Everyday Ayurveda with Kate

105. Apples in Ayurveda: Are They Good for You? Cooling, Cooked & Easier to Digest [VIDEO]

Are apples good for you according to Ayurveda? It depends on your digestion, and on how you prepare them. In this solo episode, Kate O'Donnell explains why apples are one of the best fall foods for cooling excess heat (pitta), why a raw, crisp apple can feel hard on a cold or sensitive gut, and how to cook apples so you get all of the medicine and none of the bloat. Kate starts with the Ayurvedic qualities of apples: cold, hard, juicy and fibrous. She explains why those qualities calm pitta and move the bowels, and why they can aggravate vata and kapha when the apple is eaten raw. Then she shares the principle behind her "Apple Madness" recipes. Knowing a food's qualities is step one. Step two is how you process it: raw or cooked, pureed, warm or cold, with or without digestive spices. From there, it's a tour of her fall kitchen: gingered applesauce with the skins left on (pink is a feature), stewed apple compote, stuffed baked apples with cider and dried fruit, apples stir-fried in ghee, apple crisp with an oat and almond flour topping, grated-apple overnight oats and gingerbread chia pudding, a curried apple butternut squash soup, and a simple apple cup filled with nut butter and spice. In this episode: Why apples are a pitta-balancing fall fruit (and when they aggravate vata and kapha) The Ayurvedic qualities of apples: cold, hard, juicy, fibrous Why cooking, pureeing and warming spices change how apples digest Apple skin, pectin and the prebiotic fiber that supports gut health Why moisture and fiber make apples a gentle fall "get things moving" food Pears vs. apples, plus cooling fruits from India: custard apple, chikoo (sapote) and melons Why bananas are tricky: cool, heavy and moist (and why ripeness matters) Gingered applesauce: why cinnamon and ginger are non-negotiable Stewed apple compote and the baked apple with cider and dried fruit Ghee-sautéed apples, apple crisp, apple overnight oats and gingerbread apple chia pudding Curried apple butternut squash soup The easy "apple cup" snack, from Laura Olson A simple tip for food combining: cook fruit with spices and serve it warm Take-home tip: If a raw apple feels cold and hard on your belly, don't skip it. Cook it, puree it, or warm it with ginger and cinnamon. Mentioned in this episode: Ayurveda Fall Community Cleanse, October 17–26 — 10 days of nourishing meals, daily routines and mindful practices, all online with Kate (dates are flexible if needed). Learn more and save your spot at ayurvedicliving.institute Kate's cookbooks (gingered apple butter and ghee-sautéed apples) The earlier episode on fruit digestion (search "fruit" in your podcast app) Share your Apple Madness: Tag Kate on Instagram at @kateodonnell.ayurveda, leave a comment on your podcast platform, or email hello@ayurvedicliving.institute. This podcast is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical advice. Consult a qualified healthcare provider before changing your diet or wellness routine. Connect with Kate: https://www.healwithkate.org Culinary Training in India https://ayurvedicliving.institute/ayurvedic-culinary-nutrition-training Fall Cleanse https://ayurvedicliving.institute/kitchari-cleanse-ayurveda-fall Ayurvedic Living Institute Membership: https://ayurvedicliving.institute/membership Women's Health Collection: https://courses.ayurvedicliving.institute/collections/womens-healthhttps://courses.ayurvedicliving.institute/products/courses/copy-of-fall-community-cleanse-2024 Panchakarma in India: https://ayurvedicliving.institute/panchakarma-in-india Thanks to our Sponsors: Banyan Botanicals https://alnk.to/eOQb34q Triphala Support: https://alnk.to/bPhiKjx

105. Apples in Ayurveda: Are They Good for You? Cooling, Cooked & Easier to Digest

Are apples good for you according to Ayurveda? It depends on your digestion, and on how you prepare them. In this solo episode, Kate O'Donnell explains why apples are one of the best fall foods for cooling excess heat (pitta), why a raw, crisp apple can feel hard on a cold or sensitive gut, and how to cook apples so you get all of the medicine and none of the bloat. Kate starts with the Ayurvedic qualities of apples: cold, hard, juicy and fibrous. She explains why those qualities calm pitta and move the bowels, and why they can aggravate vata and kapha when the apple is eaten raw. Then she shares the principle behind her "Apple Madness" recipes. Knowing a food's qualities is step one. Step two is how you process it: raw or cooked, pureed, warm or cold, with or without digestive spices. From there, it's a tour of her fall kitchen: gingered applesauce with the skins left on (pink is a feature), stewed apple compote, stuffed baked apples with cider and dried fruit, apples stir-fried in ghee, apple crisp with an oat and almond flour topping, grated-apple overnight oats and gingerbread chia pudding, a curried apple butternut squash soup, and a simple apple cup filled with nut butter and spice. In this episode: Why apples are a pitta-balancing fall fruit (and when they aggravate vata and kapha) The Ayurvedic qualities of apples: cold, hard, juicy, fibrous Why cooking, pureeing and warming spices change how apples digest Apple skin, pectin and the prebiotic fiber that supports gut health Why moisture and fiber make apples a gentle fall "get things moving" food Pears vs. apples, plus cooling fruits from India: custard apple, chikoo (sapote) and melons Why bananas are tricky: cool, heavy and moist (and why ripeness matters) Gingered applesauce: why cinnamon and ginger are non-negotiable Stewed apple compote and the baked apple with cider and dried fruit Ghee-sautéed apples, apple crisp, apple overnight oats and gingerbread apple chia pudding Curried apple butternut squash soup The easy "apple cup" snack, from Laura Olson A simple tip for food combining: cook fruit with spices and serve it warm Take-home tip: If a raw apple feels cold and hard on your belly, don't skip it. Cook it, puree it, or warm it with ginger and cinnamon. Mentioned in this episode: Ayurveda Fall Community Cleanse, October 17–26 — 10 days of nourishing meals, daily routines and mindful practices, all online with Kate (dates are flexible if needed). Learn more and save your spot at ayurvedicliving.institute Kate's cookbooks (gingered apple butter and ghee-sautéed apples) The earlier episode on fruit digestion (search "fruit" in your podcast app) Share your Apple Madness: Tag Kate on Instagram at @kateodonnell.ayurveda, leave a comment on your podcast platform, or email hello@ayurvedicliving.institute. This podcast is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical advice. Consult a qualified healthcare provider before changing your diet or wellness routine. Connect with Kate: https://www.healwithkate.org Culinary Training in India https://ayurvedicliving.institute/ayurvedic-culinary-nutrition-training Fall Cleanse https://ayurvedicliving.institute/kitchari-cleanse-ayurveda-fall Ayurvedic Living Institute Membership: https://ayurvedicliving.institute/membership Women's Health Collection: https://courses.ayurvedicliving.institute/collections/womens-healthhttps://courses.ayurvedicliving.institute/products/courses/copy-of-fall-community-cleanse-2024 Panchakarma in India: https://ayurvedicliving.institute/panchakarma-in-india Thanks to our Sponsors: Banyan Botanicals https://alnk.to/eOQb34q Triphala Support: https://alnk.to/bPhiKjx

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104. How GLP-1 Drugs Really Work (and Where Ayurveda Fits In)

