Priya Kaul: Finding hope in the face of difficulties
The spiritual life coach shares essential health tips
Priya Kaul
By Asjad NazirJan 13, 2025
DR PRIYA KAUL discovered her connection to unseen energies as a child and always felt drawn to helping others.
This early enlightenment, combined with personal challenges, led her to a spiritual path of self-healing and empowering others. Today, as a respected spiritual life coach and healer, she helps people reconnect with their inner strength, heal themselves, and re-invent their relationship with life. Using a variety of techniques, she views her work as a calling rather than a career.
Dr Kaul spoke to Eastern Eye about her inspiring work, shared mental health tips, emphasised the importance of self-love, and offered advice for those facing difficulties.
Tell us about some of the work that you do.
As a spiritual life coach and healer, my role is to guide people on their path of self-discovery, healing, and empowerment. I use a combination of modalities, including energy healing, meditation, intuitive guidance, and mindset coaching, to help clients address emotional blocks, physical issues, spiritual disconnection, or any other struggles. Much of my work involves reminding people of their innate power and their access to intuitive abilities.
How much fulfilment does it give you to help people grow?
Helping people on their healing journey gives me immense satisfaction. There’s nothing more fulfilling than witnessing someone let go of their suffering, rediscover their inner fire, and embrace their true power. Every time a client shares how I’ve helped heal their traumas and wounds, I am reminded of why this work is so meaningful. Being a part of their journey towards healing has been very humbling.
How can one diagnose a problem they might have?
It begins with self-awareness and listening to your mind, body, and spirit. Often, we receive signals before a problem fully manifests, such as physical tightness, emotional distress, or spiritual disconnection. Practising mindfulness – observing thoughts, feelings, and sensations without judgment – is key. Ask yourself: Where am I stuck? What recurring themes appear in my life? What emotions am I avoiding?
What is the true secret to finding the right path to healing?
The secret lies in listening and allowing your journey to unfold naturally. Healing is a deeply personal process, and there is no one-size-fitsall solution. Develop self-awareness by tuning into your mind, body, and soul. When the noise quiets, your intuition often reveals the right path. Whether it’s therapy, meditation, energy work, or another practice, choose what feels authentic to you.
How important is self-love?
Self-love is essential for healing. It involves recognising your worth, setting boundaries, and caring for yourself physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually. Self-love empowers you to heal, grow, and embrace your progress, even when you face challenges. It’s the foundation for becoming the person you aspire to be.
What advice would you give someone going through a difficult time?
Have faith that even the most uncomfortable or unbearable moments hold lessons that aid in healing. Remember, you are not alone. Seek support from family, friends, or professionals. Treat yourself with compassion, take things one day at a time, and trust that this phase will pass. When it does, you’ll emerge stronger and closer to your true self.
How important is good physical health for mental well-being?
Physical health is closely tied to mental wellbeing. Taking care of your body through proper nutrition, hydration, and regular exercise supports emotional stability and reduces stress, anxiety, and depression. Endorphins released during physical activity can significantly boost mental health and focus.
What is the best way to stay away from negative energy daily?
The key is learning to control how you think and feel. While external circumstances may be beyond your control, your reactions are entirely within your power. Techniques such as self-care, visualisation, surrounding yourself with positive influences, and avoiding unproductive activities can help keep negative energy at bay.
What advice would you give to those who feel stuck?
Shift your perspective and reconnect with your inner self. Acknowledge feelings, let go of the need to control, and remain open to new possibilities. Take small, aligned actions, practice patience, and seek support when needed. Reconnecting with your purpose and values can help you find clarity and move forward.
What are your future plans?
My plans are aligned with my mission to help people reconnect with their power and healing abilities. I aim to expand my reach through one-on-one sessions, accessible programs, workshops, and retreats that offer transformative healing experiences to individuals from all walks of life.
What inspires you?
I’m most inspired by seeing others awaken to their potential and step into their true power. Witnessing transformations, whether through overcoming struggles or embracing authenticity, is incredibly moving. It’s inspiring to see people realise they have the ability to heal themselves and create the lives they desire.
The doll features a glucose monitor, insulin pump and CGM app
Created in collaboration with type 1 diabetes charity Breakthrough T1D
Part of Mattel’s broader push for inclusivity and representation in toys
Barbie with type 1 diabetes joins inclusive fashionistas range
Mattel has launched its first diabetes Barbie doll, designed to represent children with type 1 diabetes and promote greater inclusivity in children’s toys.
The new addition to the Barbie Fashionistas line comes with realistic medical features including a continuous glucose monitor (CGM) on her arm, secured with heart-shaped medical tape, and an insulin pump to help manage her blood sugar levels. She also carries a smartphone with a CGM app to monitor glucose throughout the day, and a bag large enough to store snacks and other essentials.
