ADVISORY BOARD
Dr. John Douillard
Director of Player Development for the New Jersey Nets, consultant to Olympic champions, expert on pulse diagnosis, author and lecturer.
Dr. David Frawley
The first Westerner to study the Vedic Sciences in their original Sanskrit. Founded the American Institute of Vedic Studies.
Dr. Marc Halpern
A recognized expert in the field of Ayurvedic medicine, the founder and director of California College of Ayurveda.
Dr. Vasant Lad
The first Ayurvedic physician to come from India to teach Ayurveda in the U.S., founded The Ayurvedic Institute.
Dr. Light Miller
Educator, author, specialist in aromatherapy and Kaya Kalpa, and administrator of the Sarasota Branch of the Florida Vedic College.
Dr. Vivek Shanbhag
Director of AYU Ayurvedic Academy and Natural Medicine Clinic, Seattle, WA, on university faculty of Bastyr University. He travels widely to bring the teachings of Ayurveda.
Swami Sadashiva Tirtha, D.Sc.
Author of "Ayurveda Encyclopedia", established the School of Ayurveda in Long Island and an Ayurvedic online correspondence course.
EDITORIAL BOARD
Managing Editor: Martina Ziska, M.D.
Dr. Ziska teaches and offers workshops in Ayurveda. She has been editor and publisher of the journal for the Lyme Disease Foundation.
Dr. Shekhar Annambhotla, B.A.M.S., M.D. (Ayurveda), RYT, CMT
Dr. Annambhotla has been a dedicated International Ayurvedic Specialist, consultant and educator since 1988 with specialization in Kaya Chikitsa from Gujarat Ayurved University.
Kumar Batra, PhD
Dr. Batra has served as Adjunct Assistant Professor in Dept. of Pathology at U.C. Davis Medical School.
Dr. Alakananda Devi
Dr. Alakananda is a British trained physician who was among the first Western physicians to study Ayurveda. She is principal of Alandi School of Ayurveda, a writer and speaker.
Prashanti de Jager
On the staff at the Rishikesh College of Ayurveda, and involved in a large Ayurvedic organic herb project in India and the U.S.
Dr. Jay Glaser
An Ayurvedic practitioner and teacher, he is certified in internal medicine and is medical director of the Lancaster Ayurvedic Medical Center in Lancaster, Massachusetts since 1988.
Dr. Subhash Ranade
International lecturer, author and educator, former Head of the Department of Ayurveda, Pune University.
Dr. Sunanda Ranade
International lecturer and educator, author of several books on Ayurveda & Yoga, Director of International Academy of Ayurveda.
Mukunda Stiles
Author and teacher of Structural Yoga Therapy, Director of Yoga Therapy Center, he has taught in the field of Yoga over 35 years and incorporated Ayurvedic teaching in the last ten years.
Felicia Tomasko
Felicia works in the fields of Ayurveda and yoga with a special interest in writing and editing. She is pursuing her certification in Yoga Therapy and is staff writer and editor in chief for LA Yoga Magazine.
Mark L. Vinick, D.C., C.A.S
Dr. Mark L. Vinick is a Chiropractor and Clinical Ayurvedic Specialist in private practice. He has been an avid student and teacher of Vedic Knowledge for over 30 years and is currently the President of The California Association of Ayurvedic Medicine.
Advisory Board:
Dr. John Douillard D.C. P.h.D. is the author of The 3-Season Diet, Perfect Health for Kids, The Encyclopedia of Ayurvedic Massage, and Body, Mind, and Sport, which has sold over 100,000 copies and has been printed in six languages. John received his Ayurvedic training in India and holds a Ph.D. in Ayurvedic medicine from the Open International University. He is the former Director of Player Development for the New Jersey Nets in the NBA. He co-directed Deepak Chopra’s Ayurvedic center for eight years. He launched a preservative-free Ayurvedic skin care line in 1998, and an Ayurvedic herbal line in 2003. He has been teaching Ayurvedic medicine, natural health, fitness, and nutrition internationally for twenty-one years. Currently he directs the LifeSpa - an Ayurvedic rejuvenation and retreat center in Boulder, Colorado, where he lives with his wife and six children.
www.lifespa.com
Dr. David Frawley - a renowned Ayurvedic educator, lecturer and author. He is Director of the American Institute of Vedic Studies, Santa Fe, New Mexico. Dr. Frawley has written a complete series of books on Ayurvedic medicine as well as books on Yoga, Vedic Astrology and the Vedas. His work includes an extensive correspondence course/distance learning program in Ayurveda, Yoga and Vedic astrology. He is also teaching in India, Europe and South America and his books and courses are available in a number of languages.
www.vedanet.com
Dr. Marc Halpern - a recognized expert in the field of ayurveda, founder and director of California College of Ayurveda in Grass Valley. Dr. Halpern has published articles in major journals such as Yoga Journal and International Journal of Yoga Therapy, and has taught Ayurvedic workshops throughout the U.S. as well as in Europe and India. He is on the Advisory Boards of the International Academy of Ayurveda and the Australian College of Ayurvedic Acupuncture. He is founding member of the California Association of Ayurvedic Medicine and of the National Ayurvedic Medical Association.
