Routes of Healing

Preconception, Fertility, and the Future of Women’s Health Using Lifestyle Medicine with Dr. Rashmi Kudesia

Mon, 23 Mar 2026 09:00:00 -0700

Show Notes

In this week’s episode of Routes of Healing, Dr. Siri Chand Khalsa sits down with Dr. Rashmi Kudesia, a triple board-certified physician in reproductive endocrinology and infertility, obstetrics and gynecology, and lifestyle medicine, whose work bridges advanced fertility care with prevention, education, and whole-person health.

Together, they explore the deeper dimensions of reproductive medicine not only the science of conception, but the emotional, relational, and cultural layers that shape how people experience fertility, infertility, and family-building. Dr. Kudesia shares her path into medicine, her early fascination with embryology and women’s health, and the ways her work has evolved to include lifestyle medicine, preconception care, and a more humane, empowering model of patient support.

This conversation moves through the gaps in fertility awareness, the importance of preparing the body before pregnancy, the role of nutrition, stress, sleep, and metabolic health in reproductive outcomes, and the need for culturally relevant care that honors the realities many women and families carry. They also discuss how infertility can impact identity, why education is one of the most powerful tools in women’s health, and what it means to care for patients with both scientific precision and deep compassion.

Whether you are trying to conceive, curious about preconception health, supporting someone navigating infertility, or simply interested in a more integrative and empowering future for women’s health, this episode offers wisdom, clarity, and hope.

If you’re inspired by our exploration on Routes of Healing, a physician-led podcast uplifting the wisdom and lived experience of integrative and lifestyle medicine doctors, subscribe to receive new episodes weekly.

Key Topics & Takeaways

What drew Dr. Kudesia into reproductive endocrinology and infertility
How embryology, women’s health, and lived experience intersect in fertility care
Why fertility is never only about hormones, diagnosis, or procedures
The importance of preconception health and proactive preparation for pregnancy
How lifestyle medicine supports fertility through nutrition, sleep, stress care, movement, and metabolic health
The emotional and relational impact of infertility
Cultural expectations and family pressures surrounding fertility and childbearing
The need for better fertility education and reproductive literacy
The role of compassion, empowerment, and patient education in women’s health

Chapters

00:00 — Introduction and Welcome

01:15 — Why Fertility Conversations Matter

03:02 — Dr. Kudesia’s Path Into Medicine

05:28 — Early Fascination with Embryology and Women’s Health

08:11 — Why She Chose Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility

11:04 — Fertility as More Than a Medical Diagnosis

14:26 — The Emotional Weight of Infertility

17:40 — Identity, Family-Building, and Social Expectations

21:08 — What Preconception Health Really Means

24:33 — Lifestyle Medicine in Fertility Care

27:14 — Nutrition, Inflammation, and Metabolic Health

30:21 — Stress, Sleep, and Reproductive Outcomes

33:06 — Why Women Need Better Fertility Education

36:42 — Cultural Context in Reproductive Medicine

40:10 — Supporting Patients with Compassion and Clarity

44:37 — Empowerment Through Knowledge

48:20 — The Future of Whole-Person Fertility Care

51:05 — Where to Find Dr. Kudesia

52:00 — Closing Reflections

About Today’s Guest

Rashmi Kudesia, MD

Reproductive Endocrinology & Infertility • OB/GYN • Lifestyle Medicine

Dr. Rashmi Kudesia is triple board-certified in Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, OB/GYN, and Lifestyle Medicine. She has been caring for patients at CCRM Fertility Houston since 2018, where she has received multiple annual clinical recognition awards and serves as Director of Patient Education and Sugar Land Site Director, as well as Assistant Clinical Professor at Houston Methodist Hospital.

After graduating magna cum laude from Brown University, she received her M.D. with honors from the Duke University School of Medicine. Her OB/GYN residency at New York Hospital–Weill Cornell Medical Center was followed by a Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility fellowship at Albert Einstein College of Medicine–Montefiore Medical Center, alongside a Master of Science degree in Clinical Research Methods.

She subsequently served as a Clinical Assistant Professor at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, as well as Medical Director of the Brooklyn office of Reproductive Medicine Associates of New York.

Dr. Kudesia is a Fellow and active member of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, has served in multiple local and national leadership roles in organized medicine, including currently as District XI Section 4 Chair, and is a public advocate for reproductive health. She has presented scientific research at national and international conferences, published in leading peer-reviewed journals, and received multiple awards and grants for her work.

She is also the author of Understanding Fertility Awareness Methods: Gaining Control of Your Fertility.

Find Dr. Kudesia

Instagram: www.instagram.com/rkudesia

Book: https://a.co/d/eQqKmYM

🌐 Connect with Your Host

Dr. Siri Chand Khalsa, MD MS

Lifestyle & Integrative Medicine Physician • Culinary Medicine • Ayurveda

Website: drsirichand.com
Instagram: @doctorsirichand
Culinary Medicine Blog: drsirichand.com/blog

Community: https://vishuddha.com

Vishuddha: A Media Agency for Conscious Clinicians & Wellness Seekers

Vishuddha is a media and creative agency dedicated to amplifying the voices of integrative and lifestyle medicine clinicians who are transforming how we understand health and healing.

We provide media representation, book development, public speaking coaching, podcast strategy, content creation, and course development—alongside classes and workshops for wellness seekers committed to intentional, conscious living.

Rooted in whole-person healing, Vishuddha helps clinicians translate their wisdom into impact, design offerings that matter, and bring conscious, transformative work into the world.

Ready to share your wisdom? Explore how we can support your vision at Vishuddha.com.

⚠️ Disclaimer

This podcast is for educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Please consult your healthcare provider for personalized guidance.

Keywords

fertility, reproductive endocrinology, infertility, preconception health, lifestyle medicine, women’s health, fertility awareness, IVF, OB-GYN, metabolic health, nutrition and fertility, stress and fertility, sleep and fertility, reproductive health education, culturally responsive care, South Asian women’s health, integrative fertility care, whole-person medicine, Routes of Healing, Dr. Rashmi Kudesia, Dr. Siri Chand Khalsa

Expanding Treatment Options: Lifestyle Medicine and Personalized Cancer Care in Japan with Dr. Minako Abe

Mon, 09 Mar 2026 09:00:00 -0700

Show Notes

In this week’s episode of Routes of Healing, Dr. SiriChand sits down with Dr. Minako Abe, Lifestyle Medicine Director and Vice-President of Tokyo Cancer Clinic, for a compelling conversation on prevention, immune resilience, and what it means to help patients thrive, not just survive.

Together, they explore Dr. Abe’s journey from more than 15 years in emergency medicine in New York and New Jersey to her current work in Tokyo, where she brings together lifestyle medicine, mindset coaching, and personalized cancer immunotherapy. What began as a growing awareness in the ER that many patients were suffering from preventable, lifestyle-related conditions eventually became a call to work further upstream, where healing can begin earlier and more holistically.

This conversation moves through burnout, self-care for clinicians, the foundations of lifestyle medicine, and the profound role of sleep, nutrition, movement, and stress reduction in immune health. Dr. Abe also offers a fascinating look into the work being done at Tokyo Cancer Clinic, where patients receive personalized Dendritic Cell cancer vaccines and Natural Killer cell therapy created from their own cells.

Whether you are a clinician rethinking the future of medicine, a patient seeking a more empowered path through cancer care, or simply someone curious about the intersection of science, prevention, and healing, this episode offers hope, insight, and a broader vision of what medicine can become.

If you’re inspired by our exploration on Routes of Healing, a physician-led podcast uplifting the wisdom and lived experience of integrative and lifestyle medicine doctors, subscribe to receive new episodes weekly.

🔑 Key Topics & Takeaways

From emergency medicine to prevention: How years in the ER revealed the limits of reactive care.

Working upstream: Why so many chronic conditions can be prevented through lifestyle change.

Burnout and self-care: The realization that clinicians cannot care well for others without first caring for themselves.

Lifestyle medicine in every field: Why Dr. Abe believes it is foundational to good medicine, not separate from it.

Cancer and immune resilience: How nutrition, sleep, movement, and stress reduction support the body’s ability to heal.

Sleep as a pillar of health: Why sleep is essential for immune activation, cancer surveillance, and brain health.

Japan and lifestyle medicine: How Japanese culture both supports and challenges healthy living, especially around work and sleep.

Cutting-edge cancer immunotherapy: How personalized immune cell therapies are created using a patient’s own blood cells.

Natural Killer cells and Dendritic Cells: A look at how these therapies are used to support cancer treatment in a targeted way.

Personalized cancer coaching: Why behavior change requires individualized support, not generic advice.

Food first: How coaching often begins with meeting patients where they are, especially during cancer treatment.

Movement as medicine: Why exercise supports circulation, immune function, treatment tolerance, and reduced recurrence risk.

Relaxation and the parasympathetic response: The role of stress reduction, human connection, nature, and mindfulness in healing.

Personalized medicine: Why one-size-fits-all algorithms are not enough for every patient.

Hope for the future: Dr. Abe’s vision for lifestyle medicine and immune cell therapy to become more integrated globally.

⏱ Chapters

00:00 — Introduction and Welcome

01:27 — Meet Dr. Minako Abe

01:46 — From Emergency Medicine to Lifestyle Medicine

03:06 — Self-Care, Balance, and Burnout

05:08 — The ER as Primary Care

07:18 — Leaving the ER and Moving to Tokyo

10:40 — Cancer Prevention and Whole-Person Care

12:16 — How Lifestyle Medicine Is Received in Japan

16:14 — Sleep, Work Culture, and Health

20:24 — Why Sleep Matters for Immunity and Cancer

27:22 — What Is Cancer Immunotherapy?

31:10 — Natural Killer Cells and Dendritic Cell Vaccines

34:41 — Cellular Intelligence and Cancer Evasion

36:58 — Innovation, Regulation, and the Future of Therapy

42:15 — Lifestyle Coaching for Cancer Patients

44:40 — A Case Study in Stage IV Cancer Support

47:01 — Leading with Example in Clinical Culture

51:15 — Personalized Medicine and Behavior Change

55:08 — Advice for Young Clinicians

56:41 — Lifestyle Medicine as Good Medicine

57:16 — Where to Find Dr. Abe

59:18 — Closing Reflections

About Today’s Guest

Minako Abe, MD

Lifestyle Medicine • Cancer Immunotherapy • Cancer Coaching

Dr. Minako Abe is the Lifestyle Medicine Director and Vice-President of Tokyo Cancer Clinic. She attended UC Berkeley and earned her M.D. from SUNY Stony Brook, and holds dual U.S. board certifications in Emergency Medicine and Lifestyle Medicine.

After more than 15 years practicing emergency medicine in New York and New Jersey, Dr. Abe saw firsthand how many patients were suffering from conditions rooted in preventable lifestyle factors. Realizing that a more upstream approach was needed to truly serve patients, she began incorporating lifestyle medicine into her practice.

She later moved to Tokyo, Japan, where she now works at the intersection of personalized cancer immunotherapy, lifestyle interventions, and mindset coaching. At Tokyo Cancer Clinic, she helps patients strengthen immune resilience and improve quality of life through innovative treatments including personalized Dendritic Cell cancer vaccines and Natural Killer cell therapy, alongside support in nutrition, sleep, movement, stress reduction, and behavior change.

Her unique approach centers on the pillars of Eat, Sleep, Move, Relax for Cancer, helping patients support the body’s natural healing capacity while navigating every stage of the cancer journey.

🌐 Find Dr. Abe

Website: Tokyo Cancer Clinic: https://tokyocancerclinic.jp

Personal Website: https://www.drminako.com

Instagram / LinkedIn / Facebook / YouTube: Dr. Minako Abe

For personalized immune cell therapy for cancer, including Dendritic Cell cancer vaccines and Natural Killer cell therapy, or to learn more about Cancer Coaching, please visit Tokyo Cancer Clinic website. Dr. Abe also offers a free Monday Motivation newsletter with sign up through the website.

Paper referenced:

“Lifestyle Medicine Coaching in Patients with Cancer: A Case Study”

https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/pmu/13/0/13_2024002/_article

🌐 Connect with Your Host

Dr. Siri Chand Khalsa, MD MS

Lifestyle & Integrative Medicine Physician • Culinary Medicine • Ayurveda

Website: drsirichand.com
Instagram: @doctorsirichand
Culinary Medicine Blog: drsirichand.com/blog
Community: https://vishuddha.com

Vishuddha: A Media Agency for Clinicians

Vishuddha is a media and creative agency dedicated to amplifying the voices of integrative and lifestyle medicine clinicians who are transforming how we understand health and healing.

We provide media representation, book development, public speaking coaching, podcast strategy, content creation, and course development, alongside classes and workshops for wellness seekers committed to intentional, conscious living.

Rooted in whole-person healing, Vishuddha helps clinicians translate their wisdom into impact, design offerings that matter, and bring conscious, transformative work into the world.

Ready to share your wisdom? Explore how we can support your vision at Vishuddha.com.

⚠️ Disclaimer

This podcast is for educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Please consult your healthcare provider for personalized guidance.

Keywords

lifestyle medicine, cancer immunotherapy, Tokyo Cancer Clinic, Minako Abe, Dr. Minako Abe, emergency medicine, cancer coaching, immune resilience, dendritic cell vaccine, natural killer cell therapy, personalized cancer treatment, sleep and immunity, cancer prevention, burnout in medicine, physician wellness, whole-person care, plant-forward nutrition, exercise and cancer, stress reduction, parasympathetic healing, microbiome and immunity, regenerative medicine, Routes of Healing, Dr. Siri Chand Khalsa

Menopause Weight Loss Without Shame: Insulin Resistance, Visceral Fat, and the End of “Good/Bad” Eating with Dr. Heather Awad

Mon, 02 Mar 2026 09:00:00 -0700

Menopause Weight Loss Without Shame: Insulin Resistance, Visceral Fat, and the End of “Good/Bad” Eating

Show Notes

Menopause is not a small hormonal footnote; it’s a whole-body metabolic transition that changes how women store fat, process glucose, and experience appetite, mood, and energy. In this episode, host Dr. Siri Chand Khalsa sits down with Heather Awad, MD, family physician, certified coach, and menopause weight-loss expert, to unpack what’s actually happening during perimenopause and beyond.

Dr. Awad explains why many high-performing women experience midlife weight gain despite “healthy-ish” eating, and why the old rules stop working. Together, they connect insulin resistance, visceral fat, added sugar, and grazing/snacking patterns to real-world outcomes—and then move into the coaching frameworks that help women stop turning food into a daily moral trial.

