Feeling tired, wired, or overwhelmed has become so common that many women stop questioning it. When wellness starts to feel like another full-time job, it is often a sign that the body is asking for something simpler, steadier, and more supportive.

In today’s episode, I sit down with Kate Prince and Jo Woodhurst of Ancient + Brave to explore why modern wellness has become so complicated, and how we can return to practices that actually help us feel well. We talk about ritual over routine, blending instead of balance, and the role nature, rhythm, and community play in nervous system regulation and long-term resilience.

We also explore the supplement space through a higher standard, including sourcing, formulation, and synergy, while reframing collagen, creatine, and nighttime support as tools that nourish rather than overstimulate.

Kate Prince is the founder of Ancient + Brave, a B Corp certified wellness brand rooted in sustainability and education. Jo Woodhurst is the brand’s Director of Nutrition and Education, bringing a science-led, whole-body approach focused on helping people feel genuinely supported.

What's Discussed:

(00:00) What it means to feel rooted and why simplicity and regulation matter for health

(08:00) Morning rituals, nature, and the free daily practices that calm the nervous system

(16:00) Bravery in everyday life and why wellness does not need to be extreme

(24:00) Why modern wellness feels so complicated and how trends pull us out of balance

(32:00) Ritual versus routine and why meaning creates long-term consistency

(40:00) Collagen, creatine, and reframing supplements as support rather than optimization

(48:00) Sleep, nighttime rituals, and nourishing the body without overstimulation

(56:00) Burnout, stress, and why blending life works better than chasing balance

(1:04:00) Longevity, resilience, and creating health that leaves room to truly live

Thank You to Our Sponsors:

LeelaQ: Leela Quantum Tech focuses on balance and energetic support for daily life. Take 10% off at leelaq.com  with code MONA.

IM8: Try IM8 for 30 days as part of your holistic wellness practice. Your body deserves this level of comprehensive support. Visit https://im8health.com/ 

12 tips: Small shifts, big energy—feel clearer, brighter, and more like you.
Download my 12 wellness tips with Dr. Mark Hyman: monasharma.com/12tips

Learn more about Mona Sharma:

• Download Your FREE Guide - 12 Wellness Tips to Unlock Your Best Health Now: Ready to reclaim your vitality? Download Mona’s 12 Wellness Tips and take actionable steps to transform your health, energy, and mindset. Get started now at https://monasharma.com/12tips. 

• Visit Mona's website: https://monasharma.com – Unlock powerful tools and wisdom rooted in wellness to elevate your health, energy, and clarity. Mona blends ancient healing practices with modern science to help you achieve lasting transformation.

• Follow Mona on Instagram: Stay connected with Mona for daily inspiration, holistic health tips, and personal growth. Join the conversation on Instagram at https://instagram.com/monasharma.
  

Learn more about Ancient + Brave

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ancientandbrave/
Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@ancientandbrave  

Website: Visit https://ancientandbrave.earth/ and use code MONA for $10 off any order.

Feeling tired, wired, or out of balance has become so normalized that many people stop questioning it. If your nervous system feels constantly “on,” your sleep feels light, or your body struggles to fully settle, this conversation offers a new way of understanding what may be happening beneath the surface.

In today’s episode, I sit down with Todd Shipman to explore the invisible influences shaping our health in modern life. We talk about quantum energy, electromagnetic exposure, and the human biofield through both a scientific and ancient wisdom lens. 

We explore how modern environments quietly interact with the nervous system over time, why so many symptoms get dismissed or normalized, and how presence, grounding, and rhythm play a foundational role in regulation and resilience.

Todd Shipman is a former technology executive and the CEO of Leela Quantum Tech, working at the intersection of innovation, science, and energetic intelligence. He advocates for quantum energy and natural wellness technologies, known for bridging innovation, science, and energetic intelligence. 

