Everyday Ayurveda with Kate

In this episode, Kate O'Donnell sits down with Jiaming Ju — a second-generation Chinese medicine practitioner, former health economist, and founder of the online clinic Kun Health — for a rich, cross-cultural exploration of how traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and Ayurveda view the body, health, and healing.

Jiaming brings a uniquely layered perspective: she spent a decade running health economics research across New York, India,...

Have you ever wondered why you crash at 3pm, crave food late at night, or can't seem to fall asleep before midnight? Ayurveda has a 5,000-year-old answer — and it's called Dinacharya, or the Ayurvedic daily flow.

In this solo episode, Kate walks you through the complete Ayurvedic 24-hour clock — explaining what elements are active in your body at each time of day, and how to align your eating, sleeping, exercising, and resting wi...

After decades of traveling to India for her own Panchakarma practice — a tradition she kept almost entirely private — Kate O'Donnell finally brought a group. Twelve people. Twenty-one days. An Ayurvedic healing village nestled in the countryside near the Tamil Nadu–Kerala border, surrounded by coconut palms, temple chanting, and the gentle rhythm of cows heading out to pasture each morning.

In this episode, Kate offers a day-in-the...

Spring has its own hunger. In this solo episode, Kate shares what's actually stocked in her kitchen this time of year and how Ayurveda shapes the way she cooks and eats when the season shifts. No complicated recipes, no pressure to be perfect — just practical, seasonal ideas for when you open the fridge and feel completely lost.

Kate covers spring pantry staples including sprouted mung beans, white beans, chickpeas, asparagus, ce...

The bloodwork conversation is everywhere right now — but are you getting the right tests, and do you know what to do with the results?

Kate sits down with two functional medicine practitioners: Tracey O’Shea, medical director at the California Center for Functional Medicine and program director at the Kresser Institute, and Danielle Dellaquila, functional nutritionist and founder of Eagle Vision Nutrition. Together they demystify t...

If spring feels heavier than it should — slow digestion, morning congestion, low appetite, a persistent heaviness you can’t quite name — Ayurveda has a precise and practical explanation for what’s happening.

In Episode 77, Kate O’Donnell goes deep on Kapha season: the Ayurvedic name for the late-winter-into-spring transition when excess moisture in the body starts moving, filling the cavities of the stomach, throat, lungs, and sinu...

This week, Kate welcomes Vedic astrologer Kaya Mindlin for a one-of-a-kind episode: a full tour of the Vedic solar year, month by month, through the lens of health and Ayurveda. Kaya has spent 25 years studying the Vedic wisdom traditions — Jyotisha (the “eye of the Vedas”), yoga therapy, Vedic scripture, and Ayurveda — and brings a rare combination of depth and practical accessibility to everything she teaches.

In Jyotisha, the su...

One of the most common questions Kate hears no matter where she’s teaching in the world: How much food should I eat? Her answer is deeply Ayurvedic — it depends on your body, your season, your activity, and the density of what’s on your plate. In this solo episode, Kate delivers a practical, body-based framework grounded in ancient Ayurvedic nutrition principles.

What You’ll Learn:

• The cupped-hands...

What happens when yoga becomes more than postures? In this conversation, Kate O'Donnell is joined by Amy Landry, Australian yoga teacher, classical Odissi dancer, Ayurveda practitioner, and author of the forthcoming book The Ocean of Yoga. Together they explore what it means to walk yoga as a full spiritual path rather than a fitness practice.

Amy shares her rare journey through India's sacred arts, studying Odissi classical danc...

Every week, a new wellness trend goes viral. Every month, someone tells you what to eat, when to exercise, and which supplements you're missing. And somehow, after all that information, you feel less certain about your health than ever.

In this solo episode, Kate O'Donnell names what's happening — and she calls it the hive mind. It's the way social media algorithms, trending health content, and urgency-driven information push us aw...

Is your makeup toxic? Beauty industry insider Laura Olson—who spent decades writing product labels for major luxury brands—reveals what clean beauty actually means, why "fragrance" is the biggest red flag, and how to navigate greenwashing and health-washing. Learn which apps help you shop safer (Yuka, EWG Skin Deep), which stores you can trust (Credo), and which ingredients to avoid (parabens, sulfates, nano zinc). Laura shares her...

Broadcasting from South India, Kate talks with her partner Rich Ray about the hidden pitfalls of learning Eastern spiritual traditions. They explore why so many of us turn spiritual teachings into self-judgment, how to recognize karmic conditioning without shame, and what Buddhist practice actually looks like when you stop chasing spiritual highs. This is an honest, grounded conversation about duality, ego, Maya, and the surprising...

Feeling bloated, constipated, or constantly cold this winter? Your body is telling you it needs different foods. In this solo episode, Kate breaks down the Ayurvedic approach to winter eating—what to embrace, what to avoid, and why seasonal nutrition matters more than you think.

You'll Learn:

• Why cold, dry weather changes your digestion
• Signs your body needs warming, mo...

Have you ever wondered what your dosha is? You're not alone—but that question might be keeping you stuck.

In this groundbreaking conversation, Kate sits down with Arjita Sethi—serial entrepreneur, TEDx speaker, and founder of Shanti, an AI-powered wellness platform that's revolutionizing how we access Ayurvedic wisdom. Arjita shares her remarkable journey from childhood illness to Silicon Valley burnout to postpartum healing, and h...

Where does your ashwagandha really come from? Tyler Wauters, VP of Herbal Affairs at Banyan Botanicals and Director of Banyan Farm, shares the truth about ethical herb sourcing, sustainable farming, and what happens when wellness trends commodify plants. Learn what organic, fair trade, and regenerative certifications actually mean, discover bioregional Ayurveda and analog herbs, and get practical steps for becoming a conscious cons...

Did you notice how many people got sick over the holidays this year? In this solo episode, Kate breaks down the Ayurvedic perspective on immunity—and it might surprise you.

Instead of focusing on antibodies and white blood cell counts, Ayurveda teaches us about Ojas—the "nutrient cream of the body" that creates resilience and protects tissues against pathogens. Kate explains why moisture is the foundation of immunity, especially in...

This week, Kate sits down with Mel Cunningham, founder of Yogi Fuel and the Integrative Ayurveda Practitioner Certification, for a groundbreaking conversation about nervous system regulation through the lens of Ayurveda.

Mel shares her remarkable journey from professional rugby player who sustained over 10 concussions to becoming a leading expert in nervous system health. Her personal experience with anxiety, panic attacks, and dys...

This week, Kate delivers a solo episode packed with practical Ayurvedic tools to help you reset after the holiday season—without the restrictive yo-yo dieting that disrupts your system. She breaks down why extreme cleanses don't work in winter, shares simple warming practices that actually support digestion, and offers a compassionate approach to turning the ship around in the new year.

Kate covers warm herbal waters, the magic of ...

What if the key to meaningful New Year's intentions isn't more goal-setting, but preparing your body as sacred ground?

Kate walks listeners through her annual practice of a mono diet—eating simple, nourishing foods like kitchari, congee, or oatmeal for 1-3 days around the New Year. This isn't about deprivation or typical "cleansing." It's about creating sacred relationship with food, transforming meals into offerings, and preparing...