Hormones & Periods

As we enter a new year, we have the chance to readjust our perspective about new year’s resolutions in order to access our ability to truly evolve, transform and manifest our hopes and dreams. It’s very tempting at the start of a calendar year to look ahead at the stretched-out 12 months ahead and create a long list of items you want to achieve. And then, of course, the running joke is that we all drop these goals within weeks of working towards them. Why does that happen? I believe it’s because we’re approaching our resolutions purely from a masculine/linear point of view without any use of our own powerful feminine energy. Those long lists come from a place of pure masculine energy. There’s no balance to it, no feminine perspective, in the annual, grand to-do list. This may sound a little woo-woo at first, but stay with me. Through my work with women at Flo Living, I have discovered that both men and women are, normally, living in their masculine energy all of the time. Being a man or a woman does not give a person more or less access to masculine or feminine energy – we all have both energies within us. Learning how to balance both of these helps us to live a more physically, emotionally, and psychologically healthy and vibrant life. As a woman, your opportunity to transform, choose and curate comes through your connection body. If you’re not living in your body, aware of its cycles, and in tune with your own feelings (i.e. accessing your feminine energy), then developing new habits will feel very forced and difficult.

Use your feminine energy to start afresh

As a woman, you are cyclical and as a result, you actually get 12 opportunities every year to make “resolutions”. We can continuously transform ourselves, if we want - all it takes is accessing our body’s natural source of new year/new you energy every single month. How much farther would you go in your year ahead, if you allowed yourself to follow this cyclical rotation 12 times? A whole lot farther than if you try to push yourself straight across - from where you are now to where you want to be. That’s a masculine energy-inspired linear, long to-do list take on self actualization. And, I know that you don't need me to tell you that life - the journey of your soul and destiny - is not linear. It is, instead, part of the process and more fun, frankly, to dance around your desires as you approach ever more clearly the life of your dreams.The first half of your cycle each month should be filled with the same January 1st-style ambitious, energetic, hopeful, determined, powerful spirit. You’re more likely to feel this if you are living in your Flo. If you’ve spent the previous period week miserable and in pain then you won’t feel the freshness. There are 2 methods by which you can have that new year/new you energy every single month and achieve this ability to change, transform and refine your life.

1. Practice living in and working with your body. There are many ways you can practice utilizing your feminine energy - I have outlined the 5 ways you can incorporate this into your daily routine to be more productive and less stressed year-round.
2. Cycle sync your diet and lifestyle. For this way of life to work for you, you have to be cycle-aware. You need to be engaging with your body’s rhythm. Nourish and move your body in a way that keeps you attuned and sensitive to how you are feeling, your intuition, your desires and your needs. Your body is a divining rod, use it to navigate your journey through life.

The simplest way to access your feminine energy and harness it for the power of monthly resolutions is to get in touch with your menstrual/hormone cycle and live those 4 phases. You can start this right away and you’ll be on the fast track to feeling that new year spirit every month. Here follows exactly how you do this - but you can start by figuring out where you are in your cycle right now.

Accessing 12 months of new year’s resolutions

Your next period - feel into the main areas of your life (your relationship, work, interests, plans) - how you do feel about them and how do they make you feel? What do you desire as a result of this investigation? What do you want to transform? Do you want things to change and what exactly? (Don’t worry about “how” for now.) This is a good opportunity to journal about those feelings and desires that you wish to create. It’s all about intuitive feelings and emotions. During your follicular phase - this is when you can plan out the specific goals you want to work toward this month. This is when you get into the “how” and planning, detail, and strategizing are your super skills. You’ll have boundless energy and feel very hopeful and optimistic (and ambitious!) about the month ahead. During your ovulatory phase - this is the best time to communicate to everyone (your partner, your work colleagues, your boss) what you are working on this month. You’ll have great speaking skills right now and can be very clear and concise in your explanations. You’ll also be convincing and persuasive, while keeping a helpful level of empathy and understanding of other’s perspectives and needs. During your luteal phase - this is the point when you make sure you take action to bring those tasks toward your goals to completion. This is a great time to bring projects to fruition. You’re creatively minded, but also happy to put in the necessary heavy-lifting to get things done. Your next period - now you are in the right place to evaluate the past month’s progress and really feel into the problems you may have faced and what you have achieved. You might consider changing course or starting again with a new approach. How has this month made you feel? Do you want things to transform for you in the coming weeks? It’s a new opportunity, your own personal “new year” every single month. Imagine what having 12 opportunities to make forward progress would do in your upcoming year? I hope this new year you join me in taking advantage of the powerful momentum that your body helps you transform your life by cycle-syncing!Always remember, that once you have the right information about how your body really works, you can start making health choices that finally start to work for you! You can do this - the science of your body is on your side! Transform your year and your life in 2016!to your FLO,AlisaGood things come in threes:

I want to hear from you!

First, do you feel like once a year new year’s resolution are not working for you? Second, are you ready to try cycle syncing? Third, everyone you know is hormonal – spread a little good ovary karma and share this article on social ;)

Need more Hormone Help?

If you’re needing some health upgrading, it’s time you started you looking into what’s going on with your hormones.I’ve designed a 4 day hormone detox and evaluation to help you understand exactly what’s out of whack and how you can start getting back to balance so that your hormones no longer have to suffer.Click here to get your FREE detox and evaluation!

My biggest, best-yet, health-conscious and hormone-happy guide to giving

It’s my favorite time of year! The time I get to sit down and think of all the lovely health-conscious gifts I want to give (and receive!) this holiday season. I love putting together my gift guide, it brings me such warmth and cheer to think of all my Flo ladies spreading the message of body-love and hormone-friendly self-care far and wide to friends and family. I take a lot of pleasure in choosing the perfect gifts for my nearest and dearest. I hope this guide gives you some inspiration too of how you can live more beautifully in the FLO!

My healthy holiday gift guide

For your friends (or for yourself!) I don’t know about you, but I like to make sure I give my friends only the kinds of products I would use myself. Sometimes these gifts can act like a gateway to a whole new lifestyle! And, who doesn’t want a healthy living buddy for cycle sister support?

• Chrome Girl nail polish and Holiday Gift Set - this year saw the health hazards of nail polish hit the mainstream media. This NEW brand is free of the 8 toxic chemicals you need to avoid, plus their color range is beautiful! FINALLY! I’m obsessed with this one color! More of my favorite hormone-safe spa products here.
• Strange Invisible Perfumes - I had given up on wearing perfume all together

• because it’s all endocrine disruptive. Enter Strange Invisible Perfumes! They are made with certified organic, wildcrafted, biodynamic, and hydro-distilled essences obtained directly from trusted distillers. Limited batches are then reverently hand-blended, set into a base of custom-distilled organic esprit de Cognac, and aged for a minimum of six months. All Strange Invisible Perfumes are completely botanical

• and unfiltered. What makes these extra special is that you can pick your scent based on your or your friend’s zodiac sign! So mystically merry.
• Sakara Life Cookie Collection! Just in time for the holidays - give it to yourself and to everyone you love - raw, organic, totally nutrient dense and health promoting, there is now no reason not to give the gift of food thanks to my sisters over at Sakara Life!
• Cora monthly delivery - upgrade your bestie’s period experience with Cora. She’ll get a swish black leather clutch in which to hold her monthly delivery of all-organic, 100% cotton tampons. There’s been a lot in the news lately about the potential problems with regular tampon ingredients. Look out for your loved one’s health, they’ll love you for it. More on my natural femcare recommen

• dations here.
• Moonjuice Action Dust - For you or your smoothie loving friend who swears this year will be the year of giving up caffeine - this powder blend could actually help them to achieve that goal! I love Moonjuice, their products, their ethos, their inspirational founder. And they have gorgeous gift sets of health-boosting supplements. Introduce your friend to this new way of life!
• Naturopathica meditation oils - herbal aromas for meditation and therapy. These stunning blue bottles are there for different needs - calming nerves, inspiration... Tailo

• r your choice to your friend’s new year’s goals. Where does she need the most support?
• Not Your Sugar Mama’s raw chocolate - first of all, LOVE the name! Second - it’s organic chocolate you can truly indulge in. Not Your Sugar Mama’s organic, raw chocolate is my new obsession!An assorted pack with flavors from Pomegranate Ginger to Lavender Sea Salt makes the perfect gift for one bestie or to hand out at your annual friends gathering!

• Bon Dea baking mixes - this company was created with inspiration from Flo Living and provides gluten-free baking mixes for all ladies living in their Flo. Check out our interview with the company founder here.
• Barley and Oats gift sets - for the new breastfeeding mom in your life. This company thinks of the well-being of mom and baby and aims to smooth the transition. So thoughtful. They only just launched, but I would have LOVED receiving this gift during those newborn days!

• Love and Toast hand lotion and lip butter - because who doesn’t need some good, natural skin care in the winter months? I love this brand - I have the honey coconut hand lotion in my bag! Yummy.
• LaFace Laboratories face oil - face oils became the latest skin care craze in 2015 and I have to say, I’m hooked! This product was given to me as a gift last year and I have loved it all year-long for my post-partum skin. I use it morning and night, it’s amazing under makeup. A must try especially for those dealing with eczema.It’s organic evening primrose oil-based, safe for breastfeeding, and oh so fabulously hormone-friendly.

• Hormone balancing, love attracting, negative energy clearing mala necklace - Ever since giving birth, I have become so sensitive to stones. I love this necklace, it’s the perfect balance of energies to get your new year off to the right start! And it’s GORGEOUS.

****And of course - give a copy of the WomanCode book with each of these to complete the hormone support for you and your loved ones!****For your baby (or your friends’ babies!)As a new mom, here are some of the products I love - if you’re curious what skin care products I use on my daughter, let me know and I’ll share in another post!

• BabyLit board books - baby-versions of the big literature classics, beautifully illustrated. Moby Dick, Pride and Prejudice, A Christmas Carol - all made baby friendly. Perfect for a baby heading for a bright future - and for a new mom wanting an easy way to score 100% on those “how many classic books have you read?” Facebook quizzes!

• Chewbeeds teething necklace - these necklaces look great and they’re totally baby-safe. No one would know you’re wearing a teething necklace, except baby! Save all your friend’s best jewelry from baby gnashers.
• Burt’s Bees Baby Clothes - because who doesn’t love buying cute little baby clothes? All-organic, natural, baby-skin-safe and health-conscious, and in fun seasonal patterns too!

• Seedlings and Little Pnuts subscription boxes - if your friend’s baby is a little older (like my 4 nieces who are 4 and up) then a subscription service for monthly or bi-monthly boxed deliveries of arts and crafts projects is perfect. It makes Christmas last all year round! You no longer need watch as the toy you gifted is just placed on an ever-growing holiday season pile - this way the fun and excitement will really last.

For your manFor me this is just another opportunity to expose those I care about to healthier options and to gift them things they might not indulge in otherwise.

• A health-inspiring experience - before I started dating my husband he thought kale was a kind of fish! No kidding! He really was not aware of healthy living at all. I had to do a lot of educating! One way I got him up to speed with my way of life was gifting him healthy experiences so he could try out new things and decide for himself what he wanted to pursue. This has included rolfing sessions, chiropractic adjustments, acupuncture sessions, and massage. Some of these things we did together as a fun couple’s experience, others he explored on his own.
• Every Man Jack skincare - this organic range of men’s bathroom products is easily av

• ailable at Wholefoods. Upgrade his whole routine - from shaving to skincare.
• King Baby bracelets - I love these rock star bracelets for my hubby.
• Healthy Office Pantry - I always take time at Christmas to stock my hubby up with his favorite snacks like really good jerky and protein bars, plus some good organic coffee and stevia. He keeps them at work and never has to compromise on his health.
• Membership to Thrive Market! - The Costco for healthy pantry items -give your man the opportunity to stock up and auto-ship his favorite snacks and staples at huge cost savings! Let’s face it, he’s not getting to the store ;)

Always remember, that once you have the right information about how your body really works, you can start making health choices that finally start to work for you! You can do this - the science of your body is on your side!to your FLO,AlisaGood things come in threes:

I want to hear from you!

First, has this gift guide inspired you?Second, share your own gift ideas! Third, everyone you know is hormonal – spread a little good ovary karma and share this article on social ;)

Need more Hormone Help?

If you’re needing some health upgrading, it’s time you started you looking into what’s going on with your hormones.I’ve designed a 4 day hormone detox and evaluation to help you understand exactly what’s out of whack and how you can start getting back to balance so that your hormones no longer have to suffer.Click here to get your FREE detox and evaluation!

It makes me so happy to look back and think of all the women I’ve helped to heal their hormonal issues. I’m so proud of each and every one of them! All the women who have fixed their periods, got pregnant and became mothers, got their energy back, their happiness back, their sex drive back, transformed their relationship with their bodies, lost the weight, cleared their skin, embraced pleasure, gained self-confidence, and changed their lives for the better - they inspire me everyday to keep spreading the wisdom of living in your Flo.

Stephanie Morish is a Certified Holistic Health Coach and Nutrition Consultant. Her health issues of PCOS, acne, amenorrhea and more actually inspired her to study holistic health nutrition. However, despite leading a healthy lifestyle steeped in this education about the right ways to eat, exercise and live, Stephanie found herself unable to escape her hormonal health problems.

She had come off the birth control pill over two years previously and not experienced a period ever since! Stephanie knew she must be missing something in her studies, and that’s when she discovered Flo Living.

I want you to hear her story -

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‍How did you discover the Flo Living program?

‍As a health coach and holistic nutritionist, I felt like I was doing everything “right” in terms of eating healthy, exercising regularly, prioritizing sleep, etc. but there was definitely some puzzle pieces missing for my hormonal health. Before signing up for the Flo Living Hormonal Sync System program last April, I had subscribed to Alisa’s newsletter and received her content-rich blog posts weekly. The more I read, the more I realized that I needed the knowledge, support, guidance and community that Flo Living offers. ‍

What issues were you facing at that time and how long had you been dealing with them?

‍At the time, I was dealing with amenorrhea, PCOS, bloating, and acne (small bumps, not cystic). I got off birth control pills when I was 24 and didn’t have a period for 2.5 years until I found Flo Living. As soon as I started the Flo Living program, so many lightbulbs went on in regards to how I was neglecting crucial steps in balancing my hormones - namely managing my blood sugar, incorporating self care/pleasure, stress management/nurturing adrenals, and most notably cycle syncing my life! I had never heard or read or studied anything about this principle of cycle syncing and I was absolutely blown away by how genius (and at the same time, how common sense) it was! Within about 4 months of following the program’s protocol, I had a period. Then I had another one, and another…

‍Prior to enrolling in the Flo Living program you were already health-conscious - after enrolling in the Flo Living program what was the biggest change you made to your diet or lifestyle?

