Vaidya Jayagopal Parla (Jay) is an internationally known speaker, educator, and practitioner of Ayurvedic medicine and yoga with extensive clinical, and teaching experience over 25 years. Jay holds a Bachelor of Ayurvedic Medicine and Surgery (BAMS) from Bangalore University, India, and a MD degree in Ayurvedic medicine with a specialty in herbal medicine from Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences, India. Throughout his Ayurvedic studies, he spent extensive time learning herbs and visiting local tribes and villages to learn more about ethnobotanical medicine’s practical applications in health promotion as well as for treating various diseases.

His longing to learn more herbs took him to Chinese medicine and he also completed Master of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine program at Southern California University of Health Sciences. He is a certified yoga therapist and completed a yoga teacher training program at the Bihar School of Yoga. He also recently completed Fellowship in Integrative Medicine. He is the Founder and Director of Athreya Ayurvedic Integrative Health Center, Long Beach; and Founder and Vice President of Athreya Herbs, a U.S.-based provider of Ayurvedic herbal formulations. He teaches at Southern California University of Health Sciences and provides clinical services at the university health center, Whittier. He is also a faculty member at various Ayurvedic institutions in US and serves as a visiting faculty member at the Japan School of Ayurvedic Medicine. His additional work on behalf of complementary and alternative medical approaches includes extensive travel to various countries to propagate the growth of Ayurveda and numerous presentations on Ayurvedic medicine at various national and international conferences. He is passionate about inspiring and empowering individuals, families, and communities to live long healthy life. He believes that healing is complete only when an individual is positively motivated to make healthy choices and aspires to thrive in life.