What's Discussed:

(00:00) What it means to feel rooted and why regulation is the foundation of health

(08:00) Presence, nature, and the free daily practices that ground the nervous system

(16:00) Common misconceptions about quantum energy and why it isn’t “woo”

(24:00) EMFs, modern environments, and the invisible stressors we normalize

(32:00) Ancient wisdom, biofields, and how energy was understood long before science

(40:00) Terrain, resilience, and why healing is not about blaming food or symptoms

(48:00) Ethical technology, discernment, and how to evaluate what actually works

(56:00) Protecting children, homes, and sleep in an increasingly wired world

(1:04:00) The future of quantum healing and what true optimization could look like

Thank You to Our Sponsors:

• Stress Quiz: The way you react to stress isn’t random—it’s rooted in your biology and lived experience. Discover your unique stress type + get a personalized healing plan to help you feel more calm, clear, and resilient. Take the quiz now:monasharma.com/quiz
  

Learn more about Mona Sharma:

• Download Your FREE Guide - 12 Wellness Tips to Unlock Your Best Health Now: Ready to reclaim your vitality? Download Mona’s 12 Wellness Tips and take actionable steps to transform your health, energy, and mindset. Get started now at https://monasharma.com/12tips. 

• Visit Mona's website: https://monasharma.com – Unlock powerful tools and wisdom rooted in wellness to elevate your health, energy, and clarity. Mona blends ancient healing practices with modern science to help you achieve lasting transformation.

• Follow Mona on Instagram: Stay connected with Mona for daily inspiration, holistic health tips, and personal growth. Join the conversation on Instagram at https://instagram.com/monasharma.
  
  

Learn more about Todd:

Website: https://leelaq.com/ 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leelaquantum
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thatoddtodd/ 

What if the symptoms you’ve learned to live with were actually your body asking for deeper support?
In this episode of Rooted in Wellness, I’m sharing reflections from a powerful panel I was honored to be part of at the 1 Billion Followers Summit, alongside Samantha Prabhu and Shayun, and hosted by Abdul Karim Hanif and Dr. Iman. Together, we explored how women can reclaim agency over their health, voices, and bodies.

Being on that stage reinforced something I see every day in my work: women are often taught to normalize stress, fatigue, digestive issues, and hormonal imbalance instead of listening to what their bodies are communicating. 

In this episode, I talk about the biggest gaps in women’s health, why so many high-functioning women are living in survival mode, and how female biology thrives on rhythm rather than constant pushing. We explore stillness, nervous system regulation, and emotional health as foundations for healing, and why your health protocol should be as unique as your biology.

What's Discussed:

00:04) Why Women’s Health Was Built on the Wrong Blueprint

(03:12) The Symptoms Women Are Taught to Normalize and Why That’s a Problem

(07:45) High Functioning vs Truly Well: When Coping Becomes the Baseline

(12:58) The Hidden Cost of Chronic Stress on Female Biology

(17:40) Why Stillness and Nervous System Regulation Matter More Than Doing More

(22:31) Your Healing Path Should Be As Unique As Your Biology

(27:18) Technology, Data, and Reclaiming Agency in Women’s Health

(32:06) Rest, Rhythm, and Regulation as the Foundation for Healing

(36:42) Turning Down the Noise and Rebuilding Trust With Your Body

Learn more about Mona Sharma:

• Download Your FREE Guide - 12 Wellness Tips to Unlock Your Best Health Now: Ready to reclaim your vitality? Download Mona’s 12 Wellness Tips and take actionable steps to transform your health, energy, and mindset. Get started now at https://monasharma.com/12tips. 

• Visit Mona's website: https://monasharma.com – Unlock powerful tools and wisdom rooted in wellness to elevate your health, energy, and clarity. Mona blends ancient healing practices with modern science to help you achieve lasting transformation.

• Follow Mona on Instagram: Stay connected with Mona for daily inspiration, holistic health tips, and personal growth. Join the conversation on Instagram at https://instagram.com/monasharma.
  

Learn more about Samantha Ruth Prabhu:

(Award-winning actress, entrepreneur, and podcast host who uses her platform to advocate for women’s health awareness, autonomy, and informed choice.)

• https://www.instagram.com/ 
  

Learn more about Shayoon (Shayun):

(Healer, artist, and founder of the Light Force Center, supporting emotional healing and self-empowerment.)

• https://www.instagram.com/shayoon 
  

Learn more about Abdul Karim Hanif:

(Radio presenter at Pulse 95 and on-stage host guiding conversations on culture, creativity, and wellness.)

