Stress Reduction

Strategies

Proven Strategies to Help Increase Stress Resilience

By

Sarah Thompson L.Ac., CFMP

Copyright © Sarah Thompson, 2022
Visit the author’s website at www.sacredvesselacupuncture.com
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or
by any means, mechanical or electronic, including photocopying or recording, or by any
information storage and retrieval system, or transmitted by email, without permission in writing
from the author, except as provided by United States of America copyright law. Reviewers may
quote brief passages in reviews.
DISCLAIMER
Neither the author nor the publisher assumes any responsibility for errors, omissions, or contrary
interpretations of the subject matter within.
MEDICAL DISCLAIMER
The purpose of this book is to provide educational and information resources; it is in no way a
substitute for medical care. The content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical
advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified
health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Functional
Medicine is a physiological, systems-based approach to medicine. The focus of diagnosis and
treatment is on finding root, underlying causes and connections between biological systems, not
symptom management. Professionals who are certified in functional medicine do so as a
certification off their medical licenses. Medical licenses or healthcare professions that are
approved for functional medicine certification include certified nutrition specialists, dentists,
optometrists, podiatrists, mental health professionals, occupational therapists, pharmacists,
physical therapists, physician assistants, registered dietitians, registered nurses, nurse
practitioners, midwives, chiropractors, acupuncturists, MDs, and DOs. Functional Medicine is
not a licensed profession.

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 Table of Contents
Introduction ......................................................................................................................... 1
UNDERSTANDING YOUR STRESS RESPONSES........................................................ 2
Nervous System Basics ........................................................................................... 2
Stress Responses ..................................................................................................... 3
STRESS REDUCTION STRATEGIES ............................................................................. 7
#1: Identify and Remove Stressors ......................................................................... 7
#2: Creating Better Sleep Habits............................................................................. 8
#3: Maintain Glycemic Control .............................................................................. 8
#4: Exercise ............................................................................................................. 9
#5: Learn to Breathe.............................................................................................. 10
#6: Minimize Concept Shifting............................................................................. 10
#7: Minimize TV and Computer Time ................................................................. 11
#8: Get Out and Enjoy Nature .............................................................................. 11
#9: Art and Coloring ............................................................................................. 12
#10: Music ............................................................................................................ 12
#11: Touch ............................................................................................................ 13
#12: Change Your Perception ............................................................................... 13
Need More Help? .................................................................................................. 14
Bibliography ..................................................................................................................... 15
About the Author .............................................................................................................. 16

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 Introduction

Congratulations! You’ve taken the first step in making changes that will give not only a better
quality of life but may even extend your life. Stress is a killer and learning to reduce and manage
stress is key to living a better quality life.

Stress has become an ever growing problem in our society. It is estimated that 77% of people
experience stress that affects their physical health, 73% of people experience stress that affects
their mental health, 43% of people say their stress affects their sleep, and 33% experience
extreme stress (on par with PTSD).

Stress is a part of life, and it is learning to create stress resilience that will allow us to float by
stressors that are mild and focus on the stressors that are more serious.

In this handout I am going to introduce you to your hormone Cortisol, and help you take control
of your stress responses. I’m going to start by helping you understand Cortisol, stress and the
normal biology of why you feel the way you do. From there, I’m going to give you proven
strategies to help you balance your stress responses to create a strong and more resilient you.

The best time plant a tree was 20 years ago.

Don’t look back and wish you had acted sooner. Start making changes today.
Stress Reduction Strategies

UNDERSTANDING YOUR STRESS RESPONSES

Nervous System Basics

The nervous system is a complex network of cells. The nervous system is divided into the central
nervous system (CNS) and peripheral nervous systems (PNS). The CNS constitutes the brain and
spinal cord. This is the core and controller of the PNS. The PNS includes all the portions that are
outside of the brain and spinal cord. They relay messages from the periphery and send messages
to the periphery to perform functions.
There is also the enteric nervous system (ENS) of the gut that can function without the brain, but
that’s another topic for another day. The PNS is further divided into the somatic nervous system
(SNS) and the autonomic nervous system (ANS). Somatic nerves control our voluntary
movements, while the autonomic nerves control our involuntary movements and system
functions.
Of course, to make it more fun, the ANS is further divided into the sympathetic and
parasympathetic nervous systems. These are the systems that we are assessing when we are
discussing depression and anxiety conditions. The sympathetic nervous system controls our
fight-or-flight responses. Think of it as the nitrous oxide system (NOS) in a racing car. The
sympathetic nervous system is action. The parasympathetic nervous system controls rest and
digest functions when there is no threat. This is the cruise control set at the speed limit as well as
the brakes. The parasympathetic system is regenerative.

