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Episode 24 — Winter Foods: How to Nourish Your Body and Build Strength This Season

In today’s episode, we explore how to nourish yourself during winter (Hemanta) using the principles of Ayurveda.
This is the season of strong digestive fire, deeper nourishment, and building the tissues that carry you through the colder months. Think: sweet, sour, salty, warm, grounding, and deeply supportive foods.

Before we dive in, I’m also sharing a special offering available only in November and December — my 1:1 Ayurvedic Holiday Support Sessions, a single 60-minute session designed to help you create a simple system of support for the very real challenges of this season. If you’ve been curious about what Ayurvedic coaching feels like, this is the perfect taster.

What We Explore in This Episode

🌬️ Early Winter & Your Body’s Intelligence

• Why your digestive fire naturally strengthens when the weather turns cold
• How Ayurveda understands this season as a time of containment, nourishment, and steadying the system
• What happens if you don’t feed your digestive fire properly during winter (hint: depletion)

🥣 The Ayurvedic Tastes That Support You Most Now

You’ll learn which of the six tastes build strength and stability in winter and how to naturally bring them into your meals.

We discuss the sweet taste present in grains, dairy products and the use of meat as medicine. 

We also cover sour and salty tastes and their roles in supporting digestion of heavier winter foods.

We talk about warm hydration rituals and their role in strengthening agni - our digestive fire.

🌱 What Winter Is Really About in Ayurveda

Winter is the season of building kapha on purpose.
Build wisely now → feel strong in spring.
Under-nourish now → deplete deeply later.

Book your Winter Holiday Support Session with Lean on Ayurveda here.

Learn more about my work: https://leanonayurveda.com/

Subscribe to my newsletter: receive seasonal reflections, ayurvedic practices, recipes and free resources to bring balance into your daily life.

Book a 1:1 ayurvedic consultation: learn how to use food, rhythm and ritual to support your unique constitution. 

If this episode resonates, please share it and rate the podcast - it helps more people discover the art of ayurveda as a support system for modern living!

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Feeling the pull to slow down while the world speeds up? 

In this episode, I share how introverts and sensitive souls can navigate the end-of-year season with more peace, groundedness, and intention — using Ayurveda’s timeless tools for nourishment & rest.

As the year begins to wind down, the world around us tends to speed up — parties, deadlines, and a swirl of activity pulling us outward. Yet, nature — and often our inner world — call for stillness, reflection, and warmth.

In this episode, we explore the paradox of being an introvert (or simply a sensitive soul) in an extroverted season, and how Ayurveda invites us to meet this threshold with grace, nourishment, and truthfulness.

You’ll learn:
🌙 Why this time of year naturally calls for inward reflection — and how to honor that pull
🔥 What Ayurveda recommends for the winter season (nourishment, coziness, intimacy, and truthfulness)
🪞How to work with Vata energy and reverse the momentum of anxiety or overactivity
💬 The importance of saying truthful “yeses” — and peaceful “nos”
💗 How to create sacred pauses and design a more harmonious, heart-led season
💌 Why solitude and depth might be your greatest sources of connection

Whether you identify as an introvert, an empath, or simply someone craving more peace at the end of the year — this episode will help you soften into the wisdom of the season.

Work with me this Season:

I’m offering two ways to receive Ayurvedic support this winter:

1. 🌿 Holiday Support Sessions — Single 1:1 sessions to help you feel grounded, clear, and centered through the holiday season. Available only through November and December.
   👉 Book your Holiday Support Session
   
   
2. ✨ Awaken Your Health (12-Week Journey) — My signature Ayurvedic mentorship program designed to help you understand your body, align your daily rhythm, and finally feel better.
   👉 Book a Free Consult for Awaken Your Health

Follow along on Instagram: @leanonayurveda

Learn more about my work: https://leanonayurveda.com/

Subscribe to my newsletter: receive seasonal reflections, ayurvedic practices, recipes and free resources to bring balance into your daily life.

Book a 1:1 ayurvedic consultation: learn how to use food, rhythm and ritual to support your unique constitution. 

If this episode resonates, please share it and rate the podcast - it helps more people discover the art of ayurveda as a support system for modern living!

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Are you telling yourself, “I’ll start paying more attention to my body… after the [insert circumstance]”? You’re not alone. But waiting for the “perfect moment” might be keeping you stuck in patterns you no longer want to repeat.

In this episode, we explore:

🌿 What can happen when you delay starting your Ayurvedic journey — and why there’s never a “perfect time”
🌿 What Ayurveda teaches us about timing, rhythm, and integration
🌿 Common misconceptions about working with Ayurveda (hint: it’s not all early mornings and kitchari!)
🌿 What an Ayurvedic practice might actually look like in real life
🌿 How summer can quietly throw your digestion, sleep, and energy off balance — and how to respond
🌿 A reframe to help you begin — without pressure, urgency, or perfectionism

If you’ve been waiting for life to slow down before you make a change, this episode offers both clarity and compassion.

Feel inspired to take your first step today?

Book a free initial consultation with me here.

Learn more about my 12 - week programme, "Awaken Your Health"

Join my newsletter for bi-weekly Ayurvedic wisdom and updates!

Learn more about my work: https://leanonayurveda.com/

Subscribe to my newsletter: receive seasonal reflections, ayurvedic practices, recipes and free resources to bring balance into your daily life.

Book a 1:1 ayurvedic consultation: learn how to use food, rhythm and ritual to support your unique constitution. 

If this episode resonates, please share it and rate the podcast - it helps more people discover the art of ayurveda as a support system for modern living!

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Ever feel like cooking is a chore that you often rush through? Would you rather feel excitement and a sense of wonder as you're headed to your kitchen?

If that's you, I invite you to tune into this episode.

I share a segment from the opening session of Kitchen Wisdom, a 3 part workshop series, designed to help you nourish You and Yours simply and guilt-free.

This episode has the potential to ignite that spark of inspiration you've been looking for!

We discuss:

• What we can learn about ourselves and our digestion from the oldest sacred texts known to man
• What warmth, delight, courage and our metabolism have in common
• 13 aspects of our metabolism according to āyurveda
• Why ritualising the things you need to do daily (like cooking!) might just change your life

and so much more!

🍋Join Kitchen Wisdom (June 1, 8 and 15 at 6 PM CET) - select the class of June 8 or 15 - enrolling in 1 session automatically gives you access to all 3 parts of the workshop)

Learn more about me and my work: leanonayurveda.com 

Learn more about my work: https://leanonayurveda.com/

Subscribe to my newsletter: receive seasonal reflections, ayurvedic practices, recipes and free resources to bring balance into your daily life.

Book a 1:1 ayurvedic consultation: learn how to use food, rhythm and ritual to support your unique constitution. 

If this episode resonates, please share it and rate the podcast - it helps more people discover the art of ayurveda as a support system for modern living!

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Our wisdom around food doesn’t come from recipe books alone.

In this episode, I explore where true nourishment begins — through the lens of Ayurveda and the Vedic tradition — and I share 5 Ayurvedic pathways to making better, wiser food choices.

Tune in to discover:

• How home-cooked meals affect your digestion differently than takeout or packaged food
• The most important Ayurvedic principle to ensure your meals are both nutritionally and energetically balanced
• A gentle but powerful truth about what it actually takes to commit to healthier eating
• The surprising role your state of mind plays in how you eat and digest your food
• A common mistake to avoid if you want to eat better and protect your inner peace

—

Kitchen Wisdom for Modern Times — my 3-part live workshop series — is now open for enrolment!

🗓 Join us on Sundays, 1, 8 & 15 June at 6 PM CET
✨ Learn to nourish You and Yours, simply and guilt-free
🎟 Save your seat here.

Join my newsletter for bi-weekly Ayurvedic wisdom and updates!

Learn more about my work: https://leanonayurveda.com/

Subscribe to my newsletter: receive seasonal reflections, ayurvedic practices, recipes and free resources to bring balance into your daily life.

