Botanical Biohacking

This episode looks at the relationship between alcohol, sleep, stress, and mood, and considers how support can be tailored to someone's life rather than built around an all-or-nothing rule.

The conversation also covers research on Xiao Yao San and depression, and how herbal approaches may be considered alongside conventional care. This approach isn't ideal for everyone, talk to all of your doctors and don't be foolish.

Frozen shoulder can make ordinary tasks, reaching for a shelf, fastening a bra, or putting away a cup, feel suddenly out of reach. In this episode of the Botanical Biohacking Podcast, Dr. Andrew Miles explores adhesive capsulitis, the condition's gradual progression, and the search for answers when scans offer little explanation.

Andrew outlines the conventional treatment pathway, then introduces a traditional Chinese medicine perspective that considers warmth, immune activity, circulation, and lymphatic flow. He discusses how inflammation and tissue changes may contribute to stiffness, and describes approaches used in his practice, including acupuncture points such as LI-11, LI-15, ST-38, and ST-40, as well as herbal patches and gentle movement.

The episode connects traditional concepts with modern research and offers another way to think about frozen shoulder while recognizing that treatment decisions are individual. It's a thoughtful look at what may be happening beneath the surface, and why people experiencing persistent shoulder stiffness may want to discuss their options with a qualified healthcare professional.

References:

Navarro-Ledesma S, Hamed-Hamed D, Pruimboom L. A new perspective of frozen shoulder pathology; the interplay between the brain and the immune system. Frontiers in Physiology. 2024;15:1248612. doi:10.3389/fphys.2024.1248612. https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/physiology/articles/10.3389/fphys.2024.1248612/full

Johnson C, Eccles R. Acute cooling of the feet and the onset of common cold symptoms. Family Practice. 2005;22(6):608-613. https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/71807/

Eccles R. Acute cooling of the body surface and the common cold. Rhinology. 2002;40(3):109-114. https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/71858/

Navarro-Ledesma S, Hamed-Hamed D, Pruimboom L. A new perspective of frozen shoulder pathology; the interplay between the brain and the immune system. Frontiers in Physiology. 2024;15:1248612. https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/physiology/articles/10.3389/fphys.2024.1248612/full

Association between Propionibacterium acnes and frozen shoulder: a pilot study. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4935034

The colonisation of the glenohumeral joint by Propionibacterium acnes is not associated with frozen shoulder but is more likely to occur after an injection into the joint. Bone & Joint Journal. 2017;99-B(8). https://boneandjoint.org.uk/Article/10.1302/0301-620X.99B8.BJJ-2016-1168.R2

de Mello DPP, Corbin JNB, Holanda LS, Pascarelli L, Nishimura EM, de Almeida TBC. Incidence and epidemiology of adhesive capsulitis during the COVID-19 pandemic. Acta Ortopédica Brasileira. 2023;31(1). https://doaj.org/article/ce9aa5224f624e2181e4fd285f7db5f2

The puzzling pathophysiology of frozen shoulders: a scoping review. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7672132/

Ouyang Y, Chen S, Tu Y, Wan T, Fan H, Sun G. Exploring the potential relationship between frozen shoulder and Dupuytren's disease through bioinformatics analysis and machine learning. Frontiers in Immunology. 2023;14:1230027. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10500125/

Targeting lymphatic function as a novel therapeutic intervention for rheumatoid arthritis. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6475908

Altered lymphatic vessel anatomy and markedly diminished lymph clearance in affected hands of patients with active rheumatoid arthritis. Arthritis & Rheumatology. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8877824

UCSF Health. Frozen shoulder. https://www.ucsfhealth.org/conditions/frozen-shoulder

Pharmacological actions and applications of safflower flavonoids. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12364913/

A systematic review of the botanical, phytochemical and pharmacological profile of Dracaena cochinchinensis, a plant source of the ethnomedicine "dragon's blood." Molecules. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6270834/

Ao Yi Acupoint Patch. Valley Health Clinic. https://valleyhealthclinic.com/ao-yi-acupoint-patch/