So many of you have written in asking about GLP-1s, the Ozempic class of drugs. This week Kate talks with Dr. Sheena Sooraj, chief clinical officer at Kerala Ayurveda Academy and Wellness Center, who sees clients on these medications every month. Dr. Sheena explains how GLP-1s work in the pancreas, stomach and brain, who tends to need them long term and who may be able to come off them with their doctor, and how Ayurveda supports digestion, hydration and the enjoyment of food while someone is on them. This isn't a conversation about Ayurveda versus modern medicine. It's a clinician's honest look at the pros, the cons, and where the two can work together. Stay for Kate's post-roll on the vata imbalances that can come with rapid weight loss. What We Cover What the natural GLP-1 hormone does in the body How GLP-1 medications act on the pancreas, the stomach and the brain The three groups of people Dr. Sheena sees: those postponing the medication, those managing side effects, and those hoping to come off it someday Why family history shapes whether someone may need to stay on the medication (Ayurveda calls diabetes a kulaja vyadhi, a condition with strong hereditary influence) A client story: how Ayurveda and Ozempic worked together for one busy, globe-trotting client The core conflict: Ayurveda strengthens agni, GLP-1s quiet it Why reduced thirst matters, and how to hydrate on purpose Meal timing, a lighter dinner before sunset, and easy-to-digest foods Ayurvedic support for coming off GLP-1s, including body therapies like udwartana (dry powder massage) Emotional eating, hormone transitions and weight gain across a woman's life Guilt, lost appetite and missing the joy of food, and how nasya can help Kate's post-roll: vata imbalance and dhatu kshaya (tissue depletion) during rapid weight loss Dr. Sheena's morning gratitude practice and evening wind-down routine About Dr. Sheena Sooraj Vaidya Sheena Sooraj is the Chief Clinical Officer, Ayurvedic Specialist, and Academy Faculty at Kerala Ayurveda Academy in Milpitas, California.Coming from a family with a strong Ayurvedic heritage, Vaidya Sheena developed a deep connection with Ayurveda from an early age. Her grandfather, a respected Ayurvedic physician and astrologer, played an important role in shaping her interest in and commitment to the traditional science of healing. She holds a Bachelor of Ayurvedic Medical Sciences (BAMS) from Mahatma Gandhi University, Kerala, and brings 23 years of experience in clinical practice, patient care, education, and professional training. Throughout her career, she has been dedicated to bringing the wisdom of classical Ayurvedic principles into contemporary clinical practice and wellness. As a clinician and educator, she is passionate about making Ayurveda accessible, practical, and relevant to modern healthcare and everyday life. Her work encompasses clinical care, Ayurvedic education, practitioner training, wellness program development, and community education, with a particular interest in translating traditional Ayurvedic knowledge into meaningful, evidence-informed approaches for modern health and well-being. Website:https://keralaayurveda.us/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drsheenasooraj Please work with your healthcare provider and a qualified Ayurvedic practitioner before changing any medication, starting herbs, or trying nasya. Mentioned in This Episode Ayurvedic Fall Community Cleanse, October 17–26, 2026. Ten days of nourishing meals, daily routines and community support, all online with Kate. Learn more and reserve your spot at ayurvedicliving.institute Health Disclaimer The information shared on Everyday Ayurveda with Kate is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Never stop, start or change a prescribed medication without talking to your healthcare provider. Connect with Kate: https://www.healwithkate.org Culinary Training in India https://ayurvedicliving.institute/ayurvedic-culinary-nutrition-training Fall Cleanse https://ayurvedicliving.institute/kitchari-cleanse-ayurveda-fall Ayurvedic Living Institute Membership: https://ayurvedicliving.institute/membership Women's Health Collection: https://courses.ayurvedicliving.institute/collections/womens-healthhttps://courses.ayurvedicliving.institute/products/courses/copy-of-fall-community-cleanse-2024 Panchakarma in India: https://ayurvedicliving.institute/panchakarma-in-india Thanks to our Sponsors: Banyan Botanicals https://alnk.to/eOQb34q Triphala Support: https://alnk.to/bPhiKjx

• Chapters

104. How GLP-1 Drugs Really Work (and Where Ayurveda Fits In) [VIDEO]

So many of you have written in asking about GLP-1s, the Ozempic class of drugs. This week Kate talks with Dr. Sheena Sooraj, chief clinical officer at Kerala Ayurveda Academy and Wellness Center, who sees clients on these medications every month. Dr. Sheena explains how GLP-1s work in the pancreas, stomach and brain, who tends to need them long term and who may be able to come off them with their doctor, and how Ayurveda supports digestion, hydration and the enjoyment of food while someone is on them. This isn't a conversation about Ayurveda versus modern medicine. It's a clinician's honest look at the pros, the cons, and where the two can work together. Stay for Kate's post-roll on the vata imbalances that can come with rapid weight loss. What We Cover What the natural GLP-1 hormone does in the body How GLP-1 medications act on the pancreas, the stomach and the brain The three groups of people Dr. Sheena sees: those postponing the medication, those managing side effects, and those hoping to come off it someday Why family history shapes whether someone may need to stay on the medication (Ayurveda calls diabetes a kulaja vyadhi, a condition with strong hereditary influence) A client story: how Ayurveda and Ozempic worked together for one busy, globe-trotting client The core conflict: Ayurveda strengthens agni, GLP-1s quiet it Why reduced thirst matters, and how to hydrate on purpose Meal timing, a lighter dinner before sunset, and easy-to-digest foods Ayurvedic support for coming off GLP-1s, including body therapies like udwartana (dry powder massage) Emotional eating, hormone transitions and weight gain across a woman's life Guilt, lost appetite and missing the joy of food, and how nasya can help Kate's post-roll: vata imbalance and dhatu kshaya (tissue depletion) during rapid weight loss Dr. Sheena's morning gratitude practice and evening wind-down routine About Dr. Sheena Sooraj Vaidya Sheena Sooraj is the Chief Clinical Officer, Ayurvedic Specialist, and Academy Faculty at Kerala Ayurveda Academy in Milpitas, California.Coming from a family with a strong Ayurvedic heritage, Vaidya Sheena developed a deep connection with Ayurveda from an early age. Her grandfather, a respected Ayurvedic physician and astrologer, played an important role in shaping her interest in and commitment to the traditional science of healing. She holds a Bachelor of Ayurvedic Medical Sciences (BAMS) from Mahatma Gandhi University, Kerala, and brings 23 years of experience in clinical practice, patient care, education, and professional training. Throughout her career, she has been dedicated to bringing the wisdom of classical Ayurvedic principles into contemporary clinical practice and wellness. As a clinician and educator, she is passionate about making Ayurveda accessible, practical, and relevant to modern healthcare and everyday life. Her work encompasses clinical care, Ayurvedic education, practitioner training, wellness program development, and community education, with a particular interest in translating traditional Ayurvedic knowledge into meaningful, evidence-informed approaches for modern health and well-being. Website:https://keralaayurveda.us/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drsheenasooraj Please work with your healthcare provider and a qualified Ayurvedic practitioner before changing any medication, starting herbs, or trying nasya. Mentioned in This Episode Ayurvedic Fall Community Cleanse, October 17–26, 2026. Ten days of nourishing meals, daily routines and community support, all online with Kate. Learn more and reserve your spot at ayurvedicliving.institute Health Disclaimer The information shared on Everyday Ayurveda with Kate is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Never stop, start or change a prescribed medication without talking to your healthcare provider. Connect with Kate: https://www.healwithkate.org Culinary Training in India https://ayurvedicliving.institute/ayurvedic-culinary-nutrition-training Fall Cleanse https://ayurvedicliving.institute/kitchari-cleanse-ayurveda-fall Ayurvedic Living Institute Membership: https://ayurvedicliving.institute/membership Women's Health Collection: https://courses.ayurvedicliving.institute/collections/womens-healthhttps://courses.ayurvedicliving.institute/products/courses/copy-of-fall-community-cleanse-2024 Panchakarma in India: https://ayurvedicliving.institute/panchakarma-in-india Thanks to our Sponsors: Banyan Botanicals https://alnk.to/eOQb34q Triphala Support: https://alnk.to/bPhiKjx

103. The Ayurvedic Signs You're Out of Balance This Fall (and What to Do) [VIDEO]

Every year around this time, Kate notices it first in her eyes. A little heat, a little dryness, a little irritation — the same early signal, right on schedule. In this solo episode, she uses that personal example to explain one of Ayurveda's most practical seasonal concepts: sandhi, the juncture between seasons, when the body is considered most vulnerable to imbalance. Kate walks through why the accumulated heat (pitta) of summer can tip into aggravation as the weather turns — through hot, acidic foods and drinks, alcohol, iced coffee, or plain old stress — and why that aggravation shows up differently in every body. For her, it's the eyes. For someone else, it might be skin, digestion, headaches, or mood. She explains the physiology behind fall allergies, heartburn, irritability, and looser digestion, and why catching these signs now — rather than waiting two months — makes all the difference. She also covers why the incoming dryness and wind of vata season (heaters, cold air) can quietly make pitta symptoms worse, and walks through her full fall reset: oiling the skin, a simple at-home ghee nasya for the nose, bringing ghee back into meals to support digestion and detox, and leaning on naturally pacifying foods. She closes with a reminder that none of this requires doing everything at once — and an invitation to join her Ayurvedic Fall Community Cleanse if a more structured reset is what's needed. In this episode: What sandhi (the seasonal juncture) means in Ayurveda, and why the body is considered most vulnerable during it How a hot, acidic, or high-stress summer builds excess pitta — and sets up fall imbalance The early-warning signs of pitta aggravation: hot or irritated eyes, skin sensitivity or rashes, heartburn, fall allergies, loose stools, hot-natured headaches Why symptoms show up differently for everyone — and how to identify your own body's "weak link" How incoming vata (cold, dry, windy air, heaters turning on) can intensify pitta symptoms Why ghee is the star of the fall routine — for digestion, detoxification, and skin and nasal oiling How to do a simple ghee nasya (nasal oiling) at home Foods that pacify pitta this time of year: pomegranate, cranberry, coconut water, cooked greens, apples, figs, and rose hydrosol Why sitting down to eat — even for a quick snack — changes digestion Details on Kate's Ayurvedic Fall Community Cleanse, October 17–26 Mentioned in this episode: Kate's four published books on bringing Ayurveda into everyday life Ayurvedic Fall Community Cleanse — 10 days, October 17–26. Learn more and enroll at ayurvedicliving.institute Health Disclaimer The information shared on Everyday Ayurveda with Kate is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider before making changes to your diet, supplements, or wellness routine. Connect with Kate: https://www.healwithkate.org Culinary Training in India https://ayurvedicliving.institute/ayurvedic-culinary-nutrition-training Fall Cleanse https://ayurvedicliving.institute/kitchari-cleanse-ayurveda-fall Ayurvedic Living Institute Membership: https://ayurvedicliving.institute/membership Women's Health Collection: https://courses.ayurvedicliving.institute/collections/womens-healthhttps://courses.ayurvedicliving.institute/products/courses/copy-of-fall-community-cleanse-2024 Panchakarma in India: https://ayurvedicliving.institute/panchakarma-in-india Thanks to our Sponsors: Banyan Botanicals https://alnk.to/eOQb34q Triphala Support: https://alnk.to/bPhiKjx