As a holistic health coach I am definitely very health conscious. Flo Living taught me the importance of blood sugar balance for balancing my hormones. I’ve had blood sugar issues since I was little (getting “hangry” and shaky and foggy-headed) so I am much more educated now about how to manage my blood sugar. I started eating within 90 minutes of waking up, which was key for me! I used to just have a lemon water, then go workout and then eat breakfast after (sometimes 2.5 hours after waking up!). Flo Living also taught me about how crucial stress management is to the hormone equation. I now incorporate more pleasure into my week. I also stopped working out as long or hard as I think I was burning out my adrenals from too much exercise.Did you struggle with living in your Flo at first?Initially, I really struggled with eating within 90 minutes of waking up. I was so conditioned not to eat before working out that I didn’t feel hungry when I first woke and didn’t enjoy forcing myself to eat something early in the morning. A cup of bone broth is the perfect morning drink/pre-workout snack!

‍You were, prior to undertaking the Flo Living program, on medications for acne and cycle issues - what has been your journey with this? Did you struggle with living in your Flo at first?

‍Initially, I really struggled with eating within 90 minutes of waking up. I was so conditioned not to eat before working out that I didn’t feel hungry when I first woke and didn’t enjoy forcing myself to eat something early in the morning. A cup of bone broth is the perfect morning drink/ pre-workout snack!I was on long term antibiotics for acne when I was a teenager. When I went on birth control (around age 16), I stopped the antibiotics as the birth control helped with my skin. After coming off birth control, I had about a year when my skin was clear and then, all of a sudden, my skin broke out with lots of tiny little (skin-colored) bumps - all over my cheeks and chin area. I couldn’t get rid of them to save my life! Then I started the program, living in my Flo, and taking some liver repair herbs, and my skin cleared up! Now, I don’t have any problems.

‍Would you encourage other women you know to try a Flo Living program?

‍Flo Living is an amazing resource for women! Alisa, and the other Flo counselors, are incredibly knowledgeable and supportive to women who are dealing with any hormone issues, from PMS to PCOS to infertility. Alisa’s book, “WomanCode,” and all the content she shares in her programs and on her website is GOLD. She has created a revolutionary protocol for healing endocrine problems and living your best life.

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Always remember, that once you have the right information about how your body really works, you can start making health choices that finally start to work for you! You can do this - the science of your body is on your side!

To your FLO,

Alisa

A late period is usually a cause for panic - that is, if you’re not hoping to be pregnant and if you’re used to seeing your period turn up on time each month. With so many more of us tracking our periods with apps, we can become hyper-aware of a change to our cycle. Although it can cause worry and concern at first, this awareness is actually a good thing, because a late period is your body’s way of letting you know something is wrong.

If you’re not pregnant, then a longer cycle or seemingly missing period is a sign that your health is suffering. In fact, the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists advises that medical professionals view the menstrual cycle as a vital sign and take abnormalities such as this seriously as indicators of a health issue.

What I call the “textbook reasons” for experiencing a late period include: pregnancy, breastfeeding, menopause, over-exercising , being underweight , or having cysts on your ovaries, i.e. PCOS. You might also find that your period takes a long time to re-start after you come off hormonal birth control like the Pill, Ring, shot or hormonal IUD.

If these situations are not what is causing your cycle changes, then it’s likely down to one or both of the two issues I’m about to describe. There’s no need for panic, though, both of these issues can be totally reversed and you’ll be back on track with your periods in no time. Reset your hormones with my free Hormone Detox program or start cycle-syncing your diet with a few major, important food groups. You also pick up a copy of my book “WomanCode” to learn more. ‍

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Why Your Period Might Go Missing

‍There are two common causes that go on to create a late period - sugar and stress. Too much of either of these is going to manifest in cycle issues - whether it’s increased cramps, worsened PMS, or a late period. And of course, sugar and stress seem to exist in their own special vicious cycle - feeding off of each other. We seek out sugar when we’re stressed out to sustain our energy and make us feel good. For many women who otherwise experience regular cycles, they’ll find their period goes missing after the holiday season, in January, when sugar becomes a staple and stress seems unavoidable. You might start the new year feeling the pain of cramps, PMS and panic about your period if you’ve overindulged in either of these.

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‍Reason for Your Late Period #1: Sugar

‍Sugar elevates insulin levels and leads to blood sugar dysregulation - spikes and dips. Too much sugar can slow or prevent ovulation altogether (something to note if you are trying to conceive). When ovulation is late or doesn’t happen at all, then your period will also be late as you won’t have gone through the necessary hormonal fluctuations to trigger this biological event. When your ovary releases an egg, the egg sack then produces progesterone. The increase of progesterone in your body encourages the buildup and eventual release of the lining of your uterus (a.k.a. your period!). Without proper ovulation, low or no progesterone is produced by your body. A late period can then actually not be an official “period” as such, but more like breakthrough bleeding. There’s no biological signal for the period to start, but your uterus needs to shed its lining anyway.

‍The Flo-fix: “But, how can I avoid sugar?” I hear you ask! I get it - sugar feels like one of the hardest things to give up. There’s a difference between bad, processed sugar and the good, or much better, kinds of sugar. You can satisfy your sweet cravings without risking losing your period. Try out some better sugar alternatives by making my favorite desserts and treats.

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‍Reason for Your Late Period #2: Stress

‍An overload of stress creates a disturbance in your cortisol levels, aka the stress hormone. Stress raises cortisol levels, increases inflammatory markers in the body, and disrupts adrenal-thyroid performance. When you’re stressed and cortisol is running high, your body’s supplies of the hormone progesterone are used to produce cortisol instead of going towards triggering the onset of your period. Also, chronic stress resulting in elevated cortisol levels leads to elevated insulin levels which interrupts ovulation which sends an overarching message to your body that you are not in the right set of circumstances to carry a baby. Evolutionarily this makes sense - in the past, feeling stress meant we were in physical danger and therefore unable to care for or nourish a pregnancy. These days chronic stress can become a way of life - we are overworked and overstretched and under-rested as a norm - and so sometimes our bodies react in this way to protect us.

‍The Flo-fix: We all deal with stress sometimes, it’s unavoidable, but you shouldn’t be feeling wracked with stress every single day. If you’re getting so stressed out that your period goes missing, it’s time to take action. Practice my extreme self-care techniques and reconnect with your feminine energy. You have it in your power to have a symptom free and delightful period every month. Investigate why your cycle is off, and take the right steps to get back in your FLO.  Having those hormones balanced is the key to unlocking your most powerful self.

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Always remember, that once you have the right information about how your body really works, you can start making health choices that finally start to work for you! You can do this - the science of your body is on your side!

To your FLO,

Alisa

As the winter months draw in, the evenings are darker, and the nights much longer - what does this mean? It’s baby-making time! Have you noticed how many babies arrive in those late summer/early Fall months? I definitely have. I think there’s something about the cosiness of winter that brings us closer. I also think many women make the decision to start trying for a baby around New Year when all our hopes and dreams become the focus. However, we don’t tend to associate the winter months with being at the height of our best health. This is the time when you might be more sedentary, eat less health-consciously, tackle colds and flu, and feel a little less bright. In fact, prolonged darkness due to wintery weather and seasonal shifts can cause you to stop ovulating consistently or experience changes in your cycle. All of which means that if you want to conceive it’s a good idea to really concentrate on amplifying your fertility with some targeted, intelligent diet and lifestyle choices. I have put together the 5 best ways to naturally improve your fertility, particularly at this time of year. These are just some of the things I personally did to get my own body ready for baby. Getting pregnant is about so much more than taking a pre-natal vitamin and folic acid - although, I do recommend pre-natal supplementation. I just also recommend you take control by consciously choosing to support your ovaries in succeeding in their vocation!

5 ways to naturally improve your fertility

1. Let the sun shine! Sunlight is so important for healthy fertility, but often winter means darker days with long nights and cloudy weather. That natural vitamin D3 boost maximizes your ability to conceive naturally - in fact, I took a little sunshine-heavy mini-break myself prior to conceiving my daughter. Studies have revealed that 93% of women dealing with infertility issues are vitamin D3 deficient. Unfortunately D3 supplements are just not a good enough source to counter this problem, you really do need sunshine. So, if you can, book a mini-break like me to someplace where stretching out in the sun by the pool or on the beach is the main motivation for the trip! Be sure to avoid chemical-laden sunscreens though and switch up your diet instead to protect your skin.
2. Boost your breakfast. The absolute best winter season breakfast if you’re looking to get pregnant is buckwheat and cinnamon! Good thing it’s delicious too! Hormonal balance hinges on a good, nourishing breakfast and this combination will stabilize your blood sugar and support regular ovulation.
3. Revitalize your vagina! Your vagina has its own little eco-system going on and that eco-system needs to be in balance and harmonious for your body to welcome a baby. Issues with the health of your vaginal flora in the way of “bacterial vaginosis” (which some 30% of American women likely suffer with) can lead to the prevention of fertilization of an egg, spontaneous miscarriage, and a higher risk of preterm birth. Your vagina’s well-being is sourced in your gut!! Your gut health/gut microbiome impacts your vaginal microbiome/eco-system. There are 3 supplements you can be taking to avoid or to heal bacterial vaginosis.
4. Avocuddle! You want to be eating an avocado a day when you’re trying to conceive. Researchers from the Harvard School of Public Health discovered that avocados contain the best kind of monounsaturated fat and the least saturated fat, making them the ideal food for boosting the health of your eggs. Avoiding saturated fat - found in the likes of butter and red meat - is equally important to making sure you’re getting those good fats from extra avocados. I love avocados for breakfast and as a snack - try some of my recipes.
5. Get a jump on! I have one piece of exercise equipment at home and that’s an urban rebounder. I jump on my mini trampoline first thing in the morning for 10 minutes to get some low-impact, lymphatic circulation-boosting, estrogen-metabolizing fun! I sometimes even jump back on during the day to take a break from sitting at my desk. It’ll bring out the kid in you and help you conceive a kid of your own!

Always remember, that once you have the right information about how your body really works, you can start making health choices that finally start to work for you! You can do this - the science of your body is on your side!to your FLO,AlisaGood things come in threes:

I want to hear from you!

First, do you hope to conceive soon? Second, have you struggled with infertility? Third, everyone you know is hormonal – spread a little good ovary karma and share this article on social ;)

Are You Trying to Conceive?

If you want to do everything in your power to improve your chances of becoming a mom—then we want to help you optimize your fertility.Whether you are just starting to think about having a baby, or have already tried naturally or have been trying with IVF, our Fertile FLO Program will help improve your chances of conception.Click here to download my FREE guide, The 5 Health Foods to Avoid to Get and Stay Pregnant.

During holiday party season - from awkward office parties to catch-ups with long lost friends - sticking to your healthy living goals can be harder than it looks. The temptations on the buffet table, the ever-flowing punch bowl, the late nights...it can make any woman feel the need to press the pause button on her progress. But, stop! I have some tried and tested tips for sailing through this season with a smile on your face. You don’t want to start the new year with the vengeful return of all your period problems or even a worsened set of symptoms, right? I didn’t think so. We all want to start the new year fresh, not struggling to reset the mistakes of the past month. So let’s start with the party food - all those canapes, appetizers, chips and dips, pot-lucks and buffets. Oh my! We can go from there...‍

My tips for a healthy holiday party season

Flo-tip 1: Make friends with the fats and pals with the protein! As long as you stick to good fat and protein heavy snacks you’ll be fine - think of all those crab cakes, deviled eggs, meat balls, avocado dips and hummus you can indulge in to your heart’s content! Just steer clear of the pastry and dough-based items.

‍Flo-tip 2: Make your own munchies!You’ll be popular and well-prepared if you bring your own snacks. Here are my suggestions: rice paper spring rolls stuffed with fresh veggies and avocado or corn tortillas stuffed with beans, avocado and cilantro. Dates stuffed with a yummy almond mix or wrapped in turkey bacon. I also love scallops wrapped in nori - rich and decadent! You could also try my favorite roasted nut recipe - it’s perfect for any party.

‍Flo-tip 3: Fill-up before you get festive!If I know I’m heading out to a party, I always save a little of my lunch for an early dinner. About an hour before I’m due to leave, I’ll sit down and have lunch part two. It means I’ll feel full enough not to see the party food as my evening meal. If you want to have a drink, it’s best not to do so on an empty stomach. That just makes you crave salty, unhealthy foods and it will make it harder to avoid the ever-present chip bowl.

‍Flo-tip 4: Be wise with your wine.One of the best ways to keep the wine flowing and always have your glass half full as you mingle is to mix your red wine (yes, red wine is absolutely the best choice of all the alcohol options) with a spritzer.   Although I haven’t had any alcohol in the past 3 years due to pregnancy prep, pregnancy, and now breastfeeding, when I did imbibe before all that - 2 glasses of wine was my own personal limit, but they would become 4 just like magic and can last you for several hours. If there are cocktails to be had, usually there’s seltzer somewhere, seek it out and enjoy turning your water into wine! For every glass of wine spritzer you have, drink a nice tall glass of regular water to stay hydrated.

‍Flo-tip 5: Be clever with the Christmas cocktails. Although, I’ll say again, red wine is the best choice for a night out, sometimes we all fancy a festive cocktail. A hot toddy is a decent choice because you have actual apple cider and cinnamon along with a little brandy. Compared to the high sugar content of other mixed drinks, this one is a the least offensive.  But just have one of course.  Who says you can’t keep your health in mind at all times? If it’s a BYOB kind of party why not make it a bottle of pomegranate or pink grapefruit juice? My favorite non-alcoholic cocktail which we served at my wedding was pink grapefruit juice with seltzer and a swizzle stick of fresh thyme! Gorgeous. We heated up some thyme leaves with apple and pineapple juice prior and used that as our simple syrup substitute to boost the lovely thyme flavor. So elegant and delicious!  You could also just use fresh mint instead as well.