Your Neurotransmitters
Neurons don’t touch. There is a gap between the nerves called a synapse, where
neurotransmitters transmit messages to the next nerve. Within the synapse, you find receptors for
neurotransmitters and neurotransmitter transporters. Neurotransmitters are released through
vesicles that burst when calcium enters the synapse. These neurotransmitters then elicit the
desired effect. Most neurons only contain a few types of neurotransmitters, each packaged in
their own vesicles.
Neurotransmitters are chemical messengers that regulate physical and emotional processes in the
body, facilitating the communication needed between the cells of the brain and cells of the body.
Neurotransmitters travel between the synapses of neurons and activate signals that travel
between the cells.
The regulation of neurotransmitter release, receptor formation and function, as well as reuptake
is governed by hormones and the amount of neurotransmitter available.

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Stress Responses

Stress responses involve 2 Major Systems: Catecholamines (Epinephrine/Norepinephrine) and

Cortisol
• Catecholamines — Prepare the body to act
• Cortisol — Mobilizes energy (glucose) and other substances to fuel the action.

Catecholamines
Stress loads will cause the release of epinephrine and norepinephrine. Epinephrine goes to the
liver and skeletal muscle but is then rapidly metabolized.
Physiological Effects of Catecholamines

• Increased blood flow

• Increased glucose metabolism

• Increased rate and force of contraction

• Peripheral vasoconstriction

• Increased oxygen supply

• Bronchodilation

• Increased ventilation

• Increased glycogenolysis

• Increased contraction

• Increased dilation of skeletal muscle vasculature

• Increased glucose production

• Increased gluconeogenesis

• Increased glycogenolysis

• Decreased glycogen synthesis

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• Increased lipolysis

• Increased fatty acids and glycerol

• Decreased blood flow

• Decreased glucose uptake and utilization

• Decreased protein synthesis

Cortisol
The adrenal cortex is activated during stress by the SNS, increasing the secretion of steroid
hormones, primarily cortisol and cortisone. (Cortisol is also known as hydrocortisone.)
Cortisol is our awake hormone. As the sun rises in the morning, the pituitary sends a flood of
ACTH to the adrenal glands to, well, wake us up and give us a big boost of cortisol. This boost
of cortisol is kind of like your cortisol reserve for the day. There is this large spike when we first
wake up, and then we see it dropping throughout the day until we get to darkness and melatonin
kicks in to help you sleep. This natural elevation in cortisol is important for survival.
Cortisol is the hormone of stress, but it does so much more. Every cell in your body has a
receptor for cortisol and its related hormone cortisone, which means every cell is controlled by
and affected by fluctuations in cortisol.

In fact, cortisol is important for all these functions:

• regulates lipid, carbohydrate, and protein metabolism

• regulates white blood cell production and function⁠

• reduces cellular inflammation

• promotes gastric secretions⁠
• enhances urinary secretion⁠
• regulates tissue healing post-injury⁠
• regulates bone formation⁠
• maintains normal blood pressure⁠
• maintains normal blood cholesterol

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• regulates catecholamine production⁠ - anxiety neurotransmitters

• affects serotonin production
• affects sleep patterns⁠ - effects melatonin production
• regulates thyroid hormone production and function⁠

Acute Stress Responses

In acute stress responses, the SNS signals the adrenal glands to produce cortisol, adrenaline and
DHEA. During this acute response, cortisol increases catecholamine production and, in turn,
increases the genetic expression of transporters that vacuum up serotonin from the synapses to
allow for fight-or-flight responses. The responds to the increase in adrenaline, decreases
serotonin and increased cortisol by speeding up the heart rate, increasing blood pressure,
releasing stored glucose into the blood stream to fuel muscle contractions, decreases thyroid
hormone output, and makes changes in digestive function.
All so you can fight for your life or run away, fast.
During the acute stress response, the blood concentrations of cortisol will rise until the cortisol
start to exert its negative feedback effect upon both the CRH neurons and the pituitary to reduce
their increased levels of secretion back to their normal baseline.
When the acute reaction is over, a period of depression occurs to signal regeneration of cortisol
and neurotransmitters. It is NORMAL to have a slight depression during this time. In the
biological mind, you either ran away/won or you died (very primal). If you survived, you needed
to rest and recoup from the experience. To do so, the body, biologically, wants to you sleep/rest
and do as little as possible.