103. The Ayurvedic Signs You're Out of Balance This Fall (and What to Do)

Every year around this time, Kate notices it first in her eyes. A little heat, a little dryness, a little irritation — the same early signal, right on schedule. In this solo episode, she uses that personal example to explain one of Ayurveda's most practical seasonal concepts: sandhi, the juncture between seasons, when the body is considered most vulnerable to imbalance. Kate walks through why the accumulated heat (pitta) of summer can tip into aggravation as the weather turns — through hot, acidic foods and drinks, alcohol, iced coffee, or plain old stress — and why that aggravation shows up differently in every body. For her, it's the eyes. For someone else, it might be skin, digestion, headaches, or mood. She explains the physiology behind fall allergies, heartburn, irritability, and looser digestion, and why catching these signs now — rather than waiting two months — makes all the difference. She also covers why the incoming dryness and wind of vata season (heaters, cold air) can quietly make pitta symptoms worse, and walks through her full fall reset: oiling the skin, a simple at-home ghee nasya for the nose, bringing ghee back into meals to support digestion and detox, and leaning on naturally pacifying foods. She closes with a reminder that none of this requires doing everything at once — and an invitation to join her Ayurvedic Fall Community Cleanse if a more structured reset is what's needed. In this episode: What sandhi (the seasonal juncture) means in Ayurveda, and why the body is considered most vulnerable during it How a hot, acidic, or high-stress summer builds excess pitta — and sets up fall imbalance The early-warning signs of pitta aggravation: hot or irritated eyes, skin sensitivity or rashes, heartburn, fall allergies, loose stools, hot-natured headaches Why symptoms show up differently for everyone — and how to identify your own body's "weak link" How incoming vata (cold, dry, windy air, heaters turning on) can intensify pitta symptoms Why ghee is the star of the fall routine — for digestion, detoxification, and skin and nasal oiling How to do a simple ghee nasya (nasal oiling) at home Foods that pacify pitta this time of year: pomegranate, cranberry, coconut water, cooked greens, apples, figs, and rose hydrosol Why sitting down to eat — even for a quick snack — changes digestion Details on Kate's Ayurvedic Fall Community Cleanse, October 17–26 Mentioned in this episode: Kate's four published books on bringing Ayurveda into everyday life Ayurvedic Fall Community Cleanse — 10 days, October 17–26. Learn more and enroll at ayurvedicliving.institute Health Disclaimer The information shared on Everyday Ayurveda with Kate is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider before making changes to your diet, supplements, or wellness routine. Connect with Kate: https://www.healwithkate.org Culinary Training in India https://ayurvedicliving.institute/ayurvedic-culinary-nutrition-training Fall Cleanse https://ayurvedicliving.institute/kitchari-cleanse-ayurveda-fall Ayurvedic Living Institute Membership: https://ayurvedicliving.institute/membership Women's Health Collection: https://courses.ayurvedicliving.institute/collections/womens-healthhttps://courses.ayurvedicliving.institute/products/courses/copy-of-fall-community-cleanse-2024 Panchakarma in India: https://ayurvedicliving.institute/panchakarma-in-india Thanks to our Sponsors: Banyan Botanicals https://alnk.to/eOQb34q Triphala Support: https://alnk.to/bPhiKjx

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102. 15 Years, 4 Books, One Photographer: The Story Behind Everyday Ayurveda

For fifteen years, Cara Brostrom has been the photographer — and co-author — behind every one of Kate's Everyday Ayurveda books. In this episode, Kate and Cara sit down together for the first time to tell the whole story: how a free PDF of five spring recipes and five photographs, made on a whim and shared on early Facebook, racked up 30,000 downloads and landed in front of an acquiring editor — and became The Everyday Ayurveda Cookbook, now a perennial classic translated into seven languages. From there, they walk book by book through the evolution of the series and Cara's own evolving relationship to the materials she was photographing: The Everyday Ayurveda Cookbook — described by Kate as "party time": bright color, Indian textiles (including Kate's own saris), and a sensory introduction to the full range of Ayurvedic tastes and foods. Everyday Ayurveda for a Calm, Clear Mind — a deliberate shift to simplicity, mirroring sattvic cooking itself, including the now-legendary challenge of making congee look photogenic. The Everyday Ayurveda Guide to Self-Care — a turn toward dravya guna, the Ayurvedic science of substance, where Cara found herself photographing milks, ghee, and medicinal substances so closely that she began ingesting and living with them herself. This is also where Cara first felt the tension of photographing plants — like neem and shatavari — that don't grow where she lives in New England, a tension that quietly started pulling her toward Western herbalism. Everyday Ayurveda for Women's Health — built around lunar and seasonal rhythms, this book took Cara out into the field across all four seasons, photographing plants like motherwort and echinacea in local gardens. It was on one of these shoots that she met the herbalist she'd go on to apprentice with for years — and it became the last book she photographed before pivoting fully into writing and herbalism. Cara also shares an early look at her forthcoming book (title still under wraps for now, expected to be announced around January), which brings together 19th-century poetry, plant lore from her own Anglo-European lineage, and present-day Western herbalism practice — including a surprising thread she's uncovered about how 19th-century New England housewife manuals centered almost entirely on digestion. The episode closes with a fun rapid-fire round: Cara's morning tongue-scraping and oil-pulling ritual, her go-to first drink of the day, and her seasonal wind-down (bare feet in the grass in summer, wood stove in winter). About Cara Brostrom: Cara Brostrom is a writer, artist, and herbalist, and co-author of The Everyday Ayurveda Cookbook, a perennial classic translated into seven languages. She is a Nautilus Book Award Gold Winner, and her creative work has been recognized by the National Endowment for the Arts. Cara holds a Master of Arts from Aberystwyth University, where she conducted practice-based research on landscape narratives, performance documentation, and the archive; her performance art and installations have been shown at festivals across the US, England, Wales, Scotland, Canada, and Finland, and her photography has appeared in group shows in Boston, New York, and San Francisco. Her words and photography have been published in The Boston Globe, Wildling Magazine, Origin, Mother Earth Living, t.e.l.l. New England, and others. She has spent many years in apprenticeship and study with master herbalists in the Northeast, and now teaches workshops on herbalism and folklore. Cara lives in Western Massachusetts. Connect with Cara: https://linktr.ee/carabros Mentioned in this episode: The Everyday Ayurveda Cookbook (co-authored by Cara Brostrom), Everyday Ayurveda for a Calm, Clear Mind, The Everyday Ayurveda Guide to Self-Care, and Everyday Ayurveda for Women's Health — all by Kate O'Donnell Hannah Marano, the herbalist Cara apprenticed with India Culinary & Nutrition Immersion, February 2027 — a 10-day immersion in Mysore. Learn more and enroll at ayurvedicliving.institute This episode is supported by: Banyan Botanicals — Triphala tablets for digestion and daily detox: https://alnk.to/bPhiKjx Connect with Kate: https://www.healwithkate.org Culinary Training in India https://ayurvedicliving.institute/ayurvedic-culinary-nutrition-training Fall Cleanse https://ayurvedicliving.institute/kitchari-cleanse-ayurveda-fall Ayurvedic Living Institute Membership: https://ayurvedicliving.institute/membership Women's Health Collection: https://courses.ayurvedicliving.institute/collections/womens-healthhttps://courses.ayurvedicliving.institute/products/courses/copy-of-fall-community-cleanse-2024 Panchakarma in India: https://ayurvedicliving.institute/panchakarma-in-india Thanks to our Sponsors: Banyan Botanicals https://alnk.to/eOQb34q Triphala Support: https://alnk.to/bPhiKjx

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102. 15 Years, 4 Books, One Photographer: The Story Behind Everyday Ayurveda [VIDEO]

