The Curious Cardiologist

In this episode of The Curious Cardiologist, Dr. Sanjay Bhojraj sits down with Dr. Shivani Gupta, PhD in Ayurvedic medicine, founder of Fusionary Formulas, and author of The Inflammation Code.

Together, they explore why Ayurveda — a 5,000-year-old system of medicine — may be more relevant than ever in a modern world defined by chronic inflammation, burnout, disrupted circadian rhythms, and one-size-fits-all wellness trends.

This conversation bridges ancient wisdom and modern science, reframing inflammation, gut health, sleep, fasting, and metabolic health through the lens of personalized, lifestyle-based medicine.

If you’ve ever felt like you’re “doing all the right things” but still feel off — this episode is for you.

👇 Watch until the end for practical, simple ways to apply Ayurveda to your daily life.
⏱️ Chapters / Timestamps
00:01 – Welcome & introduction to Dr. Shivani Gupta
 01:44 – What Ayurveda really is (and why it aligns with functional medicine)
 02:57 – Doshas as the original personalized medicine
 04:14 – Elemental Design: air, fire, earth explained
 06:15 – Vata (air): anxiety, gut issues, grounding strategies
 08:53 – Pitta (fire): inflammation, burnout, cooling the system
 10:21 – Kapha (earth): metabolism, weight, mood, movement
 12:36 – How seasons & life events shift your constitution
 15:06 – Ayurveda vs genomics: two paths to personalization
 18:20 – Why intermittent fasting & trends don’t work for everyone
 22:44 – Why Ayurveda matters more than ever today
 26:14 – Micro-rituals to reset the nervous system
 29:17 – Tongue scraping, oil pulling, dry brushing, self-massage
 35:34 – Food timing & the Ayurvedic circadian diet
 37:41 – Super spices & the science of turmeric
 50:46 – Supplement quality & why formulation matters
 54:33 – Dr. Gupta’s Top 5 Ayurveda “Start Here” moves
 59:01 – Rapid-fire questions (nachos, Italy, race cars)
 01:01:54 – Where to find Dr. Gupta + listener discount
 01:02:38 – Final thoughts & outro
🧠 What You’ll Learn in This Episode
  • Why Ayurveda is the original root-cause & lifestyle medicine
  • The three Ayurvedic constitutions (Vata, Pitta, Kapha) explained simply
  • How circadian rhythm affects inflammation, digestion, and sleep
  • Why some people feel worse with fasting, cold exposure, or extreme wellness trends
  • Simple Ayurvedic rituals that support gut health, lymphatic flow, and nervous system regulation
  • The real science behind turmeric and Ayurvedic “super spices”
  • Why healing starts when you stop fighting your nature
Practical Takeaways
Dr. Gupta shares her Top 5 Ayurveda Moves anyone can start today:
  1. Learn your Elemental Design (Ayurvedic constitution)
  2. Use a copper tongue scraper daily
  3. Align your day with circadian rhythm & sunlight
  4. Protect sleep — especially the 10pm–2am window
  5. Use turmeric strategically to lower inflammation (with lifestyle support)
🔗 Guest Links & Resources
🎟 Listener Discount Code: CURIOUS15
👉 15% off at checkout (mentioned in the episode)
👍 Support the Show
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What is The Curious Cardiologist?

Rethinking heart health, one question at a time.

I’m Dr. Sanjay Bhojraj—interventional cardiologist, functional medicine expert, and lifelong student of what really keeps us well. In this podcast, we go beyond prescriptions and procedures to explore the deeper drivers of health, disease, and healing.

From inflammation to intuition, cholesterol to consciousness, I sit down with doctors, researchers, and changemakers who are reshaping how we think about the heart—and the whole human behind it.

Whether you're a fellow clinician, a health seeker, or someone navigating your own transformation, this show will challenge what you thought you knew—and invite you to stay curious.

Sanjay Bhojraj (00:01)
Hey everybody—welcome to this episode of The Curious Cardiologist, where we try to look at old problems in new ways. Today I’m excited to be joined by my friend Dr. Shivani Gupta—PhD in Ayurvedic medicine, founder of Fusionary Formulas, and author of The Inflammation Code. I read her book a few weeks ago and it genuinely blew my mind. Dr. Gupta, thanks for being here.

Dr. Shivani Gupta (01:12)
Thank you—thanks for having me.

What is Ayurveda, really?

Sanjay (01:14)
Let’s dive right in. Ayurveda has been around for… 5,000 years?

Dr. Gupta (01:29)
5,000 years.

Sanjay (01:32)
For listeners—what is Ayurvedic medicine and Ayurvedic science?

Dr. Gupta (01:44)
Ayurveda is an ancient system of health, healing, and medicine from India. It’s really a way of life—what we’d call lifestyle medicine, and honestly the original root-cause medicine.

I see huge synergy between functional medicine and Ayurveda: preventive health, inflammation, root cause work. Ayurveda teaches things like:

your mind-body constitution

circadian rhythm (an Ayurvedic concept long before it became mainstream)

gut health as the center of overall health

herbs and “super spices” as precision tools

lymphatic health, detox rhythms, and self-care rituals as a foundation for long-term vitality

The Doshas (Elemental Design): Vata, Pitta, Kapha

Sanjay (02:57)
My intro to Ayurveda was literally The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Ayurvedic Medicine. And I was shocked—5,000 years ago, they were describing what we call personalized medicine today.

Let’s talk about the doshas—these three patterns of humans. What are they?

Dr. Gupta (04:14)
Yes—and I actually renamed doshas in my work to “Elemental Design” to make it easier and more approachable. Ayurveda is based on the five elements: air, ether, fire, water, and earth.

You can take my Elemental Design quiz at drshivani.com to learn your primary constitution (and secondary and third).

1) Vata (Air + Ether)

Vata is air and ether—think breeze, ceiling fan, or tornado.

A Vata person is often:

tall and lanky or small and petite

smaller-boned

dry hair/skin tendencies

always in motion mentally and physically

Common struggles: constipation, insomnia, anxiety, overstimulation.
The Ayurvedic “antidote” is grounding: three real meals a day, healthy fats, more cooked/warm foods, routine.

Sanjay (07:25)
I can picture 25 people I know like this.

Dr. Gupta (08:00)
Exactly—and Vatas can “get away” with skipping meals for a while… until they crash.

2) Pitta (Fire + Water)

Pitta is fire with some water—driven, organized, passionate. Often:

Race car driving—Formula One style.