Wisdom of the Body

181. Sam Sussman on Parents and Family History

Ayurvedic practitioner and author Heather Grzych talks with novelist Sam Sussman, author of the bestselling novel Boy from the North Country, in a candid conversation about parents, family history, and the stories we inherit without choosing. Together they explore how personal loss becomes fiction, how caregiving rewires the body, and what it means to grow up in the long shadow of myth, especially when people can't help but wonder if you might be Bob Dylan's son. Sam reflects on transforming intimate family truths into narrative, while Heather brings her embodied lens to the ways lineage shapes identity, creativity, and the emotional patterns we carry. This is a conversation about grief, legacy, and the strange wisdom inside the histories we're born into. Heather Grzych, ADLC is an American author and expert in Ayurvedic medicine who was formerly the president of the National Ayurvedic Medical Association and the head of product development for a multi-billion-dollar health insurance company. She also serves part of the faculty at Mount Madonna Institute College of Ayurveda. Heather's first book, The Ayurvedic Guide to Fertility [https://amzn.to/3Hb9Rhy], has sold thousands of copies worldwide, and her writing has been featured in Sports Illustrated, Yoga Journal, and the Sunday Independent. Her podcast, Wisdom of the Body [https://www.heathergrzych.com/wisdom-of-the-body-podcast], holds an average rating of 5 stars on Apple Podcasts and is in the top 2.5% of podcasts globally. Sam Sussman is the author of the USA Today Bestselling debut novel Boy From the North Country [https://amzn.to/4adoIrq]. The novel was named Oprah's most anticipated debut novel of the fall, hailed by Kirkus as "the most beautiful and moving mother-son story in recent memory," and Sam was recently profiled in the New York Times. Boy From the North Country is based on Sam's Harper's Magazine memoir The Silent Type on (possibly) being Bob Dylan's son. Sam graduated with a BA Swarthmore and M.Phil from Oxford and has lived in Jerusalem and Berlin. He lives in the Yorkville neighborhood of Manhattan and his native Hudson Valley. http://www.samevansussman.org/ [http://www.samevansussman.org/] Connect with Heather: Learn more at www.heathergrzych.com [http://www.heathergrzych.com/] Instagram.com/heathergrzych Facebook.com/grzychheather Read the first six pages of The Ayurvedic Guide to Fertility for FREE: https://www.heathergrzych.com [https://www.heathergrzych.com/book-online] Connect with Heather to balance your health with Ayurveda: https://www.heathergrzych.com/book-online [https://www.heathergrzych.com/book-online]

180. Heather Grzych on the Tragic History of the Swastika

Author and Ayurvedic practitioner Heather Grzych explores the tragic and complex history of the swastika — a sacred symbol of well-being and auspiciousness in Indian traditions that was later twisted by the Nazis into one of the most feared emblems of hatred in modern history. Heather traces how the symbol's meaning shifted as it crossed cultural and historical boundaries, reflecting on how words and images can be deliberately or unconsciously transformed over time. Drawing from her background in Ayurveda, as a writer, and her personal experience as an American mother of child from a Jewish lineage, she asks whether a symbol can ever be healed, and how awareness, empathy, and communication might help us reconnect to the body of meaning beneath the wounds of history. Heather Grzych, ADLC is an American author and expert in Ayurvedic medicine who was formerly the president of the National Ayurvedic Medical Association and the head of product development for a multi-billion-dollar health insurance company. Heather's first book, The Ayurvedic Guide to Fertility [https://amzn.to/3Hb9Rhy], has sold thousands of copies worldwide, and her writing has been featured in Sports Illustrated, Yoga Journal, and the Sunday Independent. Her podcast, Wisdom of the Body [https://www.heathergrzych.com/wisdom-of-the-body-podcast], holds an average rating of 5 stars on Apple Podcasts and is in the top 2.5% of podcasts globally. Connect with Heather: Learn more at www.heathergrzych.com [http://www.heathergrzych.com/] Instagram.com/heathergrzych Facebook.com/grzychheather Read the first six pages of The Ayurvedic Guide to Fertility for FREE: https://www.heathergrzych.com [https://www.heathergrzych.com/book-online] Connect with Heather to balance your health with Ayurveda: https://www.heathergrzych.com/book-online [https://www.heathergrzych.com/book-online]

