Women Gone Vibrant| Ayurveda For Midlife & Menopause

This is part 2 or my heartwarming and inspiring conversation with Sam Norman about her lifelong healing crisis with autoimmune disease and thyroid cancer. She has shifted from rock bottom to a place of peace, acceptance and deep inner healing. At the expense of repeating myself, here is what Sam’s journey is about: When you look at Sam Norman today you would never guess that she has endured over 30 years of chronic health crisis. Since the first year of her life, she has been in constant companionship of doctors. At age 1, she was diagnosed with severe digestive challenges. Hashimoto’s disease was diagnosed at age 13, a vascular autoimmune diagnosis came at age 27, thyroid cancer at 31. She has had seven surgeries throughout her life including a brain surgery at age 9. She was convinced several  times that she was going to die. Her case was so interesting, the doctors asked her to be a “case study”. She agreed but started feeling like a number. Growing up in a loving family of medical practitioners, with  her

When you look at Sam Norman today you would never guess that she has endured over 30 years of chronic health crisis. Since the first year of her life she has been in constant companionship of doctors. At age 1, she was diagnosed with severe digestive challenges. Hashimoto’s disease was diagnosed at age 13, a vascular autoimmune diagnosis came at age 27, thyroid cancer at 31. She has had seven surgeries throughout her life including a brain surgery at age 9. She was convinced several  times that she was going to die. Her case was so interesting, the doctors asked her to be a “case study”. She agreed but started feeling like a number. Growing up in a loving family of medical practitioners, with  her parents being an MD and a nurse, her treatment plan included all but Western medical protocols until the age of 21. Western medicine saved her life yet she was far from being healed. When she got the cancer diagnosis at age 31 she hit rock bottom. And the only place to go when you sink that low is to rise up. Ca

Before you dive into this episode listen to What is health: part 1 and What is health: part 2. Yahoo, we continue our conversation around What Is Health. Today, we talk all about the 5 layers of our being. Yep, that’s right we consist of five distinct layers not just one.   You have, of course heard about the body-mind-spirit approach. Dah, right? But what does that mean exactly?  It’s a bit of an aloof concept if you ask me. It sounds good, but without breaking it down to what it exactly is, it holds little juice. I will get practical with you about how to feed each of those layers.   You feed your physical body, don’t you? Think food, exercise, sleep. Maybe you get a massage once in a while. Well, the other 4 layers need to be fed too. But how do you do that? Listen in and find out. Because you need to feed each of  those layers abundantly to create the YOU that is alive, vibrant and irresistibly beautiful.   What you get from tuning in: The 5 layers of our body The food & medicine to keep your five

Loving oneself is not an easy task. Many of us have to cultivate it. Trauma, experiences and belief systems are in the way to truly tap into the heart felt warmth for ourselves that we may already feel for others.   How much do YOU love yourself? Andrea made the choice of leaving a promising career behind in favor of taking care of herself and her Self. Today she bathes in an abundance of self love. She shares with us her trials and tribulations and the top three strategies that allowed her to embrace herself the way she is.   What you get from tuning in: The reassurance that self love can be cultivated How to use your older Self to mentor yourself today Using inter-generational friends as inspiration to grow and thrive External approval and affirmation can be helpful but are ultimately crutches to achieving self love guru = teacher, heaviness, heavy with wisdom Judgement kills self love the link between romantic love and loving yourself Self love is a choice What self love, self worth and money intersect H

Health is hard to define. It is many layered. Just as we humans are complex so is the definition of health. Every medical profession has their own definition. In part 1 of  “what is health” we discussed the allopathic definition of health and the 6 stages of disease manifestation. In this episode, we look at the Ayurvedic definition of health. Ayurveda looks to the Sanskrit word svastha to define health. Svastha means ;to be established in the Self”.  It leaves us with a philosophical debate on what health entails. Another way to describe health comes from one of the ancient Ayurvedic texts called Sushruta Samhita. The definition goes like this. sama doṣāh samāgniś ca sama dhātu mala kriyaḥ prasannātmendriya manāḥ svastha ityabidhīyate Sushruta Samhita, 15.38   One who is established in Self, who has balanced doshas (of Vata, Pitta and Kapha), balanced agni (digestive fire), properly formed dhātus (tissues), proper elimination of malas (waste products), well functioning bodily processes, and whose mind, soul,