This conversation is for professional women who are tired of self-criticism masquerading as discipline and ready for a model that is physiologically accurate, socially realistic, and built for busy lives.

If you’re inspired by our exploration on Routes of Healing… subscribe to receive new episodes weekly.

🔑 Key Topics & Takeaways

Menopause impacts the entire body: hormone receptors “from head to toe.”
Why estrogen decline increases insulin resistance—and why that matters for weight
Visceral belly fat: why it’s inflammatory and higher-risk than “pear shape” weight
The Snackwell legacy: low-fat conditioning and midlife macro confusion
Ending food moralization: replacing “right vs wrong” with experimentation
Emotional eating as regulation: naming feelings instead of eating them
Why grazing and “healthy snacking” can block fat mobilization in insulin resistance
Practical structure: three meals, minimal snacking, strategic sugar frequency
Social pressure, food pushers, and boundaries without debate (“fight club” rules)
People-pleasing as an unspoken driver of overeating—and how to practice change
Culinary medicine in real life: pantry/freezer backups for busy professionals
The hidden dividend: when food noise drops, time and agency return

⏱ Chapters

00:00 — Experimentation over self-judgment: removing the “mean voice.”

00:40 — Introducing Heather Awad, MD, and her menopause weight-loss focus

01:11 — Does menopause impact the whole body? (Yes—head to toe)

02:34 — Midlife reinvention and the career pivot into coaching

05:35 — Insulin resistance explained: why this becomes pivotal in menopause

07:45 — Visceral fat and inflammation: why belly fat is different

08:44 — The “Snackwell generation” and re-learning healthy fats

13:23 — Food morality: “right vs wrong” eating and why women quit

16:50 — Social pressure, judgment at meals, and “fight club” privacy

21:20 — People-pleasing and practicing boundaries in real situations

25:06 — What worked for Heather: sugar frequency, meal structure, no grazing

30:04 — Emotional regulation tools that don’t involve food

33:22 — When you stop eating between meals, time returns

36:34 — Culinary medicine: teaching kitchens, plant-forward meals, recipes

41:30 — Group vs 1:1 coaching models and why community works

43:10 — Eating alone vs eating together: connection and mindful limits

46:29 — Backup plans: pantry staples and fast dinners for busy weeks

48:44 — De-stressing practices: walking, breathwork, midline-crossing

51:22 — How to work with Dr. Awad + Real Results Strategy Session

About Today’s Guest

Heather Awad, MD

Family physician • Menopause weight-loss expert • Certified coach • Podcast host

Heather Awad, MD, is a Minnesota-based family doctor and certified coach who helps professional women in midlife and beyond lose weight for the last time. After navigating her own menopause-era weight gain and discovering the combined impact of insulin resistance and emotional eating patterns, she developed a coaching-centered approach that emphasizes physiology, nervous-system-aware regulation tools, and sustainable meal structure.

She leads a primarily group-based coaching program to support busy professional women with metabolic strategy, mindset shifts, and practical culinary planning—helping clients end grazing, reduce added sugar, and rebuild a relationship with food grounded in experimentation rather than self-criticism

About Today’s Guest

Heather Awad, MD

Family Medicine • Menopause Weight Loss • Physician Coaching

Dr. Heather Awad is a family doctor in Minnesota and a certified coach who helps professional women in midlife and beyond “lose weight for the last time.” Her work was shaped by her own experience of perimenopause weight gain, “mostly belly fat,” and the moment she realized “the old ways… just didn’t work at all.” After trying diets that made her feel sick and an app-based approach that led to rebound weight gain, she went looking for what was different in midlife physiology and found the answer in insulin resistance.

As she studied the science of menopause metabolism, she also recognized a second driver: “I was eating my feelings.” For Dr. Awad, weight loss became “really simple and easy” when she combined metabolic strategy with the capacity to feel and name emotions without using food to manage them. Now she teaches women to stop treating food as “right or wrong,” to experiment without shame—“if it doesn’t work, just shrug your shoulders” and to build practical structures that support insulin sensitivity, including reducing added sugar and eliminating grazing and snacking.

She describes midlife as “a great time for reinvention,” and she embodies that by stepping outside traditional clinical constraints to do the work women rarely get time for in standard visits. She primarily leads a group program (with 1:1 options) because women “have a lot of things in common” in midlife, busy careers, decision fatigue, social pressure, and the boundary work required to nourish themselves without people-pleasing. She also hosts the Vibrant-MD podcast, where she discusses weight loss, women’s health, and food.

🌐 Find Dr. Awad

Website: https://heatherawadmd.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/heatherawadmd/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heatherawadmd/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/heathervibrantmd

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/ (search: Heather Awad, MD)

Podcast (RSS): https://app.kajabi.com/podcasts/2147488988/feed

Vibrant-MD podcast: Apple Podcasts / Spotify / wherever you listen

🌐 Connect with Your Host

Dr. Siri Chand Khalsa, MD MS

Lifestyle & Integrative Medicine Physician • Culinary Medicine • Ayurveda

Website: drsirichand.com
Instagram: @doctorsirichand
Culinary Medicine Blog: drsirichand.com/blog

Community: https://vishuddha.com

Vishuddha: A Media Agency for Conscious Clinicians & Wellness Seekers

Vishuddha is a media and creative agency dedicated to amplifying the voices of integrative and lifestyle medicine clinicians who are transforming how we understand health and healing.

Rooted in whole-person healing, Vishuddha helps clinicians translate their wisdom into impact, design offerings that matter, and bring conscious, transformative work into the world.

Ready to share your wisdom? Explore how we can support your vision at Vishuddha.com.

⚠️ Disclaimer

This podcast is for educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Please consult your healthcare provider for personalized guidance.

Keywords

menopause weight loss, perimenopause weight gain, insulin resistance menopause, visceral fat menopause, belly fat after 40, metabolic health midlife women, menopause metabolism, blood sugar balance, meal timing menopause, stop snacking insulin resistance, grazing and insulin, added sugar midlife, low fat diet generation, healthy fats menopause, Mediterranean diet menopause, saturated fat and heart disease women, cardiometabolic risk after menopause, inflammation and visceral fat, emotional eating midlife, eating your feelings, nervous system regulation tools

Beyond “Eat Healthier”: How Pediatricians Can Translate Nutritional Evidence Into Real Family Life with Dr. Reshmeh Shaw

Mon, 23 Feb 2026 09:00:00 -0700

Nourish as a Clinical Intervention: Plant-Forward Feeding, Family Systems, and the Pediatric Long Game

Show Notes

In this episode of Routes of Healing, Dr. Siri Chand Khalsa sits down with pediatrician, parent coach, and award-winning author Dr. Reshma Shah to explore what it actually takes to translate nutrition science into family life without ideology, shame, or unrealistic expectations.

Dr. Shah shares her full-circle path into plant-forward pediatrics, why most physicians receive minimal nutrition training, and what she learned working with families in under-resourced settings: patients want these conversations when they’re approached with practicality and respect.

Together, they discuss how coaching can restore what modern clinical care often cannot fund time, context, and implementation support, especially when families are navigating new diagnoses, feeding challenges, and the emotional tone of the dinner table.

If you’re a clinician, parent, or health leader looking for evidence-based, psychologically realistic strategies that work in real households, this conversation is for you.

If you’re inspired by our exploration on Routes of Healing, subscribe to receive new episodes weekly.

🔑 Key Topics & Takeaways

Why most physicians finish training with little nutrition education
The “big tent” approach to plant-based eating for children
Nutrient deficiencies happen in omnivorous kids too—why all diets require attention
“Add-in before take-away”: the behavior change strategy that lasts
Writing a book as a discipline in nuance, evidence, and trust-building
Coaching vs. clinical care: restoring time, narrative, and implementation support
The dinner table intervention that comes before changing the food
“Caring without catering”: a boundary-based feeding philosophy
Farmers markets as a practical system (not an aesthetic)

⏱ Chapters

00:00 — Welcome + introduction to Dr. Reshma Shah

02:01 — How Dr. Shah came to plant-forward pediatrics

04:20 — Bringing nutrition into patient care in under-resourced communities

07:10 — Why residents and students are deeply hungry for nutrition training

10:12 — How Dr. Shah built nutrition expertise without a formal pathway

13:22 — Why the book is titled Nourish

14:34 — The collaborative process of writing the book

20:30 — Trust, nuance, and resisting clickbait certainty

21:39 — Can kids thrive on plant-based diets? The “big tent” answer

25:32 — Why Dr. Shah shifted into coaching

30:54 — The “last patient before lunch” and what time makes possible

36:38 — Empathy, access, and the limits of the clinical model

40:41 — Where to access Dr. Shah’s resources and education

46:31 — Making dinner a place kids want to come to

51:58 — Farmers markets and how they shape real cooking habits

53:52 — Conferences, community, and why ACLM matters

56:10 — Live virtual soup workshop overview

57:21 — Closing + how to stay connected

About Today’s Guest

Dr. Reshma Shah

Pediatrician • Parent Coach • Award-Winning Author • Plant-Forward Nutrition Educator

Dr. Reshma Shah is a pediatrician, parent coach, and award-winning author of Nourish: The Definitive Plant-Based Nutrition Guide for Families. She is a contributing author to the American Academy of Pediatrics’ Pediatric Nutrition textbook and serves as Co-Director of the Learning Center at Plant Based Juniors, where she provides evidence-based nutrition education for both healthcare professionals and parents.

After previously serving as an affiliate clinical instructor at Stanford University School of Medicine, Dr. Shah now teaches through Stanford’s Be Well program. Through her parent coaching practice, she supports families navigating general parenting challenges, new medical diagnoses, feeding concerns, and plant-based nutrition with a grounded, practical approach.

A parent of two young adults, Dr. Shah lives in the San Francisco Bay Area, where she finds weekly inspiration at her local farmers market, keeping her work rooted in both real family life and real food.

🌐 Find Dr. Reshma

Parent Coaching Website: https://www.reshmashahmdparentcoaching.com/

Book Page: https://reshmashahmd.com/books/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/reshmashah

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shahreshma/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGF_TFqqXiXdbEPf-Epx7aw

🌐 Connect with Your Host

Dr. Siri Chand Khalsa, MD MS

Lifestyle & Integrative Medicine Physician • Culinary Medicine • Ayurveda

Website: drsirichand.com
Instagram: @doctorsirichand
Culinary Medicine Blog: drsirichand.com/blog

Community: https://vishuddha.com

Vishuddha: A Media Agency for Conscious Clinicians & Wellness Seekers

Vishuddha is a media and creative agency dedicated to amplifying the voices of integrative and lifestyle medicine clinicians who are transforming how we understand health and healing.

Rooted in whole-person healing, Vishuddha helps clinicians translate their wisdom into impact, design offerings that matter, and bring conscious, transformative work into the world.

Ready to share your wisdom? Explore how we can support your vision at Vishuddha.com.

⚠️ Disclaimer

This podcast is for educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Please consult your healthcare provider for personalized guidance.

Keywords: plant-based nutrition for kids, pediatric plant-based diet, vegan kids nutrients, responsive feeding, caring without catering, family mealtime stress, plant-forward parenting, pediatric nutrition counseling, lifestyle medicine pediatrics, physician coaching, Plant Based Juniors, Nourish book

Training for Life, Not Just a Finish Line with Certified Run Coach, Dr. Michelle Quirk

Mon, 09 Feb 2026 09:00:00 -0700

In this week’s episode of Routes of Healing, Dr. Siri Chand Khalsa sits down with Dr. Michelle Quirk, a board certified pediatrician and certified run coach through the Roadrunners Club of America. Dr. Quirk is the founder of Mindful Marathon, where she helps busy professionals make running feel approachable, enjoyable, and sustainable through practical coaching and a mindset rooted in recovery, flexibility, and self trust.

Together, they explore how burnout can quietly shape a clinician’s life long before we name it, and how a simple decision to run five minutes around the block can become a turning point. Dr. Quirk shares how grief after the loss of her father deepened her relationship with movement, and how marathon training opened a new kind of inner quiet that felt both restorative and creative. They also discuss recovery as a daily practice, the myth that running is bad for knees, the power of easy pace and zone two training, and why you do not need a race on the calendar to train for life.

If you are a clinician rebuilding your relationship with movement, a former athlete trying to start again without shame, or a human who wants a healthier nervous system and a steadier mind, this episode offers a grounded path forward.

🔑 Key Topics & Takeaways

Burnout before burnout had a name, noticing the moment when your advice does not match your life.

Starting low and going slow, why five minutes around the block is enough to begin.

Grief and movement, how running can hold sorrow without forcing it to resolve.

Recovery as a daily practice, shifting from reward coping to true restoration.

Flexibility over perfection, why missing a run does not mean you cannot reach your goal.

The knee myth, why sedentary living can be harder on joints than an appropriately paced run routine.

Easy pace and zone two, building aerobic fitness without living in huff and puff.

Letting go of numbers, how effort based training can reduce intimidation and increase consistency.

Mindfulness in motion, the reset that happens when the mind goes quiet on the trail.

Training for life, why a race is optional and the routine can evolve over years.

⏱ Chapters

00:30 — Welcome and Introduction to Dr. Michelle Quirk

01:54 — Burnout in 2012, A Wake Up Call in the Emergency Department

04:40 — Loss, Grief, and the Role of Movement in Healing

06:51 — Being a Pediatrician With a Hybrid Coaching Business

10:32 — What Recovery Really Means for Clinicians

13:00 — Marathon Training, Perfectionism, and Learning Flexibility

16:08 — Not an Athlete, Starting Again With Grace

19:27 — The Coaching Spark That Became Mindful Marathon

22:01 — Training Plans vs Building a Business as a Physician

24:37 — The Knee Myth and the Benefits of Small Doses of Running

28:11 — Heart Rate Zones, Brisk Walking, and Aerobic Threshold

31:15 — What Kids and Non Athletes Need to Learn About Running

35:03 — The First Marathon Story, Disney, Doubt, and Mile 25

40:24 — Running as Spiritual Time and Deep Relationship Building

42:18 — Mindfulness, Zoning Out, and the Creative Mind in Motion

47:24 — Returning After Illness or Life Disruption Without Shame

52:29 — Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced, How Training Frameworks Differ

54:03 — Season of Life Changes, Adapting Goals and Capacity

55:14 — Simple Fueling, A Plant Forward Smoothie, and Practical Recovery

58:17 — Favorite Places to Run, Monterey and Maui

59:07 — Favorite Races and Why Disney Still Matters

1:00:09 — Music, Bruce Springsteen, and Running Without Headphones

1:00:55 — Where to Find Couch to Confidence and How to Connect

1:01:46 — Closing Reflections on Fathers, Grief, and Meaning

🌐 Connect with Michelle Quirk, MD

Dr. Michelle Quirk is a board-certified pediatrician and a certified run coach with the Road Runners Club of America (RRCA). She founded Mindful Marathon to help make running easy and fun for busy professionals. Using an informed, enjoyable, and effective approach, she coaches her athletes to a life-long love of running.