For fifteen years, Cara Brostrom has been the photographer — and co-author — behind every one of Kate's Everyday Ayurveda books. In this episode, Kate and Cara sit down together for the first time to tell the whole story: how a free PDF of five spring recipes and five photographs, made on a whim and shared on early Facebook, racked up 30,000 downloads and landed in front of an acquiring editor — and became The Everyday Ayurveda Cookbook, now a perennial classic translated into seven languages. From there, they walk book by book through the evolution of the series and Cara's own evolving relationship to the materials she was photographing: The Everyday Ayurveda Cookbook — described by Kate as "party time": bright color, Indian textiles (including Kate's own saris), and a sensory introduction to the full range of Ayurvedic tastes and foods. Everyday Ayurveda for a Calm, Clear Mind — a deliberate shift to simplicity, mirroring sattvic cooking itself, including the now-legendary challenge of making congee look photogenic. The Everyday Ayurveda Guide to Self-Care — a turn toward dravya guna, the Ayurvedic science of substance, where Cara found herself photographing milks, ghee, and medicinal substances so closely that she began ingesting and living with them herself. This is also where Cara first felt the tension of photographing plants — like neem and shatavari — that don't grow where she lives in New England, a tension that quietly started pulling her toward Western herbalism. Everyday Ayurveda for Women's Health — built around lunar and seasonal rhythms, this book took Cara out into the field across all four seasons, photographing plants like motherwort and echinacea in local gardens. It was on one of these shoots that she met the herbalist she'd go on to apprentice with for years — and it became the last book she photographed before pivoting fully into writing and herbalism. Cara also shares an early look at her forthcoming book (title still under wraps for now, expected to be announced around January), which brings together 19th-century poetry, plant lore from her own Anglo-European lineage, and present-day Western herbalism practice — including a surprising thread she's uncovered about how 19th-century New England housewife manuals centered almost entirely on digestion. The episode closes with a fun rapid-fire round: Cara's morning tongue-scraping and oil-pulling ritual, her go-to first drink of the day, and her seasonal wind-down (bare feet in the grass in summer, wood stove in winter). About Cara Brostrom: Cara Brostrom is a writer, artist, and herbalist, and co-author of The Everyday Ayurveda Cookbook, a perennial classic translated into seven languages. She is a Nautilus Book Award Gold Winner, and her creative work has been recognized by the National Endowment for the Arts. Cara holds a Master of Arts from Aberystwyth University, where she conducted practice-based research on landscape narratives, performance documentation, and the archive; her performance art and installations have been shown at festivals across the US, England, Wales, Scotland, Canada, and Finland, and her photography has appeared in group shows in Boston, New York, and San Francisco. Her words and photography have been published in The Boston Globe, Wildling Magazine, Origin, Mother Earth Living, t.e.l.l. New England, and others. She has spent many years in apprenticeship and study with master herbalists in the Northeast, and now teaches workshops on herbalism and folklore. Cara lives in Western Massachusetts. Connect with Cara: https://linktr.ee/carabros Mentioned in this episode: The Everyday Ayurveda Cookbook (co-authored by Cara Brostrom), Everyday Ayurveda for a Calm, Clear Mind, The Everyday Ayurveda Guide to Self-Care, and Everyday Ayurveda for Women's Health — all by Kate O'Donnell Hannah Marano, the herbalist Cara apprenticed with India Culinary & Nutrition Immersion, February 2027 — a 10-day immersion in Mysore. Learn more and enroll at ayurvedicliving.institute This episode is supported by: Banyan Botanicals — Triphala tablets for digestion and daily detox: https://alnk.to/bPhiKjx Connect with Kate: https://www.healwithkate.org Culinary Training in India https://ayurvedicliving.institute/ayurvedic-culinary-nutrition-training Fall Cleanse https://ayurvedicliving.institute/kitchari-cleanse-ayurveda-fall Ayurvedic Living Institute Membership: https://ayurvedicliving.institute/membership Women's Health Collection: https://courses.ayurvedicliving.institute/collections/womens-healthhttps://courses.ayurvedicliving.institute/products/courses/copy-of-fall-community-cleanse-2024 Panchakarma in India: https://ayurvedicliving.institute/panchakarma-in-india Thanks to our Sponsors: Banyan Botanicals https://alnk.to/eOQb34q Triphala Support: https://alnk.to/bPhiKjx

101. Sync Your Life to the Moon: A 28-Day Guide to Energy and Rest

Did you know the moon moves through a full cycle — dark to full and back again — in about 28 days, which is also the length of the average menstrual cycle? In this solo episode, Kate explores lunar rhythms: one of her favorite topics, and a subject she covers in Chapter 9 of her book Everyday Ayurveda for Women's Health. Ayurveda already asks us to live in tune with daily rhythms (sun up, sun down) and seasonal rhythms (what grows and changes through the year). The lunar rhythm sits alongside both of these — a roughly two-week arc of waxing energy followed by a two-week arc of waning energy, repeating all month long. Kate explains why attuning to this cycle matters for everyone, not just people who menstruate: it connects us to something larger than our day-to-day worries, and it offers a built-in, nature-guided balance of activity and rest that modern "always-on" life tends to erase. Kate walks through the physical logic, too — the same gravitational pull that raises ocean tides and draws moisture into topsoil (which is why farmers plant near the full moon) also affects the water element in our own bodies, which is part of why energy can feel more "juicy" as the moon waxes. She maps out what to focus on during each phase: building, moving, and socializing during the waxing moon; celebrating, baking, and gathering at the full moon; tapering down and finishing projects during the waning moon; and resting, self-care, and simplifying food at the new moon. She also addresses how this maps — or doesn't — onto an individual menstrual cycle, and what to prioritize if the two aren't in sync. In this episode: Why Ayurveda pairs daily, seasonal, and lunar rhythms together The uncanny overlap between the ~28-day lunar cycle and the average menstrual cycle Two reasons lunar attunement is grounding, even for those no longer menstruating How the moon's pull on water explains tides, farming by the full moon, and feeling "juicier" What to prioritize during the waxing moon: movement, socializing, starting projects Full moon practices: celebration, baking, making ghee, growing sprouts Waning moon practices: finishing projects, tapering activity, simplifying meals New moon practices: rest, self-care, and the traditional practice of fasting Whether to follow your menstrual cycle or the moon's cycle when the two don't align How to start tracking your own patterns over the next several months Mentioned in this episode: Kate's book, Everyday Ayurveda for Women's Health (Chapter 9), which includes recipes for the soups and treats referenced in this episode. Have you noticed your own patterns with the moon? Kate would love to hear about it — leave a comment or send her a message. Connect with Kate: https://www.healwithkate.org Culinary Training in India https://ayurvedicliving.institute/ayurvedic-culinary-nutrition-training Fall Cleanse https://ayurvedicliving.institute/kitchari-cleanse-ayurveda-fall Ayurvedic Living Institute Membership: https://ayurvedicliving.institute/membership Women's Health Collection: https://courses.ayurvedicliving.institute/collections/womens-healthhttps://courses.ayurvedicliving.institute/products/courses/copy-of-fall-community-cleanse-2024 Panchakarma in India: https://ayurvedicliving.institute/panchakarma-in-india Thanks to our Sponsors: Banyan Botanicals https://alnk.to/eOQb34q Triphala Support: https://alnk.to/bPhiKjx

• Chapters

101. Sync Your Life to the Moon: A 28-Day Guide to Energy and Rest [VIDEO]

Did you know the moon moves through a full cycle — dark to full and back again — in about 28 days, which is also the length of the average menstrual cycle? In this solo episode, Kate explores lunar rhythms: one of her favorite topics, and a subject she covers in Chapter 9 of her book Everyday Ayurveda for Women's Health. Ayurveda already asks us to live in tune with daily rhythms (sun up, sun down) and seasonal rhythms (what grows and changes through the year). The lunar rhythm sits alongside both of these — a roughly two-week arc of waxing energy followed by a two-week arc of waning energy, repeating all month long. Kate explains why attuning to this cycle matters for everyone, not just people who menstruate: it connects us to something larger than our day-to-day worries, and it offers a built-in, nature-guided balance of activity and rest that modern "always-on" life tends to erase. Kate walks through the physical logic, too — the same gravitational pull that raises ocean tides and draws moisture into topsoil (which is why farmers plant near the full moon) also affects the water element in our own bodies, which is part of why energy can feel more "juicy" as the moon waxes. She maps out what to focus on during each phase: building, moving, and socializing during the waxing moon; celebrating, baking, and gathering at the full moon; tapering down and finishing projects during the waning moon; and resting, self-care, and simplifying food at the new moon. She also addresses how this maps — or doesn't — onto an individual menstrual cycle, and what to prioritize if the two aren't in sync. In this episode: Why Ayurveda pairs daily, seasonal, and lunar rhythms together The uncanny overlap between the ~28-day lunar cycle and the average menstrual cycle Two reasons lunar attunement is grounding, even for those no longer menstruating How the moon's pull on water explains tides, farming by the full moon, and feeling "juicier" What to prioritize during the waxing moon: movement, socializing, starting projects Full moon practices: celebration, baking, making ghee, growing sprouts Waning moon practices: finishing projects, tapering activity, simplifying meals New moon practices: rest, self-care, and the traditional practice of fasting Whether to follow your menstrual cycle or the moon's cycle when the two don't align How to start tracking your own patterns over the next several months Mentioned in this episode: Kate's book, Everyday Ayurveda for Women's Health (Chapter 9), which includes recipes for the soups and treats referenced in this episode. Have you noticed your own patterns with the moon? Kate would love to hear about it — leave a comment or send her a message. Connect with Kate: https://www.healwithkate.org Culinary Training in India https://ayurvedicliving.institute/ayurvedic-culinary-nutrition-training Fall Cleanse https://ayurvedicliving.institute/kitchari-cleanse-ayurveda-fall Ayurvedic Living Institute Membership: https://ayurvedicliving.institute/membership Women's Health Collection: https://courses.ayurvedicliving.institute/collections/womens-healthhttps://courses.ayurvedicliving.institute/products/courses/copy-of-fall-community-cleanse-2024 Panchakarma in India: https://ayurvedicliving.institute/panchakarma-in-india Thanks to our Sponsors: Banyan Botanicals https://alnk.to/eOQb34q Triphala Support: https://alnk.to/bPhiKjx