• https://www.instagram.com/abdulonair/ 

Cholesterol is one of the most fear-charged topics I hear about from clients, and the conversation often starts with a lab result that feels alarming without much context. If you’ve ever been told your cholesterol is “high” and left feeling confused, anxious, or unsure what actually matters, this episode is for you.

In today’s conversation, I sat down with Jonny Bowden to unpack what cholesterol really tells us, and where the standard approach often falls short. We talk about why total cholesterol can be misleading, why LDL is far more nuanced than “good” or “bad,” and which markers like ApoB, particle size, and Lp(a) provide a clearer picture of cardiovascular risk. We also explore insulin resistance, inflammation, and metabolic health as foundational drivers that deserve far more attention.

Jonny Bowden is a renowned nutrition educator and bestselling author, including co-author of The Great Cholesterol Myth, known for helping people rethink heart health through science, context, and common sense.

What's Discussed:

(02:05) Simple daily rituals that support grounding and long-term health

(06:40) Why standard cholesterol labs often create fear without clarity

(12:15) LDL, particle size, and what actually drives cardiovascular risk

(18:10) ApoB and Lp(a), the heart markers most people are never told about

(26:30) Insulin resistance as the missing link in heart health conversations

(38:15) Continuous glucose monitoring and what it reveals about daily habits

(49:10) Inflammation, omega-3s, and the modern imbalance affecting longevity

(01:02:40) The overlooked longevity lesson from the Blue Zones

Thank You to Our Sponsors:

IM8: Try IM8 for 30 days as part of your holistic wellness practice. Your body deserves this level of comprehensive support. Visit https://im8health.com/

Timeline: Get 35% off your first month at Timeline.com/MONA35.

12 tips: Small shifts, big energy—feel clearer, brighter, and more like you.
Download my 12 wellness tips with Dr. Mark Hyman: https://www.monasharma.com/12tips
Stress Quiz: The way you react to stress isn’t random—it’s rooted in your biology and lived experience. Discover your unique stress type + get a personalized healing plan to help you feel more calm, clear, and resilient. Take the quiz now:http://monasharma.com/quiz

Learn more about Mona Sharma:

• Download Your FREE Guide - 12 Wellness Tips to Unlock Your Best Health Now: Ready to reclaim your vitality? Download Mona’s 12 Wellness Tips and take actionable steps to transform your health, energy, and mindset. Get started now at https://monasharma.com/12tips. 

• Visit Mona's website: https://monasharma.com – Unlock powerful tools and wisdom rooted in wellness to elevate your health, energy, and clarity. Mona blends ancient healing practices with modern science to help you achieve lasting transformation.

• Follow Mona on Instagram: Stay connected with Mona for daily inspiration, holistic health tips, and personal growth. Join the conversation on Instagram at https://instagram.com/monasharma.
  

Learn more about Jonny Bowden:

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

Webiste: https://www.jonnybowden.com/ 

Inflammation is one of the most common words I hear from clients, yet so few people truly understand what it means or how it shows up in the body. If you have been dealing with joint pain, fatigue, digestive issues, brain fog, or a sense that your body feels constantly dysregulated, this conversation is for you.

In today’s episode, I sat down with Dr. Shivani Gupta to explore inflammation through the lens of Ayurveda and modern science. We talk about how chronic inflammation develops, why digestion and daily rhythm matter so much, and how understanding your unique constitution can change the way you care for your body. We also dive into simple, grounding rituals like tea time, movement in nature, supporting digestive fire, and the science behind turmeric as a powerful anti-inflammatory when used intentionally.

Dr. Shivani Gupta is an Ayurvedic practitioner, PhD researcher, and author of The Inflammation Code, dedicated to helping people heal at the root and reconnect with their body’s wisdom.

What's Discussed:

(02:10) Daily rituals that help the body feel grounded and regulated

(08:00) Early signs of inflammation most people overlook

(11:20) What chronic inflammation really is and why it becomes the root of disease

(14:30) Ayurvedic constitutions and why personalized healing matters

(19:00) Life stages, perimenopause, and shifting inflammation patterns

(22:40) Turmeric science and why most supplements miss the mark

(31:10) Why herbal remedies take time and how to know they are working

(41:00) Digestion, digestive fire, and the gut as the center of healing

(53:30) Detox, nourishment, and restoring balance in a toxic modern world

Thank You to Our Sponsors:

Timeline: Supporting your cells is one of the most impactful places to invest in your long-term health. Shop Timeline Nutrition here and use code MONA at checkout to save.