Free 4-week Couch to Confidence Training Plan

https://mailchi.mp/73b2ee296291/walkplan

Website

www.mindful-marathon.com

Social Links

Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/mindful-marathon-podcast/id1765429588

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/mindfulmarathon

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mindful.marathon

🌐 Connect with Your Host

Dr. Siri Chand Khalsa, MD MS

Lifestyle & Integrative Medicine Physician • Culinary Medicine • Ayurveda

Website: drsirichand.com
Instagram: @doctorsirichand
Culinary Medicine Blog: drsirichand.com/blog

Community: https://vishuddha.com

Vishuddha: A Media Agency for Conscious Clinicians & Wellness Seekers

Vishuddha is a media and creative agency dedicated to amplifying the voices of integrative and lifestyle medicine clinicians who are transforming how we understand health and healing.

We provide media representation, book development, public speaking coaching, podcast strategy, content creation, and course development alongside classes and workshops for wellness seekers committed to intentional, conscious living.

Rooted in whole-person healing, Vishuddha helps clinicians translate their wisdom into impact, design offerings that matter, and bring conscious, transformative work into the world.

Ready to share your wisdom? Explore how we can support your vision at Vishuddha.com.

⚠️ Disclaimer

This podcast is for educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Please consult your healthcare provider for personalized guidance.

Keywords

running for beginners, mindful running, physician burnout, grief and movement, pediatrician lifestyle medicine, recovery practices, nervous system regulation, aerobic zone two, heart rate training, running coaching, injury prevention, running myths, sedentary risk, training plan flexibility, Disney marathon, Monterey half marathon, Bruce Springsteen running playlist, Mindful Marathon, Dr. Michelle Quirk, Dr. Siri Chand Khalsa, Routes of Healing

Emotions as the Full Spectrum: Parenting, Play, and Whole-Family Health With Dr. Wendy Schofer

Mon, 02 Feb 2026 08:00:00 -0700

In this week’s episode of Routes of Healing, Dr. Siri Chand Khalsa sits down with Dr. Wendy Schofer, a pediatrician, lifestyle medicine physician, and founder of Family in Focus. Dr. Schofer helps parents recapture joy, strengthen relationships, and build healthier family systems at any size by centering emotional health as the foundation of lifelong wellbeing.

Together, they explore how many clinicians and parents were trained to minimize feelings, even though emotions shape behavior, habits, and connection. Dr. Schofer shares how repeated burnout, identity strain, and “not fitting the mold” became a turning point that led her toward coaching, community-based work, and a broader definition of what family care can be. They also talk about social emotional learning in schools, supporting educators and parents, addressing weight stigma, and why humor and play are not extras, they are tools that create safety and trust.

If you are a clinician navigating burnout, a parent trying to support a child without power struggles, or a human who wants better relationships with food, movement, and feelings, this episode offers practical insight and permission to be more fully yourself.

🔑 Key Topics & Takeaways

Emotions as the full spectrum, why you cannot “remove one color” from the rainbow.

Burnout and shame, how “I’m the problem” thinking keeps people stuck.

Creating a non-linear career, experimenting, learning what settings fit your strengths.

Family as a system, expanding the definition beyond titles and traditional roles.

Emotional health as the missing link in lifestyle change, why scripts do not translate at home.

Social emotional learning in schools, supporting teachers and parents so kids are not carrying it alone.

Connection before correction, reducing friction with food, movement, and health habits.

Changing relationships without requiring the other person to change, the power of shifting your part.

Family in Focus, building a space for parents to speak honestly without “little ears listening.”

Weight concerns vs weight stigma, creating safer conversations for teens and families.

Humor as regulation, how play reduces threat and opens communication in clinical care.

Urgent care realities, using warmth, curiosity, and pattern recognition to build trust quickly.

Naming what feels “thick” in the room, giving emotions language so they can soften.

⏱ Chapters

00:00 — Emotions as a Rainbow, Why You Cannot Remove One Color

00:35 — Welcome and Introduction to Dr. Wendy Schofer

01:17 — The Tapestry, Joy, and “Teach Feelings”

04:15 — Training Path, Pediatrics, Lifestyle Medicine, and Navy Medicine

06:12 — Defining Family as Connection, Not Titles

08:08 — “How Is This Possible for Me”, Burnout, Shame, and Finding Fit

13:57 — Expansive Questions That Create New Paths

15:02 — Medical Training Era, Role Models, and What Was Missing

16:25 — Gen X Mentorship, Vulnerability, and “Be More You”

20:08 — Emotional Intelligence in Pediatrics and Clinician Burnout

21:29 — Social Emotional Learning in Schools, Teachers and Parents Need Support Too

26:04 — Why Plans Fail, What Was Missing in Lifestyle Counseling

32:16 — How Family in Focus Was Born

37:30 — The Mother-in-Law Story, Proof That Relationships Can Change

40:52 — Building Offers Beyond the Office Visit

46:57 — Schools, Improv for Healthcare, and Weight Stigma Work

52:34 — Humor, Contradictions, and Recapturing Joy

56:54 — Pediatric Urgent Care, Connection in High-Stress Visits

1:00:32 — Naming the Elephant, Making Space for What Is Present

1:02:12 — Closing Reflections

1:02:58 — Where to Find Dr. Schofer and What’s Next

🌐 Connect with Wendy Schofer MD

Wendy Schofer, MD is the joyful mom, physician and Founder of Family in Focus, where she helps parents recapture the joy of raising a healthy, whole family (at every size) by focusing on emotional health and relationships as the foundation to lifelong health.

It all comes back to connection for me. Connection -- we can discuss how that is the common thread for building relationships with patients, improving health outcomes, habit change, goals, family dynamics and why I focus on creating connection and relationships over everything else in my work with families.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wendy.schofer https://www.facebook.com/wendyschofermd

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/wendyschofermd

LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/wendy-schofer-md-735b948/

YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@familyinfocus1

Website: www.wendyschofermd.com

Surgeon General's Report on Parental Stress. https://www.hhs.gov/surgeongeneral/priorities/parents/index.html

Join me for a 1:1 consultation about expanding your family's emotional health

https://WendySchoferMDScheduling.as.me/AllTheThings

Download Modern Day Stress Relief for Parents:

https://www.wendyschofermd.com/stressrelief

🌐 Connect with Your Host

Dr. Siri Chand Khalsa, MD MS

Lifestyle & Integrative Medicine Physician • Culinary Medicine • Ayurveda

Website: drsirichand.com
Instagram: @doctorsirichand
Culinary Medicine Blog: drsirichand.com/blog

Community: https://vishuddha.com

Vishuddha: A Media Agency for Conscious Clinicians & Wellness Seekers

Vishuddha is a media and creative agency dedicated to amplifying the voices of integrative and lifestyle medicine clinicians who are transforming how we understand health and healing.

Rooted in whole-person healing, Vishuddha helps clinicians translate their wisdom into impact, design offerings that matter, and bring conscious, transformative work into the world.

Ready to share your wisdom? Explore how we can support your vision at Vishuddha.com.

⚠️ Disclaimer

This podcast is for educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Please consult your healthcare provider for personalized guidance.

Keywords

emotional health, parenting support, pediatric lifestyle medicine, family systems, physician burnout, nervous system regulation, social emotional learning, school wellbeing, weight stigma, health at any size, behavior change, family relationships, humor in medicine, improv in healthcare, urgent care pediatrics, connection in clinical care, Routes of Healing, Dr. Wendy Schofer, Dr. Siri Chand Khalsa

Rewriting the Midlife Script: Menopause, Metabolism & Identity with Dr. Michelle Gordon

Mon, 26 Jan 2026 09:00:00 -0700

Show Notes

In this week’s episode of Routes of Healing, Dr. Siri Chand Khalsa sits down with Dr. Michelle Gordon, a triple board-certified physician (Surgery, Obesity Medicine, Lifestyle Medicine) and menopause expert who helps high-performing midlife women feel like themselves again.

Together, they explore what happens when women hit the “second act” collision course: menopause, body changes that don’t respond to old rules, aging parents, identity shifts, and the quiet (or not-so-quiet) realization that serving everyone else has come at a cost. Dr. Gordon shares her own pivot from a 15-year surgical career to telehealth-based, physiology-forward medicine rooted in behavior change, hormones, metabolism, sleep, brain health, and compassionate truth-telling.

This conversation moves through the cultural fallout of the Women’s Health Initiative, why many clinicians stopped prescribing hormones (and why the science has evolved), the promise and pitfalls of GLP-1 medications, and why individualized dosing, follow-up, and “dose vs. volume” literacy matter—especially in a world of fast, protocol-driven telehealth.

If you’re navigating midlife, questioning “why nothing works anymore,” or you’re a clinician hungry for a more honest model of care, this episode offers clarity, permission, and a powerful reframe: a belief is just a sentence repeated and you can rewrite it.

If you’re inspired by our exploration on Routes of Healing, a physician-led podcast uplifting the wisdom and lived experience of integrative & lifestyle medicine doctors, subscribe to receive new episodes weekly.

🔑 Key Topics & Takeaways

Midlife reinvention: menopause, empty nest, aging parents, and purpose
“Beliefs are sentences”: how early programming shapes destiny—and can be changed
From surgeon to prevention: why Dr. Gordon left surgery and rebuilt her identity
Menopause symptoms that get dismissed: flushing, weight gain, brain fog, sleep disruption
The Women’s Health Initiative fallout: what many clinicians were taught, and what’s changed
Hormones today: transdermal estrogen, progesterone for sleep, testosterone, vaginal estrogen
GLP-1s in real life: benefits, side effects, titration, and why individualized dosing matters
Obesity as a disease: inflammation, insulin resistance, leptin resistance, “food noise”
Why “eat less, move more” fails for many: energy balance without shame
Nutrition anchors: protein targets and practical breakfast strategies
Compounding pharmacy caution: understanding dose vs. volume and doing the math
Board certification in Obesity Medicine: why expertise matters (and how rigorous it is)
Executive health model: care outside insurance, built for continuity and outcomes
Confidence as a clinical outcome: what changes when women finally feel progress

⏱ Chapters

00:00 — Menopause, empty nest, and rewriting beliefs

00:38 — Welcome and episode introduction

02:30 — Leaving surgery during the pandemic and rebuilding identity

05:32 — The origin story: the childhood belief that shaped a career

07:42 — Success without fulfillment and the search for “what’s next”

08:28 — Motherhood, cancer, and a circuitous path to medical school

10:00 — The waitlist, the voicemail, and the leap into medicine

11:23 — General surgery training and becoming “the surgeon with a stethoscope”

12:30 — Culture, patriarchy, and being “fundamentally unemployable”

14:55 — Menopause as the turning point into women’s health advocacy

16:00 — Women’s Health Initiative: fear, fallout, and what we know now

17:58 — Pain, dismissal, and the question: why is women’s care still barbaric?

18:26 — What worked: nutrition, behavior change, and eventually hormones

18:41 — GLP-1s: personal experience and why benefits changed her mind

20:24 — Menopause physiology: estrogen loss, metabolism shifts, central obesity

22:15 — Telehealth “mills” vs individualized medicine and real follow-up

23:51 — Siri’s story: COVID, sudden menopause, and hormones as a reset

25:05 — Starting protocols: progesterone, transdermal estrogen, testosterone, vaginal estrogen

26:32 — Why women’s sexual health has been overlooked

27:00 — Insurance, stigma, and obesity as an inflammatory disease

29:31 — What patients report: confidence, quieted “food noise,” and new purpose

31:08 — Energy balance, hunger biology, and why willpower isn’t the point

33:01 — Protein strategy: practical targets and what to eat in the morning

34:30 — GLP-1 side effects: nausea, constipation, gastroparesis risk, and going slow

36:14 — The long game: obesity meds as chronic care and what’s coming next

37:15 — Oral options and combination strategies (Contrave, phentermine, hormones first)

39:26 — Compounded meds: dose vs volume and why everyone should do the math

40:08 — Obesity Medicine board certification: rigor and why it matters

51:35 — Practice model: executive health, one-year commitment, whole-person optimization

53:00 — Serving others, midlife purpose, and reaching the lesbian community

55:40 — The joy of results: when “this time it works” and identity shifts

57:17 — Where to find Dr. Gordon

59:52 — Final message: you can do it, and you’re the only thing holding you back

About Today’s Guest

Michelle Gordon, DO

Surgery • Obesity Medicine • Lifestyle Medicine • Menopause Care

Dr. Michelle Gordon is a triple board-certified physician in Surgery, Obesity Medicine, and Lifestyle Medicine. After 15 years running a multimillion-dollar surgical practice, she left surgery to focus on helping high-performing midlife women navigate menopause, weight, metabolism, sleep, and brain health with clear, physiology-based guidance and compassion.

She’s licensed in 39 states and practices via telehealth using an executive health model rooted in prevention, individualized dosing, and incremental behavior change.

🌐 Find Dr. Michelle Gordon

Website: drmichellegordon.com
Facebook: DRM Gordon
TikTok: Dr. Michelle Gordon
LinkedIn: Dr. Michelle Gordon

🌐 Connect with Your Host

Dr. Siri Chand Khalsa, MD MS

Lifestyle & Integrative Medicine Physician • Culinary Medicine • Ayurveda

Website: drsirichand.com
Instagram: @doctorsirichand
Culinary Medicine Blog: drsirichand.com/blog

Community: https://vishuddha.com

Vishuddha: A Media Agency for Conscious Clinicians & Wellness Seekers

Vishuddha is a media and creative agency dedicated to amplifying the voices of integrative and lifestyle medicine clinicians who are transforming how we understand health and healing.

Rooted in whole-person healing, Vishuddha helps clinicians translate their wisdom into impact, design offerings that matter, and bring conscious, transformative work into the world.

Ready to share your wisdom? Explore how we can support your vision at Vishuddha.com.