Designed in partnership with Breakthrough T1D
The diabetes Barbie doll was developed in collaboration with Breakthrough T1D, a global not-for-profit organisation supporting people with type 1 diabetes (T1D). The autoimmune condition typically develops in childhood and requires patients to monitor their blood glucose and take insulin regularly.
Krista Berger, senior vice-president of Barbie and global head of dolls, described the launch as “an important step in our commitment to inclusivity and representation.”
“Barbie helps shape children’s early perceptions of the world, and by reflecting medical conditions like T1D, we ensure more kids can see themselves in the stories they imagine and the dolls they love,” she said.
Karen Addington, CEO of Breakthrough T1D UK, welcomed the collaboration: “I’m absolutely thrilled that Barbie now includes a doll with type 1 diabetes. For children with T1D who don’t often see themselves represented, this doll will be a powerful role model, celebrating their strength and bringing recognition, inclusion and joy to their play.”
A growing legacy of inclusive design
Since the original Barbie’s debut in 1959, the brand has evolved to reflect greater diversity. The first Black Barbie dolls were introduced in the 1960s, followed by Hispanic dolls in the 1980s. From the 1990s onwards, Mattel expanded the range to include Barbies in under-represented careers such as astronauts and scientists.
It wasn’t until 2019 that Barbie dolls with visible disabilities were introduced. Since then, Mattel has launched more than 175 diverse Barbie looks as part of the Fashionistas range, which now includes dolls with hearing aids, prosthetic limbs, wheelchairs, vitiligo, and Down’s syndrome. A black Barbie with Down’s syndrome and a blind Barbie are also part of the line.
The diabetes Barbie doll continues that trend, offering children with the condition a chance to see themselves positively reflected in their toys.
Industry-wide shift toward representation
Barbie is not the only toy brand prioritising diversity. UK-based brand Lottie includes dolls with autism and Down’s syndrome, while Lego offers a variety of inclusive minifigures, including characters with physical and non-visible disabilities.
Arjun Panesar, founding chief executive of Diabetes.co.uk, praised Mattel’s decision, stating: “Representation matters – especially in childhood. Seeing a Barbie doll with type 1 diabetes helps normalise the condition, reduce stigma and show children that they are not alone.
“It’s a positive step forward in building confidence, inclusion and understanding around living with diabetes.”
Promoting empathy through play
The launch of the diabetes Barbie doll is not just about inclusion—it is also part of Mattel’s mission to extend the boundaries of imaginative play. The company says the goal is to encourage children to engage with experiences beyond their own, helping them to understand the challenges others may face.
As Barbie continues to evolve, the inclusion of realistic medical conditions such as type 1 diabetes signals a more inclusive future for toys and the children who play with them.
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Collins accepted the findings of the ASA’s investigation
Instagram post by Gemma Collins promoting Yazen weight-loss service banned
ASA rules it breached regulations on promoting prescription-only medication
Eight other weight-loss ads also banned in regulatory crackdown
ASA bans Collins' Instagram advert
An Instagram post by TV personality Gemma Collins promoting a weight-loss drug and digital service has been banned by the UK’s advertising watchdog for breaching regulations around prescription-only medicines.
Collins had shared a promotional video on 6 January 2025, stating: “I’m starting this year two sizes down, thanks to Yazen’s weight loss app and medication.” The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) ruled that the post unlawfully promoted prescription-only medication to the public.
Prescription medication references breached rules
Yazen, a Swedish digital healthcare company, provides a doctor-supervised weight-loss programme which includes prescription drugs alongside lifestyle coaching. While Collins did not name a specific drug in the advert, she referenced the medication being “prescribed on the NHS”.
The ASA said it consulted the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), which concluded that viewers were likely to interpret the advert as encouragement to seek prescription weight-loss medication.
As a result, the ASA found that the advert breached its code by promoting prescription-only treatments directly to the public. This type of promotion is prohibited under UK advertising regulations.
Collins accepted the findings of the ASA’s investigation and confirmed that she would follow the relevant guidance in future social media promotions.
Eight other ads also banned
Collins’ post was one of nine adverts banned in the ASA’s latest enforcement action targeting weight-loss drug promotions. The watchdog stated that all of the adverts promoted prescription-only treatments to consumers, a practice not allowed under UK law.
The other banned adverts included:
A Meta ad by CheqUp Health stating: “Take the first step to sustainable weight loss with CheqUp.”
A Meta ad by HealthExpress.co.uk, featuring an injection pen image and rule-breaching claims.
A Google ad for Juniper UK describing “GLP-1 Weekly Weight Loss Injection” with an injection pen image.
Two Google ads for Phlo Clinic, one offering “35% off Weight Loss Order” and another promoting “Weight loss Injections.”
