Rooted in Wellness with Mona Sharma

What if the most overlooked pillar of your health isn’t food, sleep, or exercise, but your relationships?In this episode, I sit down with Shawn Stevenson, bestselling author and host of The Model Health Show, to explore how connection shapes everything from your stress response to your metabolism, gut health, and even gene expression.Shawn shares his journey of healing from a spinal diagnosis at 20, and how building a culture of connection, through food, family, and presence, transformed not only his body, but his entire life.We talk about why eating together is a healing ritual, how loneliness affects your biology, and why being seen and supported is essential for long-term wellbeing.Shawn Stevenson is a nutritionist, researcher, and the creator of The Model Health Show. Shawn is the author of the international bestsellers Sleep Smarter and Eat Smarter, which have been published in over 20 countries. His work bridges the gap between evidence-based health strategies and real-world application, with a focus on metabolic health, sleep science, and the impact of social and environmental factors on long-term wellbeing.What's Discussed:(00:00) Rooted in Wellness: Opening the conversation on healing through connection(04:45) From processed foods to healing: Shawn’s turning point and early health awakening(14:49) How community and relationships reshape your biology(29:03) Creative family rituals that build lasting bonds(38:28) Cooking as connection: empowering wellness through shared meals(47:18) Belief and biology: how mindset influences gene expression(54:04) What your biological age reveals, and why self-quantification isn’t everything(01:30:53) Your relationships are the most powerful wellness tool you haveThank You to Our Sponsors:Pulsetto: If you’ve been feeling anxious, burnt out, or disconnected from your body, Pulsetto is a gentle, wearable tool that supports your vagus nerve, the gateway to your rest-and-restore state. Try it for 10% off at pulsetto.sjv.io/MONA with code MONA.Rooted Academy: Join Rooted Academy by Mona Sharma, a science-backed, community-driven wellness platform designed to help you heal from within. https://www.monasharma.com/rooted12 Tips: 12 tips: Small shifts, big energy, feel clearer, brighter, and more like you.Download my 12 wellness tips with Dr. Mark Hyman: monasharma.com/12tipsLearn 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 Shawn Stevenson: Website: https://themodelhealthshow.com Instagram: https://instagram.com/shawnmodelPodcast: https://themodelhealthshow.com/podcasts Books: Eat Smarter, Sleep Smarter

What if eating at the wrong time is silently sabotaging your energy, hormones, and mood?In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Rupy Aujla, medical doctor and founder of The Doctor’s Kitchen, to explore how syncing your meals, movement, and light exposure with your circadian rhythm can recalibrate your entire system.Dr. Rupy and I explain how inflammation disrupts your brain and metabolism, why late-night eating throws your hormones off track, and how simple daily rituals can reignite your energy and clarity. We also unpack the science of timing, why joy matters in your healing journey, and how sustainable habits can reconnect you to your body’s natural rhythm.This conversation is a refreshing blend of science and soul, practical, grounded, and full of tools to help you feel vibrant again, without the overwhelm.Dr. Rupy Aujla is a medical doctor, best-selling author, and founder of The Doctor’s Kitchen, who discovered the power of food as medicine after facing his own health scare in his early twenties. His journey led him to bridge the gap between nutrition and conventional medicine, showing that lifestyle isn’t just supportive, it’s foundational.We Also Discuss:(00:00) What Ancient Wisdom Can Teach Us About Healing Today(09:40) Dr. Rupy’s Turning Point: From Exhaustion to Empowerment(19:20) Your Body’s Hidden Clock: Why Timing Is Everything(29:00) Eat, Move, Rest: Syncing with Your Natural Rhythms(38:40) Food That Loves You Back: A Joyful Approach to Eating(48:20) Tiny Shifts, Big Results: The Power of Daily Rituals(58:00) Inflammation, Mood, and Energy: How It’s All Connected(01:07:40) Reclaiming Balance: Tools to Feel Like Yourself AgainThank You to Our Sponsors:Pendulum: Nourish your gut, support your whole body, head to pendulumlife.com and use code MONA for 20% off your first membership order.12 tips: Small shifts, big energy—feel clearer, brighter, and more like you.Download my 12 wellness tips with Dr. Mark Hyman: monasharma.com/12tipsStress 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/quizLearn 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. Rupy Aujla: Website: https://www.thedoctorskitchen.com/ Instagram: @doctors_kitchen 

