You might not know it, but you have a second brain! New gut-brain research shows that neurons in the digestive system communicate directly with those in the brain. In this episode, we do a deep dive into the gut-brain connection and why it matters.Join us for an interview with Fred Travis, PhD, one of our era’s leading researchers in the fields of neurophysiology and meditation. In 2015, Dr. Travis co-authored a study on the three Ayurvedic dosha types and how they correspond to three different brain types, which impact everything from a person’s gut health and metabolism to their behavioral functioning, and more. You’ll learn: All about the gut-brain connectionWhy the enteric nervous system is a second brainWhat Ayurveda has to say about gut healthSigns your gut health is great, vs signs you could use a tune-upWhat your dosha type has to do with your gut health and brain health What foods support brain health and gut healthAnd more!

Could your gut health be making you feel glum? Today we have a far-reaching conversation about gut health, emotional well-being, body-positivity, and dressing to feel your best with one of the coolest celeb stylists around. Payton Dale is a Nashville-based, rock ‘n’ roll, body-positive stylist with a decade of experience in the fashion industry. She’s also the author of Hang Up Your Hang Ups: A Radical Guide to Healing Yourself Through Personal Style. Through her business, The Payton Project, she helps others learn to love who they see in the mirror. Join us for a chat with Payton and learn:About Payton’s journey with body positivityAbout gut health and emotional healthHow meditation helps your microbiome—and stress levelsTips for dressing to feel your bestAnd more!Trigger warning: we will be talking a bit about eating disorders in this episode, which may be triggering for some people. If you or someone you love is struggling with issues around food and body image, please talk to your physician and go to www.nationaleatingdisorders.org for many helpful resources.

Your digestion impacts every facet of your health—from nutrient absorption and immunity to your emotions and the appearance of your skin. Tune in to this episode with Ayurvedic coach Śankari Wegman, PhD, and learn why strong digestion is the cornerstone of good health in Ayurveda. You’ll learn: All about agni—your digestive fire, and how to strengthen it naturally using nutrition and herbsAbout ama (digestive toxins)—what causes them and how to avoid themAbout ojas (life essence)—why it’s a byproduct of good digestion, and how to foster itAbout the 4 different types of agni, or digestion: sama agni (balanced digestion), visham agni (irregular digestion/Vata digestion), tikshna agni (fiery digestion/Pitta digestion), and manda agni (sluggish digestion/Kapha digestionAn easy cleanse for balancing ALL types of digestion

Have you ever made a dramatic 180 that changed your life, career… and just about everything? Aruna Shields sure has. At the height of her career as a Bollywood star performing her own motorbike stunts, Shields took a 10-year sabbatical to study meditation and the mind. In this very special episode, the Bollywood-Queen-Turned-Spiritual-Therapist joins our host, Śankari Wegman, to share the story of her remarkable journey. The critically acclaimed star of Mr. Singh/Mrs. Mehta and other films also shares her top tips for beauty sleep, natural relaxation, and self-care. You’ll learn: Why Shields decided to pivot from the silver screen to self-careHer go-to self-care practices for R&R and sleepHow she helps clients find their calm againWhy Transcendental Meditation is in her wellness toolkitAll about her online restorative journeys

Ever wonder what your brain does at night when you sleep? Turns out, it’s not just parked in neutral, waiting for you to wake up again. A good night’s sleep gives your brain a chance to perform all kinds of vital functions, including “flushing out” stress from the previous day. Join Śankari Wegman and our special guest Fred Travis, PhD, for a deep dive into the science of sleep. The author of Your Brain is a River, Not a Rock and Excellence Through Mind-Brain Development, Dr. Travis has spent decades exploring the impact of rest—namely, through sleep and meditation—on the brain and body. You’ll learn:What the brain does at night when we sleepWhy a good night’s sleep is so vital to our mental and physical healthHow the rest you experience during meditation is different from sleepAbout the relationship between sleep, memory, and neuroplasticity

Let’s face it: Americans are more stressed than ever, with chronic job stress and financial concerns among their top concerns. Learn how the Transcendental Meditation technique can help you curb stress, build inner resilience, and experience greater success and contentment on the job and at home.Join Śankari Wegman for an interview with LA-based Transcendental Meditation teacher Emily Fitz Randolph. Explore the science behind the TM technique, with benefits including decreased anxiety, lower cortisol, and greater happiness and well-being. You’ll learn:Why the stress epidemic is the second pandemic sweeping across America and how stress takes its toll on the mind, body, and emotions.Why it’s so important to put self-care first.What is Transcendental Meditation, and why is it so measurably effective in tackling stress—both short-term and long-term?All about the many other benefits of the TM technique, from enhanced creativity and clarity to better sleep and improved brain health.How you can learn the TM technique and make it part of your daily routine.

Overworked, overwhelmed, and too darn busy for self-care? As mothers, we often put our partners, parents and kids first and neglect our own needs. There is wisdom in the airline adage, “Put your oxygen mask on first, before you help others!” When you tend to your own needs and wellbeing, you have more to give to your loved ones. Join Śankari Wegman as she explores natural stress-management strategies with Laurina Carroll—busy mom, Ayurvedic Wellness Consultant, Transcendental Meditation teacher, and the author of Perfect Health for Busy People: A Maharishi Ayurveda Guide to Enjoying a Longer and Happier Life. You’ll learn:Why putting health and wellbeing first matters—for you and your family.Easy, natural Ayurvedic self-care strategies for busy moms in a hectic world.How GMOs (genetically modified organisms) have no place in our grocery stores (or on our plates!) and how to avoid them.Some of Laurina’s best, healthiest, and tastiest on-the-go snacks and meal-planning hacks.

