Podcast Feature: The Healing Path: Acupuncture and Sexual Health

In this unique episode, Dr. Jeff turns the mic over to guest host Dr. Susan Kellogg-Spadt, a leading expert in women’s sexual health, who is joined by licensed acupuncturist Dory Ellen Fish to explore how acupuncture supports sexual wellness. Dory Ellen has been practicing Chinese medicine for over 30 years, treating everything from fertility, to cancer support. Acupuncture offers a holistic, evidence-informed approach to addressing many of the physical and emotional concerns that impact intimacy. Together, they will dive into how this ancient healing practice intersects with modern sexual medicine, empowering listeners with new tools to restore balance, pleasure, and connection in the body.

We moved to 136 Garrett Avenue in Bryn Mawr!

Our new address is 136 Garrett Avenue, Suite 2 South, Bryn Mawr, PA 19010. Parking is free and available on-site for all patients.

Taking my own advice!

This season has been a rough one, with respiratory viruses, flu, and Norovirus. It is important for us to stay healthy, so let me share my secrets for wellness! I am so glad I decided to take my own advice!

2. The perfect companion for rest: mine is my kitty Neko.

4. There is truly no substitute for the good old fashion neti pot. Germs enter through the nose, washing them out makes sense.

6. And finally, Manuka honey is a natural antibiotic; it is expensive but so is missing work!

1. Summer Joy’s Elderberry Oxymel is a favorite to boost the immune system. It’s a delicious way to get some apple cider vinegar plus local honey in as well.

3. Bi Yan Pian, a Chinese herbal medicine to benefit the sinuses.

5. Nothing like a bone broth and rice congee to keep you warm on a winter’s day. Great for boosting the immune system and warding off those nasty winter colds and flu. Here is a quick and simple recipe.

Best of Philly® 2015 Award for Best Acupuncture

This past month has been a high-energy time for all of us at Dory Ellen Fish Acupuncture. About 2 months ago I got a call from a fashion writer at Philly Magazine who was doing some research on complimentary medicine. Her name was Emily, and when she came in to the office, I was instantly captivated by her warmth and charm. She wrote a glowing blog post for Philly Mag about her acupuncture experience. Six weeks later, a large white envelope arrived in the mail letting me know that I had won the “Best of Philly” award for Acupuncture. I had been duped by this lovely young woman, but in the best way: vetted for BOP.
Celebration is always best with people to share it with, and Dory Ellen Fish Acupuncture is comprised of licensed acupuncturists Rachel Wolf, Dana DePaul Ellis, myself, and our assistant Leah Hawkesworth. It was a treat for us to celebrate at the very festive Philly Mag Soiree and also a blessing for me to have these exceptional acupuncturists to share the increased patient flow. My practice has come a long way in the last 20 years, from the spare bedroom in the upstairs of our trinity in the Spring Garden district to the White Lotus Center in Bryn Mawr with 2 other busy young acupuncturists.

Much gratitude goes out to our profession, teachers, colleagues, Philadelphia Magazine and everyone who has entrusted me with their well-being.

- Dory Ellen Fish L.Ac

Pre-Natal Care Of The Fetus

Dory Ellen and I recently attended the weeklong, annual Pacific Symposium with workshops that bring our thought leaders into a lecture and Q & A format with practitioners and students of our eastern medicine.

Dr. Jeffrey Yuen, truly one of our renowned teachers and practitioners today, spoke about “Nourishing the Womb (Yang Tai): Pre-Natal Care of the Fetus.” Dr. Jeffrey C. Yuen trained under his adopted grandfather, the late Daoist Master Yu Wen (1872-1981 as a child prodigy and was allowed to openly practice and serve the community when he was 16 years old. He came to the United States in his 20’s and has been practicing for the past 35 years in New York City.

Following are highlights of his talk.

The most commonly followed model for prenatal care of the fetus was developed in the 13th Century by Chinese doctor, Chen Zi Ming, and follows the Five Element Cycle from Wood to Water which looks like this:

The ancient Chinese believed that everything in life is cyclical as observed in nature. Humans live between heaven and earth and are affected by the same forces of nature as in the heavens and on earth.

Each element has a season, emotion, taste and foods associated with it, just as each Organ System holds a specific role in the body properly functioning and maintaining balance and health and avoids disease.

