Our Story

Our Story & Why

People often ask what drove me to start YouVeda. They want to know the “why” behind the brand. While I can trace the roots of this company far back in my history, they were crystalized in an instant one horrible day in 2006. That day my life changed forever.

As a junior in college, I received a phone call telling me my 16-year-old brother Rishi had just died in a car accident. My tight-knit family was shattered in a moment.

My brother had the biggest heart of anyone I’ve ever met. He was the kind of person who lit up a room. There’s a cliché about people giving you the shirt off their backs, but if you admired Rishi’s shirt, he would literally take it off and give it to you. He could put a smile on anyone’s face. Everyone loved him.

When he died, well-meaning friends told me over and over, “Be strong.” But I interpreted it as, “Don’t cry. Hold onto your emotions. You have to be a pillar for your family.” Instead of letting myself grieve, I was filled with anger.

Six months later, I became consumed by wicked panic attacks, debilitating bouts of anxiety and deep depression. My overactive mind kept telling me, “What is the point?”

I honestly did not want to live.

Left - Myself & Rishi playing with some new binoculars our parents got us. He was always about everything and loved exploring.
Right - Myself & Rishi at a family event enjoying lunch time.

My Healing Journey

My dad, Dr. Virender Sodhi, was the first Naturopathic and Ayurvedic physician in the US. He could see what was happening and diagnosed me right away with PTSD.

The first thing he did was make sure I knew it was healthy for me to cry and release my feelings. Then he encouraged me to make practical lifestyle changes with meditation and yoga. My mother made sure that my cooking processes followed Ayurvedic principles and that I ate in sync with my biological clock. My father also supplemented me with the powerful Ayurvedic adaptogen Ashwagandha and other time-tested herbs to support mental wellness.

My father told me, “In my career, I can count on one hand the number of people I have prescribed anti-anxiety/anti-depressant medications to, and I am NOT going to make you the next one.”

The first week nothing happened. My Dad told me to keep going. At this point, I was so sick of feeling bad. I said to myself, “How can I feel this awful every day?” I wanted to feel better so badly.

So I kept going. I felt like I was going through hell.

Then, over a period of about 45 days, my anxiety completely faded away and my depression slowly lifted. I still remember the day it happened. I was attending an event, and I suddenly realized, “Holy crap, I feel totally fine.” My head suddenly felt so clear, and I felt like my happy self again.

When you experience crippling anxiety and depression like I did, there’s no better feeling in the world than simply feeling fine.

The pillars of my life. My beautiful and intelligent wife to my left and my amazing/selfless parents to my right.

The Birth of YouVeda

I finished my undergraduate degree and started at the bottom of the family supplement business, packing orders and learning how to operate a business. It took years, but over time everything gelled and I realized I really wanted to start a company that would change people’s lives the way mine had been changed. So I went back to school and got my MBA from Babson College.

I healed myself in a month and a half using basic Ayurvedic principles, and I passionately wanted to give other people a beautiful, detailed roadmap that would lead them on their own healing journey.

I married my smart, kind-hearted and beautiful wife, Kirat in 2013. She pushed me to follow my dream. She was pursuing her degree in Orthodontics at the same time but was at my side every step of the way. With her support, along with the blessings of my parents, YouVeda was born in November 2017.

The YouVeda Philosophy

Because of my own experience, I know you don’t have to be stuck feeling this way. I honestly pray no one does. There are so many people out there who don’t realize there’s a different way, that nature has truly given us everything we need to heal ourselves.

Kirat and I get so excited every time we read emails and comments that say things like, “Because of YouVeda, I don’t have digestion issues anymore. Because of YouVeda, my joints don’t hurt anymore. Because of YouVeda, my mood, adrenals and general outlook on life is better.”

Here at YouVeda, I believe we produce the best products on the planet — products that honor Ayurvedic principles and provide real solutions.

That is why we do what we do. Our vision is to create a healthier, happier world using the intelligence of Mother Nature.

Looking Forward

I will never fully understand why my brother had to die.

But what I do know is this company gets me out of bed excited in the morning. I know we’re building something amazing, building something that in one small way can change the world.

I believe we are helping people live their best lives every single day.

With this company I can do my little part to ensure that anyone who truly wants change doesn’t have to live with the kind of pain I suffered. I want to give them the tools to lift themselves out of that black hole, just as my father did for me.

And now I have another important reason to get out of bed in the morning. On September 14, 2018, Kirat and I welcomed our beautiful son Aarav Rishi Sodhi into the world. I already have a feeling this new little one, who bears my beloved brother’s name, will continue to inspire our journey.

Holding our greatest blessing in our hands. We love you Aarav!

Sending you love and light in your own journey,

Gunny Sodhi