By Dr. Aaron Cashman, DAOM | May 17, 2026

On Mother’s Day, I had the good fortune to meet up with some old friends and their families, people we’ve known for many years.  Since none of my friends at this gathering are acupuncturists or herbalists—and because I suspect a few of them find my work somewhat mysterious—I often get questions whenever we meet.

This time, I fielded questions about cupping with lancets, whether the war has affected my practice, and a handful of other acupuncture-related topics. Fortunately, the medical discussion remained fairly brief, and we spent most of the afternoon enjoying the park and watching their young children play.

While we were there, one of our friends, a research economist, mentioned that The Economist magazine has recently begun publishing weekly exposés on various health-related topics that many people consider questionable or controversial. One recent piece focused on bone broth. Another explored acupuncture.

Naturally, I asked what conclusions they had reached.

He explained that, according to The Economist, the research on acupuncture strongly supports its effectiveness for various pain-related conditions, though the evidence is considered less robust for many other applications.

I responded that during my doctoral research, I learned that the U.S. opioid crisis largely drove the surge in government-backed funding for acupuncture research related to pain management. Unfortunately, the enormous financial investment required for large-scale “gold standard” clinical research in other areas of acupuncture treatment simply has not been available—and likely will not be anytime soon.

I also mentioned that vast numbers of studies on acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine herbalism exist throughout East Asia, where these medical systems originated and continue to thrive. However, many Western researchers remain skeptical of much of this literature because it often does not meet the specific methodological standards required in the United States.

My friend paused and then replied:

“I guess it’s kind of like Columbus ‘discovering’ America.”

In other words—or at least how I interpreted his comment—acupuncture and its effectiveness may have always been realities for those who practiced and experienced it, even if they had not yet been fully validated through the lens of modern Western scientific standards.

Coincidentally, the very next day, May 11, The New York Times Magazine published an article about the interstitium, a “new” organ-like system that was only formally adopted by modern medicine in 2018.  More 1specifically, the interstitium is a newly characterized network of fluid-filled connective tissue spaces found throughout the entire body.

In the article, the author explored the possibility that this discovery may help explain how the acupuncture meridian system functions as an interconnected network throughout the body.

Dr. Neil Theise, one of the researchers involved in publishing the groundbreaking paper on the interstitium, recalled attending a medical conference in China where a Chinese medicine practitioner reportedly told him:

“We’ve been talking about it for 4,000 years.”

The following morning, my inbox was flooded with messages from friends who had read the article and immediately thought of me.

I quickly read the piece myself and felt genuinely excited to see the interstitium finally receiving broader public attention. I had first heard about it several years earlier through a fascinating Radiolab podcast featuring one of the physicians involved in the discovery.

At the time, I assumed this “new organ” discovery would make a much larger splash in mainstream media and public scientific discussion. Surprisingly, it did not. It took several more years—and a feature in The New York Times Magazine—for the topic to receive widespread attention.

And yes, I agree with the article’s broader implication: the discovery of the interstitium may ultimately prove enormously important, not only for modern medicine in general, but perhaps also for helping explain acupuncture through a contemporary scientific lens.

Of course, I couldn’t resist sharing the article with my economist friend who had joked about Columbus “discovering” America.

Later that day, I texted him the link along with the caption:

“…speaking of ‘discovering’ America.”

Discoveries like the interstitium remind us that medicine is always evolving.  There is still so much we do not fully understand about the human body and mind. I am certain many more discoveries of this magnitude await us in the years ahead.

Ultimately, whether we are discussing acupuncture, the interstitium, or future discoveries yet to come, I believe medicine works best when curiosity, humility, and careful observation remain at the center of patient care.

The New York Times Magazine article on the interstitium:
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2026/05/11/magazine/interstitium-anatomy-acupuncturemedicine.html

The Radiolab podcast on the interstitium:
https://radiolab.org/podcast/interstitium

By Dr. Aaron Cashman (with help from Dr. Mary Gagliardi) | May 17, 2026

Just about every day at Mind-Body Acupuncture, Dr. Mary, Dr. Lauren, and I work with individuals and couples who are hoping to get pregnant—often for the first time. In fact, I began working with fertility patients nearly 20 years ago and have had the opportunity to refine my approach over the years to help improve fertility outcomes.

First, We Listen Closely

This is vital for any healthcare provider, yet it is often overlooked. We want to know your story. We want to understand how you arrived at the point where you decided to seek support for your fertility journey.

We take time to review your full health history and explore possible contributing factors, including genetic and environmental influences, structural or anatomical concerns, past or lingering infections, immune-system-related issues, and any other relevant information that may help us better understand the root of the issue through both the lens of East Asian Medicine and Modern Medicine.

Often, people come to us after seeing their primary care physician about fertility concerns, and sometimes after consulting with a reproductive endocrinologist (RE). In many cases, patients seek acupuncture and herbal support after undergoing extensive testing, bloodwork, and consultations with multiple practitioners. We want to know all the details. We discuss treatment goals, timelines, and ideal outcomes.

