Ovary-Acting

This week Dr. Jennifer Ashby does something different — she shares the TEDx talk she gave a few years ago. Raised alongside an elephant, lion cubs, bears, wolves, and dozens of other animals, Jen learned early that the energy of every living thing moves in a natural cycle of balance, harmony, and healing — and she spent 30+ years in East Asian Medicine turning that lesson into something usable. She makes the case that your physical energy is the base of all your health, explains the two kinds of energy that run it, and gives you eight daily guidelines to protect them. She closes on the balance she saw on safari: we, too, are nature.FEATURED OFFERThe Energy Prescription — Dr. Ashby's new Wiley book — turns this talk's framework and eight guidelines into a daily system for thriving through perimenopause and menopause. Out October 20th. 👉 Pre-order: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1394389663 (No sponsor read this episode.)5 KEY TAKEAWAYSYour physical energy is the base of all your health, and you have two kinds. Prenatal energy is finite — you're born with it and can only spend it. Postnatal energy is infinite — replenished daily if you participate. It's rarely one single thing. Wrist pain becomes shoulder pain, then neck pain, then anxiety and lost sleep. The body is one system working toward homeostasis.The Epic Eight, from the TEDx stageYou'll feel stress; the skill is not embodying it. Sort true threats from the rest — a deadline is not a tiger. Jen's starter: MBSR by Jon Kabat-Zinn.We, too, are nature. Left alone, nature is brutally but beautifully balanced — animals eat, drink, sleep, breathe, move, poop, play, and don't embody stress longer than survival requires. Return to the basics and you preserve yourself. (Jen's honest caveat: this assumes clean water, food, and housing — she calls it a crime that health is a privilege.)TIMESTAMPS 00:00 Welcome + why this week is different 00:47 The talk begins: energy, balance & a true story 01:20 Growing up among wild animals 03:30 Why one single "fix" rarely works 06:30 Physical energy is the base of all your health 08:30 Prenatal (finite) vs. postnatal (infinite) energy 15:30 The Epic Eight: diet, hydration, sleep, breathing 18:00 Movement, bowel movements, joy, not embodying stress 24:30 One more story: safari in Kenya & Tanzania 26:00 We too are nature + thanks🔗 CONNECT WITH DR. JEN ASHBYNewsletter: https://www.drjenniferashby.com/newsletter-sign-up Website: https://www.drjenniferashby.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drjenashby/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@drjenashbyRESOURCESThe Energy Prescription (pre-order) — https://www.amazon.com/dp/1394389663DailyOM — Dr. Ashby's courses — https://www.dailyom.com/instructors/dr-jennifer-ashby

Dr. Jennifer Ashby talks with Grace Kraaijvanger — founder of The Hivery, the Bay Area women's coworking space and inspiration lab — about the restless yearning so many women feel and can't quite name. Grace first felt it at 27, as her dance career was ending; she's felt it in grief and again at 51 as an empty-nester. Out of that "wrestling" came The Hivery and a mission to elevate the voices of women. Together they reframe a woman's whole life as an act of creativity: treating your life like a work of art gives you permission to keep working on it — to experiment, and to not have it all figured out yet.FEATURED OFFERSThe Hivery — Grace's women's coworking space, inspiration lab & mentorship community in Mill Valley, CA, plus a digital membership (relaunching this summer) with local chapters. Events open to everyone. 👉 https://www.thehivery.com/ The Energy Prescription — Dr. Jennifer Ashby's new Wiley book turning her whole-body approach into a daily toolbox for thriving through perimenopause and menopause. Out October 20th. 👉 Pre-order: https://www.amazon.com/dp/13943896635 KEY TAKEAWAYSHonor the yearning — it doesn't go away. That hard-to-name "wrestling" is information, not a problem to squash. "Pay now or pay later." Honoring it can be as small as writing, talking, or exploring.Treat your life like a work of art — even if you don't feel creative. It gives you permission to experiment with "the clay of your life" and to not know yet. As Martha Graham said, "no artist is ever satisfied."Change usually rides in on a "life-quake." Real reinvention rarely comes when things are smooth — it takes a catalyst: layoff, ageism, caregiving, divorce, loss, or grief. The hard thing becomes the door to "who am I on the other side of this?"Confidence isn't required and readiness is a myth. If you wait to feel ready, you never start. Small actions are big: the only way to write the book is to sit down for the first fifteen minutes.Community is underrated medicine. We try to figure out our next chapter alone and blame the laundry — it's not the laundry, it's the isolation. Creative energy is contagious; doing the work in community is a real intervention.TIMESTAMPS (approximate; recording opens with an audio check; also YouTube chapters)00:00 Start04:10 what The Hivery is for05:30 A dancer from age four09:45 The yearning at every life stage15:30 The title lands: Life as Art17:30 Grief as a creative force20:15 8,000 women later24:05 Finding your inner artist when you don't feel creative28:00 why midlife can be the most powerful chapter33:05 Invisibility vs. being seen36:25 Loneliness as a health crisis: community as medicine46:00 The myth of readiness48:50 The thing she almost didn't do 54:00 Radically inclusive🔗 CONNECTDr. Jen Ashby — Website: https://www.drjenniferashby.com/ · Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drjenashby/ ·YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@drjenashbyGrace / The Hivery — https://www.thehivery.com/ ·Events: https://www.thehivery.com/events

