Elements of Ayurveda Podcast

The word authenticity can sometimes feel overused, misunderstood, or even a little cliché. Yet beneath the buzzword lies a profound question: Who are you underneath all the layers of conditioning, expectations, habits, and beliefs you've accumulated throughout your life? In this episode, Colette explores how Ayurveda offers a unique framework for uncovering your authentic self. Rather than becomin...

Have you ever wondered if your skin is trying to tell you something? In this episode, Colette continues the conversation on Ayurvedic skin health following her interview with Vaidya Kamya Pillai on the gut-skin connection in episode 447. While many of us are taught to focus on skincare products to address dryness, breakouts, redness, or sensitivity, Ayurveda encourages us to look beneath the surfa...

Have you been feeling less drawn to hustle culture, constant productivity and striving, and more drawn to simplicity, connection and a slower rhythm of life? In this episode, Colette explores the concept of the feminine fire through an Ayurvedic lens. Inspired by reflections on the balance between feminine and masculine energies within us all, she examines how modern life, excess rajas and nervous...

Are you living by your body's wisdom or by your data? In today's wellness culture, we're encouraged to track, measure, monitor, and optimize almost every aspect of our lives. Sleep scores, step counts, fasting windows, heart rate variability, recovery metrics, calorie burn, protein intake, the list seems endless. While technology can offer valuable insights, many people are finding themselves incr...

Ten years ago, Athina was severely ill with Crohn's disease, exhausted, unable to eat properly, rapidly losing weight, and unsure if she would survive. In this deeply inspiring conversation, she shares how discovering Ayurveda became a turning point in her healing journey. Together, Colette and Athina reflect on the physical, emotional, and spiritual transformation that unfolded through simple dai...

Could your skin be reflecting what's happening in your digestive system? Colette explores the Ayurvedic understanding of the gut-skin connection and why true radiance begins from within with Vaidya Kamya Pillai. While modern research continues to uncover the relationship between the microbiome, inflammation, and skin health, Ayurveda has long taught that healthy digestion, balanced doshas, and pro...

People pleasing is often misunderstood as simply being "too nice," but for many people it's much deeper than that. It can become a nervous system survival strategy shaped by childhood conditioning, fear of rejection, emotional hypervigilance, and the longing to feel safe, accepted, loved, and connected. In this episode, Colette explores people pleasing through the lens of Ayurveda, nervous system...

Why is it so difficult to truly rest, even when we're exhausted? In this episode, Colette explores the deeper Ayurvedic understanding of rest, nervous system regulation, productivity culture, and the relationship between Vata and Pitta imbalance. Many people today are living in a constant state of overstimulation and "doing," leaving the nervous system unable to fully soften and restore. Colette l...

Colette explores the Ayurvedic concept of Sadvritta, often translated as right living or ethical conduct , and how these timeless teachings can help us navigate modern life with more awareness, compassion, and harmony. While Ayurveda is often associated with food, herbs, and daily routines, the classical teachings remind us that true health goes far beyond the physical body. Our thoughts, beliefs,...

What does integrity truly mean in Ayurveda and why does it matter now more than ever? In today's rapidly expanding global wellness space, conversations around ethics, responsibility, and authenticity are becoming increasingly important. While this episode doesn't focus on specific events, it acknowledges that moments of rupture in any healing tradition can serve as powerful invitations to return t...

In modern life, we often talk about stress as if it's one single experience. We say "I'm stressed" and assume the solution is the same for everyone, but Ayurveda offers a much more nuanced understanding. From an Ayurvedic perspective, stress is not one-size-fits-all. It expresses itself through the lens of the doshas (Vata, Pitta, and Kapha) and each one creates a very different experience in the...

Colette is joined by Dr. Sujatha Kekada to explore some of the most common myths surrounding Ayurveda and bring clarity to what this ancient system truly teaches. From questions around diet and lifestyle to its relevance in today's scientific landscape, they unpack how Ayurveda is far more adaptable, nuanced, and evidence-aligned than many believe. Together, they explore how Ayurveda meets you whe...