Book a 1:1 ayurvedic consultation: learn how to use food, rhythm and ritual to support your unique constitution. 

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In this episode, we’re talking all about decision-making — and why it can feel so hard to just move forward sometimes.

You’ll learn:

- The number one thing to examine if you’re feeling stuck in indecision
- The surprising power behind simple Ayurvedic routines (and why they work so well)
- A liberating thought to try on if you’ve been spinning in circles trying to make the “right” choice
- The uncomfortable truth about how indecision quietly drains your energy — and how to reclaim it

Whether you’re facing a small everyday choice or a big life decision, this episode will help you understand the root of that “stuck” feeling — and offer a gentle path forward.

Book a free initial consultation with me here.

Learn more about my 12 - week programme, "Awaken Your Health"

Join my newsletter for bi-weekly Ayurvedic wisdom and updates!

Learn more about my work: https://leanonayurveda.com/

Subscribe to my newsletter: receive seasonal reflections, ayurvedic practices, recipes and free resources to bring balance into your daily life.

Book a 1:1 ayurvedic consultation: learn how to use food, rhythm and ritual to support your unique constitution. 

If this episode resonates, please share it and rate the podcast - it helps more people discover the art of ayurveda as a support system for modern living!

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In this Q&A-style episode, I answer your questions on:

✨ Ayurvedic Skin Care — How does our skin receive its nourishment? What determines healthy, radiant skin? Why is paying attention to Vata dosha so important for those seeking a lasting glow? Plus: Ayurvedic rituals and herbs to support vibrant skin all year round.

🌿 Creating Your Own Spice Blends — Discover the most important factor to consider when crafting your own spice blends (hint: it’s not what you think!). Learn how spices influence your food’s digestibility and how to choose the best spices for you.

🍞 Sourdough & Fermented Foods — If you’ve been curious about using fermented foods medicinally, this segment is for you. I explore the Ayurvedic perspective on fermented products—how they can support or challenge your health, and when they might be best enjoyed.

📚 Books I reference in this episode:

• Women’s Power to Heal Through Inner Medicine by Maya Tiwari
• The Path of Practice: A Woman's Book of Ayurvedic Healing by Maya Tiwari
• The Everyday Ayurveda Cookbook: A Seasonal Guide to Eating and Living Well by Kate O’Donnell
• Everyday Ayurveda Cooking for a Calm, Clear Mind: 100 Simple Sattvic Recipes by Kate O’Donnell

Whether you’re curious about how to glow from within or simply want to elevate your kitchen game with intentional cooking, this episode offers grounded insight and inspiration to support your healing path.

💌 Learn more about my work at leanonayurveda.com

🌿 Join my newsletter for bi-weekly Ayurvedic wisdom and updates!

Let's connect on Instagram! @lean_on_ayurveda

Learn more about my work: https://leanonayurveda.com/

Subscribe to my newsletter: receive seasonal reflections, ayurvedic practices, recipes and free resources to bring balance into your daily life.

Book a 1:1 ayurvedic consultation: learn how to use food, rhythm and ritual to support your unique constitution. 

If this episode resonates, please share it and rate the podcast - it helps more people discover the art of ayurveda as a support system for modern living!

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Carbs get a bad rap in many modern wellness circles, but Ayurveda offers a more nuanced and compassionate take. In this episode, we explore the role of carbohydrates through the Ayurvedic lens. Diet culture and wellness advice can disconnect us from our inner knowing — Ayurveda invites us back.

You’ll learn:

• Why Ayurveda doesn’t villainize carbs — and how they are actually considered grounding, nourishing, and essential for many.
• Why the modern wellness world often gets this wrong (and how this confusion affects women, especially).
• When is it appropriate to consume less carbs according to Ayurveda
• How are carbs linked to our ability to feel stable, grounded and satisfied in life.

and much more!

References used: Charak Samhita New Edition

Dive deeper: LifeSpa podcast 074: Ketogenic Diet Pros + Cons 

🔗 Work with me 1:1 inside Awaken Your Health

Learn more about my work: https://leanonayurveda.com/

Subscribe to my newsletter: receive seasonal reflections, ayurvedic practices, recipes and free resources to bring balance into your daily life.

Book a 1:1 ayurvedic consultation: learn how to use food, rhythm and ritual to support your unique constitution. 

If this episode resonates, please share it and rate the podcast - it helps more people discover the art of ayurveda as a support system for modern living!

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Rasayana therapies are a crucial part of the Ayurvedic toolbox, designed to enhance immunity, support longevity, and deeply nourish the body’s tissues. While specialized herbs and tonics play a role, there’s so much more to this ancient practice—yet a key aspect is often overlooked.

Tune in to discover:
✨ What Rasayana therapies are and the most commonly used modalities
✨ The forgotten aspect of Rasayana therapy that has nothing to do with nutrition
✨ Three essential aspects of Achara Rasayana (behavioral conduct with rejuvenating effects)

To learn more about my work, visit leanonayurveda.com

Learn more about my work: https://leanonayurveda.com/

Subscribe to my newsletter: receive seasonal reflections, ayurvedic practices, recipes and free resources to bring balance into your daily life.

Book a 1:1 ayurvedic consultation: learn how to use food, rhythm and ritual to support your unique constitution. 

If this episode resonates, please share it and rate the podcast - it helps more people discover the art of ayurveda as a support system for modern living!

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In this episode, I take you on a journey through my recent travels in Thailand, exploring three aspects of Thai culture that stood out to me from an Ayurvedic perspective.

We cover:
✨ The accessibility and integration of bodywork (Thai massage) and how it compares to Ayurvedic self-care practices
✨ The presence of the village in child-rearing and how it contrasts with modern Western parenting
✨ The role of devotion in daily life and why Ayurveda emphasizes our relationship with the Divine

Plus, reflections on how these cultural practices align with Ayurvedic wisdom and what we can learn from them in our own lives.

Resources & Links:
🌱 Join my Ayurvedic Spring Cleanse (March 21-23, 2025) – Sign up here!
🌿 Learn more about my work at leanonayurveda.com

Learn more about my work: https://leanonayurveda.com/

Subscribe to my newsletter: receive seasonal reflections, ayurvedic practices, recipes and free resources to bring balance into your daily life.

Book a 1:1 ayurvedic consultation: learn how to use food, rhythm and ritual to support your unique constitution. 

If this episode resonates, please share it and rate the podcast - it helps more people discover the art of ayurveda as a support system for modern living!

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Do you ever wonder if detoxifying foods are right for you? In this episode, I break down Ayurveda’s unique approach to cleansing and why balance—not extremes—is key.

We cover:

• The two main food categories in Ayurveda: tissue-building vs. tissue-reducing
• How the seasons influence your body's natural detox process
• The hidden pitfalls of intense detox protocols (and who should avoid them)
• The safest, most effective way to support your body's cleansing process
• How an Ayurvedic monodiet (Kitchari cleanse) offers both nourishment and detoxification

If you're considering a cleanse this Spring, tune in to understand what your body actually needs—without depriving or depleting yourself.

🌷 Join my Spring Cleanse (March 21-23, 2025)! 🌷
A guided, community-supported Ayurvedic cleanse designed to be gentle, effective, and tailored to YOU.

Save your seat here.

Learn more about me and my offerings: leanonayurveda.com

Learn more about my work: https://leanonayurveda.com/

Subscribe to my newsletter: receive seasonal reflections, ayurvedic practices, recipes and free resources to bring balance into your daily life.

Book a 1:1 ayurvedic consultation: learn how to use food, rhythm and ritual to support your unique constitution. 

If this episode resonates, please share it and rate the podcast - it helps more people discover the art of ayurveda as a support system for modern living!

