Ayurveda: Because “Here’s Another Pill” Isn’t Working Anymore
Why Nurses Should Start Listening to 10,000 Years of Wisdom (and Stop Ignoring Their Gut)
Let’s be real—modern medicine is great at keeping people alive, but not so great at helping them actually get healthy.
You know it. We know it. Our patients know it.
And here’s the kicker: a 10,000-year-old system of medicine has been offering solutions this whole time. It’s called Ayurveda—and it’s not just herbs and vibes. It’s deep, personalized, root-cause-level care that makes “take this and call me if it gets worse” look like a lazy Band-Aid.
In a recent RNegade podclass with Dr. Gillian Ehrlich—a nurse practitioner with a doctorate and Ayurvedic street cred—we dig into how this ancient approach to health is flipping the script on what healing actually means. Gillian shows us how this ancient system still delivers modern solutions for nurses, patients, and humans who are totally fried. This isn’t fringe—it’s the future of integrative care.
Ayurveda isn’t a supplement you saw on TikTok. It’s a system of medicine that sees the whole damn human—not just the lab results. 10,000 years ago, they were already onto something.
At its core? The doshas:
Vata (Ether & Air): creative, anxious, moves fast
Qualities: Light, dry, cold, mobile, and subtle.
Characteristics: Creative, energetic, and quick learners but can be prone to anxiety, insomnia, and digestive issues when imbalanced.
Balancing Tips: Incorporate warm, nourishing foods, establish a routine, and practice grounding activities like yoga and meditation.
Pitta (Fire & Water): fiery, driven, sharp AF
Qualities: Hot, sharp, oily, and intense.
Characteristics: Intelligent, driven, and strong digestion but can experience irritability, inflammation, and overheating when imbalanced.
Balancing Tips: Consume cooling foods, avoid excessive heat, and engage in calming activities like swimming or walking in nature.
Kapha (Water & Earth): steady, nurturing, naps like a champ
Qualities: Heavy, slow, steady, and moist.
Characteristics: Strong, nurturing, and stable but can struggle with weight gain, congestion, and lethargy when imbalanced.
Balancing Tips: Eat light, spicy foods, stay active, and avoid excessive sleep.
Knowing your dosha (and your patient’s) changes everything—from what they eat, to how they move, to why their “mystery symptoms” aren’t clearing up.
Ayurveda treats people like individuals. Shocking, right?
🧠 Trauma, the Neuro-Immune System & Nurses Who Get It
In this episode, Gillian, drops truth bombs on how childhood trauma rewires the brain and immune system, and how modern healthcare basically throws SSRIs at it and hopes for the best.
Ayurveda? It says “Let’s get under the hood.” Through daily rhythms, breathwork, mindfulness, and actual food-as-medicine, we start rewiring.
Not patching. Not suppressing. Healing.
🛌 Rasayana: No, It’s Not a Cocktail. It’s What You’re Missing.
Ever wish your patients (or YOU) could press reset? That’s Rasayana—Ayurveda’s version of rejuvenation and restoration.
Think of it as the opposite of working 5 twelves in a row and calling it normal.
It’s about rebuilding the body, not just medicating it. And guess what? You don’t need a spa retreat or a moon ceremony. You need intentional routines, the right fuel, and space to recover.
🏥 When the System Sucks, Build a Better One
Gillian’s been in the trenches. The EMRs. The time limits. The “you can only talk to the patient about their labs, not their life” nonsense.
So she said screw it—and built Nevada Health, where Ayurveda and functional medicine live together in harmony. It’s proof that nurses don’t just survive broken systems. We build better ones.
💣 So, Why Should Nurses Care?
Because you're already using intuition, pattern recognition, and emotional intelligence in your care. Ayurveda formalizes that.
It gives you a framework to see patients clearly, treat them personally, and maybe—just maybe—avoid your own damn burnout.
🎧 Want to learn more?
✔️ Listen to the podclass with Dr. Gillian Ehrlich
✔️ Earn your CE (yeah, for real)
✔️ Start treating whole humans—including yourself
👉 [SEE NEUROVEDA HEALTH’S QUALIFYING NURSING EPISODES HERE. Learn more about us at RNegade.pro]