In this solo episode, Dr. Jennifer Ashby explores your yoni — your "jade gate" — through the medicine she practices. Why the clinical word we grew up with comes from the Latin for "sheath for a sword" (named by men, for men), why "yoni" (Sanskrit for source, sacred space, origin) fits better, and how East Asian Medicine has mapped this tissue across a woman's whole life: the four channels that meet at the yoni, the concept of Tiangui (heavenly water), the heart-kidney axis, the emotional layer, and where ancient theory and modern microbiome science describe the exact same thing.FEATURED OFFERSThe Energy Prescription, Dr. Jennifer Ashby's new Wiley book, turns her whole-body, East-meets-West approach into a daily toolbox for thriving through perimenopause and menopause. Out October 20th. 👉 Pre-order: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1394389663 Women's Lib — a non-hormonal daily libido tincture for women navigating midlife stress and low desire. 👉 https://womens-lib.com/5 KEY TAKEAWAYSYour yoni sits where four channels meet. The Ren Mai governs moisture and tone; the Chong Mai (Sea of Blood) links the yoni, uterus, breasts, and heart — which is why those symptoms often arrive together at hormonal transitions.The Kidney and Liver channels run straight through the jade gate. The kidney governs tissue vitality and where fear/trauma register; the liver governs the flow of qi and blood, and stagnation shows up as dryness, tension, and irritation.Tiangui and the heart-kidney axis set the tone for every transition — puberty, postpartum, perimenopause, menopause — not just menopause.The jade gate keeps the score. Fear (kidney), anger (liver), and grief (lung) live in the tissue over decades. This does NOT mean symptoms are "just psychological" — body and emotion are one system.Ancient theory meets modern science: a healthy yoni is lactobacillus-dominant (low pH); as kidney yin and estrogen decline, that shifts — "yin deficiency at the jade gate," aka GSM. Nourish kidney jing early and often: black sesame, walnuts, eggs, oysters, dark berries, bone broth, miso.TIMESTAMPS (approximate; raw recording has many retakes to trim; also YouTube chapters)00:00 Welcome 00:40 Why "yoni," not the word from health class 02:30 Channel 1: Ren Mai (Conception Vessel) 03:40 Channel 2: Chong Mai (Sea of Blood) 05:30 Channel 3: Kidney channel — vitality, fear & trauma 08:30 Channel 4: Liver channel — flow, tension & damp-heat 12:30 Tiangui & the heart-kidney axis 14:40 Menarche & the teenage years 16:15 The reproductive years 17:50 Pregnancy & postpartum 21:30 Perimenopause 23:10 Menopause & beyond; GSM as yin deficiency 24:25 The emotional layer: fear, anger & grief 25:50 Where EAM meets modern science: the microbiome & gut-yoni axis 28:20 What you can do: nourishing kidney jing 🔗 CONNECT WITH DR. JEN ASHBYNewsletter: https://www.drjenniferashby.com/newsletter-sign-up Website: https://www.drjenniferashby.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drjenashby/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@drjenashbyRESOURCES