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Do you find yourself constantly craving sugar? You're not alone—I've been there too. In this episode, we’ll dive into:

• The Ayurvedic perspective on the sweet taste—what it really means for your body and mind
• Why refined sugar might have a place in your life (and when it doesn’t)
• What’s truly hiding behind your sugar cravings?
• Two practical Ayurvedic solutions to help you break free from excessive sugar consumption

Join my Spring Cleanse on 21-23 March 2025!
🌿 Reset your digestion and cravings with gentle Ayurvedic guidance. Save your spot here.

Learn more about me and my offerings: leanonayurveda.com

Learn more about my work: https://leanonayurveda.com/

Subscribe to my newsletter: receive seasonal reflections, ayurvedic practices, recipes and free resources to bring balance into your daily life.

Book a 1:1 ayurvedic consultation: learn how to use food, rhythm and ritual to support your unique constitution. 

If this episode resonates, please share it and rate the podcast - it helps more people discover the art of ayurveda as a support system for modern living!

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What if the power you’re chasing is already yours, but buried under constant striving? We take a clear-eyed look at women’s empowerment through the Ayurvedic lens and ask the braver question: what changes when we stop gripping outcomes and start trusting right action paired with real rest. The answer is not passivity—it’s stronger agency, steadier hormones, and choices that match our true capacity.

I share a pivotal story about learning surrender during my son’s hospital stay and how that moment reframed my idea of strength. From there, we unpack the patterns Ayurveda often reveals in driven women: pitta pushing for control and vata fueling fear, leading to overplanning, rigid timelines, mental dryness, and joy that depends on external wins. We connect these patterns to fertility and reproductive health, exploring why softening resistance can free prana, support the sacral center, and bring back creativity and libido.

You’ll hear practical ways to live this balance. We talk about designing weeks for the energy you actually have, not the energy you wish you had. We explore oiling the system—sleep, nourishment, gentle movement—as soma to stabilize agni, your inner fire. We practice allowing other people to be as they are to end the hidden battles that drain you. And we lean into trusted guidance—from teachers to the quiet intelligence of your own body. Along the way, the Gita’s teaching lands with fresh clarity: you have the right to action, not to the fruits of action. That single shift calms the timeline and makes space for mystery.

If empowerment without surrender breeds anxiety, empowerment with surrender breeds grounded confidence. From that place, decisions feel clean, boundaries land with grace, and timelines soften without losing momentum. Press play to reclaim a form of power that nourishes you back. If this conversation speaks to you, subscribe, leave a review, and share it with a woman who could use a little less fight and a lot more flow.

Learn more about my work: https://leanonayurveda.com/

Subscribe to my newsletter: receive seasonal reflections, ayurvedic practices, recipes and free resources to bring balance into your daily life.

Book a 1:1 ayurvedic consultation: learn how to use food, rhythm and ritual to support your unique constitution. 

If this episode resonates, please share it and rate the podcast - it helps more people discover the art of ayurveda as a support system for modern living!

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Have you ever considered that the way you eat dinner plays a major role in how you feel? In this episode, we explore how to set yourself up for an evening meal that is easier to digest and supports your overall well-being.

We cover:

•  The energetics of the evening and how they impact digestion
• The #1 thing you can do to help your body process your evening meal
• What to do if you’re still feeling hungry after dinner
• How to navigate late, heavy dinners if they’ve become a habit
• Two simple tips for those who live alone and find it challenging to cook for themselves

Learn more about me and my offerings: leanonayurveda.com

Learn more about my work: https://leanonayurveda.com/

Subscribe to my newsletter: receive seasonal reflections, ayurvedic practices, recipes and free resources to bring balance into your daily life.

Book a 1:1 ayurvedic consultation: learn how to use food, rhythm and ritual to support your unique constitution. 

If this episode resonates, please share it and rate the podcast - it helps more people discover the art of ayurveda as a support system for modern living!

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This is an episode about one of the most underrated wellness habits - eating a proper lunch! This will be especially useful to those listeners who do not have a habit of eating a regular, home-made lunch.

We cover:

• A huge misunderstanding about lunch in our culture
• Why a proper lunch keeps us in sync with nature’s cycles
• Finding THE window of opportunity to start in a small way
• The 1st and 2nd best options
• Using technology to help us with meal prep
• A bonus coaching question to get you started eating on a healthier schedule right away

Learn more about me and my offerings: leanonayurveda.com

Learn more about my work: https://leanonayurveda.com/

Subscribe to my newsletter: receive seasonal reflections, ayurvedic practices, recipes and free resources to bring balance into your daily life.

Book a 1:1 ayurvedic consultation: learn how to use food, rhythm and ritual to support your unique constitution. 

If this episode resonates, please share it and rate the podcast - it helps more people discover the art of ayurveda as a support system for modern living!

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In this episode we discuss what makes for a feel-good breakfast to start your day. 

You’ll learn about:

• What to do if your mornings feel rushed 
• A super simple ayurvedic practice for oral hygiene in the mornings
• A gentle way to wake up your digestive fire
• A very common morning habit that can lead to overall depletion over time

Learn more about me and my offerings: leanonayurveda.com

Learn more about my work: https://leanonayurveda.com/

Subscribe to my newsletter: receive seasonal reflections, ayurvedic practices, recipes and free resources to bring balance into your daily life.

Book a 1:1 ayurvedic consultation: learn how to use food, rhythm and ritual to support your unique constitution. 

If this episode resonates, please share it and rate the podcast - it helps more people discover the art of ayurveda as a support system for modern living!

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Welcome to this very first episode! Here I share my personal story.

In this introductory episode you’ll hear about what my life was like BEFORE āyurveda found me and how my life changed after this encounter.

Learn more: leanonayurveda.com

Learn more about my work: https://leanonayurveda.com/

Subscribe to my newsletter: receive seasonal reflections, ayurvedic practices, recipes and free resources to bring balance into your daily life.

Book a 1:1 ayurvedic consultation: learn how to use food, rhythm and ritual to support your unique constitution. 

If this episode resonates, please share it and rate the podcast - it helps more people discover the art of ayurveda as a support system for modern living!

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Episode 21 – Ghee: The Ayurvedic Elixir That Carries Prayer, Calms the Nerves, and Feeds Creation

In this episode of Lean on Ayurveda, we explore one of the most sacred and time-honoured substances in the Ayurvedic tradition — ghee.

We travel back to the Rig Veda, one of the oldest known texts in human history, where an entire hymn is devoted to this golden elixir. Through story, philosophy, and practice, we traces ghee’s divine lineage and the many layers of meaning it holds — as nourishment, medicine, and prayer.

From its origins as the union of Agni (fire) and Soma (nectar), ghee reminds us of the balance between transformation and rest, action and receptivity, doing and being.

You’ll learn:

• Why ghee is called “the tongue of the gods and the navel of immortality” in the Rig Veda
• How ghee acts as an anupan — a carrier that brings nourishment to the body’s deepest tissues
• The story of Prajapati and how ghee became a symbol of creation itself
• The connection between ghee and our nervous system, reproductive vitality, and emotional steadiness
• Simple, everyday ways to bring ghee into your life — in the kitchen, in self-care, and in ritual

I also share the tradition of making ghee on the full moon — a practice of aligning with the lunar cycle and reconnecting with nourishment as a sacred act.

Mentioned in this episode

• Rig Veda hymn to ghee
• Vital Veda's Dylan Smith article — "The lowdown on Ghee" - for further teachings
• The concept of Agni and Soma in Ayurveda
• Full moon ghee-making ritual

Explore further
✨ Subscribe to my newsletter — receive seasonal reflections, Ayurvedic practices, and free resources to bring balance into your daily life.
🌿 Book a 1:1 Ayurvedic Consultation — if you’d like to explore how to use food, rhythm, and ritual to support your unique constitution.

A reflection for you:
Each time you stir a spoon of ghee into your soup or tea, ask yourself — How am I tending to my fire today? And how am I nourishing it?

If this episode resonates, please share it or leave a review — it helps more listeners discover Ayurveda as both science and poetry for modern living.