100. How to Talk to Your Doctor About Perimenopause and Menopause

Ever leave the doctor's office feeling like you didn't get to say what you actually needed to say? In this episode, Kate sits down with Dr. Elizabeth Bostock — a practicing OBGYN for 30 years, a yogi, an Ayurvedic counselor, and a contributor to Kate's book Everyday Ayurveda for Women's Health — to talk about self-advocacy in the doctor's office, especially around perimenopause and menopause. Dr. Bostock shares what she's seen across three decades and hundreds of thousands of patients: the number one thing women tell her is that they haven't felt heard. She and Kate break down how symptoms shift by decade, why perimenopause often starts quietly in the late 30s, and why menopause care doesn't end at menopause — it extends through your entire life. Dr. Bostock offers a simple set of questions to bring into any appointment, explains when and how to ask for a referral, and makes the case for symptom tracking (with pen and paper, an app, or your wearable data) so you can walk in prepared instead of going blank. The conversation also covers the current, more nuanced understanding of hormone therapy — where the evidence is strong, where it isn't yet, and why the framing of "who do you want to be at 80" matters more than chasing a number on a chart. They talk through the cost and insurance side of hormone therapy and physical therapy too, plus Dr. Bostock's take on movement: it should be fun, and it's never too late to start. In this episode: Why "I haven't been heard" is the most common thing patients tell Dr. Bostock How symptoms and health priorities shift decade by decade, from the teens through the 80s Why menopause care is really a lifelong conversation, not a single life stage Three questions to bring to your next doctor's visit — and a fourth for sexual health What to do (and say) if your provider isn't the right fit Why tracking symptoms — on paper, in an app, or via wearables — changes the conversation with your doctor The most common perimenopause and menopause symptoms, including lesser-known ones like formication and early joint pain A clearer, more current look at menopause hormone therapy (MHT): where it helps most, and the guidance on timing How family health history (and the Ayurvedic idea of prakriti) plays into these decisions The "menopausal Barbie" trend and GLP-1s: Dr. Bostock's honest take Why she thinks of physical activity as play, not a prescription Navigating cost: hormone therapy affordability, generic options, and why physical therapy access is still a gap Dr. Bostock's morning and evening routines, including her "Jamba Juice" anti-inflammatory tonic About Dr. Elizabeth Bostock: Elizabeth is a practicing OBGYN, yogi, Ayurvedic counselor, and women's health leader and advocate who believes that combining medical traditions in a "yes, and" way gives the best of all worlds. She weaves together real science and human living to explore how we all live healthier, happier, more contented lives — and is a fierce advocate for helping people figure out who they are, find their path forward, and speak up for themselves. Connect with Dr. Bostock: Instagram: instagram.com/empoweredwomanshealthmd YouTube: youtube.com/empoweredwomanshealthmd LinkedIn: linkedin.com/elizabethbostock Substack: substack.com/@elizabethbostockmdphd Mentioned in this episode: Everyday Ayurveda for Women's Health by Kate O'Donnell — paperback edition releases September 16 The Menopause Society (provider directory and patient resources) The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) Mayo Clinic (patient education resources) GoodRx and Cost Plus Drugs (referred to in conversation as "Mark Cuban Pharmacy") for prescription discounts Dr. Bostock's "Jamba Juice" tonic: whole lemon, ginger, turmeric, star anise, and cayenne, simmered and blended Dr. Bostock's current read: The Empire of Gold A preview of an upcoming episode on GLP-1s, out in two weeks This episode is supported by: Banyan Botanicals — Triphala tablets for digestion and daily detox. Get it here: https://alnk.to/bPhiKjx Health Disclaimer: The information shared on Everyday Ayurveda with Kate is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider — including regarding hormone therapy — before making changes to your diet, supplements, or wellness routine. Connect with Kate: https://www.healwithkate.org Culinary Training in India https://ayurvedicliving.institute/ayurvedic-culinary-nutrition-training Fall Cleanse https://ayurvedicliving.institute/kitchari-cleanse-ayurveda-fall Ayurvedic Living Institute Membership: https://ayurvedicliving.institute/membership Women's Health Collection: https://courses.ayurvedicliving.institute/collections/womens-healthhttps://courses.ayurvedicliving.institute/products/courses/copy-of-fall-community-cleanse-2024 Panchakarma in India: https://ayurvedicliving.institute/panchakarma-in-india Thanks to our Sponsors: Banyan Botanicals https://alnk.to/eOQb34q Triphala Support: https://alnk.to/bPhiKjx

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100. How to Talk to Your Doctor About Perimenopause and Menopause [VIDEO]

Ever leave the doctor's office feeling like you didn't get to say what you actually needed to say? In this episode, Kate sits down with Dr. Elizabeth Bostock — a practicing OBGYN for 30 years, a yogi, an Ayurvedic counselor, and a contributor to Kate's book Everyday Ayurveda for Women's Health — to talk about self-advocacy in the doctor's office, especially around perimenopause and menopause. Dr. Bostock shares what she's seen across three decades and hundreds of thousands of patients: the number one thing women tell her is that they haven't felt heard. She and Kate break down how symptoms shift by decade, why perimenopause often starts quietly in the late 30s, and why menopause care doesn't end at menopause — it extends through your entire life. Dr. Bostock offers a simple set of questions to bring into any appointment, explains when and how to ask for a referral, and makes the case for symptom tracking (with pen and paper, an app, or your wearable data) so you can walk in prepared instead of going blank. The conversation also covers the current, more nuanced understanding of hormone therapy — where the evidence is strong, where it isn't yet, and why the framing of "who do you want to be at 80" matters more than chasing a number on a chart. They talk through the cost and insurance side of hormone therapy and physical therapy too, plus Dr. Bostock's take on movement: it should be fun, and it's never too late to start. In this episode: Why "I haven't been heard" is the most common thing patients tell Dr. Bostock How symptoms and health priorities shift decade by decade, from the teens through the 80s Why menopause care is really a lifelong conversation, not a single life stage Three questions to bring to your next doctor's visit — and a fourth for sexual health What to do (and say) if your provider isn't the right fit Why tracking symptoms — on paper, in an app, or via wearables — changes the conversation with your doctor The most common perimenopause and menopause symptoms, including lesser-known ones like formication and early joint pain A clearer, more current look at menopause hormone therapy (MHT): where it helps most, and the guidance on timing How family health history (and the Ayurvedic idea of prakriti) plays into these decisions The "menopausal Barbie" trend and GLP-1s: Dr. Bostock's honest take Why she thinks of physical activity as play, not a prescription Navigating cost: hormone therapy affordability, generic options, and why physical therapy access is still a gap Dr. Bostock's morning and evening routines, including her "Jamba Juice" anti-inflammatory tonic About Dr. Elizabeth Bostock: Elizabeth is a practicing OBGYN, yogi, Ayurvedic counselor, and women's health leader and advocate who believes that combining medical traditions in a "yes, and" way gives the best of all worlds. She weaves together real science and human living to explore how we all live healthier, happier, more contented lives — and is a fierce advocate for helping people figure out who they are, find their path forward, and speak up for themselves. Connect with Dr. Bostock: Instagram: instagram.com/empoweredwomanshealthmd YouTube: youtube.com/empoweredwomanshealthmd LinkedIn: linkedin.com/elizabethbostock Substack: substack.com/@elizabethbostockmdphd Mentioned in this episode: Everyday Ayurveda for Women's Health by Kate O'Donnell — paperback edition releases September 16 The Menopause Society (provider directory and patient resources) The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) Mayo Clinic (patient education resources) GoodRx and Cost Plus Drugs (referred to in conversation as "Mark Cuban Pharmacy") for prescription discounts Dr. Bostock's "Jamba Juice" tonic: whole lemon, ginger, turmeric, star anise, and cayenne, simmered and blended Dr. Bostock's current read: The Empire of Gold A preview of an upcoming episode on GLP-1s, out in two weeks This episode is supported by: Banyan Botanicals — Triphala tablets for digestion and daily detox. Get it here: https://alnk.to/bPhiKjx Health Disclaimer: The information shared on Everyday Ayurveda with Kate is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider — including regarding hormone therapy — before making changes to your diet, supplements, or wellness routine. Connect with Kate: https://www.healwithkate.org Culinary Training in India https://ayurvedicliving.institute/ayurvedic-culinary-nutrition-training Fall Cleanse https://ayurvedicliving.institute/kitchari-cleanse-ayurveda-fall Ayurvedic Living Institute Membership: https://ayurvedicliving.institute/membership Women's Health Collection: https://courses.ayurvedicliving.institute/collections/womens-healthhttps://courses.ayurvedicliving.institute/products/courses/copy-of-fall-community-cleanse-2024 Panchakarma in India: https://ayurvedicliving.institute/panchakarma-in-india Thanks to our Sponsors: Banyan Botanicals https://alnk.to/eOQb34q Triphala Support: https://alnk.to/bPhiKjx