What if the root of your symptoms isn’t in your head or your hormones, but in your gut?In this episode, I sit down with Kiran Krishnan, microbiologist and founder of Microbiome Labs, to explore why the gut is so much more than a digestive system. It’s the control center for your mood, your energy, your hormones, and your healing.Kiran breaks down how the gut and brain communicate, why stress disrupts your entire microbiome, and what most people get wrong about probiotics. We also explore the surprising role of fiber in longevity, how early morning light sets your gut rhythm, and why sometimes the simplest habits are the most powerful medicine.This conversation is a grounded, science-backed invitation to stop fighting your body, and start supporting it. Because when you understand your gut, you understand yourself.Kiran Krishnan is a research microbiologist and co-founder of Microbiome Labs. He has spent his career studying the gut-brain axis and helping people shift from symptom management to root-cause healing. Through his work, Kiran empowers people to trust their body’s intelligence and embrace daily rituals that create lasting balance.We Also Discuss:2:10 – What your gut is really doing when you're stressed, tired, or overwhelmed13:25 – The gut-brain connection explained simply: how your body "talks" to itself26:40 – Why fiber is more powerful than any supplement (and how to get enough)39:50 – Daily habits that regulate your nervous system and support gut repair53:05 – The truth about probiotics: what works, what doesn’t, and why1:05:15 – Hormones, inflammation, and gut health: how it’s all connected1:17:30 – Breath, sound, and light: ancient tools that reset your microbiome1:30:45 – What the future holds for personalized gut healing (and where to begin)Thank You to Our Sponsors: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.Ifit: Movement is medicine. iFIT makes it personal, science-backed, and ready for you anytime, anywhere. Explore more at iFIT.com.Rooted Academy: Join Rooted Academy by Mona Sharma, a science-backed, community-driven wellness platform designed to help you heal from within. Start your journey to balance, vitality, and lasting transformation. https://www.monasharma.com/rootedLearn 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 Kiran Krishnan:Website: https://rebelhealth.co/byrg-mod1-offer-48hr/ Website: microbiomelabs.com ​​Instagram: @kiranbiome

Discover the transformative power of returning to yourself for healing. Explore the unique scribble practice for emotional release and reconnect with your inner child, embracing joy and wonder. Understand why focusing on identity beats mere discipline in your wellness journey. Celebrate community support and the basics of well-being, like breath and sunlight, while letting go of what's holding you back. This is your chance to embody a healthier, more authentic version of yourself!

What if the way back to health isn’t about doing more, but about listening more deeply?In this episode, I sit down with Seamus Mullen, award-winning chef, health coach, and chronic illness thriver, to explore how true healing begins when we shift from control to connection.Seamus shares how his journey through autoimmune illness led him to reimagine food as nourishment, not restriction. We dive into the emotional and physical reset of fasting, how detoxing from modern toxins changed his vitality, and the unexpected healing that came from reconnecting with animals and energy.This conversation unpacks what most wellness plans overlook: the impact of environmental toxins, the spiritual dimension of healing, and the quiet power of choosing rest over hustle. Seamus reminds us that healing isn’t a destination, it’s a remembering.Seamus Mullen is an award-winning chef, health coach, and author who transformed his life after a near-death experience with chronic autoimmune disease. Through his personal story, Seamus reminds us that healing is possible, even when it feels out of reach—and that sometimes, the most powerful medicine is believing in your ability to begin again.We Also Discuss:(00:02) From Breakdown to Breakthrough: Our Healing Stories(08:44) Autoimmunity Isn’t a Life Sentence—Here’s Where to Start(14:56) Terrain Theory: Why Your Inner Ecosystem Matters(19:26) Lifestyle as Medicine: The Daily Shifts That Heal(28:26) Fasting for Clarity, Energy & Cellular Repair(48:22) Animal Wisdom & the Power of Energetic Connection(56:18) Co-Regulation: Why Healing Doesn’t Happen Alone(01:15:01) Becoming the Healer of Your Own LifeThank You to Our Sponsors:Pendulum: Nourish your gut, support your whole body, head to pendulumlife.com and use code MONA for 20% off your first membership order.iFit: Movement is medicine, iFIT makes it personal, science-backed, and ready for you anytime, anywhere. Explore more at iFIT.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 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/quizLearn 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 Seamus MullenWebsite: seamusmullen.com Instagram: @seamusmullen