Listen now on your favorite podcast platform, and join me again in two weeks for another episode of Lean on Ayurveda.

Learn more about my work: https://leanonayurveda.com/

Subscribe to my newsletter: receive seasonal reflections, ayurvedic practices, recipes and free resources to bring balance into your daily life.

Book a 1:1 ayurvedic consultation: learn how to use food, rhythm and ritual to support your unique constitution. 

If this episode resonates, please share it and rate the podcast - it helps more people discover the art of ayurveda as a support system for modern living!

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In this episode of Lean on Ayurveda, I share five fresh lessons that emerged from guiding our latest Community Fall Reset. Over 10 days together, we set aside caffeine, sugar, alcohol, and other agitating habits while nourishing ourselves with simple Ayurvedic practices—including a three-day kichari reset.

Whether you joined this reset, or you tend to do seasonal cleanses on your own, these reflections will help you integrate your experience—or inspire your next one.

Here’s what we explore together in this episode:

• Lesson 1: What happens when you truly see your relationship with caffeine (and why withdrawal symptoms are more than “mind over matter”).
• Lesson 2: Detoxing the senses and rethinking our relationship with screens and devices.
• Lesson 3: Remembering that “nature is as pitiless as it is beautiful”—and why not every difficult moment needs fixing.
• Lesson 4: How ritualizing even small acts of self-care (like oiling the skin) can change the way you live your life.
• Lesson 5: Why resets reduce cravings over time and how this helps you create a more intentional relationship with food and drink.

Along the way, I share participant experiences, Ayurvedic wisdom, and my own reflections on how powerful—even magical—these practices can be.

✨ Resources mentioned in this episode:

• This Is Your Mind on Plants by Michael Pollan
  – a brilliant exploration of how substances like caffeine shape our minds and bodies.
• Sign up for my newsletter
  – receive Ayurvedic wisdom, seasonal guidance, and community updates straight to your inbox.
• Follow me on Instagram
  – I’m currently on a little hiatus, but I’ll be back soon.

🌿 If you enjoyed this episode, please take a moment to rate and review the podcast. It truly helps others discover Lean on Ayurveda and join this growing community of seekers.

Learn more about my work: https://leanonayurveda.com/

Subscribe to my newsletter: receive seasonal reflections, ayurvedic practices, recipes and free resources to bring balance into your daily life.

Book a 1:1 ayurvedic consultation: learn how to use food, rhythm and ritual to support your unique constitution. 

If this episode resonates, please share it and rate the podcast - it helps more people discover the art of ayurveda as a support system for modern living!

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Eclipse seasons have a way of stirring the mind and emotions. They shake up our sense of self, unsettle the ego, and sometimes leave us feeling restless, vulnerable, or even blindsided. But within this intensity also lies the possibility of deep insight.

In this episode, I share how Ayurveda can help us navigate eclipse season with steadiness and care. From simplifying meals to reducing nervous system stimulants, creating space in your calendar, and leaning into grounding rituals like self-oiling, you’ll discover simple ways to soothe the restless mind and become more available for the wisdom this cosmic moment offers.

✨ What you’ll hear in this episode:

• Why Vedic traditions view eclipses as powerful times to pause, rest, and turn inward
• My personal observations from this eclipse season (including unexpected omens and lessons)
• How to simplify your diet to support both digestion and mental clarity
• The importance of spacing out your calendar during high-vulnerability periods
• Ayurvedic practices to calm the nervous system: reducing stimulants, digital hygiene, and self-oiling rituals

🌿 Resources & Links

• Join the Fall Reset (prep starting September 14, Reset Days September 19-21 ) → https://leanonayurveda.setmore.com/#classes
• Sign up for my newsletter to hear about the next seasonal reset → HERE
• If this episode resonated with you, please leave a review or rating — it helps more people discover the show! 
• More about me and my work: leanonayurveda.com
• Let's connect on Instagram @lean_on_ayurveda

Learn more about my work: https://leanonayurveda.com/

Subscribe to my newsletter: receive seasonal reflections, ayurvedic practices, recipes and free resources to bring balance into your daily life.

Book a 1:1 ayurvedic consultation: learn how to use food, rhythm and ritual to support your unique constitution. 

If this episode resonates, please share it and rate the podcast - it helps more people discover the art of ayurveda as a support system for modern living!

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As summer fades and we step into autumn, our immunity is tested by seasonal shifts, overstimulation, and busy modern lives. In Ayurveda, immunity isn’t just about herbs or supplements—it’s about how we move through thresholds, honor our rhythms, and give ourselves the space to digest life fully.

In this episode, I share:
🌿 Why thresholds—like waking, eating, menstruation, and seasonal changes—are powerful opportunities for strengthening immunity
🌿 The Ayurvedic understanding of immunity (vyadhi kshamatva) as “the body’s capacity for forgiveness”
🌿 Why supplements alone won’t make you resilient—and what will
🌿 Simple ways to create inner “down time” that restore your nervous system (without needing a retreat or vacation)
🌿 The principle of pacify before you purify—why it matters for every cleanse or reset
🌿 What makes the Fall Reset a unique, householder-friendly way to support digestion, immunity, and emotional balance
🌿 Why doing this work in community can amplify clarity, healing, and integration

✨ Join the Fall Reset (Sept 19–21)
Our next seasonal cleanse begins soon! This guided reset is rooted in Ayurveda but designed for real life. Together we’ll prepare, pause stimulants, practice a 3-day kitchari monodiet, rest our senses, and share reflections in community.

• Early Bird until Aug 31: €50 (regular €70)
• Enrollment closes Sept 14 

👉 Join the Fall Reset here

🔗 Links & Resources

• Visit my website
• Join my newsletter
   for seasonal Ayurvedic wisdom + special updates
• Book a call with me
   if you’re curious about 1:1 support
• Follow me on Instagram @lean_on_ayurveda
  
  

Learn more about my work: https://leanonayurveda.com/

Subscribe to my newsletter: receive seasonal reflections, ayurvedic practices, recipes and free resources to bring balance into your daily life.

Book a 1:1 ayurvedic consultation: learn how to use food, rhythm and ritual to support your unique constitution. 

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If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed, overcommitted, or stuck in the myth that “you should be able to do it all” — this episode is for you.

This week, I explore a remedy that’s rarely talked about in conversations around painful periods, peri/menopause symptoms, and women’s reproductive wellbeing: spaciousness.

✨ You’ll learn:

🌿 How creating space in your life can become the most effective thing you do to reduce period pain, emotional intensity, and hormone-related symptoms
🌿 How the Vedic principles of Bindu and Brahmasthāna can guide us toward deeper alignment
🌿 The difference between working from fulfillment vs. working toward it
🌿 3 ways in which Ayurveda invites to create inner and outer spaciousness
🌿 Personal stories and honest reflections on the pressure to “do it all” — and what happens when we stop believing that myth
🌿 A teaser about an upcoming Fall offering to help you create more space and ease in your life

💌 Want more Ayurvedic wisdom like this in your inbox?
Join my newsletter for bi-weekly insights and updates:
👉 Sign up here

🌺 Curious about working together more deeply?
Explore my 12-week 1:1 program Awaken Your Health — an Ayurvedic immersion designed to reconnect you to your body, rhythm, and inner guidance.
👉 Learn more here

Find me on Instagram: @lean_on_ayurveda

Learn more about my work: https://leanonayurveda.com/

Subscribe to my newsletter: receive seasonal reflections, ayurvedic practices, recipes and free resources to bring balance into your daily life.

Book a 1:1 ayurvedic consultation: learn how to use food, rhythm and ritual to support your unique constitution. 

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In the spirit of Guru Purnima, this episode is a heartfelt reflection on the sacred student–teacher relationship and how I continue to walk the path of studentship.