This first stage is about gathering information through communication, medical history, and lab results. Our goal is to support you as effectively as possible, so we listen carefully to better understand the factors that may be contributing to the need for fertility support.

Importantly, we also ask about nutrition and lifestyle, sleep quality, digestion, inflammation, stress levels, and daily routines.

For example, we want to know whether you work night shifts, whether your diet feels nourishing and balanced, or whether adjustments may be beneficial. We want to know if stress from life or work is keeping you awake at night—or if, instead, you often feel fatigued and sleep excessively. We ask about exercise habits as well. When it comes to fertility, moderation and balance in lifestyle and nutrition often produce the best results.

Second, We Identify the Primary Imbalance

After gathering information during the initial intake, we begin assessing things through the lens of East Asian Medicine.

We may ask to examine your tongue as part of our diagnostic process. This helps with what is known as pattern differentiation. For example:

• Is the tongue pale, red, or purple?
• Is the coating thin or thick?
• Are there cracks present?

We also assess the pulse. In East Asian Medicine, there are traditionally 28 pulse qualities that help us better understand which channels and organ systems may need support and rebalancing.

Through the lens of East Asian Medicine (EAM), we identify the chief or primary imbalance—as well as any secondary imbalances—that may need to be corrected in order to restore balance within the system.

For me personally, identifying the imbalance through the EAM lens is of central importance. At the same time, I always take into account the complete picture, including communication with each patient, lab results, medical history, and all other relevant factors.

Third, We Identify Constitutional Tendencies

This third step builds upon the second.

In addition to identifying the most important imbalance that may need correction, we also look at a person’s constitutional tendency in order to better support them throughout the process.

In East Asian Medicine, the five elements—Earth, Water, Fire, Metal, and Wood—are each associated with aspects of an individual’s constitutional makeup.

In other words, each of us tends to align more strongly with one or more of these elements. This alignment includes both the strengths of that element and the tendencies that may make us more susceptible to imbalance.

In the book Making Babies, acupuncturist Jill Blakeway and Sami David, a reproductive endocrinologist, discuss these constitutional patterns not strictly in terms of the five elements, but rather through their most common imbalance presentations. They describe five common “Fertility Types,” which correspond closely with the five-element framework:

• The Tired Type
• The Dry Type
• The Stuck Type
• The Pale Type
• The Waterlogged Type

Understanding these tendencies can help us create a more personalized and supportive treatment strategy.

Finally, We Create a Personalized Treatment Plan

Once we have gathered all necessary information, identified your EAM pattern(s), and understood your constitutional tendencies, we bring everything together to create an individualized treatment plan.

Treatment plans often include:

• Acupuncture recommendations
• Herbal medicine suggestions
• Nutritional support
• Supplements
• Lifestyle modifications

Each visit is tailored to your specific needs on that particular day while still keeping your broader long-term goals in mind. We also continue adjusting the plan as new information arises throughout the process.

The fertility journey can sometimes feel heavy, emotional, and overwhelming. Please remember—you are not alone. We are here to help, and we are truly honored to support you through the process.

Thank you for taking the time to read this.

Yours in Health and Vitality,
Dr. Aaron, Dr. Mary and Dr. Lauren

By Mind-Body Guest Blogger & Herbalist, Julie Wise

Before seriously exploring herbalism and TCM, I had this idea that medical care was something that I passively experienced, something that happens to me. When I began to meet more acupuncturists, Doctors of Traditional Chinese Medicine, and clinical herbalists, I noticed that we had a different relationship than the typical allopathic doctor/ patient dynamic. The symptoms and stories I shared seemed to carry more weight; practitioners were invested in every word I was using and how I related to my body and energy.

In my old reference book of homeopathic materia medica (that I refer to more out of novel curiosity rather than necessity), the diagnostic semantics are notably focused on the complex, sometimes hard-to-describe lived experience of the patient. Some of my favorite examples are these three descriptions of vertigo, among many: “vertigo; sensation of air or wind passing through head,” or “vertigo; sensation of head being stirred by a wooden spoon”, or “vertigo; walls of house seem to be falling in.” Or, take these instances of different sensations of coughing: “coughing; overpowering, as if larynx were tickled by a feather in the evening before sleep”; “coughing; aggravated by reading aloud”; “coughing; touching the canal of the ear.” These eccentric medical descriptions may seem completely redundant to some, but their specificity implies that only certain readers or patients will really understand the lived experience of that symptom. I was fascinated when I first found this book because the attention to detail in personal experience felt unfamiliar, like it had been missing from most of my allopathic medical treatments up to that point.

