Grief is more than an emotional experience—it leaves its imprint on the body, digestion, and overall health. In this deeply personal episode, host Kate O’Donnell speaks with Ayurvedic doctor Sweta Vikram, author of The Loss That Binds Us, about how Ayurveda helps us process grief. Kate shares her own journey of loss after her father’s passing, while Sweta discusses how grief manifested physically and emotionally after the sudden deaths of her father and father-in-law. Together, they explore Ayurvedic practices that support the digestion of emotions and movement of grief through the body.

From understanding how grief shows up in digestion and tongue diagnosis to setting boundaries and finding rituals that honor lost loved ones, this episode offers compassionate wisdom and actionable steps for navigating loss.

In this solo episode of Everyday Ayurveda, Kate unpacks one of the most frequently asked questions: How much protein do I actually need? But instead of following mainstream nutrition trends, she offers an Ayurvedic approach — one that moves beyond counting grams to understanding the role of protein as a grounding, nourishing force in the body.

She discusses how dietary needs shift with age, why protein consumption isn’t a one-size-fits-all equation, and how the imbalance between sugar and protein in modern diets has led to confusion about what our bodies truly need. Whether you’re vegetarian, a lifelong meat eater, or somewhere in between, Kate shares insights on choosing the right sources of protein, optimizing digestion, and using food as a way to create balance, not stress.

Welcome to another episode of Everyday Ayurveda with Kate O’Donnell! Today, we’re diving into the wisdom of Ayurveda with special guest Salila Sukumaran, a generational Ayurveda practitioner from Kerala, India, now based in the San Francisco Bay Area. Salila is a practitioner, educator, chef, and yogi. In this episode, she shares her incredible journey of rediscovering Ayurveda after struggling with infertility and how she helps others integrate Ayurvedic principles into their modern lives.

If you’ve ever wondered how to make Ayurveda work for you—whether you’re balancing digestion, exploring Panchakarma, or looking for at-home wellness hacks—this conversation is for you.

Today, we are following up on seasonal cleansing, exploring the seasonal shift into spring, known as RituCharya.

In this episode, we dive into how RituCharya impacts the body and share Ayurvedic insights on maintaining and optimizing your health and thriving throughout the shift.

Stay tuned to learn what happens to the body as we transition from winter to spring. You will certainly not want to miss this!

I am delighted to have my dear friend Harmony Slater on the podcast with me today. Harmony is one of the most honest and down-to-earth people I know and one of the most advanced yoga practitioners in the world. She and I share a history of traveling to India over the last 20 years to deepen our yoga practices.

Harmony is a powerhouse with a great sense of humor. She is a mom, a National Board-Certified Life and Business Coach, a Spinal Energetics practitioner, and a yoga teacher. In this episode, we dive into her daily routines, the evolution of yoga over 25 years, and what it feels like to navigate aging and transformative personal work.

Stay tuned. You will not want to miss this deep and meaningful conversation with Harmony Slater.

I am excited to welcome Christine Eck, a dedicated postpartum caregiver, specialist, and Ayurvedic practitioner, as my guest. Christine founded the Center for Sacred Window Studies, an organization at the forefront of reviving traditional, conscious care for the postpartum period. She believes that prioritizing support for caregivers and promoting holistic healing for birthing individuals is the key to meaningful change. Since founding the center, she has certified hundreds of conscious postpartum caregivers and fostered a thriving alumni and professional community.

In this episode, we explore nourishment for postpartum mothers and their caregivers. We look at ways to support new mothers with their postpartum digestive health, much like the care required for supporting digestion after taking antibiotics, and offer plenty of valuable insights beyond postpartum care as we dive into the aspects of postpartum digestive rehabilitation that support post-surgery recovery or illnesses affecting the digestive system. We also provide a wealth of practical knowledge as Christine and I share our favorite kitchen tools, simple recipes for digestive recovery, and tips for organizing a meal train to support a postpartum family.

Today, I am delighted to welcome Nidhi Pandya, an Ayurvedic doctor and the author of the soon-to-be-released book Your Body Already Knows, to explore the interconnection between Ayurveda, yoga, and mindful living.

In this insightful episode, Nidhi dives into her journey of growing up immersed in ancient Ayurvedic traditions. She shares the profound wisdom of those principles and explains how she has woven them into her personal and professional life.

Join us for Nidhi’s heartfelt stories and actionable insights highlighting the relevance of Ayurveda in modern-day life.

Happy New Year everyone!

We have an incredible lineup of guests and topics planned for 2025 to share how the wisdom of Ayurveda can support our mental, physical, and spiritual well-being.

The most significant aspect of Ayurveda for me has always been its spiritual dimension and how it helps us foster a more meaningful connection with the hidden dimensions of life. Setting my intentions for this year, I find myself drawn more toward the unseen aspects of life and the magic that lies in the day-to-day instead of focusing on manifesting things of a physical nature.

