Pranic Supplements or Herbal-Memory Nectar Drops? – ALL 10% Off
Supplements?
the
SVA Perspective
~ with Dr Lisa Raskin (DC)
When I first went to see Vaidya Mishra in 2008, I brought my supplements with me. I was proud of them! Quality brands. Good ingredients. All the right nutrients. I told him: “They give me energy.” He looked at them and said one word: “Stimulants.”
That moment stayed with me for a long time!
Because he was right. That energy I was feeling wasn’t nourishment. My body was being pushed, not supported. Here’s what he taught me: most supplements are made in labs – synthetic copies of nutrients that originally came from living food. And when you isolate a nutrient that way, three things happen.
First, it loses its cofactors. Take vitamin C. Isolated ascorbic acid is just one molecule stripped of everything nature put around it. Vitamin C from a whole food source comes with bioflavonoids and other compounds that help your body actually use it. The isolated version is missing that.
Second – and this is the deeper teaching – it loses its prana: its vibrational energy and nutrition. The living intelligence that no lab can replicate… Prana is what allows your cells to know what to do. When to release which hormone. When to make neurotransmitters. How to communicate with each other so your whole system stays coordinated. Your heart beats. Your liver filters. Cells repair themselves. Hormones release at exactly the right time. That coordination doesn’t come from nutrients alone. It comes from prana. When a supplement is made in a lab, that intelligence is gone. Your body gets the molecule with the nutritional dosage but not the “intelligence” that is a living energy. The building materials are there. But the thing that tells your body what to actually do with them – that’s gone.
Third – this is something I think about with every patient – the liver only recognizes food. When it receives something synthetic, something it doesn’t recognize as food, it has to work incredibly hard just to metabolize it. Even while it may be delivering some benefit, it is simultaneously creating burden. This is why something can help and hurt at the same time. And I want to be clear – this doesn’t mean every supplement is useless! Some are necessary. Some are genuinely helpful for a period of time. I’m not saying throw everything away…
But the question is bigger than “is the nutrient there?”
The deeper question is: can your body actually recognize it? Can it use it? Does it nourish – or does it stimulate?
This is why lab numbers can improve while you still feel terrible.
I see this constantly. Women come to me having taken dozens of supplements for months or years. Their numbers may look better. But they don’t feel better. So we begin looking differently. Not just at what they’re taking – but at whether their body can actually receive and use it.
When we shift toward herbs that are properly prepared, whole food sources, and remedies the body can actually recognize – something changes. Not because we added more. Because we gave the body something it could actually work with. Something that carries intelligence. And here’s a simple way to start paying attention to this yourself: when you take something, how does your body actually feel? Not just in the moment – but over time. Does it actually feel supported? Or slightly pushed, slightly off, even if a symptom improves?
Your body can tell the difference. It really can.
Look for whole food sources whenever possible. Herbs that are wild-crafted or grown and processed in ways that preserve their intelligence. And companies that understand that how something is prepared matters as much as what’s in it. That’s just a very different way of thinking about this than most people have been taught.
Today, through Soma Radiant Wellness, Dr. Lisa Raskin works primarily with women with complex or highly sensitive systems, particularly women who react unexpectedly to supplements or treatments, have tried many approaches without getting well, or have complicated health histories that do not fit neatly into a single diagnosis or protocol.
Dr. Raskin began studying Ayurveda in 1985, years before becoming a Chiropractic Physician. Her undergraduate background was in chemistry and biochemistry at the University of Texas at Austin, where she was Phi Beta Kappa. While still an undergraduate, she worked at the Clayton Foundation for Biochemical Research, where she conducted research and helped develop and refine a lymphocyte-based assay for assessing nutritional status. She graduated from Parker College of Chiropractic in 1995.
Her interest in Ayurveda grew out of a much longer exploration of consciousness and the relationship between mind, body and health. A meditation teacher since 1976, Dr. Raskin participated in an intensive five-year program in Europe during the 1980s focused on the development of consciousness. During that time, she was invited to join a group of physicians developing treatment protocols for Ayurvedic clinics.
After returning to the United States, she also worked in molecular biology research with Dr. David Pasco at Maharishi International University, doing genetic cloning and related laboratory work as part of an NIH-funded research project.
She later worked as a biochemist at Stanford Research Institute, conducting research on Ayurvedic herbs..
Dr. Raskin’s research at SRI International also resulted in co-authorship of a peer-reviewed paper published in Mutation Research examining the relationship between dietary and lifestyle factors and measured mutation frequency in human erythrocytes.