‍Flo-tip 6: Step it up before you settle down for the night.Rather than just flopping into bed when you get home, take a moment to step up your health game with a couple of easy steps. Take a B vitamin complex to restore the vitamins your liver needs to break down the alcohol and troublesome foods. Then, have a big glass of water with electrolyte enhancer (I like the Electro-Mix from the makers of Emergen-C).

‍Flo-tip 7: Be the master of the morning-after! Alcohol can really mess with your hormonal health, even in small amounts, and one night of binge drinking can have knock-on effects for months. Here’s what you need to do the next morning, even, yes, after just a few glasses of wine so you can rebalance and reset.

1. Take a B vitamin complex and take a drink of warm water with lemon to flush your system.
2. Drink coconut water to replenish your electrolytes.
3. Have three 8 ounce glasses of my favorite detoxifying juice – combine a handful of spinach, 4 stalks of cucumber, half a bunch of cilantro, one-third a bunch of parsley, half a lemon with rind, half a green apple, and a small carrot in a blender or juicer.
4. Make your workout that day a hatha yoga class to calm your adrenals. The twists involved will help detoxify your internal organs and prevent a backup of estrogen.
5. Take a shot of apple cider vinegar to emulsify those fats.

Always remember, that once you have the right information about how your body really works, you can start making health choices that finally start to work for you! You can do this - the science of your body is on your side!

To your FLO,

Alisa

Of all the things that can make you put on weight, it seems so unfair that stress can be one of them. We all get that fried foods and doughy treats are going to pile on the pounds, but stress is harder to manage and more difficult to avoid. We all get stressed and what’s more stressful than thinking about how you keep gaining because you’re stressed? It’s enough to drive anyone nuts! In a study from Ohio State University, the researchers actually found that women who experienced stress burned more than 100 fewer calories than women who had not experienced stress, during the period directly after they had eaten a high-fat meal. This disruption to the metabolic process, caused by stress, builds up to the equivalent of 11 pounds potentially gained every year! Eeek. But, and it’s a big but for me (the great kind!), we women NEED more of the loving and compassionate kind of self-care based energy in our lives. We need to banish that no pain=no gain energy of the past. Just as we’ve updated our workout wardrobes from spandex and leg warmers to lululemon-like style, we also need to update our thinking when it comes to weight loss.

How stress-fat happens to good women

We just need to face the facts - stress blocks our natural ability to lose weight. It disrupts our adrenal patterns and cortisol levels, so that the fat doesn’t become useful glucose, but instead goes straight back into our cells. It doesn’t get used up, it just pads out your belly and hips. Plus, more fat in those cells equals higher levels of estrogen and estrogen dominance is the cause of so many hormonal health issues from endometriosis to infertility problems. Taking the regular route - that is restricting calories and over-exercising - just does not work. In fact, it causes more stress on your body, making it even harder to lose those stubborn pounds. In fact, if you’re stressed already, it seems pretty barbaric to me to expect yourself to go without enough food and strive for physical exhaustion to get around this problem. If you’re over 35, just had a baby, or suffering with hormonal imbalances, then it’s not only barbaric, but counterintuitive - you’ll only be increasing your appetite and your cravings. You’ll be starving, soon carbo-loading, and regretful. Your adrenals will go haywire, causing your hormones to go into panic-mode, leaving you feeling low and lumpy.

The secret to avoiding stress-related weight gain

One of the most important things you can do when you’re stressed to avoid piling on the pounds is to get good quality sleep. That’s right - don’t move more, move less - and for 8-10 hours per night. Getting decent, deep sleep calms the adrenals, rebalances your cortisol levels (avoiding the pitfalls of adrenal fatigue, and primes your body for weight loss. Good sleeps helps you to burn more calories (when you’re awake and while you’re asleep!), melt more fat, and curbs those tendencies to give in to unhealthy cravings and overeating.Those who run on too little, poor quality sleep have been found to experience an increase in levels of hunger hormone ghrelin and decreased levels of satiety hormone leptin, causing both overeating and weight gain. Five days of bad night’s sleep can cause you to add on another 2 pounds in just that short time. It makes sense, right? We get sleepy, exhausted even, and we eat more of the wrong kinds of foods to keep us going. Our hormones get sluggish, our adrenals slow, our metabolism slumps. So, the best thing you can do is to make yourself a sleep schedule that protects your body’s fat burning skills from this kind of sabotage.

5 steps to get that fat-burning good sleep

1. Give up caffeine - follow my coffee detox plan and replace your morning cup of joe with something more adrenal-soothing.
2. Get Appy - install a blue light filter on your laptop and phone to decrease the stimulating, sleep-disrupting light your devices currently give off. Try this one or this one for calmer evening times.
3. Get off - orgasms will help you fall into a deep and restorative sleep. Follow my steps to get the best solo experience of your life!
4. Get supplemented - figure out your personal sleep story to make the right choices in supplements that will see you through the night with no slip-ups.
5. Get your magnesium - a magnesium deficiency is one of the most common health issues and one of the most prominent causes of sleep disturbance, so you need to consciously supplement and sustain.

Always remember, that once you have the right information about how your body really works, you can start making health choices that finally start to work for you! You can do this - the science of your body is on your side!to your FLO,AlisaGood things come in threes:

I want to hear from you!

First, do you struggle with your weight? Second, do you feel sleep-deprived? Third, everyone you know is hormonal – spread a little good ovary karma and share this article on social ;)

Need more Hormone Help?

If you’re needing some health upgrading, it’s time you started you looking into what’s going on with your hormones.I’ve designed a 4 day hormone detox and evaluation to help you understand exactly what’s out of whack and how you can start getting back to balance so that your hormones no longer have to suffer.Click here to get your FREE detox and evaluation!

Did you know that there are many studies that suggest Thanksgiving is, by definition, the most healthy holiday? That’s because gratitude is so very good for you and your hormones. Grateful people have been shown to get better sleep, feel less anxious and depressed, and be better at keeping to their exercise goals. Those who keep good track of their blessings experience more feelings of true happiness than anyone else. Thankfulness even goes a long way to boosting your immunity. People who keep a gratitude journal each day also experience fewer physical symptoms. And, of course, we can all see how gratitude can benefit our relationships, which in turn benefit ourselves.

One part of my life I am exceedingly grateful for is you!

I am grateful that you found us here at Flo Living, for coming on the journey to living in your Flo with me, and for being part of the vital Flo community. I am overjoyed every time I hear from you, whether through the online program, via email, Facebook message, Tweet, Facebook like, share, comment or note on one of our blog posts here. I hear every affirmation that comes through! Thank you for taking part in this conversation and supporting my work, the work of my colleagues, other women, and yourselves! I am so grateful for your courage to share your story and to share the FLO living program and WomanCode, the book with the women you care about in your life. Every time you do that you open up the possibility for another woman to not only transform her health, but to also reconnect her to parts of herself essential for her full expression and vitality. I am so very proud of every single woman who decides to take her hormones into her own hands and make the change she knows she needs. As part of my pre-Thanksgiving thankfulness routine I’ve been going through the blog posts past, reading your comments, taking in and drawing upon your feedback, intuiting your desires and hopes, and filtering this all through to make Flo Living even better in the year to come. I was struck to see which blog posts have been the most popular and helpful to you in 2015 so far and I wanted to revisit that top 10 here, knowing this might help more women to discover the important information they’ve been searching for. If you haven’t had a chance to tell me your thoughts on what we’re up to and what we should do next - please take 2 minutes and answer the short survey questions - it would truly make my day to hear from you!

Top 10 FLO Living Blogs of 2015

I hope putting these all together in a list for you makes it easy to refer back to you if you want to reread these blogs and of course, please share this list on FB or Twitter to help women in your community begin their journey back to their own FLO.10) 5 Signs You Have A Healthy, Normal Period - this one really struck a chord with ladies who couldn’t believe they too might be able to have a perfect period! It’s true, yes you can, join me!9) 4 Smoothies That Will Balance Your Hormones - the enthusiasm for this fun post was a delight, thanks so much for joining in! 8) How I Stock My Fridge And Pantry - you all definitely enjoyed a peek in my lovely fridge! I tidied it up especially for you. 7) The One Thing You Are Doing At Work That’s Hurting Your Hormones - we spend so many hours at work, sometimes we forget it’s important to keep our health in mind even when hard at our job. Keep moving cycle sisters!6) My Favorite Energy Boosting Snacks - we all love to snack and why not keep it simple and healthy? I always love to share my secret tricks with you. 5) The One Secret Reason Women Shouldn’t Drink Coffee - I have a feeling this was a shocker! So many of you commented, the most comments all year, and some great shares of favorite alternatives and success stories of kicking the habit! 4) The Nutrient Deficiency Almost No One Has Heard Of But Almost Everyone Has - lots of comments here too! It seems that many of you were struck by the symptoms of magnesium deficiency and glad to have practical solutions.3) The 4 Best Sources of Protein For Your Hormones and The Worst Ones To Avoid - we’re all in search of the perfect protein and I think I’ve found it! A bit of myth busting here, over which many of you shared your surprise/interest.2) 4 Foods To Get Rid Of Your Symptoms In 4 Weeks - I’m so glad you liked this one as it makes for a nice gateway to the full cycle syncing protocol. Just keep folding in more foods to each phase (check out my book “WomanCode”) and you will have yourself a full Flo Living lifestyle.And…..at number 1!1) Why You Should Stop Using Your Vibrator - with a title like that how could it not win out?! Yes, I asked you to put away your sex toys, but with good reason! How are you getting on without it? Thank you, again, ever so for your community support, feedback, and energy - all of this drives us at Flo Living to improve on what we provide and to make our center THE hub for hormonal health. Always remember, that once you have the right information about how your body really works, you can start making health choices that finally start to work for you! You can do this - the science of your body is on your side!to your FLO,AlisaGood things come in threes:

I want to hear from you!

First, what was your personal favorite blog post?Second, what are you most thankful for? Third, everyone you know is hormonal – spread a little good ovary karma and share this article on social ;)

Need more Hormone Help?

If you’re needing some health upgrading, it’s time you started you looking into what’s going on with your hormones.I’ve designed a 4 day hormone detox and evaluation to help you understand exactly what’s out of whack and how you can start getting back to balance so that your hormones no longer have to suffer.Click here to get your FREE detox and evaluation!

I’m going to share some of my favorite Thanksgiving recipes below, but first I want to explain why the holidays can be so hard on our hormones—and how you can take steps to protect yourself. Now if you read that last paragraph and started panicking because you think I’m about to tell you that you can’t have any of Aunt Julia’s famous caramel pecan pie at Thanksgiving dinner, you’re wrong! When you have a strategic plan for balancing your blood sugar, you can have the occasional sweet treat this holiday season and not feel rotten for weeks afterward. In fact, the holidays become even more fun when you know that you have a strategy for enjoying traditional holiday food without worrying about the hormonal aftermath.

What The Holidays Do To Your Blood Sugar

So what is it about holiday eating and drinking that can cause crummy symptoms for days, weeks, and sometimes months?It’s all about blood sugar. Balanced blood sugar (not too high or too low) is foundational for optimal hormonal health. When we have extra sweet treats at Thanksgiving, mulled wine all through December (alcohol is processed in the body like sugar), and even more treats (and booze) around the winter holidays and the New Year, it puts our blood sugar on an unhealthy roller coaster.  Your delicate endocrine system, which regulates your hormones, interprets mismanaged blood sugar as a stressor and signals your adrenals glands to respond by sending out a lot of cortisol (the stress hormone) and adrenaline.

Chronically mismanaged blood sugar, which is triggered by eating too many sweet treats (like we often do during the holiday months) causes your body to be in a constant state of fight-or-flight and sets your entire hormonal system off balance. What’s more, all the extra glucose in your system (and all the insulin that your pancreas releases to deal with all that glucose) disrupts ovulation and interferes with the production of progesterone. This can lead to more estrogen in your body relative to progesterone, a condition called estrogen dominance.

Not just that, but fat cells secrete estrogen. The more sugar you eat, the more fat cells you have—and the more estrogen they secrete! This adds to the estrogen overload in your body. Estrogen dominance is the root cause behind so many period problems and hormonal symptoms, including PMS, cramps, irregular cycles, acne, along with PCOS and infertility issues.

How To Have Balanced Blood Sugar On Thanksgiving Day

So how can you enjoy holiday meals without sending your blood sugar soaring?The secret is pre-planning. And that means being just as intentional about your Thanksgiving breakfast as your Thanksgiving dinner. The right breakfast will set you up for blood sugar success, whether the meal is one you’re making or at someone else’s home.

A Good Thanksgiving Breakfast

• 2 eggs in coconut oil
• AND some steel cut oatmeal
• AND steamed kale with olive oil

Pre Thanksgiving Noon Snack

Dinner usually doesn’t start until 3pm, but waiting that long to eat ensures you’ll be hypoglycemic and will trigger major carb cravings!

• Avocado smashed on Food for Life gluten-free toast with added chia seeds, sesame seeds and Himalayan salt.

Hormone-friendly, Healthy Thanksgiving Recipes

Over the many years that I have been living in my Flo, I have created go-to recipes that have become traditions for my Thanksgiving table.First up, the turkey question – I usually roast a turkey breast rolled with a stuffing of roasted chestnuts, celery, onions, and herbs.But I also usually like to prepare a lentil loaf (here’s a great recipe) and I make a mushroom gravy to go over the top (here’s an easy recipe, although use coconut or wholegrain flour instead of all-purpose).Then on to the sides – which is where I feel I really shine! Instead of the hormonally hazardous mashed potatoes and bread stuffing or sauce, I make very simple, fresh vegetable blends. I love roasted brussel sprouts and cauliflower mash, but my specialty is something I call “smashed roots.” Delicious.

Smashed roots

My alternative to mashed potatoes

• 3 large sweet potatoes peeled and cubed
• 2 turnips peeled and cubed
• 1 celery root peeled and cubed
• 1 tsp Himalayan salt
• 4 T olive oil or more!

Prepare all veggies. In a large pot place 3 inches of water and a steamer basket. Steam all veggies, one root at a time.  Smash everything together with the olive oil and salt in your serving bowl and enjoy.

