Celebrity Nutritionist Mona Sharma: Stop Stress Before It Becomes Disease! (Do THIS Before Every Meal)
In this episode of On Purpose, Mona Sharma shares how her personal health challenges led her to explore holistic healing after conventional medical treatments proved ineffective. Drawing from both Western medicine and traditional practices like Ayurveda, she explains how unresolved stress and emotions can manifest as physical symptoms, and how combining medical science with holistic approaches can address root causes rather than just symptoms.
The conversation covers practical steps for improving health, including specific dietary recommendations like starting the day with adequate protein and avoiding inflammatory foods. Sharma discusses techniques for transitioning from stress to a more balanced state, incorporating mindfulness practices, and creating an environment that supports overall well-being through dedicated spaces for rest and reflection.
This is a preview of the Shortform summary of the Oct 8, 2025 episode of the On Purpose with Jay Shetty
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1-Page Summary
Mona Sharma's Health Journey and Her Work
Mona Sharma's personal health struggles in her twenties, including severe heart palpitations and PCOS, led her to explore holistic healing after conventional medical treatments failed. After two unsuccessful heart surgeries, Sharma turned to her roots at the Sivananda ashram, becoming a yoga teacher, meditation teacher, Reiki master, and holistic nutritionist. These practices not only helped heal her conditions but inspired her career helping others achieve optimal health through addressing deeper underlying issues rather than just diet and exercise.
Limitations of Conventional Medicine and the Need for a Holistic Approach
Sharma discusses how conventional medicine often falls short by treating symptoms without addressing root causes. She combines Western medical science with traditional practices like Ayurveda, using both diagnostic tests and investigations into emotional and spiritual well-being to create personalized wellness plans. Her approach involves identifying limiting beliefs, emotional states, and core values that contribute to symptoms, while empowering clients through nutrition, stress resilience, and holistic practices.
Stress, Nervous System, and Emotion in Health
According to Sharma, stress serves as a precursor to many diseases, impacting health through the nervous system, metabolism, and inflammation. She helps clients transition from a state of hypervigilance to a parasympathetic state, essential for rest and healing, using techniques like breath work and visualization. Sharma emphasizes how unresolved emotions and traumas can manifest as physical symptoms, highlighting the importance of addressing emotional, psychological, and physical health together.
Dietary and Lifestyle Changes for Optimal Health
Sharma advocates for reducing ultra-processed foods, inflammatory oils, and excessive sugar, while emphasizing the importance of reading nutrition labels carefully. She recommends starting the day with 30-40 grams of protein to stabilize blood sugar and reduce cravings. Beyond diet, Sharma emphasizes the importance of healthy sleep, circadian rhythm alignment, and daily mindfulness practices. She encourages creating a nurturing home environment, similar to an ashram, that supports overall health and well-being through dedicated spaces for rest, meditation, and personal reflection.
1-Page Summary
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Counterarguments
- While holistic approaches can be beneficial, they should complement, not replace, evidence-based medical treatments, especially for serious conditions.
- The efficacy of Reiki and other energy healing practices is not supported by robust scientific evidence and may not be universally accepted as effective.
- Personalized wellness plans that include traditional practices like Ayurveda may not be accessible or affordable for everyone.
- The role of stress in disease is complex, and while reducing stress is beneficial, it is not the sole cause of many diseases.
- Techniques like breath work and visualization may not be sufficient for individuals with severe mental health issues who might require more conventional therapies.
- The connection between emotions, traumas, and physical symptoms is not always direct, and some medical conditions are not psychosomatic.
- Dietary recommendations, such as starting the day with 30-40 grams of protein, may not be suitable for everyone and should be personalized based on individual health needs and conditions.
- The concept of creating a home environment similar to an ashram may not resonate with everyone's cultural or personal preferences and may not be practical for all lifestyles.
- Emphasizing the importance of reading nutrition labels carefully is sound advice, but it assumes a level of education and literacy that not all individuals may have.
- The idea that ultra-processed foods and inflammatory oils should be reduced is generally accepted, but complete elimination may not be necessary or feasible for everyone.
- The importance of healthy sleep and circadian rhythm alignment is well-founded, but some individuals may have medical conditions or work schedules that make adherence challenging.
Actionables
- You can track your emotional state and its physical manifestations by keeping a daily journal. Note any physical discomforts and what emotions or stressors you experienced that day. Over time, you may see patterns that indicate how unresolved emotions are affecting your body, allowing you to seek appropriate emotional or psychological support.
- Create a "wellness corner" in your home where you can engage in stress-reducing activities. This could be a small space with a comfortable chair, a selection of herbal teas, and calming music or nature sounds. Use this area for daily practices like deep breathing, reading, or simply enjoying a moment of quiet to encourage a parasympathetic state.