A Google ad for SemaPen claiming, “SemaPen Makes Weight Loss Easier.”
A Meta ad by Cloud Pharmacy using text message imagery referencing new weight-loss medication.
A Google ad for pharmacyonline.co.uk stating “Obesity Treatment Jab” with an image of a medication vial.
The ASA ruled that none of these adverts should appear again in their current form. The regulator said it will continue to monitor the promotion of weight-loss services involving prescription medication, particularly on digital platforms.
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Experts have raised concerns about the immune-evasive nature of the Stratus strain
A new Covid strain known as Stratus is spreading across the UK
The variant is marked by a distinctive symptom: a hoarse or raspy voice
Sub-variants XFG and XFG.3 now account for 30% of cases in England
Experts say there is no evidence of more severe disease
Lower immunity levels may make more people vulnerable to infection
Covid variant Stratus on the rise in the UK
A new strain of Covid-19, known as Stratus, is spreading across the UK and drawing attention for its unusual symptom — a hoarse or raspy voice. According to data from the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), Stratus and its two sub-variants, XFG and XFG.3, are responsible for around 30 per cent of Covid cases in England.
Of the two, XFG.3 is currently the more dominant. The UKHSA confirmed that monitoring of all circulating Covid-19 variants is ongoing as part of regular surveillance.
Mutations help Stratus spread despite immunity
Experts have raised concerns about the immune-evasive nature of the Stratus strain. Dr Kaywaan Khan, a Harley Street GP and founder of Hannah London Clinic, noted that certain mutations in the spike protein could help the virus bypass antibodies generated by previous infection or vaccination.
“Unlike other variants, Stratus has certain mutations in the spike protein which could help it evade antibodies developed from prior infections or vaccinations,” said Dr Khan. However, the symptoms tend to remain mild to moderate, with hoarseness being one of the most noticeable.
Dr Alex Allen, Consultant Epidemiologist at the UKHSA, said, “It is normal for viruses to mutate and change over time,” adding that there is currently no evidence that the XFG or XFG.3 variants cause more severe disease than previous strains.
Waning immunity raises infection risk
According to Professor Lawrence Young, a virologist at the University of Warwick, the reduction in Covid-19 infections in recent months, along with lower booster jab uptake, could increase the risk of infection.
“Given that immunity to Covid is waning in the population due to a decline in uptake of the spring booster jab and the reduction of Covid infections in recent months, more people will be susceptible to infection with XFG and XFG.3,” he told MailOnline.
He warned that this could lead to a new wave of infections, though the scale remains uncertain.
Global monitoring of the strain
Globally, Stratus accounted for 22.7 per cent of Covid cases as of 22 June, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO). The strain has been designated as a “variant under monitoring”, with WHO currently assessing its public health impact as low risk.
The emergence of Stratus follows the spread of another recent variant called Nimbus (NB.1.8.1), first detected in China and Hong Kong in January and now present in parts of the US and Australia. Nimbus has been associated with more severe sore throat symptoms.
Reduced testing levels since the pandemic’s peak make it difficult to track the true spread of these new variants, health officials have noted.
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Neurogenesis, the process by which new neurons form in the brain
New neurons continue forming in the brain’s hippocampus into old age
Study confirms presence of neural progenitor cells in adults
DNA carbon dating and single-nucleus RNA sequencing were used
Research shows variation in neuron production between individuals
Findings could aid treatments for neurodegenerative and psychiatric disorders
Human brain shows ongoing neuron formation into older age
A new study has confirmed that the human brain continues to produce new nerve cells well into late adulthood, challenging previous assumptions about age-related decline in neurogenesis. The findings, published in the journal Science, provide fresh insight into how adaptable the brain remains over a lifetime.
Neurogenesis, the process by which new neurons form in the brain, is known to occur in the hippocampus — a region involved in memory. While previous research has suggested that this process continues throughout life, there has been limited concrete evidence of the presence of neural progenitor cells in the adult brain.
Research confirms presence of progenitor cells
The study, conducted by researchers at the Karolinska Institutet in Sweden, confirms the existence of these progenitor cells — cells that develop into neurons — in the adult hippocampus. The team used DNA carbon dating to determine when the cells were formed. Brain tissue samples from people aged 0 to 78 were analysed, sourced from international biobanks.
“We have now been able to identify these cells of origin, which confirms that there is an ongoing formation of neurons in the hippocampus of the adult brain,” said Jonas Frisén, professor of stem cell research at the Karolinska Institutet, who led the study.
Advanced techniques reveal cell activity
To conduct the study, the researchers applied a method known as single-nucleus RNA sequencing, which allows scientists to analyse gene activity in individual cell nuclei. This was combined with machine learning to identify the different stages of neuron development, from stem cells to immature neurons.