⚠️ Disclaimer

This podcast is for educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Please consult your healthcare provider for personalized guidance.

Keywords

menopause, perimenopause, hormone therapy, HRT, bioidentical hormones, progesterone for sleep, transdermal estrogen, testosterone therapy, vaginal estrogen, women’s health, midlife women, obesity medicine, GLP-1, semaglutide, tirzepatide, weight loss resistance, insulin resistance, leptin resistance, inflammation, metabolic health, food noise, protein intake, behavior change, executive health model, telehealth menopause care, women in medicine, physician burnout, Routes of Healing, Dr. Michelle Gordon, Dr. Siri Chand Khalsa

Healing Against the Culture: Trauma, Time & Whole-Person Medicine with Dr. María Colón-González

Mon, 19 Jan 2026 09:00:00 -0700

Healing Takes Time: Trauma-Informed Medicine, Cultural Identity & Rewriting the Health Story with Dr. María Colón-González

Show Notes

In this week’s episode of Routes of Healing, Dr. Siri Chand Khalsa sits down with Dr. María Colón-González, founder of saludRevisited, an Integrative and Lifestyle Medicine practice in Texas. Dr. María shares the personal and professional turning points that shaped her approach to care, including growing up in Puerto Rico with complex childhood health challenges, witnessing the legacy of medical service in her family, and confronting the limitations of conventional, volume-driven healthcare.

Together, they explore why many patients do not change simply because they have information, and how healing often requires a deeper sense of safety, agency, and nervous system regulation. Dr. María describes how trauma-informed therapy, somatic work, yoga training, and lifestyle medicine helped her understand the body’s “story,” and how identity and culture can subtly shift under the pressure to “fit in” within medical training.

This conversation is for clinicians and patients alike who feel the gap between what medicine can measure and what it takes to truly heal. It is also for anyone questioning the pace of modern life, the burnout of medical culture, and the possibility of practicing in a way that restores dignity, time, and relationship. As Dr. María reminds us: your body is not a microwave, and healing is not meant to be rushed.

If you’re inspired by our exploration on Routes of Healing, a physician-led podcast uplifting the wisdom and lived experience of integrative & lifestyle medicine doctors, subscribe to receive new episodes weekly.

🔑 Key Topics & Takeaways

From public health to medicine: Why Dr. María shifted from population health education into the power of the physician role.
A family legacy in Puerto Rico: The story of her grandfather, the only physician in his town, and a lineage of resilience.
Personal illness as initiation: How childhood asthma, allergies, type 2 diabetes, and chronic back pain shaped her healing lens.
“This relationship is not healthy”: Viewing conventional medical culture as an unhealthy system clinicians may need to leave.
The hidden losses of training: How identity and culture can be muted in the pursuit of “professionalism.”
Trauma as physiology: Why trauma is not simply “stress,” and how it impacts behavior change, motivation, and healing capacity.
Somatics + safety: How EMDR, trauma-informed yoga, journaling, and nervous system awareness support transformation.
The clinician affects the patient: Why the state of the healer shapes the therapeutic relationship and the patient’s response.
Healing against the culture: Why healing often requires resisting speed, convenience, and chronic overstimulation.
A different model of care: What it looks like to practice with time, access, touch, acupuncture, and relationship at the center.
Agency over compliance: How offering choices restores power and creates sustainable change.

✨ Episode Highlights (5 Quotes)

“There’s a very fine line between having the right environment and actually having the mindset to choose health.”
“Even if you want to help your patients, you can’t, not in a system that is fast, volume-based, and checkbox-driven.”
“My body grew up in tension, adrenaline… and I realized staying in medicine the way medicine was, was detrimental for my body.”
“If I’m rushed and my adrenaline is up, it’s going to kick in for them too. The healing relationship becomes unhealthy.”
“Your body is not a microwave. Be gentle, be compassionate, and allow time for healing and transformation.”

⏱ Chapters

00:00 — From Public Health to the Power of the White Coat

01:00 — Welcome to Routes of Healing + Disclaimer

02:00 — Introducing Dr. María Colón-González + saludRevisited

03:38 — Puerto Rico Roots: A Grandfather’s Legacy in Medicine

04:20 — Chronic Illness, Back Pain, and Finding Holistic Healing

06:42 — Family Culture, Resilience, and Women in Medicine Lineage

10:22 — The “Eureka” Shift: Why She Chose Medicine

13:59 — Training Shock: When the System Doesn’t Hold What Matters

16:41 — The Corporate Model and the Loss of Humanity in Care

23:09 — Lifestyle Medicine, Integrative Fellowship, and Right-Fit Systems

26:35 — Trauma Work, Identity, and the “Turtle” Metaphor for Safety

33:32 — The Healer’s State Shapes the Treatment

37:04 — Healing Against Culture: Speed, Stress, and Modern Overload

41:43 — Yoga Training, Trauma Yoga, and Polyvagal-Informed Care

46:55 — ACE Scores, Trauma Physiology, and Why Change Can Stall

51:56 — What a Visit Looks Like in Her Practice

56:29 — Genomic Testing as a Foundation for Lifestyle Precision

58:07 — Boost Your Health Assessment for Texas Listeners

1:01:56 — Where to Find Dr. María + Podcast + Book

1:05:40 — Closing: “Your Body Is Not a Microwave”

About Today’s Guest

Dr. María founded saludRevisited, an Integrative and Lifestyle Medicine practice in Texas. While in residency, Dr. María realized the many missing links in the care she provided to her patients. She noticed patients would visit the office for medication refills but not necessarily live healthier. After four years in practice, she completed her training in Lifestyle Medicine; then she retrained as a yoga instructor. She is also trained in culinary medicine and plant-based nutrition.

In 2021, she started her Integrative Medicine fellowship since she believes patients deserve holistic care. She is a trauma-informed physician, recognizing that the events of harm to one's life have affected the body, mind, and spirit. Her approach to care is "your body tells a story, and you can rewrite the narrative."" She is the author of Healing the Wounds of Medicine: Stories and Journaling for Physicians.

🌐 Find Dr. María Colón-González

Website

www.saludRevisited.com

Follow YouTube, FB, and IG

@saludRevisited

Podcast

Beyond Medicine: Humanized Care for Women of Influence

Apple Link: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/beyond-medicine-humanized-care-for-women-of-influence/id1774335905

Book

Healing the Wounds of Medicine: Stories and Journaling for Physicians

https://www.amazon.com/Healing-Wounds-Medicine-Journaling-Physicians/dp/B0BPGQ6YGQ

For listeners in Texas

Free Boost Your Health Assessment: https://l.bttr.to/pm3Ey

🌐 Connect with Your Host

Dr. Siri Chand Khalsa, MD MS
Lifestyle & Integrative Medicine Physician • Culinary Medicine • Ayurveda
Website: drsirichand.com
Instagram: Instagram: @doctorsirichand
Culinary Medicine Blog: drsirichand.com/blog
Community: https://vishuddha.com

Vishuddha: A Media Agency for Conscious Clinicians & Wellness Seekers

Vishuddha is a media and creative agency dedicated to amplifying the voices of integrative and lifestyle medicine clinicians who are transforming how we understand health and healing.

Rooted in whole-person healing, Vishuddha helps clinicians translate their wisdom into impact, design offerings that matter, and bring conscious, transformative work into the world.

Ready to share your wisdom?

Explore how we can support your vision at Vishuddha.com.

⚠️ Disclaimer

This podcast is for educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Please consult your healthcare provider for personalized guidance

Keywords

trauma-informed care, ACE score, adverse childhood experiences, somatic healing, nervous system regulation, lifestyle medicine, integrative medicine, physician burnout, medical culture, identity in medicine, Puerto Rico physician legacy, community acupuncture, Japanese acupuncture, trauma-informed yoga, polyvagal theory, EMDR, journaling for physicians, holistic care model, genomic testing, plant-based nutrition, culinary medicine, saludRevisited, Beyond Medicine podcast, Routes of Healing, Dr. Siri Chand Khalsa, Dr. María Colón-González

Life Without Burnout: Exploring Stress and Sustainable Solutions with Dr. Robyn Tiger

Mon, 12 Jan 2026 09:00:00 -0700

In this episode of Roots of Healing, Dr. Siri Chand Khalsa sits down with Dr. Robyn Tiger, a double board-certified physician in Diagnostic Radiology and Lifestyle Medicine, and a trauma-informed mind-body expert. As founder of the wellness practice StressFreeMD, Dr. Tiger shares how chronic, unrecognized stress can masquerade as dozens of unrelated symptoms, even when labs and imaging are normal, and why “feeling stressed is optional” is not a slogan, but a trainable skill.

Together, they explore the stress response beyond the traditional emergency box, including how thought-driven stress activates the same physiologic cascade as real danger, and how small, evidence-based practices can shift the nervous system in seconds. Dr. Tiger reflects on her personal turning point, the role of yoga therapy and iRest Yoga Nidra in nervous system healing, and the mindset shift that makes lifestyle medicine accessible for busy clinicians: becoming just one percent better every day.

This episode is an invitation to stop mopping the floor and start turning the faucet off, and to remember that the most powerful medicine often fits into the minutes you already have.

What We Cover

Why the stress response is bigger than emergencies and how thoughts trigger real physiology
How chronic stress can present as wide-ranging symptoms despite normal testing
The “turn the faucet off” model of lifestyle medicine versus disease management
Yoga therapy and iRest Yoga Nidra as gateways to nervous system regulation
Coaching, cognition, and reclaiming agency through self-experimentation
Myth-busting time scarcity for clinicians with practices that take seconds to minutes
Integrating lifestyle medicine into diverse careers and practice models
Midlife, burnout, and the inner unlearning behind lifestyle-oriented pivots
Feeling Stressed Is Optional and why it was designed for real-life learning

Chapters

00:00 — Feeling Stressed Is Optional and Why Stress Is Trainable

00:44 — Introducing Dr. Robyn Tiger: Lifestyle Medicine and StressFreeMD

09:26 — Understanding the Stress Response Beyond Emergencies

13:13 — Yoga, Meditation, and the Body as a Doorway to Healing

19:19 — Bridging Ancient Wisdom with Modern Medical Training

25:04 — Lifestyle Medicine as Prevention, Reversal, and Treatment

27:21 — Turning Off the Faucet: Root Causes vs Disease Management

29:42 — Healing Thyself: Self-Discovery Before Treating Others

32:03 — Rethinking Medical Education Through Lifestyle Medicine

35:28 — Integrating Lifestyle Medicine Without More Time Pressure

39:38 — Career Transitions: Walking Toward Alignment, Not Running Away

43:44 — The Ripple Effect: How Physician Regulation Changes Systems

46:37 — Writing Feeling Stressed Is Optional During the Pandemic

53:49 — Agency, Neuroplasticity, and One Percent Better Every Day

58:10 — Closing Reflections and How to Work With Dr. Tiger

Guest Bio

Robyn Tiger MD, a double board-certified physician in Diagnostic Radiology and Lifestyle Medicine and a trauma informed mind-body expert. As founder of the wellness practice, StressFreeMD, she uniquely combines her trainings in medicine, yoga therapy, meditation & life coaching to teach other physicians a whole person approach to relieve stress while increasing both lifespan and healthspan. Her innovative coaching, courses, presentations, retreats, podcast and book focus on creating effective behavior changes in the key topics of stress relief, nutrition, exercise, sleep, social connection, and nature while cultivating physical, mental, and emotional well-being and resilience.

Dr. Tiger is the author of Feeling Stressed is Optional, a unique multimodal interactive book which combines engaging content, videos and worksheets for the most effective transformative experience. She serves as lead faculty and subject matter expert in stress management for the Foundations of Lifestyle Medicine Board Review Manual, hosts the StressFreeMD Podcast, and is a Western Carolina Medical Society Healthy Healer Partner.

Her strong desire to help physicians grew out of her many years in medical practice experiencing and witnessing firsthand the need for physician self-care education. She is deeply passionate about successfully guiding physicians to become the best versions of themselves and live their healthiest, happiest, most fulfilling lives!

Contact & Links

Website:

https://www.stressfreemd.net/

Free Stress Relief Videos:

https://www.stressfreemd.net/free-self-care-videos

Podcast:

StressFreeMD Podcast

Book:

Feeling Stressed Is Optional

https://a.co/d/allmuNK

Social Media:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robyntigermd/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stressfreemd/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/robyn.frankel.tiger

X: https://x.com/robyntigermd

Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/robyntigermd.bsky.social

🌐 Connect with Your Host

Dr. Siri Chand Khalsa, MD MS

Lifestyle & Integrative Medicine Physician • Culinary Medicine • Ayurveda

Website: drsirichand.com
Instagram: @doctorsirichand
Culinary Medicine Blog: drsirichand.com/blog

Community: https://vishuddha.com

Vishuddha: A Media Agency for Conscious Clinicians & Wellness Seekers

Vishuddha is a media and creative agency dedicated to amplifying the voices of integrative and lifestyle medicine clinicians who are transforming how we understand health and healing.

Rooted in whole-person healing, Vishuddha helps clinicians translate their wisdom into impact, design offerings that matter, and bring conscious, transformative work into the world.

Ready to share your wisdom? Explore how we can support your vision at Vishuddha.com.

⚠️ Disclaimer

This podcast is for educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Please consult your healthcare provider for personalized guidance.

Keywords

stress relief, chronic stress, nervous system regulation, lifestyle medicine, physician burnout, yoga therapy, iRest Yoga Nidra, meditation, coaching, behavior change, sleep, connection, nature, preventive medicine, healthspan, lifespan, Feeling Stressed Is Optional, StressFreeMD, Dr. Robyn Tiger, Dr. Siri Chand Khalsa, Roots of Healing

Beyond Labels: Whole-Child Care, Neurodivergence & Healing the Family System with Dr. Noemi Adame

Mon, 05 Jan 2026 09:00:00 -0700

Episode 10

In this episode of Roots of Healing, Dr. Siri Chand Khalsa sits down with integrative pediatrician Dr. Noemi Adame, known as the Veggies Over Pills Doctor, for a deeply grounded conversation about why healthy children cannot exist without healthy, resourced adults around them.

Dr. Adame shares her journey from growing up in a Mexican immigrant household shaped by matrilineal “kitchen table medicine,” through hospital-based and corporate pediatrics, to building a concierge practice that restores time, trust, and continuity of care. Together, they explore how moral injury in corporate medicine affects both clinicians and families, and why relationship-based models allow for true healing, especially for neurodivergent children.

