Everyday Ayurveda with Kate

An hour shouldn't rock your boat, but it does. If you live where the clocks change in spring and fall, you've probably felt the dread of the early dark. In this solo episode, Kate answers the question she hears every year: what does Ayurveda say about managing the time change and the move into the darkest months?
Kate draws on more than 25 years of Ayurveda practice and her own experience of staying put in a northern climate through November, December and January. She shares what surprised her: a stretch of deep sleepiness each November right as the clocks change, why she stopped fighting it, and what happened when she let herself rest. From there she walks through simple, practical tools for easing the transition and brightening the season.
In this episode
Why the fall time change hits so hard, and why moving into the darker months is natural no matter what the clocks say
Ayurveda's gentle approach to shifting your schedule: 15 minutes at a time, and wait until it feels like "no biggie" before the next shift
Why meal times are one of your most important circadian rhythms, and why to eat earlier and load food into midday
Why it's okay (and healthy) to want more sleep in winter, and why going to bed earlier beats sleeping in late
Lights down and screens off earlier, and why low lamps work better than overhead lighting in the evening
Foot and ear massage with sesame oil as a sleepy-time ritual
Where to find the best sun this time of year, and how to stalk the sunshine, even through a window
Walking in the dark: headlamps, reflective clothing and ice cleats
Brightening your world with color, sparkle and fresh herbs
Lemon, ginger, pickled and spicy foods, and a pomegranate mocktail for the late-afternoon slump
A recap of the tools, and why the early sunset heralds the winter solstice
Take-home practices
Shift bedtime, wake time or dinner by 15 minutes, and wait until it feels easy before shifting again
Eat dinner earlier and make midday your biggest meal
Dim the lights and power down screens at least an hour before bed
Massage the soles of your feet and your ears with sesame oil, then put on socks
Get outside in the sunniest part of the day, even for 10 minutes, or sit at a sunny window
Add color, a little sparkle, fresh herbs, lemon and ginger to your days
If this episode helps you, subscribe, and share it with a friend who dreads the early dark. [LINK]
Health disclaimer: The information shared on Everyday Ayurveda with Kate is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider before making changes to your diet, supplements, or wellness routine.
Connect with Kate: https://www.healwithkate.orgCulinary Training in Indiahttps://ayurvedicliving.institute/ayurvedic-culinary-nutrition-trainingAyurvedic Living Institute Membership: https://ayurvedicliving.institute/membership Women's Health Collection: https://courses.ayurvedicliving.institute/collections/womens-healthhttps://courses.ayurvedicliving.institute/products/courses/copy-of-fall-community-cleanse-2024Panchakarma in India: https://ayurvedicliving.institute/panchakarma-in-indiaThanks to our Sponsors:  Osi Oils: www.osioils.com Use code RITUAL15 for 15% off your order.

When was the last time anyone gave you a trophy for resting? Nobody does, and that's part of the problem. In this episode, Kate sits down with her colleague Lizzie Lasater, daughter of restorative yoga teacher Judith Hanson Lasater and co-author of Savasana: The Practice of Radical Rest, just as the Northern Hemisphere heads into its season of long nights.
Lizzie is honest about why she wrote the book: not because rest comes easily, but because she is a self-described high-achieving workaholic who finds it hard. Together, she and Kate explore why teachers and students sign up for restorative training and then don't practice, why rest feels frightening, and how rest can be a stand-alone practice rather than the five minutes at the end of class.
In this episode:
Why Savasana is described as yoga's most powerful pose, and why the book calls rest "radical"
Restorative yoga in two minutes: comfort, props, and supporting the body's own intelligence for rest
You don't need props or training: resting on the floor or in a side-lying couch Savasana
Hindrance one: "I'm too busy to rest," and what busyness protects us from feeling
Hindrance two: "Resting is selfish," and the case that our nervous systems co-regulate each other
Hindrance three: "I'm afraid of the dark," including fear of the void, of what might surface, and of death
Hindrance four: "Resting means I'm lazy," and Lizzie's "inner Protestant voice"
The shift from "I don't have time" to "I'm not making time"
Why a spacious life needs a spacious calendar
Strength and recovery as partners, not competitors
How rest has become slippery in the age of phones, scrolling and AI
The Savasana Summit, a five-day event starting in December
Rapid-fire: Lizzie's morning, first drink of the day, and wind-down routine
Take-home practices:
Pause at the "I could do, do, do, or I could not" moment, and try choosing not-doing as an experiment
Swap "I don't have time" for "I'm not making time" and notice what changes
Protect one boundary this weekend (no email, no posting) and see what happens
Try a side-lying Savasana on the couch with the pillows you already have
Remember that 15 to 20 minutes of Savasana can be your whole practice for a day
About Lizzie Lasater: Lizzie grew up in a yoga household (her mother has taught since 1971), began her own practice at 18, and now leads retreats and teacher trainings and an online yoga community with her mother. She studied architecture and has a master's in design, and she lives in Austria. Savasana: The Practice of Radical Rest is her first book and her mother's twelfth.
Links:
Lizzie Lasater: Instagram @lizzie.lasater
Lasater Yoga online community and Savasana Summit registration: lasater.yoga 
Savasana: The Practice of Radical Rest
 