Tune in to hear:

🌿 Why I follow the Vedic system to guide all areas of my life — not just health
🌿 What I was taught about the student-teacher dynamic and how I relate to it now
🌿 The deeper karma of the student–teacher relationship
🌿 Why being of service to our teachers is more than a cultural custom
🌿 What to do when a teacher you respect reveals a major flaw
🌿 One thing many modern students forget when they don’t get the results they hoped for
🌿 Where to look if you’re longing for a wise teacher — and what to watch out for

This episode is for you if you’re craving mentorship, structure, and a deeper connection to something ancient and real. Whether you're just beginning your journey or have been seeking guidance for years, may it remind you that wisdom finds those who are willing to be students.

If this episode resonates, I invite you to subscribe to my newsletter for bi-weekly insights into Ayurveda, rhythm, and sustainable wellness — and explore my 1:1 work via my website or book a consult to learn more about working together.

All my gratitude to my teachers of the past and present: Dr David Frawley, Myra Lewin, KP Khalsa, Robin Stamp, Angela Perger, Kaya Mindlin.

Learn more about my work: https://leanonayurveda.com/

Subscribe to my newsletter: receive seasonal reflections, ayurvedic practices, recipes and free resources to bring balance into your daily life.

Book a 1:1 ayurvedic consultation: learn how to use food, rhythm and ritual to support your unique constitution. 

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Your Ayurvedic Summer Guide: Cool Pitta, Soothe Vata, Feel Better

Summer can be a beautiful time — but it’s also the season when fiery Pitta energy and light, mobile Vata tend to get stirred up, leaving many of us feeling anxious, irritated, constipated, or just plain exhausted.

In this episode, I’m giving you a practical Ayurvedic guide to help you enjoy Summer — without sacrificing your digestion, your mood, or your sleep.

Tune in to learn:

🌿 The key factors that cause constipation, anxiety, and sleep disruption during the Summer months — and how to prevent them
🌿 How to make smarter, more supportive choices when it comes to Summer drinks and cooling beverages
🌿 My best Ayurvedic tips for dealing with Summer travel constipation
🌿 What Summer FOMO (fear of missing out) has to do with your health — and how to shift that energy to feel grounded and nourished
🌿 The foods that truly support your body, digestion, and mind this season
🌿 Several surprising (and pleasurable!) remedies for releasing anger, frustration, and burnout

✨ Want to go deeper?

🌿 Join my newsletter for free Ayurvedic wisdom and seasonal tools → Sign up here
🌿 Curious about personalised support? Book a free consultation with me → Book your consult
🌿 Learn more about my work → Visit my website

Your Summer can feel cool, calm, and balanced — it starts with understanding your body’s needs. Let’s dive in together.

Learn more about my work: https://leanonayurveda.com/

Subscribe to my newsletter: receive seasonal reflections, ayurvedic practices, recipes and free resources to bring balance into your daily life.

Book a 1:1 ayurvedic consultation: learn how to use food, rhythm and ritual to support your unique constitution. 

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In this deep conversation, I’m joined by my beloved teacher Angela Perger, founder of Simple Ayurveda, to explore how ancient Ayurvedic wisdom can meet modern trauma awareness - and why, for many of us, healing requires more than food, herbs, and routines alone.

Together, we dive into trauma-informed Ayurveda, emotional digestion, and the role of community in healing chronic conditions. Angela shares her own powerful health journey, how she integrates German New Medicine (GNM) with Ayurveda, and why learning to live with paradox may be one of the most important skills on a healing path.

In this episode, we explore:

• What trauma-informed Ayurveda really means - and why it’s not a one-size-fits-all approach
• How unresolved emotional experiences can show up as physical symptoms
• Angela’s personal journey with autoimmune conditions and long-term healing
• An introduction to German New Medicine (GNM) and how it complements Ayurveda
• Why “doing everything right” still isn’t always enough - especially for Western nervous systems
• Emotional digestion and how the body processes unresolved experiences
• Working with health-related fear, medical anxiety, and chronic illness
• Ritualizing medication and medical appointments as a form of nervous system support
• The power of healing in community (and why it’s often missing today)
• Why sharing our stories in safe groups can be profoundly transformative
• Living in paradox: the wisdom of “yes, and” instead of “either/or”
• Creativity, improv, and joy as unexpected healing tools
• What it means to find - or create - a modern village for healing

About Angela Perger

Angela Perger is an Ayurvedic practitioner, educator, and the founder of Simple Ayurveda. With a background in education and decades of lived experience navigating chronic illness, Angela brings a deeply compassionate, nuanced lens to healing.

Her work integrates classical Ayurveda with trauma awareness, emotional digestion, ancestral inquiry, and German New Medicine - supporting people who feel they’ve “done all the right things” but are still searching for deeper resolution.

Angela is also the host of the Simple Ayurveda Podcast, where she shares grounded, practical wisdom for living in rhythm with nature and the body.

Explore Angela’s work:

🌿 Website: https://simpleayurveda.com
🎧 Podcast: Simple Ayurveda (available on all podcast platforms)

Her Programme Ayurveda Encompassed starts in February 2026!

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If you enjoyed this episode, please consider subscribing, leaving a review, or sharing it with a friend — it’s one of the best ways to support the podcast and help this work reach those who need it.

Learn more about my work: https://leanonayurveda.com/

Subscribe to my newsletter: receive seasonal reflections, ayurvedic practices, recipes and free resources to bring balance into your daily life.

Book a 1:1 ayurvedic consultation: learn how to use food, rhythm and ritual to support your unique constitution. 

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In the final episode of 2025, we’re closing the year with a special Q&A, featuring questions submitted by my current clients. We explore everything from the truth about ghee and inflammation, to navigating the emotional weight of the world, to finding your way out of procrastination patterns.

In this episode, we cover:

• Is ghee inflammatory?
We look at what modern sources say, where confusion often arises, how ghee behaves in the body according to Ayurveda, the role of butyrate in gut health, and what the classical texts tell us about using ghee therapeutically.

• How to feel harmony in a world that feels harsh.
We explore the lens of Kali Yuga, the deeper perspective of yogic philosophy, how to hold both agency and surrender, and the two practices that can keep you rooted when the world feels overwhelming: rhythm and prayer.

• “I keep procrastinating. What do I do?”
A practical Ayurvedic take on procrastination. We differentiate between tamasic (inert) procrastination and rajasic (busy but avoidant) procrastination — and how to shift each one using sattva, rajas, or both.

End-of-Year Offering: Ayurvedic Holiday Support Sessions

For the month of December, I’m opening up something I rarely offer — single one-on-one sessions to support you through the holiday season.

These 60-minute focused sessions can support you with:

• digestion and food rhythm while traveling or hosting
• stress, sensory load, and overwhelm
• emotional tenderness that often arises this time of year

We choose 1–2 priorities and build a simple, personalized support system so you can enter the new year feeling grounded, nourished, and clear.

→ Book your session here.

Resources Mentioned in this episode:

• WebMD nutritional overview of ghee
• Research on the anti-inflammatory effects of butyrate: Canani RB, Costanzo MD, Leone L, Pedata M, Meli R, Calignano A. Potential beneficial effects of butyrate in intestinal and extraintestinal diseases. World J Gastroenterol. 2011 Mar 28;17(12):1519-28. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v17.i12.1519. PMID: 21472114; PMCID: PMC3070119.
• Charaka Samhita passages on ghee (ghṛta)
• Simple Ayurveda Podcast ep 169: Time from a Vedic Perspective: A Deep Dive into the Yugas.

Learn more about my work: https://leanonayurveda.com/

Subscribe to my newsletter: receive seasonal reflections, ayurvedic practices, recipes and free resources to bring balance into your daily life.

Book a 1:1 ayurvedic consultation: learn how to use food, rhythm and ritual to support your unique constitution. 

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Spring is a powerful time of transition in Ayurveda—a moment when the body begins to release winter’s heaviness and reawaken its natural flow.

In this episode of the Lean on Ayurveda Podcast, recorded on the auspicious beginning of Navaratri and a new lunar cycle, I explore how to support lymphatic health (rasa dhatu) through Ayurvedic herbs—while staying rooted in the understanding that lifestyle always comes first.

