieving profound states of consciousness and improving overall well-being.    Niraj Naik is a former pharmacist turned holistic health and breathwork expert, known as the Renegade Pharmacist. His journey began as a community pharmacist until stress-related depression and ulcerative colitis prompted a profound self-healing quest. This led to the creation of SOMA Breath, a global movement with over 3,500 certified instructors and hundreds of thousands of students worldwide. Advocated by wellness leaders like Ben Greenfield and studied by neuroscientists at Cambridge, Niraj is dedicated to educating others on holistic health, breathwork, and meditation, while also developing various health-related brands.    Discussion points:  (00:00) Guest intro - Niraj Naik (05:29) Niraj’s career path ups and downs, oxidative stress, breathwork, and optimizing well-being and enhancing energy levels (11:30) Breathwork helps manage stress and balance in business, the broken business model of healthcare, big pharma’s control over media and the people (23:54) Getting off processed food, eat more whole home-cooked foods (25:00) Feeling trapped as a physician, wanting to help people (27:30) Breathing practices like pranayama, CO2 tolerance, and mindful practices can improve well-being and longevity, breath-hold time (45:00) The power of SOMA Breath program - combining music and rhythmic breathing for transformative experiences, improving energy levels and athletic performance (52:25) Closing questions, what we wish people knew Please subscribe, and reach out to us with your comments, questions, and feedback  Resources:  SOMA Breath https://www.somabreath.com/  The Renegade Pharmacist https://therenegadepharmacist.com/  Niraj on IG https://www.instagram.com/nirajnaikofficial/  NIraj FB  https://www.facebook.com/groups/839552753990073/  SOMA Breath on YT https://www.youtube.com/somabreath    Disclaimer: The information on this podcast is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not meant to replace careful evaluation and treatment. If you have concerns about your health or well-being, please consult a healthcare professional.  The I AM HUMAN podcast explores topics such as plant-based nutrition, lifestyle medicine, personal development, and spirituality to promote health, well-being, longevity, and joy and help you craft your best life yet. Subscribe today, and send your feedback to [email protected]  Dr. Yami is a board-certified pediatrician, certified lifestyle medicine physician, national board-certified health and wellness coach, author and international speake