- Experiment with your morning meal by incorporating a high-protein breakfast for a week and observe changes in your energy levels and cravings. You can prepare simple, protein-rich meals like a smoothie with protein powder, Greek yogurt with nuts and seeds, or scrambled eggs with vegetables to start your day off with the recommended amount of protein.
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Mona Sharma's Health Journey and Her Work
Mona Sharma's journey through significant health challenges led her to holistic healing practices and ultimately inspired her to become a wellness-focused nutritionist, entrepreneur, and strategist.
Mona Sharma Overcame Heart Palpitations and PCOS In Her 20s Through Holistic Healing
Mona Sharma faced intense health struggles in her twenties, including heart palpitations so severe they threatened to cause her to pass out. Despite undergoing a catheter ablation procedure, which burned off electrical valves in her heart, her palpitations persisted. After two failed heart surgeries and gaining weight from a beta blocker, Sharma encountered more frustration when doctors informed her she would never have children due to polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), and experienced corporate burnout and digestive issues.
Mona's Medical Treatments Failed, Leading Her to Explore Ayurveda and Holistic Modalities
Given her health issues and the failure of medical treatments to provide relief, Sharma elected not to undergo another heart surgery. Instead, she returned to her roots for healing at the Sivananda ashram. Mona embraced significant lifestyle changes becoming a yoga teacher, a meditation teacher, a Reiki master, and a holistic nutritionist as part of her healing journey.
These holistic modalities enabled Sharma not only to heal her heart palpitations but also to lose weight and feel better than she had ever before—despite increasing her carbohydrate intake. Through these practices, Sharma took initiative to understand and meet her body's needs for healing.
Mona's Healing Journey Inspired Her to Become a Wellness-Focused Nutritionist, Entrepreneur, and Strategist
Mona Sharma's profound personal health experiences propelled her into wellness-focused work. She realized that ...
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Mona Sharma's Health Journey and Her Work
Additional Materials
Counterarguments
- While holistic healing practices can be beneficial, they may not be a substitute for conventional medical treatments in all cases, and it's important to have a balanced view that integrates both approaches where appropriate.
- The narrative suggests that medical treatments were entirely ineffective for Mona Sharma, which might not be the case for everyone; some individuals may experience significant benefits from medical interventions for conditions like heart palpitations and PCOS.
- The implication that holistic modalities can lead to healing for everyone may not be universally applicable, as individual responses to such treatments can vary greatly.
- The idea that increasing carbohydrate intake is beneficial for weight loss and health is a contested topic, and dietary needs can be highly individualized.
- The text implies a dichotomy between holistic practices and conventional medicine, which may overlook the potential for integrative approaches that combine elements of both for optim ...
Actionables
- You can start a wellness journal to track your physical and emotional health daily. By noting down your meals, physical symptoms, mood changes, and energy levels, you'll begin to see patterns that may point to food sensitivities or lifestyle habits that need adjustment. For example, if you notice that you feel sluggish after eating certain foods, you might experiment with eliminating them for a week to see if there's an improvement.
- Explore local workshops or online courses on introductory Ayurveda and holistic practices. This can give you a foundational understanding of how these systems view health and wellness. You might find a local yoga studio that offers a workshop on Ayurvedic nutrition or search for an online course that covers the basics of holistic self-care practices.
- Create a 'freedom list' to identify areas in your life where you feel restricted by d ...
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Limitations of Conventional Medicine and the Need for a Holistic Approach
Mona Sharma discusses the limitations of conventional medicine, emphasizing the need for a more holistic approach that addresses the root causes of health issues by integrating the mind, body, and spirit.
Medicine's Symptom-Focused Approach Neglects Root Causes
Mona Sharma points out that conventional medicine often treats symptoms without addressing the underlying issues that cause them. She reflects on her own health experiences, noting that despite a healthy upbringing, conventional medical treatments failed to resolve her health issues adequately. Sharma highlights the resilience and intelligence of the body, suggesting that it can often indicate deeper, underlying problems that aren't apparent at the surface level.
Mona Fuses Science and Ayurveda For Personalized Health Connecting Mind, Body, and Spirit
Sharma combines Western medical science, including full-panel blood labs and diagnostics like cortisol tests, genetic tests, MRIs, or Dutch tests, with a deeper investigation into her clients' emotional and spiritual state. This approach crafts personalized wellness plans for her clients. Sharma dreams of a healthcare future where modern science and ancient wisdom, such as Ayurveda, come together for a holistic approach to health. Her journey included returning to her roots at the Sivananda ashram, showcasing her commitment to integrating traditional practices with holistic education.