Ao Yi Pain Relief Patches ingredient table. Crawford Wellness. https://crawford-wellness.com/products/ao-yi-patches

Ben-Arie E, Kao PY, Lee YC, Ho WC, Chou LW, Liu HP. The effectiveness of acupuncture in the treatment of frozen shoulder: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine. 2020;2020:9790470. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7532995

Review of warm-needling acupuncture treatment for frozen shoulder. https://he01.tci-thaijo.org/index.php/JTTAM/article/view/261312

Acupuncture at Tiaokou (ST38) for shoulder adhesive capsulitis: what strengths does it have? A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5937513/

Pressure pain thresholds at acupoints in patients with unilateral shoulder pain (Tianzong SI 11, Jianliao SJ 14, Jianyu LI 15, Jianzhen SI 9). https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5541597

Randomized trial of trigger point acupuncture treatment for chronic shoulder pain: a preliminary study. New Zealand Journal of Physiotherapy. https://nzjp.otago.ac.nz/nzjp/article/download/97/94/351

What if influence begins not with what you say, but with the state of your own nervous system? In this episode, Dr. Andrew Miles connects an ancient Chinese guide to rulership (淮南子）with modern ideas about resonance, heart rate variability, and the body's interconnected rhythms.

The conversation explores how the autonomic nervous system relates to yin and yang, what the central autonomic network can reveal about the heart, brain, and gut, and why some people seem to calm a room while others create tension. Dr. Miles also explains how heart rate variability is measured, why chest straps may be more accurate than many wearables, and how paying attention to your body can support emotional regulation and presence.

Listeners will hear references to brain waves, the vagus nerve, oscillatory coupling, and the heart-brain-gut axis, alongside practical reflections on recognizing when the body feels flexible and coherent—or rigid and unsettled.

REFERENCES

Beaumont, A., Marques-Madeira, H., & Divecha, D. (2012). "Heart rate variability recovery following major surgery." Autonomic Neuroscience, 166(1-2), 30-38. Benarroch, E.E. (1993). "The central autonomic network: Functional organization, dysfunction, and perspective." Mayo Clinic Proceedings, 68(10), 988-1001. Beissner, F., Meissner, K., Bär, K.J., & Napadow, V. (2013). "The autonomic brain: An activation likelihood estimation meta-analysis for central processing of autonomic function." Journal of Neuroscience, 33(25), 10503-10511. Bradley, R.T., McCraty, R., Atkinson, M., Tomasino, D., Daunt, V., & Spain, R.A. (2010). "Emotion self-regulation, psychophysiological coherence, and test anxiety: results from an experiment using electrophysiological measures." Applied Psychophysiology and Biofeedback, 35(4), 261-283. "Complexity of cardiac signals for predicting changes in alpha-waves after stress in patients undergoing cardiac catheterization." Scientific Reports, 6, 13315 (2016). "From brain waves to heartbeats: Exploring the combined role of electroencephalography and heart-rate variability in Alzheimer's disease diagnosis and management." Frontiers in Neuroscience (2024). PMC13110321. Napadow, V., Dhond, R., Conboy, L., Makris, N., Gollub, R.L., & Harris, R.E. (2012). "Intrinsic brain connectivity in the probing acupuncture needling sensation-related default mode network." Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2012, 658878. Napadow, V., Dhond, R., Kennedy, D., Hui, K., Makris, N., Conboy, L., & Harris, R.E. (2008). "Intrinsic brain connectivity in the Thalamocortical loop and the autonomic nervous system." Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 105(34), 12569-12574. Pavlov, V.A., & Tracey, K.J. (2012). "The vagus nerve and the inflammatory reflex - linking immunity and metabolism." Nature Reviews Endocrinology, 8(12), 743-754. Porges, S.P. (2011). "The polyvagal theory: Neurophysiological foundations of emotions, attachment, communication, and self-regulation." W.W. Norton & Company. Task Force of the European Society of Cardiology and the North American Society of Pacing and Electrophysiology (1996). "Heart rate variability: standards of measurement, physiological interpretation and clinical use." Circulation, 93(5), 1043-1065. Thayer, J.F., Åhs, F., Fredrikson, M., Sollers, J.J., & Wager, T.D. (2012). "A meta-analysis of heart rate variability and neuroimaging studies: implications for heart rate variability as a marker of stress and health." Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews, 36(2), 747-756. Thayer, J.F., & Lane, R.D. (2009). "Claude Bernard and the heart-brain connection: Further elaboration of a model of neurovisceral integration." Journal of the Autonomic Nervous System, 113(2), 172-191. Thayer, J.F., & Sternberg, E. (2006). "Beyond heart rate variability: toward greater understanding of cardiovascular physiology." Cardiovascular Research, 70(3), 422-425.