The conversation moves beyond labels to examine how nourishment, sleep, nervous system regulation, spiritual health, community, and meaning shape children’s emotional and cognitive wellbeing. Dr. Adame also discusses her Veggies Over Pills framework, whole food plant-based nourishment, parent burnout prevention, healing from medical trauma, and why tending to parents’ inner lives is essential for children to thrive.

This episode is an invitation to rethink pediatric care as a family-centered, whole-person, and deeply relational practice rooted in compassion, presence, and sustainable change.

What We Cover

How matrilineal and cultural healing traditions inform modern integrative pediatrics
Moral injury in corporate medicine and what clinicians lose when time disappears
Why neurodivergence requires personalization, not protocols
Whole food plant-based nourishment as a foundation for emotional regulation and cognition
The role of sleep, movement, nature, and nervous system health in children’s behavior
Preventing parental burnout as a primary pediatric intervention
Spiritual health: meaning, values, inner peace, and community belonging
Healing from medical trauma through relationship-based, direct-care models
Retreats, food education, and community spaces that restore families

Chapters

00:00 — Welcome to Routes of Healing

00:25 — From Kitchen Table Medicine to Pediatric Practice

02:05 — Matrilineal Wisdom and Cultural Healing Lineage

04:20 — When Corporate Medicine Becomes Morally Injurious

07:10 — The Parking Lot Moment and the Cost of Speed

09:45 — Choosing Relationship-Based, Direct-Care Pediatrics

12:30 — Neurodivergence Beyond Labels and Pathology

15:10 — Healthy Children Start With Healthy Adults

18:05 — Veggies Over Pills and Whole-Food Plant-Based Nourishment

21:40 — Food, Inflammation, and Emotional Regulation

25:10 — Spiritual Health, Meaning, and Belonging in Pediatrics

29:00 — Preventing Parental Burnout as Primary Care

33:20 — Healing From Medical Trauma in Families

37:15 — Community, Retreats, and Shared Healing Spaces

41:30 — Lessons From Living in Costa Rica

45:10 — From Expert to Elder in a Medical Career

48:30 — Practicing Medicine With Wisdom, Not Urgency

52:00 — Closing Reflections on Care, Continuity, and Compassion

Guest Bio

Dr. Noemi Adame, also known as the Veggies Over Pills Doctor, is a board-certified pediatrician, whole-foods, plant-based (WFPB) home cook and baker, writer, public speaker, and holistic wellness expert.

She is the owner of Culver Pediatric Center, a pediatric clinic that transforms the mind, body, and spirit health of children by empowering and educating their families, communities, and schools in holistic nutritional wellness.

In addition to her general pediatrics residency training, Dr. Adame has completed additional education in nutrition through the American College of Lifestyle Medicine and training in the integrative management of ADHD and autism through the Andrew Weil Institute for Integrative Medicine.

Dr. Adame writes a bi-monthly column for The Culver Citizen titled “Get Healthy with Dr. Adame,” hosts wellness retreats for parents to prevent parental burnout, and is currently working on a cookbook focused on nourishment for neurodivergent children.

She lived in Costa Rica from 2013–2014 in the highlands of Monteverde, where daily walking, limited access to processed foods, and strong community connection shaped her understanding of sustainable health and wellbeing.

Contact & Links

Website: www.CulverPediatrics.com

Email: info@culverpediatrics.com

Social Media:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CulverPeds/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/culverpeds/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/noemiadamemd/

Book:

Metamorphosis: Holistic Lifestyle Journal

https://www.lulu.com/shop/noemi-adame/metamorphosis-holistic-lifestyle-journal/paperback/product-z6k645.html

🌐 Connect with Your Host

Dr. Siri Chand Khalsa, MD MS

Lifestyle & Integrative Medicine Physician • Culinary Medicine • Ayurveda

Website: https://drsirichand.com

Instagram: @doctorsirichand

Culinary Medicine Blog: https://drsirichand.com/blog

Community: https://vishuddha.com

Vishuddha: A Media Agency for Conscious Clinicians & Wellness Seekers

Vishuddha is a media and creative agency dedicated to amplifying the voices of integrative and lifestyle medicine clinicians who are transforming how we understand health and healing.

Rooted in whole-person healing, Vishuddha helps clinicians translate their wisdom into impact, design offerings that matter, and bring conscious, transformative work into the world.

Ready to share your wisdom?

Explore how we can support your vision at Vishuddha.com.

⚠️ Disclaimer

This podcast is for educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Please consult your healthcare provider for personalized guidance

Keywords

integrative pediatrics, neurodivergent children, parent burnout, lifestyle medicine, whole food plant-based nutrition, family systems, nervous system regulation, spiritual health, culinary medicine, direct primary care, concierge pediatrics, medical trauma, community healing, Routes of Healing, Dr. Noemi Adame, Dr. Siri Chand Khalsa

Trauma Is Ubiquitous: Somatics, Nervous System Science & Post-Traumatic Growth with Dr. Christine Gibson

Tue, 30 Dec 2025 09:00:00 -0700

Show Notes (Episode 9) — Dr. Christine Gibson

In this week’s episode of Routes of Healing, Dr. Siri Chand Khalsa sits down with Dr. Christine Gibson, a family physician, trauma therapist, and author of The Modern Trauma Toolkit. Known online as TikTokTraumaDoc, Dr. Gibson has built a wide-reaching educational platform grounded in nervous system science, practical somatic tools, and a strong commitment to health equity and systems change.

Together, they explore how trauma shows up far beyond the psychiatric labels most clinicians were trained to recognize. From hospital culture and medical apprenticeship models that reward dissociation, to the ways trauma lives in the body through chronic sympathetic activation, inflammation, and functional syndromes, this conversation reframes trauma as both deeply personal and profoundly systemic.

Dr. Gibson shares how the 2015 Nepal earthquakes catalyzed a decade-long immersion into trauma-informed care, somatic therapies, and polyvagal theory, alongside a global lens shaped through her nonprofit work in community-based family medicine training. Dr. Khalsa reflects on her own long COVID autonomic nervous system journey and the clinical implications of persistent nervous system dysregulation for metabolism, sleep, digestion, and behavior change.

This episode is for clinicians, educators, wellness professionals, and anyone who wants a clearer, kinder framework for understanding why symptoms persist, why “compliance” is the wrong frame, and how safety, self-compassion, and practical tools can create a pathway to healing and post-traumatic growth.

If you’re inspired by our exploration on Routes of Healing, a physician-led podcast uplifting the wisdom and lived experience of integrative & lifestyle medicine doctors, subscribe to receive new episodes weekly.

🔑 Key Topics & Takeaways

Trauma is ubiquitous: How healthcare settings can unintentionally create trauma through loss of dignity, privacy, and autonomy.
Trauma beyond PTSD: Why complex, relational, developmental, and ancestral trauma often go unnamed in conventional frameworks.
Trauma as physiology: Trauma as the body’s response, including epigenetic and transmitted trauma across lineages and communities.
Dissociation as training: How medical culture normalizes disconnection from basic human needs and emotional processing.
Somatic vs cognitive approaches: Why bottom-up tools can be more effective when the thinking brain is offline during threat states.
Polyvagal theory in practice: Understanding sympathetic “motion” and parasympathetic “stillness,” and what it means for digestion, immunity, and reproduction.
Refugee health and somatic symptoms: How trauma is often expressed culturally through pain, headaches, belly symptoms, and tension.
Trauma therapy and chronic disease: Clinical examples of improvements in diabetes and other conditions after trauma processing.
Self-compassion + clarity: A practical lens for reducing shame around coping strategies like scrolling, irritability, or stress eating.
TikTok as knowledge translation: Why Dr. Gibson chose social media to make nervous system science accessible beyond academia.
System barriers to trauma-informed care: A direct look at structural forces that shape care delivery and clinician burnout.
Global family medicine systems change: Training models that support rural retention and community-based medical education.
What’s next: Courses for clinicians on trauma-informed practice, somatic skills, and climate psychology.

00:00 — Trauma Is Ubiquitous and How Healthcare Can Cause Harm

00:39 — Welcome to Routes of Healing + Disclaimer

01:20 — Introducing Dr. Christine Gibson (TikTokTraumaDoc, Modern Trauma Toolkit)

02:28 — From Hospitalist Culture to Trauma Work: The Turning Point

03:03 — Nepal Earthquakes and the Beginning of Trauma Study

04:53 — Lifelong Learning, Systems Change, and Transdisciplinary Work

05:39 — The Doctor as Teacher and the Evolution of Identity

06:37 — Dissociation, Embodiment, and “Flow”

07:25 — Why Embodiment Matters for Midlife Clinicians

08:54 — Modern Trauma: Hustle Culture, Climate Stress, and Collective Threat

10:55 — Defining Trauma: Body Response, Complex Trauma, and Ancestral Threads

13:40 — First Teachers and First Modalities: Somatic Practices and Neuroscience

18:35 — Intuition, Presence, and Untapped Human Capacities

20:58 — Somatic Techniques Explained: Bottom-Up Regulation and the Window of Tolerance

27:17 — Trauma Therapy Outcomes in Clinical Practice

28:01 — Long COVID, Autonomic Dysregulation, and Allostatic Load

31:29 — Sympathetic vs Parasympathetic: A Practical Framework

36:56 — Why One Size Does Not Fit All in Healing

39:16 — Training Clinicians: What Trauma-Informed Care Can Look Like

41:06 — PTSD in Healthcare Workers and the Gap Between Awareness and Action

42:33 — Solutions at Every Level: Individual, Community, System, Ecosystem

43:40 — TikTok Origin Story: Education, Reach, and Systems Change

47:35 — Health Equity, No-Shows, Dissociation, and Reframing “Noncompliance”

53:03 — Lifestyle Medicine and the Missing Pillar: Nervous System, Grief, Spiritual Health

54:44 — Addiction, Self-Soothing, and “Glasses” of Self-Compassion + Clarity

57:21 — Global Family Med Foundation: Training, Retention, and Community-Based Models

1:00:22 — Agency, Healing, and the Roots of Medicine as Relationship

1:01:58 — Where to Find Dr. Gibson + What’s Coming Next

1:04:43 — Closing

About Today’s Guest

Christine Gibson, MD

Family Medicine • Trauma Therapy • Nervous System Education • Health Equity

Dr. Christine Gibson is a family physician and trauma therapist, and the author of The Modern Trauma Toolkit. She is widely recognized online as TikTokTraumaDoc, where she translates nervous system science and trauma-informed tools for a broad audience. Dr. Gibson has a longstanding commitment to health equity and systems change and has worked internationally in community-based medical education and resource-constrained settings.

She runs the international nonprofit Global Family Med Foundation and leads professional education initiatives focused on psychological safety and trauma-informed workplaces through Safer Spaces Training and the Belong Foundation. Her work emphasizes practical, accessible tools for regulation, emotional processing, and post-traumatic growth, alongside systemic approaches to trauma-aware policy and community resilience.

🌐 Find Dr. Christine Gibson

Book + Resources
https://www.ModernTrauma.com
Professional Website
https://www.ChristineGibson.net
Training + Workshops
https://www.saferspacestraining.com
TikTok
TikTokTraumaDoc
YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/@dr.christinegibson
Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/gibtrotterMD
Twitter / X
https://x.com/GibtrotterMD
LinkedIn
https://www.linkedin.com/in/christine-gibson-md/

🌐 Connect with Your Host

Dr. Siri Chand Khalsa, MD MS

Lifestyle & Integrative Medicine Physician • Culinary Medicine • Ayurveda

Website: drsirichand.com
Instagram: @doctorsirichand
Culinary Medicine Blog: drsirichand.com/blog

Community: https://vishuddha.com

Vishuddha: A Media Agency for Conscious Clinicians & Wellness Seekers

Vishuddha is a media and creative agency dedicated to amplifying the voices of integrative and lifestyle medicine clinicians who are transforming how we understand health and healing.

Rooted in whole-person healing, Vishuddha helps clinicians translate their wisdom into impact, design offerings that matter, and bring conscious, transformative work into the world.

Ready to share your wisdom? Explore how we can support your vision at Vishuddha.com.

⚠️ Disclaimer

This podcast is for educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Please consult your healthcare provider for personalized guidance.

Keywords

trauma-informed care, somatic therapy, nervous system regulation, polyvagal theory, window of tolerance, complex trauma, ancestral trauma, epigenetics, dissociation, burnout, lifestyle medicine, health equity, refugee health, addiction medicine, chronic pain, functional syndromes, PTSD in healthcare workers, psychological safety, systems change, Global Family Med Foundation, Safer Spaces Training, TikTokTraumaDoc, Modern Trauma Toolkit, Routes of Healing, Dr. Christine Gibson, Dr. Siri Chand Khalsa

Radical Rest: Burnout, Boundaries & Listening to the Body at Year’s End with Dr. Audrey Wells

Tue, 23 Dec 2025 09:00:00 -0700

Show Notes

In this week’s episode of Routes of Healing, Dr. Siri Chand Khalsa sits down with Dr. Audrey Wells, a sleep medicine physician, obesity medicine specialist, and professional mindset coach who helps high performers—and especially clinicians—recover their relationship with sleep without sacrificing comfort, dignity, or sanity.

Together, they explore the real terrain of insomnia and middle-of-the-night awakenings: not just circadian rhythm and sleep drive, but the emotional residue of medical training, the hypervigilance many women physicians carry, and the “inner critic” that gets loud when the house is quiet. Dr. Wells shares how her own biological sleep needs reshaped her career path—from ICU-intense pediatric training to sleep medicine leadership, then into a more human-centered coaching model built around durable skills, not quick fixes.

This episode is an honest conversation about sleep as a biologic need and an emotional experience, why “being awake at 3:00 a.m.” isn’t always pathology, and how learning to name the theme of your nighttime mind can create immediate relief—and long-term change.

If you’re navigating insomnia, burnout, career transition, or that familiar feeling of being “fine” on paper but frayed in your nervous system, this episode offers grounded insight and real permission to evolve.