Dr. Jennifer Ashby talks with nurse midwife Erinn Lance, CNM — a close friend and the midwife who was in the room when Jen birthed her last baby — about vaginal health across a woman's whole life: why the vagina is a self-cleaning organ, the microbiome and common infections, how discharge changes from first period through menopause, GSM (genitourinary syndrome of menopause) and vaginal estrogen, pelvic floor PT, lubricants, sex after menopause, hydration, and learning to trust your own body.FEATURED OFFERThe Energy Prescription, Dr. Jennifer Ashby's new Wiley book, turns her whole-body, East-meets-West approach into a daily toolbox for thriving through perimenopause and menopause. Out October 20th. 👉 Pre-order here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/13943896635 KEY TAKEAWAYSThe vagina is self-cleaning — leave it alone. Douches and scented washes disrupt the microbiome that keeps pH acidic and hostile to infection. See a provider only when something changes (itching, burning, foul odor).Know your "normal," including discharge — often it's just the body cleaning itself or a sign of ovulation.Sex shifts the environment, and spit is a culprit. If infections recur, skip saliva as lube and use a clean, water-soluble, glycerin-free lubricant.GSM is real, common, and under-treated. As estrogen drops, tissue thins — including the bladder — causing dryness, recurrent UTIs, and incontinence. Vaginal estrogen (cream or ring) is largely local, not systemic.Trust your body and advocate for yourself. If you're dismissed, find another provider — a pelvic exam should never simply be endured.TIMESTAMPS00:00 Welcome + today's topic: vaginas & vaginal health00:30 Meet Erinn Lance, CNM — nurse midwife & homeopath05:30 All the names + the origin of "vagina" (a sheath for a sword)07:30 Birthing a baby together in this room; matrilineal wisdom18:00 Reproductive years: BV, yeast & the self-cleaning vagina23:00 pH, lactobacilli, ovulation mucus & "ferning"32:00 Sex & vaginal health: spit, new partners & clean lubricants38:00 Talking to kids: "Switzerland" & the "Ace of Sparkles"44:00 Pregnancy & postpartum; the first 40 days54:00 Hormonal contraception & the microbiome56:30 Perimenopause, menopause & GSM1:01:00 Vaginal tissue changes & vaginal estrogen (cream vs. ring)1:05:00 GSM & the bladder: UTIs & incontinence1:08:00 Sex after menopause; "you never have to endure a pelvic exam" 1:12:30 How to pee + hydration deep-dive (weight ÷ 2 in ounces)1:19:40 One piece of advice: trust your body1:26:30 Wrap-up + the send-off songGUESTErinn Lance, CNM — certified nurse midwife caring for women since 1998 in clinics, homes, birth centers, and hospitals. Master's in Nurse-Midwifery, UCSF (1998); founded Centering Pregnancy at Marin Maternity Services; retired from birth work in 2025 and now focused on menopause. 🔗 CONNECT WITH DR. JEN ASHBYNewsletter: https://www.drjenniferashby.com/newsletter-sign-up Website: https://www.drjenniferashby.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drjenashby/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@drjenashby

An East Asian Medicine lens on breast health — not a replacement for screening, but a powerful addition. In this solo episode, Dr. Jennifer Ashby explains how your breasts sit at the crossroads of the liver, stomach, and Chong Mai channels, quietly tracking your stress, emotions, hormones, and how well your body clears estrogen. She covers three clinical patterns, left vs. right symptoms, xenoestrogens and alcohol, the emotional layer, and a simple daily prescription — honoring that genetics are real and screening is non-negotiable.The Energy Prescription, Dr. Ashby's new Wiley book, turns her whole-body, East-meets-West approach into a daily toolbox for thriving through perimenopause and menopause.👉 Pre-order: https://www.amazon.com/dp/13943896635 KEY TAKEAWAYSYour breasts are a map. They sit along three channels — liver (qi & emotion), stomach (digestion; runs through the nipple), and the Chong Mai ("sea of blood," linking breasts, uterus & vitality). Three patterns recur: liver qi stagnation (cyclical tenderness, ropey texture, irritability); phlegm & blood stasis (fixed cysts, fibrocystic changes); and kidney deficiency in midlife.Genetics are real and not your fault. With a BRCA variant, dense tissue, or family history, lifestyle does NOT replace screening or your oncologist. But for most women, genes load the gun and environment influences the trigger.The modern world loads the deck: xenoestrogens (heated plastics, conventional products, pesticides, dairy/meat) and alcohol overwhelm the liver; sluggish armpit lymph (tight bras, antiperspirants, hunched posture) traps waste in breast tissue.Emotional layer: liver holds anger, lung holds grief, spleen holds worry. Daily fix: 5-min self-breast massage toward the armpit, swap one xenoestrogen source monthly (start with deodorant), support the liver (cruciferous veg, warm lemon water, less alcohol), move to open the chest, and know your family history and screen.TIMESTAMPS 00:00 START – Welcome + today's topic00:50 – Your breasts as a map01:40 – Genetics are real and not your fault03:00 – The three channels: liver, stomach & Chong Mai06:20 – Three patterns09:00 – Left vs. right laterality11:10 – Genetics & epigenetics13:40 – Xenoestrogens15:50 – Alcohol16:40 – Lymphatic flow & the armpits18:50 – The emotional layer21:00 – Your daily prescription23:00 – Closing: "preservation over reclamation"🔗 CONNECT WITH DR. JEN ASHBYNewsletter: https://www.drjenniferashby.com/newsletter-sign-upWebsite: https://www.drjenniferashby.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drjenashby/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@drjenashbyTOP RESOURCESThe Energy Prescription — https://www.amazon.com/dp/1394389663Website — https://www.drjenniferashby.com/Newsletter — https://www.drjenniferashby.com/newsletter-sign-up