Dr. Andrew Miles breaks down research suggesting that religion may influence recovery, heart health, mental health, and pain in ways modern wellness advice often overlooks.

After 20 years in Chinese medicine, Andrew noticed a pattern: people experiencing major turnarounds from chronic illness often shared something in common. In this episode, he explores that mystery through studies on Christian prayer, Hindu and Buddhist mantras, Islamic prayer, and group singing—looking at how rhythm, breath, and community may shape the body in measurable ways.

You'll learn why reciting prayers and mantras can slow breathing to about six breaths a minute, how that may affect heart rate variability and baroreflex sensitivity, and why those markers matter for long-term health. Andrew also unpacks the difference between prayers that ask for specific outcomes and prayers of surrender, and why those forms of devotion may affect the brain differently.

The conversation explores the science behind group singing, including synchronized breathing, shared heart rhythms, increased closeness, and even higher pain thresholds. You'll also hear how volunteering, religious group membership, and social identity may reduce loneliness, lessen mental-health stigma, and support well-being.

Andrew doesn't ask you to take a spiritual leap—he asks you to look at the data without dismissing what may seem irrational at first. For anyone interested in biohacking, chronic illness recovery, meditation, prayer, or the link between community and healing, this episode challenges assumptions about what helps people get better.

A science-minded look at why ancient practices may still offer powerful tools for health

rawn from search results on 15 Oct 2026, not from the full papers. Study details come from abstracts and summaries, so check the full papers before quoting numbers on air. • Sleight et al., rosary and yoga mantras, BMJ 2001 • Müller & Lindenberger, cardiac and respiratory synchrony in choir singing • Vickhoff et al., music structure and singers' HRV • Ensemble singing with physical contact, Frontiers 2022 • Hyperscanning during cooperative singing • Hyperscanning and religious communities • Weinstein et al., singing and social bonding • Tarr et al., synchrony and exertion in dance • Prayer and meditation EEG, IJERPH 2020 • Aftanas & Golocheikine 2001 • EEG of Buddhist concentrative meditation • VanderWeele et al., religious service attendance and mortality in women • Mediators of the attendance-mortality association • Global Flourishing Study results, RNS • Global Flourishing Study, UK coverage on childhood attendance • Jenkinson et al., volunteering meta-analysis • Okun et al., volunteering by older adults and mortality • Campbell review, volunteering and all-cause mortality • Borgonovi 2008, religious volunteering • Musick & Wilson 2003 • Church-based volunteering and self-rated health • Volunteer work, religious commitment and resting pulse • Religion, volunteerism and health, Texas sample • Greenaway et al., group identification and personal control • Community identification and loneliness • Kearns et al., identification and stigma of mental ill-health • Haslam et al., The New Psychology of Health • Choma et al. 2016, interfaith prejudice • Begeny & Huo, intragroup status, identity and health

The more carefully experts watch themselves, the worse they get. That counterintuitive truth sits at the heart of this episode, where Dr. Andrew Miles shows why real mastery often looks like clumsiness - and why overthinking can destroy performance, healing, and flow.

Drawing from martial arts, Taoist philosophy, and cognitive science, Andrew explains how the ancient idea of the "uncarved block" or *bao pu* reveals the hidden cost of self-consciousness. He shares lessons from 20+ years teaching Praying Mantis kung fu, working in real-world combat situations, and watching students improve faster when he teaches less, not more.

