Tis the Season… to Digest Better

The holidays are full of joy — and foods our bodies aren’t always used to. If you’ve ever wondered why you feel puffy, bloated, sluggish, anxious, or off during this time of year, this episode breaks it all down through an Ayurvedic lens.

In this episode, we explore how winter (Vata season), holiday stress, travel, and the heavy sweet treats of the season all impact digestion — and how to bring your body back into balance without restriction or guilt. You’ll learn:

• How this season disrupts digestion and increases cravings
• Why sweet foods actually ground your system (yes, cookies included!)
• What your cravings are really trying to tell you
• The six Ayurvedic tastes & how they balance your mind, mood, and gut
• How to strengthen Agni, your digestive fire
• Food-combining basics for happier digestion
• Holiday eating principles to help you enjoy celebrations with ease
• A simple “Holiday Gut Rescue Toolkit” you can start using today

This is your guide to enjoying the season fully — without the crash, the guilt, or the digestive drama.

Tune in to feel grounded, nourished, and supported this holiday season.

**Disclaimer: The information shared on this podcast is for educational and entertainment purposes only, and is not intended as medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider before making changes to your health routine. I am a certified Ayurvedic Wellness Coach, not a licensed medical doctor.

In this episode, we explore the true meaning of seasonal living and why it’s the foundation of vibrant health. We look at the season of Winter, and what we can do to bring in support to the qualities at play this season, to bring us to a place of balance.

Ayurveda teaches that everything around us becomes a part of us—our environment, our routines, our food, even the energy we take in through our senses. When the qualities of a season shift, our minds and bodies shift too. Winter, ruled by vata dosha and the elements of air and ether, brings cold, dryness, irregularity, and movement—and without support, those qualities can throw us off balance. So, let's take a look at what winter brings in and what we can do to bring ourselves into alignment this season!

In this deep dive, we break down:

• What Vata actually is and how its qualities show up physically, mentally, and emotionally
• Why winter amplifies Vata and the common symptoms you might feel (dryness, anxiety, irregular digestion, scattered energy)
• How to use seasonal living as a powerful tool for balance and resilience
• Winter-supportive foods that warm, moisten, ground, and strengthen digestion
• Lifestyle routines like oil massage (abhyanga), grounding routines, and creating a cozy, nourishing environment
• The spiritual side of winter—rest, reflection, release, and the pruning of what no longer serves you
• Ayurvedic movement, mindful rest, and simple practices to support the nervous system

You’ll walk away with practical, accessible ways to bring warmth, nourishment, routine, grounding, and rest into your winter season—so you don’t just survive the cold, but thrive in it.

At the end of the episode, I’ll also guide you through reflection questions to help you align with winter’s wisdom and choose one supportive shift to make this season.

This episode is perfect for you if you want to feel more grounded, more balanced, and more connected to your body and nature as the seasons change.

**Disclaimer: The information shared on this podcast is for educational and entertainment purposes only, and is not intended as medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider before making changes to your health routine. I am a certified Ayurvedic Wellness Coach, not a licensed medical doctor.

Stress isn’t just in your head — it affects your hormones, metabolism, digestion, sleep, and mood. In this episode of Zen & Tonic: Wellness Unfiltered, we dive deep into why chronic stress hijacks your body, what it happens when we're in states of high cortisol, and what modern and ancient medicine approaches we can use to actually restore balance.

We’ll cover:

• How stress shifts your hormones and steals from your vitality
• The fight-or-flight response and why it’s still active in our modern lives
• Functional medicine insights: oxygen, mitochondria, nutrients, and blood sugar
• Eastern medicine wisdom: Ojas, Vata balance, and restoring your vital reserves
• Practical, everyday ways to calm your nervous system and bring balance
• Breathwork, movement, liver and digestive support, sleep, and lifestyle hacks

Whether you’re dealing with work pressure, anxiety, hormonal issues, or stress-related weight gain, this episode gives you a holistic roadmap to reclaim your energy, hormones, and well-being.

Tune in and learn how to turn stress into an opportunity to restore balance and thrive.

**Disclaimer: The information shared on this podcast is for educational and entertainment purposes only, and is not intended as medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider before making changes to your health routine. I am a certified Ayurvedic Wellness Coach, not a licensed medical doctor.