Sarah Kucera, DC, CAP

Ayurvedic Practitioner, Chiropractor, Author


Sarah is the founder and owner of Sage Center for Yoga & Healing Arts in Kansas City, Missouri. She is a licensed chiropractor, certified Ayurvedic practitioner, yoga teacher, and author of The Ayurvedic Self-Care Handbook.
Follow Sarah Kucera, DC, CAP
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- Routines and Rhythms
- June 26, 2023
Read ArticleThe potential for flourishing creativity lives in everyone. Learn how to support your artistic and creative potential with Ayurveda and the doshas.
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- Holidays
- November 21, 2022
Read ArticleThe holidays bring merriment and celebration, but they can also bring stress. Learn how to cope with social anxiousness so you can fill your cup instead of emptying it.
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- Health and Wellness
- September 07, 2022
Read ArticleIt’s hard to know if there were dietary trends at the time of Ayurveda’s origin over 5,000 years ago, but it’s safe to say that the traditional Ayurvedic kitchari cleanse has stood the test of time.
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- Routines and Rhythms
- April 08, 2022
Read ArticleDaily routine is foundational in Ayurveda. Take your routine further with these rejuvenating practices that promote longevity and deeper physical, mental, and emotional wellness.
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- Health and Wellness
- March 31, 2022
Read ArticleWhile understanding your dosha isn’t foolproof in helping you land the right job, it can give you the footing you need to set out in the right direction, and with a little more happiness and ease.
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- Food and Cooking
- March 16, 2022
Read ArticleThere are many reasons for someone to choose veganis, with health and ethics at the top of the list. Explore Ayurveda's perspective on a vegan diet and enjoy a tasty vegan kitchari recipe.
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- Ayurveda Basics
- February 09, 2022
Read ArticleWhen it comes to romantic relationships, the doshas play a big role, influencing what you contribute, how you show affection, and how to find harmony with your partner.
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- Health and Wellness
- September 20, 2021
Read ArticleIn essence, the intent of a mental cleanse is to settle your restless mind, give clarity to clouded thought, and allow you to better access your creativity.
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- Ayurveda & Fitness
- June 04, 2021
Read ArticleA grounding post-workout routine can help us dodge imbalances, keep vata nourished, and allow the body to replenish properly. Here are five tips to get started.
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- Routines and Rhythms
- March 26, 2021
Read ArticleWorking from home can feel like a mixed blessing. See how Ayurveda can optimize your work from home routine and help you feel focused, energized, and creative.
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- February 05, 2021
Read ArticleDuring times of stress, our adrenal glands could use a little help. Enter ashwagandha!
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- Health and Wellness
- December 15, 2020
Read ArticleOur diet is one of our biggest allies in cultivating immune health. Read this article to learn how you can refine your diet to support optimal immune function.
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- Health and Wellness
- October 25, 2020
Read ArticleDo you drink coffee? This blog entry explores the qualities of coffee, as well as when it’s okay for you to indulge and when it’s time for you to take a break.
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- Health and Wellness
- March 13, 2020
Read ArticleWhile there’s no way to live a life completely free of stress and fear, these mindfulness tools are powerful and effective ways to help us manage and digest fearful emotions when they arise.
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- Natural Beauty
- July 16, 2019
Read ArticleOil is more skilled at cleansing and balancing the hydration of your skin than water, and it is a closer match to your skin’s natural outer layer. It has a soft quality that can help to draw out impurities, making it much easier to unclog pores, leaving clean, soft, hydrated skin.
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- Yoga, Meditation & 8 Limbs
- July 05, 2019
Read ArticleAyurveda and Yoga are dubbed sister sciences and like sisters can be, they are inseparable. Imbedded in each system are practices to heal physically, mentally, and spiritually when disharmony arises.
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- Health and Wellness
- October 19, 2018
Read ArticleFinding the delicate balance between what fuels you and what depletes you is essential for sustaining energy, yet this is something that can take a lifetime to learn. Investing time and self-study into better understanding those details is important, and there are some basic principles within Ayurveda that can help. Just as the three Ayurvedic constitutions are often interested in different activities, each dosha also has a varying capacity for sustaining and expressing both physical and mental energy.
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- Routines and Rhythms
- August 09, 2018
Read ArticleThe lunar cycle is twenty-nine and a half days, and its undeniable potency has kept the moon as a keystone of ceremonies, traditions, and practices within cultures around the world. While there is a fair share of mythical stories and legends surrounding the moon, there is an equal amount of research seeking to find a scientific correlation behind the cycles of the moon and cycles of living things.
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- Routines and Rhythms
- August 06, 2018
Read ArticleThe majority of us are overbooked and over-committed, which as a result, has left us feeling stressed, unhealthy, and not quite like ourselves. When we find ourselves deep into this storyline and ready to take action, we often prioritize the what over the when, thinking a cleanse and more yoga should do the trick. But as your parents knew all along, routine is what keeps you on track.
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- Ayurvedic Recipes
- July 27, 2018
Read ArticleSmoothies have become so synonymous with health and fitness that it’s hard to picture an exercise routine without a morning protein shake in hand. But when we consider what Ayurveda teaches us about digestion, along with what we know about our body’s response to exercise, we might change what we are tossing into the blender.
