Claudia Welch's Blog

Mung Beans, Psyllium & Detox: Lower Cholesterol & Aid Hormonal Balance

Ayurveda, TCM, and Western Science on Mung Beans, Psyllium and Detox : How to Lower Cholesterol and Aid Hormonal Balance

by Dr. Claudia Welch

This piece grew out of two sparks: a recent conversation between Kate O’Donnell and nutritionist Karen Hurd (recommended by a friend), and my reflections on the stubborn problem of high cholesterol — even in people who are not overweight and who eat healthy food — and on how best to rid the body of excess estrogen in cases of estrogen dominance. I am struc...

Building Blood: A Plant-Based Approach to Recovering from Anemia

By Dr. Claudia Welch

If you’re reading this with heavy eyelids, feeling like you’re moving through molasses, or finding yourself breathless after simple tasks, you’re not alone. Anemia—whether from heavy menstrual bleeding, postpartum blood loss, surgery, or any other cause—can leave us feeling like a shadow of ourselves. While this condition affects women disproportionately due to menstruation and childbirth, anyone who has experienced significant blood loss can find themselves in this exhausti...

Getting Our Affairs in Order

When someone dies, the rearrangement of reality that follows can reach far beyond the absence of that person. It can alter the way family members relate to each other, as old dynamics collapse and new ones form. Since it’s often difficult—sometimes nearly impossible—to function practically in the days or weeks following a death, getting affairs in order ahead of time—whether our own or someone else’s—is a practical act of kindness.

When my mother died, it was not a simple transition. She had bee...

Coffee and Longevity: The Role of Bowel Regularity

By Dr. Claudia Welch June 12, 2025

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Most of the attention coffee gets is for its ability to energize. But a new study, presented at the American Society for Nutrition’s annual meeting and reported in The New York Times on June 12, 2025, suggests coffee might also play a role in helping us age well. Researchers followed more than 47,000 women for decades and found that those who drank the most caffeine—mostly from coffee—were more likely to reach their 70s in good mental and physical health, fre...

Emily Post & Ayurveda

By Dr. Claudia Welch; Originally posted September 1, 2010. Republished with light edits.

He who constantly examines how his day and night are passing and adopts the right way only, will never become a victim of sorrow.

— Aṣṭāṅga Hṛdayam, Sūtrasthāna II.47

What does my fork have to do with “that little spark of celestial fire…”?

My childhood friend recently bought a fake sheep fleece hat with double earflaps. We both love that hat. We both live in the woods. Off the grid. On mountains. Ones that,...

Thyroid Health from an Ayurveda + Western Science Perspective

The following are two in-depth audio lectures from part of a 2014 Mentorship Dr. Welch offered, on the relationship between stress, the liver, and thyroid function. They assume a fairly in-depth understanding of Ayurveda. We chose to put them on their own page because thyroid issues are so common and information on them from an Ayurveda + Western science perspective is not so common, and we are not currently offering the mentorship.

Lecture on Thyroid From March 06, 2014:

https://drclaudiawelch...

20 Feb 2025 Women’s Health Q&A

 

Summary

Today’s session focused on hormonal balance, stress, weight gain, and the effects of lifestyle choices. Dr. Welch shared insights on excess bṛṃhaṇa (building, heavy qualities in the body), estrogen dominance, castor oil packs, and the impact of stress on hormonal function. The discussion also touched on the liver’s role in hormone processing and its connection to the thyroid, brain, and gut. There are two audio files below on thyroid health that answer the submitted thyroid questi...

Discovering Ayurveda Stress Relief, Pregnancy Tips, and Ancient Wisdom with Dr Claudia Welch

Jack Stafford of www.podsongs.com interviews guests for his podcast and then writes a song inspired by the conversation.

Here he interviews Dr. Welch, who delves into the holistic health benefits of Ayurveda, focusing on stress relief, pregnancy nourishment, and balancing modern life with ancient wisdom. She shares personal experiences and expert insights on the interplay between physical, mental, and spiritual health. We explore topics ranging from the importance of a balanced...

Drs. Svoboda & Welch Q&A 2024-12-18 Parāvāṇī & Treating with Opposites

Summary of the Session

This session focused on the nuanced principles of Ayurveda and deep introspection into human communication, particularly through the concept of Parāvāṇī. Dr. Robert Svoboda and Dr. Claudia Welch explored how the Ayurvedic principle of “like increases like, and opposites balance” applies differently in states of health versus imbalance. A detailed discussion examined how individual experiences, preferences, and contexts influence the practical application of this principle...

3 Laws of Nutrition and Hormonal and Postpartum Health: a discussion with Sacred Window

Summary: Dr. Welch discusses the profound importance of hormonal health and the tectonic shifts that occur throughout our lives, with Christine Eck of the Center for Sacred Window Studies. She emphasized the role of oxytocin in creating a receptive matrix for the formation of new neural pathways, underscoring the significance of connection and safety, particularly during the postpartum period. Dr. Welch’s insights shed light on the transformative power of these liminal spaces, where the body an...