🔑 Key Topics & Takeaways

Sleep deprivation in medical training: why the residue lasts longer than residency
Women, vigilance, and the nighttime mind: scanning, catastrophizing, and the “inner critic”
Sleep as an emotional experience: emotions that block sleep vs. emotions that invite it
Why CBT-I can fall short for certain people: what’s missing when feelings are ignored
Middle-of-the-night awakenings: why they happen, why they persist, and what to do with them
The “trifecta” framework: not enough, not safe, not congruent as common nocturnal themes
Brain dump + control scan: a practical intervention that reduces threat and restores agency
Second sleep + REM: waking at night as historically normal and tied to emotional processing
Coaching as consciousness management: daytime regulation that supports nighttime repair
Integrity + career change: what happens when your work starts to cost you sleep
Durable change takes time: why Dr. Wells uses a ~12-week cadence for lasting skills
Sleep tech + neuromodulation: what’s emerging, what might accelerate parasympathetic shift
Dreams, REM, and women’s sleep: what we still don’t understand—and why it matters
Psychedelics and sleep: early observations, REM effects, and the importance of integration
Radical acceptance: the turning point that made sleep—and self-trust—possible again

⏱ Chapters

00:00 — Introduction to Holistic Healing and Sleep Medicine

07:30 — Dr. Audrey Wells’ Journey in Medicine

14:36 — The Impact of Sleep Deprivation on Physicians

22:29 — Emotional Aspects of Sleep and Insomnia

29:26 — Transformative Practices for Better Sleep

32:31 — Navigating Career Changes in Medicine

34:38 — Navigating Integrity and Change

35:53 — The Courage to Honor Inner Voices

36:54 — Ayurveda and Sacred Time

39:17 — Coaching and Consciousness Management

41:43 — Understanding Middle of the Night Awakenings

44:43 — Innovative Coaching Models

46:25 — The Journey of Sleep Coaching

49:35 — The Future of Sleep Technology

52:40 — Radical Acceptance and Personal Journeys

56:54 — Exploring Dreams and Sleep Science

01:02:14 — Connecting with Dr. Wells

01:04:44 — Closing

About Today’s Guest

Audrey Wells, MD

Sleep Medicine • Mindset Coaching • Women’s Sleep Health

Dr. Audrey Wells is a seasoned sleep medicine physician and professional mindset coach whose work bridges evidence-based sleep science with behavior change and emotional regulation. She is on a mission to help people with insomnia and sleep apnea get fully treated without sacrificing comfort, dignity, or quality of life.

Dr. Wells brings a whole-person perspective to sleep, grounded in the belief that sleep is both a biological need and an emotional experience and one of the most important investments we can make in brain health. Her work places special emphasis on women’s sleep, recognizing that women sleep differently and are often underdiagnosed, misunderstood, or undertreated in conventional sleep models.

Informed by both her clinical training and her own lived experience with intermittent insomnia and the early stages of sleep apnea, Dr. Wells has developed a comprehensive ecosystem of care. Through SuperSleepMD, she offers a robust library of self-directed educational courses, a group coaching program, a private online community, and free educational resources designed to increase access to high-quality sleep care beyond the traditional clinic.

In addition, Dr. Wells provides private coaching for high-achieving individuals—including physicians and other professionals with “busy brains” who want to improve sleep, energy, and performance while creating sustainable change.

🌐 Find Dr. Wells

Sleep Education & Programs: https://supersleepmd.com
Private Coaching: https://awellsmd.com
Contact: drwells@supersleepmd.com

🌐 Connect with Your Host

Dr. Siri Chand Khalsa, MD MS

Lifestyle & Integrative Medicine Physician • Culinary Medicine • Ayurveda

Website: drsirichand.com
Instagram: @doctorsirichand
Culinary Medicine Blog: drsirichand.com/blog

Community: https://vishuddha.com

Vishuddha: A Media Agency for Conscious Clinicians & Wellness Seekers

Vishuddha is a media and creative agency dedicated to amplifying the voices of integrative and lifestyle medicine clinicians who are transforming how we understand health and healing.

Rooted in whole-person healing, Vishuddha helps clinicians translate their wisdom into impact, design offerings that matter, and bring conscious, transformative work into the world.

Ready to share your wisdom? Explore how we can support your vision at Vishuddha.com.

⚠️ Disclaimer

This podcast is for educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Please consult your healthcare provider for personalized guidance.

Keywords

sleep coaching, insomnia help, middle of the night awakenings, physician sleep deprivation, women physicians burnout, residency trauma, hypervigilance, cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia, CBT-I alternatives, emotional regulation and sleep, REM sleep emotional processing, second sleep, sleep apnea support, parasympathetic nervous system, neuromodulation for sleep, sleep technology, Apollo neuro, consciousness management, radical acceptance, integrative sleep medicine, Dr. Audrey Wells, Routes of Healing, Dr. Siri Chand Khalsa

Dignity as Medicine: Burnout, Boundaries & Whole-Person Care with Dr. Diana Londoño

Mon, 15 Dec 2025 09:00:00 -0700

Show Notes

In this week’s episode of Routes of Healing, Dr. Siri Chand Khalsa sits down with Dr. Diana Londoño, a board-certified urologist, physician coach, and integrative healer whose work bridges surgical excellence with deep attention to dignity, trauma, burnout, and the mind–body–spirit connection.

Together, they explore what happens after the early years of medical training, when clinicians reach mid to late career and begin reckoning with burnout, identity, values, and the quiet realization that the system that trained them may no longer sustain them.

This conversation moves through Dr. Londoño’s journey from growing up in Mexico City to training in Los Angeles, from surgical culture to whole-person care, from repeated burnout to leadership, coaching, and spiritual healing practices. They discuss dignity in clinical encounters, the nervous system’s role in urologic symptoms, the unspoken trauma held in the body, and why curiosity, presence, and love belong at the center of medicine.

Whether you’re a clinician navigating burnout, a physician questioning traditional practice models, a healer exploring integrative approaches, or someone longing for a more humane experience of care, this episode offers grounded wisdom, compassion, and permission to evolve.

🔑 Key Topics & Takeaways

Mid- to late-career medicine: What happens after the first decade of training and practice.
Burnout as a wake-up call: Recognizing cynicism, depersonalization, and chronic stress as signals for change.
Identity & integrity: Staying true to personal values in systems that reward conformity.
Growing up between cultures: How Dr. Londoño’s upbringing in Mexico shaped her openness to holistic healing.
Dignity in care: Small clinical choices that profoundly impact patient safety and trust.
Trauma & the pelvic floor: How stress, grief, and nervous system dysregulation manifest physically.
Listening as medicine: Why patients often heal simply by being truly heard.
Integrative urology: Addressing diet, movement, stress, constipation, and emotional health alongside medications and procedures.
Energy healing practices: Salt baths, Reiki, and pranic healing as tools for nervous system regulation.
Direct specialty care: Moving away from insurance-driven care toward time, transparency, and prevention.
Boundaries & burnout recovery: Why learning to say no is essential for physician wellness.
Morning & evening rituals: Creating parasympathetic safety through routine.
Scarcity vs. sufficiency: Reframing “I don’t have time” as a mindset, not a fact.
Curiosity as healing: Staying open, asking “why,” and allowing practices and identities to evolve.
Love in medicine: Reclaiming compassion, presence, and humanity as foundational clinical skills.

⏱ Chapters

00:00 — Introduction and Welcome

01:09 — Why These Conversations Matter

02:33 — Training, Burnout & the Forgotten Meaning of “Healer”

05:02 — The Myth of “Five Years Out”

07:04 — Growing Up in Mexico City & Medical Training in LA

09:44 — Origin Stories & Cultural Roots of Healing

10:27 — Feeling Different and Staying True to Yourself

12:46 — Illness, Vulnerability & Dignity

13:34 — Humanizing Physical Exams

16:06 — Small Gestures That Restore Safety

18:14 — Integrative Care in Urology

19:40 — Stress, Trauma & the Nervous System

22:15 — Lifestyle Medicine in Specialty Care

23:48 — Creating Safety in Trauma-Informed Exams

25:24 — Practice Models & Direct Specialty Care

29:59 — Recognizing Burnout

32:49 — Nervous System Regulation & Daily Rituals

34:00 — Ayurveda, Routine & Unmanaged Stress

36:16 — Morning Practices for Healing

39:29 — Listening, Prayer & Inner Wisdom

41:29 — Scarcity Mindset & Time

43:59 — Boundaries, Saying No & Self-Compassion

47:33 — Learning Through Missteps

49:21 — Curiosity, Growth & Staying Open

51:53 — Unlearning Conformity in Medicine

53:02 — Love as a Missing Element in Training

54:54 — We Are the System

55:26 — Where to Find Dr. Londoño

56:02 — Closing Reflections

About Today’s Guest

Diana Londoño, MD

Urology • Physician Coaching • Mind–Body–Spirit Medicine

Dr. Diana Londoño is a board-certified urologist and one of only 10% of urologists in the U.S. who are women and 0.5% who are Latinx women. Originally from Mexico City, she completed her undergraduate studies at Claremont McKenna College, attended UCLA School of Medicine, and finished a six-year urology residency at Kaiser Permanente Los Angeles.

After experiencing burnout twice, Dr. Londoño began writing and speaking openly about physician wellness, boundaries, ego, and humanity in medicine. She has published extensively in Medscape, Doximity, KevinMD, Men’s Health, Giddy.com, medmic.com, and more, and is a contributing author to Thriving After Burnout and Medic S.O.S.

She is a certified life coach and founder of PhysicianCoachSupport.com, and in 2022 received the Los Angeles County Medical Association Physician Leadership Award. Dr. Londoño is an international speaker and frequent podcast guest, has appeared on Univision, Telemundo, Mundo Fox, CNN Latino, KCET, and ABC News, and integrates her work as a Reiki Master and Pranic Healer into whole-person care.

She is also the proud mother of two spirited daughters, Daniela and Paloma.

🌐 Find Dr. Londoño

Website: https://dianalondonomd.com/

Physician Coaching: https://physiciancoachsupport.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dianalondonomd/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dianalondonomd/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/diana.londono.9

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@dianalondonomd

🌐 Connect with Your Host

Dr. Siri Chand Khalsa, MD MS

Lifestyle & Integrative Medicine Physician • Culinary Medicine • Ayurveda

Website: drsirichand.com
Instagram: @doctorsirichand
Culinary Medicine Blog: drsirichand.com/blog

Community: https://vishuddha.com

Vishuddha: A Media Agency for Conscious Clinicians & Wellness Seekers

Vishuddha is a media and creative agency dedicated to amplifying the voices of integrative and lifestyle medicine clinicians who are transforming how we understand health and healing.

Rooted in whole-person healing, Vishuddha helps clinicians translate their wisdom into impact, design offerings that matter, and bring conscious, transformative work into the world.

Ready to share your wisdom? Explore how we can support your vision at Vishuddha.com.

⚠️ Disclaimer

This podcast is for educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Please consult your healthcare provider for personalized guidance.

Keywords

physician burnout, urology, integrative medicine, mind-body medicine, trauma-informed care, dignity in healthcare, nervous system regulation, pelvic floor dysfunction, energy healing, Reiki, pranic healing, direct specialty care, physician coaching, boundaries, self-compassion, medical training, residency, women in medicine, Latinx physicians, spirituality in medicine, mindfulness, parasympathetic nervous system, Routes of Healing, Dr. Diana Londoño, Dr. Siri Chand Khalsa

What Happens When We Treat Sleep as a Vital Sign? A Conversation with Dr. Nishi Bhopal

Mon, 08 Dec 2025 09:00:00 -0700

Show Notes

In this week’s episode of Routes of Healing, Dr. Siri Chand Khalsa sits down with Dr. Nishi Bhopal, a triple–board-certified psychiatrist, sleep medicine physician, and integrative holistic medicine doctor who has become a leading voice in translating sleep science into accessible, actionable tools for clinicians and patients.

Together, they explore the winding journey that brought Dr. Bhopal from family expectations in medicine to psychiatry, from burnout to yoga and Ayurveda, from clinical curiosity to entrepreneurial leadership in sleep health education.

This conversation moves through identity, cultural expectations, circadian rhythm biology, women’s sleep health, long COVID, integrative approaches to insomnia, and the gaps in medical training that leave most clinicians unequipped to treat one of the most universal human experiences: sleep.

Whether you're a practitioner wanting a deeper understanding of circadian medicine, a clinician exploring integrative training, a patient navigating insomnia, or a healer attempting to reclaim your own rhythms in a fast-paced world, this episode offers compassionate, evidence-informed insight.

If you're inspired by our exploration on Routes of Healing, a physician-led podcast uplifting the wisdom and lived experience of integrative & lifestyle medicine doctors, subscribe to receive new episodes weekly.

🔑 Key Topics & Takeaways

The origin story: How family expectations influenced Dr. Bhopal’s entry into medicine, and how curiosity, not certainty, ultimately guided her path.
From Internal Medicine to Psychiatry: Seeking deeper human connection and more time to understand patients.
Ayurveda, yoga, and meditation as turning points during residency and antidotes for burnout.
Sleep Medicine: Why circadian rhythms matter more than we teach, and how modern sleep training overlooks essential foundations.
Insomnia isn’t always insomnia: Many patients are treated for the wrong problem.
Women’s sleep health: Why women are dismissed, underdiagnosed, and mismanaged within traditional models.
Personalizing care: No one-size-fits-all approach—sleep timing, fasting, activity, and routines must fit the individual.
Long COVID: How persistent sleep architecture disruptions present distinct clinical challenges.
Entrepreneurship & medicine: The creation of IntraBalance, clinician education, YouTube content, and online sleep courses.
CSH Framework (a practical model for unpacking insomnia)
Circadian rhythm
Sleep drive
Hyperarousal
Clinical training gaps: Most physicians receive 2–4 hours of sleep education in medical school.
Creative practice-building: The courage to pivot, niche, and design programs that match your strengths.
Self-discovery in medicine: Noticing what brings joy and letting your practice evolve accordingly.

⏱ Chapters

00:00 — Introduction and Connection

00:58 — Technical Difficulties and Adjustments

01:09 — Healing Journeys & Integrative Roots

03:56 — Family Influence and the Medical Path

07:15 — Navigating Family Expectations

10:37 — Cultural Context and Choosing Medicine

11:56 — Medical Training: Canada vs. Ireland vs. U.S.