Health disclaimer: The information shared on Everyday Ayurveda with Kate is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider before making changes to your diet, supplements, movement, or wellness routine.
Connect with Kate: https://www.healwithkate.orgCulinary Training in Indiahttps://ayurvedicliving.institute/ayurvedic-culinary-nutrition-trainingAyurvedic Living Institute Membership: https://ayurvedicliving.institute/membership Women's Health Collection: https://courses.ayurvedicliving.institute/collections/womens-healthhttps://courses.ayurvedicliving.institute/products/courses/copy-of-fall-community-cleanse-2024Panchakarma in India: https://ayurvedicliving.institute/panchakarma-in-indiaThanks to our Sponsors:  Osi Oils: www.osioils.com Use code RITUAL15 for 15% off your order.

When the weather turns dry and cold, the bowl-of-salad habit stops working. Your digestion starts asking for food that is warm, cooked, soft, and a little moist. In this solo episode, Kate answers the question “what do I actually eat?” with the quick, repeatable go-tos she uses every fall.
Kate explains why fall calls for warm and moist qualities to balance the dryness and coldness of the season, and how that dryness can show up in hair, skin, nails, thirst, and sluggish elimination. Then she gets practical: three kitchen tools, three breakfasts, a prep-ahead routine, soups, pickles, protein, and simple sides, all designed for people who like homemade food but don’t want to spend hours at the stove.
What we cover
Why fall eating shifts toward warm, cooked, and moist foods, and what dryness can look like in the body
Kate’s three fall kitchen tools: immersion blender, toaster oven, and Instant Pot (including the delay-start trick and why hers lives on the porch)
The warm smoothie method: warmed milk, a rotating seed, a touch of sweetness, vanilla, ghee, and warming spices
Kate’s warming spice mix: equal parts ginger and cinnamon with about a quarter part cardamom
Pumpkin cacao: the variation with pumpkin puree and raw cacao (plus where protein powder fits)
Why a teaspoon of ghee in breakfast keeps Kate satisfied longer
Morning prep: cooking small beans (split mung or red lentils) for later
Baking winter squash and sweet potatoes in batches, and the many ways to use them
A hearty soup of squash, lentils or mung beans, coconut milk, and fresh ginger (stovetop or Instant Pot)
Condiments that make soup satisfying: toasted pumpkin seeds with tamari, seaweed, and the wasabi pea trick
Beets: pressure-cook, peel easily, and pickle in apple cider vinegar for a quick digestive-friendly condiment
Baked tofu with ghee, tamari, nutritional yeast, or tahini, and the ramekin trick for softening cold ghee
Baby kale and spinach as the “when I don’t know what to eat” grab-and-wilt green
Seared Brussels sprouts with tamari and fresh Parmesan
Swapping the water bottle for a thermos of warm, spiced cumin-coriander-fennel water
Health disclaimer
The information shared on Everyday Ayurveda with Kate is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider before making changes to your diet, supplements, or wellness routine.
Connect with Kate: https://www.healwithkate.orgCulinary Training in Indiahttps://ayurvedicliving.institute/ayurvedic-culinary-nutrition-trainingAyurvedic Living Institute Membership: https://ayurvedicliving.institute/membership Women's Health Collection: https://courses.ayurvedicliving.institute/collections/womens-healthhttps://courses.ayurvedicliving.institute/products/courses/copy-of-fall-community-cleanse-2024Panchakarma in India: https://ayurvedicliving.institute/panchakarma-in-indiaThanks to our Sponsors:  Osi Oils: www.osioils.com Use code RITUAL15 for 15% off your order.

