Changing Seasons: Ayurveda, Women’s Health, Menopause & Food as Medicine – Details, episodes & analysis

Dr Bhaswati Bhattacharya joins us on Changing Seasons podcast to discuss the power of Dinacharya, a daily Ayurvedic practice that she discovered could help treat  inflammation, thyroid conditions, gut issues and auto- immune diseases. 

Bhaswati talks about how she works with her patients to establish daily routines that not only increase ojas but also improve self-esteem.

We discuss her favourite Ayurvedic herbs, which include vijaya (cannabis), haritaki,  Shativari, and Bhaswati describes how to use them.

I learnt so much from this conversation and hope you will too.

Where to find Dr Bhattacharya:

Website:  

www.drbhaswati.com

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/drbhaswati

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/drdrbhaswati/

LinkedIn:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/drbhaswati/

Twitter:

 https://x.com/drbhaswati

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Credits:
Host: Jody Vassallo
Production: Sovereign Creator • https://sovereigncreator.io

© Changing Seasons. All rights reserved.

Today we welcome Lorie Dechar acupuncturist, psychotherapist, author, teacher, poet and mentor to Changing Seasons podcast to talk about the spirits in TCM. Lorie shares how she came to understand the spirits and describes how her menopausal experience helped her to connect with them.

Lorie spends time describing how the five elements are a wheel and the spirits operate more on a central axis. She speaks about how the Po spirit calls us back home to our bodies possibly through grief and loss in younger years and for a lot of us in menopause.

We discuss ways we can connect to the Po through the breath, the skin, using essential oils and self massage and returning to our bodies.

Website:

https://anewpossibility.com/study-with-lorie-eve-dechar/

Books:

The Alchemy of Inner Work

Five Spirits

Kijo

https://anewpossibility.com/books/

Instagram:

@loriedechar

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Credits:
Host: Jody Vassallo
Production: Sovereign Creator • https://sovereigncreator.io

© Changing Seasons. All rights reserved.

Today Jody welcomes Kimberley Ashton from Qi Food Therapy to the Changing Seasons podcast. We discuss in detail why certain foods will soothe and nourish the digestive system and other foods will aggravate and inflame it. She highlights the role of the sweet and salty flavours in our body. Kimberly explains why we need to consume good quality sweet flavoured foods to help relax and satiate the body and high and that salt is needed to strengthen the body.

We have a diet culture and the reduction approach the western has around food and how we are not being satiated physically, emotionally and mentally. Our earth element which governs our digestive needs us to be eating enough food so we can feel nourished.
Kimberley has worked with Five Element Nutrition for decades now and her work is informed by Traditional Chinese Medicine. Kimberley speaks about the Five Element personalities and how we can discover what constitution we are.
This is a wonderful conversation for anyone learning more about food as medicine, Kimberley has a wealth of knowledge in this area.

Book about the Five Element Constitutions:
Five Element Alchemy by Ashley Abbs

Instagram: @qifoodtherapy

Website: qifoodtherapy.com

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Leave a review on Apple • https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/changing-seasons-podcast/id1757970211

Credits:
Host: Jody Vassallo
Production: Sovereign Creator • https://sovereigncreator.io

© Changing Seasons. All rights reserved.

Today Jody welcomes Carly Merlo, owner of Bio Veda to the podcast to discuss the A-Z of Ayurvedic oils and how different medicated oils are prized for the healing process.

Ayurveda has been using oils on the body, hair and internally for thousands of years, black sesame oil or coconut oil are used as the carriers for the medicinal herbs which are warmed and then applied to the skin before bathing.

Bala oil is the oil of choice of Shirodhara, a therapeutic treatment that works to calm Vata in the Body.

Saffron oil is treasured by many as a transformative oil for the face, Neeli Bhringraj is a wonderful oil  we use for thinning or greying hair, Anu Thailum is used to clear sinus congestion and Gum and Mouth oil is used for oil pulling to nourish and strengthen the gums and mouth.

Carly speaks in detail about the many benefits of the large range of oils her company sells, she describes how to store and apply them and the oils that are best suited to the different constitutions. Dinacharya is a self care routine that Ayurveda encourages, Carly talks about tongue scraping, oil pulling, sun gazing, nasya and abyangha and how practising these routinely can benefit both our bodies and our minds.

Connect with Carly & Bio Veda

https://www.bioveda.com.au/?srsltid=AfmBOoo6eLoL4lbPby8hNZgiCEjChfCbRZX_eHElXTIYhzPo4rz2l2iI

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One on One Ayurvedic Consultations

https://www.jodyvassallo.com/ayurveda

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Contact • https://www.jodyvassallo.com/contact

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Leave a review on Apple • https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/changing-seasons-podcast/id1757970211

Credits:
Host: Jody Vassallo
Production: Sovereign Creator • https://sovereigncreator.io

© Changing Seasons. All rights reserved.

Today Jody takes a close look at sleep through the lens of Ayurveda. Sleep or nidra is an integral part of your health and there are many factors that influence the quality and quantity of your sleep. The different doshas can all experience their own issues with sleep and as we age sleep can become more disturbed. 

Jody discusses how what you eat before bed,  the time you go to sleep, the pjs you wear, the sheets you tuck into and the room you sleep in can impact the quality of your sleep.

Perimenopause can play havoc on ones sleep and Jody talks about simple remedies to deal with hot flushes and night sweats, waking early morning and not being able to get back to sleep and waking up feeling heavy and sluggish.