14:46 — The Art of Listening and Clinical Diagnosis

16:33 — Yoga, Ayurveda & Personal Awakening

19:16 — Integrative Medicine Philosophy

20:58 — Dr. Bhopal’s Current Practice & Approach

26:22 — Circadian Rhythms in Healing

28:21 — Body Clocks, Misalignment & Sleep Patterns

32:11 — Sleep Regularity as the New Vital Sign

34:44 — Long COVID and Altered Sleep Architecture

37:50 — Fasting, Metabolism & Sleep

40:49 — The CSH Framework Explained

44:28 — Educating Practitioners in Sleep Medicine

48:28 — Critiques of Modern Sleep Medicine

52:33 — Innovation, Entrepreneurship & Practice Transformation

About Today’s Guest

Nishi Bhopal, MD

Psychiatry • Sleep Medicine • Integrative Holistic Medicine

Founder of Pacific Integrative Psychiatry & IntraBalance

Dr. Bhopal is board-certified in Psychiatry, Sleep Medicine, and Integrative Holistic Medicine. She is the founder and medical director of Pacific Integrative Psychiatry, an online California practice offering comprehensive care for anxiety and sleep disorders through integrative psychiatry, functional medicine, nutrition, and sleep science.

She is also the founder of IntraBalance, an educational platform for clinicians seeking clear, accessible training in clinical sleep medicine. Through her YouTube channel, online courses, and CME programs, she is redefining how practitioners learn about sleep.

Melatonin Brand Guide for Physicians:

https://intrabalance.com/melatonin

Practice Website

https://pacificintegrativepsych.com/

Educational Platform

https://intrabalance.com/

Social Media

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nishibhopal/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/intrabalance

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/intrabalance

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/IntraBalanceLLC/

🌐 Connect with Your Host

Dr. Siri Chand Khalsa, MD MS

Lifestyle & Integrative Medicine Physician • Culinary Medicine • Ayurveda

Website: drsirichand.com
Instagram: @doctorsirichand
Culinary Medicine Blog: drsirichand.com/blog

Community: https://vishuddha.com

Vishuddha: A Media Agency for Conscious Clinicians & Wellness Seekers

Vishuddha is a media and creative agency dedicated to amplifying the voices of integrative and lifestyle medicine clinicians who are transforming how we understand health and healing.

Rooted in whole-person healing, Vishuddha helps clinicians translate their wisdom into impact, design offerings that matter, and bring conscious, transformative work into the world.

Ready to share your wisdom? Explore how we can support your vision at Vishuddha.com.

⚠️ Disclaimer

This podcast is for educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Please consult your healthcare provider for personalized guidance.

Keywords

self-care, self-love, physician well-being, integrative medicine, lifestyle medicine, mind-body medicine, osteopathic medicine, trauma-informed care, Ayurveda, yoga, breathwork, group medical visits, Center for Mind-Body Medicine, massage therapy, nervous system, parasympathetic, burnout, grief, medical training, residency, physician burnout, Wholehearted Medicine, MTYOGIDOC, Routes of Healing, Dr. Michelle Thompson, Dr. Siri Chand Khalsa

Blooming Where You’re Planted: Integrative Healing, Mind-Body Medicine & The Power of Self-Love with Dr. Michelle Thompson

Mon, 01 Dec 2025 09:00:00 -0700

Show Notes

In this episode of Roots of Healing, Dr. Siri Chand Khalsa speaks with Dr. Michelle Thompson, an osteopathic family physician, integrative and lifestyle medicine leader, and founder of Wholehearted Medicine. Together, they explore what happens when we stop seeing ourselves as the healer and begin to recognize that every patient is their own best healer.

Dr. Thompson shares her unconventional journey from stepping away from medical school to become the director of a massage therapy school, where she immersed herself in reflexology, aromatherapy, neuromuscular therapy, sound healing, and art therapy then returning to osteopathic training with a completely different lens on what true healing could be.

From being labeled “the integrative one” in a 100,000 employee health system to designing lifestyle medicine residency curricula and launching mind-body group visits, Dr. Thompson has quietly been reshaping what care can look and feel like for both patients and clinicians. She also opens up about grief, losing her grandmother, Ayurvedic support during a silent retreat, and how unprocessed stress can live in the body as chronic illness, burnout, and mysterious symptoms.

Whether you’re a clinician on the edge of burnout, a patient seeking trauma-informed, whole-person care, or a healer who needs permission to put yourself back into the center of your own life, this conversation is an invitation to return to self-love, nervous system healing, and the simple, radical act of listening to your own body.

If you're inspired by our exploration on Routes of Healing, a physician-led podcast that brings forward the unique voices and lived experiences of lifestyle and integrative doctors, subscribe to get new episodes shared with you weekly.

🔑 Key Topics & Takeaways

“You are your own best healer” – shifting power back to the patient
Leaving medical school, leading a massage therapy school, and returning with a new integrative lens
Learning reflexology, aromatherapy, neuromuscular therapy, sound therapy, and art therapy as foundations of future practice
Turning a “traditional” family medicine practice into an integrative, lifestyle-focused clinic
Why Dr. Thompson stopped saying “alternative and complementary” and insists on integrative and evidence-based
Building lifestyle medicine into residency curricula across multiple programs at UPMC
The six pillars of lifestyle medicine as a starting point for every patient visit
Asking: “What’s going really well, and what are you struggling with?” as a doorway to root-cause discovery
Grief, losing her grandmother, and how Ayurveda helped her see stress, digestion, and sympathetic overdrive differently
“You cannot live being chased by a tiger your entire life” – the cost of chronic sympathetic activation
Mind-body skills, James Gordon, and the Center for Mind-Body Medicine influence on her clinical work
Group medical visits as a powerful vehicle for healing, connection, and reclaiming time in conventional systems
How massage, sound therapy, yoga, and breathwork became essential, not optional, in her own self-care
Physician well-being, trauma in training, and why self-care must sit at the center of healthcare
Teaching medical students and residents to honor their bodies, stories, and inner wisdom
Viewing self-care as an act of service: when we care for ourselves, we care better for others

⏱ Chapters

00:00 — “I tell every patient, you are your own best healer.”

00:21 — Welcome to Roots of Healing

01:32 — Introducing Dr. Michelle Thompson and her role at UPMC and beyond

03:17 — Leaving medical school, leading a massage therapy school, and discovering integrative modalities

05:34 — Returning to osteopathic medicine with reflexology, aromatherapy, and neuromuscular therapy in hand

06:29 — Being “the integrative one” in a massive health system and the evolution of terminology

08:47 — Blooming where you’re planted: navigating sterility in conventional training with a healer’s heart

09:30 — Asking “But why?” – moving beyond pills to root-cause inquiry

11:30 — Lifestyle medicine as a bridge: the six pillars everyone can agree on

13:36 — Grief, losing her grandmother, and realizing she hadn’t truly allowed herself to grieve

15:24 — Ayurveda, sympathetic eating, and learning to slow down enough to digest

16:23 — “You cannot live being chased by a tiger your entire life” – stress, PNS, and healing

17:15 — Physician well-being, trauma in training, and rewriting the culture of medicine

19:40 — The yoga mat as non-negotiable: daily practices, body oiling, and Ayurvedic self-love

20:40 — Learning to love the body you inhabit instead of fighting it

23:12 — Self-care, privilege, and reframing massage as necessary medicine rather than luxury

25:30 — Bessel van der Kolk, body memory, and why somatic practices matter

28:55 — Mind-body skills training, Center for Mind-Body Medicine, and mentoring others in group visits

33:10 — Group medical visits: design, billing, and why the group itself becomes medicine

36:40 — Trauma-informed care and recognizing trauma patients don’t always know they’re traumatized

39:17 — “As long as we have our breath, we have the ability to make a change”

43:00 — Modeling self-care for her son, patients, and trainees

49:00 — Future of medicine: AI, human connection, and why we still need spaces to be deeply seen

1:02:00 — How to work with Dr. Thompson & where to find her online

About Today’s Guest

Learn more & connect with Dr. Thompson:

Website: https://www.wholeheartedmedicine.org

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mtyogidoc/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mtyogidoc/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRcm8ziVeLa5yp6IAypigmQ/videos

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-michelle-thompson-do-aobfp-aboim-dipablm-faclm-058688a/

Publication:

Lifestyle Medicine and Vasomotor Symptoms: An Analytic Review (2024)

https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/15598276241232359

New York Times Features:

Doctors Facing Burnout Turn to Self-Care

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/26/well/mind/doctors-facing-burnout-turn-to-self-care.html

AI and Healthcare Documentation

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/06/26/technology/ai-health-care-documentation.html

🌐 Connect with Your Host

Dr. Siri Chand Khalsa, MD MS

Lifestyle & Integrative Medicine Physician • Culinary Medicine • Ayurveda

Website: drsirichand.com
Instagram: @doctorsirichand
Culinary Medicine Blog: drsirichand.com/blog

Community: https://vishuddha.com

Vishuddha: A Media Agency for Conscious Clinicians & Wellness Seekers

Vishuddha is a media and creative agency dedicated to amplifying the voices of integrative and lifestyle medicine clinicians who are transforming how we understand health and healing.

Rooted in whole-person healing, Vishuddha helps clinicians translate their wisdom into impact, design offerings that matter, and bring conscious, transformative work into the world.

Ready to share your wisdom? Explore how we can support your vision at Vishuddha.com.

⚠️ Disclaimer

This podcast is for educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Please consult your healthcare provider for personalized guidance.

Keywords

When Physicians Remember to Dream: Rediscovering Purpose with Dr. Leybelis Padilla

Mon, 24 Nov 2025 09:00:00 -0700

When When Physicians Remember to Dream: Rediscovering Purpose with Dr. Leybelis Padilla

From Gastroenterology to Game Beyond the Game: Rediscovering Dreams, Healing, and High-Performance Living

Show Notes

In this episode of Roots of Healing, Dr. Siri Chand Khalsa speaks with Dr. Leybelis Padilla, a gastroenterologist, lifestyle medicine physician, and co-founder of Game Beyond the Game. Together, they explore what happens when a physician realizes she’s stopped dreaming and what it takes to reclaim vision, purpose, and a life that feels truly aligned.

Dr. Padilla shares the moment of awareness when she realized that becoming a physician had quietly become the end point of her dreaming. From there, she takes us through her journey of self-development, mindset work, and courageous career shifts. From Navy hospital GI practice to locums, to founding Unlocking GI, a telemedicine practice rooted in her 4M framework: Medicine, Meals, Mindset, and Movement.

They also dive into her work with her husband, Prince who was once a professional athlete, through Game Beyond the Game, where they host intimate, luxury events to help high performers reconnect with their vision, values, and inner landscape beyond career achievements.

Whether you’re a clinician who feels stuck on autopilot, a high performer navigating relationship and identity shifts, or someone who suspects you’ve quietly stopped dreaming, this conversation offers language, tools, and inspiration for beginning again.

If you're inspired by our exploration on Routes of Healing, a physician-led podcast that brings forward the unique voices and lived experiences of lifestyle and integrative doctors, subscribe to get new episodes shared with you weekly.

🔑 Key Topics & Takeaways

Realizing: “I had stopped dreaming” after becoming a physician
The power of being given permission to dream again
How self-awareness and mindset work opened new paths in medicine and in life
From Navy hospital GI practice to locums to building Unlocking GI
The 4M Framework: Medicine, Meals, Mindset, Movement as pillars of digestive and whole-person health
Functional vs. inflammatory bowel disease, and how lifestyle and nutrition fit in
Why culturally sensitive nutrition matters (and why rice and beans aren’t the enemy)
Creating Game Beyond the Game and luxury mindset events with her husband
Relationships, co-regulation, and the behind-the-scenes work of growing together
Why physicians need spaces to be seen as whole humans, not just roles
The cost of autopilot in medicine—and how to step off the conveyor belt

Chapters

00:00 — Cold Open: “I had stopped dreaming.”

00:37 — Welcome to Roots of Healing

02:34 — “Is that me?” Owning Your Story on Paper

03:13 — Childhood Curiosity, Nutrition, and Early Seeds of Medicine

05:49 — CTE, the NFL, and Advocating for Family Through the Medical System

09:11 — From Internal Medicine to Gastroenterology & Loving the Big Picture

14:40 — Navy Hospital, IBD Clinic, and Constraints in Federal Systems

17:40 — Tony Robbins, Landmark, Dispenza: Entering the World of Self-Development

20:42 — Visioning Exercises & The Moment She Realized She’d Stopped Dreaming

24:28 — Game Beyond the Game: Intimate Events for Mindset, Vision & Wealth

27:04 — The Power of the Five Senses, Community, and Being Seen

30:33 — Loneliness, Connection, and Community as Medicine

32:11 — Partnership, Communication & Co-Growth in Marriage

38:54 — Physicians, Autopilot, and the Hidden Toll on Relationships

43:39 — Building Unlocking GI: Telemedicine, 4M Framework, and Micro Habits

49:28 — Rethinking Functional Gut Disorders & Validating Patient Experience

53:15 — Inflammatory Bowel Disease, Medication, and Lifestyle Integration

56:02 — Asking Patients: “What Are Your Goals?” Changing the Clinical Dynamic

1:01:39 — Being a Latina Physician & Honoring Cultural Foods in Healing

1:07:20 — Whole-Person Care, Identity, and the Investment of Building a New Path

1:08:53 — How to Work with Dr. Padilla & Where to Find Her

About Today’s Guest

Gastroenterologist • Lifestyle Medicine Physician • Founder, Unlocking GI • Co-Founder, Game Beyond the Game

Dr. Leybelis Padilla, MD, FACG, is more than a physician, she’s a force of transformation in the world of health and high performance. As a gastroenterologist and lifestyle medicine physician, she has redefined what it means to heal from within.

She founded Unlocking GI, an evidence-based program that utilizes her 4M framework—Medicine, Meals, Mindset, and Movement delivering personalized and sustainable micro habits that unlock vitality, improve digestive health, and elevate overall well-being.

Her mission doesn’t stop at medicine. As co-founder of Game Beyond the Game, she and her husband, Prince, curate luxury events designed to help organizations, high performers, and physicians transform their mindset, reclaim their vision, and step into lives of deeper purpose and joy.

Whether she’s guiding patients or world-class achievers, Dr. Leybelis is on a mission to turn obstacles into opportunities and unlock limitless potential.

Learn more & connect with Dr. Padilla:

Website: https://unlockinggi.com/

Instagram: @unlockinggi

TikTok: @unlockinggi

YouTube: @dr.leybelis

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leybelispadilla

Facebook: Leybelis Padilla

🌐 Connect with Your Host

Dr. Siri Chand Khalsa, MD MS

Lifestyle & Integrative Medicine Physician • Culinary Medicine • Ayurveda

Website: drsirichand.com | Instagram: @doctorsirichand | Culinary Medicine drsirichand.com/blog

Community: https://vishuddha.com

Vishuddha: A Media Agency for Conscious Clinicians & Wellness Seekers

Vishuddha is a media and creative agency dedicated to amplifying the voices of integrative and lifestyle medicine clinicians who are transforming how we understand health and healing.

