Have you ever felt frustrated by your experiences with Western healthcare? You’re far from alone. In this week’s episode, Rita and Brittni explore what’s missing from conventional medicine, how we got here, and what moving toward a more integrative model of healthcare could look like.

Highlights:

• Key differences between Ayurvedic and Western medicine: preventative vs. reactive care.
• The Ayurvedic six stages of disease and why symptoms can arise despite normal diagnostics.
• How the 1910 Flexner Report pushed out holistic and herbal medicine while reinforcing racial, gender, and economic barriers to becoming a doctor.
• How gaps in conventional care created space for a multi-trillion-dollar wellness industry, leaving people caught between two profit-driven systems.
• The role of community and connection in health, and unlearning individualistic approaches to healing.
• A proposed three-tier healthcare model that makes lifestyle medicine accessible to all while reserving reactive care for emergencies, surgery, and advanced disease.
• How colonialism nearly erased Ayurveda, and our reflections on teaching Ayurveda as white American women.

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And don’t forget to check out our Wellness Library, which is filled with self-guided classes, kitchen tutorials, herbal recipes, and more Ayurvedic practices all for just $5 a month!

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Classes, kitchen tutorials, herbal recipes, and more for $5 a month in the Wellness Library!

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Connect with Rita
https://www.rhythmiclivingayurveda.com/

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https://mountainsforbreakfast.com/

If you struggle with acid reflux, heartburn, indigestion, or bloating, this episode is for you. Today Brittni and Rita take a deep dive into what's actually driving these incredibly common digestive complaints — and why standard treatments so often fall short of real, lasting relief. Acid reflux is so much more than excess stomach acid, and Western medicine's approach to treating it almost completely misses the bigger picture. Drawing on Ayurvedic wisdom and Rita's clinical experience as a medical speech language pathologist, they break down the root causes of acid reflux and indigestion, the role of gut motility, nervous system health, and digestive fire, and what a natural, whole-body approach to healing actually looks like.

This episode is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical advice. Please consult your healthcare provider if you are experiencing chest pain or concerning symptoms.

Highlights:

• Why acid reflux and heartburn are far more than a stomach acid problem — and the missing piece most treatments completely overlook
• The surprising ways reflux can show up beyond heartburn, including throat symptoms, chronic cough, sinus issues, and more
• The two Ayurvedic root causes of acid reflux and indigestion — and why addressing both is essential for lasting relief
• What long-term use of acid-blocking medications can do to the body — and why weaning off them requires support
• The foods, habits, and emotional patterns that quietly contribute to heartburn and indigestion
• Simple but powerful natural remedies for acid reflux — from dietary shifts and meal timing to sleep position and posture
• The herbs Ayurveda reaches for to soothe, rebuild, and restore digestive function naturally
• Why your nervous system, stress levels, and how fast you eat matter more than you might think

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Support the podcast on Patreon!

Classes, kitchen tutorials, herbal recipes, and more for $5 a month in the Wellness Library!

Follow us: Instagram | LinkedIn | YouTube

Connect with Rita
https://www.rhythmiclivingayurveda.com/

Connect with Brittni
https://mountainsforbreakfast.com/

This week, Rita and Brittni are talking about transitioning into Vata season. They break down why autumn calls for a two-phase approach: first flushing out the heat that accumulated over summer, then building warmth and stability for the winter ahead. As the air gets colder, drier, and more mobile, many people notice an uptick in anxiety, poor sleep, constipation, dry skin, low energy, and scattered focus without understanding why. In this episode, they break down exactly what's happening from an Ayurvedic perspective and share simple, practical tools to help you move through this transition with more ease, groundedness, and even a little creativity.

Highlights:

• Why it's essential to flush out summer heat before building warmth and stability for winter
• Why the fall transition can feel so unsettling for your body and mind — and what Ayurveda says is actually going on
• The symptoms that show up this time of year that most people never connect to the season
• Key foods, spices, and practices to support digestion, circulation, and the nervous system
• The one practice Brittni and Rita keep coming back to for grounding the nervous system during Vata season
• Why oil might be the most underrated tool in your fall wellness routine — and all the ways you can use it
• The unexpected creative and spiritual opportunity that Vata season offers — and how to actually tap into it
• Why learning to rest this season might be one of the most powerful things you can do for your health all year

Support the podcast on Patreon!

Classes, kitchen tutorials, herbal recipes, and more for $5 a month in the Wellness Library!

Follow us: Instagram | LinkedIn | YouTube

Connect with Rita
https://www.rhythmiclivingayurveda.com/

Connect with Brittni
https://mountainsforbreakfast.com/