• Transcript

99. The Ayurvedic Guide to Preserving Summer's Bumper Crops

The farmers market is overflowing right now — but how do you keep all that fresh, local food from going to waste before you can eat it? In this solo episode, Kate answers a listener question about preserving the late-summer and early-fall haul, and shares the exact kitchen tricks she uses to make her produce last. Kate tackles the question she gets every time she mentions saving or freezing food: doesn't Ayurveda say no leftovers, no frozen food? Her answer is a grounded, seasonal one. When you live where the growing season is short, local food that's been thoughtfully preserved carries far more prana (life force) than "fresh" produce trucked in from thousands of miles away. Short-term freezing has its place — and so does eating with the wheel of the year. From there, Kate walks through her whole late-summer kitchen: heirloom and cherry tomatoes (and the traditional parboil method that removes the acidity Ayurveda cautions against), the parboil-and-freeze trick for kale, kale pesto in jars, and her famous jar-and-towel storage method that keeps hardy greens and fresh herbs alive for up to three weeks. She covers herbs all winter, zucchini and summer squash, pickling root vegetables to build digestive fire in the cold months, freezing berries and making fruit compotes, and storing winter squash in a root cellar (or a pretty bowl on the counter). In this episode: Why Ayurveda's "no frozen food" rule needs a seasonal, local-first reframe The prana argument for preserving local food over buying shipped "fresh" produce Tomatoes two ways: heirloom on sourdough + roasted cherry tomato compote The traditional parboil method to make tomatoes easier to digest How to parboil and freeze kale (and why it stays in perfect leaves) Kale pesto you can freeze in single-serve jars The jar-and-towel trick: keep greens & herbs fresh for up to 3 weeks Keeping fresh herbs going all winter, indoors and in the fridge Zucchini & summer squash: kitchari, soups, and eating them fast Pickling beets, carrots & beans — and why pickles warm you in winter Freezing berries, stone-fruit compotes, and easy crisps Storing winter squash + the case for decorative "eat me" bowls The Ayurvedic principle: food grown closest to home is most nourishing Mentioned in this episode: Kate's fall cleanse (beet pickle recipe included) Kate's four books (variations on beet pickle & seasonal recipes) India Culinary & Nutrition Immersion, February 2027 — a 10-day immersion in Mysore. Learn more and enroll at ayurvedicliving.institute This episode is supported by: Dr. Tung's — natural oral care, including their popular Smart Floss. New customers get 15% off at drtungs.com. Banyan Botanicals Menopause Balance — Ayurvedic herbal support for perimenopause, menopause, and post-menopause. Find it at banyanbotanicals.com/kate. Have a preservation trick Kate didn't mention? She'd love to hear it — leave a comment or send her a message. Connect with Kate: https://www.healwithkate.org Culinary Training in India https://ayurvedicliving.institute/ayurvedic-culinary-nutrition-training Fall Cleanse https://ayurvedicliving.institute/kitchari-cleanse-ayurveda-fall Ayurvedic Living Institute Membership: https://ayurvedicliving.institute/membership Women's Health Collection: https://courses.ayurvedicliving.institute/collections/womens-healthhttps://courses.ayurvedicliving.institute/products/courses/copy-of-fall-community-cleanse-2024 Panchakarma in India: https://ayurvedicliving.institute/panchakarma-in-india Thanks to our Sponsors: Banyan Botanicals https://alnk.to/eOQb34q Triphala Support: https://alnk.to/bPhiKjx

• Chapters

99. The Ayurvedic Guide to Preserving Summer's Bumper Crops [VIDEO]

The farmers market is overflowing right now — but how do you keep all that fresh, local food from going to waste before you can eat it? In this solo episode, Kate answers a listener question about preserving the late-summer and early-fall haul, and shares the exact kitchen tricks she uses to make her produce last. Kate tackles the question she gets every time she mentions saving or freezing food: doesn't Ayurveda say no leftovers, no frozen food? Her answer is a grounded, seasonal one. When you live where the growing season is short, local food that's been thoughtfully preserved carries far more prana (life force) than "fresh" produce trucked in from thousands of miles away. Short-term freezing has its place — and so does eating with the wheel of the year. From there, Kate walks through her whole late-summer kitchen: heirloom and cherry tomatoes (and the traditional parboil method that removes the acidity Ayurveda cautions against), the parboil-and-freeze trick for kale, kale pesto in jars, and her famous jar-and-towel storage method that keeps hardy greens and fresh herbs alive for up to three weeks. She covers herbs all winter, zucchini and summer squash, pickling root vegetables to build digestive fire in the cold months, freezing berries and making fruit compotes, and storing winter squash in a root cellar (or a pretty bowl on the counter). In this episode: Why Ayurveda's "no frozen food" rule needs a seasonal, local-first reframe The prana argument for preserving local food over buying shipped "fresh" produce Tomatoes two ways: heirloom on sourdough + roasted cherry tomato compote The traditional parboil method to make tomatoes easier to digest How to parboil and freeze kale (and why it stays in perfect leaves) Kale pesto you can freeze in single-serve jars The jar-and-towel trick: keep greens & herbs fresh for up to 3 weeks Keeping fresh herbs going all winter, indoors and in the fridge Zucchini & summer squash: kitchari, soups, and eating them fast Pickling beets, carrots & beans — and why pickles warm you in winter Freezing berries, stone-fruit compotes, and easy crisps Storing winter squash + the case for decorative "eat me" bowls The Ayurvedic principle: food grown closest to home is most nourishing Mentioned in this episode: Kate's fall cleanse (beet pickle recipe included) Kate's four books (variations on beet pickle & seasonal recipes) India Culinary & Nutrition Immersion, February 2027 — a 10-day immersion in Mysore. Learn more and enroll at ayurvedicliving.institute This episode is supported by: Dr. Tung's — natural oral care, including their popular Smart Floss. New customers get 15% off at drtungs.com. Banyan Botanicals Menopause Balance — Ayurvedic herbal support for perimenopause, menopause, and post-menopause. Find it at banyanbotanicals.com/kate. Have a preservation trick Kate didn't mention? She'd love to hear it — leave a comment or send her a message. Connect with Kate: https://www.healwithkate.org Culinary Training in India https://ayurvedicliving.institute/ayurvedic-culinary-nutrition-training Fall Cleanse https://ayurvedicliving.institute/kitchari-cleanse-ayurveda-fall Ayurvedic Living Institute Membership: https://ayurvedicliving.institute/membership Women's Health Collection: https://courses.ayurvedicliving.institute/collections/womens-healthhttps://courses.ayurvedicliving.institute/products/courses/copy-of-fall-community-cleanse-2024 Panchakarma in India: https://ayurvedicliving.institute/panchakarma-in-india Thanks to our Sponsors: Banyan Botanicals https://alnk.to/eOQb34q Triphala Support: https://alnk.to/bPhiKjx

• Transcript

98. Perfectionism Disguised as Wellness: Rethinking What Health Really Means | with Nidhi Sunil

Model Nidhi Sunil — Vogue India Model of the Year and the first Indian global ambassador for L'Oréal Paris — joins Kate for a very candid conversation about how her work affected her mental and physical health. After more than a decade of image-building, red-eye flights to Paris and back, and relentless external pressure, Nidhi hit a full-body burnout in 2022. In this episode, she opens up about depletion, self-worth, complex trauma, colorism in the fashion industry, and the slow, honest work of healing — beginning with a simple bowl of kitchari. Together, Kate and Nidhi explore how Ayurveda "decentralizes" the pressure to optimize, why ojas (our life-force reserve) matters more than output, and what it looks like to put the "juice" first. A grounding, deeply relatable listen for anyone in a season of transition, exhaustion, or reevaluation. In this episode: The real lifestyle behind international modeling — and its hidden cost on the body How burnout actually arrives: insomnia, panic, depletion, a lost menstrual cycle Food as the first tool: why kitchari was the portal back to sleep Self-worth, shame, and outsourcing our value to productivity Colorism in the fashion industry and the "colonial hangover" "Perfectionism disguised as wellness" and why optimization can harm Ojas, plumpness, and the Ayurvedic permission to simply be human Learning to lead with your "yes" and your "no" from a place of abundance The information shared on Everyday Ayurveda with Kate is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider before making changes to your diet, supplements, or wellness routine. Connect with Kate: https://www.healwithkate.org Culinary Training in India https://ayurvedicliving.institute/ayurvedic-culinary-nutrition-training Fall Cleanse https://ayurvedicliving.institute/kitchari-cleanse-ayurveda-fall Ayurvedic Living Institute Membership: https://ayurvedicliving.institute/membership Women's Health Collection: https://courses.ayurvedicliving.institute/collections/womens-healthhttps://courses.ayurvedicliving.institute/products/courses/copy-of-fall-community-cleanse-2024 Panchakarma in India: https://ayurvedicliving.institute/panchakarma-in-india Thanks to our Sponsors: Banyan Botanicals https://alnk.to/eOQb34q Triphala Support: https://alnk.to/bPhiKjx