Chronic Stress Reactions

Cortisol levels that are chronic or adrenals that cannot regenerate enough cortisol to function
elicit a more chronic depressive state. As was mentioned, the adrenal glands are stimulated by
the SNS, via a hormone called ACTH.
ACTH acts like a whip on the adrenals. In many ways it is not unlike the scene from Black
Beauty where the cart driver whips the horses until they die. The man (ACTH) would whip the
horses to get them to pull, making them work harder and faster. He constantly ignored (didn’t
care) that the horses were exhausted and kept pushing them. Eventually one collapses.
In the case of the human body, if we allow stress levels to become chronic and out of control, we
can sooner or later expect the same result. This is when stress becomes a problem for more than
the acute moment. This is when stress starts to take a toll on physical and mental health.

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Stress Reduction Strategies

Chronically elevated stress hormones keep pushing the body, keeping blood sugars elevated,
blood pressure high, affecting the gut, immune system, thyroid, neurotransmitters, and more.

Stress Associated Diseases

• Coronary artery disease

• Hypertension

• Stroke

• Disturbances of heart rhythm

• Muscles Tension headaches

• Muscle contraction backache

• Rheumatoid arthritis (autoimmune disease)

• Immunosuppression or immune deficiency

• Autoimmune diseases

• Ulcer

• Irritable bowel syndrome

• Diarrhea

• Nausea and vomiting

• Ulcerative colitis

• Eczema

• Diabetes mellitus

• Amenorrhea

• Fatigue and lethargy

• Overeating

• Depression

• Insomnia

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Stress Reduction Strategies

STRESS REDUCTION STRATEGIES

#1: Identify and Remove Stressors

I often joke with patients that this is easy said than done but is the most crucial step to success.
One thing we haven’t talked about yet are the distinct types of stress responses. Most of us are
fully away of the perceived stress responses. These are the mental stressors, our fears, feelings,
past experiences, etc., that make us emotionally want to fight or run away.
But did you know that inflammation is also a trigger of stress, and internal inflammation can
cause you to be more sensitive to emotional (or perceived) stress?
We have two categories of internal stress: Endogenous and Exogenous
Endogenous stress is inflammation caused by internal causes. Such as injury, poor diet, oxidative
stress, dehydration, cancer, autoimmune disease, age, etc.….
Exogenous stress is inflammation caused by external causes. Such as smoking, alcohol use,
environmental toxins, food allergies, viral infections, bacterial infections, parasitic infections,
heavy metals, etc.…
It becomes just as important to identify and removed these triggers as it does the emotional
triggers.
So, how do we find these triggers? To identify mental triggers, journaling can be a useful tool.
When you find yourself feeling overwhelmed, stress or anxious, right down how you feel, and
what about the situation makes you feel that way. Is the compiling of all the things that need to
be done? Is it the way your partner comments on certain things in your home or life? Is the noise
of the kids playing in the other room? Is it something that triggers a feeling from childhood? All
these things can be clues to why the situation is so stressful to you. This can help you identify if
the event is truly “life threatening” or a hyper response to perceived threats or sensitives.
Internal triggers are much harder to identify and may require evaluating your blood, saliva or
stools[1].
Blood work can often help you identify nutrition deficiencies, and immune responses, which can
be contributing to inflammation. It can also give you clues into how your organs are functioning.
Specialized tests can help you get a deeper picture of your hormones and exactly how your
hormones are responding to stress. Salivary[2] testing can give you an accurate measure of how
your cortisol is responding throughout the day. Urinary testing can give you a picture of how
your body is using and metabolizing your hormones. Other urinary tests can tell you if you have
oxidative stress, yeast or bacteria present that can increase inflammation by producing chemicals
that affect your immune system and your brain.
Stool tests are used to identify bacteria/viruses/yeasts and parasites that can be increasing gastric
stress, gut function, and help to diagnose conditions that need special treatment.

