Episode 17: Balancing Your Body, Mind, and Hormones with Ayurvedic Counselor Nimisha Gandhi Attune + Align

In this episode, I am speaking with my friend, Nimisha Gandhi, a functional medicine nutritionist, Ayurvedic Counselor, Yoga Nidra and meditation teacher, and former tech founder. Nimisha and I discuss holistic nutrition, functional medicine, and Ayurveda, along with her perspectives on hormonal health including perimenopause and seed cycling. 
 
Nimisha shares an overview of the three Ayurvedic doshas: Vata, Pitta, and Kapha, and clarifies the difference between your Vikruti and Prakruti. Then, Nimisha shares different ways to learn about your doshas, whether in person, online, or in a 1:1 setting. Plus, Nimisha shares a functional medicine perspective on hormonal health and details how her attunement to the mind-body-spirit connection is both an intuitive, and research-backed calling that she now shares with others, directly from the soul. 
 
Thanks for listening! Attune to your heart + align your life. With Marisa LaValette. 
 
Topics Covered:
(4:27) Big moments in Nimisha’s life that inspired an intuitive awakening 
(9:08) Nimisha’s journey into functional medicine and how it blends with her previous work
(17:35) What is Ayurveda?
(20:56) The 5 Great Elements, the Pancha Mahabhuta
(21:55) Nimisha introduces the three doshas—Vata, Pitta, and Kapha
(26:34) Nimisha explains your Prakruti vs. Vikruti
(27:44) Doshas also represent phases of life: Childhood, Midlife, Old Age
(30:27) How your dosha can inspire life choices relating to home and career
(32:15) Different ways to discover your dosha, including pulse reading, online tests, and 1:1 work with a practitioner
(39:03) Nimisha shares why “all disease begins in the gut”
(41:34) Nimisha describes Ayurvedic seasonal approaches and makes midsummer recommendations for Pitta-predominant Marisa 
(47:15) The Ayurvedic perspective of "like increases like" and "opposites balance each other"
(51:17) A story about Nimisha’s grandmother, cumin, and watermelon 
(55:35) Why Nimisha calls seed cycling “the gateway drug to improving your overall hormonal health"
(57:58) Nimisha notes the possibility of perimenopause symptoms beginning for some women as early as age 35

PLUS:
 
Be sure to tune in at 15:54 for an overview of holistic vs. functional nutrition. 
 
Tune in at 37:36 to learn why a Vata imbalance can feel like “Running really fast but not going anywhere.” 🏃💨
 
Listen at 1:02:43 to hear Marisa’s symptoms— Is it burnout? Or is it perimenopause?
 
Stay till the end of the episode at 1:08:31 to hear Nimisha answer some rapid fire questions from Marisa. 🔥🔥🔥
 
Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts and Spotify and keep up to date with new episode drops by subscribing to our newsletter at marisalavalette.com!
 
Resources Mentioned:
Take the Dosha Quiz
Kaikeyi: A Novel by Vaishnavi Patel
 
Guest Info:
Nimisha’s Website
Nimisha’s Instagram
Schedule a FREE Discovery Call with Nimisha
Connect with Me:
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 💫 Sending love, light, and hugs from, Marisa