IM8:  I’m always searching for wellness that’s simple, effective, and rooted in science. That’s why I love IM8, a daily drink with 92 nutrients designed to support energy, gut health, and longevity. Use code MONASHARMA10 for 10% off at im8health.com 

BIOptimizers: Go to bioptimizers.com/mona and use promo code MONA upon checkout to save 10% off your order!

Stress Quiz: The way you react to stress isn’t random, it’s rooted in your biology and lived experience. Discover your unique stress type + get a personalized healing plan to help you feel more calm, clear, and resilient. Take the quiz now:monasharma.com/quiz

Learn more about Mona Sharma:

• Download Your FREE Guide - 12 Wellness Tips to Unlock Your Best Health Now: Ready to reclaim your vitality? Download Mona’s 12 Wellness Tips and take actionable steps to transform your health, energy, and mindset. Get started now at https://monasharma.com/12tips. 

• Visit Mona's website: https://monasharma.com – Unlock powerful tools and wisdom rooted in wellness to elevate your health, energy, and clarity. Mona blends ancient healing practices with modern science to help you achieve lasting transformation.

• Follow Mona on Instagram: Stay connected with Mona for daily inspiration, holistic health tips, and personal growth. Join the conversation on Instagram at https://instagram.com/monasharma.
  

Learn more about Dr. Shivani Gupta:

Website: https://shivanigupta.com/
Instagram: @dr.shivanigupta

If you have tried cleanses, protocols, or lifestyle changes and still feel bloated, fatigued, hormonally off, or stuck in recurring symptoms, this episode offers a clearer way to understand what your body is asking for.

In today’s episode, I sit down with Meghan Swidler to explore detoxification as a foundational and restorative process rather than an extreme or short-term fix. We talk about how modern toxin exposure, stress, dehydration, and poor elimination quietly overload the body, even in people who eat well and prioritize their health. 

We unpack how the gut, liver, lymphatic system, kidneys, and nervous system work together to support detoxification, why detox pathways must be supported in the right order, and how jumping into aggressive cleanses can leave people feeling worse instead of better.

Meghan Swidler is a detox educator and author focused on restoring gut and liver function, reducing toxic burden, and supporting the body’s return to balance through practical, sustainable detox practices grounded in physiology.

What's Discussed:

(00:02) Why detox can feel ineffective even when you’re doing everything “right”

(06:10) How gut motility and elimination influence hormones, energy, and inflammation

(12:45) Liver congestion and its impact on skin, mood, and blood sugar

(20:30) Why aggressive cleanses backfire when detox pathways are not open

(28:50) The lymphatic system, movement, and supporting detox beyond diet alone

(36:40) Hydration, minerals, and what true cellular hydration actually means

(44:55) Heavy metals, parasites, and the importance of sequencing detox properly

(54:20) How nervous system regulation and daily rituals support long-term detox and healing

Learn more about Mona Sharma:

• Download Your FREE Guide - 12 Wellness Tips to Unlock Your Best Health Now: Ready to reclaim your vitality? Download Mona’s 12 Wellness Tips and take actionable steps to transform your health, energy, and mindset. Get started now at https://monasharma.com/12tips. 

• Visit Mona's website: https://monasharma.com – Unlock powerful tools and wisdom rooted in wellness to elevate your health, energy, and clarity. Mona blends ancient healing practices with modern science to help you achieve lasting transformation.

• Follow Mona on Instagram: Stay connected with Mona for daily inspiration, holistic health tips, and personal growth. Join the conversation on Instagram at https://instagram.com/monasharma.
  

Learn more about Meghan Swidler:
Website: https://meghanswidler.com
Instagram: @meghanswidler

Before anything shows up on a lab report, the body often signals imbalance through lived symptoms. Sleep becomes less restorative, emotional regulation takes more effort, focus shifts, and the nervous system feels less steady, even while test results still appear normal.

We dive deeper into this in the Rooted in Wellness with Dr. Chris Renna, DO. Together, we explore why a grounded sense of self is one of the most overlooked indicators of health, how lived experience can be more revealing than lab data, and what truly shifts hormonally between ages 45 and 55.

