Fresh Leaf Forever

Ever pondered over the true essence of success?  What if personal fulfillment resided not in a six-figure job, but in pursuing your passion?  Our fascinating guest, Maria Angelova, will make you rethink traditional notions of achievement. She transitioned from a high-ranking position as a Director of Finance to follow her heart and become a Pilates instructor.  Unravel her inspiring journey, where...

Ever wondered how  business leaders or athletes stay at the top of their game? It's not just physical prowess or business acumen. It's the unseen power of mental health. We have with us Dr. Jarrod Spencer, a clinical psychologist specializing in fostering emotional health in high performers. We explore the 'clear mind, better performance' mantra that Dr. Spencer swears by(his f...

Wouldn't it be phenomenal if you could decipher the world of youth sports? Our distinguished guest, Kirsten Jones, is a hall of fame NCAA D1 volleyball player, amazing book author,   a peak performance coach ,and a motivational speaker. As parents of collegiate athletes, we address the complex landscape of youth sports, a massive $20 billion industry, & explore the interplay between an at...

Did you know that your plate holds the power to combat climate change? Our guest, Glenn Merzer, a renowned playwright, screenwriter, and author, enlightens us with his compelling insights on the complex relationship between food choices and the climate crisis. Merzer’s valuable transformational journey from a stand-up comic to a fervent advocate for plant-exclusive diets paves the way for an awake...

Did you know that by prioritizing sustainability, companies can increase their positive impact on society?  Meet our guest August Vega, a clean tech proponent, creator and  former CEO of MALK Organics.  Her enlightening journey, which spans from sustainability to the consumer packaged goods (CPG) scene and further, is nothing short of inspiring.  August's journey began with her work in water...

In this episode, commemorating Plastic Free July, we encounter the inspiring journey of Hannah Testa, a young environmental activist, book author, Tedx speaker,  who didn't just read about plastic pollution, but made a monumental change. Witness the transformative power of one determined voice as we traverse her path from a passionate youngster to a renowned international speaker, author of &...

Understanding the challenges and complexities posed by climate evolution can be daunting. In this episode on the podcast,  our guest Ashoke Mohanraj is a sustainability advocate and book author who is a Top25U25 Environmentalist from Canada. He's an individual who isn't afraid to navigate the gray areas of complex issues surrounding sustainability, and helps guide us beyond the typical v...

Do you know how crucial sleep is for your teenager's health, mental well-being, and overall success? Discover the vital role of sleep in adolescents as I sit down with seasoned journalist, book author, and public speaker Lisa Lewis, who shares her personal journey and passion for advocating for teen mental health and the importance of sleep. My guest was instrumental in CA's legislation...

In this conversation, Science Technology Engineering Math(STEM) enthusiast, book author and Math SP founder Stephanie Espy talks to host Vai about how STEM is omnipresent in our lives and is not limited to just being forms of study. Vai delves deep into gender inequality in STEM and how our guest Stephanie is doing her part to address this and empower the next generation to take to more avenues in...

The state of mental well being amongst children, teens, young adults has become a topic of paramount significance in recent years; not that mental health wasn't an issue in the past- it's just that there's more of acceptance to bringing it out in the open more recently. My guest Vanessa Elias is a certified parent coach, a mental health activist, and a writer focused on helping pare...

In this opening episode of Season 3, eighteen year old Climate activist Sarah Syed emphasizes how small actions can lead to giant differences in preserving our planet and future. Sarah talks about her journey and how she started taking an interest in the preservation of the climate. As a fourth grade project presenter in school, she learned that it wasn't just about global warming but so many...

After thirty episodes of engaging content, Season 2 comes to a close.  Vai shares her thoughts on previous seasons and about upcoming season(s). Look for Season 3 to drop very soon !!! Send a text Buzzsprout Get your podcast launched! Start for FREE Enjoy PIOR Living products Enjoy PIOR Living products at a 20% discount and free shipping on orders over $75 Code FLF20 Disclaimer: This post contains...

Are you "hungry to learn,  innovate "?  Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) or STEAM(with Art included) has so much potential for anyone  to uncover and prove themselves in. Engineering ain't just for nerdy folks; instead, one can discover what facets of STEM might truly be of interest to you - as a student, young innovator, girls ready to get thinking hats on and those...