You'll discover: - Why beginners sometimes improve when they focus harder, but experts fall apart - How pressure turns skill back into "beginner mode" - Why explaining a skill in words can weaken your ability to perform it - The surprising reason less instruction can create better martial artists, healers, and learners - How one Taoist teaching from 1202 maps onto modern performance science

Andrew also brings in examples from Sian Beilock's research on choking under pressure, Wang Chongyang's radical path through Taoist tradition, and the story of Daniela Jiang, whose brilliance stays hidden so her skill remains fresh and usable. The result is a powerful case for letting mastery stay embodied instead of turning it into a performance.

If you've ever felt yourself freeze under pressure, overexplain what you know, or lose your edge the more you try to control it, this episode will change how you think about skill. Essential listening for athletes, teachers, healers, martial artists, and anyone trying to stop getting in their own way.

What if the advice to "calm down" is exactly wrong when your system is stuck? This episode explores a remarkable story about Huo Tuo, one of history's most extraordinary physicians, and the idea that some emotional blockages may need activation—not relaxation.

Andrew Miles unpacks the legendary case of a silent lord, a deliberately provoking diagnosis, and the surprising physiology behind it—from freeze states and vagal responses to the possibility of a powerful nervous system reset. If you've ever been told to breathe, relax, and let it go, this conversation will challenge that script.

You'll discover: - Why Huo Tuo reportedly used rage as a medical tool - How fight, flight, and freeze can explain why "relaxing" sometimes fails - What sympathetic and parasympathetic shifts have to do with regulation - Why emotional release may begin with the body before the mind - How ancient Qigong ideas differ from common pop-spirituality interpretations

Andrew connects this story to modern ideas about the nervous system, exploring why some people remain caught in anxiety, dread, or shutdown, and why returning to balance may require a different approach from the one many of us have been taught.

For anyone interested in Chinese medicine, emotional regulation, or how the body responds to stress, this episode brings together ancient history, physiology, and provocative ideas about anger, healing, and the nervous system.

In this episode, you'll learn:

- Why the eyes can offer clues about nervous-system arousal - How the pupils, noradrenaline, and alertness are linked - Why narrow, screen-focused attention can keep the mind activated - How widening your visual field may help signal safety and relaxation - What lateral eye movement has in common with walking and other calming practices - A simple eye exercise Dr. Miles suggests for settling back to sleep

Dr. Miles also unpacks a line from the "Yin Fu Jing: "The heart is born from things and dies from things." He considers what it means to guide your attention outward—or zoom out—when you feel caught in a cycle of stress, overwork, or restless nights.

Listen for a fresh perspective on sleep and a simple practice to try when you wake in the middle of the night.

What if the things holding you back aren't obvious and aren't fate? In this episode of the Botanical Biohacking Podcast, Dr. Andrew Miles explores how subconscious barriers can shape our health, habits, and sense of what's possible.

Andrew shares a simple practice that prompted unexpected changes: asking, "Where are the hidden borders of your life?"without trying to force an immediate answer. He reflects on how insights can emerge through dreams, symbols, and moments between sleep and wakefulness, and how seeing your life from a third-person perspective can reveal patterns you've taken for granted.

Drawing on Taoist teachings and Celtic stories, including Finn McCool's search for the salmon of wisdom, Andrew considers why old conditioning can feel like an unchangeable destiny, even when it no longer applies. He also discusses his work in Chinese medicine, Chorus for Life, and the tension between promoting health work and avoiding the exaggerated claims he sees in parts of the biohacking world.

This episode is for anyone curious about self-inquiry, Chinese medicine, Taoist wisdom, and the hidden patterns that may be shaping their lives.

Dr. Josh Park and Dr. Andrew Miles

Grief does not just live in your mind. It can affect your gut, your heart, and even your immune system. This episode explores how ancient Chinese medicine and modern neuroscience both point to a striking truth: loss can become physical, even when the suffering is not visible.