The basic concept holds that women who follow the lifestyle and dietary guidelines based on this System of ancient Chinese Medicine will support the healthy development of the fetus. Five important steps include:

1. Perform An Emotional Cleansing

Dr. Yuen explained that it is important in the first month of pregnancy for women to go through a cleansing of emotions. Are you holding toxic emotions from the past? Now is the time to let go of toxic emotions so that the blood supporting the new fetus is new, non-toxic blood. How a woman feels about herself and how much love she has to give herself and her baby are important to maintaining a healthy pregnancy.

Women should also avoid stressful, angry situation throughout the pregnancy, but, particularly, in the first trimester, which are linked to the WOOD (Liver) and FIRE (Heart) elements. Also, the Wood (Liver) and METAL (Lung) elements need to be balanced. Don’t let METAL (Lung) flare-up a guilt trip on you. Don’t be so hard on yourself.

2. Stimulate Your Brain And Senses

Another recommendation of Dr. Yuen’s suggests that pregnant women should do things that are stimulating. Listen to poetry or music which helps stimulate the WOOD energy. Listen to a bamboo flute, which will help influence the child to be curious

3. Exercise

Women should continue to exercise and perform weight-bearing exercises during pregnancy to strengthen bones. When doing Qi Gong or other exercises, wear silk or leather shoes, which allows for qi (energy) being absorbed from the earth. Rubber soled shoes do now allow to qi to be conducted.

4. Diet

General guidelines include avoiding stimulants and using tastes associated with the gestational months. For instance, in the first two months, linked to the WOOD Element (Liver and Gallbladder), eat legumes, bean sprouts, asparagus, grapes, and berries, while avoiding spicy and aromatic foods. For the FIRE Element, months three and four, eat pitted fruits like cherries or sour plums. In months five and six which are associated with the EARTH Element (Spleen and Stomach) pregnant women should include grains, cabbage, and tropical fruits like honeydew, papaya, and watermelon. The enzymes in these cooling fruits help the Spleen to remove dampness and help with inflammation. For months, seven and eight, which is the METAL Element (Lung & Large Intestine), eat almonds, pine nuts, dried pears, Asian pears, apples, and pomegranate. Pomegranate helps prevent premature birth. In the final two months 9 & 10: WATER (Kidney and Urinary Bladder), include seeds which help lubricate the birth canal in preparation for delivery.

5. Boost Your Immune System

Exercise, proper, diet, proper sleep, avoiding emotional and physical stressing situations, supplemented with herbs and acupuncture will help boost your immune system. Your immune system staying strong is vital to your baby being healthy.

If this approach to pre-natal care for you and your baby makes sense or has sparked your curiosity to learn more , please call and come in to talk. We would love to talk to you about how this would work for you.

- Louise Gallagher

Good Things are Growing at Dory Ellen Fish Acupuncture

One of the significant themes of 5 Element philosophy is the concept of the seasons.  Each season correlates with an Element, and Spring is all about the Wood Element.  Organ and meridian-wise, Wood refers to the Liver and Gallbladder and their corresponding meridians.  It also refers to the energetic of outward movement, growth and birth.  This theme has been fully reflected in my clinic by a number of successful pregnancies culminating in healthy babies born through uncomplicated deliveries.  Simultaneously, we have been enjoying an abundance of pregnant patients.

There is something special about each of our patients, and these new mothers and babies have brought unmitigated joyful energy to the office. 

Increasing numbers of people are aware of the well-documented support that acupuncture offers to IVF treatments.  Obstetricians and mid-wives often call upon our services to re-position babies in-utero using moxabustion with successful results estimated at 43%. Acupuncture “inductions” are also useful, especially when a woman is being “threatened” with medical induction stripping the cervical membrane or giving Pitocin.  Severe morning sickness is yet another reason to call your acupuncturist and is a preferable first-line intervention when compared with the Zofran that is now prescribed.

What many people don’t know is that acupuncture treatments are shown to shorten labors, and reduce the chances of medical intervention.  The are several simple protocols that are widely used in Europe that consist of points that help to ripen the cervix, relax ligaments in the pelvis, calm the expectant mother and assist the baby in moving downward.  There are also points which strength contractions during a hesitant labor.  These protocols involve 4-6 points each and should be implemented during week 36-delivery.  Even when a medical induction is needed, the studies show that the resulting labor is significantly shorter.