Mona Focuses On Identifying Root Causes Through Beliefs, Emotions, and Lifestyle Factors
Sharma’s approach to health involves asking her clients to identify three things they wish to eliminate, which often leads to identifying limiting beliefs, emotional states, and core values that contribute to their symptoms. By dealing with the "open running tabs" in her brain and healing emotional pain, Sharma works beyond the physical symptoms, acknowledging the role of beliefs, emotions, an ...
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Limitations of Conventional Medicine and the Need for a Holistic Approach
Additional Materials
Counterarguments
- Conventional medicine is evidence-based and relies on rigorous scientific research to ensure treatments are safe and effective.
- Symptoms can sometimes be the most critical aspect to treat urgently to prevent immediate harm or provide relief, even if the root cause is still being investigated.
- Integrating Western medical science with emotional and spiritual investigation may not always be feasible or accepted in clinical practice due to a lack of empirical evidence supporting some alternative therapies.
- The vision of combining modern science with ancient wisdom, while appealing, may face challenges in standardization, quality control, and measurable outcomes.
- Identifying root causes through beliefs, emotions, and lifestyle factors can be subjective and may not always lead to clear treatment pathways.
- Empowering clients to heal through nutrition and stress resilience is important, but these methods may not be sufficient for all medical conditions, some of which may require medication or surgery.
- While holistic practices offer benefits, they should complement rather than replace conventional treatments, especially for serious illnesses.
- The interconnectio ...
Actionables
- You can start a wellness journal to track your physical symptoms alongside your emotions and activities. By doing this, you'll begin to notice patterns that may indicate deeper connections between your physical health and emotional state. For example, you might find that headaches correlate with high-stress days or that you feel more energized when you engage in activities that align with your values.
- Create a "body listening" routine where you spend a few minutes each day in a quiet space, focusing on different parts of your body and noting any sensations or discomforts. This practice can help you become more attuned to your body's signals and potentially uncover underlying issues. For instance, persistent discomfort in a specific area might prompt you to explore lifestyle changes or seek holistic therapies that address that part of the body.
- Develop a personal value chart that lists your core values and assesses how your curre ...
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Stress, Nervous System, and Emotion in Health
The psychological and physical impacts of stress and emotional trauma are increasingly recognized in health and wellness discussions, as Mona Sharma delves into this subject with profound insights.
Stress Impacts Health Via Nervous System, Metabolism, and Inflammation
Sharma reflects on how stress is an instigator of diseases and how its epidemic levels make it a precursor to all diseases. The connections drawn between emotional stress, gut health, and physical pain signal an evolving understanding of stress-related health issues.
Mona Aids Clients In Transitioning From Hypervigilance To a Parasympathetic State
Mona Sharma discusses how the nervous system's stages according to polyvagal theory impact health, emphasizing the need to transition from hypervigilance to the parasympathetic state, which is essential for rest, digestion, and healing. She talks about the vital role of the parasympathetic nervous system in maintaining a state of calm wherein the body can comfortably rest and digest, promoting optimal immune system and digestive function. Through her work, Sharma aids her clients in becoming aware that they may be living in a hypervigilant state, where busyness is seen as a badge of honor.
Sharma encourages moving away from constantly being busy, which is often celebrated as success, to a parasympathetic state. She uses techniques such as breath work, box breathing, and visualization to facilitate a physiological shift from a sympathetic state to a parasympathetic state. By visualizing optimal health and happiness, Sharma's clients can shift from a state of stress to one of coherence, indicating the body's move to a better state of health.
Emotions and Trauma Can Manifest As Physical Symptoms
Mona Aids Clients In Healing By Addressing Emotional, Psychological, and Physical Health
Sharma delves into how unresolved emotions and traumas can manifest physically and emphasizes the importance of addressing these aspects for holistic healing ...
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Stress, Nervous System, and Emotion in Health
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Counterarguments
- While stress can indeed be a precursor to various diseases, not all diseases are directly caused by stress; genetic, environmental, and other factors also play significant roles.
- The emphasis on the parasympathetic state as crucial for health might overlook the importance of the sympathetic nervous system, which is essential for responding to acute stress and can be beneficial in certain situations.
- Techniques like breath work and visualization are helpful, but they may not be effective for everyone, and some individuals may require more traditional medical interventions to manage stress and its effects.
- The idea that unresolved emotions and traumas can manifest as physical symptoms is supported by some evidence, but it is also important to recognize that physical symptoms can have purely physical causes.
- The holistic approach to healing, while beneficial, may not always be sufficient for all individuals, and some may require more ...