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- Ayurvedic Recipes
- July 13, 2018
Read ArticleA sustained amount of stress makes it difficult for the body to maintain efficient function. While it’s still best to take care of the root cause of your stress, adaptogens will have your back until it’s possible. Their support is like an insurance policy for our stress hormones and adrenal glands, making sure they don’t become overworked.
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- Ayurvedic Recipes
- April 30, 2018
Read ArticleThis moringa latte makes a delightful morning drink, and can also be a great midday pick-me-up that won’t leave you with the lingering effects of caffeine.
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- Spring Health & Recipes
- April 04, 2018
Read ArticleWhen we bite into something bitter, our first reaction may not be to have more, but despite many of us having an aversion to bitter foods, this taste has plenty of benefits.
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- Ayurveda Basics
- March 08, 2018
Read ArticleWhen you first discover Ayurveda, you feel a magnetic pull to learn more. The way the system addresses each person as a unique individual feels a lot like having a friend that really “gets” you. There is some glitz and glam around uncovering your dosha (if you don’t know yours, take the Ayurvedic Profile™ quiz), and staking your claim as a vata, pitta, or kapha is like illuminating a path with your best health as the destination.
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- Health and Wellness
- February 23, 2018
Read ArticleBodywork, such as massage, can be undervalued in our Western society. It is often seen as a luxury or a splurge rather than an essential. Ayurveda has a very different standpoint in this regard. Apart from some conditions, massage is a non-negotiable when it comes to self-care. In some instances, the whole body receives massage, and in other cases, specific regions, such as marma points, are given special attention.
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- Health and Wellness
- February 15, 2018
Read ArticleAs you recall from your elementary science classes, our heart and blood vessels make up the cardiovascular system. Its primary role is to carry blood full of oxygen and nutrients to our tissues and move waste for disposal to their proper sites for elimination. From an Ayurvedic perspective, there’s a missing layer that your science teacher may not have been privy to.
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- Yoga, Meditation & 8 Limbs
- December 26, 2017
Read ArticleCobra Pose (Bhujangasana) is the antidote to our device operating, chair bound, societal ways. It is a back-bending asana where the majority of the movement comes from the thoracic spine, a place where our culture has become limited in motion. With its expansiveness across the chest, it earns its merit as a “heart opener,” but its name “cobra” comes from its shape, which is reflective of a serpent.
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- Yoga, Meditation & 8 Limbs
- November 15, 2017
Read ArticleIf we asked a dog how it felt to be in this asana, their answer might be like ours. We feel a stretch through the back of our legs, along our spinal muscles, and around our shoulders. It feels amazing after sitting for long periods of time and is a superb way to prep the body for more movement.
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- Health and Wellness
- November 03, 2017
Read ArticleOne doesn’t have to lead off rasayana with a cleanse, but the post-cleansing period should always include rasayana. By Ayurvedic measures, detoxification prepares one to receive, digest, and assimilate medicine, whether it be in the form of food, herbal preparations, lifestyle modifications, or even through behavior.
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- Endocrine System
- August 23, 2017
Read ArticleFrom an Ayurvedic perspective, energy burnout is a case of pitta-overload or an accumulation of a hot, sharp, fiery type of energy. While pitta imbalances can be seen in many forms, like inflammation, skin conditions, or blood conditions, the changes it causes in our endocrine system can be most threatening to our well-being.
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- Ayurvedic Herbalism
- August 09, 2017
Read ArticleWhen you reach the point of adrenal fatigue, the stress you’ve experienced has been so great for so long that your body can no longer recover. Along with getting proper rest and food intake, one of the best and often easiest ways to provide support is through adaptogenic herbs. Adaptogens assist in our body’s management of metabolic systems during stressful times.
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- Routines and Rhythms
- July 13, 2017
Read ArticleAn Ayurvedic self-care routine such as abhyanga can serve as a foundation for our health. Still, there are times when we should reel back or omit participation.
Experience and Education
Sarah has spent twelve years living Ayurvedically.
Degrees and Certifications
- Bachelor of Science in Exercise Science—University of Kansas
- Master of Arts in Ayurveda—Mount Madonna Institute
- Doctor of Chiropractic—Cleveland University Kansas City
Publications
Sarah is the author of The Ayurvedic Self-Care Handbook: Holistic Healing Rituals for Every Day and Season and The Seven Ways of Ayurveda. Learn more about these books at her website.
Sarah's Point of View
How were you introduced to Ayurveda?
I was introduced to Ayurveda through its sister science of yoga. I signed up for a workshop at a yoga studio and was immediately hooked. I found it to be a perfect bridge between my yoga and chiropractic practice.
When are you most likely to go out of balance and how do you bring yourself back in balance using Ayurveda?
Pitta accumulates in me quite easily. I manage many things day-to-day, and I always have high expectations for myself. It can show up as me getting burned out, feeling frustrated or resentful, and being really hard on myself.
When I see this rearing its head, I take more breaks throughout the day, go on extra walks, aim for an earlier bedtime, and make sure I'm eating enough and at very consistent times.
What does the future of Ayurveda look like to you?
Ayurveda has my heart, and for that, I hope to see it keep its essence and tradition as it is made accessible to our modern society. With that, I do see its popularity on the rise and can see it finding its way into the mainstream.
What's one Ayurvedic practice anyone can implement to spur change in their life, right here, right now?
Develop a routine and work towards consistent eating and sleeping times.