Q: Radhika, your story begins in India, where Yoga and Ayurveda are a way of life, not a trend. How did growing up with those principles shape how you think about health and healing today?

I was born in India, where Yoga and Āyurveda are not modern wellness trends but a way of life. We stay in tune with the rhythms of the seasons — through yoga postures, herbs, and seasonal wisdom. My bedtime stories were about Hanuman flying to the Himalayas searching for the Sanjeevani — the most potent healing herb on Earth. That story never left me. My father planted curiosity in me, and my mother reminded me that we are an extension of the universe. Growing up in a family of physicians, I had a front-row seat to two very different approaches to healing. Western medicine is extraordinary at treating the symptom — but Āyurveda goes deeper, addressing the root. I saw the power of both, and I saw the limits of both. That contrast shaped everything about how I think about healing today, and it is what ultimately inspired me to build Mt. Meru Medicines — rooted in Āyurveda and held to the highest standards of modern science.

Q: You come from a family of doctors, yet you chose a path that blends ancient wisdom, entrepreneurship, and teaching. What planted the seed for Mt. Meru Medicines, and how did becoming a mother influence that decision?

The seed was planted in 7th grade, by my civics teacher Ms. Amy. She introduced me to the word entrepreneur — strange spelling, funny sound — and I was hooked. I learned that entrepreneurs solve problems that benefit the world. Coming from a family of doctors, my answer was obvious: one day, I would build a medicine company that could heal people. I spent years in engineering and consulting. My mind was getting trained, but my soul was feeling lost. And then Aura was born in 2016 — and something clicked. If I was going to be away from my daughter, it had to be for something that mattered. Something I loved. The healer inside me had waited long enough.

Q: Turmeric is everywhere now, but you’ve been very vocal about the problems in the turmeric industry. What shocked you most when you began researching turmeric for the U.S. market?

When I went looking for turmeric that honored the Āyurvedic tradition, what shocked me most was how little anyone seemed to care. Adulteration, exploitation, an industry that had completely forgotten its roots. Heavy metals in popular turmeric brands. A Stanford study found turmeric mixed with lead-chromate pigments contained lead levels up to 500 times the allowable limit — lead chromate, added just to make turmeric look more golden, showing up in children's blood. And this wasn't happening somewhere far away. It was on American store shelves. Then there was what the industry had done to the herb itself — turmeric reduced to a single compound, curcumin, stripped of everything that makes the whole herb work. Āyurveda has always prescribed the whole root, never an extract. And then the sourcing — commodity herbs with no traceable origin. An industry cutting every corner behind the scenes. So I set out to find the world's best turmeric — one naturally high in curcumin, not isolated extracts. 

Q: You talk about food as medicine, but only when it’s pure, seasonal, and full of Prana. Can you explain what Prana means in this context, and why how an herb is grown and processed matters just as much as what it is?

Prāṇa is the life force that moves through everything. In an herb, it is what makes the plant alive — not just chemically active. And it is deeply sensitive to how the plant is grown, processed, and handled. When you rush the harvest, heat it aggressively, isolate one compound out of hundreds, or cut it with synthetic binders, you are destroying that living system. This is why how an herb is grown matters as much as what it is. When the herb arrives to you whole and alive, your body — which is also whole and intelligent — knows what to do with it. This is when food becomes medicine. 

Q: One of the most fascinating parts of Mt. Meru is your commitment to ancient farming and post-harvest rituals, including sun-drying turmeric the traditional way, even though it takes 6–10 times longer. Why was it important to honor that process instead of taking modern shortcuts?

In India, sun-drying turmeric is an annual family ritual — buying fresh rhizomes, laying them under the open sky, stocking them for the whole year. My mother-in-law still does this. She selects her turmeric carefully, tends to it with pride, pours love into every step. I asked myself: could I do this for our turmeric? When I brought the idea to our farmers, most people laughed. The industry had moved to machine drying — faster, cheaper, more convenient. But the farmers themselves told me the truth: sun-dried turmeric tastes different. Something is preserved that the machine cannot replicate. Turmeric is the herb of the sun. Blessing our rhizomes with the Prāṇa — the life force — of the sun was not a romantic idea. It was essential. The sun has always been part of this plant's story. We are simply honoring that.