Her work took another important turn when she began studying extensively with Vaidya Rama Kant Mishra in the Shaka Vansya Ayurveda tradition. She continued studying with him for many years and became one of only seven physicians worldwide certified by Vaidya Mishra in the teachings of Shaka Vansya Ayurveda.
The principles of SVA remain foundational to the way Dr. Raskin understands health and healing today. One of the lessons that most deeply shaped her work was Vaidya Mishra’s insistence on respecting the individual in front of you rather than simply applying a treatment because it is supposed to be beneficial.
That became especially important as Dr. Raskin found herself working with people who were unusually sensitive, who reacted to supplements or treatments that should have helped them, or who had complicated health histories that did not fit neatly into a single diagnosis or protocol.
Her approach brings together the principles and subtle understanding of Shaka Vansya Ayurveda with modern laboratory testing, functional blood chemistry, genetics, detailed health history, symptoms and patterns of response. She is interested not only in what is happening now, but in how a person’s health story unfolded over time and how seemingly separate pieces may be connected.
Dr. Raskin is particularly careful with people who do not tolerate standard approaches well. Rather than assuming that more treatment, more supplements or a stronger protocol is better, she works gently and individually, paying close attention to how each person responds.
Her work reflects a question that has guided her for many years:
At what cost?
Something may be considered beneficial, but if the person cannot tolerate it, or if helping one part of the system comes at the expense of another, Dr. Raskin believes that matters.
Through Soma Radiant Wellness, her fully virtual practice, Dr. Raskin works with women worldwide.
“I started my sessions with Dr. Lisa after trying many other modalities and was referred by a friend who had experience with Ayurvedic medicine. My challenges have been in dealing with osteoporosis and being overweight.
Dr. Lisa very gently started me on a cleansing protocol and over the course of several sessions, built me up to a point where I could start effectively supporting my health from a more balanced and clear level.
Currently I feel much clearer, lighter and healthier only a few months later!
I would recommend Dr. Lisa because of her attention to the patient’s concerns and her very sensitive approach to addressing each issue, as well as her rare skills and training in this field. I was surprised again and again at how spot-on she is!” — MM
“I was experiencing a lot of fatigue, and had a hard time getting out of bed. I also had digestive issues and insomnia.
After I started the program from Dr. Lisa, I started to have more energy and my digestion improved. Also my hot flashes had lessened significantly within two weeks. The insomnia has also improved significantly. I felt normal again.
I like working with Dr. Lisa because she really listens to you and your concerns and she is respectful of your experience. Unlike many doctors who patronize you and tell you your disease doesn’t exist. I feel I am in good hands and that I can turn to her whenever I need advice.” — LH
“I have suspected since I was a teenager that something was not right, possibly with my adrenal glands or my thyroid. I am now into my 50’s and so happy to have started working with you last year. You did a great job zooming right into the challenges that I have experienced my whole life, particularly related to low energy and weight struggles.
I love your approach of using Western diagnostics to confirm what’s going on and using the gentle approach of ayurveda for support. In many ways, I feel better than I ever remember feeling.
I also appreciate that you offer many suggestions and encourage your patients to focus on the things that feel right. It is really empowering to meet a Dr who sees her patients as their own experts with their own bodies.
Through your experienced guidance, I continue to find new ways to improve the quality of my life, my energy levels and just a general overall feeling of well being.
I love that ayurveda seeks to support the whole person in a unique way tailored to that person’s needs.
The world could use more of you and those like you.”
— Lisa B.
Sensitive Care for Sensitive Systems
“Dr. Lisa Raskin was recommended to me because I had anxiety, digestion/elimination problems and difficulty sleeping. After working with her for less than a year I feel so much calmer, my digestion has improved and I’m no longer dependent on laxatives.
I’m also sleeping better than I ever have. I’m falling asleep faster and sleeping through the night.
I’m forever grateful for Dr. Lisa!”
— Eileen Hogan-Murthy
“My blood tests showed that my thyroid was low functioning. I heard about Dr. Lisa Raskin and asked her if she would work with me; I had heard that one of her special talents was supporting those with thyroid issues. When she saw my tests she said that she was surprised that I had enough energy to get out of bed and get dressed in the morning.
Working with natural herbs and Ayurvedic spices and oils I began to feel my energy and strength return. I no longer fall asleep in my recliner in the afternoon or have trouble getting to sleep at night. And…get this…without even trying, my weight has dropped about 15 pounds. Weight loss was not really a goal…natural energy restoration was…but I’ll take it with gratitude.