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98. Perfectionism Disguised as Wellness: Rethinking What Health Really Means | with Nidhi Sunil [video]

Model Nidhi Sunil — Vogue India Model of the Year and the first Indian global ambassador for L'Oréal Paris — joins Kate for a very candid conversation about how her work affected her mental and physical health. After more than a decade of image-building, red-eye flights to Paris and back, and relentless external pressure, Nidhi hit a full-body burnout in 2022. In this episode, she opens up about depletion, self-worth, complex trauma, colorism in the fashion industry, and the slow, honest work of healing — beginning with a simple bowl of kitchari. Together, Kate and Nidhi explore how Ayurveda "decentralizes" the pressure to optimize, why ojas (our life-force reserve) matters more than output, and what it looks like to put the "juice" first. A grounding, deeply relatable listen for anyone in a season of transition, exhaustion, or reevaluation. In this episode: The real lifestyle behind international modeling — and its hidden cost on the body How burnout actually arrives: insomnia, panic, depletion, a lost menstrual cycle Food as the first tool: why kitchari was the portal back to sleep Self-worth, shame, and outsourcing our value to productivity Colorism in the fashion industry and the "colonial hangover" "Perfectionism disguised as wellness" and why optimization can harm Ojas, plumpness, and the Ayurvedic permission to simply be human Learning to lead with your "yes" and your "no" from a place of abundance The information shared on Everyday Ayurveda with Kate is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider before making changes to your diet, supplements, or wellness routine. Connect with Kate: https://www.healwithkate.org Culinary Training in India https://ayurvedicliving.institute/ayurvedic-culinary-nutrition-training Fall Cleanse https://ayurvedicliving.institute/kitchari-cleanse-ayurveda-fall Ayurvedic Living Institute Membership: https://ayurvedicliving.institute/membership Women's Health Collection: https://courses.ayurvedicliving.institute/collections/womens-healthhttps://courses.ayurvedicliving.institute/products/courses/copy-of-fall-community-cleanse-2024 Panchakarma in India: https://ayurvedicliving.institute/panchakarma-in-india Thanks to our Sponsors: Banyan Botanicals https://alnk.to/eOQb34q Triphala Support: https://alnk.to/bPhiKjx

• Transcript

97. Is Your Phone Making You Crazy? The Ayurvedic Fix Isn't a Detox

Is your phone making you a little crazy? Kate opens this episode with a confession: even as a longtime Ayurveda teacher, she has to actively manage her relationship with her phone — because the device, and the apps on it, are engineered to keep you glued. If she's working at it, most of us are too. The heart of this episode is a reframe. We tend to swing to all-or-nothing: "I need to throw my phone in the desert," or nothing changes at all. Kate makes the case that what we actually need is steady, doable boundaries at specific times of day — not a fundamentalist detox overhaul. From an Ayurvedic perspective, the reason phones are so taxing is the nervous system. The sense organs — eyes, ears, skin, tongue, nose — are windows into the mind. The phone is relentlessly stimulating through the eyes (and ears), which is essentially non-stop sensory consumption. As Kate points out, you wouldn't eat food all day long; why do we consume information and stimulation all day long? Rest, in Ayurveda, is when the senses finally power down — which is exactly why winding down on a stimulating screen backfires, especially for sleep. In this episode, Kate shares: Why it's boundaries, not a detox — and how to set them at the times of day that matter most • The sense-organ / nervous-system model that explains why scrolling feels restful but isn't • Her non-negotiable phone-free zones: the bedroom, the bathroom, mealtimes, and time in nature • Why a $5 old-school alarm clock may be the single highest-leverage change you can make • Turning off push notifications and the lock screen so you have to choose to check in • Using timers for intentional phone time (yes, even for Instagram) and putting it down when they ring • Booking one hour of silence a day — all at once or in 20-minute pieces Bookending your day: dinacharya before the phone comes on in the morning, phone off ~7–7:30pm at night • Meeting boredom by attuning to nature — what you can smell, hear, and feel — instead of reaching for the screen Analog allies: real books, a paper planner, keeping one social platform, and leaving the phone in another room If your phone use is nudging you toward overwhelm or a mental-health imbalance — increasingly common — Kate offers the Ayurvedic counterweight: nature. Attuning the senses to the natural world is the opposite energy of the phone, and an easier on-ramp than forcing yourself into silence. Come study at the source. Join Kate in India next February for a 10-day culinary and nutrition immersion (2027) in Mysore — cook, study, and come home confident to make food your medicine. Learn more and enroll at ayurvedicliving.institute. Connect with Kate: https://www.healwithkate.org Culinary Training in India https://ayurvedicliving.institute/ayurvedic-culinary-nutrition-training Fall Cleanse https://ayurvedicliving.institute/kitchari-cleanse-ayurveda-fall Ayurvedic Living Institute Membership: https://ayurvedicliving.institute/membership Women's Health Collection: https://courses.ayurvedicliving.institute/collections/womens-healthhttps://courses.ayurvedicliving.institute/products/courses/copy-of-fall-community-cleanse-2024 Panchakarma in India: https://ayurvedicliving.institute/panchakarma-in-india Thanks to our Sponsors: Banyan Botanicals https://alnk.to/eOQb34q Triphala Support: https://alnk.to/bPhiKjx

• Chapters

97. Is Your Phone Making You Crazy? The Ayurvedic Fix Isn't a Detox [Video]

Is your phone making you a little crazy? Kate opens this episode with a confession: even as a longtime Ayurveda teacher, she has to actively manage her relationship with her phone — because the device, and the apps on it, are engineered to keep you glued. If she's working at it, most of us are too. The heart of this episode is a reframe. We tend to swing to all-or-nothing: "I need to throw my phone in the desert," or nothing changes at all. Kate makes the case that what we actually need is steady, doable boundaries at specific times of day — not a fundamentalist detox overhaul. From an Ayurvedic perspective, the reason phones are so taxing is the nervous system. The sense organs — eyes, ears, skin, tongue, nose — are windows into the mind. The phone is relentlessly stimulating through the eyes (and ears), which is essentially non-stop sensory consumption. As Kate points out, you wouldn't eat food all day long; why do we consume information and stimulation all day long? Rest, in Ayurveda, is when the senses finally power down — which is exactly why winding down on a stimulating screen backfires, especially for sleep. In this episode, Kate shares: Why it's boundaries, not a detox — and how to set them at the times of day that matter most • The sense-organ / nervous-system model that explains why scrolling feels restful but isn't • Her non-negotiable phone-free zones: the bedroom, the bathroom, mealtimes, and time in nature • Why a $5 old-school alarm clock may be the single highest-leverage change you can make • Turning off push notifications and the lock screen so you have to choose to check in • Using timers for intentional phone time (yes, even for Instagram) and putting it down when they ring • Booking one hour of silence a day — all at once or in 20-minute pieces Bookending your day: dinacharya before the phone comes on in the morning, phone off ~7–7:30pm at night • Meeting boredom by attuning to nature — what you can smell, hear, and feel — instead of reaching for the screen Analog allies: real books, a paper planner, keeping one social platform, and leaving the phone in another room If your phone use is nudging you toward overwhelm or a mental-health imbalance — increasingly common — Kate offers the Ayurvedic counterweight: nature. Attuning the senses to the natural world is the opposite energy of the phone, and an easier on-ramp than forcing yourself into silence. Come study at the source. Join Kate in India next February for a 10-day culinary and nutrition immersion (2027) in Mysore — cook, study, and come home confident to make food your medicine. Learn more and enroll at ayurvedicliving.institute. Connect with Kate: healwithkate.org · @kateodonnell.ayurveda Connect with Kate: https://www.healwithkate.org Culinary Training in India https://ayurvedicliving.institute/ayurvedic-culinary-nutrition-training Fall Cleanse https://ayurvedicliving.institute/kitchari-cleanse-ayurveda-fall Ayurvedic Living Institute Membership: https://ayurvedicliving.institute/membership Women's Health Collection: https://courses.ayurvedicliving.institute/collections/womens-healthhttps://courses.ayurvedicliving.institute/products/courses/copy-of-fall-community-cleanse-2024 Panchakarma in India: https://ayurvedicliving.institute/panchakarma-in-india Thanks to our Sponsors: Banyan Botanicals https://alnk.to/eOQb34q Triphala Support: https://alnk.to/bPhiKjx