Dr. Jennifer Ashby talks with UCSF physical therapist Dr. Hidelisa Manibusan, DPT, MBA, about breast health beyond breast cancer: the rehab no one mentions after breast surgery, why posture and the core are the foundation, how to keep the lymphatic system moving, breastfeeding ergonomics, the stress–breast connection, bras, and knowing your "normal" so you catch changes early.The Energy PrescriptionDr. Jennifer Ashby's new Wiley book, turns her whole-body, East-meets-West approach into a daily toolbox for thriving through perimenopause and menopause. 👉 Pre-order here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/13943896635 KEY TAKEAWAYSPhysical therapy for breasts exists and is underused — rehab restores mobility and helps women reconnect with their bodies after surgery, radiation, or reconstruction."Squeeze low" is the posture pearl: gently draw the shoulder blades down (not up), opening the chest and activating the core.Your lymphatic system runs on hydration, diaphragmatic breathing, and movement; ease back in after surgery (the 50/50 rule).Breastfeeding is hard on body and mind — use passive support, switch sides, and protect your mental health.Stress shows up in the breast (cortisol); build daily joy, manage stress, and do regular self-exams to know your normal.TIMESTAMPS00:00 START – Welcome + today's topic: breasts, all of it 01:00 – Meet Dr. Hidelisa Manibusan, DPT — UCSF breast & lymphedema rehab 03:30 – Rehab after breast surgery; reconnecting with your body 08:30 – Boobs, identity & culture 15:30 – Posture & breast health; lordosis & body type 19:45 – The weight of breasts, the spine as a chain, lymphatic flow 26:00 – The core: it's a bowl of muscles 31:00 – Lymphatic system 101 + the 50/50 rule 36:00 – Hydration (and the Tahoe hot-tub tale) 42:00 – Self lymphatic drainage + "squeeze low" 44:30 – Breastfeeding ergonomics & protecting mental health 51:30 – Clogged ducts & mastitis: massage & vibration 58:00 – Diet, alcohol, caffeine & feeding the breast 1:02:30 – Stress in the breast: cortisol & daily joy 1:11:30 – Knowing your normal, self-exams, bras & what's nextGUESTDr. Hidelisa Manibusan, DPT, MBA — physical therapist at UCSF (14+ years) leading breast cancer & lymphedema rehab. DPT, University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences; EMBA, Auburn University.🔗 CONNECT WITH DR. JEN ASHBYNewsletter: https://www.drjenniferashby.com/newsletter-sign-up Website: https://www.drjenniferashby.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drjenashby/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@drjenashby Substack: https://jenniferashby.substack.com/RESOURCESThe Energy Prescription (pre-order) — https://www.amazon.com/dp/1394389663UCSF Osher Center — https://osher.ucsf.edu/