A great episode for anyone struggling with sleep.

Work With Jody

Book a one on one Ayurvedic Consultation with Jody

https://www.jodyvassallo.com/ayurveda

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Contact • https://www.jodyvassallo.com/contact

Support the Show:
Leave a review on Apple • https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/changing-seasons-podcast/id1757970211

Credits:
Host: Jody Vassallo
Production: Sovereign Creator • https://sovereigncreator.io

© Changing Seasons. All rights reserved.

Today Jody meets Sonia Lloyd from Rasara Skinfood about how to treat your skin using the principles of Ayurveda. After a skin flare up in her late teens Sonia tried many things unsuccessfully to treat the problem. 

Fast forward to today and Sonia now owns an Ayurvedic Skin & Hair Care range that is so pure you can literally eat it.

In our conversation today we cover the magic healing properties of castor oil and how it is an absolute gift for the skin. We discuss the different skin problems that each of the doshas can experience and the remedies they can use to treat them. Sonia explains how you can create your own moisturizer by combining a good quality oil and water and why water is such an important ingredient in skin care.

We talk about hair care, shampoo and what doshas benefit from washing their hair regularly and those who don't.

So many aha moments in this episode. If you or someone you love has skin issues you won't want to miss this one.

Find Sonia & Rasasara:

https://rasasara.com/

Instagram:

@rasaraskinfood

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Connect:
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Gather • https://www.jodyvassallo.com/gather
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Contact • https://www.jodyvassallo.com/contact

Support the Show:
Leave a review on Apple • https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/changing-seasons-podcast/id1757970211

Credits:
Host: Jody Vassallo
Production: Sovereign Creator • https://sovereigncreator.io

© Changing Seasons. All rights reserved.

Today Jody welcomes whole-food chef and cookbook author Holly Davis to Changing Seasons podcast to discuss Food as Medicine. 

We speak about how Holly discovered macrobiotics at the age of 14 and how it continues to influence how she cooks and prepares food to this day. Holly shares about how she used to be a macrobiotic zealot and these days her approach to food is much more about respect and the nourishment and joy we can get from sharing food we have prepared with those we love.

We discuss Holly's passion for fermentation and that she has more of a learn as you go attitude to cooking than being caught up in the science.

Connect With Holly:

https://www.foodbyhollydavis.com/

Join Jody's Japanese Food Tour

October 21st - November 1st, 2025.

https://www.jodyvassallo.com/food-yoga-tour-of-japan

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Connect:
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Contact • https://www.jodyvassallo.com/contact

Support the Show:
Leave a review on Apple • https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/changing-seasons-podcast/id1757970211

Credits:
Host: Jody Vassallo
Production: Sovereign Creator • https://sovereigncreator.io

© Changing Seasons. All rights reserved.

Today Jody talks about how Ayurveda looks at digestion and how we can learn what foods are best suited for the different body types and their relevant doshas.

Digestive fire or agni is dependent on a range of things, the food we consumed yesterday and how it was broken down, our prana, sleep and lifestyle choices. When digestive fire it can not only impact our digestive system, it can lead to a change in our mood and our behaviour.

Jody discusses the six tastes and the elements that make up each taste and how each one of the six tastes impacts the doshas. 

Download PDF: Ayurvedic Six Tastes 

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Support the Show:
Leave a review on Apple • https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/changing-seasons-podcast/id1757970211

Credits:
Host: Jody Vassallo
Production: Sovereign Creator • https://sovereigncreator.io

© Changing Seasons. All rights reserved.

In today's episode Jody touches on the common physical and emotional symptoms she sees in Perimenopause from an Ayurvedic perspective.

Weight gain, anxiety, hot flashes, anger, forgetfulness, waking up between 1-3am are all ways that our bodies are trying to communicate with us to stay something is not right, something is out of balance, something needs to change and it is up to us whether we choose to listen or medicate the messages.

If you are looking for help navigating your way through perimenopause book an Ayurvedic session with Jody to find out how to better understand the body your are living in.

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Contact • https://www.jodyvassallo.com/contact

Support the Show:
Leave a review on Apple • https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/changing-seasons-podcast/id1757970211

Credits:
Host: Jody Vassallo
Production: Sovereign Creator • https://sovereigncreator.io

© Changing Seasons. All rights reserved.

Today Jody talks about the qualities of each of the Ayurvedic Doshas and how they show up in the body, mind and emotions.

She explains how Ayurveda balances disturbances in the qualities of the Doshas by treating with the opposite quality in another Dosha. For example, if your Vata is out of balance and your skin is dry you start incorporating ghee into your diet to balance the dryness.

This is part one of a three part series with Jody that will cover the Doshas and provide simple ways to understand your body from an Ayurvedic perspective.

Find Out What Dosha You Are With The Evaluation Chart:

https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5f5b0a747ed214182973fc10/t/636b1aa72fd787335d1bb802/1743642686421/Dosha-Questionnaire.pdf

Interested In Starting Your Own Podcast? Connect with Sovereign Creator

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Connect:
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Contact • https://www.jodyvassallo.com/contact

Support the Show:
Leave a review on Apple • https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/changing-seasons-podcast/id1757970211

Credits:
Host: Jody Vassallo
Production: Sovereign Creator • https://sovereigncreator.io

© Changing Seasons. All rights reserved.