Integrating Chinese Medicine

For our first episode for 2023, Georgia and Elizabeth share their insight into what actually is the Fourth Trimester from a Traditional Chinese Medicine perspective. Also known as Zuo Yue Zi, the Fourth Trimester is the first forty days post giving birth. Your hosts delve into what this confinement period looks like culturally in China and in other traditions around the world and how this practice can be implemented into your postpartum period realistically in the Western world.After discussing the five insights to consider implementing into the first forty days, Elizabeth and Georgia discuss how Acupuncture, Mother Warming treatment and Chinese Dietary Therapy are key elements of support in the fourth trimester. They discuss Placenta Encapsulation and why to reconsider this practice, building your support network before Baby arrives as well as setting expectations of how you would like the first forty days to be post birth.Your hosts then dive into how an integrative model of care in the fourth trimester benefits the new mother in addition to where to seek support for your mental health. Resources discussed in this episode - The Golden Month by Jenny Allison https://www.chinabooks.com.au/search.cfm?UR=43703&search_stage=details&records_to_display=50&this_book_number=19The First Forty Days by Heng Ou https://motherbees.com/pages/book-the-first-forty-daysThe Dao Does journal post - TCM Postpartum Brothhttps://thedaohealth.com.au/the-dao-does-postpartum-tcm-broth/The Dao Does journal post - Placenta Encapsulationhttps://thedaohealth.com.au/why-you-should-reconsider-placenta-encapsulation/Pig Trotter Soup recipe for milk supplyhttps://whitepineinstitute.org/chinese-herbs-for-lactation/PANDA Postnatal support https://panda.org.au/Follow us on Instagram @integratingchinesemedicine If you enjoyed this episode, please like, subscribe and share a review to ensure we continue to bring you the most relevant and evidence based information and education in an integrative healthcare setting. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

During this interview, Elizabeth and Georgia delve into all facets of pregnancy and birth with Midwife Em. They begin the conversation from the first moment a woman and her partner find out she is pregnant, and the next steps that ensue as she begins her pregnancy journey. Em discusses care provider options for pregnancy, she explains tests and scans that are offered throughout each trimester, as well as empowering the conversation about what tests and scans are optional and required. During this conversation Em talks about ‘colostrum expressing’ and the reasons why a woman shouldn’t be worried if she isn’t able to collect any, she explores ideas around preparation for labour and informs us about labour induction options. Midwife Em is an advocate for the postpartum period, and emphasises the importance of ensuring a new mother supports not only her new baby's health but also her own physical, mental and emotional wellbeing.Midwife Em is a registered midwife and has worked across multiple different hospitals, including two major tertiary level hospitals, predominantly in a postnatal setting caring for women and families. She is the host of her own podcast, “Welcome to the Womb”, which is an educational platform for women and families wanting to know more about pregnancy, birth, babies and the postpartum.For more information head to The Dao Health. Follow us on Instagram @integratingchinesemedicine & @thedao.If you want to hear more from Em head to:Instagram @midwife_em and @welcometo.thewombIf you enjoyed this episode, please like, subscribe and share a review to ensure we continue to bring you the most relevant and evidence based information and education in an integrative healthcare setting. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Elizabeth and Georgia chat with Jo and Tamara, who share the best time to have a pelvic floor check up when family planning and when in pregnancy when the pelvic floor should be checked. Following pregnancy, we unpack when the pelvic floor should be assessed, is this only for vaginal births and why it is important to have clearance before returning to exercise. Tamara and Jo share what the Born Ready course is, why they created the course and what purpose it has to prepare women and their birth partner's for labour. We discussing positioning in the labour, the link between fear and pain and why patients possibly have improved birth outcomes when feeling empowered through education. Elizabeth and Georgia learn from Jo Murdoch and Tamara Woods, Pelvic Health and Musculoskeletal physiotherapists, Directors of The Physiotherapy Clinic & founders of Born Ready - A birth course focusing on empowering women with in depth knowledge about birth and how to prepare their bodies for birth. In this episode the Pelvic Health Physiotherapists explain the connection of Women's Health and Pelvic Floor health and what a patient can expect from their first Women's Health internal physiotherapy appointment.For more information head to The Dao Health. Follow us on Instagram @integratingchinesemedicine & @thedao.If you enjoyed this episode, please like, subscribe and share a review to ensure we continue to bring you the most relevant and evidence based information and education in an integrative healthcare setting. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Georgia and Elizabeth have the absolute pleasure to interview Dr Amani Harris. In this episode we discuss how Endometriosis effects Fertility and Pregnancy as well as the process of finding out you have Endometriosis and what a diagnosis and treatment can look like. From there, Dr Amani Harris unpacks our burning questions about types of Laparoscopies and post Laparoscopy management including types of Contraception and an emphasis on lifestyle advice than can be made to improve quality of life. The hosts then delve into the symptoms, management and treatment of Endometriosis' evil sister Adenomysosis and how they differ and relate.Dr Amani Harris is an advanced laparoscopic and robotic gynaecological surgeon, obstetrician and fertility specialist based in Sydney, Australia.We hope you enjoy this episode and continue raising awareness for our communities' Endo warriors by continuing the conversation about these two debilitating conditions being a whole body condition rather than a Women's Health issue. For more information head to The Dao Health. Follow us on Instagram @integratingchinesemedicine & @thedao.If you enjoyed this episode, please like, subscribe and share a review to ensure we continue to bring you the most relevant and evidence based information and education in an integrative healthcare setting. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

*We apologise for the audio quality of this episode*We have the pleasure to interview our Paddington neighbour from Apotheca by Anthia. In this episode, we delve into the importance of our gut health and the role it plays for our hormones, fertility and our overall wellbeing. The role of the Vagus nerve is discussed and how it is connected to our mental and emotional health. From there, we discuss the benefits Anthia sees for her patients when working alongside a Chinese Medicine Practitioner and Acupuncturist. We jump into detoxing and Anthia's perspective on what realistic and seasonal detoxing can look like to support the body. The relationship with eating seasonally is discussed and how we can implement this into our lives. We unpack the impact social media has on diets and styles of eating and challenge the misinformation provided. From there we ask Anthia about her three top tips to reduce toxic build up and live a more holistic lifestyle. Anthia has been in clinical practice for 27 years, during this time she has created her own brand of certified organic teas, tisanes, herbs & elixirs which now goes by the name Apotheca by Anthia, she has released the book ‘I Am Food’ and is an ongoing advocate for a natural, whole food, natural medicine and toxic chemical-free lifestyle.For more information head to The Dao Health. Follow us on Instagram @integratingchinesemedicine & @thedao.If you enjoyed this episode, please like, subscribe and share a review to ensure we continue to bring you the most relevant and evidence based information and education in an integrative healthcare setting. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Georgia and Elizabeth debunk everything you thought you knew about period pain. Primary Dysmenorrhea is explained and the accepted ‘normal monthly period pain’ is challenged. Secondary Dysmenorrhea and the underlying causes and conditions are shared following with how Acupuncture manages pain.In this episode, we discuss current research in Traditional Chinese Medicine and treating menstrual conditions is described. The hosts dive into the causes of Primary and Secondary Dysmenorrhea from a Traditional Chinese Medicine perspective, and discuss practical lifestyle tips on how to manage period pain and how to become familiar with your own cycle.For more information head to The Dao Health. Follow us on Instagram @integratingchinesemedicine & @thedao.If you enjoyed this episode, please like, subscribe and share a review to ensure we continue to bring you the most relevant and evidence based information and education in an integrative healthcare setting. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode we chat with Dr Tash about IVF (In Vitro Fertilisation) and the importance of preconception care as well how to best prepare the body for upcoming IVF cycles. We discuss when to consider IVF and the importance of timing for when to begin IVF as well as when to consider a break. Dr Tash gives us insight into how to best equipped for your appointment with your IVF specialist and we touch on IVF 'add ons' including ICSI (Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection).We then delve into all things Egg Vitrification, including when to consider the process of freezing your eggs and the relevance of preconception care for preparing for the procedure. We discuss what to expect from Egg Vitrification and the process as well as AMH (Anti Mullerian Hormone) testing.Elizabeth and Georgia have the pleasure to explore the brain of Dr Natasha Andreadis, Gynaecologist and Fertility Specialist who works primarily in IVF and Fertility Care, Hormone Health and Hysteroscopic surgical procedures and host of the women's health and fertility podcast The Fanny Mechanic. Dr Andreadis is a specialist we regularly refer to and we finish this episode with a chat on the role of Integrative Medicine and how Dr Tash sees a patient's fertility journey benefit from complementary care.For more information head to The Dao Health. Follow us on Instagram @integratingchinesemedicine & @thedao.If you enjoyed this episode, please like, subscribe and share a review to ensure we continue to bring you the most relevant and evidence based information and education in an integrative healthcare setting. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Georgia and Elizabeth unpack the pressure of conception that women and their partners can put on themselves. They delve into the meaning of preconception care discussing AMH levels, statistics of pregnancy according to age and the realistic chances of conception are each month. They are passionate about educating women about the importance of their overall health and making space for a baby, also understanding their menstrual cycle, fertility window and the likelihood of conception each month. Miscarriage is unpacked with the emphasis of surrounding support for the couple in addition to discussing when is the right time to plan another pregnancy.For more information head to The Dao Health. Follow us on Instagram @integratingchinesemedicine & @thedao.If you enjoyed this episode, please like, subscribe and share a review to ensure we continue to bring you the most relevant and evidence based information and education in an integrative healthcare setting. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this podcast episode about the thyroid, we begin to unpack the significant role that this gland has in our bodies and how it's function supports our menstrual cycle, pregnancy and postpartum experience. Elizabeth and Georgia have the pleasure of interviewing Natalie, a qualified holistic dietician and nutritionist, speaker, and host of The Holistic Nutritionist podcast, who we regularly practice shared care with for our patients. We discuss lifestyle support which can benefit our thyroid health and the importance of investigating the thyroid's function in all chapters of our menstrual cycle journey.  ​For more information head to The Dao Health. Follow us on Instagram @integratingchinesemedicine & @thedao.If you enjoyed this episode, please like, subscribe and share a review to ensure we continue to bring you the most relevant and evidence based information and education in an integrative healthcare setting. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We interview our first guest on the podcast, talking about training with your menstrual cycle. We unpack training in different stages of your cycle and how to support optimal performance in each phase. Stephanie is a personal trainer at Newlife Health Club, Caringbah and founder of Body Bloom Fitness, a female group training program located in Cronulla. Stephanie has been in the industry for 9 years working with women of all ages, assisting them to better health by creating a balanced lifestyle that is achievable and effective. Stephanie has a greater understanding of the physiological differences between male and female and how you can work with these differences to better your performance and mental state. Through the podcast it is clear how passionate she is about helping women train alongside their menstrual cycle and we hope you can takeaway tips for your training. ​For more information head to The Dao Health. Follow us on Instagram @integratingchinesemedicine & @thedao.If you enjoyed this episode, please like, subscribe and share a review to ensure we continue to bring you the most relevant and evidence based information and education in an integrative healthcare setting. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Georgia and Elizabeth discuss the benefits of Acupuncture during pregnancy. In ancient texts, Acupuncture has been used in China for Obstetrics since the Ming Dynasty (1368 - 1644). In modern Western culture, patients who are seeking a drug free solution to medical symptoms and conditions throughout their pregnancy can safely use Acupuncture as a modality for treatment.They delve into the role of a Traditional Chinese Medicine practitioner through a woman's pregnancy and the importance of being under the care of an experienced practitioner trained specifically in pregnancy. Together, we will unpack each trimester of pregnancy, labour preparation and discuss misconceptions around acupuncture to induce labour. We hope this podcast brings confidence to pregnant women to consider Acupuncture treatment as a primary source of healthcare throughout their gestation. For more information head to The Dao Health. Follow us on Instagram @integratingchinesemedicine & @thedao.If you enjoyed this episode, please like, subscribe and share a review to ensure we continue to bring you the most relevant and evidence based information and education in an integrative healthcare setting. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We become familiar with the ebbs and flow of the menstrual cycle, Elizabeth and Georgia discuss these as seasons and unpack ways to navigate summer through to winter with lifestyle advice from and Traditional Chinese Medicine perspective. From viewing each stage of the menstrual cycle as seasons this can support you and your understanding of the follicular and luteal phase of the cycle by using self care strategies and specific tools to ensure a smooth transition. For more information head to The Dao Health. Follow us on Instagram @integratingchinesemedicine & @thedao.If you enjoyed this episode, please like, subscribe and share a review to ensure we continue to bring you the most relevant and evidence based information and education in an integrative healthcare setting. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.