Q: Ayurveda has always used turmeric as a whole herb, not just isolated curcumin. How does that holistic philosophy differ from the reductionist supplement culture we see today, and why does it matter for real health outcomes?

Āyurveda is one of the world's oldest continuously practiced systems of medicine — over 5,000 years of documented traditional use. That is not philosophy. That is thousands of years of clinical observation. At the heart of it is a simple truth: the body is intelligent, and whole herbs work in harmony with the body's innate systems of balance, repair, and renewal. Turmeric has hundreds of naturally occurring compounds, volatile oils, and antioxidants working together in synergy. Curcumin is just one of them. When you isolate it, you disrupt the entire system. We preserve the complete phytochemical matrix — exactly as nature intended. And what modern science is now beginning to show is that the synergistic effect of the whole herb is real. Āyurveda already knew.

Q:  You spent years searching across India before finding Lakadong turmeric and a farmer partner who shared your values. What makes Lakadong turmeric so special, and how does paying farmers fairly change the quality of what ends up in the capsule?

I traveled far and wide to the most remote corners of India to find the most potent turmeric on the planet. My goal was simple — find a turmeric that was naturally high in curcumin, not isolated extracts. I found it in Lakadong, nestled in the sacred hills of Meghalaya — where the soil is volcanic and mineral-rich, the altitude is high, and the turmeric that grows there is unlike anything else on Earth. But great turmeric alone was not enough. I needed a farmer partner who shared the same values — someone willing to learn, who wouldn't cut corners, who understood what we were building together. Most farmers sell their harvest through middlemen in wholesale markets — and by the time the money reaches them, there's almost nothing left. When you're a farmer trying to feed your family and the margins are razor-thin, the pressure to adulterate becomes real. It's survival. But when you pay farmers a fair wage — when they have financial stability — they're motivated to do the right thing. They have the freedom to honor the process. And that integrity flows directly into the root. You cannot separate the quality of the turmeric from the care of the person who grew it.

Q: For someone new to Ayurveda, especially busy women or moms, how should turmeric actually be used to support the body? Timing, food pairings, seasons… what do people most often get wrong?

For thousands of years, turmeric has been woven into the daily life of women in India — not as a supplement, but as a sacred ritual. Turmeric is a solar herb — it amplifies your inner fire, fuels your metabolism, and gives busy women and moms the energy and vitality to show up fully, every single day. The part most people get wrong is taking it inconsistently — people dip in and out and wonder why they don't feel a difference. Make it a ritual. Take it at the same time, with intention, as part of your daily rhythm.

Timing matters. Start your day with Radiate Tea first thing in the morning to ignite your Agni — your digestive fire and the source of all vitality — and get your circulation moving. Radiate can also be taken whenever you feel your Agni weakening throughout the day. Take Transform tablets with breakfast — always with a meal that has healthy fat. Then at night, make Golden Milk your nighttime ritual, a way to wind down and nourish yourself before sleep.

And remember to listen to the rhythm of the seasons. What your body needs in winter is different from summer. Start with consistency, make it sacred, and pay attention to how your body responds. That feedback loop is your teacher.

Q: For anyone reading who’s curious and wants to experience Mt. Meru for themselves, what’s the best way to start and where can they learn more or connect with you and the brand?

Start with one. Either Radiate Tea as your morning ritual to ignite your Agni, or Golden Milk as your nighttime ritual. Whichever one calls to you. If you need deeper support, add Transform — our Lakadong Turmeric tablets — to your breakfast routine. Commit to thirty days and experience what shifts in your body, your energy, your mind. That's how you begin to understand Āyurveda — not through information, but through experience.

Our website at mtmerumedicines.com is very resourceful — the sourcing stories, the philosophy, everything you need is there. You can also reach me directly at radhikaponda@mtmerumedicines.com. I love hearing from the community, and I especially love hearing how you incorporate our precious products into your own routine.

We also just launched Haritaki — our Longevity herb. Its lunar energy is a perfect complement to turmeric's solar energy. Together, they create balance.

And remember — your body isn't broken. It is brilliant. Sacred whole herbs help you tap into the wisdom that's already within you.