What if the key to healing isn’t more effort—but a shift in your frequency?In this episode, I invite you to explore a different kind of wellness—one rooted in emotion, energy, and intention. You’ll uncover why the way you feel each morning shapes every health decision you make, and how aligning with your core values becomes your blueprint for true healing.I dive into the science of vibration, how unprocessed emotions can block detox pathways, and why clearing must come before nourishing. I also share simple, grounded practices to reconnect with your body’s wisdom and begin healing from the inside out.If you’ve been trying all the right things but still feel off, this episode is a permission slip to pause, go inward, and reset your inner state.Because real healing begins not with doing more—but with feeling more aligned, clear, and calm in your own body.I Also Discuss:00:00 – Vibration, emotions & why how you feel in the morning matters03:00 – Core values exercise: how your frequency reveals your healing blueprint10:00 – The science of vibrational frequencies & how they shape our choices15:00 – Using your core emotion as a daily compass for healing20:00 – Why detox must come before nourishment (and how to begin gently)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.

What if your brain fog, cramps, or sleep issues aren’t random—but your cells calling out for minerals?In this episode, I sit down with Caroline Alan, co-founder of BEAM Minerals, to explore why mineral depletion is one of the most overlooked causes of fatigue, brain fog, hormonal imbalance, and more. We dive into how humic and fulvic minerals support cellular energy, detox, and hydration—and why our modern world quietly strips them away.We also discuss how a few drops of plant-based minerals helped her recover from years of chronic symptoms, burnout, and gut issues—and together, we unpack how to gently restore your body’s ecosystem using nature’s original medicine.Caroline Alan is the co-founder of BEAM Minerals and a passionate advocate for cellular health through plant-based mineral replenishment. Caroline blends personal experience with deep research to empower people to reconnect with nature and nourish their bodies at the root level.Thank You to Our Sponsors:Cymbiotika: Bo to https://partners.cymbiotika.com/MONASHARMA for 20% off your first orderPendulum: Go to https://pendulumlife.com/ and use code MONA for 20% off all Pendulum membership first ordersIFit: iFIT delivers interactive, science-backed workouts from world-class trainers for use at home, in the gym, or on the go. Whether you’re doing cardio, lifting weights, or Pilates, every workout adapts to your needs and goals. It’s fitness, informed by science and made personal. Learn more at https://www.ifit.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/12tipsStress 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/quizLearn 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 Caroline Alan:Website: https://beamminerals.comInstagram: @carolinealan.officialInstagram: @beamminerals

What if the first step in healing isn’t a new supplement or test—but learning how to feel safe in your own body?In this episode, I’m guiding you through the foundational (yet often overlooked) first step in any healing journey: regulating your nervous system. We explore why your body can’t heal when it’s stuck in fight-or-flight, how to recognize the subtle signs of chronic stress, and the ancient rituals that help us come back home to ourselves—starting with the breath.I also share the deeply personal story of how my own health unraveled in my 20s—despite doing “everything right”—and how it took walking away from the noise of modern wellness to remember what healing truly feels like.This episode is an invitation to soften. To get curious. To stop chasing protocols and start listening to your inner wisdom. We’ll walk through breathwork, circadian rhythms, and the power of building your own sanctuary for rest—because you deserve to feel good again.If your symptoms feel confusing, your stress feels constant, or you just need a moment of grounding... this is for you.We Also Discuss:(00:00) Welcome to Rooted Reboot: Your Safe Space to Begin Again(05:16) The Wake-Up Call: How My Heart Led Me Back to Ancient Wisdom(18:18) Your Breath Is Your Superpower: 4-7-8 for Calm & Clarity(27:04) The Wellness Trap: Why Information Overload Keeps Us Sick(38:14) Shift Your State, Change Your Life(44:28) Syncing with the Sun: Healing Through Rhythm(53:05) Build Your Own Ashram: Sanctuary Starts at Home(01:13:58) Visualize, Feel, Heal: A Journey Back to YouLearn 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.Thank you for Our Sponsors:12 tips: Small shifts, big energy—feel clearer, brighter, and more like you. Download my 12 wellness tips with Dr. Mark Hyman: monasharma.com/12tipsStress 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