  What is health. No really, what is it? We throw around the term all the time. You probably wish for abundant health at major junctions in your live. At birthdays, new year, whenever someone asks you. But do you ever stop to think what it really means to be well and what it all entails? Pause right now and think: What does health mean to YOU? What words would YOU choose to describe it. The definition of health from the  Western medicine perspective is “the absence of symptoms” or “the absence of disease”.  Kind of a dry perspective if you ask me. And the question arises what kind of symptoms we are talking about? Those symptoms that jump right at your face? Those that cause me so much pain, they are hard to ignore? And do we include those that are so subtle we hardly notice them? And what about symptoms in the mind? Are they included? Many questions, I know. I attempt to answer them by outlining to you the 6 stages of disease as they are taught in Ayurveda. Knowing these six stages helped me a lot to place w

Five percent of the world’s population suffers from depression. It is common after giving birth aka postpartum depression and when transitioning through menopause. Then there is seasonal affective disorder where depression rises with the lack of sunlight. Followed by severe depression in the form of bipolar disorders and manic depressive illness. Depression is a common human experience. Getting out of depression depends a lot on what choice we make. Are we choosing the light or the darkness. This sounds overly simplistic, but ultimately what it comes down to according to Or Sahar’s experience. What thoughts, words and actions are you choosing to align yourself with? Having gone through periods of depression myself, I know that while in the darkness it is incredibly hard to make a choice but I also know it is possible. And I also know that there are tools and practices we can do to clear ourselves of those negative emotions. One of which is to detox your body regularly. Or Sahar shares her trials and tribu

Food is about more than just taste. Food is nourishment for the five layers of our being. It impacts not only your physical body, but our minds, emotions and spirit as well. Many factors play a role: the prana or lifeforce in the food, the quality of the soil, the attitude of the cook and the mindset with which we eat our food. Shifting  your attention away from solely tasting food to asking yourself  “how does my body want to be nourished today” and “how does earth intent to nourish me today” provides for a completely different approach and culinary experience. Food can either facilitate connection or it can hinder it. Food can make us feel deeply connected, nourished and loved. It can either make us feel alive or dead. As Dr. Seuss said: “If we eat dead food, we feel deadened”. I add: “If we eat alive food, we feel alivened”. Alec and I rap around the idea of food facilitating an experience of life. And who better to talk to than Alec, who is not only a culinary artist but also a yogi who is tapped into the

The average age of menopause is 51 in the US. Entering menopause before 40 is considered premature and brings with it a higher risk of heart disease and osteoporosis. Brodie Welch, herself an accomplished Chinese Medical practitioner, Yoga Health Coach and carrier of wisdom entered menopause prematurely at the age of 35. She shares her story. And she shares the advice she gives to herself and the wisdom she passes on to her patients.   “The body gives us interesting puzzles to figure out” Brodie Welch What you get from tuning in: The cycle of 7 Reasons why the hormonal well and juice gets drained The jet plane vs. the helicopter version of menopause Menopause as a lower gear metabolism The monthly yin and yang cycle of a woman The answer to “What does being empowered about your health mean?”   “Menopause is not enough coolant in your system to hold the rising heat” Brodie Welch     Visit my Website  Join me on Facebook  Watch the free video series 5 secrets to a Better Menopause Upgrade your body experi

  The four stages of life describe our focus, aim and role in life over a 100 year time span. They were outlined in ancient Indian texts. Being able to verbalize the four stages and what they are about helps us become more conscious and choose our orientation, engagement, actions and attitude in a certain phase. In a way, knowing them gives us permission to be who we are and focus on what is present in the particular stage we find ourselves in.   The four stages are: Brahmacharya or student/bachelor Grihasta or householder Vanaprastha or forest dweller Sannyasa or renunciation Each stage comes with a certain focus or aim.   What You get from tuning in: An understanding the 4 stages of life and how it shapes your role How the stages influence your actions, attitudes and orientation Permission to be who you are in each phase The transition from material focus to spiritual focus     Visit my Website  Join me on Facebook  Watch the free video series 5 secrets to a Better Menopause Upgrade your body experience

