Meet Your Presenters
Eduardo Cardona-Sanclemente
D.Sc., PhD., MSc., Ayurveda Doctor (NAMA)
Dr Cardona has been practicing as a therapist for more than ten years as well as holding a number of distinguished positions at medical schools and in university faculties.
His therapeutic work using Ayurveda and modern medicine is an integrative approach and includes hands-on techniques including Cranio-Sacral, Marma, Yoga and Lymphatic Drainage, which bring fresh perspectives to treating chronic ailments and diseases.
Dr Cardona’s view is that a combination of the profound protocols of ancient medicine combined with today’s efficient modern medical technology is a beneficial pathway for treating suffering individuals.
One of the main areas of his teaching and research is the importance, connection and implications of lipids, such as cholesterol (both “The Good and The Bad” types) on diet and metabolism, as well as their potential role in the development of related pathologies such as obesity, hypertension, diabetes, stress and other risk factors of cardiovascular diseases.
With many years of studies and research published in peer journals, and with his own experience as a patient, Dr Cardona has understood that the origin of disease is the lack of homeostasis – the absence of regulation of the internal environment that brings about stability.
Ismat Dhala-Nathani
BNYS, MSc, Doctorate of Natural Medicine (Ayurveda), Founder of CAISH
Ismat’s professional background is in natural health care, with a specialty in traditional Indian medicine. With over two decades of experience, she has spearheaded CAISH, carefully guiding its growth since its inception in 2002.
Ismat focuses on melding ancient wisdom with current concepts of health and wellbeing. From this frame of reference, she develops educational programs, materials and teaching tools. Currently, Ismat is working toward accreditation affiliations, and the standardization of Ayurveda and Indian Systems of Healing programs in Canada.
Over the years, Ismat has gained a multitude of experience. She is a health practitioner, academician, international speaker, healer, and a researcher and practitioner of Nadi Vigyan. She has held key positions in India, UK and Canada, among which are Assistant Dean at Dr. Lajpatrai Mehra’s Neurotherapy Hospital in India, and Consultant at the prestigious Hale Clinic in the UK.
Ismat has always been willing to share her knowledge and insights about Ayurveda and other Indian systems of healing, including Indian Naturopathy (Prakruti Chikitsa). As a result, she has been featured on television and in newspapers in the UK, Canada and India. She is a tireless champion for mind-body integration, health and hygiene, and food and nutrition.
Dr Arun Kumar Garg
PhD.MD.FRCPC
Dr Arun Kumar Garg is an award winning champion of culturally efficient and effective holistic health care for the populations.
He is a Clinical Professor of Pathology at the Faculty of Medicine at the University of British Columbia. (www.ubc.ca)
For 30 years he was the Medical Director at Fraser health in the department of Medical Biochemistry and Lab Medicine and currently a consultant in Biochemical medicine
Among his many accomplishments and contributions to society, in 2008 The Vancouver Sun newspaper listed him as one of the 100 most influential Indo-Canadians in the province. Received an honorary doctorate from BCIT in 2010. In 2011 inaugural Don Rix Leadership Royal Columbian Hospital foundation awarded him the Philanthropic Champion Award
To promote stronger links between Canada and India, Dr. Garg conceptualized annual Canada India Network initiative conference and founded the Canada India Network Society to build strong economic, trade, educational and cultural links between Canada and India.(www.thecins.org) He is member of the Executive Commtt of GAPIO and medical lead for South Asian Health Inst at Fraser Health ( www.fraserhealth.ca/sahi)
With his innovative, holistic and integrative approach Dr. Garg is a change maker with heart. He fuses strength of scientific evidence and cognitive anthropological based wisdom of ancient philosophy. Best of East and best of West comes alive .
Jessica Kruse
Yoga and Ayurveda Practitioner, Teacher
Jessica Kruse is an Ayurveda Practitioner, Remedial Massage Therapist, E-RYT 200 & S.I.T (Subconscious Imprinting Technique) Practitioner who studies across the globe. She’s continued to apprentice and mentor with her first teacher of Ayurveda Dr.Jaisri Lambert (NAMA) since 2008. She’s been fortunate to experience a unique apprenticeship of advanced clinical studies with renowned Ayurveda physicians Dr. Kesari and Dr. Ramkumar at Vaidyagrama in India and studies with Dr. Vasant Lad in both the USA and India over the past decade.