Andrew begins with a sixth-century story of a young woman whose grief becomes overwhelming after she sees a cherished object that belonged to her mother. He then turns to the scholar Yan Zhitui, who recorded cases of "broken intestines" and described how grief can affect people in very different ways.

You'll discover: - How grief can affect appetite, digestion, gut sensitivity, and the heart - How the gut communicates with the brain through the vagus nerve, hormones, and immune signaling - What stress responses involving CRH and mast cells can mean for the digestive system - Why intense emotional shock can have serious effects on the heart - How three classical Chinese formulas, Chaihu Shugan San, Tong Xie Yao Fang, and Zuo Jin Wan, have been studied in connection with digestive conditions

Blending historical accounts, modern research, and traditional Chinese medicine, Andrew explores why grief is not always easy to see from the outside. Some people express their sorrow through tears, while others may carry it quietly in the body.

For anyone who has experienced loss or wants to better support someone who is grieving, this episode offers a compassionate perspective on the connection between emotion and physical well-being.

By Dr. Josh Park and Dr. Andrew Miles

Art by Robtrati

A fortune teller says your future is fixed, and for most people, that can become a life sentence. This episode explores how one man challenged that prediction, changed his trajectory, and discovered that what looks like destiny may be a pattern that can be changed.

Dr. Andrew Miles tells the story of Liao Fan and the monk Yun Gu meets Liao Fan sitting in stillness, he sees not enlightenment but resignation, then offers him a practical path toward change.

You'll discover: - How wandering thoughts and fixed expectations can keep people stuck - What "Destiny is made by me" means for fate, effort, and personal growth - The six habits Liao Fan recognized as standing in his way - How a daily merit-and-fault ledger became a tool for tracking change - Why self-monitoring, self-efficacy, and small experiences of progress matter

Andrew connects this centuries-old story with modern neuroscience and behavioral science, including the default mode network, nocebo effects, and the power of recording your own behavior. He also explores why a prophecy can shape expectations, why stillness alone isn't the same as transformation, and how a daily record can make progress visible over time.

If you've felt limited by habit, fear, or someone else's prediction about your future, this episode offers a grounded way to reconsider what may be possible and what you can begin changing.

Seeing lights while meditating can be alarming or lead people to fantastical conclusions. Here Danel Zhang, an inheritor of the Wu Liu pai school fo Taoist yogic Alchemy describes what is really happening and I add some musings based on current neuroscience.

Neither believe nor disbelieve what you see, neither advance nor retreat from it. Allow any sensations to find their bay back into the smooth functioning of the body and spirit.

What happens when a fortune teller can name your exam results, your promotions, and even the exact hour of your death? One Chinese scholar's life is shaped by a prophecy so precise it seems impossible to escape. Until the real question becomes whether fate is fixed, or whether the brain learns helplessness when it stops seeing a way out.

Dr. Andrew Miles turns a centuries-old Ming dynasty story into a striking exploration of destiny, psychology, and Chinese medicine. A boy once destined for the imperial exams is redirected into studying herbs and pulses by his mother. Then he meets Kong from Yunnan, a mysterious figure who claims to hold the true transmission of Master Shao's Huangji numerology. What follows is a life mapped in exact ranks, dates, and outcomes. A growing sense that the future has already been written.

In this episode, you'll discover why Liaofan's story resembles a real-life experiment in learned helplessness, how Kong's predictions about exam ranks, rice stipends, promotions, and death unfold with unnerving accuracy, why the story changes when one prediction appears to be wrong, how Dr. Andrew Miles connects this ancient account to modern research on stress and the brain, and why Chinese medicine's concept of qi stagnation parallels the brain's response to uncontrollable stress.

Andrew also discusses the traditional formulas Yueju Wan and Kai Xin San, used for stagnation and low spirits, and connects them to animal studies exploring stress, passivity, and resilience.

For anyone who has ever felt stuck, resigned, or quietly stopped trying in one area of life, this episode offers a new way to consider whether you're facing a true limit or a boundary your brain learned to expect. It's a thoughtful conversation about control, healing, and the possibility of change.

