I was born and raised outside of Toronto, Canada to immigrant Sikh parents. I am a proud South Asian Canadian now living in Maryland with my husband, kids & fur-babies. 

I have two human babies and two fur-babies. I have a 4.5-year-old daughter, a 3-year-old son, a 5.5-year-old Greater Swiss Mountain Dog (Tumi), and an 8-year-old cat (Milo). 

Ah, it is hard to pick just one! They love all kinds of fruits & veggies in their snack spinners. Their favorite is probably kalamata olives and strawberries. I also use their snack spinners as a way to introduce new foods they may not otherwise be as excited to try. Recently, they discovered their new found love for capers via their Snack Spinners!! 

My favorite hobbies are cooking, taking self-development & lifestyle medicine courses, scrapbooking, basketball, and always looking for new fun-filled adventures & experiences to have with my family. 

What do you and your family like to do together?

The pandemic gave us the ability to slow down and cherish the little things. This past year we started some new family traditions that really brought us joy including starting a garden, picnics in our minivan, nightly 5-minute dance parties, and Sunday night family meetings where we record our magic moments from the week. My kids absolutely love being in the kitchen with me while I'm cooking. This is something we started doing together when they were quite young. 

A place you want to travel to but haven’t yet. 

New Zealand 

As a palliative care physician & BRCA1 genetic mutation carrier, I can tell you that life is incredibly short and none of us are promised tomorrow. In September 2020, I had a preventative bilateral mastectomy & total hysterectomy to radically reduce my lifetime risk of cancer (which was up to 87%). Prior to my surgeries, I wrote 18 letters for each of my children with everything I would ever want them to know because sometimes things happen in life that you can't explain, which I can attest to firsthand. While this was difficult to do, it was extremely fulfilling & gave me back a lot of control in my "what if" moments before surgery. Beyond that, the most rewarding moment for me was after my surgeries, knowing that I radically reduced my lifetime risk of breast & ovarian cancer and did everything in my control to ensure my kids will have their mother for as long as possible.  

After my surgeries, I experienced firsthand what it is like to be dependent on someone for my basic needs which I did not like at all. Since that moment I have prioritized self-care for the first time in my life as part of my surgical recovery but also as an investment for my future quality of life. I now swear by my 5 AM Hour.5 of power ritual where I get on my peloton, do some form of strength training/stretching, a 15-minute visualization meditation, 1-minute gratitude journaling, and drink a big bottle of water. Some days I may not get it all in but I aim to do my whole ritual at least 5/7 days. Other things I do are fuel myself with whole plant foods, get an optimal amount of sleep every night, and love on my family every chance I get. 

Health is wealth. Without your health, you will not be able to achieve the success or happiness you are looking for. So what you do to care for your health is never an expense but it is an investment for today, tomorrow, and your future quality of life. Fuel yourself with whole plant foods, move your body, love more, stress less, sleep in, and enjoy the short ride that is life!