I feel so-o-o much better, and many people tell me that I couldn’t possibly be 73 years old. YAY!”
— Beverly C.
“Before working with Dr. Lisa I was experiencing muscle pain and weakness from a fall, felt fatigued most of the time and my blood sugar was slightly high. After working with her for less than three months my pain has cleared up, my energy level is much better and my blood sugar has improved.
Dr. Lisa is a very caring, responsive and knowledgeable Health Provider. She understands and supports my desire to improve my health state with natural means where possible.”
— LS
Changes Throughout the Body
“I am a patient of Dr. Lisa Raskin. I have had Parkinson’s for more than 10 years. I have Cervical Dystonia in addition to a variety of unrelated autoimmune diseases. I was in a lot of pain that never seemed to let up. I had Restless Leg Syndrome and my toes were crippling.
I had tried muscle relaxers and low-dose pain killers. Also, Acupuncture, Botox, and other treatments. Some of the treatments take the edge off the pain briefly. Until I started working with Dr. Raskin, my life was feeling quite dismal. I couldn’t sleep, and was using my cane a lot to avoid falling. I had no energy.
Since starting with Dr. Lisa, there has been a lot of improvement. Without the restless legs, I am getting an average of seven hours of sleep a night. Before I was lucky to get three. My tremors have reduced dramatically.
Although I’m still a work in progress, I feel hope at last. I have less pain. I lost my smell years ago, but recently have been able to smell things I haven’t smelled in years. I am now able to walk my little dog. I went dancing with friends. I haven’t danced in years.
She works holistically with baby steps. Also, I have more energy.
I’m not sure how Dr. Raskin does what she does. She is incredibly intelligent, well trained and most of all knows one treatment doesn’t fit all. She is always searching for ways to help her patients get better. She’s dedicated to all of her patients. Most of all, she listens. I thank God I found her.”
— J W
“Before I started working with Dr Lisa, I was struggling just to see any light. I was in a lot of pain. I could not walk to the mailbox at the end of my road much less work. I didn’t sleep much from the pain keeping me awake through most nights. I had been diagnosed in my early teens with ovarian cysts and then endometriosis, and was given treatment after treatment – surgery, drugs, pain medicines.
After I started seeing Dr Lisa, the pain became less and less. I was seeing, feeling, and present in a way I hadn’t before. My strength came back.
I felt a little like Wonder Woman some days. It’s astonishing what the absence of pain allows you to feel and see again.
Dr. Lisa really is a blessing. I half joked with her once saying if I were Catholic, I would call the Pope because she is performing miracles. I can’t say enough how grateful I am to have found her.”
— Lei
“Just wanted you to know the new formula, Kanchenar, and slight dietary modification really seems to have made a significant difference. I’m sleeping better, so I have more energy during the day, more wakeful programs, leading to more clarity in communication, teaching, work, and more patience. Dare I say, I’ve even had prolonged bouts of contentment. Woo-hoo!” — Gary G.
Energy, Function, and Daily Life
“I had spent 7–8 years trying different healing methods, detox protocols, supplements, specialists, organic diets, and exercise, but it felt like my body was no longer responding to anything I tried. The headaches, indigestion, fatigue, and low energy just would not improve.
Working with Dr. Lisa was completely different.
The first thing that struck me was how comprehensive and thoughtful her intake process was. I immediately felt that she genuinely wanted to understand what was happening in my body instead of applying a one-size-fits-all approach.
Her work has been gentle, gradual, and deeply individualized. She listened carefully, adjusted things slowly over time, and always respected what my body could actually handle. Instead of forcing protocols, she allowed my body to “speak.”
Over the months, I began noticing subtle but very real positive changes that I had not been able to achieve during my previous wellness journey.
Dr. Lisa combines deep clinical knowledge with genuine compassion, and I have felt supported not only physically, but emotionally throughout this process. I still have healing ahead of me, but for the first time in years, I truly feel hopeful. — Rumi
“I have known Dr Lisa for over 30 years and know her to be one of the kindest, most compassionate and thorough healing professionals I have ever worked with. As a multiple cancer survivor, I finally decided to go through chemo and radiation to treat vulvar cancer.
Once I stopped chemo and radiation, I knew I needed natural medicine to support my recovery from the treatment and rebuild my system. My intuition led me back to Dr. Lisa, and I have been very happy with the results we have achieved.
My CA125 cancer marker has dropped dramatically during the time I have been working with Dr. Lisa. She is systematic and intuitive in her approach. I am confident that I will continue to heal and feel energized. Even my oncologist and PCP are impressed.
