This is StRest! Board-certified physician Dr. Carrie Demers joins Kerstin live from the Himalayan Institute in the Poconos to break down Ayurveda in plain English—and explain how it can work alongside Western medicine without the “woo.” Dr. Demers shares why people trust her “foot in both worlds” approach, why modern medicine shines in emergencies but often fails chronic issues, and why pills rarely fix the root problem.

They walk through the doshas (vata, pitta, kapha), why routines (Dinacharya) matter more than perfection, and how stress drives inflammation through the nervous system. Dr. Demers gives practical tools: tongue scraping, warm water, grounding practices, movement, and diaphragmatic breathing that trains the body into safety and recovery. They also talk herbs like ashwagandha, shatavari, turmeric, and saffron—plus how to think about adaptogens, food experiments (like a gluten break), and avoiding herb–drug interactions.

Dr. Demers runs the wellness center at the Himalayan Institute and has spent decades helping patients rebuild resilience by starting with the basics: breathe, move, eat real food, and build a weekly routine that actually fits real life. Her bottom line: focus on what’s out of balance right now, run small experiments, and stop treating your body like the enemy.

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CHAPTERS

00:00 Why integrative care matters

01:34 Why they came to the Institute

05:40 Dr. Demers’ origin story

06:54 What Ayurveda actually is

08:57 Dinacharya: routine basics

10:25 Doshas explained fast

16:02 Midlife hormones + doshas

Ayurveda vs. Anxiety: The Routine That Calms Inflammation with Dr. Carrie Demers