If our food isn't "full power," will we feel full power? In this conversation, Kate talks with Pat Miletich, a UFC champion, martial arts coach, and Hall of Famer whose life mission is now soil health. Pat shares how a childhood of respiratory illness set him on a lifelong search for answers, and how that search led from human performance to the soil that grows our food and our herbal medicines.
Kate and Pat explore why they see soil as a living ecosystem, how they see the diversity of microbes in soil mirroring the microbiome in our gut, and why Pat believes mineral diversity in soil matters for the plants, animals, and people who depend on it. They talk about what organic and regenerative labels may leave out, what to ask the grower at your farmers market, and what you can do whether you have a backyard, a tiny plot, or no garden at all.
 
What We Cover
Why Kate keeps coming back to the soil, and how it connects to Ayurveda's "you are what you eat"
Pat's journey from childhood illness to UFC champion to soil advocate
What soil health actually means: minerals, microorganisms, and the web of relationships beneath your food
How Pat compares soil biology and the human microbiome
Weeds and medicinal herbs as signals of what the soil is missing
Why the questions "organic?" and "regenerative?" may not be the whole story
Grounding and walking barefoot: why Pat says to know your soil first
Starting or renewing a backyard garden, including small plots
Why Pat says flavor is a clue to nutrient density
Planting a food forest of berries and fruit trees instead of purely ornamentals
What to do if you don't grow your own food
The farmers market question: "What was used to grow this?"
Prana, vitality, and stewardship of the land
Rapid-fire questions: morning prayer, first drink of the day, and a very non-standard wind-down
 
Take-Home Practices
Ask your grower how the food was grown: herbicides, fungicides, synthetic NPK fertilizer, or truly organic
If you have any space at all, plant edibles (berries, fruit trees, bushes) in place of purely ornamental plants
If you practice grounding, learn what is in the soil you're standing on
Notice flavor. Pat says real nutrient density tastes like something.
Visit soilsaviors.org to explore Pat's Art and Science of Soil course.
 
About Pat Miletich Pat Miletich is a UFC champion, martial arts coach, and Hall of Famer who grew up in Bettendorf, Iowa. Following a childhood shaped by respiratory illness, he spent decades researching health, performance, and nutrition. Today his mission is soil health: regenerating the soil that grows our food and our herbal medicines.
Links
Soil Saviors: soilsaviors.org
Cell Saviors: cellsaviors.org
Health Disclaimer: The information shared on Everyday Ayurveda with Kate is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider before making changes to your diet, supplements, or wellness routine.
Connect with Kate: https://www.healwithkate.orgCulinary Training in Indiahttps://ayurvedicliving.institute/ayurvedic-culinary-nutrition-trainingAyurvedic Living Institute Membership: https://ayurvedicliving.institute/membership Women's Health Collection: https://courses.ayurvedicliving.institute/collections/womens-healthhttps://courses.ayurvedicliving.institute/products/courses/copy-of-fall-community-cleanse-2024Panchakarma in India: https://ayurvedicliving.institute/panchakarma-in-indiaThanks to our Sponsors:  Osi Oils: www.osioils.com Use code RITUAL15 for 15% off your order.

Are apples good for you according to Ayurveda? It depends on your digestion, and on how you prepare them. In this solo episode, Kate O'Donnell explains why apples are one of the best fall foods for cooling excess heat (pitta), why a raw, crisp apple can feel hard on a cold or sensitive gut, and how to cook apples so you get all of the medicine and none of the bloat.
 