In this fascinating interview with Jini Patel Thompson, founder of Listen to Your Gut and author of multiple publications, host Vai uncovers lot of impactful information about Inflammatory Bowel Disease(Crohn's , Colitis). A very personal topic to both guest and host, this episode takes listeners through a multi pronged approach to finding a balance and restoring the body's equilibrium....

Rohini Bajekal is a nutritionist and lifestyle medicine practitioner based out of London U.K,  and co-author of a wonderful book- "Living PCOS Free". Having experienced PCOS first hand in her personal health journey, she sat down with me on the podcast to unpack several intriguing and stigmatized topics surrounding multiple chronic conditions. This episode serves as a primer for anyone w...

My guest Emily Reed is an Ayurvedic health counsellor, senior yoga and meditation teacher, life coach and energy worker - to describe the multifaceted persona surrounding her expertise. In this wonderful conversation with me, Emily delves deep into her journey that transformed her life, bringing her immense well-being; and now being able to offer that to others. Overcoming health issues, or puttin...

"Time Innovative teacher" Rachna Nath was recognized by the magazine as part of its 2022 List of Innovative teachers - an accolade conferred on stand out teachers who improve the learning experience for kids, or solve a problem faced by schools. With plethora of awards to her credit, my guest Rachna is also a - NASA Solar System Ambassador - National Geographic Educator - Grant writer, F...

My guest Selina Van Orden is a qualified Ayurvedic practitioner, who has talked in the British parliament and European Parliament on integrating Ayurveda into the western system and living. I found it very appropriate that she come on the show to talk about adapting an Ayurvedic lifestyle in the Western World, or for that matter in other parts of the world. Getting better health outcomes is the mo...

This conversation with Debbie Reber, founder of Tilt Parenting focuses on helping and embracing kids for who they are, and being inclusive in our approach. Debbie is a parenting activist, speaker, author and the host of her podcast "Tilt Parenting". Following aspects are very noteworthy - 1. Neurodiversity proposes that variation in brain functioning within the human population is normal...

Staying heart healthy is becoming more and more significant in this fast paced modern day scenario. Given this paramount need to focus on heart health, I sat down with an expert physician, book author, septuagenarian athlete on the show. Our guest Dr. Akil Taher recovered from a heart bypass surgery himself, and has transformed his state of health to one of vibrant & robust living by tweaking...

In this two part conversation on Heart Health and chronic conditions, I sat down with an expert physician, book author, septuagenarian athlete on the show. Our guest Dr. Akil Taher, recovered from a heart bypass surgery himself and has transformed his state of health to one of vibrant and robust living by tweaking his diet and lifestyle practices. Part one   on this show (Season 2, Episode #22) fo...

This episode is a very insightful conversation with renowned Ob-Gyn and book author Dr. Nitu Bajekal. She has written a wonderful book "Living PCOS free", co-authoring it with her daughter and nutritionist Rohini Bajekal . To anyone looking to manage PCOS or to get answers to puzzling aspects of women's health, this episode is for you! Dr. Bajekal has been practicing for over 35 yea...

Our guest in this episode is Glen Merzer, who is a playwright, screenwriter, and author/co-author of multiple books.  He wrote for network television for many years before stumbling into a career writing books that advocate the plant-exclusive diet. Glen's book "Food is Climate" explains the capacity we humans have to heal our planet and bring good reasoning to the climate debate. I...

My guest Chef AJ has been on a plant exclusive diet for over 43 years. A chef, culinary instructor, and professional speaker, she is the author of the popular book Unprocessed: How to Achieve Vibrant Health and Your Ideal Weight , which chronicles her journey from an obese junk-food vegan to learning how to create foods that nourish and heal the body.   Her latest bestselling book The Secrets to U...

Our guest Gigi Mortimer is the founder of EyeJust, a blue light blocking screen protector product that helps users adopt a healthier approach to technology.   In this conversation, Gigi and host Vai talk about the impact of blue light from screens, detrimental effects and how her company is making a difference in a virtual world.    Some focus aspects from this conversation include: How Gigi decid...