Trauma is an integral part of human life. We have all had trauma to varying degrees, some more severe than others. On the severe end, think domestic violence, war, physical and emotional abuse, sexual assault or  loss of a loved one. But trauma can also be more subtle maybe caused by a divorce or a minor accident. In fact, life starts with a trauma called birth. Could you call it anything else, when you are trying to squeeze your head through a tight canal? Looking at the definition of the word, trauma is a deeply distressing or disturbing experience. Our brains and nervous system can get severely impacted causing the body to go into fight, flight or freeze mode. This in turn can cause hormonal imbalances, digestive issues and so much more. Clearing trauma out of our tissues is an integral part of healing ourselves. Bringing attention and intention to it brings freedom to our soul and aliveness to our body. Schuyler shares with us her own journey from trauma through alcohol and cigarette addiction to a he

Every woman goes through menopause, whether she wants to or not. Of course, that only applies if she gets old enough.     Although discussing this phase of life openly becomes less and less taboo with every year, we still don’t get all that much information from our elders, books aside. I don’t know about you but while my Mom is willing to share when I ask, I also have to pull every detail out of her nose.   In this podcast, I want to clear up the fundamental question of “What is menopause” exactly. It can get kind of confusing as some women (and health care practitioners) refer to it as a point in time, while others refer to it as a phase in their lives.   So let’s get it straight.     What you get from tuning in: The 4 phases of menopause Is Menopause a phase or a point in time? What symptoms may show up?     Visit my Website  Join me on Facebook  Watch the free video series 5 secrets to a Better Menopause Upgrade your body experience. Apply for Body Joy  

Marcia Wilson grew up to be a biochemist (=gross body awareness) and evolved into a yogi (=subtle body awareness). She tells her story of how those two intricate studies inform her life, health and happiness as she moves through her 40s. Midlife and menopause are often referred to as The Big Change; Subtle awareness is crucial for staying healthy and making life sustainable in this stage. In Ayurveda, we distinguish six stages of disease. Western medicine is only able to detect an imbalance in stage five which means when the imbalance is way manifested already. Being tuned into your body will help you detect symptoms much earlier, prevent disease and create the body and life you want. Ayurveda and Yoga help you do that. We explore the notion of what is sustainable in the mid-stage of life and beyond. Our daily practices and lifestyle choices need to honor the big change so that our nervous system can relax and our body can find back to equilibrium. If we were to ignore the subtle signs we would likely fin

Almost 60% of Americans make new year’s resolutions but only 9% feel they are successful in achieving them (from Statistic Brain). This number is way too low for my taste. And I also know that it doesn’t have to be like that. Are you amongst those setting resolutions but never really making them a reality? Do you fail miserably in implementing what you set yourself out to do at the beginning of the year? Or, maybe you don’t fail, but you would like to have a more straightforward, grounded and efficient process of implementation? There is a method to the madness. Turning resolutions into heartfelt intentions, heartfelt intentions into actionable goals, and actionable goals into tiny habits is a clear strategy to turn lofty resolutions into earthy reality. Manifesting your dreams after all, it turns out, isn’t all that difficult. In my teens and early 20s, I termed resolutions bollocks. Then, I became a yogi and learnt to set intentions. I worked with them for years and frankly, they got me quite far. Int

Travelling can be uprooting and nerve wrecking for the most robust of us. With the holidays right around the corner you may find yourself in a car, airplane or, if you are amongst the nogaltics, in a train towards destination “loved ones”. Having traveled extensively myself over the past 20 years I know how uncomfortable plane seats and gas station toilets can be. You may arrive feeling molded to the cushion you sat on for the past however many hours. Arriving exhausted, with an aching body and overstretched mind is the last thing you want when visiting auntie Sue and uncle Tom for Christmas (or Thanksgiving or any other important occasion). From an Ayurvedic perspective travel is Vata aggravating which means the air and ether elements go all out of sorts. For your body that means constipation, headaches, hard stools, dry skin, dry eyes and whatever other ailments come with dehydration. And if that’s not enough, your nerves may be a wreck, you feel overwhelmed and anxious. You are way overstimulated. Well,