In this solo episode of Ovary-Acting, Dr. Jennifer Ashby unpacks the Epic Eight — her BOOM (Basic Optimal Outcomes Method), rooted in East Asian medicine and modern science. Learn the eight daily lifestyle tools — diet, hydration, sleep, breath work, constitutionally appropriate movement, gut health, finding joy & awe, and tools to not embody stress — that boost immunity, stabilize mood, influence disease and gene expression, and steady your energy. This is empowerment, not biohacking.FEATURED OFFERThe Epic Eight is the foundation — The Energy Prescription is where it gets personal. Dr. Ashby's new book from Wiley tunes the Epic Eight to the perimenopause and menopause experience: ancient wisdom, modern science, and a little feminist gusto.👉 Pre-order: https://www.amazon.com/dp/13943896635 KEY TAKEAWAYSThe Epic Eight is a reproducible toolbox, not a prescription — eight everyday skills drawn from East Asian medicine.Joy is an inside job; awe is an outside job. Both are daily medicine.It's not about avoiding stress — it's about not embodying it. Chronic stress hormones meant for "a tiger" are making us sick.Lifestyle changes how your genes express — up-regulating the good, down-regulating the rest.The goal is empowerment: manage what you can, and know when to call your doctor.TIMESTAMPS00:00 START – Welcome + why this is a solo episode01:00 – Who Dr. Jen is, and why she created the Epic Eight02:07 – A reproducible toolbox + the book03:00 – The Epic Eight, listed04:19 – Tiger vs. inconvenience: how chronic stress makes us sick05:30 – Predictable outcomes: immunity, mood, disease, genes06:39 – Prenatal & postnatal qi: preserving your vital essence07:30 – Where it began: polycystic kidney disease08:57 – The book, the course coming soon, and empowerment11:15 – Where to find Dr. Jen + pre-order the book13:35 – The unique female body + what's aheadCONNECT WITH DR. JEN ASHBYWebsite: https://www.drjenniferashby.com/Newsletter: https://www.drjenniferashby.com/newsletter-sign-upSubstack: https://jenniferashby.substack.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drjenashby/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@drjenniferashbyYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@drjenashbyRESOURCESThe Energy Prescription (pre-order): https://www.amazon.com/dp/1394389663DailyOM courses: https://www.dailyom.com/instructors/dr-jennifer-ashbyUCSF Osher Center: https://osher.ucsf.edu/

Welcome to the very first episode of Ovary-Acting. Dr. Jen Ashby is interviewed by her daughter Lily about the wild road that shaped her: growing up among exotic animals, falling for acupuncture and East Asian medicine, and 30 years of clinical work from county jails to UCSF.The Energy Prescription: Ancient Wisdom and Modern Science for Thriving Through Menopause distills her EPIC8 method into a sassy, practical guide for perimenopause and menopause.👉 Pre-order: https://www.amazon.com/dp/13943896635 KEY TAKEAWAYSWild animals reveal the basics of health.East Asian medicine helps the body rebalance itself — read via the tongue, pulses, and senses.You are the microcosm; everything you encounter affects your health.Acupuncture has a political U.S. history.Patients need a "quarterback" for their whole-person care.TIMESTAMPS00:00 START03:21 – Lily takes over06:16 – Growing up among exotic animals13:30 – Finding acupuncture and East Asian medicine15:27 – Training, the clinical doctorate & Shanghai19:49 – Microcosm, macrocosm & the "Jade Valley"22:00 – Acupuncture in SF county jails31:00 – 30 years of the Lotus Center40:00 – Healthcare's missing "quarterback"45:00 – Her other life: rocker, bartender & motorcycles54:29 – What's nextGUEST: Liliana "Lily" Ashby — Dr. Ashby's daughterCONNECT WITH DR. JEN ASHBYNewsletter: https://www.drjenniferashby.com/newsletter-sign-upSubstack: https://jenniferashby.substack.com/Website: https://www.drjenniferashby.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drjenashby/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@drjenniferashbyFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/drjenashby/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-jennifer-ashby-daom-l-ac-m-s-3869924/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@drjenashbyEmail: [email protected] Energy Prescription (Wiley): https://www.amazon.com/dp/1394389663Acupuncture Fever: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aLbuh7JUDZsNADA: https://acudetox.com/UCSF Osher Center: https://osher.ucsf.edu/Midi Health: https://www.joinmidi.com/

This is the beginning of something.Welcome to Ovary-Acting — the podcast where we take women's health seriously, but ourselves not so much. In this preview episode, Dr. Jennifer Ashby introduces herself, the show, and exactly why she built this space for you.Expect real medicine. Real talk. And the kind of humor that makes the hard stuff easier to handle.Dr. Jennifer Ashby is a doctor of East Asian medicine, licensed acupuncturist, researcher, and UCSF clinician with over 30 years in women's health. She's here to guide you through the female journey — informed, empowered, and laughing at the ridiculousness of it all.Subscribe so you don't miss Episode 1.📱 Follow Dr. Ashby:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drjenashby/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/drjenashby/Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/discover/doctor-jennifer-ashby🌐 Website: drjenniferashby.com