Kate starts with the Ayurvedic qualities of apples: cold, hard, juicy and fibrous. She explains why those qualities calm pitta and move the bowels, and why they can aggravate vata and kapha when the apple is eaten raw. Then she shares the principle behind her "Apple Madness" recipes. Knowing a food's qualities is step one. Step two is how you process it: raw or cooked, pureed, warm or cold, with or without digestive spices.
 
From there, it's a tour of her fall kitchen: gingered applesauce with the skins left on (pink is a feature), stewed apple compote, stuffed baked apples with cider and dried fruit, apples stir-fried in ghee, apple crisp with an oat and almond flour topping, grated-apple overnight oats and gingerbread chia pudding, a curried apple butternut squash soup, and a simple apple cup filled with nut butter and spice.
 
In this episode:
 
Why apples are a pitta-balancing fall fruit (and when they aggravate vata and kapha)
The Ayurvedic qualities of apples: cold, hard, juicy, fibrous
Why cooking, pureeing and warming spices change how apples digest
Apple skin, pectin and the prebiotic fiber that supports gut health
Why moisture and fiber make apples a gentle fall "get things moving" food
Pears vs. apples, plus cooling fruits from India: custard apple, chikoo (sapote) and melons
Why bananas are tricky: cool, heavy and moist (and why ripeness matters)
Gingered applesauce: why cinnamon and ginger are non-negotiable
Stewed apple compote and the baked apple with cider and dried fruit
Ghee-sautéed apples, apple crisp, apple overnight oats and gingerbread apple chia pudding
Curried apple butternut squash soup
The easy "apple cup" snack, from Laura Olson
A simple tip for food combining: cook fruit with spices and serve it warm
 
Take-home tip: If a raw apple feels cold and hard on your belly, don't skip it. Cook it, puree it, or warm it with ginger and cinnamon.
 
Mentioned in this episode:
 
Ayurveda Fall Community Cleanse, October 17–26 — 10 days of nourishing meals, daily routines and mindful practices, all online with Kate (dates are flexible if needed). Learn more and save your spot at ayurvedicliving.institute
Kate's cookbooks (gingered apple butter and ghee-sautéed apples)
The earlier episode on fruit digestion (search "fruit" in your podcast app)
 
Share your Apple Madness: Tag Kate on Instagram at @kateodonnell.ayurveda, leave a comment on your podcast platform, or email hello@ayurvedicliving.institute.
 
This podcast is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical advice. Consult a qualified healthcare provider before changing your diet or wellness routine.
Connect with Kate: https://www.healwithkate.orgCulinary Training in Indiahttps://ayurvedicliving.institute/ayurvedic-culinary-nutrition-trainingAyurvedic Living Institute Membership: https://ayurvedicliving.institute/membership Women's Health Collection: https://courses.ayurvedicliving.institute/collections/womens-healthhttps://courses.ayurvedicliving.institute/products/courses/copy-of-fall-community-cleanse-2024Panchakarma in India: https://ayurvedicliving.institute/panchakarma-in-indiaThanks to our Sponsors:  Osi Oils: www.osioils.com Use code RITUAL15 for 15% off your order.

Are apples good for you according to Ayurveda? It depends on your digestion, and on how you prepare them. In this solo episode, Kate O'Donnell explains why apples are one of the best fall foods for cooling excess heat (pitta), why a raw, crisp apple can feel hard on a cold or sensitive gut, and how to cook apples so you get all of the medicine and none of the bloat.
 
Kate starts with the Ayurvedic qualities of apples: cold, hard, juicy and fibrous. She explains why those qualities calm pitta and move the bowels, and why they can aggravate vata and kapha when the apple is eaten raw. Then she shares the principle behind her "Apple Madness" recipes. Knowing a food's qualities is step one. Step two is how you process it: raw or cooked, pureed, warm or cold, with or without digestive spices.
 
From there, it's a tour of her fall kitchen: gingered applesauce with the skins left on (pink is a feature), stewed apple compote, stuffed baked apples with cider and dried fruit, apples stir-fried in ghee, apple crisp with an oat and almond flour topping, grated-apple overnight oats and gingerbread chia pudding, a curried apple butternut squash soup, and a simple apple cup filled with nut butter and spice.
 