  Work can take over. Life can take over, leaving little room for fun and relaxation. That is if we are not intentional about how we use time and implement strategies to direct our day.   Annie is the mother of 2, well-preneur, yoga health coach and someone who intentionally creates ease in her life. She walks her talk. We chat about key tools to become master of your time, get a S#%! load done and create more room for quiet and fun.   We usually think of time as a fixed entity. After all, there are only 24 hours in a day, 52 weeks in a year and 365 days. It’s fixed, right? Not really. When looked at time from a different angle we notice that time is expandable and contractible. Have you ever tried to sit still for 5 minutes, say trying to meditate, and those 5 minutes seemed like an eternity? Yet, if you used those same 5 minutes to get something “important” done those minutes would fly by?   We can  harness time by being intentional about how we use it. I like to think about the different areas of life like

Tracey was obsessed about menopause. It is all she could talk about once she hit that phase in her life. Tracey grew up in a family where topics like menopause was not exactly a topic to be discussed. Think British and think proper. Once she entered this phase herself she had no clue how to relate her symptoms with a possible diagnosis until hot flashes hit her. Aha, might this be the great transition? Her Western medical doctor confirmed that she indeed had entered the peri-menopausal phase.  That’s when her obsession started. To be fair, it was a cute and positive obsession, but it was an obsession. She gobbled up books and researched like crazy. It was all so fascinating. It was not until she visited her Ayurvedic doctor, however,  that she stopped identifying with the label and actually realized she could do something about it. Instead of giving up her power to an outside person she took matters in her own hand and empowered herself along the journey. In this podcast, she shares with us her trials, insigh

The Bathroom is central station for grooming, vanity and healing. It is also a place to relief ourselves physically - think poop and urine - and calm down emotionally - think taking a long, calming bath, oiling yourself or freshening up after a long, exhausting day. The bathroom is also a place to keep your body well oiled and joints moving smoothly.   Growing old is a choice. An achy body is too. While linear age is unalterable, biological age is not. If we stock our bathroom with the right items, we support our body to stay young, vibrant and more alive for longer. Reaching for a high cabinet in the kitchen, walking upstairs or going for a long hike will no longer be an issue. You can find tons of inexpensive items to keep our joints well lubricated, your lymph moving and your circulation flowing, right over your sink.   Sarah and I talk about various practices that are easily done at home to relieve aches and pains.  Most of all we talk about Ayurvedic self massage, a simple yet immensely profound tool. Fr

Many people struggle to find meaning and purpose working in the corporate environment.  Karina has worked as an electronic engineer in a big corporate company all her adult life. Initially wanting to become a dancer but having been talked out of it by her parents, she struggled with finding joy and meaning in her career. She asked to be laid off a couple of times in search of a more worthwhile path like being a yoga instructor, Thai massage therapist or aid worker in Africa. With our conversation we want to inspire that finding meaning and joy in any task, in any workplace and in any setting is possible with the right mindset.. We want to inspire that happiness is not a byproduct of the work you do, but a feeling that arises from within, from deeply knowing yourself. Karina shares the steps she took and the practices she did that helped her remove the physical, emotional and spiritual blockages, toxins and barriers  to clearly seeing her contribution to society. What You get from tuning in: Tools to know you

  Tara has chosen a path to heal breast cancer that is completely outside of mainstream norm. She said ‘No’ to chemotherapy, ‘No’ to radiation and instead chose the natural healing route with diet, herbs and many other natural healing protocols. A path that in my opinion requires tremendous courage, trust and clarity given the approach of mainstream society. In this podcast, she shares with us the ups and downs of her healing journey, what she does on a daily basis, how she copes and how she is healing. What You get from tuning in: What made Tara choose an alternative treatment approach to her breast cancer How she mastered facing opposition with her choices What a natural breast cancer protocol may look like The importance of the immune system when healing from cancer What needs to be in place to allow a person to have the strength, courage and clarity to walk the natural healing route The importance of faith and surrender in the healing process The emotional roller coaster when faced with a terminal illnes