Dr. Chris Renna, DO, is the founder of LifeSpan Medicine and an early pioneer in longevity-focused care. He has over four decades of clinical experience across precision diagnostics, integrative medicine, neuroscience, and hormone health. His work focuses on personalized approaches to aging and long-term health optimization.

What’s Discussed:

(02:55) Why modern medicine manages disease rather than creates health
(07:28) Sense of self and restorative sleep as health markers
(11:42) Why “how you feel” can reveal more than lab results
(16:58) Early symptoms that appear long before diagnosis
(24:36) Diet, movement, sleep, and perspective as longevity foundations
(33:12) Fear-based wellness and its role in inflammation
(47:58) Hormonal shifts between ages 45–55 and biological management
(53:44) Gut health, inflammation, and functional signals 

Thank You to Our Sponsors:

• IM8: Try IM8 for 30 days as part of your holistic wellness practice. Your body deserves this level of comprehensive support. Visit https://im8health.com/

Learn more about Mona Sharma:

• Download Your FREE Guide - 12 Wellness Tips to Unlock Your Best Health Now: Ready to reclaim your vitality? Download Mona’s 12 Wellness Tips and take actionable steps to transform your health, energy, and mindset. Get started now at https://monasharma.com/12tips. 

• Visit Mona's website: https://monasharma.com – Unlock powerful tools and wisdom rooted in wellness to elevate your health, energy, and clarity. Mona blends ancient healing practices with modern science to help you achieve lasting transformation.

• Follow Mona on Instagram: Stay connected with Mona for daily inspiration, holistic health tips, and personal growth. Join the conversation on Instagram at https://instagram.com/monasharma.
  

Learn more about Dr. Chris Renna, DO:
Website: www.lifespanmedicine.com

You can eat well, journal daily, go to therapy, and still feel stuck in a body that won’t settle. When healing stays cognitive and skips the nervous system, regulation never fully happens and symptoms keep looping.

We dive deeper into this in the latest Rooted in Wellness episode with Britt Piper. We also chat about somatic healing, nervous system regulation, generational trauma, and why slowing down can feel more threatening than staying busy.

Britt Piper is a somatic practitioner, educator, and author whose work blends nervous system science with emotional and ancestral healing. Her background includes trauma studies, women’s wellness, and somatic experiencing. She specializes in translating complex neuroscience into grounded, body-based practices.

What’s Discussed:
(00:02) Why healing can stall when regulation stays cognitive instead of nervous system based
(05:10) How trauma lives in the body and shows up as anxiety, fatigue, pain, and burnout
(12:45) The difference between what happened to you and what your body didn’t receive
(18:30) Why slowing down can feel unsafe to a dysregulated nervous system
(26:10) Chronic stress, suppressed emotions, and long-term nervous system dysregulation
(33:40) How unprocessed trauma reshapes immune, hormonal, and digestive function
(41:20) Somatic healing versus talk therapy and why the body must be involved
(52:00) Presence, body awareness, and rebuilding safety from the inside out

Thank You to Our Sponsors:

Sunlighten: Experience the healing power of light for yourself.
Visit get.sunlighten.com/monasharma and use code MONA to save up to $1,400 on your own Sunlighten sauna; a space to recharge, restore, and reconnect with your body’s natural rhythm.

Learn more about Mona Sharma:

• Download Your FREE Guide - 12 Wellness Tips to Unlock Your Best Health Now: Ready to reclaim your vitality? Download Mona’s 12 Wellness Tips and take actionable steps to transform your health, energy, and mindset. Get started now at https://monasharma.com/12tips. 

• Visit Mona's website: https://monasharma.com – Unlock powerful tools and wisdom rooted in wellness to elevate your health, energy, and clarity. Mona blends ancient healing practices with modern science to help you achieve lasting transformation.

• Follow Mona on Instagram: Stay connected with Mona for daily inspiration, holistic health tips, and personal growth. Join the conversation on Instagram at https://instagram.com/monasharma.
  

Learn more about Britt Piper:
Instagram: @healwithbritt
Tiktok: @healwithbritt
Youtube: @HealwithBritt

If you have been dealing with brain fog, anxiety, chronic fatigue, mood changes, or symptoms that feel real but keep coming back with “normal” labs, this episode will help you understand what your brain and body are signaling beneath the surface.