179. Wendy Valentine on Midlife Crisis vs. Awakening

Wellness expert and author Heather Grzych talks with Wendy Valentine, author of Women Waking Up: The Midlife Manifesto for Passion, Purpose, and Play and host of The Midlife Makeover Show. Together they explore how midlife can be a time of awakening rather than crisis: a moment to shed old roles, rediscover joy, and say yes to the life waiting beyond fear. Wendy opens up about divorce, grief, and the courage it takes to reinvent yourself publicly, while Heather reflects on the cycles of transformation that every woman faces. This is a conversation about passion, purpose, and learning to trust the process of becoming who you really are. Heather Grzych, ADLC is an American author and expert in Ayurvedic medicine who was formerly the president of the National Ayurvedic Medical Association and the head of product development for a multi-billion-dollar health insurance company. She also serves part of the faculty at Mount Madonna Institute College of Ayurveda. Heather's first book, The Ayurvedic Guide to Fertility [https://amzn.to/3Hb9Rhy], has sold thousands of copies worldwide, and her writing has been featured in Sports Illustrated, Yoga Journal, and the Sunday Independent. Her podcast, Wisdom of the Body [https://www.heathergrzych.com/wisdom-of-the-body-podcast], holds an average rating of 5 stars on Apple Podcasts and is in the top 2.5% of podcasts globally. Wendy Valentine is author of Women Waking Up: The Midlife Manifesto for Passion, Purpose, and Play and host of The Midlife Makeover Show, which is a top-rated podcast for women in midlife. Wendy helps women kick fear to the curb, reignite their spark, and wake up to what's possible. Learn more at http://www.WendyValentine.com [http://www.wendyvalentine.com/]. Connect with Heather: Learn more at www.heathergrzych.com [http://www.heathergrzych.com/] Instagram.com/heathergrzych Facebook.com/grzychheather Read the first six pages of The Ayurvedic Guide to Fertility for FREE: https://www.heathergrzych.com [https://www.heathergrzych.com/book-online] Connect with Heather to balance your health with Ayurveda: https://www.heathergrzych.com/book-online [https://www.heathergrzych.com/book-online]

178. Heather Grzych on Reinventing Primary Care

Author and Ayurvedic practitioner Heather Grzych explores what it means to reinvent primary care through the lens of Ayurveda. She reflects on how modern medicine is good at fixing the body when it breaks, while Ayurveda teaches us to listen long before disease appears. Drawing from her own journey — from studying ancient Ayurvedic methods to partnering with doctors and reading blood work — Heather invites listeners to reimagine a healthcare system rooted in prevention, relationship, and vitality. The episode closes with a short meditation that envisions a future where primary care truly honors the wisdom of the body. Heather Grzych, ADLC is an American author and expert in Ayurvedic medicine who was formerly the president of the National Ayurvedic Medical Association and the head of product development for a multi-billion-dollar health insurance company. Heather's first book, The Ayurvedic Guide to Fertility [https://amzn.to/3Hb9Rhy], has sold thousands of copies worldwide, and her writing has been featured in Sports Illustrated, Yoga Journal, and the Sunday Independent. Her podcast, Wisdom of the Body [https://www.heathergrzych.com/wisdom-of-the-body-podcast], holds an average rating of 5 stars on Apple Podcasts and is in the top 2.5% of podcasts globally. Connect with Heather: Learn more at www.heathergrzych.com [http://www.heathergrzych.com/] Instagram.com/heathergrzych Facebook.com/grzychheather Read the first six pages of The Ayurvedic Guide to Fertility for FREE: https://www.heathergrzych.com [https://www.heathergrzych.com/book-online] Connect with Heather to balance your health with Ayurveda: https://www.heathergrzych.com/book-online [https://www.heathergrzych.com/book-online]

177. Kirti Tewani on Ayurveda, Beauty and Vulnerability on Social Media

Author and Ayurvedic practitioner Heather Grzych sits down with Kirti Tewani to explore a refreshingly holistic and creative approach to beauty, wellness, and Ayurveda. They discuss everything from resisting cultural norms like gray hair and navigating natural beauty influences, to the lessons we inherit from our mothers about health. Kirti shares insights on the joy of skincare routines, the role of Ayurvedic practices like oil pulling, and the importance of listening to what our bodies truly need: including sleep, stress management, and understanding subtle cues, or our "inner body voice." They dive into how travel, local culture, and city living affect wellness, why no one owns Ayurveda, and how even reading a single book can shift your perspective on your body and the world. Along the way, they explore how beauty and wellness are inseparable, the power of silence, and why age isn't always the culprit behind back pain - all underscoring a deeply personal, mindful, and culturally rich approach to health. Heather Grzych, ADLC is an American author and expert in Ayurvedic medicine who was formerly the president of the National Ayurvedic Medical Association and the head of product development for a multi-billion-dollar health insurance company. She also serves part of the faculty at Mount Madonna Institute College of Ayurveda. Heather's first book, The Ayurvedic Guide to Fertility [https://amzn.to/3Hb9Rhy], has sold thousands of copies worldwide, and her writing has been featured in Sports Illustrated, Yoga Journal, and the Sunday Independent. Her podcast, Wisdom of the Body [https://www.heathergrzych.com/wisdom-of-the-body-podcast], holds an average rating of 5 stars on Apple Podcasts and is in the top 2.5% of podcasts globally. Kirti Tewani is an entrepreneur, storyteller, and wellness advocate who is passionate about blending ancient wisdom with modern living. With a background rooted in Ayurveda, beauty, and wellness, Kirti's mission is to make holistic living simple, approachable, and inspiring. You can find her very active on social media channels, including Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kirtitewani/?hl=en [https://www.instagram.com/kirtitewani/?hl=en] Connect with Heather: Learn more at www.heathergrzych.com [http://www.heathergrzych.com/] Instagram.com/heathergrzych Facebook.com/grzychheather Read the first six pages of The Ayurvedic Guide to Fertility for FREE: https://www.heathergrzych.com [https://www.heathergrzych.com/book-online] Connect with Heather to balance your health with Ayurveda: https://www.heathergrzych.com/book-online [https://www.heathergrzych.com/book-online]