You’ll be introduced to three herbs—tulsi, dandelion, and manjistha—each offering a unique pathway to support the body during kapha season, when stagnation, congestion, and heaviness can arise.

Rather than approaching herbs as quick fixes, this episode invites you into a more intentional and relational way of working with plant medicine—as something to build a connection with, rather than simply consume.

In This Episode You’ll Learn

• Why spring is a key time for lymphatic support in Ayurveda
• The role of rasa dhatu (lymphatic tissue) in overall nourishment
• Why lifestyle practices come before herbs
• How to approach herbs as relational, not transactional
• The benefits and qualities of:
  • Tulsi (Holy Basil)
  • Dandelion
  • Manjistha
• How color, taste, and seasonal foods support lymphatic flow
• Why bitter greens and red-pigmented foods are especially beneficial in spring

The 3 Herbs for Springtime Lymphatic Support

🌿 Tulsi (Holy Basil)

A sacred, sattvic herb known for promoting clarity, harmony, and flow.

• Supports the lungs and reduces excess mucus
• Encourages circulation of prana (life force)
• Gently stimulates digestion
• Ideal for light spring congestion

Simple use: tea with honey, or blended with mint for a fresh infusion

🌼 Dandelion

A powerful local and accessible spring herb with cleansing properties.

• Supports liver and lymphatic function
• Helps clear heat, inflammation, and stagnation
• Especially supportive for breast tissue congestion
• Encourages resilience and adaptability

Simple use: tea, pesto, or added to meals as fresh greens

🌺 Manjistha (Rubia cordifolia)

One of Ayurveda’s most renowned herbs for lymphatic movement and blood purification.

• Supports both rasa dhatu (lymph) and rakta dhatu (blood)
• Helps dissolve stagnation and clear inflammation
• Traditionally used for skin, lymph, and reproductive health
• Has adaptogenic qualities and deep cleansing action

⚠️ Best used with guidance, especially for dosage and duration.

A Gentle Reminder

Herbs are supportive—but not essential.

Before reaching for herbal remedies, Ayurveda invites us to focus on:

• Nourishing, seasonal food
• Proper hydration
• Daily movement
• Touch therapies like massage or dry brushing
• Supporting digestive fire (agni)

These are the foundations

Learn more about my work: https://leanonayurveda.com/

Subscribe to my newsletter: receive seasonal reflections, ayurvedic practices, recipes and free resources to bring balance into your daily life.

Book a 1:1 ayurvedic consultation: learn how to use food, rhythm and ritual to support your unique constitution. 

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🌿 Join the Spring Cleanse here

As spring arrives in the Northern Hemisphere, our bodies naturally transition out of winter’s heaviness. In Ayurveda, this seasonal shift brings an increase in kapha dosha, which can lead to feelings of sluggishness, congestion, brain fog, or emotional heaviness.

In this episode of the Lean on Ayurveda Podcast, I explore how spring affects the lymphatic system (rasa dhatu) and why this time of year is ideal for gently supporting the body’s natural cleansing processes.

You’ll learn how Ayurveda understands lymphatic health, the relationship between digestive fire (agni) and seasonal balance, and simple ways to support your body through food, movement, and seasonal rhythms.

I also share why many traditions across cultures include some form of springtime reduction or fasting, and how a gentle seasonal cleanse can help restore clarity, lightness, and energy after the winter months.

In This Episode You’ll Learn

• Why spring naturally increases kapha in the body
• The Ayurvedic understanding of the lymphatic system (rasa dhatu)
• How lymphatic health influences nourishment of all body tissues
• Signs of healthy, depleted, or stagnant lymphatic tissue
• Why supporting digestive fire (agni) is central to lymphatic health
• How seasonal foods support natural cleansing in spring
• The role of movement in maintaining healthy lymph flow
• Why many cultures practice springtime fasting or reduction

Common Springtime Kapha Symptoms

You may notice these signs as winter transitions into spring:

• Congestion or excess mucus
• Brain fog or heaviness in the head
• Low motivation or lethargy
• Increased sleepiness
• Weight gain or sluggish digestion
• Emotional heaviness

Ayurveda sees these symptoms as signals that the body is ready to shift from winter nourishment toward gentle lightening and cleansing.

Community Spring Cleanse

Each spring I host a gentle Ayurvedic cleanse designed to support digestion, lymphatic health, and seasonal transition.

Inside the cleanse you’ll learn:

• How to prepare simple Ayurvedic cleansing meals
• Herbal infusions and spices that support agni
• Rhythms that help the body release winter stagnation
• How to support lymphatic flow naturally

🌿 Join the Spring Community Spring Cleanse here

We'll start preparing our bodies on 15 March, we'll cleanse with a traditional ayurvedic monodiet on 20-22 March and then we'll integrate and transition out of the cleanse on 23 -25 March.

Learn more about my work: https://leanonayurveda.com/

Subscribe to my newsletter: receive seasonal reflections, ayurvedic practices, recipes and free resources to bring balance into your daily life.

Book a 1:1 ayurvedic consultation: learn how to use food, rhythm and ritual to support your unique constitution. 

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Ep 29: Ayurvedic Spring Cleanse Q&A — How to Move Through Seasonal Transitions with Clarity and Self-Attunement

Seasonal change is not just something that happens around us — in Ayurveda, it is something that happens within us.

In this episode, I answer the most common questions I receive every year about Ayurvedic seasonal cleanses, with a special focus on the Spring Cleanse. Whether this is your first cleanse or you already live a “clean” lifestyle, this conversation invites you to look beyond food rules and into the deeper purpose of seasonal reset practices.

We explore why Ayurvedic cleanses are traditionally done at seasonal thresholds, how to approach them gently and intelligently, and why the real gift of cleansing is not kitchari or herbs — but learning to listen to your body.

I also recorded this episode during eclipse season, a time traditionally associated with heightened sensitivity and the need for more intentional living. If you’re feeling foggy, overstimulated, or inwardly restless, this episode is especially supportive.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why seasonal junctures are considered powerful (and vulnerable) thresholds in Ayurveda
• How spring relates to Kapha dosha, and why congestion, heaviness, and lethargy often arise this time of year
• The real purpose of Ayurvedic cleansing — and why it’s not about perfection
• How supporting Agni (digestive fire) helps you move through seasonal change with more stability
• Why timing a cleanse is less about fixed dates and more about observing nature
• What actually happens during the Spring Cleanse (preparation, cleanse days, and re-nourishment)
• How much time you realistically need each day (and why rest matters just as much as food)
• What to expect if this is your first cleanse — including discomfort, clarity, and self-trust
• Whether you “need” a cleanse if you already eat clean
• How seasonal cleanses help cultivate self-attunement, not just symptom relief

Mentioned in this episode

• 🎧 Ep 19: Cosmic Rhythms and Mental/Emotional Clarity: Ayurvedic Wisdom for Eclipse Seasons 
• A supportive listen for navigating eclipse season with more steadiness and clarity.
  👉 Link to Episode 19
• 🌱 Ayurvedic Community Spring Cleanse
  A gentle, guided seasonal reset focused on digestion, lymphatic health, and self-attunement.
  👉 Sign up for the Spring Cleanse here

A note from me

If there’s one thing I hope you take from this episode, it’s this:
Wanting to feel better is not the same as wanting to listen to your body.

Seasonal cleanses are not about getting it right — they are about showing up, imperfectly and honestly, to create space for listening. Over time, that practice changes ever

Learn more about my work: https://leanonayurveda.com/

Subscribe to my newsletter: receive seasonal reflections, ayurvedic practices, recipes and free resources to bring balance into your daily life.

Book a 1:1 ayurvedic consultation: learn how to use food, rhythm and ritual to support your unique constitution. 

If this episode resonates, please share it and rate the podcast - it helps more people discover the art of ayurveda as a support system for modern living!