If you want to work with someone who really listens and gets results, I highly recommend Dr. Lisa.”
“I became aware of my EMF hypersensitivity after returning to the US and taking up my previous position in law enforcement. This required that I carry two cell phones on me and be near high-tech equipment for sometimes 24 hours a day.
I started feeling the effects: buzzing in my head, ringing in my ears, nausea, feeling hyper, sleep disruptions, and more. My body began to put on weight with high inflammation.
I started with Dr. Raskin in November of 2023; now it is June 2024. I’ve noticed a big difference in how I feel mentally, spiritually, and physically.
We have made great leaps and bounds. I have been able to have better sleep, my digestion has improved, and my liver feels better which helps support my body’s natural processes.
Dr. Raskin listens to you. She adapts her protocol based on the information you give and all of the knowledge that she has about Ayurveda.
I think that the package that she offers is beneficial. I have to do things with Nature, plants, those things that we were given to nourish our bodies and support our bodies and then at times heal our bodies. So those are the tools that Dr. Raskin uses and it works for me.”
— MJS
Complex, Long-Standing Issues
“Dr. Lisa Raskin is a Health Care Practitioner, a blessed healer. It is not the many many different degrees and certificates in numerous fields of Health and Healing that makes her special. It is Dr. Lisa’s profound gifts of healing and intuitive knowledge of the being in its Wholeness which stems from her spiritual life.
Her understanding of the whole being, mental, emotional, physical, energetic, and spiritual lends her the clarity to not only know what is needed to create wellness but she carries with her the Divine Grace to create and support Wellness.
Lisa lives at a level of Spiritual Awakening that infuses her work with that of Divine Grace. You will receive excellent care be it Ayurveda her specialty or one of the many other healing modalities she works with,
Dr. Lisa is extremely talented her scientific mind always working to bring about Wellbeing. Lisa cares deeply for her clients and loves her work, and is constantly growing and becoming an even more profound healer.
If you are looking for help with your health Dr. Lisa Raskin is someone with profound training and experience, natural gifts of healing and the presence of Divine Grace.”
— Ananda M.
“WOW what an empathic exacting healer Dr. Lisa amazes me every time I work with her. She uses her clinical skills and her quantum biofeedback machine on me regularly and I’ve seen a huge shift in my health for the better, including better sustained energy, my temperature and energy levels have improved, and I’m sleeping better now that I feel like all my systems are coming back into balance. My balance is improved, and now we’re working on low back pain that’s a chronic aggravating situation.
If in doubt, TRUST HER, she’s got some kind of magic healing and diagnostic capability.” — Knoel
JANUARY 5, 2027
New Book by
Dr Teitelbaum
For and About
Babies & Mommies
Crucial topic for turbulent times – what Ayurveda teachers us from Preconception to Adolescence! Pre-order on Amazon now for a digital or physical copy.
Take Vaidya Mishra “With You” – Everywhere You Go!
if you ever had the opportunity to meet Vaidya Mishra in person, or have encountered him via his many youtube videos or online courses, then you know what we mean! We all want to have him travel with us in this earthly journey, to help us in our decisions along the way, through the timeless wisdom and knowledge of SV Ayurved. And now we can! If you have not discovered our podcast channel yet, we invite you to look it up and explore the timeless teachings of SVAyurveda, as well as fabulous talks by other SVAyurveda doctors and educators.
We want to help you protect your purchase – there’s been an increase in lost/stolen packages.
To protect your shipment – in case your shipping address is not secure – we have now added the “signature delivery” option upon check-out on www.chandika.com and we highly recommend you select it to ensure your package is guaranteed to reach you after it leaves our warehouse. Kindly note we are unable to replace stolen/misplaced packages once they are confirmed delivered by the carrier of your choice.
The sole purpose of this blog is to provide information about the alternative healing modalities of Shaka Vansiya Ayurveda (SVA) as practiced in Vaidya Mishra's ancestral family tradition. The information contained herein is not intended for use in the diagnosis, prevention or cure of any disease. If you have any serious, acute or chronic health concern, please consult a licensed health professional who can fully assess your needs and address them effectively. Otherwise, for more information, you may call Vaidya Mishra's Prana Center toll free in the USA at 1.888.3CHANDI (888.324.2634). or 1.818.709.1005 globally, or email us at: info@prana-center.com. You may also visit: www.vaidyamishra.com, or www.chandika.com
Leave a Comment
About SVA
Vaidya Mishra the voice of Shaka Vansiya Ayurveda, an uninterrupted living tradition.
