Modern medicine might have achieved a lot in terms of research and evidence to heal the human body, but there is something in the Natural Healing and Alternative Therapies that modern medicines will never be able to grasp. It helps you get acquainted and synergize with your mind, body, and soul. Adam Aswani, the CEO and founder of Synerveda is well acquainted with the fundamentals of the human body. Having completed his M.S in Food Science and Nutrition, he started his own herbal tea brand, Synerveda, which offers a variety of teas be it as simple as leading a healthy lifestyle or curing ailments. Synerveda has changed the lives of many.
Adam, in his latest interview with Storiyaan, talks about the various benefits of herbs and spices, his journey of starting Synerveda, the pros and cons of Natural Healing Therapies and breaks various myths surrounding this field.
Interview
Questions and answers
Why are performance enhancers frowned upon? And how do you make sure they are safe for human consumption?
Performance enhancers consist of a large range of products and compounds. The main reason they have got such a bad reputation is because of lack of awareness and also because they are mostly synthetic compounds which can sometimes be harmful. This is why we have developed ‘Functional’ Teas which enhance performance, but are a hundred percent natural, herbal, and more synergized with the human body. Even our flavour compounds are natural with high-quality clean herbs and spices, like cinnamon, cardamom, fennel, etc.
What do you find is lacking in the Natural Healing and Alternative Therapies in India?
On one side there is the medical science which is astute in evidential and empirical research but does practically nothing to heal an ailment. On the other hand, there is Natural/Alternative Healing, which has the intention of healing the body naturally but lacks the structural methodology, research data like modern medicine. I believe that there should be more evidence-based research, and diagnostics in alternative therapies, and also, practitioners of Natural Healing should have some basic training in human anatomy, physiology, and awareness of material medica, in order to be more foundationally structured.
What made you choose Ayurveda and how long did it take you to gain proficiency in that field?
I looked at Ayurveda not just as a medical practice but as primordial guidance to understanding human physiology in relation to our environment. It teaches us the basic principles of human health. I have only studied the basics of Ayurveda and believe that an in-depth application of Ayurveda to human health is a lifelong pursuit.
What were the challenges that you faced in this journey, and how did you gather the capital for developing your products and your brand?
Just like most of the start-ups, the first challenge I faced was that of funding. It’s the same story with all the ventures, investors want to see traction before investing and for that you need capital. My venture is mostly self-funded. I have been consulting with the Nutraceutical and Food industry for the formulation, product development, business development as well as sourcing research compounds for Doctors practicing Functional and Regenerative Medicine. The other real challenge is that of opportunity and innovation but I have loved every step of the journey.
How do you integrate your understanding of genetics and Human Nutrition to enable humans to optimize their ability and potential for functionality?
The field of Human Nutrition and Functional medicine is evolving. There has been a more in-depth understanding of functional nutrients and compounds in the last decade than ever in the history of studying nutrition. My main goal is to help people realize that medical sciences and pharmaceutical drugs do more harm than good, to the body as a whole. Our impetus at Synerveda is to treat the body holistically and bring the internal mechanisms of your body into balance.
How do you guide customers that are unaware of their doshas to choose the concoctions best suited to them?
We offer a range of simple wellness products to our clients. But for clients with complicated health issues, I suggest them to get well acquainted with their bodies functioning by tests and consult an Ayurvedic doctor for a diagnosis. We, then offer them free health consultation on the basis o0f their diagnosis and guide them with the kind of herbs and functional protocols which will be best for their body.
What are some of the Strategies you resort to in order to get acquainted people with your brand and work?
Social media and word of mouth have worked for us so far. We would like to do events like Farmer’s Markets, Organic, and Natural lifestyle fairs, etc but the COVID lockdowns have kind of put a cap to that for the time being. We are open to suggestions or collaboration opportunities.