unique and what works for one may not work for another. The Functional Medicine approach to diet and weight loss is not dis- similar to the TCM approach where practi- tioners of both modalities don our “Sher- lock Holmes’” cap and begin to investigate to determine what combination of lifestyle and dietary interventions can facilitate the desired shift.


Restorative Sleep There is a reason sleep is considered


to be restorative. Without proper sleep, our ability to function optimally is reduced. Many of us will sacrifi ce sleep for the numerous demands of our lives. However, consider this: getting less than 6.5 hours of sleep results in losing 35% of peak perfor- mance. Fewer than 5 hours of sleep reduces it even further and puts the person in the dangerous category of low performance like that of being intoxicated. If you have ever felt like your performance at work, your relationships, or at school are suffer- ing, one place to begin the exploration is by evaluating the amount of sleep you are getting. Weight loss is directly impacted by lack of sleep. I had a client that was eat- ing a perfect diet and kept to a dedicated routine at the gym, but he could not lose that last 5-10 resistant pounds. When we explored his sleep, we realized he was get- ting considerably less than 8 hours of sleep per night. He made some modifi cations to get more Z’s, and those last few pounds fi nally came off. Lack of sleep is a hormone disruptor, so when a person is dealing with resistant weight loss, sleep should be the


fi rst area to examine more deeply. A proper amount of sleep can reduce our stress levels. It is while we are sleeping that our body does the majority of the detoxifi ca- tion. When we skimp on sleep, we rob our bodies of that much-needed time to purge the toxins of yesterday, which can greatly affect our mood and stress levels.


Integrating Acupuncture and Functional Medicine


Mind-Body Medicine encompasses multiple modalities making it available to all body types. When we bring mindfulness into mealtime we soon learn we have a powerful tool in managing our eating hab- its. Being focused on what we eat means we miss the impact of how we eat has on our weight goals. Taking a moment before we begin eating a meal to do some con- trolled diaphragmatic breathing can shift us from a sympathetic to para-sympathetic state, reducing our stress levels and creating an environment conducive to digestion. Also, by slowing our breath before eating, the Spleen organ can resume its proper role of that as transformer and transporter of food and produce the energy our bod- ies need from proper nourishment. With satisfactory levels of energy, we can better manage our everyday demands allowing us longer hours of slumber and ultimately, restoration while we sleep. Incorporating small changes based on the wisdom of Chinese medicine and facilitated by the oversight of a Functional Medicine Certifi ed Health Coach can create a big impact in our modern lives.


Jessica Peck-Lindsey is a Doctor of Acupuncture and Integrative Health and owner of Peck’s Family Acupuncture in Waterboro. Dr. Peck- Lindsey holds a Master’s of


Science in Pain Research, Education, and Policy from Tufts School of Medicine and is Certifi ed in Traumatic Stress Studies from the Trauma Center at Justice Resource Institute. With the aim of being able to better provide for patients living with pain and traumatic stress, Dr. Peck-Lindsey opened the Wellness Center at Peck’s Family Acupuncture integrat- ing therapeutic movement, trauma-informed yoga, Reiki, Emotion Code, Tai Chi, Qi Gong, and wellness coaching along with individu- alized acupuncture and massage therapy sessions. Dr. Peck-Lindsey can be reached at jessica@pecksfamilyacupuncture.com


Kerry Chamberlain is a Functional Medicine Certifi ed Health Coach specializing in work- ing with clients to co-create plans for lasting, sustainable change through lifestyle modi- fi cations. Chamberlain is a graduate of the Functional Medicine Coaching Academy, an affi liate of the Institute for Functional Medicine, IFM. www.rootcausecoach.com. See ad on page 19.


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