96. Lift Heavy, Then Glide: A Smarter Recovery Plan for Women Over 40 | with Karen Kirkness

Dr. Karen Kirkness has spent decades in the yoga world and the last ten-plus years in anatomy labs earning a master's in clinical anatomy and a PhD in medical sciences. In this episode she and Kate go straight into fascia — not as packing material, but as a signaling system — and into hyaluronan, the molecule that makes your tissue juicy. The surprise: more lubrication is not better. Fresh, long-chain hyaluronan tells your cells everything is regulated. But movement shears those chains into fragments, and fragments are inflammatory. Clearing them matters as much as making them. That's what a recovery day is actually for. Karen breaks down what changes at perimenopause and after, why losing lean muscle and mitochondria puts the brakes on your body's own hydration, and what to do about it: vigorous training a few times a week, active recovery in between, and 'movement snacks' scattered through the day — the twist, the reach, the sprint to the stop sign. Find Karen at spiralsyllabus.com and on Instagram at SpiralSyllabus or Karen Kirkness. Questions for a follow-up episode? Email hello@ayurvedicliving.institute or leave a comment on your podcast platform. Referenced in this episode Links: https://www.instagram.com/karenkirkness https://www.instagram.com/spiralsyllabus https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1649-7221 Latest paper: The Myofascial Rheostat: H yaluronan Molecular Weight Dynamics and Purinergic Signalling as a Physiological Feedback System https://www.spiralsyllabus.com/ Work with Karen: Experience Spiral Motion Autumn Program KEY REFERENCES Caon, I., Bartolini, B., Moretto, P., Parnigoni, A., Caravà, E., Vitale, D. L., et al. (2020). Sirtuin 1 reduces hyaluronan synthase 2 expression by inhibiting nuclear translocation of NF-kB and expression of the long-noncoding RNA HAS2–AS1. J. Biol. Chem. 295, 3485–3496. doi: 10.1074/jbc.RA119.011982 Caon, I., Parnigoni, A., Viola, M., Karousou, E., Passi, A., and Vigetti, D. (2021). Cell energy metabolism and hyaluronan synthesis. J. Histochem. Cytochem. 69, 35–47. doi: 10.1369/0022155420929772 Kirkness, K. B., and Scarlata, S. (2025). Understanding fascial tissue on the molecular level—how its unique properties enable adaptation or dysfunction. Int. J. Mol. Sci. 27, doi: 10.3390/ijms27010160 Kirkness, K.B., da Silva, Schleip,R, Cruvinel-Júnior R., and Scarlata, S. (2026). The Myofascial Rheostat: Hyaluronan Molecular Weight Dynamics and Purinergic Signalling as a Physiological Feedback System. Frontiers in Physiology 17 (June 2026). https://doi.org/10.3389/fphys.2026.1854585. Raghavan, P. (2018). Emerging therapies for spastic movement disorder. Phys. Med. Rehabil. Clin. N. Am. 29, 633–644. doi: 10.1016/j.pmr.2018.04.004 Raghavan, P. (2025). Muscle physiology in spasticity and muscle stiffness. Toxicon 259, doi: 10.1016/j.toxicon.2025.108350 Raghavan, P., Lu, Y., Mirchandani, M., and Stecco, A. (2016). Human recombinant hyaluronidase injections for upper limb muscle stiffness in individuals with cerebral injury: A case series. eBioMedicine 9, 306–313. doi: 10.1016/j.ebiom.2016.05.014 Rauhala, L., Jokela, T., Kärnä, R., Bart, G., Takabe, P., Oikari, S., et al. (2018). Extracellular ATP activates hyaluronan synthase 2 (HAS2) in epidermal keratinocytes via P2Y2, Ca2+ signaling, and MAPK pathways. Biochem. J. 475, 1755–1772. doi: 10.1042/BCJ20180054 Slater, A. M., Barclay, S. J., Granfar, R. M. S., and Pratt, R. L. (2024). Fascia as a regulatory system in health and disease. Front. Neurol. 15. doi: 10.3389/ fneur.2024.1458385 Stecco, C., Pratt, R., Nemetz, L. D., Schleip, R., Stecco, A., and Theise, N. D. (2025). Towards a comprehensive definition of the human fascial system. J. Anat. 246, 1084– doi: 10.1111/joa.14212 Stecco, A., Stecco, C., and Raghavan, P. (2014). Peripheral mechanisms contributing to spasticity and implications for treatment. Curr. Phys. Med. Rehabil. Rep. 2, 121–127. doi: 10.1007/s40141-014-0052-3 Stecco, A., Stern, R., Fantoni, I., De Caro, R., and Stecco, C. (2016). Fascial disorders: Implications for treatment. PM&R 8, 161–168. doi: 10.1016/j.pmrj.2015.06.006 Theise, N. D., Kohnehshahri, M. N., Chiriboga, L. A., Fyfe, B., Cao, W., Zee, S., Imam, R., Pichler-Sekulic, S., and Wells, R. G. (2025). Evidence of interstitial continuity within and beyond the human pancreas. Human Pathology 161, 105855. doi: 10.1016/j.humpath.2025.105855 Vigetti, D., Clerici, M., Deleonibus, S., Karousou, E., Viola, M., Moretto, P., et al. (2011). Hyaluronan synthesis is inhibited by adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase through the regulation of HAS2 activity in human aortic smooth muscle cells. Biol. Chem. 286, 7917–7924. doi: 10.1074/jbc.M110.193656 Vigetti, D., Deleonibus, S., Moretto, P., Bowen, T., Fischer, J. W., Grandoch, M., et al. (2014). Natural antisense transcript for hyaluronan synthase 2 (HAS2-AS1) induces transcription of HAS2 via protein Connect with Kate: https://www.healwithkate.org Culinary Training in India https://ayurvedicliving.institute/ayurvedic-culinary-nutrition-training Fall Cleanse https://ayurvedicliving.institute/kitchari-cleanse-ayurveda-fall Ayurvedic Living Institute Membership: https://ayurvedicliving.institute/membership Women's Health Collection: https://courses.ayurvedicliving.institute/collections/womens-healthhttps://courses.ayurvedicliving.institute/products/courses/copy-of-fall-community-cleanse-2024 Panchakarma in India: https://ayurvedicliving.institute/panchakarma-in-india Thanks to our Sponsors: Banyan Botanicals https://alnk.to/eOQb34q Triphala Support: https://alnk.to/bPhiKjx

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95. Pitta Season Survival: Ayurvedic Tips for Managing Summer Heat in Your Body [video]

If summer heat is leaving you irritable, bloated, broken out, or just plain wiped out, this solo episode is for you. Kate O'Donnell offers a midsummer check-in through the lens of Ayurveda — explaining why this particular point in the season is such an important juncture, and what to do now to keep summer's heat from setting the stage for a fall burnout. Kate walks through the Ayurvedic concept of samprapti — the slow, predictable way a dosha moves out of balance — and helps you recognize the early signs of pitta accumulation: heat, sharpness (acidity), spreading (prickly heat, breakouts, itchy skin), dryness, loose stools, and a short emotional fuse. She explains how accumulation turns into aggravation, and why that unchecked heat can cause real imbalances like acid reflux and inflammation down the line. Drawing on hard lessons from her own burnout last fall, Kate shares exactly what she's doing differently this year — from lying on the cool basement floor and eating her big meal at 10am, to giving up cold and raw foods, adding dry ginger to smoothies, and "slowing her roll" with a stay-home day each week. She also speaks directly to those in perimenopause and menopause about why extreme temperatures feel harder to manage now, and why that's something to be aware of rather than fixed. In this episode: Why midsummer is a critical juncture in the Ayurvedic year The signs of pitta accumulation vs. aggravation How heat, cortisol, and inflammation connect Perimenopause and why heat (and cold food) hit differently now Kate's practical toolkit: cooling the body, eating for the season, and slowing down Why warm, cooked food may be the fix for summer bloat Mentioned in this episode: Dr. Tung's natural oral care — drtungs.com (new customers get 15% off) Banyan Botanicals Beauty Balm — banyanbotanicals.com/kate Ayurvedic Living Institute — India Culinary & Nutrition Immersion, February 2027 — ayurvedicliving.institute The Fall Cleanse (offered each October) LifeSpa grass-fed whey protein powder https://store.lifespa.com/?ref=16841 Save $10 with code KATE10 If you're navigating perimenopause or menopause and summer feels harder than it used to — this one's for you. Keep in touch, and I'll see you next time. Connect with Kate: https://www.healwithkate.org Culinary Training in India https://ayurvedicliving.institute/ayurvedic-culinary-nutrition-training Fall Cleanse https://ayurvedicliving.institute/kitchari-cleanse-ayurveda-fall Ayurvedic Living Institute Membership: https://ayurvedicliving.institute/membership Women's Health Collection: https://courses.ayurvedicliving.institute/collections/womens-healthhttps://courses.ayurvedicliving.institute/products/courses/copy-of-fall-community-cleanse-2024 Panchakarma in India: https://ayurvedicliving.institute/panchakarma-in-india Thanks to our Sponsors: Banyan Botanicals https://alnk.to/eOQb34q Triphala Support: https://alnk.to/bPhiKjx