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Stress Reduction Strategies

#2: Creating Better Sleep Habits

Dysfunction in sleep patterns can be a cause of increase anxiety and stress and stress can be a
cause of sleep dysfunction.
Studies show that some element of sleep disturbance is present in all mental health conditions,
whether acute or chronic.
Creating new and better sleep routines are important for stress management and creating stress
resilience.
Setting a bedtime is the first step. Just like you do for your children, or when you were a child, a
bedtime can you train your body to wind down in the evenings. Setting a bedtime of 9:00/9:30 is
ideal but for many is not realistic. Start with what works for you. If 10:30 is realistic right now
and you typically go to bed around midnight, then start there.
Eventually it is important to go to sleep by 10 p.m. because physical repair takes place between
10 p.m. and 2 a.m. A good night sleep is therefore mandatory. Without a good sleep, our bodies
cannot regenerate itself to deal with stressors the next day.
Creating a resting space is also important. We should also rest in a completely dark room to
maximize melatonin production. Keep nightlights or light disturbances out of the sleeping space.
If you watch TV in the evenings, don’t do it in your bedroom. If you read, don’t do it in your
bedroom. Make your bedroom the place of sleep only. This will train your body to increase
melatonin production when you enter your bedroom. This is a safe place where nothing, but
sleep happens.
If you need to create a routine to help you wind down, do so. This can include a hot bath,
meditation, reading (outside the bedroom), etc.…whatever helps you calm down, and feel
relaxed. You can use the following steps to help with achieving deeper relaxation before bed.
If you tend to wake up at 2 a.m. to 3 a.m. and find they are unable to fall back to sleep, and then
have afternoon fatigue around 3 p.m. this is a sign of excessive stress, and a dysfunction in the
melatonin – cortisol balance.
If you are struggling with your sleep, acupuncture[3] can be an effective tool in helping to relax
the mind and induce better sleep patterns.

#3: Maintain Glycemic Control

One of the most effective ways to improve cortisol balance is to balance the amount of
carbohydrates and proteins that are eaten with each meal.
Cortisol affects your glycemic control, and your glycemic control affects your cortisol. [4]
It’s all about blood sugar balance.

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When blood sugars get too high too quick, they can also drop very quickly and sharply. When
this happens there is a sudden spike in cortisol to increase blood sugar by breaking down proteins
in the liver to make glucose (a process called gluconeogenesis).
Chronic stress continues this release of glucose, keeping the blood sugars chronically elevated.
When there is an inadequate balance of proteins and fats to carbohydrate intake, we can increase
physical stress in the body and decrease our threshold for emotional stress, and thus decrease
your resilience to stress.
Maintaining your blood sugar levels comes in several steps. Removing processed and refined
sugars, pairing proteins and fats with carbohydrates, and eating smaller more frequent meals.
Eating large (binge-like) meals that expand the stomach increases stress hormones in the body
and in turn changes how your body processes that meal, and your blood sugar levels.

#4: Exercise
Exercise not only increases your physical health, but it increases your mental health. Exercise
reduces depression, increases blood flow, normalizes level of cortisol, insulin, blood glucose,
growth hormones, thyroid, and makes you feel generally much better.
As little as 5 minutes of aerobic activity can decrease symptoms of chronic stress.
The best type of exercise for your stress may depend on what type of stress pattern you are
dealing with.
Programs like HIIT, may be causing more harm than good. While they can be great for loosing
weight (yeah for breaking down your proteins and fats for energy…) but can also be hard on
your adrenal because they INCREASE cortisol secretion from your adrenals. If you are already
suffering from high cortisol production, these exercising may lead to adrenal draining, and may
cause more problems throughout the day (afternoon fatigue or a few days of recovery after doing
the exercise program). If you are doing high intensity workouts and find that it wipes you out for
a few days after, you are doing harm…not good.
I highly recommend the book, Exercised – by Daniel Lieberman
Exercises that are best for reducing stress are those that provide cardio, strength training AND
relaxation. Such as hiking, Pilates, barre, and yoga.
When in doubt stop and do jumping jacks or go for a walk.

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#5: Learn to Breathe

Most of us don’t pay attention to the way we breathe.
Especially when we are busy.
When people are stressed, they tend to breathe rapid and shallow, staying in the chest. This
causes a lowered amount of oxygen in the body and elevations in CO2, which increases cellular
stress which just makes the situation worse and can lead to a full-blown panic attack.
Change your breathing or do breathing exercises throughout the day.
Breath in deep, all the way into your abdomen (feel your belly expand, not your chest). Use the
8-4-7 breathing method. Breath in deeply through your nose for 8 seconds. Hold that breath for 4
seconds. Release, controlled through your mouth for 7 seconds. I like to add a little vocalization
with my release….
This is something we can all do, pretty much anywhere at any time. At a stoplight. At your desk
before a big meeting. The more you do it, the better it works. This is one of the reasons that yoga
is such a great stress reliever. It is a combination of breathing techniques and exercise.