Join me for a solo episode where I explore the idea of magic, what it means, how it manifests, and why it matters.

Today, I am excited to have Adena from Adena Rose Ayurveda with me on the podcast.

Adena is a women's health Ayurveda practitioner with 15 years of experience at the AyurvedicCenter of Vermont, where she once served as one of my Panchakarma therapists.

As an Ayurvedic practitioner, Adena works primarily in reproductive health, doing hands-on work, including Maya abdominal therapy and Ayurvedic therapies, to support women through various life stages, overcome fertility issues, and help them heal painful and irregular menstrual cycles.

Most of the questions I get asked while traveling revolve around my writing process or publishing journey. So, in this episode, I share my life-altering journey, explaining how a personal health challenge led me to discover Ayurveda and inspired me to write books to spread its wisdom. So, whether you dream of writing a book, are busy working on one, or are curious about the writing and publishing process, this episode is a must-listen.

Join me. You may even find the spark to turn your writing ideas into reality!

I am excited to have Sonia Lloyd, the founder of Rasasara Skin Food, on the show with me today.

Sonia founded her skincare company in Australia twenty years ago. She developed an interest in compounding skincare products after struggling with ultra-sensitive skin. Following the Ayurvedic model, she created a line specifically tailored for vata, pitta, and kapha skin types.

In our discussion today, Sonia shares her experience as a skincare consultant and dives into how her products get made. She reveals how our skin reflects our diet and lifestyle and explains how the qualities of vata, pitta, and kapha within the body show up in our skin. We also explore ways to recognize what is happening in our skin and how to care for it.

You will not want to miss this epic conversation with Sonia Lloyd of Rasasara Skin Food. Join us!

We are talking about exercise today.

In this episode, I answer some of the many questions I receive about the best kinds of exercise, how much you need, and how to adapt it as you age. We explore the Ayurvedic approach to exercising and the aspects of your unique makeup that are essential to consider before starting a movement routine. I also share very openly about my journey and experiments over the last decades as an active person beginning to notice some signs of aging.

I am excited to welcome DhyanaMasla as my guest on the podcast today.

Dhyana is the author of Ayurveda Mama, a book about conception, pregnancy, and postpartum care. She grew up in a community deeply rooted in Yoga and Ayurveda, which you can sense through her spirit-based worldview and how she values parenthood.

In this episode, we dive into her spirit-centered perspective, going beyond diet and recipes to explore how we can nourish ourselves through the transitions we experience in life.

Join us for a truly inspiring, insightful, and captivating conversation with DhyanaMasla.

We are talking about seasonal cleansing today.

In Ayurveda, practicing seasonal cleansing is essential for maintaining balance within the body throughout the year. In this episode, we break down what the cleanse entails, how it works, how to do it, and when to avoid it. You will also learn to make kitchari, the go-to dish for Ayurvedic cleanses.

Dr. Claudia Welch discusses how nurturing internal stability, facing mortality, and embracing the process of dying daily can help women navigate hormonal imbalances and find peace through life’s transitions.

I am delighted to have Julia Geer joining me on the podcast today.

Julia is my AI teacher. We met when she was a student at one of the Ayurveda schools where I teach, and now she offers a program to help solopreneurs like me, especially those in the wellness space, automate their businesses using AI.

As the founder of The Gear Shift, Julia blends cutting-edge AI with ancient wellness practices shaped by her 20 years of experience in healthcare, where she helped commercialize the first FDA-approved AI technology for clinical use. She is also a certified yoga therapist, Ayurvedic health counselor, and mindfulness meditation teacher.

With her holistic approach to business and personal growth, Julia makes the journey into AI surprisingly relevant to everyday tasks like cooking. In this episode, she explains how to use tools like ChatGPT and other AI engines to simplify meal planning. She even teaches us how to Ayurveda-size meals and tailor recipes to fit the season or your body type. While we also touch on AI ethics, we focus on practical and hands-on tips.

Conversations about the mind can sometimes feel oppressive or daunting, especially as we begin exploring what goes on there.

The mind is a system mostly comprised of space, filled with various elements, some good and others not. Creating positive space around you in simple and enjoyable ways will also uplift your internal spaces.

So, today, in the second part of our series on Ayurveda and the mind, we focus on ways to cultivate good space. Stay tuned for practical ideas to enhance your surroundings and inner world.

Today, I address your questions about anxiety and depression.

I am excited to explore this important and extensive topic, as Ayurveda offers a nuanced and refined perspective on mental wellness.

Today, I'm thrilled to welcome my partner of 11 years, Rich Ray. We first connected at a yoga party, sparking a journey into his fascinating past in a monastery.

Establishing a consistent daily rhythm enhances mood, sleep, and digestion. Aligning with the cosmos, guided by the sun and moon, transforms your well-being profoundly. Stay tuned!