So, the bottom line is that there are many applications of acupuncture and Chinese Medicine for pregnant, as well as wanting-to-be-pregnant women.  The best way to find out is to give us a call, and let us tell you how we can be helpful!

Mandy’s Story

"When I came to Dory in September of 2012, I was at my whit’s end.  I would literally do anything to get pregnant.  Acupuncture was most definitely NOT my thing.  I started out going once per week in combination with medicines hoping to get something to work." 

"Not only did Dory listen to my ALL of my problems, weather they be infertility wise, or just life problems but she was there for me emotionally when I needed the most support. She squeezed me in through not 1 but 2 canceled IVF cycles, trying her best to help salvage what we could. After the 2nd cycle was cancelled, I came to Dory at rock bottom.  She spent more time then she probably should’ve listening to me cry, and just explain how heartbroken I truly was."

"We decided together that after 15 months of fertility treatments, we would just start to cleanse my body of all that I’ve been putting into it.  2 months of this, and something with my body didn’t seem the same.  It was Friday, I had an appointment with Dory the following Monday, when I called her Saturday to tell her, WE DID IT. I was finally pregnant!" 

"There really was no better news to share with the person that helped us achieve our #1 goal.  All medicines aside, my acupuncture treatments are hands down the only reason I believe I’m sitting here 10 weeks away from giving birth to my 2nd child. I cannot thank Dory enough for the time, efforts and energy she put into my story." 

"I know, without her, I would not be pregnant.  I credit her to helping my body best prepare for pregnancy."

- Mandy Weisbruch

Click here for more patient stories.

Living Beyond Breast Cancer

Acupuncture is an excellent healing modality following the treatment of cancer, and during the establishment of a new "normal". Many people think of acupuncture for relieving back pain, quitting smoking, or easing nausea from chemotherapy. But there are many ways that acupuncture can play a key role in full recovery from cancer, regardless of the course of medical treatment. Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center has offered acupuncture since 1999 and has documented the efficacy of acupuncture treatments for post-operative pain as well as lingering chemotherapy and radiation symptoms. Hot flashes, insomnia, anxiety, fatigue, stomach distress, anemia are among the most common complaints.

"Receiving acupuncture was one of the most beneficial things I did to support myself both during and following cancer treatment. It has helped me enormously on a physical, emotional and spiritual level."

-A.R.D., acupuncture patient and cancer survivor

The period of time following breast cancer treatment is one of significant transition. Women are coming to the end of an extremely challenging time and often want to integrate positive self -care, like healthy diet, exercise and meditation. Acupuncture is an outstanding choice for healing during this time since it works on the body, mind, and spirit. Many acupuncturists can make suggestions about these concerns and also provide exceptional emotional support.

Choosing the right acupuncturist is also important. Each practitioner has his or her own style and a good fit is essential. I recommend speaking with a few practioners and making sure that your schedules are compatible, and that you have a positive sense of this person either face-to-face or on the phone. When seeking care following cancer, it is essential to select an experienced practitioner who also has knowledge of working with cancer patients and internal medicine. Do not be shy about asking any questions you have about their approach to treatment. If you start receiving acupuncture and do not feel comfortable with the practitioner, do not hesitate to find someone who will better complement your recovery support team.

In my clinic, I find people to be particularly responsive to acupuncture following cancer treatment. Acupuncture is widely believed to support the individual's healing mechanism. Acupuncture can help clear the affects of surgeries with protocols for healing scar tissue and assisting range of motion. The time following diagnosis and treatment is often a very emotional period which deserves a great deal of compassion and support. Mood changes are commonly reported, including anxiety, depression and insomnia. These emotional issues respond very well to acupuncture treatments and the therapeutic relationship. At a spirit level, I see women who have experienced loss and trauma, but also possess an emerging sense of connection and a realization of strength. In addition there is the gradual process of seeing oneself as being strong and resilient, after having been very sick.

From a practitioner's perspective, the work that I do with patients who have had cancer is often the most meaningful. I view this as inspirational work, a chance to support women who have faced many fears and pain. My role as an acupuncturist affords me an opportunity to help my patients rebuild and to identify the virtues that they already possess that support them during this journey. The intimacy of our acupuncture sessions, and the time spend is partticularly helpful and nurturing. In addition to being a complementary medical modality, acupuncture provides patients with an opportunity to be known and cared for.