www.ayurvedacollege.com
top of page
Dr. Vasant Lad - revered Ayurvedic physician, educator, lecturer, author of several texts on Ayurveda and numerous articles. His most recent is The Textbook of Ayurveda: Fundamental Principles, Vol. I. Dr. Lad received the degree of Bachelor of Ayurvedic Medicine & Surgery from the University of Pune, in Pune, India in 1968, and a Master of Ayurvedic Science from Tilak Ayurved Mahavidyalaya in Pune, India in 1980. For 3 years he served as Medical Director of the Ayurveda Hospital in Pune, India. He also held the position of Professor of Clinical Medicine for seven years at the Pune University College of Ayurvedic Medicine, where he was an instructor for many years. His academic and practical training includes the study of allopathic medicine and surgery. Since 1979 he has been teaching and bringing the message of Ayurveda to the United States where he is Executive Director of The Ayurvedic Institute, Albuquerque, New Mexico which he founded in 1984.
www.ayurveda.com
Dr. Light Miller has over 30 years experience in natural healthcare. Dr. Miller’s Ayurvedic heritage connects her to her roots of Indian philosophy and healing. She specializes in aromatherapy and has published three books and an Ayurveda Study Course. She is Administrator of the Sarasota Branch of the Florida Vedic College. In addition to providing individual health counseling and teaching seminars, Light has trained and certified over 500 massage therapists. She is currently the only woman out of the 18 practitioners of Kaya Kalpa in the world. Kaya Kalpa is a branch of Ayurvedic mystical medicine, the oldest recorded healing art.
www.ayurvedichealers.com
Dr. Vivek Shanbhag, ND, MD (Ayurved), BAMS, is Medical Director of a team of six health care practitioners at Natural Medince Clinic, Seattle. His clinical, teaching and research experience spans over 18 years. He is Ayurvedic Academy, and author of Beginners Introduction to Ayurveda. He is a member of the Board of Directors of National Ayurvedic Medical Association. During 1991-96, he was Chairman of the Ayurvedic Department at Bastyr University, Seattle. During 1985-88, he was Head of Institute of Research in Ayurvedic Medicine, Poona, India. Dr. Shanbhag's 14 years of Ayurvedic and Naturopathic clinical training includes Ayurvedic graduateion (BAMS) at Karnataka University, post-graduation (MD-Ayurved) at Poona University and Doctorate in Natuopathic Medicine at Bastyr University. He was awrded the prestigious I.I.M. Gold Medal for his MD-Ayurved Research Thesis.
www.ayurvedaonline.com
Swami Sadashiva Tirtha, D.Sc. - is the founder of the Swami Narayan Tirtha Math and author of the Bhagavad Gita for Modern Times, the Ayurveda Encyclopedia, and the Ayurveda Primer (e-book). He began teaching meditation in 1976, founded the Ayurveda Holistic Center in 1988, and the International Vedic Institute's School of Ayurveda in 1991. He spent 10 years in advanced private study with Ayurvedic doctors from Benares Hindu University and those living in the Himalayas. He received his sannyas as a swami in 1991. Swamiji has published Tirtha/Siddhayoga lineage books, and lectures include John Hopkins and the White House Commission on Complimentary & Alternative Medicine. Swamiji focuses on helping people experience their inner peace and joy and helps them develop their outer divine visions for world peace and joy. He writes and speaks about spiritual ayurveda in this context. http://swaminarayantirtha.org; http://ayurvedahc.com;
top of page
Editorial Board
Dr. Shekhar Annambhotla, B.A.M.S., M.D. (Ayurveda), RYT, CMT, earned a Bachelor of Ayurvedic Medicine & Surgery degree from Nagarjuna University, Andhra Pradesh in 1988 and Doctor of Medicine in Ayurveda degree, with specialization in Kaya Chikitsa (Internal Medicine) from Gujarat Ayurved University in 1991. Dr. Shekhar traveled extensively throughout Europe, the West Indies and North America for seven years, practicing and teaching Ayurveda. He is also a Registered Yoga Teacher with Yoga Alliance, a Certified Integrative Bodywork and Massage Therapist, and is a faculty member of various Ayurveda schools throughout the USA. He serves on the Board of Directors for National Ayurvedic Medical Association (NAMA), USA, is Founding Director of Association of Ayurvedic Professionals of North America (AAPNA), USA, and is the founding Ayurvedic Medical director of International Institute of Integrative Medicine, Tangutur, Andhra Pradesh, India. Dr. Annambhotla lives in Lehigh Valley, Pennsylvania, with his family.
Website: www.ojas.us
Kumar Batra, PhD is author of several scientific and research publications, is a licensed Clinical Laboratory Toxicologist in California. He has served as the Director of Toxicology and Drug Analysis Laboratory and as Adjunct Assistant Professor in the Department of Pathology at the University of California Davis Medical Center. He is President of the National Ayurvedic Medical Association and has a passionate desire to integrate Ayurveda with Western Medicine.