In this episode:
 
Why apples are a pitta-balancing fall fruit (and when they aggravate vata and kapha)
The Ayurvedic qualities of apples: cold, hard, juicy, fibrous
Why cooking, pureeing and warming spices change how apples digest
Apple skin, pectin and the prebiotic fiber that supports gut health
Why moisture and fiber make apples a gentle fall "get things moving" food
Pears vs. apples, plus cooling fruits from India: custard apple, chikoo (sapote) and melons
Why bananas are tricky: cool, heavy and moist (and why ripeness matters)
Gingered applesauce: why cinnamon and ginger are non-negotiable
Stewed apple compote and the baked apple with cider and dried fruit
Ghee-sautéed apples, apple crisp, apple overnight oats and gingerbread apple chia pudding
Curried apple butternut squash soup
The easy "apple cup" snack, from Laura Olson
A simple tip for food combining: cook fruit with spices and serve it warm
 
Take-home tip: If a raw apple feels cold and hard on your belly, don't skip it. Cook it, puree it, or warm it with ginger and cinnamon.
 
Mentioned in this episode:
 
Ayurveda Fall Community Cleanse, October 17–26 — 10 days of nourishing meals, daily routines and mindful practices, all online with Kate (dates are flexible if needed). Learn more and save your spot at ayurvedicliving.institute
Kate's cookbooks (gingered apple butter and ghee-sautéed apples)
The earlier episode on fruit digestion (search "fruit" in your podcast app)
 
Share your Apple Madness: Tag Kate on Instagram at @kateodonnell.ayurveda, leave a comment on your podcast platform, or email hello@ayurvedicliving.institute.
 
This podcast is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical advice. Consult a qualified healthcare provider before changing your diet or wellness routine.
Connect with Kate: https://www.healwithkate.orgCulinary Training in Indiahttps://ayurvedicliving.institute/ayurvedic-culinary-nutrition-trainingAyurvedic Living Institute Membership: https://ayurvedicliving.institute/membership Women's Health Collection: https://courses.ayurvedicliving.institute/collections/womens-healthhttps://courses.ayurvedicliving.institute/products/courses/copy-of-fall-community-cleanse-2024Panchakarma in India: https://ayurvedicliving.institute/panchakarma-in-indiaThanks to our Sponsors:  Osi Oils: www.osioils.com Use code RITUAL15 for 15% off your order.