What if your anxiety isn’t just emotional—but something deeper starting in your gut?In this episode of Rooted in Wellness, I sit down with Dr. Uma Naidoo, Harvard-trained nutritional psychiatrist and bestselling author of Calm Your Mind with Food, to explore the powerful link between what we eat and how we feel. We unpack how artificial sweeteners, processed foods, and even “healthy” snacks can silently disrupt your gut-brain connection—impacting mood, focus, and emotional resilience.Uma shares her own healing journey through cancer, and how simple, grounding meals became her medicine. You’ll learn why your microbiome matters, how to spot food-mood triggers, and which everyday habits can help soothe anxiety from the inside out.Dr. Uma Naidoo is a Harvard-trained nutritional psychiatrist, professional chef, and bestselling author of Calm Your Mind with Food. She’s also the founder of the first U.S. hospital-based nutritional psychiatry clinic at Mass General.We Also Discuss:00:53 – What’s really happening to our gut and skin with artificial sweeteners?02:49 – The myth of the “perfect” diet—and why ancient wisdom still works09:43 – Uma’s cancer diagnosis and how food became her medicine14:50 – Why your mood swings might start in your microbiome21:46 – The missing link in most mental health prescriptions28:14 – Processed foods, pandemic habits, and how they rewired our brains37:14 – The hidden anxiety triggers lurking in everyday ingredients48:38 – Uma’s SOAR method: a gentle reset for clarity, calm, and energyThank You to Our Sponsors: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.Pendulum: Nourish your gut, support your whole body—head to pendulumlife.com and use code MONA for 20% off your first membership order.Cymbiotika: I Cymbiotika daily—and only recommend what I actually love.Get 20% off at Cymbiotika.com/MONASHARMA — code MONASHARMA.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. Uma NaidooWebsite: https://umanaidoomd.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drumanaidooBook: https://umanaidoomd.com/pages/calm-your-mind-with-food

What if your brain fog isn’t just stress—or your anxiety isn’t just “in your head”? What if it’s inflammation quietly hijacking your mind and body?In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Austin Perlmutter to uncover the hidden epidemic of neuroinflammation and how modern life is silently reshaping our brain health. We explore why so many of us feel disconnected, overwhelmed, or “off,” and how tuning back into nature, rhythm, and inner wisdom can be a radical form of healing.You’ll learn how to spot early signs of inflammation, how everyday toxins and tech impact your brain, and what it really means to feel rooted and well.Dr. Austin Perlmutter is a board-certified internal medicine doctor and bestselling author who blends neuroscience with holistic living to help people reconnect—with their health, their purpose, and their peace.We Also Discuss:03:09 – Why true healing begins with reconnection08:15 – The surprising signs you’ve “drifted” from yourself18:11 – Brain fog, anxiety, and the overlooked root: inflammation28:42 – The prescription that’s missing from your doctor’s office44:18 – Everyday habits that silently inflame your brain50:14 – What are you really digesting? The sensory detox we all need01:07:18 – High-vibration food and the joy of eating with awarenessThank You to Our Sponsors:Pendulum: Nourish your gut, support your whole body—head to pendulumlife.com and use code MONA for 20% off your first membership order.iFit: Movement is medicine—iFIT makes it personal, science-backed, and ready for you anytime, anywhere. Explore more at iFIT.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/12tipsLearn 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. Austin Perlmutter:Website: https://www.austinperlmutter.com Instagram: @draustinperlmutter Instagram: @breathelichen