In today’s episode, I sat down with Dr. Eboni Cornish to explore the biological roots of mental and emotional health through the lens of neuroinflammation. We discuss how chronic stress, hidden infections, toxins, and gut imbalances can disrupt brain function, hormones, and mood, often long before conventional testing catches it. We also talk about why conditions like Lyme disease and autoimmune patterns are frequently missed, how the gut-brain connection shapes mental health, and why cleansing without restoration can keep people stuck.

Dr. Eboni Cornish is a physician specializing in brain health and neuroinflammation, with a focus on integrating neuroscience, functional medicine, and compassionate, whole-person care.

What's Discussed:

(00:02) Why brain fog, anxiety, and fatigue can exist even when labs look normal

(06:00) How chronic stress becomes biological and impacts brain function

(11:00) Why cleansing without restoration can keep healing stuck

(15:55) What it means to view mental health as measurable brain biology

(21:30) Neuroinflammation, anxiety, and the gut–brain connection

(30:40) Hidden toxins and infections driving chronic symptoms in women

(35:50) Why Lyme and chronic infections are often misdiagnosed

(53:20) Hormones, perimenopause, and protecting long-term brain health

Thank You to Our Sponsors:

Sunlighten: Experience the healing power of light for yourself. Visitget.sunlighten.com/monasharma and use code MONA to save up to $1,400 on your own Sunlighten sauna; a space to recharge, restore, and reconnect with your body’s natural rhythm.

Learn more about Mona Sharma:

• Download Your FREE Guide - 12 Wellness Tips to Unlock Your Best Health Now: Ready to reclaim your vitality? Download Mona’s 12 Wellness Tips and take actionable steps to transform your health, energy, and mindset. Get started now at https://monasharma.com/12tips. 

• Visit Mona's website: https://monasharma.com – Unlock powerful tools and wisdom rooted in wellness to elevate your health, energy, and clarity. Mona blends ancient healing practices with modern science to help you achieve lasting transformation.

• Follow Mona on Instagram: Stay connected with Mona for daily inspiration, holistic health tips, and personal growth. Join the conversation on Instagram at https://instagram.com/monasharma.
  

Learn more about Dr. Eboni Cornish:
Instagram: @dr.ebonicornish 

What if the holidays become a space where you stay connected to yourself instead of feeling depleted by January? In Part 3 of the holiday solos, I bring together everything we have been exploring so you can support your body with clarity and steadiness. 

I share how alcohol affects digestion, sleep, inflammation, and energy, and what the liver truly needs this time of year. You will hear the simple practices I use to minimize bloating, calm the nervous system, and keep my rhythm steady without perfectionism or restriction.

We explore mindful drinking, gut friendly food choices, hydration rituals, and the supportive herbs and supplements that help your system recover with ease. I also talk about boundaries, emotional triggers, and how to stay grounded when gatherings feel overwhelming or routines fall apart.

This final part is an invitation to choose nourishment, intention, and self trust so you can move through the season feeling centered, supported, and well.

What's Discussed:

(00:06) The Holiday Season and Why Our Rhythm Shifts

(00:23) Today’s Focus: Supporting Your Body Through the Holidays

(00:30) Your Grounding Guide for the Season Ahead

(00:40) Alcohol, Digestion, Sleep, Boundaries, and Real Holiday Support

(01:12) Question Seven: Mindful Drinking and What the Liver Needs

(10:35) Tools for Bloating, Inflammation, and Gut Friendly Choices

(23:57) Closing Reflections and Holiday Nourishment

Learn more about Mona Sharma:

• Download Your FREE Guide - 12 Wellness Tips to Unlock Your Best Health Now: Ready to reclaim your vitality? Download Mona’s 12 Wellness Tips and take actionable steps to transform your health, energy, and mindset. Get started now at https://monasharma.com/12tips. 

• Visit Mona's website: https://monasharma.com – Unlock powerful tools and wisdom rooted in wellness to elevate your health, energy, and clarity. Mona blends ancient healing practices with modern science to help you achieve lasting transformation.

Follow Mona on Instagram: Stay connected with Mona for daily inspiration, holistic health tips, and personal growth. Join the conversation on Instagram at https://instagram.com/monasharma.