Fuelled by Form: Mira Manek on Ayurveda for a Better, More Balanced Life

Mira Manek (@miramanek) has always felt a deep connection to her Indian food heritage. Growing up in London in a close-knit family, she was raised on wholesome Gujarati curries and nourishing bowls of daal.
After travelling extensively through India, she felt inspired to share everything sheād learned about food, spiritual practices and spices with frazzled Western audiences looking for grounding and meaning.
Sheās since published three books, including the bestselling cookbook āSaffron Soulā, a guide to Ayurveda and happiness called āPrajnaā, and āThe Book of Chaiā, a celebration of the ancient spiced tea and its many wellbeing benefits. In 2018 she launched her own chai brand, Chai by Mira, alongside a successful pop-up cafĆ© in Londonās Carnaby Street.Ā
We recently caught a quick tea break with Mira to hear more about how her upbringing shaped her career, her approach to wellness and her passion for making ancient wisdom relevant to modern life.
How did your upbringing inspire your approach to cooking?
I grew up eating Gujarati vegetarian food which is really healthy and naturally quite Ayurvedic – but it wasnāt until much later that I truly appreciated how nourishing it is.
In my teens and twenties, I got caught up in this idea of what āhealthyā was supposed to look like – low-fat, eating little but often, all those trends⦠Back then, I honestly thought being healthy just meant being thin.
I started cutting out things like oil, and I distanced myself from the kinds of food Iād grown up with, like curries and rich home-cooked meals. I still ate Indian food, but it was always with a mindset of āI shouldnāt be eating too much of this.ā
It wasnāt until my late twenties that something shifted. I realised that the food I grew up eating was actually incredibly nutritious and wholesome. It was full of flavour, balanced and rooted in this deep wisdom around digestion and the gut. Thatās when I really felt called to reconnect with it.
There are so many powerful Ayurvedic rituals – what are some of your favourite ones to practise?
One thing I always come back to is the principles of eating – that it’s not just what you eat, but how and when you eat that really affects your gut and overall digestion. Things like leaving enough time between meals, not eating too late at night, eating with awareness; all of these are Ayurvedic principles that really support the body.Ā
One of my absolute favourite beauty rituals is oiling the body, which is whatās known as āabhyangaā (or self-massage) in Ayurveda. I might not do it every single day, but I try to regularly massage my joints or the soles of my feet at night, as I find it so soothing.
At night I often take a small amount of castor oil in warm water for digestion too, alongside eating black seed oil and black sesame seeds.
Grounding rituals are also important to me, like journaling, walking barefoot on the earth, or just taking a quiet walk in nature when I can. Even if itās once a week, it makes a huge difference to how I feel.
Youāve written a book about chai, what are some of the biggest health benefits of this ancient drink?
Whatās so beautiful about chai from an Ayurvedic perspective is that itās made with spices that really support digestion. Each spice used in chai is there for a reason – it helps stoke your āagniā, or digestive fire, which is a core concept in Ayurveda.Ā
If you have a well-functioning āagniā, it means better digestion, better nutrient absorption and overall balance in the body.
For example, ginger in chai is so good for digestion and is also a well-known anti-inflammatory. Then youāve got black pepper, which you might not immediately associate with tea, but it helps the body absorb other nutrients more effectively.Ā
Turmeric, which everyone knows as the golden super spice, is also highly anti-inflammatory and antioxidant-rich. Plus thereās cinnamon for balancing blood sugar levels, cardamom that freshens the breath and calming nutmeg, which is known for lifting the mood and supporting serotonin levels.
If you use these spices in small, consistent ways, they can really support your wellbeing. Even just adding a pinch of a spice blend into your tea, coffee or warm milk can give you some of those lovely benefits.
Do you have any self-care rituals that are non-negotiable for you?
One of the things Iāve really prioritised recently is time in the sauna. Ideally, Iāll go two or three times a week. Itās something I absolutely love and find really grounding. There are so many benefits, both physically and mentally, and for me itās like a reset button.Ā
Journaling is another one. Itās not always structured or something I do every single day, but I try and do it at least once or a few times a week. And I think with journaling, itās less about ticking a box and more about feeling inspired to write – like, really tuning into how Iām feeling and reflecting on that.Ā
Sometimes itās free-writing, sometimes Iāll use prompts. Itās really just about getting things out of my head and onto the page. It can be so clearing, especially if youāre feeling stuck or emotionally overwhelmed.
Prayer and mantra are really important too. Itās quite personal, and everyoneās spiritual practice looks different, of course, but whether itās a quiet moment with my mala beads, a prayer before bed, or even just sitting in stillness, I find it deeply nourishing. Basically anything that builds that feeling of spiritual connectedness, or coming home to yourself.
What are your top three favourite spices?
Definitely cinnamon. I love its warm, sweet spice. Then ginger and turmeric for their healing power. I also have a soft spot for saffron, especially since my first book was called āSaffron Soulā.Ā
Whatās been the highlight of your career so far?
Oh, thatās a tough one! Iāve always dreamed of writing books, so having three published feels like a big achievement. But more recently, growing my chai business, Chai by Mira, into 250 cafes across the UK and abroad – thatās been huge.
Itās something I never imagined I could do, but itās taught me that with hard work, you really can make things happen.Ā