Perfect for listeners interested in Chinese medicine, neuroscience, psychology, and the question of whether we're shaped by fate or by what we learn to believe is possible.

What if the way people respond to you is being shaped before you say a word? In this episode, Dr. Andrew Miles explores how heart rate variability (HRV), nervous system regulation, and emotional synchrony may influence trust, conflict, and connection.

From couples caught in escalating arguments to people who naturally draw a group's attention, Andrew looks at how our bodies can affect the rhythm of an interaction. He discusses how stress and low HRV may shape the way we read facial expressions and tone, and how calm, breathing, and regulation can help people feel safer and more connected.

In this episode, you'll hear about:

- How heart rate synchrony can begin before a conversation - The role of emotional contagion in both conflict and connection - How HRV relates to social stress, loneliness, and nervous system regulation - Why some people seem to set the rhythm of a group - The connections Andrew draws between breath, posture, the vagus nerve, and HRV - His use of HRV sensors and EEG headsets in his Chinese medicine practice in Chengdu

Andrew also shares traditional Chinese medicine and Taoist perspectives on resonance and the heart's capacity to rest. He closes with ways to observe HRV over time and discusses the customized support offered through his practice.

For more about Botanical Biohacking and Andrew's work, visit botanicalbiohacking.com and chorusforlife.com.

Want to know if we will be a good fit to work together? Schedule a 15 minute call: Here: https://scheduling.chorusforlife.com/dashboard

References:

Cardiac physiological synchrony as a component of social behavior. Autonomic Neuroscience & Disorders, 2025.

Mimicry, emotion contagion and HRV synchrony; stronger in close partners; heart-rate synchrony as a trust marker. Physiology & Behavior, 2024.

Bidirectional HRV coupling in conversation. PMC, 2026.

Therapist regulation transferring to clients; synchrony above chance. Family Process, 2026.

HRV synchrony during marital conflict and daytime inflammation. Psychoneuroendocrinology, 2018.

Loneliness and blunted HRV reactivity; loneliness induction and brain-heart interaction. Biological Psychology, 2024; Social Neuroscience, 2025.

Resting HRV governed by the vagus. Biological Psychology, 2024.

HRV in Spleen-qi deficiency as a differentiation biomarker. J Acupunct Meridian Stud, 2019; acupuncture vs. moxibustion on HRV in qi deficiency. Zhongguo Zhen Jiu, 2017.

Breath-based HRV biofeedback for anxiety and depression, 2020-2025 evidence. European Psychiatry, 2026.

Artwork: Sapho And Erinna by Simeon Solomon

The episode delves into the philosophy of herbal use, emphasizing that more isn't always better. It introduces three main approaches to health, highlighting the importance of creating space for healing. Modern health challenges, particularly the 'heart coldness' prevalent in today's society, affect relationships. A significant insight is the connection between the heart and spleen, stressing that true healing comes from embracing emptiness rather than avoiding it. The conversation flows from practical herbal philosophy to deeper emotional and spiritual healing.

Chapters: 00:00:01 - Introduction to the Podcast 00:00:34 - Understanding Herbal Use 00:01:20 - Philosophy of Herbal Use 00:01:51 - Approaches to Health 00:03:38 - Importance of Space in Healing 00:05:19 - Creating Space for Healing 00:11:10 - Embracing Emptiness for Healing

I paid enough to buy a car for billionaire brain training. Was it worth it?

A scholar meets a rabbit fairy?? to discover how his headaches are caused by an imbalance in his gut brain axis? Yep, apparently Song dyansty college students were doing shrooms.

What really makes an expert? 10,000 hrs is not enough, there are four criteria which must be met for true expertise.

Nuance matters, remember the faucet.

A clinical case study with my approach to practice management interwoven into it. Follow this if you want to enjoy exponential growth. Kind of do it, if you only want to grow a little. Do the opposite if you want to be spinning your wheels in 20 years still out trolling for new patients.