Jessica specializes in Ayurvedic pulse reading, diet and lifestyle consultations & counseling, Ayurveda cuisine, Ayurveda Yoga Therapy, Turiya Therapy (Marma Chikitsa), Clinical and Ayurveda massage therapy, holistic aesthetics & beauty treatments and S.I.T – a science based healing system designed to uncover and release repressed emotions and unresolved trauma that’s contributing to chronic physical symptoms.
Jessica currently has a flourishing practice in Costa Rica and travels to Canada annually to stay connected to clients and family. She is the founder of La Vida Veda Ayurveda & Yoga Spa & School and facilitates international yoga retreats, Ayurveda seminars and Yoga Teacher Trainings. While in Edmonton you can find her at her work home of the past decade, the urban sanctuary; Wellness on Whyte.
Dr. Ramkumar Kutty
Ayurvedic Physican and Director of Vaidyagrama
Dr. Ramkumar is a Founder-Director of Punarnava Ayurveda, an institution committed to Authentic Ayurveda for Universal Well-Being. He is a lifelong student of Ayurveda and other traditional Indian knowledge systems. Over the last 15 years, he has given talks and conducted workshops in the Americas, Africa, Europe, Australia and South-East Asia propagating health and happiness through Ayurveda. Punarnava Ayurveda is currently engaged in the creation of an experimental, green, self-sustaining, authentic Ayurveda healing community on the outskirts of Coimbatore in South India.
Dr. Manjiri Nadkarni
MD (Ayurveda), R.H.N., B.A.C.
Vd. Manjiri Nadkarna is a Founding member and President of the Ayurveda Association of Canada. She has undergone intensive training in Ayurveda as a Doctor of Medicine, Ayurveda from India (3-year MD program), afer completion of her Bachelor of Ayurvedic Medicine and Surgery (5 1/2 years Ayurveda program). Manjiri helps educate people to embrace Ayurveda. Her eforts were recognized by the Ayurvedic Professionals of North America (AAPNA) who awarded her the Charaka Award 2016 for Excellence in Ayurvedic Teaching, May 2016. Vd. Manjiri also is a health expert on the local bi-weekly radio program “Ask the Expert” on CHOK 103.9 FM.
Glynnis Osher
Ayurveda Alchemist, Spice Mistress
Glynnis is a passionate teacher, Ayurvedic practitioner and author specializing in the healing arts of aromatic Ayurveda. Her love of alchemy within the Ayurvedic practices brings inspired self-care products, spice blends, and learning materials to her students and clients.
Glynnis is on faculty at the Vancouver School of Healing Arts (VSOHA)/Rhodes Wellness College, teaching aromatherapy, Ayurvedic head massage, Wellbranding, and Ayurvedic self-care in the Bodywork Program.
She is founder of Academy Aromatica, an online portal for Ayurvedic education in the wisdom arts of Ayurveda, aromatherapy and aromanutrition. Here Glynnis has created The AromaDosha Blueprint Online Learning Experience as well as the Thousand Petal Lotus Ayurvedic Head Massage Master Training and Aroma 911: Ayurvedic aromatherapy for a wide range of health and wellness applications, and every-day emergencies. Glynnis is co author of the book Your Irresistible Life: 4 Seasons of Self-Care through Ayurveda
Natasha Jyoti Samson
Ayurveda & Yoga Teacher
My love for Ayurveda started during my 200-hr Yoga Teacher Training at the Salt Spring Centre of Yoga. I furthered my studies and obtained my Ayurveda Health Counselor Diploma at the Mount Madonna Institute College of Ayurveda under prominent Ayurveda physicians; Dr. Vassant Lad, Dr. John Doulliard, Dr. Sarita Shrestha, Dr. Suhas Kshirsagar amoung others. I completed my Ayurveda Massage Treatment Program under the guidance of my dear teacher Dr. Jaisri Lambert. Over the past decade I have been practicing and extensively studying yoga philosophy and psychology through the works of Baba Hari Dass, Patanjali, Eknath Easwaran and Alan Watts.