Join us for a deep dive into the research behind Amrit Kalash—Ayurveda’s super-antioxidant, immunity-boosting daily tonic. Hear what scientists and physicians have to say about this potent formula.To date, there are 75 different published studies on Amrit Kalash and its many benefits. From the Journal of Applied Nutrition to Pharmacology, Biochemistry, and Behavior, there’s a wealth of compelling research suggesting that Amrit can help boost immunity and promote longevity. Want to know more?Join Shawn Diddy and Sankari Wegman for an in-depth exploration on:Why Amrit has more antioxidant power than Vitamins C or E—and why that’s so important.Other great ways to supercharge your daily diet with natural antioxidants.What exactly are free radicals and what do they have to do with immunity, vitality, and longevity?Mind-body balance as the gateway to wellbeing, and how you can cultivate it through diet, herbs, meditation, and yoga.Why the world of Western medicine is becoming increasingly interested in Ayurveda, and how that will benefit society.

Ashwaganda, brahmi, turmeric, gotu kola—not sure which Ayurvedic herbs to take? As it happens, there’s ONE potent Ayurvedic rasayana (rejuvenative formula) that’s good for just about everyone, no matter your age and stage.Amrit Kalash is a complex, ancient Ayurvedic formula with a laundry list of benefits. It’s an antioxidant that’s 1000 times more potent than Vitamins C or E. It’s an immunity booster. It nourishes the brain. It’s a free radical scavenger. The list goes on.Join Shawn Diddy and Sankari Wegman and learn: All about rasayanas and why they’re so important in Ayurveda.All about Amrit—a synergistic, two-part system that’s grounded in ancient Ayurveda and backed by modern science.The fascinating history behind Amrit, which has its origins in Vedic texts that date thousands of years back.The importance of antioxidants when it comes to aging and vitality.How medhya herbs (brain tonics) can help you maintain a youthful mind as you age.And more!

Long-Term Allergen Support: Amrit & Triphala Super Herbs30 min.With Shawn Diddy and Śankari Wegman If you listened to our last 3 episodes in this series, you’ve learned some natural, effective Ayurvedic strategies to help ease your discomfort in the short-term through diet, lifestyle, and herbs. But what about the long haul? Is it even possible to totally eradicate airborne and digestive sensitivities?We think so! But, as with everything in Ayurveda, it all depends on your individual constitution and lifestyle. In this episode, we’ll share our number one secret for strengthening digestion and immunity long-term—the best way to alleviate discomfort.Join Shawn Diddy and Śankari Wegman and get the scoop. You’ll learn:How working on your digestion and immunity, long-term, can dramatically reduce your response to common triggers like dust, dander, and certain food sensitivities.All about Amrit Kalash—the ultimate Ayurvedic super-antioxidant, and how it helps to shore up your immunity more than 1,000x better than vitamin CThe Vedic history and modern science behind Amrit Kalash—what the ancient Vedic texts said thousands of years ago, and what doctors and research scientists are discovering nowAll about Triphala—another awesome, traditional Ayurvedic formula. This one’s made of three synergistic fruits that tone and strengthen the digestive and GI systems, for better assimilation and immunity.

The Surprising Reason You’re Sensitive to Dust & Dander26 min.With Shawn Diddy and Śankari Wegman If you’re the kind of person who starts has dander sensitivities when you even look at a cat or dog, chances are you have an immune system that overreacts to harmless natural substances. But there’s hope.From the perspective of Ayurveda, accumulated toxins and weak digestion are often the culprits when it comes to sensitivities to common irritants like pets, dust, dander, and mold.Join Shawn Diddy and Śankari Wegman and learn:How diet and herbs can help reduce your discomfort around common irritantsWhy getting more exercise can actually decrease your discomfortHow stress and sleepless nights could be making matters worse—and what to do about itWhy meditation and yoga can make things better

Ease Food Sensitivities with Delicious Diet & Herbs24 min.With Shawn Diddy and Śankari Wegman Struggling with food sensitivities? You’re not alone. Food sensitivities are very common, and they’re becoming more so with time.From the perspective of Ayurveda, food sensitivities have their origins in an imbalance in the gut, the microbiome (all the microbes in your intestines), and the doshas—the mind-body elements responsible for every aspect of your body’s functioning.Join Shawn Diddy and Śankari Wegman and learn:How gut health plays a crucial role in food sensitivities—and how you can bolster it with Ayurveda.All about your microbiome—the “good,” the “bad,” and the ugly bacteria—and how herbs and diet can balance it.An introduction to ama (digestive toxins) and how to eradicate it (or at least keep it under control)What the doshas have to do with digestive health and food sensitivitiesDelicious ways to tone your gutHow to be spice-wise. Did you know certain herbs and spices can help boost digestion and help alleviate food sensitivities?

Nip Pollen in the Bud20 min.With Shawn Diddy and Śhankari Wegman Love flowers but hate pollen? In the debut episode of our Ayurveda 101 podcast, we’re jumping right into a seasonal, mid-summer topic: pollen. The world is in bloom—and it’s sneezin’ season!Join Shawn Diddy and Śankari Wegman for an in-depth discussion about the Ayurvedic perspective on seasonal pollen sensitivities. You’ll learn:The source of seasonal sniffles (psst: it’s not actually the pollen itself—it’s your digestion and immunity!).How to use Ayurvedic herbs to fire up your digestion and boost your immunity.How the doshas are involved. In Ayurveda, there are three different mind-body elements, or doshas—airy Vata, fiery Pitta, and earthy Kapha—which govern every aspect of your body’s functioning, from your digestion and assimilation to your thought patterns. We’ll teach you all about the doshas and the role they play in your pollen response.The role of diet: did you know food is medicine in Ayurveda? We’ll give you tips on foods that help to naturally ease discomfort.