So many of you have written in asking about GLP-1s, the Ozempic class of drugs. This week Kate talks with Dr. Sheena Sooraj, chief clinical officer at Kerala Ayurveda Academy and Wellness Center, who sees clients on these medications every month. Dr. Sheena explains how GLP-1s work in the pancreas, stomach and brain, who tends to need them long term and who may be able to come off them with their doctor, and how Ayurveda supports digestion, hydration and the enjoyment of food while someone is on them. This isn't a conversation about Ayurveda versus modern medicine. It's a clinician's honest look at the pros, the cons, and where the two can work together. Stay for Kate's post-roll on the vata imbalances that can come with rapid weight loss.
What We Cover
What the natural GLP-1 hormone does in the body
How GLP-1 medications act on the pancreas, the stomach and the brain
The three groups of people Dr. Sheena sees: those postponing the medication, those managing side effects, and those hoping to come off it someday
Why family history shapes whether someone may need to stay on the medication (Ayurveda calls diabetes a kulaja vyadhi, a condition with strong hereditary influence)
A client story: how Ayurveda and Ozempic worked together for one busy, globe-trotting client
The core conflict: Ayurveda strengthens agni, GLP-1s quiet it
Why reduced thirst matters, and how to hydrate on purpose
Meal timing, a lighter dinner before sunset, and easy-to-digest foods
Ayurvedic support for coming off GLP-1s, including body therapies like udwartana (dry powder massage)
Emotional eating, hormone transitions and weight gain across a woman's life
Guilt, lost appetite and missing the joy of food, and how nasya can help
Kate's post-roll: vata imbalance and dhatu kshaya (tissue depletion) during rapid weight loss
Dr. Sheena's morning gratitude practice and evening wind-down routine
About Dr. Sheena Sooraj
Vaidya Sheena Sooraj is the Chief Clinical Officer, Ayurvedic Specialist, and Academy Faculty at Kerala Ayurveda Academy in Milpitas, California.Coming from a family with a strong Ayurvedic heritage, Vaidya Sheena developed a deep connection with Ayurveda from an early age. Her grandfather, a respected Ayurvedic physician and astrologer, played an important role in shaping her interest in and commitment to the traditional science of healing.
She holds a Bachelor of Ayurvedic Medical Sciences (BAMS) from Mahatma Gandhi University, Kerala, and brings 23 years of experience in clinical practice, patient care, education, and professional training. Throughout her career, she has been dedicated to bringing the wisdom of classical Ayurvedic principles into contemporary clinical practice and wellness. As a clinician and educator, she is passionate about making Ayurveda accessible, practical, and relevant to modern healthcare and everyday life.
Her work encompasses clinical care, Ayurvedic education, practitioner training, wellness program development, and community education, with a particular interest in translating traditional Ayurvedic knowledge into meaningful, evidence-informed approaches for modern health and well-being.
Website:https://keralaayurveda.us/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drsheenasooraj
Please work with your healthcare provider and a qualified Ayurvedic practitioner before changing any medication, starting herbs, or trying nasya.
Mentioned in This Episode
Ayurvedic Fall Community Cleanse, October 17–26, 2026. Ten days of nourishing meals, daily routines and community support, all online with Kate. Learn more and reserve your spot at ayurvedicliving.institute
Health Disclaimer
The information shared on Everyday Ayurveda with Kate is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Never stop, start or change a prescribed medication without talking to your healthcare provider.
Connect with Kate: https://www.healwithkate.orgCulinary Training in Indiahttps://ayurvedicliving.institute/ayurvedic-culinary-nutrition-trainingAyurvedic Living Institute Membership: https://ayurvedicliving.institute/membership Women's Health Collection: https://courses.ayurvedicliving.institute/collections/womens-healthhttps://courses.ayurvedicliving.institute/products/courses/copy-of-fall-community-cleanse-2024Panchakarma in India: https://ayurvedicliving.institute/panchakarma-in-indiaThanks to our Sponsors:  Osi Oils: www.osioils.com Use code RITUAL15 for 15% off your order.