Actionables
- You can create a "stress diary" to identify and manage your stressors by noting down moments of stress each day, what caused them, and how you reacted, to find patterns and develop personalized coping strategies.
- Develop a "transition ritual" between work and home life, such as changing clothes, taking a short walk, or listening to a specific song, to signal your body it's time to enter a parasympathetic state and leave the stress of work behind.
- Start a "body wisdom" journal fo ...
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Dietary and Lifestyle Changes for Optimal Health
Mona Sharma emphasizes a holistic approach to health, focusing on reducing problematic foods, improving nutritional intake, and incorporating supportive lifestyle practices.
Mona Advocates Reducing Processed Foods, Inflammatory Oils, and Excessive Sugar
Mona Sharma expresses the importance of cutting down on ultra-processed foods, which make up a significant portion of the U.S. diet. She criticizes misleading packaging that can claim health benefits while the foods themselves are devoid of 'prana' or life force energy. Sharma particularly warns against the consumption of inflammatory seed oils such as soybean oil, safflower oil, and canola oil, which are prevalent even in health food stores and children's snacks. She considers these omega-6 fatty acids to be contributors to inflammation and free radical damage. Sugar is also a target for reduction, as Sharma notes many people underestimate their intake, and she cautions that seemingly healthy products, like fruit-flavored Greek yogurt, can be surprisingly high in sugar. She further advises eliminating alcohol due to its various negative health effects and suggests non-alcoholic alternatives instead.
Mona Suggests a High-Protein, High-Fiber Breakfast to Stabilize Blood Sugar and Curb Cravings
Sharma highlights the downside of starting the day with a sugary breakfast, leading to glucose spikes and potential sugar crashes, which might cause [restricted term] resistance and contribute to diabetes over time. She urges becoming proficient at reading nutrition labels to avoid hidden sugars and suggests consuming 30 to 40 grams of protein every morning to stabilize blood sugar and reduce cravings. Sharma encourages trying this switch for two weeks to note improvements in mood and creativity due to stable energy levels. Jay Shetty shares his experience of transitioning to a savory breakfast that has helped reduce his sugar cravings in the morning.
Mona Emphasizes Healthy Sleep, Circadian Rhythms, Mindfulness, Meditation, and Movement Daily
Sharma discusses aligning daily habits with personal core values around healing, which includes optimizing sleep and incorporating mindfulness and meditation. By tracking sleep data like heart rate variability and REM sleep, Sharma addresses issues like brain fog in clients. She talks about the significance of aligning with circadian rhythms through practices such as getting sunlight in the morning, which can assist with sleep training at night and boost gut serotonin levels. Sharma also discusses the value of practicing yoga to activate different body systems and release toxins. She encourages finding enjoyable exercises and things that spirituall ...
Here’s what you’ll find in our full summary
Dietary and Lifestyle Changes for Optimal Health
Additional Materials
Counterarguments
- While reducing processed foods is generally beneficial, not all processed foods are unhealthy, and some can be part of a balanced diet, such as fortified cereals and canned vegetables.
- The recommendation for a high-protein, high-fiber breakfast may not suit everyone, as individual nutritional needs can vary greatly depending on factors like age, sex, health status, and activity level.
- The emphasis on cutting out inflammatory oils is based on the assumption that all omega-6 fatty acids are problematic, but the body does need some omega-6s, and the balance between omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids is what's important.
- The advice to eliminate alcohol entirely may not be necessary for everyone, as moderate alcohol consumption can be part of a healthy lifestyle for some individuals, and there is research suggesting potential health benefits of moderate drinking for certain populations.
- The concept of 'prana' or life force energy in foods is a spiritual or philosophical viewpoint and may not be aligned with conventional nutritional science.
- The focus on high protein intake may overlook the potential benefits of a plant-based or lower-protein diet, which has been associated with longevity and reduced risk of certain diseases in some studies.
- The suggestion to create a home "ashram" might not be practical or desirable for everyone, and the idea that this environment can alleviate ...
Actionables
- You can swap out your usual cooking oils for alternatives like avocado or coconut oil to avoid inflammatory oils without changing your cooking habits. By simply replacing the oil you use in your kitchen, you can make a significant impact on reducing inflammation without needing to overhaul your entire diet. For example, use avocado oil for high-heat cooking and coconut oil in your baking.
- Try incorporating a "no-tech hour" before bed to enhance your sleep quality and circadian rhythm. During this time, engage in calming activities like reading a physical book or practicing gentle yoga. This habit can signal to your body that it's time to wind down, potentially leading to more restful sleep.
- Create a "five-minute morning boost" routine that includes s ...
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