n this week’s article of our Rediscovering Ayurveda series, we interviewed Dr. Nikhita Shere.
Meet Dr. Nikhita Shere
Along with being a student of ancient scriptures of Sanskrit and Ayurveda, Dr. Nikhita has excelled in a plethora of disciplines. She is an independent Ayurveda consultant, an Ayurveda educator, a content creator, and a blogger! The latter being the latest addition to her list of achievements. During her journey of being a holistic healthcare consultant, her inquisitive mind realized the complexity of contemporary issues. As a result, she is now endowed with incredible talents such as Reiki healing and emotional behavioral therapy. Her core belief, as she describes it, is
“Spreading the wisdom of Ayurveda as a sustainable practice brings us closer to our roots and ensures mindful choices.”
The Beginning
The journey of young Nikhita as an ayurvedic practitioner begins with an incredible inspiration—her mother. She conveys her gratitude and mentions
My mother has been a major inspiration in carving me into who I am, not just as an individual but in my professional journey as well. I remember that early on in childhood, I grew up asking her questions about which fruits I should eat and how they would benefit me. She is a Naturopath and always discourages unnecessary medications, opting instead for fasting that heals from within.
It was during Dr. Nikhita’s teenage years that her interest in alternate forms of medicine was piqued. Once emanated, it was like an ever-growing vine. After experiencing the magic of Vedic medicine herself, there was no turning back!
Fast-forwarding to 2022
Dr. Nikhita is a holistic wellness consultant associated with corporate health and wellness training programs. During our conversations, we came across a concerning statistic that states: around 77% of employees experience physical effects of stress. Though its implications might not be obvious at first, workspace stress can affect our quality of life. That being the case, maintaining a work-health-life balance becomes important. But how? Let’s hear some tips from our expert!
Work-Life-Health Balance
Dr. Nikhita’s answer to this begins by mentioning Ayurveda’s focal point-routines. All three, Dincharya, Ratricharya, and Ritucharya, preach the importance of self-discipline and consistency. Creating a routine helps us establish healthy eating habits and set boundaries while also saving some “me-time” for ourselves. This rejuvenating wellness regimen improves focus, increases productivity, and eliminates bothersome uncertainty.
As much as it’s important to have a routine, designing a realistic one is crucial too. Dr. Nikhita totally gets this! And hence, she decided to share hers with us.
Dincharya
Beginning your day with a detox is a must. And Dr. Nikhita is a strong believer in this idea. She begins her day with a glass full of warm water, which flushes out all the toxins in her body. She then nurtures her body with a scoop of chyawanprash. For those of you wondering what Chyawanprash is, it is an ayurvedic preparation filled with rich nutrients that charge up our bodies for a busy day. Her favorite part of the routine consists of movement and Vyayam (breathing exercise). “The intensity and duration of this vyayam are determined by Ritucharya,” she adds. When we asked her about the type of meals she’d prefer, she said, “Any light meal that is mindfully and freshly prepared!” Another fascinating habit we came across is her proclivity for sitting cross-legged on the floor while eating. The rationale behind this is that in Sukhasana, blood circulation throughout the body is even, which in turn speeds the absorption of nutrients in the body. Following this, she expresses gratitude and begins her day looking forward to new learning and opportunities!
Also read: Rediscovering Ayurveda x Shweta Hiremath
Ratricharya
Night routines are supposed to alleviate the stress we’ve harbored throughout the day. Dr. Nikhita does this by doing a foot massage called “Padabhyangam” with Shatdhout Ghee at bedtime. Some other activities suggested by Ayurveda include performing Abhyanga, meditation, performing restorative yogasanas for posture improvement, and taking a walk under the stars.
After having a wholesome conversation on the effectiveness of routines, we asked Dr. Nikhita, “What is the secret to having glowing skin, a healthy body, and an unbeatable immunity?” Admit it or not, we ALL dream of this trio 😉
Secret to having the power trinity
Her answer to this was three simple, controllable factors that we often ignore. Diet, digestion, and sleep. She says, “First is diet and digestion. One without another is never going to be effective.”
Secondly, having a healthy sleep cycle is an integral component to achieving good health, healthy skin, and healthy hair. Conclusively, she mentions the importance of being physically active. Physical activity here does not necessarily mean that we get a gym subscription. It refers to any hobby or activity that will work up our muscles and keep the oil in our joints intact.
Our best efforts may not look the same every day. Some days you might have the energy to tick off everything on your list. On the other days, attending a meeting may seem like a task. On such days, we remind ourselves of what keeps us motivated.
This question piqued our curiosity in understanding Dr. Nikhita’s motivation, and her answer to this has been exhilarating. She says, and we quote
” My community, every person I have met, who may or may not have been my patient but loves Ayurveda or has been impacted by Ayurveda, motivates me. It keeps me focused on my purpose and helps me push myself to find ways in which I can share this beautiful science of Ayurveda in innovative ways to make it adaptable to urban lives. The most rewarding part of my job is to hear back healing stories where Ayurveda has helped transform and cause recovery in an individual’s life. These are the moments that I look forward to every single day. “
Dr. Nikhita’s Message
Make your journey your own, allow yourself to gain awareness in each experience you seek and give back as much as you can. This is a mantra that I follow and I hope that it helps all those who want to learn about the science of life and themselves. I truly believe that learning never ends, and it’s never too late to start! Keep studying and applying what you learn; to evolve is to grow, so never stop learning.
Which Amrutam Product would you love to try and why?
I would love to try the Amrutam Chyawanprash as it’s enriched with all the rejuvenating and immunizing Ayurvedic herbs and prepared in the most traditional manner. It would be great to incorporate this into my morning routine!