When the pandemic was upon us, I pivoted to offering online retreats, webinars, and classes. Focusing on Yoga as Medicine, nourishing your digestion, Ayurveda & Circadian Rhythms. I will be launching my four (4) part Yoga as Medicine Series this Fall along with an East Meets West Wisdom for Woman Series in collaboration with Dr. Patricia Mills, Functional Medicine MD, and Health Transformation Expert, where we align Ayurveda with cutting edge
modern science research.
Dosha Balancing Asana Class:
https://nourishyoufirst.ca/learn/yoga-practices/
Dosha Balancing Breathing Practices:
Preeti Syal
M.Sc., R.H.N., Ayurveda Lifestyle Consultant
Preeti Syal is a Registered Holistic Nutritionist (R.H.N.) from Canadian School of Natural Nutrition, Vancouver and a Master of Science in Foods and Nutrition form Delhi University, India. She is also a certified ayurvedic lifestyle consultant. She has a passion for nutrition, a natural ability and a strong desire to share the knowledge with others. She is from New Delhi, the fast-paced metropolitan capital of India, but has carried over her ancestral ayurvedic philosophy of diet and lifestyle over to Vancouver.
Her passion for food has evolved to encompass a philosophy that focuses on whole and natural foods intended to nourish and promote health and wellbeing. She aspires to help people restore balance and create wellness in their lives through her one on one consultations as well as Nutrition & Ayurveda workshops all over the lower mainland. She believes that most chronic illnesses stem from improper digestion and malnutrition. And she strongly believes that “Your health is in your own hands!”
Preeti is part of the teaching faculty at CSNN, the Canadian School of Natural Nutrition since 2010 where she teaches various Holistic Nutrition as well as Ayurveda courses. Preeti is the author and curator of various self-paced online courses on Nutrition and Ayurveda. You may get life changing insights from her courses which have the potential of helping you in all aspects of life- physical, emotional and spiritual as her courses are a
perfect blend of modern Holistic Nutrition backed with the intelligence of our 5000-year-old Ancient Ayurvedic Wisdom.
Web: www.myholistickitchen.com/
Fb: https://www.facebook.com/myholistickitchen
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/myholistickitchenca/
email: myholistickitchencanada@gmail.com
Neelam Toprani
Founder of Sewanti Ayurvedic Series
Neelam Toprani has over 30 years of experience in business as well as in Ayurveda. including scientific research, and product formulation as part of her specialties. Her expertise lies in Ayurvedic product development based on classical texts, sales and marketing, and branding of retail products in the marketplace in Canada, the US, and Europe. She also has extensive experience in Health Canada & FDA regulations, import and export regulations, and new product development of Ayurveda botanicals with sensitivity to Western culture in the nutraceutical market.
Neelam has been implementing NNHPD regulations (Natural and Non- prescription Product Directorate) for over 20 years and successfully licensed a wide range of classical formulations.
She is actively engaged as a Stakeholder with NNHPD, the Bureau of Program policy, risk management, and the Bureau of consumer health product modernization of self-care products.
Her company Padmashri Naturals Inc. is a prominent Life Sciences company with Agriculture Canada and BC trade & invest and is invited as a trade delegate to various international
conferences.
Neelam will share the importance of Natural Health Product regulations for Ayurveda products
to the consumers, Ayurveda practitioners and teachers, and companies planning to sell
products in the market. She will cover the key points in the NNHPD guidance documents for
licensing Ayurveda health products including self-care products, evidence requirements for
safety and efficacy, and the pathway for licensing Natural health products used in Traditional
Ayurvedic Medicine.
Micheline Wong
BScPT, MHSc, BSc (Nutrition)
Micheline is a private practice physiotherapist in Vancouver and Salt Spring Island, BC. She incorporates an integrated approach to physiotherapy and rehabilitation by combining orthopaedics, visceral (organ) and neural manipulation with Ayurveda, marma point therapy and acupressure into her clinical practice. Micheline has a professional goal of completing a research project and book integrating physiotherapy with Ayurveda to develop the Brain-Gut connection in the management of Multiple Sclerosis. She has completed Ayurveda training from the Maharishi International University (MIU) and has mentored with Jaisri Lambert since 2014.