#6: Minimize Concept Shifting

This is a fancy word for multi-tasking (channeling my Fancy Nancy).
The constant shifting of one’s focus from thing to another places tremendous stress on the
neurotransmitters of the brain, and in turn lowers our threshold for emotional and physical stress.
In addition, the self-induced anxiety associated with partially finished task, decreases threshold.
Forcing the brain to constantly shift from one subject to another not only causes stress but also
results in a negative impact on your hormone and immune systems.
To minimize this type of stress, try to organize your schedule so that concept shifting is kept to a
minimum.
Choose no more than 3 items to focus on and complete them before starting others. You may
have a running list (if you are a working parent like me, I’m sure you do) but the goal is to only
focus on a few items at a time and to only add more to the mental focus once one has been
crossed off.
Meditation, walking, yoga, Tai chi and prayer all help with lowering the impact of concept
shifting and are a great addition to your daily routine.

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#7: Minimize TV and Computer Time

Easy said than done in today world, and I get that some computer time is inevitable (as I type on
my computer, write SOAP notes, and pretty much live my whole day in front of my computer).
Therefore, I say MINIMIZE not AVOID. There is an element of reality in all things I ask you to
do. I get it.
Studies[5] show that people who spend more time in front of computers for work, tend to state
they suffer from more stress than others. I believe the perception of the computer work is also a
contributing factor.
Social media has its pros and cons.
Some of the cons are that it is associated with an increase in poor self-esteem, depression and
anxiety.
On a more biological level, some people may be photosensitive (whether you use blue light
glasses or not, it’s the actual light itself) and watching television or working at the computer may
prevent the melatonin level from rising to induce sleep. Melatonin production is very sensitive to
darkness and if you keep your home life very bright, it can prevent the secretion of melatonin
and keep your cortisol levels higher, hindering your sleep and thus affection step#2 in improving
your resilience to stress.
If you are one of these people, you should turn off your television or computer by around 8 p.m.
at night.
Melatonin and Cortisol have an inverse relationship. Melatonin is a potent antioxidant that is
needed to reduce oxidative stress. If you do not sleep effectively, your body’s neurotransmitters
will not function properly due to cellular oxidation, and the more cellular oxidation you have the
more stressed you will feel, and your stress resilience will be lower.

#8: Get Out and Enjoy Nature

Research shows that being in nature, even just sitting at a park for 20 minutes per day, lowers
stress hormones.
Ecotherapy, as it is being called, is the use of nature in mental health therapy.
Those who go for a 90-minute walk/hike in the forest or through a park have lower activity in the
prefrontal cortex.
What does that mean?
It works as a “reset” button for the area of the brain that is usually overactive in those who are
under large amounts of stress.
In Japan, a walk in the woods is called “forest bathing”.

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Japanese scientists have been studying the health benefits of nature for decades now. When we
walk in nature, we do more than get exercise and look at the beautiful scenery. We also inhale
microbes, essential oils, and ions.
When we expose ourselves to nature it doesn’t just change our mental focus and calm our mind,
it also helps to boost our immune function, reducing inflammation.

#9: Art and Coloring

The power of art therapy for mental health is not new but is newly mainstream.
Coloring has been shown to reduce the fear centers of your brain and induce the same effects as
meditation.
Art therapy has been used to treat a variety of mental health conditions, including anxiety,
depression, and OCD.
If you have kids, this one is easy. Sit down with your kids and color or do an art project. If you
don’t have kids, you can doodle. Doodling is a great way to relieve stress.

#10: Music
Music has a profound effect on our body.[6]
Listening to 90minutes of music a day decreases a person’s response to stress.
The type of music used in research is often slow, quiet, and classical, and is shown to slow pulse
rate, lower blood pressure, and decrease stress hormones.
Musical preferences vary, so find the type that helps uplift you.
For you, it may be more dance-like music, for others it may be something else. My favorite way
to incorporate music is dancing while I cook dinner. This is usually a family affair with the kids
playing DJ and everyone getting a chance at their favorite songs. This also works well for chores
you may not like…like laundry, I despise laundry.