Baked parsnips and fennel and green beans

My alternative to the usual bean casserole

• 2 bulbs fennel sliced into ½ inch slices
• 6 parsnips quartered
• 1 lb of green beans trimmed
• ½ tsp Himalayan salt
• 2 T olive oil

Prepare all veggies. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Bring one medium pot of salted water to boil. Drop parsnips into boiling water for 5 min and place into your casserole/baking dish. In same pot of water, boil green beans for 5 min or until just tender. Finally, blanch the fennel in the boiling water for 2 minutes. Mix everything together with the olive oil and salt in the baking dish and place into the oven. Let roast for 20 minutes until everything is golden and the green beans have a caramelized look to the skin.

Cranberry sauce

I have to say, my cranberry sauce recipe is amazing - it’s the best one I’ve ever tried. Give it a go! No sugar, of course, but it tastes just as good.

• 2 cups fresh cranberries
• 1 cup orange juice
• 1 cup pineapple juice
• 1 jalapeno pepper
• 1 tablespoon of honey

Roasted herby holiday nuts

How about avoiding the usual cheese and cracker trap with a good appetizer? I have you covered. I love this appetizer and it’s often part of what I take to a dinner at someone else’s home or a potluck or holiday party. It’s really an all-round crowd pleaser.

• 1 1/2 cups almonds
• 1 1/2 cups walnut halves
• 1 cup hazelnuts
• 1 cup pecan halves
• 1/2 cup coconut nectar or honey
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne
• 1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh oregano leaves
• 1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh sage leaves
• 1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme leaves
• 1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary leaves
• 1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh savory leaves
• 1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh marjoram leaves
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• About 1 teaspoon Himalayan salt

Mix almonds, walnuts, hazelnuts, pecans, maple syrup, cayenne, oregano, sage, thyme, rosemary, savory, marjoram, and oil in a 10- by 15-inch rimmed pan. Sprinkle nuts with 1 teaspoon salt. Bake in a 300° oven, stirring occasionally, until all liquid evaporates and nuts are golden under the skin (break open to test), about 45 minutes. Let cool.

Apple and cranberry fruit cobbler

No skipping dessert today. It’s the holidays, after all. Instead of pumpkin pie, I opt for a cobbler which satisfies both its sweetness and crunch.

• 4 apples, cored, sliced
• ½ bag of frozen or fresh cranberries
• juice of ½ lemon
• ½ tsp cinnamon, pinch of salt
• 2 T coconut oil
• 1 tsp arrowroot

Combine all the ingredients in a 14 inch casserole baking dish. Sprinkle gluten free/sugar free plain granola on top (Udi’s or Elizabeth’s). Cover with aluminum foil. Bake at 350 for 30 min covered. Let sit 15 minutes uncovered and cool. Serve with fresh mint and coconut yogurt or a drizzle of honey.

Being A Thanksgiving Guest

If I’m going to Thanksgiving at someone else’s home, I will bring my roasted nut appetizer with me and, usually, also the cobbler. This means I have something to snack on and a healthy dessert, so I skip the cheese and crackers and the pies. I can easily have the turkey and vegetable sides while avoiding the mashed potatoes and bread stuffing, without seeming difficult.I have been known to bring my own raw sweet potato to a party, though, I must confess, and quietly steam it prior to dinner so I have a filling, hormone-friendly carb to go with my turkey and veggies

The Flo-fix For Thanksgiving Overindulgence

Say all does not go according to plan and you need to offset your foodie indulgences…maybe you found it hard to avoid what your host was serving up.Here’s how to reset and get your hormones back in balance. If you’ve had a drink as part of the festivities, follow my tried-and-true plan here to hold down your hangover and minimize the hormonal damage. If your indulgences were only food related, then see my effective 3-step plan for the next day:

1. Eat a good breakfast (see above!) but keep it super light the rest of the day. Add some turmeric to those eggs and avo toast. This will smooth out your blood sugar and slow inflammation.
2. Have a green juice (½ cup mango, ½ a green apple, 1/2 cup frozen pineapple, 1/2 cup coconut water, 1 cup of cilantro and blend!) and a green salad with leftover turkey slices for lunch. Have a side order of a fresh apple. Add some sauerkraut to that turkey salad to get your probiotics in and further heal inflammation.
3. Take a shot of apple cider vinegar. Sip on hot water and lemon throughout the rest of the day. These will work to emulsify those fats.

Always remember, once you have the right information about how your body really works, you can start making health choices that finally start to work for you!  You can do this – the science of your body is on your side!

‍

To you FLO,

Alisa

Do you wake up feeling groggy, like you have a hangover, but without the fun memories of the night before?You’re sure you just spent the work evening as usual, sat on the sofa binge watching every single episode of your new favorite show until late. There was popcorn involved, but no wine, this time, so why the fuzzy, heavy head and desperate desire for coffee? You could be suffering with Adrenal Fatigue. Some studies suggest up to 80% of people today have some form of this health problem. Adrenal Fatigue is an imbalance of the hormone cortisol. You are supposed to get 3 main surges of cortisol during the day, but none at night time. With Adrenal Fatigue the opposite happens, you have low cortisol in the morning, but then it peaks in the evening. You’re not tired, but wired, at the end of the day. Cortisol keeps us going, keeps us pepped and energized. When we have cortisol surges at the wrong time we find that we can’t get going in the morning and we can’t fall asleep at night.

How you know if you have Adrenal Fatigue

If even when you take the time to have a really good night’s sleep (in bed by 10pm, the full 8-9 uninterrupted hours) you still feel that hungover feeling, then it’s possible this is down to early stage Adrenal Fatigue. Heal the root causes now and you’ll save yourself a bigger headache in years to come.Culturally, we’re trained to think that we’re kind of supposed to feel tired all of the time. We keep ourselves overbooked and overextended, we stay BUSY, in order to achieve everything we set out to achieve. Our brains have totally got this handled. They can juggle work tasks, child care, meal planning, socializing, studying for a PhD, all at the same time and succeed. But our adrenals are more primitive than our brains and they cannot handle this. They get burnt out very quickly by the modern way of life. Other symptoms of early stage Adrenal Fatigue include:

• low libido
• inability to deal with stress
• problems with concentrating and memory
• getting sick often
• feeling depressed

Sound familiar?

The root cause of Adrenal Fatigue

Adrenal Fatigue is one of what I like to call the “vicious cycle” issues. It comes down to a combination of problems with the gut microbiome, the thyroid, and the adrenals. The gut microbiome is in conversation with our cortisol production system. Inflammation in the gut from issues like “leaky gut syndrome” (brought on by processed flour, sugar, dairy) causes toxic substances to leak through into your whole body and this creates an inflammatory moment, an immune response, and stresses out your adrenals. They send out cortisol like crazy until the well runs dry. With early stage Adrenal Fatigue you’re just not making enough cortisol during the day (and too much at night). With later stage Adrenal Fatigue you can stop making cortisol during the day altogether. The thyroid can become dysfunctional leading to a thyroid problem. That problem can then develop into something more severe - namely Addison’s or Cushing’s Disease. BUT you can turn early stage Adrenal Fatigue around pretty simply and easily and avoid any of these potential cascading health problems.

Adrenal Fatigue and your cycles and fertility

Disruption to the hormone cortisol has a knock-on impact on your cycles. If you’re currently suffering with Adrenal Fatigue you will likely also be experiencing these issues:

• Anovulatory cycles - you won’t be ovulating every month which will hamper your plans for achieving a pregnancy and your overall health.
• Progesterone deficiency - your body eats up progesterone when its struggling to regulate cortisol. Low progesterone lengthens your luteal phase making your cycles longer and the start of your period sluggish (you may see brown spotting and brown blood before the full flow).
• PMS - as you can imagine, the “tired and wired” scenario here is going to worsen all symptoms of PMS including the mood swings and food cravings. You’ll especially crave sugar for energy, which then disrupts the microbiome and causes more cortisol disruption. Vicious cycle!

How to heal Adrenal Fatigue naturally

The great news is that you can heal this health problem naturally - no medications involved - and your efforts will reap rewards quickly. Follow my simple 3 step plan to soothe your adrenals and start sleeping like a baby and waking up refreshed, energized and raring to take on the day. 3 things to do if you want to heal Adrenal Fatigue

1. Sleep. There are many things you can do to get a better night’s sleep, even with cortisol levels going haywire. I have a breakdown of many of my best tips here, but as an added extra for your situation, I suggest you also try a herbal sleep aid. My favorite is Hyland’s Calms.
2. Supplement. There are two types of Adrenal Fatigue - one comes with anxiety and one comes with depression. If you have anxiety, take the supplement Ashwaghanda and if you have depression take Rhodiola.
3. Schedule. Your adrenals love a regular, set schedule. They are trying to keep time in your body in relation to the sun rising and setting, so they’re all about that clockwork time keeping. They feel relaxed by regular bed times, meal times, and workout times. This can seem impossible, especially if you have multiple responsibilities, but try picking just ONE part of your life to schedule strictly - like the time you wake up or the time you eat dinner with your family.

3 things to avoid if you want to heal Adrenal Fatigue

1. Over-exercise. Don’t push yourself when you’re not feeling up to that spin class. If you have adrenal fatigue it’s better to focus on walking, yoga, pilates, instead of high cardio workouts that stress the adrenals. Exercise according to your body’s best abilities by cycle-syncing your routine.
2. Empty stomach. Eat a good breakfast every morning and don’t chug coffee on an empty stomach. Better yet, avoid coffee entirely - here’s my easy detox plan.
3. Late night. Try to rearrange your life to avoid having dinner late, binge watching until the wee hours, events that don’t start til 9pm - try to catch that sleep train at 10pm every night. This way you’ll get into bed on the tail end of the evening cortisol surge and avoid experiencing another close to midnight and then not getting to sleep until 3am, if at all.

Always remember, that once you have the right information about how your body really works, you can start making health choices that finally start to work for you! You can do this - the science of your body is on your side!to your FLO,AlisaGood things come in threes:

I want to hear from you!

First, do you think you have Adrenal Fatigue? Second, do you have low energy? Third, everyone you know is hormonal – spread a little good ovary karma and share this article on social ;)

Need more Hormone Help?

If you’re needing some health upgrading, it’s time you started you looking into what’s going on with your hormones.I’ve designed a 4 day hormone detox and evaluation to help you understand exactly what’s out of whack and how you can start getting back to balance so that your hormones no longer have to suffer.Click here to get your FREE detox and evaluation!

Just a quick Google of the words “women” and “exercise” reveals that, only in this last week, the news has reported that exercise can save women from breast cancer, that women need to do resistance exercises during pregnancy, that exercise is more beneficial to women post-menopause, and that, for women, walking is better than working out. One week we hear that too much exercise or the wrong kind of exercise - be it spinning, CrossFit, running - is bad for us, and another week we hear we’re all heading to an early grave because we work out too little. It’s head-spinningly confusing and it’s enough to make you want to spend another evening on the couch, watching TV, eating snacks, and feeling kind of hopeless. When it comes to our hormonal health you have probably heard both that too much exercise or working out too hard can cause irregular cycles, missing periods, endometriosis, and more. You’ve probably also heard that too little exercise brings on the symptoms of PCOS, gives you cancer, and makes your periods heavy and painful. We are overwhelmed with advice, tips, and research. So what is the perfect Goldilocks-scenario here? What is the just right amount of exercise to do and the just right kind of exercise?Wonderfully, your hormonal patterns provide all you need to figure this out. The cyclical pattern of how our bodies work sets up the perfect architecture for us to plan out what is the best workout for us. During each phase of our menstrual cycle our bodies are primed and prepared for different kinds of exercise. At certain times - luteal phase and menstruation - our stores of nutrients and hormones go into building the lining of your uterus, making enough progesterone for example. At other times we have everything at our disposal to channel into a really strong work out. Cycle awareness and cycle syncing when it comes to working out can save you from exhaustion, burn-out, hormonal imbalance-based health issues, injury and boredom!Whether you’re working out to lose weight, stay fit, or keep healthy - it’s all about having a good metabolism and your metabolism is governed by your hormones. They are sensitive to unstable blood sugar, lack of sleep, too much coffee, too much stress - and all of this can prevent your hormones and metabolism from functioning well, which turns working out from something that’s good for you into something that is either ineffective or becomes actually bad for you.

So, what’s the solution? Don’t work out hard, instead, work out smart.

For the next month try this workout routine - it’s a routine that’s in sync with your body and your hormones. It will support a robust metabolism and strike the perfect balance. Follicular phase - try something new, like the Buti Yoga trend. It’s yoga mixed with Zumba-style movement. Stretch, relax, connect to your core, and get in some cardio all in one session! Ovulatory phase - try an interval training class or gym work out, like short sprints interspersed with fast walking, or a spinning class with slow uphills and fast racing segments - Soul Cycle. First part of your luteal phase - this is when to get high-intensity with a bootcamp class and use up your renewed energy stores to burn fat and make muscle. Second part of your luteal phase - ease towards menstruation with a pilates or restorative yoga class that relieves tension. Menstrual phase - take a gentle walk and sleep, sleep, sleep! Deep, restful, uninterrupted sleep helps you to lose weight. In fact, one night of missed, deficient sleep is the equivalent to 6 months eating a diet high in bad fats. Good sleep safeguards our blood sugar stability and prevents metabolic mayhem. Take my recommended steps to sleep like a baby. To supercharge your workouts the rest of the month, take this time to incorporate other routines that support your health and fitness including dry brushing, epsom salt/baking soda baths, massages and acupuncture. All of these non-workout routines improve your lymphatic drainage, which means that when your body is primed for that bootcamp class you will see more of the benefit. If you prefer to get your exercise at home - try out these cycle synced at-home workout videos especially for women living in their Flo. I’ve also selected the best free online routines you can watch on your laptop or TV that are perfect for each phase of your menstrual cycle.

My current workout routine: For new moms

It’s been just over a year since I gave birth and to be honest, I’ve hardly exercised at all. I go for a walk 3 or 4 times a week around Central Park pushing my baby girl in her 30lb stroller! I do some nice, easy, relaxing yoga for 30 minutes at home. And, you know what? My friends and family say I am thinner now than I was before I got pregnant! When do you ever hear that? It’s because I’m eating in my Flo, living in my Flo, and respecting my post-partum hormones. I know conventional wisdom - or at least gossip magazines - tell us that after giving birth we ought to crash diet and workout like crazy to lose the weight. Well, I lost 40 lbs. worth of baby weight in 3 months without depriving myself and without working out. I know what my body needs right now. I’m producing milk for my baby and that’s an energy and nutrient-heavy process. I am healing from the massive nutrient requirements of making a tiny human and delivering one. I am sleep deprived from nursing. I know my body needs my support to be able to provide for my child and keep me healthy and happy. Many women suffer with adrenal fatigue and thyroid issues post-partum and that’s because they push themselves way too hard and get depleted of their stores of nutrients, energy, and hormones. Instead of depleting myself I am strengthening myself with nourishment - bone broth, homemade chicken liver pate, bison burgers and more. When I feel fully stronger, I will start again with my cycle synced workouts just like the plan I’ve outlined for you here. I walk the talk, ladies, and it works! Always remember, that once you have the right information about how your body really works, you can start making health choices that finally start to work for you! You can do this - the science of your body is on your side!to your FLO,AlisaGood things come in threes:

I want to hear from you!