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Episode 28: Partner Support on the Ayurvedic Path

Why decisiveness, self-leadership, and clarity change everything

In this episode of the Lean on Ayurveda Podcast, we explore a topic many of us quietly struggle with:
feeling supported (or not) by our partner when we choose to care for ourselves differently.

Drawing from Ayurveda, lived experience, and conversations with clients and listeners, this episode gently reframes “partner support” and reveals why clarity and decisiveness are often the missing piece—not more convincing, explaining, or negotiating.

Whether you feel fully supported, somewhat supported, or quietly resentful, this conversation offers relief, insight, and practical guidance.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why partner support has less to do with your partner and more to do with your own clarity
• How indecision quietly creates resentment (even when no one does anything “wrong”)
• Why we sometimes use our partner as an exit strategy when we don’t fully trust our own yes or no
• Why self-leadership and personal responsibility are where it's at
• How to articulate the real return on investment of your Ayurvedic practices
• Why investing in your well-being is never selfish—and how your whole family benefits
• How seasonal cleanses, structure, and rhythm support not only the body, but relationships

A key takeaway:

Your Ayurvedic journey is not about changing your partner.
It’s about becoming more rooted in yourself.

When you are clear, grounded, and decisive about what supports your health and fulfillment, collaboration becomes possible, often naturally. Support grows over time as the benefits become visible and embodied.

You don’t need perfect support to begin. Support evolves as self-trust deepens.

___

Join Our Community Spring Cleanse 🌱

If this episode resonated and you’re feeling the call to reset with the season, you’re warmly invited to join the Community Spring Cleanse.

Key dates:

• Preparation begins: March 15 (live Zoom call)
• Cleansing days: March 20–22
• Integration phase: through March 25

What’s included:

• Guided preparation (phasing out caffeine, alcohol & refined sugar)
• Optional digital detox
• 3 days of Ayurvedic mono-diet (kitchari)
• Gentle integration support (including a live Zoom closing circle on 22 March)
• A nourishing, supportive community experience
• Done fully from home

This cleanse is ideal if you:

• Want to align with the seasonal rhythms of Ayurveda
• Are returning to a practice that already supports you
• Are new to Ayurveda and want a grounded, accessible entry point

✨ Early bird pricing is currently available!

👉 Save your seat

(or via Instagram: @lean_on_ayurveda)

leanonayurveda.com

Learn more about my work: https://leanonayurveda.com/

Subscribe to my newsletter: receive seasonal reflections, ayurvedic practices, recipes and free resources to bring balance into your daily life.

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In this episode, I'm joined by Osi Mizrahi, founder of Osi Oils - for a deep conversation on abhyanga (self-oil massage), slow beauty, and aging with vitality and grace.

Together, we explore how ancient Ayurvedic rituals can become a powerful antidote to modern stress, hormonal transitions, and the pressure to “fix” our bodies — inviting us instead into practices of self-love, sensuality, and nervous system regulation.

This episode is a beautiful entry point for anyone curious about Ayurvedic self-care, especially women navigating perimenopause, menopause, burnout, or a longing to reconnect with ritual in everyday life.

In this episode, we explore:

• What abhyanga really is — and why oiling the body is considered an act of love (sneha) in Ayurveda
• How beauty rituals can support the nervous system, hormones, and emotional healing
• The connection between vata dosha, aging, dryness, and stress
• Why slow beauty is inseparable from slow aging
• How small, realistic rituals (even 10 seconds!) can make a profound difference
• The role of pleasure (kama) as a legitimate and healing aim of life
• How oiling the skin supports ojas, radiance, and inner vitality
• Why aging is not the problem — urgency is
• Practical ways to begin Ayurvedic rituals without overwhelm

👉 Learn more about Osi and her oils here: https://osioils.com

🎁 Listener discount: Use code LEANON20 for 20% off your order

Spring Cleanse with Vytaute

If you’re feeling the call to reset, rebalance your doshas, and gently support digestion, hormones, and energy levels, I will be hosting the next Community Ayurvedic Spring Cleanse on:

🗓 March 20–22, 2026 (more info will follow!)

A beautiful way to support vata and kapha as we transition into spring.

Key Ayurvedic concepts mentioned:

• Abhyanga — daily self-oil massage
• Sneha — oil, love, affection
• Vata dosha — movement, dryness, aging, nervous system
• Ojas — vitality, immunity, inner glow
• Panchakarma — deep Ayurvedic cleansing and rejuvenation
• Slow beauty / slow aging — ritual over urgency

Resources & links

• Osi Oils website: https://osioils.com
• Discount code: LEANON20 (20% off)
• Spring Cleanse dates: March 20–22

✨ If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, rate, and share the Lean on Ayurveda Podcast — and consider passing it on to a woman who could benefit from more softness, ritual, and nourishment in her life.

Learn more about my work: https://leanonayurveda.com/

Subscribe to my newsletter: receive seasonal reflections, ayurvedic practices, recipes and free resources to bring balance into your daily life.

Book a 1:1 ayurvedic consultation: learn how to use food, rhythm and ritual to support your unique constitution. 

If this episode resonates, please share it and rate the podcast - it helps more people discover the art of ayurveda as a support system for modern living!

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What is the right kind of exercise for your body?

In this episode, we explore movement through the lens of Ayurveda—and why there is no one-size-fits-all answer.

Drawing from classical Ayurvedic texts and personal experience, I guide you through a more nuanced way of approaching exercise: one that honours your constitution, your current state, the seasons, and the deeper intention behind your movement.

Rather than following external rules or trends, this episode invites you to cultivate a relationship with your body that is rooted in discernment, compassion, and balance.

🌿 In This Episode, We Explore:

• Why Ayurveda does not prescribe a single “ideal” exercise routine
• The concept of half capacity and how to recognise your limit
• Signs of over-exertion and its impact 
• The risks of both depletion (too much) and stagnation (too little) movement
• Understanding exercise through the lens of Agni (fire) and Soma (nectar)
• How your lifestyle, constitution, season, and life stage influence your needs
• The importance of replenishment and recovery after intense activity
• A personal story of practicing Krav Maga as a dharmic (purposeful) form of movement
• Why joy and intention matter more than performance or aesthetics
• How to become a “good lover” to your body through your movement choices

Ayurveda teaches that:

 A Question to Reflect On

If you were a truly loving partner to your body…

How would you choose to move?

🤍 Work With Me

If you’re looking for personalised, grounded support in understanding your body and creating sustainable change:

→ Book a free 30-minute initial consultation HERE

In this call, we explore your current challenges and see whether my 12-week 1:1 program Awaken Your Health is the right fit for you.

📩 Stay Connected

The best way to stay in touch (especially while I’m on a social media break):

→ Subscribe to my newsletter HERE

You’ll receive reflections, seasonal guidance, and practical Ayurvedic wisdom to support your everyday life.

⭐️ Enjoyed the Episode?

If this episode resonated with you, I would be so grateful if you could:

• Leave a rating or review
• Share it with someone who might benefit
• Subscribe so you don’t miss future episodes

Your support helps this work reach more people 🌿

Learn more about my work: https://leanonayurveda.com/

Subscribe to my newsletter: receive seasonal reflections, ayurvedic practices, recipes and free resources to bring balance into your daily life.

Book a 1:1 ayurvedic consultation: learn how to use food, rhythm and ritual to support your unique constitution. 

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In this episode of Lean on Ayurveda, I reflect on a conversation I recently had with my eldest about learning a new musical instrument — and how that conversation unexpectedly revealed something profound about holistic health, healing and personal transformation.

Because whether we are learning music, building a relationship with our body, or walking an Ayurvedic path, there is always a cost to the experience.

Not necessarily a dramatic cost — but a willingness to feel discomfort, repetition, vulnerability, frustration, patience and responsibility along the way.

In this episode, I explore why so many people long for a personalised and holistic approach to health, while simultaneously struggling with the level of participation, commitment and self-inquiry that this kind of work actually asks of us.

