The Nourished Nervous System

Send us Fan Mail Are there certain seasons, foods or activities that aggravate your health or help you feel better?  Are they different than the people who are close to you?  This is because your body, mind and spirit is unique and has unique needs. In this episode, I talk about the Ayurvedic concept of Prakriti, which is your unique constitutional blueprint determined at conception.  I explain th...

Send us Fan Mail This week is a flashback episode!  This is an episode I put out almost two years ago about the basics of Pitta Dosha.  I'll be back next week with a new episode! Original shownotes: Ever feel hangry?  That’s Pitta.  Acne and spreading rashes?  That’s Pitta.  Feel irritable and angry in hot weather?  Also Pitta.   Pitta Dosha is a combination of the Fire and Water elements.  F...

Send us Fan Mail In this special episode of Nourish Nervous System, I'm offering you a rejuvenating Yoga Nidra practice to help if you're feeling spread thin, burnt out, or depleted.  Based on my own recent experiences with overbooking during the busy summer season, I'll share insights on recognizing and managing the spreading quality of Pitta Dosha.  This episode includes a guided...

Send us Fan Mail What is vitality and how do we begin to cultivate it?   In this episode , I explore these questions with Deborah Zucker, a naturopathic physician, mental health counselor, health coach, and award-winning author of the Vitality Map.  Deborah discusses her journey through healing from chronic fatigue and depression and introduces her approach to deep vitality.  The conversation expl...

Send us Fan Mail Do you experience gas, bloating or indigestion?  You may need to work on your kindling your digestive fire.  In Ayurveda, we call this agni.  A digestive fire that burns just right will make digestion more efficient and can have a positive impact on other body systems.   In this episode, I delve into the importance of digestion and its impact on various aspects of health, includin...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode I welcome Julian Bermudez, a therapist and guide specializing in trauma, identity, and the integration of psychedelic experiences.  Julian shares his personal journey from growing up in a racially divided, challenging environment to becoming a healer who helps others reconnect with their true selves.  He discusses his unique approach to therapy, focusing on presenc...

Send us Fan Mail Caffeine is something that is integrated into most people's lives, but do you ever take a step back to really look at your relationship with caffeine?  In this episode I discuss the effects of caffeine on the body and mind from both personal and Ayurvedic perspectives, comparing caffeine consumption to using an energy credit card.  I explain how different Ayurvedic constituti...

Send us Fan Mail The breath is an incredible tool for nervous system regulation that we always have with us.  Like meditation or movement practices, the more you practice with it the more it becomes second nature.   In this episode I have a profound conversation with Leo Mars about the transformative potential of breathwork.  Leo shares his life story from growing up in Alaska to becoming an entre...

Send us Fan Mail Do you have the tendency to spread yourself thin in the summer?  I know I do.  There is inevitably a point (or many points) in the summer that I feel burnt out.   I've been thinking about this in relation to the spreading quality of Pitta Dosha, and the tendency to "spread yourself thin" in the summer time.   In this episode, I explore the qualities of Pitta energy...

Send us Fan Mail Have you ever had a stressful or tramatic experience and your body begins to involuntarily shake?  Have you also tried to stop the shaking?  It is very common in our culture to do so, but this shaking is a key to processing stress and trauma. In this episode, I welcome Siv Shields, a chiropractor from Norway with a deep background in meditation and various stress relief practices....

Send us Fan Mail I've been talking a lot about "connecting to your life force" but what exactly IS your life force?   It could be many things, and one of the ways I think of it is Prana. In this episode, I explore the concept of prana, the vital life force in yogic and Ayurvedic traditions.  I discuss prana's nature as the universal energy that animates all natural life, its mo...

Send us Fan Mail If you are a parent, grandparent, aunt uncle or anyone that has small children in your life - this episode is for you.  How do we ride the waves of emotion with our children, building connection and creating a relationship built on trust and love? We will explore this topic in this episode with Randi Johnson, a parenting coach and founder of Crib Notes Consulting, who specializes...

Send us Fan Mail Your body, mind and spirit want to heal.  It is a matter of getting situated in the self and connecting to your life force and creating the conditions for thriving.   But this is easier said than done.   What gets in the way of healing?  There could be so many answers to these questions but there are a few barriers that seem universal. In this episode , emphasizing Ayurvedic and s...