So many of you have written in asking about GLP-1s, the Ozempic class of drugs. This week Kate talks with Dr. Sheena Sooraj, chief clinical officer at Kerala Ayurveda Academy and Wellness Center, who sees clients on these medications every month. Dr. Sheena explains how GLP-1s work in the pancreas, stomach and brain, who tends to need them long term and who may be able to come off them with their doctor, and how Ayurveda supports digestion, hydration and the enjoyment of food while someone is on them. This isn't a conversation about Ayurveda versus modern medicine. It's a clinician's honest look at the pros, the cons, and where the two can work together. Stay for Kate's post-roll on the vata imbalances that can come with rapid weight loss.
What We Cover
What the natural GLP-1 hormone does in the body
How GLP-1 medications act on the pancreas, the stomach and the brain
The three groups of people Dr. Sheena sees: those postponing the medication, those managing side effects, and those hoping to come off it someday
Why family history shapes whether someone may need to stay on the medication (Ayurveda calls diabetes a kulaja vyadhi, a condition with strong hereditary influence)
A client story: how Ayurveda and Ozempic worked together for one busy, globe-trotting client
The core conflict: Ayurveda strengthens agni, GLP-1s quiet it
Why reduced thirst matters, and how to hydrate on purpose
Meal timing, a lighter dinner before sunset, and easy-to-digest foods
Ayurvedic support for coming off GLP-1s, including body therapies like udwartana (dry powder massage)
Emotional eating, hormone transitions and weight gain across a woman's life
Guilt, lost appetite and missing the joy of food, and how nasya can help
Kate's post-roll: vata imbalance and dhatu kshaya (tissue depletion) during rapid weight loss
Dr. Sheena's morning gratitude practice and evening wind-down routine
About Dr. Sheena Sooraj
Vaidya Sheena Sooraj is the Chief Clinical Officer, Ayurvedic Specialist, and Academy Faculty at Kerala Ayurveda Academy in Milpitas, California.Coming from a family with a strong Ayurvedic heritage, Vaidya Sheena developed a deep connection with Ayurveda from an early age. Her grandfather, a respected Ayurvedic physician and astrologer, played an important role in shaping her interest in and commitment to the traditional science of healing.
She holds a Bachelor of Ayurvedic Medical Sciences (BAMS) from Mahatma Gandhi University, Kerala, and brings 23 years of experience in clinical practice, patient care, education, and professional training. Throughout her career, she has been dedicated to bringing the wisdom of classical Ayurvedic principles into contemporary clinical practice and wellness. As a clinician and educator, she is passionate about making Ayurveda accessible, practical, and relevant to modern healthcare and everyday life.
Her work encompasses clinical care, Ayurvedic education, practitioner training, wellness program development, and community education, with a particular interest in translating traditional Ayurvedic knowledge into meaningful, evidence-informed approaches for modern health and well-being.
Website:https://keralaayurveda.us/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drsheenasooraj
Please work with your healthcare provider and a qualified Ayurvedic practitioner before changing any medication, starting herbs, or trying nasya.
Mentioned in This Episode
Ayurvedic Fall Community Cleanse, October 17–26, 2026. Ten days of nourishing meals, daily routines and community support, all online with Kate. Learn more and reserve your spot at ayurvedicliving.institute
Health Disclaimer
The information shared on Everyday Ayurveda with Kate is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Never stop, start or change a prescribed medication without talking to your healthcare provider.
Connect with Kate: https://www.healwithkate.orgCulinary Training in Indiahttps://ayurvedicliving.institute/ayurvedic-culinary-nutrition-trainingAyurvedic Living Institute Membership: https://ayurvedicliving.institute/membership Women's Health Collection: https://courses.ayurvedicliving.institute/collections/womens-healthhttps://courses.ayurvedicliving.institute/products/courses/copy-of-fall-community-cleanse-2024Panchakarma in India: https://ayurvedicliving.institute/panchakarma-in-indiaThanks to our Sponsors:  Osi Oils: www.osioils.com Use code RITUAL15 for 15% off your order.

Every year around this time, Kate notices it first in her eyes. A little heat, a little dryness, a little irritation — the same early signal, right on schedule. In this solo episode, she uses that personal example to explain one of Ayurveda's most practical seasonal concepts: sandhi, the juncture between seasons, when the body is considered most vulnerable to imbalance.
Kate walks through why the accumulated heat (pitta) of summer can tip into aggravation as the weather turns — through hot, acidic foods and drinks, alcohol, iced coffee, or plain old stress — and why that aggravation shows up differently in every body. For her, it's the eyes. For someone else, it might be skin, digestion, headaches, or mood. She explains the physiology behind fall allergies, heartburn, irritability, and looser digestion, and why catching these signs now — rather than waiting two months — makes all the difference. She also covers why the incoming dryness and wind of vata season (heaters, cold air) can quietly make pitta symptoms worse, and walks through her full fall reset: oiling the skin, a simple at-home ghee nasya for the nose, bringing ghee back into meals to support digestion and detox, and leaning on naturally pacifying foods. She closes with a reminder that none of this requires doing everything at once — and an invitation to join her Ayurvedic Fall Community Cleanse if a more structured reset is what's needed.
In this episode:
What sandhi (the seasonal juncture) means in Ayurveda, and why the body is considered most vulnerable during it
How a hot, acidic, or high-stress summer builds excess pitta — and sets up fall imbalance
The early-warning signs of pitta aggravation: hot or irritated eyes, skin sensitivity or rashes, heartburn, fall allergies, loose stools, hot-natured headaches
Why symptoms show up differently for everyone — and how to identify your own body's "weak link"
How incoming vata (cold, dry, windy air, heaters turning on) can intensify pitta symptoms
Why ghee is the star of the fall routine — for digestion, detoxification, and skin and nasal oiling
How to do a simple ghee nasya (nasal oiling) at home
Foods that pacify pitta this time of year: pomegranate, cranberry, coconut water, cooked greens, apples, figs, and rose hydrosol
Why sitting down to eat — even for a quick snack — changes digestion
Details on Kate's Ayurvedic Fall Community Cleanse, October 17–26
Mentioned in this episode:
Kate's four published books on bringing Ayurveda into everyday life
Ayurvedic Fall Community Cleanse — 10 days, October 17–26. Learn more and enroll at ayurvedicliving.institute
Health Disclaimer
The information shared on Everyday Ayurveda with Kate is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider before making changes to your diet, supplements, or wellness routine.
Connect with Kate: https://www.healwithkate.orgCulinary Training in Indiahttps://ayurvedicliving.institute/ayurvedic-culinary-nutrition-trainingAyurvedic Living Institute Membership: https://ayurvedicliving.institute/membership Women's Health Collection: https://courses.ayurvedicliving.institute/collections/womens-healthhttps://courses.ayurvedicliving.institute/products/courses/copy-of-fall-community-cleanse-2024Panchakarma in India: https://ayurvedicliving.institute/panchakarma-in-indiaThanks to our Sponsors:  Osi Oils: www.osioils.com Use code RITUAL15 for 15% off your order.

