Jonty Rhodes’ eyes just light up when he sees a red cricket ball. You throw one at him, he catches it cleanly and then pretends to throw it back, startling the daylights out of you. This is Jonty that world’s top cricketers had come to fear in the 90s and early 2000s. He was lightening quick in the outfield, could pluck impossible catches out of thin air and hit the stumps from any angle.

At the centre of the terror he created on the field was his incredible fitness – a facet of cricketing discipline not many players then appreciated. Those were the years of pot-bellied Ranatungas and lazy geniuses like Inzamam-ul-Haq. Fielding, and thus top-notch fitness, was not counted as a core requirement for a cricketer. Jonty changed that forever.

At 56, now long retired from international cricket, Jonty is still incredibly fit. He now spends a lot of lot of time in India, mostly by the sea in a Goa fishing village. In this podcast, we ask him about his fitness secrets, why the Rhodes don't stock sugar in their kitchen, and why he prides himself in being the best sleeper in the family.

Don’t forget to listen to the nutrition power tip in the end, by nutritionist Sangeetha Aiyer (https://www.rewriteyourstory.in/)

Chapters

0:48 My fitness is functional…it’s about mobility

2:10 There is no sugar is our house

5:10 Movement for my family is exercise

7:02 Jonty’s three mantras to keep fit

9:00 Your food is your medicine

12:00 Some supplements are necessary

13:24 Recovery is just as important as exercising

14:30 I am not biohacking to live to be 150

Why do we get “butterflies in the stomach” when we’re nervous? We have all felt that at some point in our lives, right? It’s because our gut microbiome directly communicates with the mind. That’s why the gut is often called “the second brain”.

In this episode, host Srirupa Ray, an Assistant Editor with TOI, dives deep into the fascinating world of the gut-brain axis. Joining the conversation is Dr Prateek Sharma, a leading gastroenterologist and professor at the University of Kansas, United States. Dr Sharma, also president of the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy, explains more about that “gut feeling” we all get, and how a healthy gut can keep both the body and mind on track.

While acknowledging that 95% of the body’s serotonin (happy hormone) is associated with the gut, Dr Sharma clarifies right at the beginning that a healthy gut isn’t a silver bullet for happiness. Instead, mood and well-being are part of a complex “team effort” that relies heavily on sleep, stress management, and physical activity. Under the microscope, a truly healthy gut is defined by three pillars: diversity, stability, and resilience.

The conversation also tackles modern dietary habits, from midnight cravings and the global “GLP-1 weight loss drug boom” to the widespread over-reliance on over-the-counter acidity pills and packaged probiotics. Dr Sharma dispels common social media myths regarding “gut detoxes”, emphasising that India’s rich tradition of fermented foods — like curd, idli, and kanji — offers far superior, natural benefits compared to processed supplements.

Ultimately, the episode highlights that a sluggish gut cannot be fixed by diet alone. True digestive wellness requires looking “beyond the kitchen” to establish consistency and simplicity. To keep our second brain functioning at its best, Dr Sharma champions a return to foundational, non-food lifestyle rituals: honouring regular meal times, prioritising sleep, avoiding the traps of ultra-processed foods, and practicing the time-tested habit of taking a short, gentle walk after meals.

Don’t forget to listen to the nutrition power tip in the end, by nutritionist Sangeetha Aiyer (https://www.rewriteyourstory.in/).

Chapters

00:14 – Demystifying the "Gut Feeling"

01:05 – Physical Reactions to Stress

01:32 – Serotonin and the Gut-Happiness Link

01:52 – The Complexity of Mood and Happiness

03:35 – Anatomy of a Healthy Gut

05:51 – Do Microbes Control Our Food Cravings?

06:55 – Cravings as a Team Effort

08:24 – Beyond Clean Eating: Mindful Practices

09:40 – The Gut’s Love for Rhythm and Movement

11:22 – The Chicken-and-Egg Stress Dilemma

12:28 – Identifying Stress-Induced Symptoms

14:18 – The Global Issue of OTC Pill Abuse

16:16 – Dispel the Myth & Spot the Warning Signs

18:05 – Balancing Protein, Fiber, and Water

20:35 – The GLP-1 Weight Loss Boom

Anxious, agitated, angry? Does this describe your day? It doesn’t have to be that way. Yoga coach Pragya Singh speaks to Himanshi Dhawan, senior editor with The Times of India on how to move beyond Instagram-worthy poses towards meditation, pranayama, and stillness. Singh, who is a founding member at Lifeyoga, an immersive yoga centre in Delhi, shares how yoga is far more than a physical workout.

Drawing from her journey from corporate life to a full-time yoga teacher, including working with trauma patients in Canada, Singh makes a compelling case for why modern, overstimulated minds desperately need yoga's deeper practices. She answers questions on how to develop a curious mind, be aware and present in the moment.

Pragya also introduces her signature hammock sound bath sessions, where participants lie suspended in hammocks while being immersed in healing sounds and vibrations. The experience triggers a profound sense of safety and release, with most participants reporting simply feeling "light" afterwards.

In a world where our attention is constantly fragmented, she argues that focused awareness is our most underused and precious resource. With India and the world celebrating World Yoga Day on June 21, it is time to take a deep breath and centre yourself.

Don’t miss the nutrition power tip by nutritionist Sangeetha Aiyer (https://www.rewriteyourstory.in/) in the end.

Chapters

00:41 Yoga, a journey in curiosity

3:17 How yoga can help to battle stress, anxiety

4:25 Intimidated by the discipline required for yoga? Here's how to start

6:11 How Indians are reclaiming yoga from the West

8:09 The doorways to yoga

10:26 What is sound healing?

11:36 What is a hammock sound bath?

13:31 What happens when you surrender to an experience like a hammock sound bath?

14:20 Advice to people who may want to experiment?

15:57 How to be present in your everyday life?