Send us Fan Mail What you eat is such a big part of Ayurveda because it is literally what makes up your body.  But there is so much more to the food we eat than how it affects us physically.   In this episode of the Nourished Nervous System, I am joined by Veronica Wolf Casey, a board-certified Ayurvedic medical practitioner, Ayurvedic chef, and Ayurvedic yoga therapist.  Veronica shares her uniqu...

Send us Fan Mail This idea for this episode began while starting seeds.  Is anyone else consistently amazed when their seeds sprout?  An I the only one? In this episode, I reflect on this awe-inspiring experience and draw a parallel to the ways we sometimes relate to our health and wellness.  Through exploring the natural growth of plants and their unique care requirements, I illustrate how creati...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of the Nourished Nervous System, I have a deep and insightful conversation with Elysia Skye, a motivational speaker, mindfulness facilitator, author, podcast host, and intuitive life and business coach.  Elysia shares her journey to becoming an intuitive business coach and the crucial role intuition played in her life, particularly during a health crisis.  Together...

Send us Fan Mail Food is more than it's nutritional composition.  It is also a composition of tastes, and these tastes can be important clues to whether that food is going to bring us in or out of balance. In this episode, I focus on the six fundamental tastes in Ayurveda and their effects on the body's doshas.  I elaborate on how these tastes—sweet, salty, sour, bitter, pungent, and ast...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of The Nourished Nervous System, I welcome my longtime friend Daniel Bear Davis, a somatic experiencing practitioner with a rich background in dance, performance and bodywork.  Our conversation explores the intersections of somatic experiencing, cultural somatics, and authentic movement.  Daniel shares how dance and movement have shaped his approach to trauma reneg...

Send us Fan Mail Do you ever feel stuck in the early spring?  Heavy, tired, sluggish digestion or stuck in your emotions?  This is because one of the qualities of Kapha Dosha, present in the spring is the "sticky" quality.   In this episode I'm going to dive into Kapha Dosha, specifically the sticky quality and explore some ways to get unstuck. I talk about how Kapha's qualitie...

Send us Fan Mail As things feel more chaotic in the world, there is a common sentiment that this is an important time to focus on community.   I hear a lot about community in the circles I am in, but what does it actually mean to be in community?  And how can one create or foster community wherever they are at in the process?   These are some of the questions that Chandra Cantor, a mom, yoga teach...

Send us Fan Mail Curiosity is innate, and yet it is also something that can be cultivated.  It can be used as a tool for more self awareness as well as creating connection. In this episode of The Nourished Nervous System, I explore the concept of curiosity and its importance as a pathway to resilience.  I discuss how curiosity can help combat rigidity, control, and perfectionism by promoting flexi...

Send us Fan Mail Neuroplasticity is a big part of resilience.  We know the impact of our thoughts on so many aspects of our lives.  But how does your posture and movement affect your brain and neuroplasticity? We are going to explore this in this episode of The Nourished Nervous System with Lara Heimann, a physical therapist, yoga teacher, movement educator, and creator of the LYT Method.  We disc...

Send us Fan Mail Have you ever wondered why Ayurveda is so focused on seasonal transitions, digestion and prevention?  It all ties into the Ayurvedic perspective of disease and how it manifests in the body. In this episode I delve into the Ayurvedic principles of maintaining health and preventing disease through seasonal transitions. With the world in a state of flux, grounding and resilience beco...

Send us Fan Mail Do you have food sensitivities or allergies?  Do you cook for someone that does?  If you answered "yes" to either of those questions, you won't want to miss this episode with Chay Wike, author of 'The Kitchen Commune'b.  This heartfelt conversation delves into Chay's journey with autoimmune diseases and Lyme disease, and how it led her to discover the...

Send us Fan Mail Happy Imbolc!  This is the midpoint between the Winter Solstice and Spring Equinox.  It is also the beginning of Kapha season in Ayurvedic thought.   In this episode, I briefly share my observations on this seasonal shift and introduce the concept of the 'somatic pause,' a simple, regular practice focusing on tuning into the body's needs and signals.  This practice...