This is a nuanced conversation about modern wellness culture, the fantasy of the quick fix, nervous system resistance, and what it truly means to engage in personalised healing work through the lens of Ayurveda.

In this episode, we explore:

• Why learning a musical instrument mirrors the process of holistic healing
• The hidden “cost” of personalised health support
• Why Ayurveda requires participation rather than passive treatment
• The difference between wanting holistic care and being willing to get personal
• The modern expectation of quick fixes in wellness culture
• Why discomfort, repetition and vulnerability are part of meaningful transformation
• The illusion of “freedom” and how our lifestyle choices impact health
• How to approach health responsibility without guilt or shame

Resources & Links

🌿 Work with me 1:1
Book you initial call HERE

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🌿 Visit my website
https://leanonayurveda.com/

🌿 Follow me on Instagram
@lean_on_ayurveda

🌿 Email me: hello@leanonayurveda. com

If this episode resonated with you, I’d be so grateful if you subscribed to the podcast, left a review, or shared it with someone navigating their own healing journey.

Your support helps Lean on Ayurveda reach more people seeking a steadier, more compassionate and embodied approach to health and well-being.

Learn more about my work: https://leanonayurveda.com/

Subscribe to my newsletter: receive seasonal reflections, ayurvedic practices, recipes and free resources to bring balance into your daily life.

Book a 1:1 ayurvedic consultation: learn how to use food, rhythm and ritual to support your unique constitution. 

If this episode resonates, please share it and rate the podcast - it helps more people discover the art of ayurveda as a support system for modern living!

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What does Ayurveda have to say about living in a world filled with microplastics?

In this episode of Lean on Ayurveda, I reflect on the Netflix documentary The Plastic Detox by Shanna Swan and explore the topic through the timeless lens of Ayurvedic wisdom.

Rather than approaching this conversation through fear or panic, this episode is an invitation into grounded awareness, agency, and thoughtful action.

We explore:

• The Ayurvedic concept of Janapadodhwamsa — “destruction of communities due to a common cause”
• How ancient Ayurvedic teachings can help us navigate modern environmental challenges
• Why fear and anxiety are not supportive places from which to make decisions
• The role of Agni (digestive fire) in resilience and detoxification
• Seasonal cleansing and Rasayana (rejuvenative therapies) as tools for modern living
• Home cooking, fresh foods, and reducing plastic exposure through daily rituals
• My family’s gradual “plastic detox” process at home
• Letting go of perfectionism and making sustainable changes without drama
• Why pacing ourselves matters when making lifestyle changes

This is not an episode about doom or perfection.

Instead, I want to ask: “Who do I want to be in these circumstances?”

Resources Mentioned:

Documentary

• The Plastic Detox (Netflix)

Plastic Reduction Resources

• Unplastic Your Life (contains links to great plastic-free product guides/resources for US, such as grove.co)

Shop plastic-free (non-sponsored) in EU:

millimetres.be - candles & kitchenware (family run small business)

linentales.com - organic bed & kitchen linen & clothing made in Europe from 100% washed linen.

Dille-Kamille - plastic free kitchen ware

Work With Me

• Lean on Ayurveda Website
  
  
• Book a Consultation / Work With Me
  
  

Stay Connected

• Join My Newsletter
  
  
• Instagram – Lean on Ayurveda

Learn more about my work: https://leanonayurveda.com/

Subscribe to my newsletter: receive seasonal reflections, ayurvedic practices, recipes and free resources to bring balance into your daily life.

Book a 1:1 ayurvedic consultation: learn how to use food, rhythm and ritual to support your unique constitution. 

If this episode resonates, please share it and rate the podcast - it helps more people discover the art of ayurveda as a support system for modern living!

Send us Fan Mail

Episode 34: Q&A: Real-Life Ayurveda, Ritual Burnout & Letting Go of Excessive Self-Sacrifice

In this Q&A episode, I’m answering some of your questions - from how to navigate “non-Ayurvedic” choices in real life, to avoiding burnout from daily rituals, to understanding the deeper pattern of self-sacrifice.

I also take a moment to celebrate a milestone: 2,500+ downloads of the podcast. Thank you for being here and for listening, whether you tune in every week or drop in from time to time!

In this episode, we explore:

•  The “80/20” approach to Ayurveda
• Why aiming for perfection can actually create imbalance (especially for Pitta)
• How to build a strong, supportive foundation without rigidity
• The role of pleasure (kāma) as a legitimate and necessary part of health
• Why occasional “non-Ayurvedic” choices can support resilience 
• Real-life examples of flexibility
• Food choices in social settings (and how to stay out of anxiety)
• Parenting and guiding habits without rigidity
• Travel, unpredictability, and making the “best available” choice (even at fast food stops)
• Avoiding Ayurvedic routine burnout
• Why burnout often comes from over-prescription or over-ambition
• The importance of capacity, joy, and personalisation
• How to simplify your routine to core practices that truly matter
• Reconnecting with meaning and creating a sense of relationship with your rituals
• Moving beyond self-sacrifice
• Understanding the dynamics of Karpman’s Drama Triangle
• How the “rescuer” pattern leads to burnout, resentment, and disempowerment
• Why self-sacrifice doesn’t actually serve you or others
• Practical reflections to step out of chronic self-sacrifice 

Key reflections from this episode

• You don’t need to get Ayurveda “100% right” to benefit from it
• A strong foundation matters more than perfect execution
• Pleasure, flexibility, and adaptability are part of true balance
• Fewer practices, done with intention, are more powerful than doing everything
• Your wellbeing is not separate from how you show up for others

Resources & references

• LifeSpa Podcast by John Douillard
• Karpman’s Drama Triangle

Stay connected

• ✉️ Join my newsletter (weekly reflections & practical Ayurveda)
• 📸 Instagram: @lean_on_ayurveda
• 📧 Email: hello@leanonayurveda.com

Learn more about my work: https://leanonayurveda.com/

Subscribe to my newsletter: receive seasonal reflections, ayurvedic practices, recipes and free resources to bring balance into your daily life.

Book a 1:1 ayurvedic consultation: learn how to use food, rhythm and ritual to support your unique constitution. 

If this episode resonates, please share it and rate the podcast - it helps more people discover the art of ayurveda as a support system for modern living!

Send us Fan Mail

Episode 33: How to Get the Most Value Out of Your Ayurveda Sessions

How do you actually benefit from Ayurveda sessions—or any kind of coaching, mentoring, or guidance?

In this episode, I explore what truly makes a difference in how much value you receive from this kind of work. Drawing from the classical Ayurvedic text Ashtanga Hridayam, I share the key qualities that make someone more receptive to healing, learning, and lasting change.

We talk about what it means to be resourced (beyond just finances), why discomfort is often part of the process, and how trust in your practitioner can completely shift your experience. I also speak about the importance of having a beginner’s mind—and why the “basic” practices we tend to dismiss are often the ones that create the deepest transformation.

This is an episode about how you show up—and how that shapes what you take away.

Whether you’re working with Ayurveda, yoga, or any kind of personal support, this conversation will help you deepen your capacity to receive and integrate what’s offered.

In this episode:

• What “being resourced” really means in Ayurveda
• Why discomfort can be necessary for change
• The role of trust in a client–practitioner relationship
• How “I already know this” can block transformation
• Why repetition is essential for embodiment
• The importance of communication in your healing process
• How to recognize the value of subtle, intangible shifts

Work with me:

→ Sign up to my newsletter
→ Book a 1:1 call

Learn more about my work: https://leanonayurveda.com/

Subscribe to my newsletter: receive seasonal reflections, ayurvedic practices, recipes and free resources to bring balance into your daily life.

Book a 1:1 ayurvedic consultation: learn how to use food, rhythm and ritual to support your unique constitution. 

If this episode resonates, please share it and rate the podcast - it helps more people discover the art of ayurveda as a support system for modern living!