First, what’s your favorite workout? Second, are you post-partum trying to get your body back, what’s happening? Third, everyone you know is hormonal – spread a little good ovary karma and share this article on social ;)

Need more Hormone Help?

If you’re needing some health upgrading, it’s time you started you looking into what’s going on with your hormones.I’ve designed a 4 day hormone detox and evaluation to help you understand exactly what’s out of whack and how you can start getting back to balance so that your hormones no longer have to suffer.Click here to get your FREE detox and evaluation!

We’ve all met those women - the ones that are quick to tell everyone that their period is totally light, quick, pain and problem-free! Like those women in the commercials, running around playing tennis and horseback riding, as if nothing were happening down there.

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We tend to think those women are just plain lucky, that it’s a happy accident of fate whether you experience an easy period or a hard period. We assume something goes on in that mysterious process that either delivers you with a life of period positivity or a life of hating your period. We think: “Maybe it’s in the genes?”

And, if that lady isn’t you - if you do suffer every month with heavy bleeding, cramps, periods that go on forever, horrible PMS symptoms like moodiness and cravings...well then it can be really annoying to hear about someone else’s great period! You might even be in the situation where you have to explain your problem periods to your boss or co-workers, friends and family, because you just can’t carry on with life when you’re bleeding.

I have a confession to make, though, I am one of those women with a great period that causes me no problems! I even went on the Dr. Oz show to tell him about how great my period is!

But, I didn’t used to be one of those women. Before I developed the Flo Living protocol my periods were a real pain in the ass. So, I get where you’re coming from.

I want to tell you what my period is like NOW, only so that you know what a normal, healthy period SHOULD be like. There is absolutely no reason you should suffer on your period. It is not necessary, inevitable, fated, or unavoidable that you currently have cramps, heavy bleeding, clots, long periods, irregular periods, or terrible PMS issues. It is not some cross women have to bear, this problem period situation. It can be fixed.

What is a normal, perfect, healthy, period?

1. Your cycle should last 26-32 days - anywhere in between is fine as long as it is regular and consistent for you.
2. Your bleed should be the color of cranberry juice from start to finish, with no clots. A nice, strong, flow that isn’t inconveniently heavy and has you running to the bathroom every hour. Your period should really start first thing in the morning, without any brown stains leading up to the appearance of that cranberry red. And it should last 4-7 days, not longer or shorter.
3. You should be able to feel your uterus in action with some slight sensations or warm feelings, but there should not be any kind of pain that might have you reaching for drugs or hot water bottles.
4. After your period, leading up to ovulation, you should see the development of cervical fluid, which is an indicator of healthy fertility and necessary for getting pregnant. You might see this in your underwear or when you wipe after using the bathroom.
5. Rather than PMS, you should notice an increase in upbeat, social energy towards the middle of your cycle, that’s post-period, and then, in the second half of your cycle, a more focused, determined energy to get things accomplished.

If you experience a period that is the opposite of this - that is “un-perfect” shall we say? - check out my guide to interpreting and treating your period - this is where I provide specific protocols for each potential period problem you might be facing at this time whether that be clots, extremely light periods, brown staining, super short cycles, cramps, or PMS.

It pains me to see the descriptions sent out with the #livetweetyourperiod hashtag on Twitter, so many of them are utterly heart-wrenchingly negative, because women are suffering. Even the founder of the campaign, Tracy Clayton from Buzzfeed, seems to have extremely problematic periods. And so many women seem to feel they have to accept it as their lot in life.

I want to shout it from the rooftops: You can have the perfect period!

‍It’s totally achievable. You can even have a better period by next month, and a period just like mine within 3 months. I’ve seen it happen time and time again with the women I’ve worked with through Flo Living. I think every woman deserves the kind of period they can truly brag about.

Always remember, that once you have the right information about how your body really works, you can start making health choices that finally start to work for you!  You can do this - the science of your body is on your side!

Living in New York City, when the seasons change, boy do we know about it! If you’ve not experienced it, then I know you’ve definitely seen on the news how our winter storms have really upped their game in recent years. Basically, it’s dark and gloomy for 3-4 months straight. Sometimes the Holidays and Christmas lights and gift shopping are just not enough to beat back the blues. But there’s a difference between feeling low because you can no longer sit out in the park of an evening, and chronic sadness. Seasonal Affective Disorder shows up in feeling blue, but also as increased irritability, anxiety, issues focusing or concentrating, sleeping longer but not as deeply, and feeling lethargic. Fall is like the weather’s luteal phase! And just like with our own pre-menstrual experience, if we don’t support our bodies and our hormones then we will find that we take the transition much harder than is necessary. You Winter proof your house, right? Well, you’ve got to Winterproof yourself too! Because when the weather’s PMS and your PMS sync - you’ll be in for a rough ride!

The hormonal story behind SAD symptoms

Both pre-menstrual depression and Seasonal Affective Disorder occur because of low levels of the hormones serotonin and melatonin. Serotonin is produced in our bodies from the precursor amino acid tryptophan, and melatonin is converted from serotonin by the pineal gland at night. Thus, low serotonin yields low melatonin, which messes with our sleep cycles and further contributes to depressed feelings.Take away regular doses of natural sunlight with the darkening weather, and it gets even worse. Sunlight increases serotonin production, as well as Vitamin D production, which helps maintain the serotonin levels. I should also mention that the stress hormone cortisol can impact serotonin production, so if you throw stress or adrenal issues into the mix, it will exacerbate the problem.

The 5 Natural Remedies to Beat Seasonal Affective Disorder

I’m certain that prescriptions of antidepressants increase exponentially at this time. But you can avoid this heavy-hitting protocol, by trying out some natural, gentle remedies that will support your body, your hormones and boost your mood holistically. Hop over here to get some additional tips on alleviating stress and anxiety too.

1. Brighten your diet. Seek out foods that contain the amino acid tryptophan. These include: turkey, chicken, seafood, eggs, buckwheat, nuts, seeds, and legumes. Vitamin B6 is also important for melatonin production and progesterone production so pick up a B6 supplement and increase the foods listed above. I’m also including a smoothie recipe here that is rich in serotonin-boosting nutrients. You can fight PMS with food and weather-PMS is just the same!
2. Light up your life. Get out of bed and go for a walk first thing in the morning when the sun’s up, if possible. Waking your body up with natural light is one of the best things you can do for moods and monthly cycle. If it’s hard to come by where you live, or the weather is just too bad, then invest in an indoor energy lamp like these or a light mask like this.
3. Get in the rhythm! Waking up and going to sleep at the same time, as well as eating meals and exercising at similar times every day greatly improves your body’s inner circadian rhythms, which will help regulate your sleep cycle and menstrual cycle. A regular rhythm will combat the winter blues and the PMS blues, all at once. I have some tips for getting better sleep and developing a good bedtime routine.
4. Make your social network a reality. Get off Facebook (at least for a while!) and get real personal contact with your favorite humans! Chance are, you’re not alone in feeling down. Picking up the phone to chat with a friend can be the greatest remedy of all.
5. Up Your Supplement Game. If you’re in the SAD cave, then taking the right supplements isn’t just a nice idea, it’s a necessity. You’re already exhibiting the effects of depleted levels of key micronutrients and a disrupted gut microbiome. You need probiotics, omega 3’s, D3, B-vitamins, and more. Click here to learn about our recommended supplements.

How to Combat Seasonal Affective Disorder With Supplements

If you’re ready for a natural solution that will help you balance your mood, order the Balance Supplement Kit and get the daily dose of essential vitamins and minerals you need to get rid of those winter blues. Always remember, that once you have the right information about how your body really works, you can start making health choices that finally start to work for you! You can do this – the science of your body is on your side!to your FLO,AlisaGood things come in threes:

I want to hear from you!

First, do you suffer with SAD? Second, what helps to boost your mood in the darker months? Third, everyone you know is hormonal – spread a little good ovary karma and share this article on social ;)

Need more Hormone Help?

You’ve been asking me for hormone-friendly supplement recommendations, and I finally have created a solution that I am so thrilled to be able to offer to you on your hormonal balancing journey:

Balance by FLO Living Supplements are a complete package that work together to keep your hormone levels healthy. They include a 2 month (2 cycle) supply of the following formulations so you’re never caught short in any phase of your cycle.When you take these 5 supplements daily, you’ll be giving your body excellent micronutrients to support healthier hormone levels. Which means that you’ll start to see your worst period symptoms get better… and even disappear after a while.

Click here to learn more about the BALANCE Bio-Hacking Supplement Kit.

The holiday season from Halloween on can test the healthy eating habits of even the most determined of us! It’s the time of year when health bloggers are telling you to swap sweet candy for green apples and we all nod along enthusiastically until we actually find ourselves in the grocery store, faced with aisle upon aisle of our favorite chocolate bars, now made even more tempting by being so small, cute, and fun-sized! There are some important reasons to not go over-the-top when it comes to sugar - mismanaged blood sugar levels are a root cause of hormonal health issues like PCOS, PMS, painful periods, and infertility issues. But I know that depriving yourself completely isn’t a realistic approach at this time of year, instead it should be about balance. So, I’m not here to tell you you can’t indulge in your favorite sugary Halloween treat. It’s a wonderful thing when you’ve been taking care of your hormones with your diet studiously for some time to take a moment to really, truly savor some candy. I get it - when I was a kid I would swap all of my Halloween candies for my friends’ KitKat bars. I looooved those KitKat bars like nothing else. And I do still sometimes sit down and indulge in my favorite chocolate bar - I just find now that I want my sweet fix to be as healthful as possible.

Halloween candy and your kids

Speaking of kids - now that I have my baby girl, how to approach Halloween in a way that’s best for my family is definitely on my mind. Not long now and she’ll be off trick-or-treating with her friends and bringing back bags full of candy, just like I did. While your child is still under your care, that is, she/he is still at the age when they’ll take your advice and listen to what you think is best, then try to instill in them a sense of the value of real food. Wean them off the regular candies with my favorite alternatives and soon enough they’ll like them more. At least that is what they can find at home, even if at school it might be a different story! They’ll learn the difference and then they can have that educational foundation as they grow up to make their own choices. This Halloween, if your kids come home with bags of regular, processed, junk candy - consider doing a swap with them for my healthier alternatives. Then consider donating the candy they were given. Operation Gratitudesends care packages to troops overseas, including all the treats they may have not seen for months or years. It’s a good way to get rid of at least some of that Halloween haul and teach your kids the importance of sharing at the same time. I know it would be super expensive to hand out my healthy candy alternatives to all the neighborhood kids (if you do still get trick-or-treaters at your door on Halloween night…), so let’s hope some day these companies can compete on their pricing with the big brands and we can all share hormone-friendly treats with our neighbors and friends.

My favorite healthy Halloween candy alternatives

I think the best way to sail through the holiday season from Halloween on, candy-wise, is a 2 step process -

1) Don’t stress about the occasional indulgence with your favorite regular treatsand 2) Plan ahead to satisfy your cravings with healthy candy alternatives that you can enjoy just as much (no green apples, I promise!).Most of these healthy candies can be found at your local WholeFoods or health food store. Buying online can also help you save. Oh, and if anyone finds a company that makes healthy version of my favorite KitKat bars, please let me know! I’m still on the look out for that one.

1. Justin’s natural candies - everything from lollipops to gummies to candy bars are here. They even have natural candy corn, pumpkin lollipops, black and orange natural food coloring, and a trick-or-treat mixed bag!

1. Sun cups - I’d say Reese’s peanut butter cups were my second favorite treat as a kid, after KitKats. Now I love these dark chocolate and sunbutter cups! They’re just as delicious.
2. Sunspire - M&Ms are everywhere this time of year with all the special flavors and colors. Sunspire does a healthy alternative for both milk chocolate and peanut butter M&Ms called SunDrops. You’ll never look back!
3. The Lovely Candy Company - is just that, lovely! It brings us fruit chews, caramels, and licorice, all without all the processed junk.
4. Ocho candy bars - Ocho does the perfect alternative to an Almond Joy bar. It’s incredible h

1. ow close it is to the real thing. For Halloween, they also helpfully provide pouches of mini versions of all of their bars.
2. Endangered Species chocolate mini bars - these are the perfect fun size for Halloween and they are flavored cranberry or mint for the holiday season, if you’re thinking ahead to what you might save for Christmas stockings!

Always remember, that once you have the right information about how your body really works, you can start making health choices that finally start to work for you! You can do this - the science of your body is on your side!to your FLO,AlisaGood things come in threes:

I want to hear from you!

First, do you struggle with sugar cravings? Second, what are your favorite healthy alternatives? Third, everyone you know is hormonal – spread a little good ovary karma and share this article on social ;)

Need more Hormone Help?

If you’re needing some health upgrading, it’s time you started you looking into what’s going on with your hormones.I’ve designed a 4 day hormone detox and evaluation to help you understand exactly what’s out of whack and how you can start getting back to balance so that your hormones no longer have to suffer.Click here to get your FREE detox and evaluation!

