Mind Sattva: Practical Wisdom for Modern Life

Dr. Mitika Kanabar
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Mind Sattva is a podcast about finding clarity and grounding in a noisy world. Hosted by Dr. Mitika Kanabar, a physician trained at Stanford with a background in addiction medicine, lifestyle medicine, and public health, the show blends ancient wisdom, modern understanding, and evidence-based perspectives to reflect on how we live, grow, lead, and connect. Each episode offers conversations or solo reflections shaped by professional insight, lived experience, and sometimes teachings rooted in Eastern philosophy. Whether exploring grief, perfectionism, identity, or resilience, Mind Sattva creates space to pause, ask deeper questions, and return to what steadies you. You can listen on your favorite podcast app or watch on YouTube: youtube.com/@MindSattva Disclaimer: This podcast is for informational and entertainment purposes only. It does not provide medical, legal, financial, or professional advice. Always consult qualified professionals regarding your specific needs. Views expressed are personal and do not represent any institution. No guarantees or endorsements are implied. Listening constitutes your agreement to release the host, guests, and affiliates from liability.

  1. FEB 14

    Mahashivaratri: The Night of Shiva | With Scholars From Kashi

    What really happens on the night of Shiva? What does Shiva actually destroy? And how can you observe Mahashivaratri at home with nothing more than a lamp and your intention? Dr. Mitika Kanabar sits down with Acharya Mrityunjay and Acharya Satyam, both scholars from Kashi, the oldest living city on earth. Together they explore Shiva tattva, the four prahars of all-night worship, why Kashi is said to rest on Shiva's trident, and the promise between Shiva and Annapurna that no one in Kashi will go hungry. They address the cannabis question directly and close with a chant you can follow along with, no Sanskrit needed. ✨ What you'll learn: What Mahashivaratri means and why it is observed through the night Shiva tattva: the essence of Shiva beyond "the destroyer" The four prahars of worship and how to observe them The sacred geography of Kashi and why death there is celebrated Ashutosh: the God content with a leaf, water, and your sincere intention How to do a simple Shivaratri puja at home The cannabis question: sattvic practice vs. tamasic shortcuts Shiva and Krishna's relationship and the story of Gopishwar Resources Mentioned: "Har Har Shambhu" by Backstage Siblings | Instagram (the bhajan clubbing trend discussed in the episode) "The Hidden Hindu" by Akshat Gupta | Book Summary (the mythological fiction series set in Kashi) Connect with Dr. Mitika Kanabar: mitikakanabar.com | Instagram Listen & Follow: Podbean | @MindSattva on Instagram

    38 min

  2. JAN 27

    Gardening as Digital Detox

    Struggling with screen time? What if the best digital detox isn't another app—but getting your hands dirty?   In this episode, Dr. Mitika Kanabar shares why gardening is her go-to method for unplugging. She explores the science of horticultural therapy, soil bacteria that boost mood, and the Ayurvedic concept of dinacharya (daily routine). Plus: practical tips for starting a garden even without a backyard.   ✨ What you'll learn: Why gardening works when willpower fails Research on soil bacteria and mental health The scrolling paradox and emotional overload Ayurvedic daily routine (dinacharya) How to start small and detach from outcomes Replacement behaviors vs. restriction   Connect with Dr. Mitika Kanabar: mitikakanabar.com 🔗 Listen on Podbean | Spotify | Apple Podcasts | YouTube Follow @KanabarMD on Instagram

    16 min

  3. JAN 13

    What Happens When You Take a Break from Alcohol

    What really happens when you stop drinking alcohol, even for a few weeks? In this solo episode of Mind Sattva, Dr. Mitika Kanabar talks about Dry January and why many people choose to take a break from alcohol. She explains what changes in the body and brain when alcohol is removed, and why even a short break can lead to better sleep, steadier mood, more energy, and overall health improvements. Mitika walks through how alcohol affects blood sugar, blood pressure, brain chemistry, and sleep. She also explores why drinking is so closely tied to celebration and social life, and how those beliefs have been shaped over time. The episode includes practical guidance for handling social situations without drinking, managing cravings when they come up, and noticing habits that may be driving alcohol use. Mitika also talks about who may want to be more mindful or cautious with alcohol, how the liver and gut respond during a break, and changes people may notice in their body when they take a break from alcohol. ✨ In this episode: What Dry January is and why people try it How alcohol affects blood sugar, blood pressure, mood, and sleep Short term benefits like better sleep, steadier mood, and more energy Long term health effects including liver health and cancer risk Who may need to be more mindful or cautious with alcohol Finding your personal reason for making a change Handling social pressure and cravings Why alcohol is linked to celebration and social life How sleep, habits, and gut health are connected Referenced in this episode: Quit Like a Woman by Holly Whitaker https://www.quitlikeawoman.com 🔗 Listen on Podbean | Spotify | Apple Podcasts | YouTube 🌐 mitikakanabar.com Follow @MindSattva and @KanabarMD on Instagram