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#11: Touch
We often forget how important and powerful touch can be.
Hugs, massage, cuddling, sex; all these activities elicit oxytocin.
Elevated oxytocin reduces stress by affecting the amygdala and increasing beta endorphins.
Oxytocin[7] is being researched as a treatment for anxiety due to its ability to promote social
interaction, trust, empathy, and bonding.
With the increase in social media and online interaction, we are neglecting the physical
interactions that make us human…add in a pandemic that created isolation and fear of touching
and no wonder people more stressed than ever.

#12: Change Your Perception

Perceived stress is a term that describes someone’s subjective view of the amount of stress they
are under.
This is how you interpret your stressors.
This can be increased or decreased by you; and you alone.
It is changed by your perception of yourself and your life.
Negative speaking and thinking will change your perception of even small events to create more
impact on your life. This is often a negative spiral of hopelessness.
Only you can change your perspective.
Sometimes it means forcing yourself to find the positive aspect in the situation. Sometimes it is
learning to let go. This is called Cognitive Reframing.
Sometimes this is identifying reason why you are trying to protect yourself and may go back to
events of your childhood that you need to relive, understand, and let-go of.
I highly recommend the book, How to Do the Work by Dr. Nicole LaPera. She does a fantastic
job of helping you learn to love yourself and more importantly understand yourself, where you
came from and how it has shaped your responses.
Seeking therapy and counselling can help you make positive changes in cognition and
perception.

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Need More Help?

Contact our office. We have a list of other support options for you to try.
(970) 631-8119

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Bibliography

1. Claudia Romeo, Lucas A Wauters, Francesca Santicchia, Ben Dantzer, Rupert Palme,
Adriano Martinoli, Nicola Ferrari. Complex relationships between physiological stress
and endoparasite infections in natural populations. Current Zoology. 10/2020;66(5):449-
457. https://doi.org/10.1093/cz/zoaa029
2. Kannankeril J, Carroll T, Findling JW, Javorsky B, Gunsolus IL, Phillips J, Raff H. Journal of
the Endocrine Society. 10/1/2020;4(10):bvaa107.
https://doi.org/10.1210/jendso/bvaa107
3. Zhang M, Zhao J, Li X, et al. Effectiveness and safety of acupuncture for insomnia:
Protocol for a systematic review. Medicine (Baltimore). 2019;98(45):e17842.
doi:10.1097/MD.0000000000017842
4. Nirupama R, Rajaraman B, Yajurvedi HN (2018) Stress and Glucose metabolism: A
Review. Imaging J Clin Medical Sci 5(1): 008-012. DOI: 10.17352/2455-8702.000037
5. Thomée S, Härenstam A, Hagberg M. Computer use and stress, sleep disturbances, and
symptoms of depression among young adults--a prospective cohort study. BMC
Psychiatry. 2012;12:176. Published 2012 Oct 22. doi:10.1186/1471-244X-12-176
6. Thoma MV, La Marca R, Brönnimann R, Finkel L, Ehlert U, Nater UM. The effect of music
on the human stress response. PLoS One. 2013;8(8):e70156. Published 2013 Aug 5.
doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0070156
7. Uvnas-Moberg K, Petersson M. Oxytocin, ein Vermittler von Antistress, Wohlbefinden,
sozialer Interaktion, Wachstum und Heilung [Oxytocin, a mediator of anti-stress, well-
being, social interaction, growth and healing]. Z Psychosom Med Psychother.
2005;51(1):57-80. doi:10.13109/zptm.2005.51.1.57

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About the Author

Sarah Thompson, L.Ac., CFMP, Doula, is the founder of Sacred Vessel
Acupuncture & Functional Medicine and the creator of
www.functionalmaternity.com.
She is a certified functional medicine practitioner, licensed acupuncturist,
board-certified herbalist, birth doula, and educator with a passion for
pregnancy care.
She is also known as a leader in the practice and education of maternity
functional medicine. Sarah brings together evidence-based research in
prenatal and maternity nutrition with the ideas of functional medicine and
traditional Chinese medicine.
Sarah’s clinical experience spans nearly 20 years. When she isn’t writing, lecturing, mentoring,
or seeing patients in her private practice, she can be found on her small Colorado farm with her
husband, two daughters, chickens, miniature cows, dogs, cats, and gardens.

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