A couple of weeks back I shared an article on the Flo Living Facebook page about how Kim Kardashian said that pregnancy was “the worst experience” of her life. This really struck a chord with our Flo community and many of you shared your own feelings about pregnancy and the issues you’ve gone through while carrying a child. Some women said they loved being pregnant, some women said they genuinely hated it - but all agreed the outcome made the struggle worthwhile!But, does pregnancy have to be that hard? Is it supposed to be like that? You want to know and I hear that. So, I’m going to address this head on. Short answer: No, pregnancy doesn’t have to be all that bad. Long answer: I mean, let me be honest with you, if you’re a hormonally sensitive woman (say if, like me, you have PCOS) then the surge of hormones during pregnancy will likely cause you some issues. For me, I gained 50 pounds. If you’re the kind of women whose hormonal balance can be made hectic by excess estrogen or the change in SHGB (sex hormone binding globulin) then there are some symptoms of this that will be unavoidable like changes in hair and skin. However, the same strategies that I encourage women to use to help themselves get pregnant naturally are, thankfully, also the same strategies you can use to ensure a healthy, happy pregnancy. Basically, if you prep for pregnancy in the right way then you are setting yourself up for a much easier 9 months! This is what I did to help myself and the result was a really happy healthy pregnancy.There are 2 parts of your pregnancy experience that you can control completely before you get pregnant, and while you are pregnant. Taking charge in these areas will absolutely decrease the intensity and severity of any hormonal imbalance and hormone sensitivity issues you might face otherwise. These are:

• Your body’s chemical load at the start of pregnancy.

• Your deficiency in key micronutrients prior and throughout the pregnancy.

If either of these areas of your health are not optimal then pregnancy could be a struggle. All the energy and effort (and the bulk of the nourishment from your food) goes towards growing your baby. Baby becomes first priority, so if you are under-nourished you will feel worse and if your chemical load is high you will feel worse. Your liver has less time for you and your body’s supply of nutrients is going direct to baby as much as possible.

With this in mind, how then to ensure a healthy, easy pregnancy?

• Love your liver. There’s no quick fix to detox your liver and make sure everything is running smoothly. The best way to do this is with good Flo foods and regular doses of my favorite cilantro smoothie!
• Clean out the chemicals. That means eating organic to avoid pesticides, sure, but also cleaning out your cosmetics bag and your home cleaning closet. Chemicals lurk all over our homes and we need to be vigilant in getting rid of endocrine disruptors. The less your liver has to detox from dealing with, the better for you and baby.
• Nourish your body. There is one nutrient that many, even most, women are very low on and which is absolutely essential for getting pregnant and for having an easier pregnancy - that’s vitamin D3. Upping your D3 intake is a great place to start when you’re preparing yourself for a pregnancy.
• Think ahead. An easy pregnancy is better achieved with at the very least 3 months, and at the very best a whole year, of prior preparation. This is often left out of a conversation that tends to focus on what you eat during pregnancy, but it’s just as important to start eating in your Flo way ahead of time. It gives your body the head start it needs to take care of you and your baby.

Always remember, that once you have the right information about how your body really works, you can start making health choices that finally start to work for you! You can do this - the science of your body is on your side!to your FLO,AlisaGood things come in threes:

I want to hear from you!

First, do you suffer with SAD? Second, are you hoping to conceive soon? Third, how would you describe your pregnancy experience?

Are You Trying to Conceive?

If you want to do everything in your power to improve your chances of becoming a mom—then we want to help you optimize your fertility.Whether you are just starting to think about having a baby, or have already tried naturally or have been trying with IVF, our Fertile FLO Program will help improve your chances of conception.Click here to download my FREE guide, The 5 Health Foods to Avoid to Get and Stay Pregnant.

Winter is coming and that means cold, cough and flu season is heading our way fast like a building storm. Balanced hormones will provide you with a healthy, active immune system that’s ready to take on pretty much anything. So eating in your Flo already (or starting today!) will make a big difference to how the next season works out for you and your health. However, there are some other (surprising!) ways to build on this foundation that will gear up your immunity to superhero status. Hormonal balance is a big part of the immunity-protection process, but also - - your adrenal and thyroid glands need to be in their prime- getting stressed out and producing too much cortisol is going to leave your immune system more vulnerable to overwhelm- your gut microbiome is critical in the strength of your immune system so you need to nourish itI live in Manhattan and germs are everywhere (ever read those studies about the bacteria on New York subway seats or hand rails? Ewww...). Getting sick isn’t always about germs, it’s more about your ability to manage exposure to germs and how your body responds. You need to support your immune system as an integrated part of your overall health in order to help it handle anything you might end up being exposed to.

The 5 surprising, natural ways to boost your immunity

1. Orgasm! Yes, yes, yes! It’s super important that you have regular orgasms (maybe you should print this out and put it on the fridge for your partner to see?). The blend of nitric oxide and boosted oxytocin that comes about when you orgasm increases the efficiency and power of your immune system response. More sex = less colds. Follow my FLO formula to orgasm every time - partner not necessary.
2. Take time off. Ten years ago or so it was common practice to stay home from work or school when sick to get better and not spread the virus around. These days it seems like we all think we have to power through and turn up at our desk no matter what. One sick day at home in bed or on the sofa is going to help you recover faster, let your immune system truly bounce back, and stop you getting sick again soon. It will also save your colleagues from the same illness. With kids - keep them home! One day off from school can allow them to recover faster.
3. Go organic for Winter. If you’ve not gone organic already, then the start of Fall/Winter is the best time to do so. I know eating organic can be expensive - but so is time off work, medications, doctor’s visits and so on! Avoiding pesticides will support your immune system. Your immunity is created in your gut - pesticides make the wrong kinds of bacteria thrive and kill off the healthy bacteria you badly need. This one-two punch beats down your immune system.
4. Stop binge drinking. Even one night a week or a month of drinking heavily is going to increase gut inflammation. Yes - that becomes your new normal and makes you way more likely to get every cough, cold, and flu going around. You can fix it and regain your immunity, but first you have to stop the binge drinking so your body can actually absorb the nutrients and minerals it needs to heal itself and then protect you.
5. Listen to Old Wive’s Tales. Ever heard “feed a cold, starve a fever”? Well, it’s exactly right. Funny how some of the old sayings and wisdoms that have stuck around are still here because they speak the truth. If you do get sick, feed your cold an antioxidant-rich diet that’s very plant based. I’m talking juices, salads, cooked veggies, fresh fruit. For a fever - lots of bone broth with nothing else in it as well as warm water with lemon juice. Also - pack your medicine cabinet with hormone-friendly natural remedies to reach for.

Try my favorite cold-busting, immune-boosting juice recipe:

½ a carrot¼ a beet Juice of ½ a lemon¼ cup of chopped ginger½ cup of pineappleJuice of ½ an orange 1 tablespoon of manuka honeyAlways remember, that once you have the right information about how your body really works, you can start making health choices that finally start to work for you! You can do this - the science of your body is on your side!to your FLO,AlisaGood things come in threes:

I want to hear from you!

First, do you find that you get sick a lot? Second, what’s your favorite cold/flu natural remedy? Share with us! Third, everyone you know is hormonal – spread a little good ovary karma and share this article on social ;)

Need more Hormone Help?

If you’re needing some health upgrading, it’s time you started you looking into what’s going on with your hormones.I’ve designed a 4 day hormone detox and evaluation to help you understand exactly what’s out of whack and how you can start getting back to balance so that your hormones no longer have to suffer.Click here to get your FREE detox and evaluation!

A few weeks back I shared my smoothie prescriptions to banish symptoms of PMS, fatigue, low libido and boost your fertility. Now we’re coming into Fall, I’m thinking you all need something warmer and more comforting to fix what ails you. It’s soup season! Soup to me is basically a hot smoothie.

I take the same pleasure in coming up with adventurous and inspiring blends of my favorite Flo foods. I make soups in batches and freeze them for later (you may have noticed this when I told you all about what’s in my fridge and pantry!). I like a really filling, nourishing soup for dinner and sometimes I keep them on hand for a small bowl snack.

I have the perfect soup recipe here that you must try this weekend. It’s the best medicine for your PMS, fatigue, flagging sex drive and problem periods - all in one go. It’s a super-soup!

The super-soup to banish all of your symptoms!

This soup is nutrient dense, satisfying, with slow-releasing energy, mood stabilizing fat, liver supporting vitamins and proteins, and blood sugar balancing carbohydrates. Make it for dinner to get better sleep and stop yourself from craving sweets come 10pm.

‍Ingredients

‍Soup (serves 4)

4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth

1 yellow onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

2 teaspoons freshly grated ginger

1 pound carrots, chopped

2 teaspoons turmeric

1 teaspoon lemon juice

Coconut oil

‍Topping

‍1 tablespoon chopped cilantro

1 tablespoon chopped red onion

4 tablespoons coconut yogurt

4 tablespoons of cooked black beans

‍Instructions

‍Add coconut oil to a large stockpot. Add onions and garlic with Himalayan salt, pepper and turmeric and sauté for about a minute. Add the carrots. Add veggie broth and bring to boil. Add the ginger and lemon juice. Reduce to a simmer and cook for around 20 minutes until the carrots feel tender.Allow the soup to cool slightly, then blend until smooth. Top each bowl with a tablespoon of coconut yogurt, a tablespoon of cooked black beans, some cilantro and red onion. Serve and reheat as desired.

Feeling stressed and overwhelmed can lead to a cascade of hormonal health-rooted issues from fatigue, to low libido, to missing periods. When we get stressed, we tend to self-medicate with the tempting trifecta of sugar, coffee, and alcohol - sending our blood sugar on a rollercoaster ride, putting our adrenals in overdrive, and hampering the liver’s detoxification process. If you’re 35 plus and juggling career goals, childcare, your relationship and big financial decisions, all while going through perimenopause, elevated stress levels are going to make you feel like you’ve lost the plot. I hear your pain - it just never stops, does it? You climb to the top of one mountain only to find a whole range of mountains on the other side! You give, give, give to your boss, work colleagues, family, friends. Everyday your Facebook feed fills with the latest lifehacks that promise to fix it all and give you back your time, energy, and sanity. You try them, you feel more on top of it perhaps, for a while, but you still can’t shake the fatigue, combat the extra pounds, get back your desire for sex, or figure out your periods - you’re more organized, but you still feel lousy. So, what’s a woman to do? I’m going to say, right up front, the first thing you need to do is to stop trying to solve the problem with your thoughts! Being in our heads instead of our bodies and living from the neck up leads straight to Burn Out Town. Focusing on super-scheduling skills, to-do lists, end results, self-reliance, and resilience has us living through only our “masculine” energy. We need to tap into our “feminine” energy (all of us, men and women, both!) to access our innate ability to de-stress, intuit, create, and feel centered about everything that comes our way. Doing this will help your hormones, your health, and make you more productive, creative, and powerful in the workplace. I go to a lot of events where I speak to rooms full of women like you. The most popular question I’m asked is always - how do I avoid stress? Usually experts dole out strategies for organizing, focusing, dividing and dominating your time to make your day work for you. Strategies that are all coming from a masculine perspective on what works. What do I say…? Take a break. Take time out. Take a moment to be in your body instead of your head. Find time for pleasure. Make moments for reconnecting with your feminine energy. Do something that will help you connect with your heart and everything else will feel so much easier. I know this might sound wishy-washy when compared to the step-by-step guides to lifehacking, but I promise you that this is THE solution to de-stressing. This will help you bend time, make time, and regain time all in one go. You’ll stop watching the days blur into one long uphill struggle punctuated only by poor sleep when you just cannot switch off. You need to take some time, for yourself, to make time, for yourself, and for everyone else in your life. Otherwise, at some point, probably in your mid-30s when hormonal imbalance hits the fan - you will burn out. Just because you have ovaries it doesn’t mean you’re living in your feminine energy - it’s pretty likely, especially if you’re dealing with hormonal health issues, that you need to reconnect to this side of yourself. The female body, our bodies, quite literally created time through our cycles. Our body’s rhythms are what taught human beings the concept of time. So, isn’t it just perfect that the solution to managing your own time is reconnecting with your body? It’s the original lifehack! In the same way that I discuss living in your Flo through the month and helping your feminine energy mold your weeks, I suggest taking the same strategy to your day.

5 ways to avoid stress by using your feminine energy

We’ve come to hate the idea of procrastination, but I think it all depends on how you get your distractions! Not working is so important to the process of productivity. Taking breaks is not wasting time if you’re using those breaks wisely. You’ll boost oxytocin and let your natural stress relief hormones do the job they were made for!

1. Get up and move! Try my one day movement plan for whether you’re at the office or at home. Feel and be in your body for a while. I love to take little dance breaks. I put on my favorite song and dance around the living room! I’ve even been known to do this in the middle of the night when baby has me up and about at 2am! How often do we hear men say that going for a run clears their head? Even the most high-powered masculine CEOs know the importance of getting in touch with their feminine energy to make them more productive, creative, and powerful. A walk around the block, alone, with a friend (on the phone or in person!), is energizing and enlightening. You’ll return to your desk feeling refreshed.
2. Connect with your favorite humans! I am lucky in that I get to take breaks while working from home to cuddle with my daughter or have a little playtime. However, I also recommend taking 15 minutes to call your best friend and share a funny story and have a good giggle. Laughter can be the best medicine.
3. Make your desk a peaceful sanctuary. Where ever you work, set it up so you can take breaks to, literally, smell the roses. Buy fresh flowers during your lunchbreak, or have them delivered (the glamour!). Set up an aromatherapy essential oil diffuser. Have photos of your loved ones that inspired happy, blissful memories. Linger on all these elements every once in awhile throughout the day and take pleasure in them.
4. Make time to for self-pleasure! Spend 20 minutes alone with some coconut oil and follow my WomanCode tips for an orgasm every time. It’s super important that you do this au natural - without vibrators and other accessories - there are some good reasons why this can actually hold you back.
5. Read stories. New research shows that reading fiction “deeply” or “pleasure reading” as it’s also called - that means getting totally immersed in a good book instead of skimming articles on the internet - can make us feel really good. It puts you in a state almost like meditation. Getting to see the world from someone else’s perspective also brings a new energy and light to your own situation.

Always remember, that once you have the right information about how your body really works, you can start making health choices that finally start to work for you! You can do this - the science of your body is on your side!to your FLO,AlisaGood things come in threes:

I want to hear from you!

First, do you struggle with stress? Second, how do you choose to relax? Third, everyone you know is hormonal – spread a little good ovary karma and share this article on social ;)

Need more Hormone Help?

If you’re needing some health upgrading, it’s time you started you looking into what’s going on with your hormones.I’ve designed a 4 day hormone detox and evaluation to help you understand exactly what’s out of whack and how you can start getting back to balance so that your hormones no longer have to suffer.Click here to get your FREE detox and evaluation!