Prashanti de Jager - Has a strong background in the Vedic Sciences from studies in India and has several degrees from the University of Michigan. He has travelled extensively studying Vedic, Tibetan, Western and Ethno-Indigenous forms of inquiry into the structure of the world around us. Prashanti is now on the board of the California Association of Ayurvedic Medicine, on the staff at the Rishikesh College of Ayurveda, and has been helping to direct a large Ayurvedic organic herb project in India and the U.S. since 1993
www.omorganics.com
Alakananda Devi, MB, BS, is a British trained physician who travelled to India in 1980 where she met her teacher, Dr. Vasant Lad, and was among the first Western physicians to study Ayurveda. She is principal of Alandi School of Ayurveda, a traditional gurukula, in Colorado, and is known for her insightful Ayurvedic articles. She has written several articles for Light on Ayurveda Journal, including an innovative veterinary study on cats and Ayurveda.
www.alandiashram.org
Jay Glaser, MD is board certified in internal medicine and works as a hospitalist at the UMass Health Alliance Hospital in Leominster, MA. He is medical director of the Lancaster Ayurveda Medical Centers since 1988, promoting Ayurveda through his courses, workshops and publishing. After earning his MD degree from the University of Colorado School of Medicine, he served his internal medicine residency and fellowship at McGill University's Royal Victoria Hospital in Montreal. Dr. Glaser has published many scientific articles on the physiological effects of Ayurveda and Transcendental Meditation.
www.AyurvedaMed.com
Dr. Subhash Ranade - is an international lecturer and educator. He has retired as Professor and Head of the Dept. of Ayurveda, Pune University. He has written more than 70 books on Ayurveda which have been published in Marathi, English, Japanese, Italian, Spanish, Polish and Spanish languages. He is the Chairman of the International Academy of Ayurveda, Principal of Ashtang Ayurveda College in Pune, India, is visiting professor to the colleges of Ayurveda in the U.S. as well as those in Germany, Poland, Australia, Italy, and Japan. He is Honorary Consultant for the creation and building of Veda Klinik, a new 400 bed Ayurvedic hospital in Charlottenhohe, Germany which will open in fall of 2003.
www.ayurved-int.com
Dr. Sunanda Ranade, Ph.D. - is an international lecturer and educator, teaching in the U.S., India, and abroad. She is the author of several books on Ayurveda and Yoga, translated into several languages. She is the Director of the International Academy of Ayurveda which conducts practical training courses for foreigners. She is Honorary Consultant for the creation and building of Veda Klinik, a new Ayurvedic hospital in Charlottenhohe, Germany.
www.ayurved-int.com
Mukunda Stiles - is the author of Structural Yoga Therapy, Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, and Ayurvedic Yoga Therapy. He has taught in the field of yoga and Ayurveda for over 35 years and is on the Board of Advisors of the International Association of Yoga Therapists.
www.yogatherapycenter.org
Felicia Tomasko - is an Ayurvedic practitioner, registered nurse and editor in chief of LA YOGA Ayurveda and Health magazine (www.layogamagazine.com). She serves on the board of directors of the National Ayurvedic Medical Association (NAMA) and the California Association of Ayurvedic Medicine (CAAM). Felicia studied in the yoga therapy and Ayurveda as well as the practice and teaching of yoga programs at the Rocky Mountain Institute of Yoga and Ayurveda and engaged in an extensive internship with Dr. Alakananda Devi at Alandi Ashram. Additionally, Felicia has worked in biochemistry and cognitive neuroscience research and has taught yoga since 1997. She focuses on the inclusion of yoga and Ayurveda in modern life and the intersection with science and medical practice.
Email: feliciatomasko@aol.com
Dr. Mark L. Vinick is both a Chiropractor and Clinical Ayurvedic Specialist in private practice in Redondo Beach CA. He has been an avid student and teacher of Vedic Knowledge for over 30 years. In the 1970’s he taught and lectured extensively on the benefits of meditation. He is Board Certified in Anti-Aging Medicine, and also in Pain Management. Dr. Vinick is a graduate of The California College of Ayurveda, and is currently the President of The California Association of Ayurvedic Medicine. www.drmarkvinick.com
Martina Ziska, M.D., D.Ay, Managing Editor of Light on Ayurveda Journal, is a full time Ayurvedic practitioner. She has been editor and publisher of the journal for the Lyme Disease Foundation and has been on the faculty of Academy of Ayurvedic Studies in Amesterdam, Netherlands.
Dr. Ziska trained with Drs. Chopra, Raju, and Nader and practiced Maharishi Ayurveda in Europe. Her medical training is with a neurology specialty and her PhD is in neurophysiology from the Charles University in Prague, Czech Republic. She has recently returned to Prague in The Czech Republic where she has a full-time clinical practice including panchakarma. She is building Ayurveda Terra, a center in nature where ayurvedic and ecological principles can be intertwined.
