Dr Disha Bhanushali.
In an age where healthcare often begins after illness sets in, Dr Disha Bhanushali believes healing should start much earlier - in the way we live, think and relate to ourselves every day.
With over 20 years of clinical practice, Dr Bhanushali is an Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon by training, having completed her BDS in 2006 and MDS in 2010 in Mumbai. Years spent in surgical practice gave her a deep understanding of disease and intervention, but also sparked a larger question: Why do so many health issues develop in the first place?
That curiosity led her beyond conventional medicine and into the evolving space of Lifestyle and Functional Medicine. She went on to train as a Lifestyle & Wellness Coach from Harvard Medical School, and today works at the intersection of medical science, lifestyle modification, meditation and emotional wellbeing.
At the core of her philosophy is a simple yet powerful belief - lifestyle is the first medicine. According to Dr Bhanushali, daily choices around food, sleep, movement, stress, breathing, emotional patterns and relationships shape health far more than most people realise. "Healing doesn't begin with prescriptions alone," she explains. "It begins with awareness."
Her work is closely aligned with the principles of Functional Medicine, an evidence-based, patient-centred approach that focuses on identifying root causes rather than managing symptoms. Instead of viewing the body as a collection of separate organs, functional medicine sees it as an interconnected system influenced by lifestyle, environment, nutrition, emotions and mindset. The goal is not just recovery, but long-term resilience and prevention.
What sets Dr Bhanushali apart is her ability to integrate this scientific framework with inner practices such as meditation and gratitude - not as abstract concepts, but as practical tools for emotional regulation, nervous system balance and mental clarity. She emphasises that science and spirituality need not be opposites. "Modern medicine and ancient wisdom can coexist," she says. "When they work together, healing becomes more complete."
Gratitude, in particular, plays a central role in her work. She is the author of Gratitude (Penguin), a book that explores how cultivating thankfulness can influence health, relationships, professional life and personal growth. For Dr Bhanushali, gratitude is not passive positivity, but an active, conscious practice that reshapes thought patterns and emotional wellbeing.
Through corporate wellness programs, lifestyle workshops, meditation sessions and personalised coaching, she works with individuals who are often high-performing yet burnt out - professionals seeking balance, clarity and sustainable health rather than quick fixes. Her approach is gentle, personalised and prevention-focused, rooted in the belief that there is no one-size-fits-all path to wellbeing.
In a culture driven by hustle and instant results, Dr Disha Bhanushali offers a quieter, grounded message - that health is not something to be chased after it's lost, but something to be honoured daily. By slowing down, listening inward and making mindful lifestyle shifts, she believes people can reconnect with their innate capacity to heal.
For her, true wellness is not merely the absence of disease, but a state of physical vitality, emotional balance and inner alignment - a life lived consciously, with compassion and gratitude.