A new research study has revealed that even short term use of NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) like Asprin, Ibuprofen and Naproxen can prevent ovulation and cause infertility. The research suggests this is because these over-the-counter medications can decrease progesterone production, a hormone that is essential for the body to trigger ovulation. This impact is temporary, but this new knowledge is vital for both women who are trying to conceive and those who are not. For those trying to conceive even one infertile cycle can be seen as a setback to their hope for a planned pregnancy, and if a woman is dealing with pain every month then it might not just be one cycle she’s missing. For those not looking to conceive - low progesterone and a lack of ovulation in even one cycle can impact your mood, energy levels, sex drive and cause you to have an early period. A lack of progesterone can show up as sleep problems, hair loss and PMS. Essentially, the kind of drugs we all keep in our bathroom cabinet and often think very little of taking, can be sabotaging out hormonal balance! This is major news and it might have you thinking about how other medications you like to keep on hand could be causing similar hormonal havoc.

Alternatives to NSAIDs that won’t harm your fertility

I’ve discussed before how you might stock a natural medicine cabinet that provides easy and effective alternatives to NSAIDs for period cramps and pain. If most of your painkiller consumptions comes around your period then I’ve also discussed other natural cures for this discomfort. If you suffer with pre-menstrual headaches I have outlined a way to address this with diet changes. Magnesium deficiency can also be at the root of migraines.

The impact of other medications on your fertility

I’d like to talk you through how other commonly-used medications might be worth reconsidering for more than very rare use if you want to support your hormones and your health. Plus provide you with some ideas for natural treatment alternatives. The birth control pillHormonal contraceptives prevent ovulation by replacing your body’s natural hormones with a stream of synthetic hormones that flatten out the cycle to make it a one-note experience. These synthetic hormones do not act like our own hormones in that they actually produce a biological state much like menopause. Similarly to NSAIDs - you won’t be producing progesterone when using these birth control methods. The birth control pill may suppress symptoms of hormonal health issues like PCOS or endometriosis, but it does not treat the root cause and so the problems will inevitably return once you come off. One of the biggest myths about the Pill is that it “protects” your fertility, when in reality, it is harming your hormones. I have helped hundreds of women transition off the Pill with a tried-and-tested formula. There are many natural alternatives to successfully avoid pregnancy. If you are using the Pill for a hormonal health issue, you’re in the right place as you are obviously seeking alternatives! I developed the FLO Hormone Balance Program to help - with endometriosis, PCOS, and more. AntibioticsAntibiotic treatments kill off the good bacteria along with the bad and disrupt your all-important microbiome. One set of healthful and helpful gut bacteria, more specifically certain bacterial genes, called the estrobolome, produce an essential enzyme that helps metabolize estrogen. Your gut or microbiome therefore is part of the elimination system that is vital in ushering hormones out of the body. This process, when working efficiently, plays an essential role in perfect hormonal balance (I’ve previously discussed this in more detail). Essentially, over-use of antibiotics can lead you to estrogen dominance, a source of many hormonal health issues. I interviewed Dr Raphel Kellman - the man who discovered the microbiome - here. Many women use antibiotics mostly for urinary tract infections and yeast infections. There’s no need for this! These medications make the problem worse over time and create a vicious cycle. I have shared my preferred natural alternative treatments. Always remember, that once you have the right information about how your body really works, you can start making health choices that finally start to work for you! You can do this - the science of your body is on your side!to your FLO,AlisaGood things come in threes:

I want to hear from you!

First, are you trying to conceive? Second, have you successfully used natural treatments for cramps or headaches? Third, everyone you know is hormonal – spread a little good ovary karma and share this article on social ;)

Are You Trying to Conceive?

If you want to do everything in your power to improve your chances of becoming a mom—then we want to help you optimize your fertility.Whether you are just starting to think about having a baby, or have already tried naturally or have been trying with IVF, our Fertile FLO Program will help improve your chances of conception.Click here to download my FREE guide, The 5 Health Foods to Avoid to Get and Stay Pregnant.

I know most women assume that after getting their first period and then pregnancy that the next hormonal milestone is menopause. But we skip a step - the third “P” in our lifetime hormonal cycle is perimenopause, the shift that happens once we hit 35. Perimenopause can have an impact on how you look and feel in ways that you don’t expect to deal with until much later, and the effects are all the more startling the less you have supported your hormones and your health up to this point. Perimenopause can be when some women realize they just can’t put off taking care of their bodies better anymore. If you’re not healthy, your body will let you know now!

The first sign that you’re entering perimenopause will likely be newly and unexpectedly irregular periods.

Your hormone production is slowly waning. You won’t ovulate as regularly, every cycle, and your periods will reflect this. We expect our cycles to stay the same until they suddenly stop with the menopausal shift, but actually this is a long process that starts in our 30s. The good news is that if you take control at this first sign of entering this life phase, then you can prevent many of the symptoms that come along with the change. Not to mention allowing yourself the option of achieving pregnancy when you want to, in your third decade.How much you feel the impact of the perimenopausal hormonal shift in your day-to-day life will depend a whole lot on your diet and lifestyle. The less healthy and hormonally-supportive those aspects are, the more likely it is that perimenopause will hit you hard. Here’s how you should not be feeling when you reach 35:

• Completely disinterested in sex
• Like you’ve got your teenage skin back, acne and all
• Out of control when it comes to your weight - you’re gaining and nothing you do helps
• Exhausted from lack of good, deep, healthy sleep
• Anxious, low and overwhelmed by everything going on in your life
• Worried about where your periods have gone now that you want children

These are not natural, normal signs of perimenopause - far from it. These are actually symptoms premature hormonal aging!

Change your diet and lifestyle today and you won’t and don’t have to feel like this. You can keep your youthful, vital, luscious energy, sex drive, skin, figure, and happiness for years to come. These issues are entirely unnecessary symptoms you don’t have to go through if you choose to change how you approach your health and live in your Flo. Here are 4 changes you can make today that will slow down perimenopause and stop the symptoms: 1 – Eat according to your cycle. This is a key change that is necessary to balance out your estrogen and progesterone. Get started with cycle syncing your diet with a very simple, quick, and easy to follow introductory protocol – focusing first on your greens and your grains. Layer in the rest of the foods as detailed in my book “WomanCode” to complete the process. 2 – Eat enough protein and fat. These are very important as they help you to make enough hormones to feel young and good. Your body is slowing down hormone production so it’s critical you give it all it needs to produce as much as it can at this stage. Learn more about my favorite proteins here and fats here.3 – Take D3 and Evening Primrose Oil. These are essential for keeping your hormones balanced. These are specifically helpful for the perimenopausal transition. Evening primrose oil is a source of gamma-linolenic acid (GLA), an essential fatty acid that influences prostaglandin synthesis and calms perimenopausal symptoms. Read more on why D3 is so important for your hormonal health here. 4 - Increase your Zinc intake. Zinc is bountiful in beans and seeds, however you can also supplement with 50mg a day. Zinc is super important for testosterone production, a vital hormone is soothing the perimenopause process. You can read more about balancing your testosterone levels here. Always remember, that once you have the right information about how your body really works, you can start making health choices that finally start to work for you! You can do this - the science of your body is on your side!to your FLO,AlisaGood things come in threes:

I want to hear from you!

First, do you feel like you’re entering perimenopause?Second, what symptoms have you experienced? Third, everyone you know is hormonal – spread a little good ovary karma and share this article on social ;)

Feeling Frazzled, Bloated, and Unsexy?

If you’ve noticed more distance between cycles…or some periods are light and some are super heavy…your sex drive is flat…and you’re more moody in general (anxious, depressed, or both)…and especially if you’re in your mid 30’s and up…Your hormones may be aging faster than they should. But you can start reversing this process by adding one key micronutrient that you’re likely missing.Get your free report: The Magic Missing Micronutrient to Get Your Sexy Back.

When I was working on my own health and, at the same time, developing the Flo Living protocol, I was surprised to realize that there was this huge emotional component to embodying my cycle and working with, rather than against, my body and my hormones. Specifically, I found that it was really important for me to transform how I was engaging in my relationship at the time to fully live in my Flo. I needed to change the dynamic of my relationship with my partner in order to heal my PCOS, acne, and weight issues - to live the life I wanted to be living.

I launched into research on the masculine and feminine energies. This may sound a little woo-woo at first, but stay with me - it’s actually a strong, vital element of Traditional Chinese Medicine practices. It’s not about telling women to speak softly and be submissive or teaching men to be tough and aggressive - as you might expect - in fact, it’s quite the opposite! Through my work with women at Flo Living, I have discovered that one of the central issues facing couples today is the fact that both the man and the woman are living in their masculine energy all of the time, every single day. This is taking a real toll on their ability to communicate, be intimate, and connect. By following my model, built around my hormonal cycle, you can have a happier relationship in just 4 weeks!

The relationship issue that causes tension, fights, and breakups

The first thing I learned in my research was that being a man or a woman does not give a person more or less access to masculine or feminine energy - we all have both energies within us. Learning how to balance both of these helps us to live a more physically, emotionally, and psychologically healthy and vibrant life. It’s also the key to a better relationship with all the great sex, connected talks, romance, support, and fun that we all desire. Embracing your feminine energy isn’t about living in that zone all of the time. For many women (including me, back then) it’s primarily about accessing that energy (often for the first time in your adult life) and using it to your benefit. Before I began working on my WomanCode protocol, I had no idea what experiencing my feminine energy would look or feel like. I was hormonally imbalanced and totally out of touch with my body. One of the quickest, simplest ways to get in touch with your feminine energy is to get in touch with your menstrual cycle and start honoring those changes that happen in your body, your hormones. The way your brain chemistry changes across your cycle takes in both masculine and feminine energies, shifting from phase to phase. We aren’t the same, consistent person all of the time, and I think that, even if we were, we would find that really dull, for ourselves and our partners, long term. So, how do you know when you’ve lost touch with your feminine energy and are spending all day in the masculine - especially when it comes to your relationship? There are some clear signs.

The 4 signs that you’re experiencing a masculine/feminine energy imbalance

• You feel disconnected from your emotions and physical sensations.
• You find it difficult to enjoy sex and receive nurturing and intimacy from your partner.
• You find it hard to verbalize your feelings to your partner.
• You feel isolated and unsupported in your relationship.

Cycle sync your relationship - for a happier, sexier, and easier partnership in just 4 weeks!

Cycle syncing your relationship has so many benefits. You create this dance of energies where each of you take on the leadership and the receptive role at different times. As women we want to take the lead, but doing that all of the time is exhausting and not enjoyable. It’s good to be the one who’s on the receiving end of your partner’s leadership sometimes - it makes sure we stay open to receiving love and pleasure too.Here’s how I cycle sync my relationship to my hormonal phases: Follicular phase - Keep it Fresh - This is the time when I like to suggest my husband and I do something new together. Or let him come up with ideas! My hormones have me in a place where I’m super receptive to new experiences and I have a ton of energy. New experiences bring us together, create memories, and help us to bond further. Take a class, go to a gallery opening, hike someplace you’ve never been, visit a new city. Doing something fun in the outdoors is even better as all that fresh air amps up the oxytocin and makes us feel close. It’s so important in a long term relationship to keep things fresh and exciting by breaking the expected schedule and the follicular phase gives you a great opportunity (and reminder) to do this on a monthly basis. Ovulatory phase - Body and Soul Connection - A great time to socialize with your friends! We can’t always just be together alone as a couple, that way leads to isolation and boredom. Use this time to make plans with your friends. You’ll feel chatty and engaged. With your partner - utilize how your hormones have aligned to convey to your goals, dreams, and fantasies. We like to take this time to touch base on what we want from our future together, where we see ourselves in 5, 10, 20 years time. We also take advantage of my soaring sex drive and the attraction pheromones that are flying around our home! (To cycle sync your sex life and boost your libido with food foreplay read this.) Luteal phase - Relationship Remodeling - I see this as the most important time for my relationship. Since living in my Flo, I’ve not experienced PMS in the way most people think of it - I don’t get depressed, anxious or angry. Our hormones align to give us increased clarity at this time and our attentions will certainly be drawn to where something isn’t working in our relationship. If you’re hormonally balanced then you will be able to express this insight without fogging your feelings with getting enraged. If you do find yourself really angry at your partner during this phase every single month that goes by, then you might need to find a new partner! Your hormones become like a truth serum and it really is best to just let what your thinking get aired out in the open, for all involved. Pent up resentment helps neither of you. When something bothers me, I just say it immediately, regardless of my phase. I had to learn to do that over time and it took practice not to just store my annoyances away. If you let a feeling fester it will make you feel frantic and then the luteal phase hormones will force you to spill in a way that won’t get you what you need and want. Stop biting your tongue, let your hormones help you convey your concerns. Your man will appreciate it so much more if you are straightforward and direct, rather than expecting him to read your mind. This is also when we tend to focus on our domestic duties. It sounds unappealing, I know, but to get the most pleasure out of your relationship all month long you do have to attend to the day-to-day stuff of life - the budgeting, the cleaning, the organizing - and you should be doing it together. Sharing this burden is going to better your partnership massively. If you clear time and space to attend to these necessary things, and share out the tasks equally, then neither of you will feel overwhelmed or under-supported. Your hormones are aligned here to make attention-to-detail your favorite thing and you’ll find repetitive uninspiring tasks much easier to tackle. Menstrual phase - Make it Me-time - I like my alone time during my menstrual phase. It’s when I really indulge in my self care practices and take some quiet moments out. We all need time apart and alone. What’s the saying...absence makes the heart grow fonder! Ask your partner to line up his guys’ nights out, so you can stay home, watch a movie, read a book, or have a close friend over for dinner. Always remember, that once you have the right information about how your body really works, you can start making health choices that finally start to work for you! You can do this - the science of your body is on your side!to your FLO,AlisaGood things come in threes:

I want to hear from you!

First, do you struggle to connect with your partner? Second, do you want to cycle sync your relationship? Third, everyone you know is hormonal – spread a little good ovary karma and share this article on social ;)

Feeling Frazzled, Bloated, and Unsexy?

If you’ve noticed more distance between cycles…or some periods are light and some are super heavy…your sex drive is flat…and you’re more moody in general (anxious, depressed, or both)…and especially if you’re in your mid 30’s and up…Your hormones may be aging faster than they should. But you can start reversing this process by adding one key micronutrient that you’re likely missing.Get your free report: The Magic Missing Micronutrient to Get Your Sexy Back.

