This week, we're continuing "The Guest Series" — a curated collection of the most loved and listened-to interviews on the podcast. In this 5-part conversation series, you'll hear from trusted voices in women's health on topics like menstrual cycles, hormone balance, body image, relationships, nervous system healing, and integrative medicine.

In this episode, we discuss the art and science of acupuncture with Sydney Herbst, a Doctor of Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine and a board certified acupuncturist. Sydney explains important topics like liver qi stagnation, common misconceptions about acupuncture, and how Chinese herbal medicine plays a role in finding balance in the body. Sydney pulls back the curtain on what an acupuncture session actually looks like, how needle placement is chosen, the insights your tongue can reveal about your health, and actual case studies from her practice. Tune in to discover the roots of acupuncture and the science that cemented its place in the alternative medicine world.

You can find Sydney on Instagram @herbstoacupuncture and on her website!

Resources:

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What we discuss:

02:49 — Introducing Sydney Herbst, Doctor of Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine

08:21 — The connection between Ayurveda and Chinese Medicine

12:02 — The art of acupuncture

14:01 — The science and research behind acupuncture

20:06 — What a first acupuncture session actually looks like

20:54 — Your tongue as a map of your entire body

23:20 — What liver qi stagnation looks like

27:27 — How Chinese herbal medicine is incorporated

30:49 — What's your constitution?

33:18 — Common misconceptions about acupuncture

44:44 — How acupuncture integrates with conventional medicine

I'm so grateful to have you here, friend. If you love the show, be sure to follow and leave me a review. New episodes drop every Friday!