In this episode of Everyday Ayurveda with Kate, we sit down with the wise and inspiring Victoria Moran—Oprah-featured author of Age Like a Yogi and host of the Main Street Vegan Podcast. At 75, Victoria shares honest reflections on what it truly means to age like a yogi in a youth-obsessed culture. Together, she and Kate unpack topics including Ayurveda’s role in healthy aging, the importance of strength training, the evolution of yoga, and finding authenticity in the digital age. This conversation is a gentle, humorous, and insightful invitation to embrace aging with grace, courage, and curiosity.

This episode of Everyday Ayurveda with Kate O’Donnell unpacks the complex relationship between weight gain and the Ayurvedic doshas. Kate explains the different types of weight gain—Vata, Pitta, Kapha, and toxins (ama)—and shares practical tips for addressing each type. She dives deep into the root causes of weight gain, from stress and metabolic dysfunction to diet and lifestyle choices. Whether you’re feeling stuck with extra pounds or simply curious about how Ayurveda interprets weight gain, this episode offers grounded wisdom, clear guidance, and actionable steps to support your journey toward balance and well-being.

Metabolic flexibility might just be the missing link between your digestion and your cognition. In this illuminating episode, Kate O’Donnell is joined by Dr. Scott Blossom, a licensed acupuncturist and integrative medicine practitioner who has studied with Ayurveda legend Dr. Robert Svoboda and is certified in Dr. Dale Bredesen’s ReCODE Protocol for cognitive health.

Together, they explore the rising rates of Alzheimer’s and cognitive decline—especially among women—and uncover what the science is showing us about the root causes. From the microbiome to mitochondrial function, sleep cycles to fasting windows, this conversation will expand how you think about your own brain health, metabolism, and daily choices.

Whether you’ve watched a loved one go through dementia, you’re noticing memory changes in yourself, or you just want to be proactive, this conversation will give you tangible, evidence-informed Ayurvedic strategies for supporting brain longevity.

Kate O'Donnell unpacks Ayurvedic insights into PMS, explaining how Vata, Pitta, and Kapha imbalances manifest as period problems. Listeners will learn how to identify doshic imbalances causing PMS symptoms, practical remedies for each type, and why tracking symptoms can help restore balance. Kate shares how subtle lifestyle adjustments can transform the menstrual experience and offers clear guidance for bringing harmony to each phase of the cycle.

Kate O’Donnell is joined by Amadea Morningstar, a trailblazer in the field of holistic health with over 40 years of experience. Amadea shares her journey from studying nutrition and Ayurveda under Dr. Basant Lad to becoming a practitioner who bridges Western and Eastern healing modalities. Listeners will discover how Amadea’s unique approach combines Ayurveda, biochemistry, polarity therapy, and Tibetan Buddhism to support holistic well-being.

Amadea reveals her practice of spending weekends in a forest hut for 10 years, emphasizing the importance of balancing mind and body, working with natural remedies, and finding wisdom through life’s transitions. She also explores how Ayurveda's five koshas and practical principles guide her work with clients, whether they are facing life-threatening illnesses or simply seeking greater balance.

 Kate O’Donnell opens the conversation on periods from an Ayurvedic lens, inviting listeners to sync their menstrual health with the rhythms of the moon and the wisdom of nature. This is the first of a two-part masterclass exploring the monthly cycle through the three doshas — Vata, Kapha, and Pitta — and how to bring harmony to each phase.

Kate walks us through practical ways to nourish our bodies during menstruation with warm, moist foods, restorative movement, and subtle lifestyle shifts. You’ll learn how small changes — like avoiding artificial light after 10 PM or choosing period panties over tampons — can have a profound effect on your energy, digestion, mood, and menstrual flow.

Whether you’re experiencing PMS, navigating your first period, or supporting someone who bleeds, this episode offers tools to honor the body’s intelligence, instead of overriding it.

Have you ever wondered how Vedic astrology could offer more than predictions — how it might serve as a tool for healing, understanding, and inner growth?

In today’s conversation, Kate sits down with Roma Kapadia, a Mumbai-based Vedic astrologer, to explore how the ancient science of astrology aligns with Ayurveda and yoga to guide us toward a deeper relationship with our true selves.

Roma shares her personal journey of discovering astrology through a health crisis, discusses the essential differences between Vedic and Western astrology, and explains how understanding planetary periods can bring clarity, purpose, and resilience to everyday life.

This conversation offers not just a glimpse into the planetary map at the time of your birth — but a living, breathing method for navigating life’s challenges with greater empathy, patience, and trust.

Whether you’re new to astrology or curious about how it connects to Ayurveda and your soul’s journey, this episode opens the door to powerful insights and practical wisdom.

Kate O’Donnell explores Panchakarma, Ayurveda’s ancient and deeply transformative cleansing and rejuvenation process. Whether you’re new to the concept or considering a retreat yourself, Kate breaks down everything you need to know: what Panchakarma is, how it works, who it’s for, and whether a three-week immersive in India or a shorter U.S.-based version is right for you.

Through personal stories, clinical wisdom, and practical tips, Kate demystifies this powerful process and helps you consider when, why, and how to incorporate it into your own long-term healing path.

 Kate is joined by regenerative hemp farmer and wellness entrepreneur Stefanie Reiser, founder of Acknowledge Farms. They explore the healing potential of the hemp plant and the nuances of creating clean, effective CBD products. Stefanie shares how her personal wellness journey and background in agricultural policy led her to start a farm dedicated to organic, regenerative practices.

Together, Kate and Stefanie demystify the language of CBD—from cannabinoids and terpenes to full-spectrum vs. isolate products—and discuss how to choose the right form and dosage based on your body’s unique response. Whether you’re navigating perimenopause, struggling with sleep, or simply curious about using plant medicine safely and intentionally, this conversation offers grounded, Ayurvedic-aligned guidance you can trust.

In this episode of Everyday Ayurveda with Kate, we explore one of the most universal struggles of modern living—sleep. Whether you’re waking up at 3AM or finding it hard to wind down at night, Kate unpacks the Ayurvedic clock to explain what your body is trying to tell you and how your routines—from meals to movement—could be affecting your rest.

This solo teaching dives into the energetic qualities of each part of the day, why timing your meals and bedtime matters more than you think, and how to tailor your evenings to naturally prepare for restorative sleep. You’ll also learn how perimenopause, stimulants, late-night eating, and screen time may be influencing your unique pattern of sleep disturbance—and how to bring things back into balance.

What if the secret to vibrant health lies in your spice cabinet? In this powerful episode, Kate sits down with Dr. Shivani Gupta, a PhD in turmeric, Ayurvedic practitioner, and founder of Fusionary Formulas, to unpack the science, tradition, and daily rituals that can help reverse chronic inflammation. From autoimmune flares to hormone imbalances, leaky gut to joint pain, this conversation goes beyond the turmeric latte and into the real, research-backed benefits of Ayurveda’s golden root. Dr. Gupta shares her personal journey from chronic illness to vibrant health, plus practical detox strategies, Ayurvedic rituals, and exactly how to build resilience in a toxic world.

Can smart technology support your wellness journey — or is it just another distraction? In this solo episode, Kate shares her personal experience experimenting with wearable devices like smart rings and watches. She breaks down the pros and cons of tracking data such as sleep and activity, discusses how constant connectivity can affect our mental state, and offers Ayurvedic insight into when and how to integrate technology with intention. Whether you’ve been curious about smart tech or are looking to recalibrate your relationship with devices, Kate offers a thoughtful guide to finding balance in a data-driven world.

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.