The team identified all neural progenitor cell stages in early childhood samples. In adult samples, they located dividing progenitor cells using antibodies against the proliferation marker Ki67, alongside machine learning algorithms.
The results not only confirmed that adult neurogenesis takes place but also revealed that many of the dividing cells were in active developmental stages.
Significant variation between individuals
A notable finding from the study was the large variation in the presence of progenitor cells between individuals. While some adults had many such cells, others had very few. The researchers said this variability could have implications for understanding individual differences in brain ageing and cognitive resilience.
They also found that although the progenitor cells in humans were similar to those in animals such as mice, pigs, and monkeys, the active genes involved differed, suggesting some species-specific distinctions in brain development.
Implications for brain health and disease treatment
The findings provide valuable insight into how the human brain changes over time and could have medical implications. As many neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer’s, involve the loss of neurons in regions like the hippocampus, understanding how new neurons form could contribute to the development of regenerative therapies.
“This is an important piece of the puzzle in understanding how the human brain works and changes during life,” said Frisén. “It may also guide future treatment strategies for neurodegenerative and psychiatric conditions.”
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Serious public health challenges in the decades ahead
Uterine cancer cases and deaths are projected to rise significantly in the US by 2050.
Black women are expected to experience the highest increase in incidence-based mortality.
A new model predicts incidence rising to 86.9 cases per 100,000 for Black women and 74.2 for White women.
Researchers stress the urgent need for improved prevention and early detection strategies.
Sharp increase in uterine cancer predicted over next three decades
Uterine cancer, currently the fourth most commonly diagnosed cancer among women in the United States, is projected to see a substantial rise in both cases and deaths by 2050, particularly among Black women. A new study led by researchers at Columbia University warns of worsening racial disparities in outcomes if preventative measures are not introduced.
This year alone, around 69,120 new cases of uterine cancer and nearly 14,000 deaths are expected in the United States. However, projections by the Columbia University research team, published in Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention, indicate a significant increase in both incidence and mortality over the next 30 years.
Black women to face disproportionate increase in mortality
The study found that Black women already experience double the mortality rate from uterine cancer compared to women from other racial and ethnic backgrounds. Using a predictive model, researchers estimated that this gap will widen dramatically by 2050.
The incidence-based mortality rate among Black women is expected to rise from 14.1 per 100,000 in 2018 to 27.9 per 100,000 by 2050. In contrast, for White women, the rate will increase from 6.1 per 100,000 to 11.2 per 100,000 in the same period.
The incidence rate is also projected to rise to 86.9 cases per 100,000 in Black women and 74.2 cases per 100,000 in White women by 2050, compared to 56.8 and 57.7, respectively, in 2018.
About the study model
The projections were developed using the Columbia University Uterine Cancer Model (CU-UTMO), a state-transition microsimulation tool designed as part of the National Cancer Institute’s Cancer Intervention and Surveillance Modeling Network (CISNET).
The model simulates the disease trajectory based on age (18–84), race (Black and White), tumour type (endometrioid or nonendometrioid), stage at diagnosis, and birth cohort from 1910 onwards. It was validated using 2018 data and showed a strong fit to actual incidence and mortality statistics.
Lead author Dr Jason D. Wright, the Sol Goldman Professor of Gynaecologic Oncology at Columbia University, explained:
“There are likely a number of factors that are associated with the increased burden of uterine cancer in Black women. They more commonly have aggressive types of uterine cancer, face delayed diagnosis resulting in later-stage disease at diagnosis, and there are often delays in their treatment.”
More aggressive tumour types in Black women
The model also highlighted that while endometrioid tumours, a less aggressive form, are projected to increase in both Black and White women, the rate of nonendometrioid tumours, which have a poorer prognosis, will rise considerably in Black women alone.
These trends point to an urgent need for improved public health interventions aimed at early diagnosis and treatment, as well as research into tailored approaches for high-risk groups.
Potential for prevention and screening
In a stress test of the model, researchers incorporated hypothetical screening methods capable of detecting uterine cancer and precancerous changes before clinical diagnosis. The analysis found that such interventions could lead to significant reductions in cancer incidence, lasting up to 15 years in White women and 16 years in Black women, if introduced at the age of 55.
Dr Wright commented on the implications of the test:
“The stress testing suggests that if there was an effective screening test, we may be able to substantially reduce the burden of disease. While there is presently no screening or prevention that is routinely used for uterine cancer, we are currently examining the potential impact of integrating screening into practice.”
Call for action
With cases and deaths from uterine cancer projected to climb, the researchers conclude that immediate steps must be taken to develop and implement primary and secondary prevention strategies. Without intervention, the burden of uterine cancer, particularly among Black women, is expected to grow significantly, posing serious public health challenges in the decades ahead.