Yours is not the first book on the benefits of Ayurveda, but you must have felt a gap in the existing literature to have written Heal Your Gut, Mind & Emotions. What was missing?
There are plenty of books on Ayurveda and much credit and adulation to all those who taught us what we know now. Ayurveda has been practised for 5,000 years in India, but the British destroyed a large part of it. For about 400-500 years, there was no research done to substantiate its claims, and we relied on whatever had been passed on. I sought to fill that gap with a book that has research backed by science.
When did you realise that the gut is the nucleus of the body?
In 2017, I decided to put my money where my mouth is to start the Prana Health Care Centre. Over the last seven years, our team of doctors, therapists, biotech researchers has been focusing on finding the root cause of a disease rather than having a symptomatic approach. We found a lot of research published by Harvard, Stanford and other universities that spoke about how an unhealthy gut was responsible for 90 percent of diseases, from constipation to cancer. That is how it became the focus area for the clinic, and subsequently the book.
You cite real-life examples where either a surgery could have been avoided or was prevented through the use of Ayurveda. Do you believe it is an alternative to modern medicine?
I was born with epilepsy, then it was replaced with migraines and other health issues. I ended up having four surgeries when I was 18 for fibrocystic benign tumours, a deviated septum and inflamed tonsillitis. And, when I was recommended a fifth procedure for recurrent fibroids, I refused. I wanted to get to the bottom of it. But, it was only during my journey in the countryside in India that I started healing. That’s when I realised Ayurveda, naturopathy and yoga are not alternative sciences. They are primary because they are preventive. Modern medicine is what complements our desire to live a long, healthy, happy life. Drugs, steroids and surgeries must be used only in acute conditions.
What does the future of Ayurveda in India look like?
I think we are living in the golden age. 2023 has been recognised as the Year of the Millets; yoga has become an international festival; and very soon Ayurveda will get its natural glory back. The pandemic was a wake-up call. It showed that we are now in the era of preventive healthcare science.
Your prose has an underlying spiritual tone. How do you see physical health and spirituality coming together?
It is said that if you focus on something for a long time, you will find your spirit, true purpose and even God. During my research, I experienced happiness at a physical, mental and emotional level. I was curious about the connection, so when I dug deeper, I found that the purpose of Ayurveda and yoga is actually to prepare your body for meditation, so you can attain salvation by breaking the cycle of life and death.