Pranita Salunke is an Occupational Therapist and Preventative Cardiology Specialist. She launched her company, Pranita Vitality, to help individuals improve their physical and mental health through a unique combination of modern medicine and ancient wellbeing philosophies including yoga, mindfulness, and meditation.
We caught up with Pranita for the launch of her new book, Vitality: A Healthy and Happy Heart to hear more about her work.
Can you please start by telling us a little bit about who you are, and what you do:
I am a preventive health consultant and have two decades of clinical experience as an Occupational Therapist and Preventive Cardiology Specialist, which includes working for the National Health Service in the UK. I have worked with many people on both sides of healthcare – prevention and reactive.
With my practice using the Vitality Mind-Body-Connection (MBC) approach; I have helped many people to lose up to 5 stones of weight, reverse type 2 diabetes and prediabetes, control high blood pressure, improve lipids level, enhance energy, improve their cognitive skills, increase productivity, and generally made them feel much more youthful and happy.
In essence, my work is to help people have a strong mind and a healthy heart that beats stronger for longer.
Why did you decide to write a book?
I started my wellness service with one major goal: to inspire, educate and empower 100k people to transform their lifestyle, so that they can enjoy life to the fullest, fulfill their purpose and leave their unique legacy on planet earth.
I soon realized that if I was going to fulfill my mission and purpose, I would have to find a medium beyond my personal services. People may not know me personally, but if they can read my book and implement the tools I discuss there religiously, they will get the results. This was my inspiration to write the book.
You have helped hundreds of people throughout your career. What are the major issues that they commonly struggle with?
There is a multitude of problems people experience when they first discuss with me.
On the physical side, they may be dealing with being overweight and unable to lose weight despite trying numerous diets, shakes, pills, or attending weight loss groups. Sometimes they have a recent health scare, like heart diseases or their doctor warning them they are at risk for type 2 diabetes, heart attack, or a stroke. These conditions also increase the risks of COVID-19, so lots of people have been particularly concerned over the last 18 months or so.
On the emotional and mental side, they are usually experiencing anxiety due to the demands of work or life, or even fear of ill health. The current global pandemic has increased the stress levels of many people as they are witnessing such uncertainty, or maybe even experiencing the loss of their family members.
As a result of physical and emotional distress, their productivity gets affected and they are unable to perform at their highest level at work and even struggle to engage in meaningful hobbies or projects.
Innately, every human being wants to progress. Optimum health and happiness are the foundation for progress, so I aspire to just be an instrument in helping them to achieve that.
One of the areas you cover in your book is mindfulness and meditation. Why do you think more people are now rediscovering these ancient philosophies?
Techniques such as breath-work, yoga, meditation, fasting have been practiced in Eastern cultures, including India, for centuries. It is only more recently that Western science is now proving them to be beneficial with research. Although Indian philosophers and yogic scholars have using these practices to prevent and cure many illnesses, unfortunately, they were often disregarded due to lack of data.
Modern medicine is now awakening to the importance of Mind-Body connection, and many people are realising the limitations of drugs when it comes to preventing the diseases. Millions of people are now more open to embracing change, and it is a positive shift we should all welcome with an open heart.
Tell us about your future vision for you and your brand. How far do you want to take it?
My aim is to inspire and positively influence more than 100,000 people with my message, “Health and happiness is the foundation for a successful life.”
In the future, I would like to work in partnership with other medical professionals, organisations, communities and charities to create products and services using technology. I believe that this is the way we can create a healthy and happy world together.
If you could share one key piece of advice with our readers, what would it be?
“You are more powerful than your genes”.
Although your genetics contribute to your health, emerging epigenetic science is showing that our thoughts and lifestyle can influence how these genes present in our life. Will they remain dormant, or develop into disease? Many chronic disease risks are strongly lifestyle-related and preventable. So, cultivate a positive lifestyle, supplement it with nourishing thoughts and engage in your choice of spiritual practices.