Mind-Body Coach Ruchi Khosla shares her Health Mantras with a Glimpse of her Inspirational Journey

I’ve spent the last three years of helping men and women across the country optimize their health through proper nutrition, yoga and holistic healing. I’ve been lucky enough to be able to advise individuals from all walks of life, while raising a busy family, managing my yoga classes, and running a thriving business.

I still remember spending the early part of my career in what was supposed to be the “fast-lane”. May day to day consisted of heels, a blowout, copious amounts of tea or coffee and a “never let them see you flinch” attitude. While my life may have looked perfect and shiny on the outside, on the inside I was a high-functioning jumble of stress.

The symptoms of that lifestyle began to creep up on me slowly. At first, I thought they were harmless- totally normal for a working woman. I’d go to bed completely drained and wake up just as tired (so tired that I’d have to lie down on the couch at work while no one was looking). My anxiety was through the roof and so was my irritability. My dizzy spells had progressed into full-on fainting (even sitting in my car to sleep whenever I could get the chance). I struggled with recurring viral infections that plagued me for weeks at a time and suffered through debilitating digestive issues and autoimmune disorders.

I was running out of options, so when I finally made the time to go and see a doctor, I was told that my tests were “not normal” and that I should “take medications for the next following months, maybe even years, to cope with the condition”.

I thought (like so many other women) that this was either my lot in life, or it was the price that I paid for my ambition.

The Turning Point
The turning point came when a therapist suggested anti-anxiety medication (as he figured out that it was the anxiety that led to my other symptoms). While there definitely is a time and a place for that kind of thing, I figured I’d give yoga a try first. After all, isn’t that what people did for stress? That first step led me to slowly change my diet and lifestyle, and within a surprisingly short period of time, I discovered that my food could be my medicine.

Through a process I didn’t quite understand at the time, my burnout symptoms started to evaporate. Suddenly I was feeling better than I had ever felt in my life. My job felt easier, my mind worked faster, my energy could sustain me through the day and into the evening. Gone were the days of feeling shaky and irritable between meals. When the anxiety and sadness melted away, a light contentment took their place and I found myself thinking “is this what happy feels like?”

The Vicious Cycle
Once I was out of my own fog I could see that women all around me were trapped in burnout cycles of their own; punishing their health to get through the daily chores, the next project, deadline, or family event – then bottoming out when their bodies forced them to rest. The cycle would repeat over and over again, opening the door to serious health issues not limited to thyroid conditions, prediabetes, autoimmune diseases, and the like.

What broke my heart is that this pattern kept these women from things they wanted to do and who they wanted to be – powerful in their own right, getting promoted, taking that bike trip across city, maybe even running the local marathon. They were stuck and all they wanted to do was collapse on the couch at the end of the day.

Getting on Track
So I set out to make women’s health my mission, and enrolling at IIN New York for functional and integrative nutrition so I could learn the in’s and out’s of how a burnout attacks the body, and how to overcome it. As an IIN coach, I believe in bringing about a transformation and not just sharing information.

To build my strength and power and to feel good in my gut, I decided to pursue 500RYT Yoga teacher training, certified from the Yoga Alliance, USA and now use this science as a therapy to treat toxic lifestyle diseases.

Fast forward three years and I’ve now helped hundreds of women through 1:1 coaching and group programs to address the root causes of their burnout and chronic stress while becoming physically stronger, helping them live full, active lives without the physical and mental toll they’ve paid in the past. I couldn’t ask for a better cause to dedicate my energy to.

My Health Mantras
In a Nutshell, I would say that my Mantra for Healthy Living can be outlined in the following practices:

Yoga is more than just movement, it’s a philosophy about all aspects of how we live life. It is all about harmonizing body with mind and breath through the means of pranayama, yogaasanas and meditation.
Any form of exercise is good but Yoga is much more than physical fitness. It is the connection between mind,body and the self. I find this as the first step towards healing.

“We are what we eat”. Food creates the foundation for vibrant health and living. It is the basis of all the energy you need to keep active and lively. Making the best food choices you can is the key that unlocks your improved health and wellbeing.

Every breath is an opportunity to create a purpose. Prana is Breath or vital energy in the body. On subliminal levels prana represents the pranic energy responsible for life or life force, while “ayama” means control. A daily pranayama is what keeps you calm, healthy and happy.

Meditation is all about finding your truth, following your heart and touching the core of your being. It’s an art of going deep within and connecting with yourself. It’s a journey from sound to silence, from chaos to peace. In simple words, it can be explained as coming back home, knowing your true peaceful self. Practicing this wonderful technique is a must if one is trying to heal.

What I practice is more than nutrition- it is the simple Art Of Living Happy. I believe small steps can create a huge change, and my role is to help others take their first step and start their own wellness journey.