Similarly, I recently had an intake appointment with a new acupuncturist. After explaining my symptoms, focusing on my periodic episodes of tachycardia (racing heart), she left the room for a moment, then asked me this: “Does your heart ever feel empty or hollow, like it’s been scooped out?” I couldn’t help but laugh a bit. I would never think to describe my bodily experience in that way, but yes, that’s exactly what my heart felt like sometimes! She nodded and wrote some notes down. I was giddy with the feeling of being thoroughly understood by my clinician. Like my slightly antiquated leatherbound homeopathy book, Traditional Chinese Medicine and acupuncture give space for this kind of detail in fascinating and refreshing ways. This is certainly not a claim that acupuncturists are the only kind of medical practitioners with this keen attention to patient experience, but rather an ongoing observation that the specificity of inquiry from TCM practitioners towards patients often results in new insight.

Our bodies are unimaginably complex, and further understanding seems to only put forward more questions and more complexity. I’ve witnessed all kinds of TCM practitioners embody this detail-oriented curiosity, and they seem to acknowledge (and enjoy, perhaps) this complexity by engaging the patient on an equally complex, or thorough, scale. Opening up to that degree of inquiry results not only in effective treatment, but also better understanding of the intricacy existing within each of us.

Based on all-time reviews and other factors, BusinessRate.com ranked Philly Mind-Body Acupuncture #1 in Philadelphia.

Philadelphia Mind-Body Acupuncture has WON the Happenings Media (Philadelphia area) ‘Sports Medicine’ category 3 times between 2018 and 2025 and has been in the top 2-3 in the remaining years during that span.

Additionally, Philly Mind-Body Acupuncture has frequently been a ‘Finalist’ or in the top 3-4 clinics in the Happenings Media ‘Acupuncture’ category over the past 9 years.

Even more impressive, Philly Mind-Body Acupuncture is the ONLY Philadelphia clinic to frequently get  nominated into BOTH the Sports Medicine category as well the Acupuncture category.

The Doctrine of Signatures (DoS) is a theory in herbalism practice asserting that the physical characteristics of a plant describe its healing capacities and targets within the body. For example, mullein (Verbascum thapsus) has broad leaves covered in a thin layer of soft hairs, closely resembling the shape and cilia-covered nature of the lungs; mullein is commonly used to treat lung and respiratory ailments. 

When I first learned about the DoS, I was unsure how to relate to the theory. It felt at odds with the ways I had learned to relate to medicine and the role of a patient in medical treatment. But when I began to see the Doctrine of Signatures not as a fixed truth but rather as a pedagogical tool to get to know the plants around me, I was able to really deepen my connection to herbalism and appreciate the healing power of relationships with our plant allies. 

I first began studying herbalism a few years ago, as an apprentice at a school in Massachusetts. I instantly felt that relating to plants around me was an entirely different experience from the way I’d previously engaged with medicine. It almost seemed like the herbal medicinal was the true actor in relation with the patient rather than the prescribing herbalist. 

While it might be easy to say that the theoretical framework of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and herbal medicine are inherently at odds with “modern” or allopathic Western medicine, I find that things are in fact more complex: engaging with herbs as a treatment modality is a relational practice that necessitates close observation and curiosity in ways that facilitate healing and care.   This can be an excellent complement to any kind of medical treatment, from allopathic to TCM and beyond.

 During my summer working at the herbalism school, I spent my days organizing herbs and preparing medicine in the apothecary. Every morning, the school’s director and I would go on a “weed walk,” where she would help me properly identify every plant in her expansive garden. With my Newcomb’s Wildflower Guide book in hand, I would use all of the skills she taught me for identification: leaf shape and placement, number of flower petals, size, smell, texture, taste, et cetera. By the end of my time with the school, I had developed a deep comfort and understanding within this garden, and I felt more comfortable preparing medicine with these plants as a result. 

Yes, I indeed referred to the Doctrine of Signatures throughout my identification processes (“I am noticing evenly spaced and alternating leaves, much like the vertebrae of a spine; this must be Solomon’s Seal, and the structure reminds me that this plant is used for healing joint issues.”).  But the DoS was a pedagogical mnemonic tool more than it was objective truth. 

Similarly, anthropologist and herbalist Charis Boke says that “the doctrine of signatures is used as a mode of knowledge that involves cultivating an attentive, friendly relation between herbalist and plant – not as a primary way of determining the medicinal capacities of plants”. As I began to really embody these “friendly relations,” it felt easier to invite their healing capacities into my mind and body. 

Nowadays, when I am prescribed herbs from Phila Mind-Body Acupuncture or from another herbalist, I take it as an opportunity to engage with, to get to know, these plants as much more than an inanimate prescription. The qualities of plants can be legible to us, and perhaps there is medicine in the very relationship itself.  

This article was written by Guest Blogger, Julie Wise.  

Julie is an herbalist and farmer from Massachusetts, who helps us at Philadelphia Mind-Body Acupuncture with important tasks from time to time.  Julie plans to pursue a career as an Acupuncturist-Herbalist and will likely start TCM school in Fall 2026.