Every year around this time, Kate notices it first in her eyes. A little heat, a little dryness, a little irritation — the same early signal, right on schedule. In this solo episode, she uses that personal example to explain one of Ayurveda's most practical seasonal concepts: sandhi, the juncture between seasons, when the body is considered most vulnerable to imbalance.
Kate walks through why the accumulated heat (pitta) of summer can tip into aggravation as the weather turns — through hot, acidic foods and drinks, alcohol, iced coffee, or plain old stress — and why that aggravation shows up differently in every body. For her, it's the eyes. For someone else, it might be skin, digestion, headaches, or mood. She explains the physiology behind fall allergies, heartburn, irritability, and looser digestion, and why catching these signs now — rather than waiting two months — makes all the difference. She also covers why the incoming dryness and wind of vata season (heaters, cold air) can quietly make pitta symptoms worse, and walks through her full fall reset: oiling the skin, a simple at-home ghee nasya for the nose, bringing ghee back into meals to support digestion and detox, and leaning on naturally pacifying foods. She closes with a reminder that none of this requires doing everything at once — and an invitation to join her Ayurvedic Fall Community Cleanse if a more structured reset is what's needed.
In this episode:
What sandhi (the seasonal juncture) means in Ayurveda, and why the body is considered most vulnerable during it
How a hot, acidic, or high-stress summer builds excess pitta — and sets up fall imbalance
The early-warning signs of pitta aggravation: hot or irritated eyes, skin sensitivity or rashes, heartburn, fall allergies, loose stools, hot-natured headaches
Why symptoms show up differently for everyone — and how to identify your own body's "weak link"
How incoming vata (cold, dry, windy air, heaters turning on) can intensify pitta symptoms
Why ghee is the star of the fall routine — for digestion, detoxification, and skin and nasal oiling
How to do a simple ghee nasya (nasal oiling) at home
Foods that pacify pitta this time of year: pomegranate, cranberry, coconut water, cooked greens, apples, figs, and rose hydrosol
Why sitting down to eat — even for a quick snack — changes digestion
Details on Kate's Ayurvedic Fall Community Cleanse, October 17–26
Mentioned in this episode:
Kate's four published books on bringing Ayurveda into everyday life
Ayurvedic Fall Community Cleanse — 10 days, October 17–26. Learn more and enroll at ayurvedicliving.institute
Health Disclaimer
The information shared on Everyday Ayurveda with Kate is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider before making changes to your diet, supplements, or wellness routine.
Connect with Kate: https://www.healwithkate.orgCulinary Training in Indiahttps://ayurvedicliving.institute/ayurvedic-culinary-nutrition-trainingAyurvedic Living Institute Membership: https://ayurvedicliving.institute/membership Women's Health Collection: https://courses.ayurvedicliving.institute/collections/womens-healthhttps://courses.ayurvedicliving.institute/products/courses/copy-of-fall-community-cleanse-2024Panchakarma in India: https://ayurvedicliving.institute/panchakarma-in-indiaThanks to our Sponsors:  Osi Oils: www.osioils.com Use code RITUAL15 for 15% off your order.