Mushrooms have become increasingly popular in the modern wellness world, particularly for their potential benefits for the nervous system, immunity and resilience. But where do they fit within Ayurveda? In this episode, I'm joined by Sharmistha Guha Majumdar to explore mushrooms through the lens of Ayurvedic principles. While mushrooms are not extensively described in the classical texts, Ayurveda...

As winter transitions into spring, many people begin to notice subtle shifts in how they feel. You might experience brain fog, sluggish digestion, low motivation, seasonal allergies, or new cravings for sugar and comfort foods. While these symptoms may seem random, Ayurveda recognizes them as common responses to the seasonal shift from winter to spring. In this episode, Colette shares seven signs...

Have you ever felt tired… but something about it didn't feel like true fatigue? In this episode, Colette explores the subtle but important difference between Kapha accumulation and true fatigue, and how easily the two can be confused. What feels like low energy may actually be heaviness, stagnation, and mental fog, which are signs that the body is asking for movement and stimulation, not more rest...

Healing rarely happens through a single change. More often, it unfolds through awareness, consistency, and a growing relationship with the body and mind. In this episode, Colette is joined by her client Erica, who shares her deeply personal journey of healing through Ayurveda. What began as a search for answers during a period of fatigue and sluggishness became a transformational process of self-d...

As we approach the Spring Equinox on March 20th, nature reaches a moment of perfect balance, equal light and equal dark. But this shift isn't just happening around you… it's happening within you. In Ayurveda, seasonal transitions are considered powerful physiological turning points. The Spring Equinox marks a pivotal moment when winter's accumulated heaviness begins to melt and move through the bo...

What happens when we slow down enough to truly listen? In this heartfelt conversation, Colette is joined by her client Jenny, who shares her personal journey with Ayurveda, from her early connection with nature to her recent experience on the Digestive Reset Cleanse. Jenny reflects on how growing up in rural Ireland with a deep love of the natural world quietly shaped her path toward yoga and, eve...

Hormones influence every system in the body, from mood and metabolism to sleep, fertility, and the transitions of midlife. In this episode, I'm joined by Vaidya Princy Prasad of Kerala Ayurveda Academy to explore hormone regulation through the classical lens of Ayurveda. Rather than viewing hormones in isolation, we discuss how endocrine balance reflects the state of the doshas, agni, the nervous...

In Episode 432, we explored how awareness builds integrity, how listening to the body moment by moment allows coherence to arise naturally.  But what happens when awareness feels muted? What if you can't clearly feel hunger, fatigue, or even your own emotions? What if instead of clarity, there's numbness, confusion, or second-guessing? In this follow-up episode, Colette explores what happens when...

What if integrity wasn't about discipline, willpower, or doing the "right" thing, but something that naturally arises from awareness? In this episode, Colette explores one of the most foundational yet often overlooked principles of Ayurveda: awareness. Beneath dosha food lists, routines, herbs, and lifestyle practices lies Ayurveda's deeper invitation, to notice what is happening in the body, mind...

With Valentine's Day just around the corner, love is everywhere, on our screens, in shop windows, and throughout marketing campaigns. Yet for many of us, this time of year can feel complicated, tender, or even disconnecting. In this episode, Colette explores what Ayurveda really teaches about love , not the fleeting or idealized version we're often sold, but the steady, nourishing love that begins...

Ayurveda can feel deeply nourishing and also overwhelming especially when you've been learning for a long time and don't know where to begin, how to stay consistent, or how to soften self-pressure along the way. In this solo Ayurveda Q&A episode, Colette answers thoughtful questions from the Elements of Ayurveda Podcast Community, exploring how to work with overwhelm, perfectionism, and stress thr...

What does it mean to heal when the nervous system no longer feels safe in the body or the world? In this episode, Colette is joined by Sita Severson, Director of the Soul of Yoga Institute in San Diego, Ayurvedic Practitioner, Certified Yoga Therapist, and Vedic counselor. Sita's work lives at the intersection of ancient wisdom and modern trauma science, supporting people through grief, addiction...

Winter is often misunderstood in modern wellness culture as a season to simply endure, yet Ayurveda recognizes it as a powerful time for nourishment, restoration, and deep tissue building. In this episode, Colette is joined by experienced Ayurvedic physician Dr. Sujatha Kekada for a classical and clinical exploration of winter wellness. Together, they move beyond surface-level seasonal advice to e...