On this episode of “A Healthy Point of View” podcast, CEO and Founder of Liquivida®, Sam Tejada, sits down with Dr. Shivani Gupta, an inflammation and Ayurvedic expert, entrepreneur, and author of The Inflammation Code. What unfolds is a deep and eye-opening look at why modern society is more inflamed than ever and how ancient practices, turmeric, and self-care can help us restore balance.
India’s Ancient Secret That Modern Medicine Still Gets Wrong | Dr. Shivani Gupta | Ep. 112
A Childhood That Sparked a Mission
Dr. Gupta grew up in Houston, Texas, raised by immigrant parents who worked tirelessly to build a successful life in America. But along the way, she watched something troubling play out around her, her family’s health slowly deteriorating.
Every year when they visited India, someone in the family was dealing with a serious illness: heart attacks, strokes, complications from diabetes, even amputations. She recalls thinking:
Why do we work so hard, sacrifice our health, and then spend the last 20 years of our lives suffering?
That question stayed with her. At the same time, she found herself chronically sick as a child, always searching for something that could help her build a stronger immune system. This is what eventually led her to Ayurveda, India’s ancient healing system, during her college years.
A family trip across India changed everything. She witnessed countless people, even those who weren’t Indian, using Ayurvedic therapies to fully restore their health. Many had moved permanently to India because the healing was so profound. That experience was her spark. She went on to earn a master’s in Ayurvedic Sciences, and later, her PhD dissertation on turmeric.
Turmeric wasn’t just a spice anymore; it became her life’s work.
Why Modern Society Is So Inflamed
We are one of the most inflamed populations in the world. Even though only 5% of the global population lives in the U.S., we consume over 80–90% of the world’s opioids. Chronic pain, obesity, inflammatory diseases, and burnout have become part of everyday life.
Dr. Gupta lists the biggest contributors:
- Sedentary lifestyles
- Poor gut health
- High-carb, low-nutrient diets
- Toxins, pollution, microplastics
- Chronic stress
- Hormonal imbalances
- Lack of sleep
- Ultra-processed foods
- Environmental oxidative stress
And the numbers don’t lie: 129 million Americans live with at least one chronic inflammatory issue. Over 36% have chronic low-grade inflammation bubbling under the surface.
“That chronic fire,” she explains, “is what eventually turns into diabetes, heart disease, autoimmune disorders, cognitive decline, or long-term pain.”
Turmeric: The Ancient Anti-Inflammatory Super Spice
When Sam asks her to break down turmeric’s science, Dr. Gupta lights up.
Turmeric, she explains, is a rhizome from the ginger family, antiviral, antibacterial, antifungal, antioxidant, and one of the most powerful anti-inflammatory agents on earth. Its active component, curcumin, affects the body on multiple levels:
1. Turns Off Major Inflammatory Pathways
Curcumin impacts NF-κB, TNF-alpha, IL-6, IL-1β, the master switches of inflammation, and everything downstream.
2. Acts as a “Cellular Janitor”
It clears:
- oxidative stress
- DNA damage
- senescent “zombie” cells
- malignant or dysfunctional cells
- cellular membrane damage
It literally “cleans house.”
3. Supports Brain Health & Anti-Aging
Turmeric can help reduce neuroinflammation and even support:
- new brain cell formation (neurogenesis)
- new mitochondria (myogenesis)
- clearing amyloid plaques and tau tangles
It also impacts sirtuins and telomeres, major players in longevity.
4. Strengthens Immunity
Many people use it as a daily immune shield, especially frequent travelers.
5. Helps With Pain, Naturally
Studies show curcumin can be as effective as NSAIDs, without the long-term side effects.
6. Supports Women’s Hormonal Health
Science shows benefits for:
- PCOS
- endometriosis
- perimenopause
- menopause
The body can’t regulate hormones well when it’s already inflamed. Turmeric helps calm that internal fire.
Curcumin vs. Turmeric: Clearing the Confusion
Sam asks a question many consumers have: Is the curcumin in supplements synthetic?
Dr. Gupta explains:
- Only 3% of turmeric is actually curcumin.
- So supplement companies extract the curcumin to create a more potent dose.
- Her formula combines both curcumin extract + whole turmeric, restoring nature’s full synergy.
She also teaches how to choose a safe supplement:
- Look for third-party testing
- Look for transparency
- Understand the source
- Avoid companies acquired by giant conglomerates
- Choose U.S.-manufactured whenever possible
The goal is purity, potency, and trust.
IV Curcumin? Sam Had to Ask.
Dr. Gupta has heard of them but hasn’t tried them yet. Her perspective?
They may have huge potential, especially for severe inflammation, but she wants more research. Still, she is a major supporter of vitamin IVs and frequently recommends Liquivida-style therapies to clients who have stubborn conditions that don’t respond to traditional methods. Sometimes, she says, the body needs a full system reset, and IV nutrients can help kick-start that healing.
Inflammation, Hormones, and the Midlife Storm
At 45, Dr. Gupta is in the middle of perimenopause herself, and she laughs about the chaos it brings: “Where did our brains go? Where did our energy go?”
But she makes one thing clear: Hormonal problems worsen when the body enters this phase already overwhelmed, inflamed, and exhausted. Your lymphatic system is sluggish. Your gut is struggling. Your inflammation is high.
So when your hormones begin to shift, the body says, “I don’t have the resources to help you with this, too.”
Ayurveda, with its focus on sleep, gut health, circadian rhythm, and self-care, becomes especially powerful during these stages of life.
Self-Care: Tiny Slices of Time That Save Your Health
Instead of romanticized bubble baths and long morning routines, Dr. Gupta reframes self-care as “Tiny slices of your day that you take back for you.”
In today’s world, an hour of meditation isn’t realistic, but a 2-minute reset moment with tea or coffee, done consistently, is.
Her simple rule: “Tea time is me time.” Pause. Breathe. Check in with yourself. Even these micro-moments reduce stress and inflammation.
The #1 Anti-Inflammatory Habit: Sleep
Honor your sleep. Sleep is the foundation of gut health, hormonal balance, stress regulation, and inflammation control.
Dr. Gupta encourages people to build a sleep ritual just like we do for babies:
- dim lights
- reduce stimulation
- use calming scents
- slow down
- create predictability
- ease the body into rest
Treat yourself gently. Treat yourself like you matter.
Make America Healthy Again
Dr. Gupta supports its mission wholeheartedly, calling out pesticides, toxic foods, and broken systems, but she also shares that the political polarization around it can feel confusing. Health shouldn’t be partisan, she says. Everyone deserves access to wellness.
Sam agrees. His mission has always been clear: help people take control of their own health.
Dr. Gupta wants Western medicine to accept turmeric as a legitimate option for managing pain and inflammation.
She wants doctors to be able to say: “You have inflammation, try turmeric first.”
And she’ll keep working until that becomes a reality.