    15 min

  4. JAN 6

    Screen Addiction: Why You Can't Put Your Phone Down & How to Break Free

    What started as five minutes of scrolling is now two hours gone. Sound familiar? In this "In the Flow" episode, Dr. Mitika Kanabar unpacks the science behind screen addiction: why our phones live "rent-free" in our brains and how social media algorithms are designed to capture our attention coins. She explains why the dopamine hit from scrolling feels like happiness but actually leaves us sadder, chasing that next reel like a mirage in the desert. Mitika offers practical tools from both Western and Eastern perspectives: screen-free morning blocks, the yogic principle of shaucha (cleanliness in thought), and household boundaries that work. She addresses how excessive screen time erodes our closest relationships, why children's developing brains are especially vulnerable, and the uncomfortable truth that in social media, just like the casino, the house always wins. ✨ In this episode: The dopamine mechanics of screen addiction and "attention coins" Why you pick up your phone without wanting to: conditioning and the "rent-free" brain Boundaries: screen-free mornings, work blocks, and shaucha (cleanliness of thought) The 4 C's of addiction and when screen use becomes unhealthy Screens and relationships: partners, parents, and protecting children Digital footprint safety in the age of AI "The house always wins": what social media is really costing us Referenced: The Anxious Generation by Dr. Jonathan Haidt Closing reflection: If we want to change the narrative, we have to speak the truth where people are. Your attention, your focus, your intentions for the day, and your actual human connections: that's what the house is winning. And children learn more from our behavior than from what we have to say. 🔗 Listen on Podbean | Spotify | Apple Podcasts | YouTube 🌐 mitikakanabar.com Follow @MindSattva and @KanabarMD on Instagram

    23 min

  5. 12/16/2025

    More Than What You Cook: Food Guilt, Gender Roles & Women’s Worth

    What if your value as a woman had nothing to do with what you cook—or how many recipes you juggle each night? In this “In the Flow” episode, Dr. Mitika Kanabar tackles the “food police” that live in our cultures, communities, and families. She explores why women say no to themselves ten times before even asking to use their gym membership, and how self-worth becomes tangled with cooking, caregiving, and keeping everyone fed. From the “Excel sheet of everybody’s tiffins” to mopping the kitchen floor at midnight, Mitika examines how cultural conditioning shapes what we believe we owe our families—and why perimenopause often becomes the turning point when women stop covering the cracks with new paintings. Inspired by @justbeingmelani’s viral perimenopause content, Mitika closes with a Mind Sattva spin on Melanie’s “We Do Not Care Club”—a comedic take on releasing guilt around hot flashes, leftovers, and impossible expectations. ✨ In this episode: The “food police” in your culture and the transactional nature of women’s worth Permission-seeking: why women ask to use their own gym memberships Gender roles and the mental load of feeding a family Cognitive dissonance: rajasic comfort foods vs. sattvic eating goals Perimenopause and the end of “overdoing for everybody” Breaking free from the myth of the “ideal” wife, mother, and daughter A Mindsattva edition inspired by @justbeingmelani’s “We Do Not Care Club” Featured: @justbeingmelani (Mama Melanie) Closing reflection: Sometimes important feedback needs to be given in comedic ways. Your worth isn’t measured by the dopamine hit your food provides. And if there are cracks in the wall? Maybe it’s time to stop hanging paintings over them. 🔗 Listen on Podbean | Spotify | Apple Podcasts | YouTube Follow @MindSattva and @KanabarMD on Instagram