We provide media representation, book development, public speaking coaching, podcast strategy, content creation, and course development alongside classes and workshops for wellness seekers committed to intentional, conscious living.

Rooted in whole-person healing, Vishuddha helps clinicians translate their wisdom into impact, design offerings that matter, and bring conscious, transformative work into the world.

Ready to share your wisdom? Explore how we can support your vision at Vishuddha.com

⚠️ Disclaimer

This podcast is for educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Please consult your healthcare provider for personalized guidance.

Keywords

dreams, physician, gastroenterology, lifestyle medicine, goals, self-awareness, personal growth, motivation, inspiration, burnout, mindset, high performance, Latina physician, Game Beyond the Game, Unlocking GI, 4M framework, medicine, meals, mindset, movement, relationships, marriage, visioning, career transition, integrative medicine, Routes of Healing

Adventure Travel and the Journey Toward Renewal with Dr. Stacey Funt

Mon, 17 Nov 2025 09:00:00 -0700

Adventure Travel and the Journey Toward Renewal with Dr. Stacey Funt

From Radiology to Wellness Travel: Healing Through Nature, Community & Adventure

In this episode of Roots of Healing, Dr. Siri Chand Khalsa MD speaks with Dr. Stacey Funt, a radiologist and wellness travel curator who designs nature-based, lifestyle-medicine-inspired adventures for women and couples. Together, they explore how holistic healing, purposeful travel, and community can help us move through grief, prevent burnout, and reconnect with what restores us.

Stacey shares her journey from decades in radiology to creating transformational travel experiences grounded in integrative medicine, nature, and human connection. They discuss the neurobiology of new experiences, the importance of awe, and why intentional time in nature supports nervous system healing and long-term physician wellness.

Whether you are a clinician seeking renewal, someone navigating transition, or a traveler drawn to healing experiences, this conversation offers inspiration, grounded insight, and evidence-based guidance.

If you're inspired by our exploration on Routes of Healing a physician led podcast that brings forward the unique voices and lived experiences of lifestyle and integrative doctors subscribe to get new episodes shared with you weekly.

🔑 Key Topics & Takeaways

• How personal loss opened the door to a calling in wellness travel

• Travel as a modality of holistic healing and personal transformation

• The relationship between burnout, grief, and midlife reinvention

• Why nature and awe shift physiology and support integrative medicine

• How community and shared adventure enhance healing

• The neurobiology of novelty: travel as a moving meditation

• Designing intentional travel through the lens of lifestyle medicine

• How radiology and wellness travel can coexist in one meaningful career

• What goes into curating safe, supportive group travel experiences

• Following energy, passion, and alignment in career transitions

🗂️ Chapters

00:00 — Cold Open

01:46 — Welcome to Roots of Healing

03:10 — The Birth of LH Adventure Travel

06:19 — Grief, Loss, and New Beginnings

09:22 — From Radiology to Wellness Travel

13:07 — Travel as Healing and Holistic Medicine

15:53 — Balance, Creativity & Midlife Reinvention

18:42 — Health Coaching Roots & Lifestyle Medicine

20:34 — What Makes Travel Transformative

25:58 — Community and Women’s Group Travel

26:37 — Novelty, Awe & the Nervous System

28:09 — Psychological Safety in Adventure Travel

29:46 — Nature as a Healing Modality

32:47 — Upcoming Wellness Travel Adventures

34:37 — Behind the Scenes of Travel Planning

39:03 — Navigating Different Travel Styles

43:14 — Redefining Luxury Through Presence

46:58 — Following Your Passion and Energy

👥 About Today’s Guest

Radiologist • Board-Certified Health & Wellness Coach • Founder, LH Adventure Travel

Dr. Stacey Funt is a practicing radiologist and nationally certified health and wellness coach who founded LH Adventure Travel, a company dedicated to creating transformative, lifestyle medicine inspired travel experiences. She curates and leads women’s global wellness adventures in breathtaking natural settings and diverse cultures, and also designs private and couples’ itineraries.

Each journey is intentionally crafted around pillars of Lifestyle Medicine, movement, nourishment, restorative practices, stress reduction, and community to promote well-being, meaning, and personal growth.

Dr. Funt has lectured nationally on physician well-being, burnout prevention, and self-care, and has facilitated workshops for both healthcare professionals and the public. Her travel writing has been featured in Go World Travel Magazine.

Through her work, she helps people reconnect with themselves, embrace adventure, and experience the joy and healing power of travel.

Website: https://lhadventuretravel.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LHAdventuretravel/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lhadventuretravel

🌐 Connect with Your Host

Dr. Siri Chand Khalsa, MD MS

Lifestyle & Integrative Medicine Physician • Culinary Medicine • Ayurveda

Website: drsirichand.com | Instagram: @doctorsirichand | Culinary Medicine drsirichand.com/blog

Community: https://vishuddha.com

Vishuddha: A Media Agency for Conscious Clinicians & Wellness Seekers

Vishuddha is a media and creative agency dedicated to amplifying the voices of integrative and lifestyle medicine clinicians who are transforming how we understand health and healing.

Rooted in whole-person healing, Vishuddha helps clinicians translate their wisdom into impact, design offerings that matter, and bring conscious, transformative work into the world.

Ready to share your wisdom? Explore how we can support your vision at Vishuddha.com

Keywords: lifestyle medicine, integrative medicine, physician wellness, burnout, holistic healing, wellness travel, adventure travel, nature, awe, radiology, personal growth, transformative experiences, women physicians, travel planning, community healing

⚠️ Disclaimer

This podcast is for educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Please consult your healthcare provider for personalized guidance.

Becoming the Kind of Doctor I Want to Be: Redefining Care Through Lifestyle Medicine with Dr. Amanda Scott

Mon, 10 Nov 2025 09:00:00 -0700

Episode 2: Becoming the Kind of Doctor I Want to Be | Dr. Amanda Scott on Lifestyle Medicine and Whole-Person Care

Episode Summary / Show Notes

In this episode of Routes of Healing, host Dr. Siri Chand Khalsa sits down with Dr. Amanda Scott, a board-certified internist and lifestyle medicine physician redefining what modern medicine can be. From her early studies in physical anthropology at UCSB to medical school at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Dr. Scott’s path has been guided by curiosity, connection, and a passion for whole-person care.

After more than a decade in primary care, including serving as Medical Director of the Santa Ynez Tribal Health Clinic and later as a Lead Physician and Assistant Clinical Professor at UCLA Health, Dr. Scott realized that healing required more than procedures and prescriptions. Her transition into lifestyle medicine reflects a deeper commitment to prevention, plant-forward nutrition, and behavior change grounded in compassion and evidence.

Together we explore Dr Scott's unique journey through medical training in Ireland, the challenges of student loans, and the importance of building trust with patients, especially in indigenous communities. Dr Scott shares her transition from traditional medical practice to a more holistic approach, emphasizing the significance of lifestyle medicine in patient care. We dig into PSLF, burnout recovery, and building a consultative practice that centers on plant-forward food, sleep, movement, stress management, resilience, and the healing power of community.

What You’ll Learn

How physical anthropology shaped Dr. Scott’s approach to healing
Lessons from training in Ireland and working within tribal health systems
The transition from traditional primary care to integrative practice
The importance of behavior change, positive psychology, and motivational interviewing
How plant-forward nutrition and movement support resilient living
Creating a practice that aligns with personal values is important.
The healthcare system is evolving, and so must the roles of physicians.

Quote Highlight

“This next phase, I am going to also invest in myself to become the kind of doctor that I want to be.” — Dr. Amanda Scott, MD

Chapters

00:00 Investing in yourself as a clinician

00:40 Welcome and podcast intro

02:45 Growing up in Pasadena and discovering anthropology

07:30 Medical school in Ireland and global perspective

15:20 Returning to California and life on the Central Coast

20:45 Student loans and Public Service Loan Forgiveness

24:48 Lessons from the Chumash Tribal Health Clinic

31:09 Recognizing burnout and rediscovering alignment

34:43 Discovering Lifestyle Medicine and the Six Pillars

41:36 Creating Santa Barbara Lifestyle Medicine

45:56 Explaining integrative care to colleagues and community

52:27 Coaching, therapy, and investing in your own growth

55:24 Where to find Dr. Scott online

Guest Bio & Links

Amanda Scott, MD

Board Certified in Internal and Lifestyle Medicine | Founder, Santa Barbara Lifestyle Medicine

Dr. Amanda Scott grew up in the foothills of Pasadena and earned her degree in Physical Anthropology from UCSB before attending the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland. She has served as Medical Director of the Santa Ynez Tribal Health Clinic and as Assistant Clinical Professor and Lead Physician at UCLA Health. In 2024 she became board certified in Lifestyle Medicine and founded Santa Barbara Lifestyle Medicine, a practice dedicated to preventing disease through root-cause, whole-person care. Her approach blends traditional internal medicine expertise with behavior change science, motivational interviewing, and plant-forward nutrition.

Website: www.sblifestylemedicine.com

Meet & Greet Booking: Book Here

Instagram: @sb_lifestyle_medicine

LinkedIn: Dr. Amanda Scott

Reference Article: Mayo Clinic Proceedings on Foundations of Lifestyle Medicine

Host

Dr. Siri Chand Khalsa, MD, MS

Physician, educator, and advocate for Ayurvedic and Integrative Medicine.

Website: drsirichand.com | Instagram: @doctorsirichand

Keywords

Disclaimer

This podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Please consult your own healthcare team for personal guidance.

Blending Science & Soul: Integrative Psychiatry for the Modern Clinician with Dr. Arwen Podesta

Sat, 01 Nov 2025 09:00:00 -0700

Healing the Healer: Integrative Psychiatry and Whole-Person Care with Dr. Arwen Podesta, MD

In this inaugural episode, Dr. Siri Chand Khalsa welcomes Dr. Arwen Podesta, a psychiatrist and addiction-medicine specialist whose career bridges biochemistry, forensic psychiatry, and integrative care. They explore how mind–body connection, lifestyle medicine insights, breathwork, community, and compassion help clinicians and patients heal. Expect grounded science, spiritual healing practices, and refreshingly practical steps for physician wellness and holistic health.

Keywords: Podcast, Stories of Healing, Ayurvedic Lifestyle, Physician Wellness, Holistic Health, Mind-Body Connection, Plant-Based Healing, Women in Medicine, Spiritual Healing Practices, Lifestyle Medicine Insights

Chapter Markers

00:00 Welcome & show framing — Routes of Healing vision (Podcast, Stories of Healing)
00:27 Disclaimer & season theme: Healing the Healer
02:15 Arwen’s origin story: commune roots → massage therapy → biochemistry → medicine (Holistic Health)
09:05 Parallel journeys: Siri’s early integrative path & the “wake-up” moment
10:37 Mentors, capacity building, and choosing MD over PhD
12:59 Bridging upbringing & medical training; agency and modifiable risk factors
14:18 Where med school fell short; early CAM research and mindfulness science
16:46 Biomarkers, meditation, breathwork; when science catches up (Mind-Body Connection)
19:41 Siri on Ayurvedic lifestyle principles and interconnected systems
21:31 Inflammation, insulin resistance, and mental health (Lifestyle Medicine Insights)
25:24 GLP-1s, cravings, cognition; nuance & limits (Physician Wellness)
29:09 Long-COVID, gastric emptying, and individualized care
30:08 Agency, community, and why group care matters
31:10 Counter-/transference as diagnostic skill; finding fit in care teams (Women in Medicine)
36:26 Breathwork, yoga, polyvagal tone; practical protocols (Spiritual Healing Practices)
42:45 Courage in integrative practice; rising existential distress
45:03 Treating existential dread: groups, life-skills, and support networks
47:04 Care extenders: therapists, coaches, async tools; collaborative care
49:38 “Like-for-like” paradigm; mechanisms before meds
52:11 Whole-team referrals, labs, supplements; trauma-informed specialists
55:28 Measurement-based care, WHO-5, HERO scale; neurofeedback mindset
1:00:15 Professional buoyancy: conferences, peer groups, oxytocin of IRL connection
1:02:02 Where to find Dr. Podesta & her courses; patient availability
1:03:40 Close & gratitude

Key Takeaways

Integrative Approaches: Pair conventional psychiatry with breath-work, community, nutrition, sleep, and movement for better outcomes.
Inflammation matters: Glucose spikes and systemic inflammation can worsen mood and anxiety; stabilizing them supports mental health.
Measure what you change: Simple scales (e.g., WHO-5, HERO) + wearables/CGM create motivating feedback loops.
Community heals: Group visits and peer support reduce shame, improve adherence, and sustain recovery “the opposite of addiction is connection.”
Courage & nuance: Standard of care first then add evidence-informed spiritual healing practices and lifestyle medicine insights tailored to the person.

Resources & Links

Guest: Arwen Podesta MD
Practice: podestawellness.com
Courses/Book info: drarwen.com
Book: Hooked by Arwen Podesta, MD (search “Hooked Arwen Podesta” on Amazon)

Referenced Concepts:

Mindfulness & biomarkers (BDNF, HR/BP, EEG)
Polyvagal theory, intentional breathwork (alternate nostril), yoga/pranayama
Metabolic health & mood (glucose stability, ketone utilization)

About Our Guest: Dr. Arwen Podesta

Boarded in Psychiatry, Addiction Medicine, Forensic Psychiatry and Holistic & Integrative Medicine, Arwen Podesta MD works in Louisiana, with an office in New Orleans. She authored a book on addiction, HOOKED (available on Amazon, see her website, www.podestawellness.com). She was recently awarded the honor of distinguished fellow of the American Psychiatry Association as well as the American Society of Addiction Medicine and is the immediate past President of the Louisiana Psychiatric Medical Association.

She is a national speaker, she teaches, consults and is an advocate for integrative best practices for those with addiction and psychiatric needs.

About the Host — Dr. Siri Chand Khalsa

Physician and educator focused on integrative medicine, Ayurvedic lifestyle, and plant-based healing. Founder of Vishuddha which produces Routes of Healing, she sharing stories of healing that reimagine whole-person care.

Share & Subscribe

Apple Podcasts • Spotify • YouTube

Newsletter & transcript: drsirichand.com

Community for female physicians: vishuddha.com

Thank you!

If this conversation helped, share it with a colleague who might need a reminder that healers deserve healing too.