    12 min

  6. 12/02/2025

    Career Reinvention & Why Your Words Create Your Reality | Teri Reuter

    Wondering when to stop versus when you're just quitting? Struggling with understanding what "good enough" means? Teri Reuter has reinvented her career multiple times. As a therapist, coach, and leadership expert, she shares the truth about career transitions, overcoming self-doubt, and why the words you use literally shape your reality. ✨ What you'll learn: The difference between stopping and quitting Why changing direction follows Newton's law of motion How your words construct your reality Moving from automatic self-doubt to self-acceptance What "good enough" actually means The sunk cost trap that keeps people stuck Why appreciating your own company matters Listening to understand versus listening to respond Resources Mentioned: "Strength-Centered Counseling" by Teri Reuter and Dr. Colin Ward Connect: terireuter.com 🔗 Listen on Podbean | Spotify | Apple Podcasts | YouTube Follow @MindSattva and @KanabarMD on Instagram

    55 min

  7. 11/25/2025

    Growing Into Health: The 6 Pillars of Lifestyle Medicine

    What if better health wasn't about restriction, but about growing toward wellness when the timing is right? Dr. Mitika Kanabar shares her lifestyle medicine journey—from skeptic to practitioner to co-author of "How Healers Heal." Inspired by a new plant shoot in her studio, she explores how real change requires the right support, resources, and readiness. From a "Plants for Life" class she almost dismissed, through pandemic grocery store discoveries (when only plants were left on shelves!), to measurable health improvements in her family, Mitika reveals how community and privilege shaped her path. She breaks down the six evidence-based pillars of lifestyle medicine and celebrates the new dietary guidelines that finally recognize cultural diversity in healthy eating. ✨ In this episode: The 6 pillars: plant-forward nutrition, physical activity, stress management, sleep, connection, and avoiding risky substances Why she wasn't ready the first time—and what changed with community support The "health equity lens" in 2025-2030 guidelines: your cultural foods matter Nutrient density vs. calorie counting: a paradigm shift Real results: improved thyroid, cholesterol, and blood sugar levels How peas and lentils finally earned their place in the protein section Resources mentioned: ACLM, NutritionFacts.org, eCornell Certificate, "The Lifestyle Medicine Handbook," and "How Healers Heal" Closing reflection: Growth doesn't happen on demand. Like that new shoot on her plant, transformation comes when conditions align—privilege, timing, support, and readiness. The question isn't just what to do, but when you'll be ready to grow. 🔗 Listen on Podbean | Spotify | Apple Podcasts | YouTube Follow @MindSattva and @KanabarMD on Instagram

    19 min

  8. 10/29/2025

    Never Before, Never Again: Reflections on Impermanence and Loss

    What does it mean to truly understand that nothing lasts forever, and that this truth might actually set us free? Dr. Mitika Kanabar explores grief and impermanence through Eastern philosophy. From Tibetan sand mandalas that monks create and then destroy, to the Kathopanishad's dialogue with Yama, god of death, to Krishna's teachings in the Bhagavad Gita: this episode asks how we treasure what we cannot hold onto. ✨ In this episode: How Tibetan monks use sand mandalas to practice accepting impermanence The ancient story of Nachiketa confronting death itself and what he learns What na bhuto na bhavishyati (never before, never again) really means The Bhagavad Gita's teaching: the soul is eternal, but everything else passes Why fleeting moments, from hospital bedsides to snowstorm kindness, deserve our full presence How to bring impermanence into daily life without becoming attached or afraid Closing reflection: If impermanence is inevitable, perhaps the question isn't how to hold on, but how to be here fully while we can. 🔗 Listen on Podbean | Spotify | Apple Podcasts | YouTube Follow @MindSattva and @KanabarMD on Instagram

    18 min
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Ratings & Reviews

3.9
out of 5
7 Ratings

About

Mind Sattva is a podcast about finding clarity and grounding in a noisy world. Hosted by Dr. Mitika Kanabar, a physician trained at Stanford with a background in addiction medicine, lifestyle medicine, and public health, the show blends ancient wisdom, modern understanding, and evidence-based perspectives to reflect on how we live, grow, lead, and connect. Each episode offers conversations or solo reflections shaped by professional insight, lived experience, and sometimes teachings rooted in Eastern philosophy. Whether exploring grief, perfectionism, identity, or resilience, Mind Sattva creates space to pause, ask deeper questions, and return to what steadies you. You can listen on your favorite podcast app or watch on YouTube: youtube.com/@MindSattva Disclaimer: This podcast is for informational and entertainment purposes only. It does not provide medical, legal, financial, or professional advice. Always consult qualified professionals regarding your specific needs. Views expressed are personal and do not represent any institution. No guarantees or endorsements are implied. Listening constitutes your agreement to release the host, guests, and affiliates from liability.

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