One of the most common questions I am asked by women wanting to follow the WomanCode protocol and sync their diet, exercise and lifestyle to their menstrual cycle is: “How do I know where I am in my cycle?” If you’re not experiencing clockwork periods every 26-32 days, and if you’ve picked up my book or found my site then there’s a good chance that you are not experiencing this, then figuring out whether you’re in your follicular or luteal phase can seem like a conundrum.

I don’t want this to worry you as it’s simple to untangle. So, let me walk you through the 3 most common types of irregular cycles and how you can cycle sync with each starting TODAY.

The WomanCode protocol is designed so that within a few months of following the plan you will once again experience regular periods and feel totally comfortable and confident about where you are in your cycle and know when to expect your period, whether you’ve previously had PCOS or just some random irregularities.

But, when you first get started you want to maximize the benefits of your food choices. As I said, by just following the plan laid out in my book you should see regular cycles within months. You can, however, speed up the process considerably by committing to the full Flo Living program with the additional support from me and the other Flo coaches.

To help you on your way to better and regular periods, no PMS, no cramps, high energy, suped up sex drive, and healed hormonal health issues, I’m going to go over some common cycle scenarios. That way, you can start following the WomanCode protocol ASAP and get your body back on track.

The 3 most common types of irregular menstrual cycles

Period Delay Type 1 - Too long - Either you’re not making enough hormones to ovulate and you’re experiencing a perpetual follicular phase; or you are not making enough progesterone and staying in the luteal phase post-ovulation for far too long.

‍How to cycle sync - Figure out which issue you are dealing with first. Thankfully it’s not too hard to do. The most scientifically accurate way is to take your basal body temperature every morning when you wake up. When you ovulate, your temperature will shift and indicate your body is entering the luteal phase. This can also help you to predict when you will see your period. You could do this with a regular thermometer and read “Taking Charge of Your Fertility” by Toni Weshler to understand how to interpret your temperature data to know which phase you are in, or you can use any one of the new fertility monitors and apps, which does all the interpreting and analysing for you and let’s you know if and when you have ovulated. You can additionally monitor the other signs your body will provide - if you are experiencing a long follicular phase then you will have constant vaginal dryness and if you’re in your luteal phase for weeks you will be experiencing bad PMS symptoms like mood swings and bloating. Monitor your cycle for at least 3 months to figure out the issue you are dealing with. One cycle can be thrown off by stress, antibiotics, illness, alcohol consumption, over exercise - delaying ovulation. But 3 months of monitoring will show a pattern you can work with. Then, start with the phase that you are experiencing for the longest - follicular or luteal - and eat the foods listed for that phase and follow the plan for that part of your cycle. Then move forward through the protocol every 7 days - so 7 days luteal/follicular, 7 days ovulatory/menstrual and so on. This will support your body and help you to balance your hormones, so that you can then progress to the next phase and the next. Your body will be prompted to follow suit. ‍

Period Delay Type 2 - Too short - A short cycle (we’re talking less than 26 days) is a sign that your thyroid is under-performing. First of all, read up on thyroid disorders with my previous post on this problem. I have tips on how to support your thyroid more effectively without pharmaceuticals. Usually this means you have a very short luteal phase.  

‍How to cycle sync - Figure out where you are in your cycle using the methods mentioned above. Then focus on the luteal phase foods. Eating more of these will help you support your thyroid and progesterone levels and make your luteal phase longer and more regular (ideally it should be at least 10 days long and at best 14 days long.

‍Period Delay Type 3 - No period for months - Not seeing your period for months on end suggests you are in a very long follicular phase most of the time. You’re body is only ovulating very occasionally, if at all.

‍How to cycle sync - Start with the foods in the follicular phase and progress every 7 days to the next phase in the cycle regardless of what your body appears to be doing. For many, many women I’ve worked with this is enough to kickstart their reproductive hormonal system and they see their period return quite rapidly. We have testimony after testimony from those women who are Flo Living graduates who have gotten their periods after months, even years of it going M.I.A (see here and here).

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Always remember, that once you have the right information about how your body really works, you can start making health choices that finally start to work for you!  You can do this - the science of your body is on your side!

To your FLO,

Alisa

Ever since Gwyneth Paltrow declared via her healthy lifestyle site Goop that she drinks charcoal infused lemonade (yes, you read that right!), activated charcoal in drinks and in the form of a supplement has become the latest wellness trend. Health-focused celebrities have declared it the best way to rid your body of environmental and food-based toxins. Many fancy juice bars claim it has liver detoxifying properties.

It all sounds miraculous, but what does it really mean? And is it something you should be doing? I know that you know the liver plays a very important role in keeping us hormonally balanced and hormonally healthy and keeping PMS, cramps, endometriosis, PCOS, and ovarian cysts at bay, but is activated charcoal what the liver needs to do this work?

Activated charcoal - miracle or myth?

The way activated charcoal works is to attach to chemicals it comes across in the body and prevent absorption, and that includes any medications you might be taking and truly need. This is why it works extremely well if someone has overdosed or actually gotten poisoned by a harmful substance and this is why it is often used in hospital ERs. But used regularly, daily, or habitually as a assumed detoxifier, activated charcoal can actually make your healthy diet less nutritious for you and prevent your body from absorbing the vital vitamins, minerals and micronutrients good foods can give. Activated charcoal doesn’t know what your body wants and needs and what it doesn’t and it can’t discriminate in its process.

This is why I’m not one to follow this particular health fad. I take great care to eat well and in a way that supports my liver, large intestine, and lymphatic system so that they can take care of toxins the way they are naturally supposed to. These organs help my body get rid of excess estrogen, which is a central cause behind hormonal imbalance-related health issues. I want them to work efficiently. If my body can’t process toxins like excess hormones quickly this will lead to menstrual, fertility, and libido problems.

We live in an extreme world and we seem to search for extreme solutions. We don’t need to treat our body everyday like we’re experiencing a poison overdose on a ER hospital bed. We just need to gently, consciously support our liver and entire elimination system in doing what it wants to do best.

4 Foods for Liver Detox That Work Better Than Activated Charcoal

Fill your diet with foods that naturally aid the liver in the detoxification process.

1. Eggs provide the most easily assimilated bio-available protein source. A two whole egg omelette or scramble a couple of times per week will give you a sufficient amount of protein. Protein is what the liver is built from and it is what will replenish the organ. The author of “Blue Zones” tells us that the populations around the world that have the longest, healthiest lives tend to eat a lot of eggs too! For more on protein, and specifically vegan protein sources, read this post.
2. Glutathione-heavy vegetables like avocados, carrots, broccoli, spinach, apples, asparagus and melon. This antioxidant neutralizes free radicals, super charges the immune system and detoxifies the liver. This is the best way to remove chemicals circulating in your body from environmental and food-based toxins like pesticides. Just increase your intake of these vegetables and they will do all the work.
3. Selenium-full foods such as oats and Brazil nuts. This mineral is a friend to your liver. Like glutathione it is also an antioxidant and boosts immunity strength. It protects the tissue of the liver itself from the effects of processing all these waste products.
4. Cilantro contains a property called linalool that helps to cleanse the liver. Add it to smoothies and salads - cilantro smoothie anyone?!

My favorite cilantro smoothie recipe: Gwenyth should drink this instead!

Here’s a drink that could really claim to have liver detoxification properties. One of these smoothies even once a week is going to support your liver in a way that activated charcoal will not.

½ cup mango

½ a green apple

½ cup frozen pineapple

½ cup coconut water

1 cup of cilantro and blend!

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Always remember, that once you have the right information about how your body really works, you can start making health choices that finally start to work for you!  You can do this - the science of your body is on your side!

To your FLO,

Alisa

I’ll be honest with you; although I’ve run my own business for years, I have been humbled by motherhood and the sheer amount things I have to do each day! My time just seems to evaporate! My baby is in a totally beautiful zen place with her schedule, but I do a lot to keep it that way. BUT, I have cycle-syncing in my back pocket. I greeted the return of my period two months ago with a cheer, I knew that I could start properly cycle-syncing my lifestyle again. I feel reconnected to the best way there is for me to organize my time and my daily routine. Fall is a busy time for many of us, what with school back in session, work schedules picking up after the summer break, holidays around the corner, and everyone wanting to do their best before the year’s close. As women we hold this belief that we can and ought to serve everybody and often we then forget to serve ourselves. With the return of my cycle I have decided to make some changes to my schedule to accommodate the new priorities in my life. I need MORE time for self-care in fact than before. Making high quality breast milk is serious business! The secret to my success in managing my time is two fold - first I decide what daily activities are non-negotiables for my self-care and my daughter’s and then I layer the cycle syncing over that. So here’s what my new general daily schedule looks like right now:6:30 - me, my baby, and hubby get up and have eggs together7 - meditate and write8 - workout and breastfeed9 - baby nap, shower, breakfast #29:30 - work OR 10-11:30: Out with baby, meet with friends11:45 - make my baby’s lunch12:15 - lunch break with my baby girl12:45 - baby nap1 - work (breastfeeding break) OR 1:30 - 3:30: Out with baby or meetings4:30 - cook dinner5 - dinner5:30 - bath, breastfeed, and baby bed6 - email/social media OR 6-9: Out, date night with hubby, or events 7 - yoga7:30 - tv8:30 - read9:30 - floss and gratitudes10 - bedAt first, I worried about not being able to just “work all day”, but the idea of working all day long, every single day is not realistic or in my best interest at this time in my life or really anytime. And then I worried about not being able to be “spontaneous” to take advantage of all that happens here in the city. The reality is however, that everyone’s time, including yours and mine, is super valuable, and the whole concept of being spontaneous means that you fundamentally don’t value your own time. That you would rather value the timing of others and go with the schedule that works best for them. That one was a big realization for me in wrangling this time management beast - that scheduling is actually a way of honoring time and creation - deep. Even Julia Cameron, in the essential-read “The Artist’s Way” mandates that one should schedule time to be creative, or schedule time to walk around agendaless for inspiration. That those activities are so sacred that they must be scheduled or they’ll never happen. In 6.5 hours I can do SO MUCH more than I thought possible and the truth is I was constantly distracted even when I didn’t have a child, so being “interrupted” from work for breastfeeding or cooking is no big deal. Now when I sit down now I am much more efficient. I just do what needs to be done and prioritize. These seeming “constraints” actually make me super efficient.I think we need to rethink being busy. I’m constantly on the move, more so than ever now that I’m a mother, but doing only what feels good to me in each week of my cycle during my activity blocks of the day totally keeps me in my A game and allows me to be present for my child. It’s a practice of prioritizing pleasure, self-care, love, and creativity actually - an opportunity for focusing on making the right priorities at the right time and mapping these decisions onto your cycle.Is it perfect everyday? No way. Does sh*t hit the proverbial fan? You bet. Is motherhood a constantly changing landscape and are children unpredictable? Absolutely. But just like with my diet, I live by the 80/20 rule. If 80% of the time I’m on track, the 20% of the time life happens, I don’t have to worry about feeling like I’m never going to find my groove again, and again, I can stay present and be open to the moment.

Cross-training your day-to-day - from your career to your social life

What I choose to work on during my work and what I eat and how I exercise vary week over week in my cycle. This structure gives me so the ability to get to everything, but not at the same time, and to have variety in my life despite having to stick to a pretty tight daily schedule at the moment for the sake of my daughter’s wellbeing. The four hormonal phases of your menstrual cycle are a blueprint for how you can better organize your life. Following this blueprint provides an alternative to constantly feeling stressed, too busy, and overstretched. I feel like we’re in the middle of a busyness epidemic and too many women are getting crushed under the weight of trying to do it all at once, all of the time. For years I’ve been teaching clients at Flo Living to not only eat and exercise in accordance with their cycle, but also to plan their other activities, work, and social life around their hormonal phases. I find it usually takes just three months before it becomes habit. Flo Living isn’t just a diet, you see, it’s a lifestyle change, and that means transformations across the board that will help you feel better and allow you to enjoy life to the fullest. For more on cycle-syncing your work outs and diet see here and here.Our energy levels, perspective, mood, talents, and desires change and flow throughout our cycle and if we tune in to this we can get much more out of what we love as well as better tackle and conquer what we find trying. Of course, all of this depends on balanced hormones - if you’re hormones are off-kilter you won’t reap the benefits of their potential and vice versa, if you don’t consciously cycle-sync your lifestyle you may find your hormonal health suffers.

How-to guide to cycle-syncing your lifestyle

If you want to dive deeper with me and learn my cycle syncing embodied time management secrets - take my master class: Secrets of Cycle Syncing - download here.Always remember, that once you have the right information about how your body really works, you can start making health choices that finally start to work for you! You can do this - the science of your body is on your side!to your FLO,AlisaGood things come in threes:

I want to hear from you!

First, how do you feel about more structure opening up more freedom in your life? Second, are you aware of your 4 hormonal phases and how to use them for your benefit?Third, you know every one you know is hormonal - spread a little good ovary karma and share this article on social by clicking the buttons below ;)

Need more Hormone Help?

If you’re needing some health upgrading, it’s time you started you looking into what’s going on with your hormones.I’ve designed a 4 day hormone detox and evaluation to help you understand exactly what’s out of whack and how you can start getting back to balance so that your hormones no longer have to suffer.Click here to get your FREE detox and evaluation!

We can be exposed to endocrine disruptors from many directions - from our cosmetics, our shampoos and shower gels, our stressful lifestyles, our food, packagings, and from our home cleaning products. That last one we often dismiss, as we assume that to get our homes properly disinfected we need to use harsh bleach and chemical laden cleaners. We can sometimes assume that anything else just won’t do the job right. But using these products several times a week and living with their residue around your home over a lifetime can cause hormonal health issues that negatively impact your periods, fertility, mood and more.Research shows that many of the chemicals found in everyday house-cleaning products are bio-accumulative and very toxic, which means that once in your system, they actually stay in your system and allow for increased free radical damage, which makes you more vulnerable to autoimmune diseases and cancers.

Hidden harm in your so-called “green” cleaning products

That said, so-call “green” household cleaners are much popular now than they used to be, with many women making the swap to avoid using potentially hazardous and poisonous chemicals that harm the environment and their families. However, it might surprise you to know that not all “green” cleaners you might find at big box stores are all that they claim to be and some can even be just as bad as conventional cleaners. That’s because unfortunately there are no laws in place that demand companies are transparent about all of the ingredients in products. This means they can make false claims about how environmentally and health-friendly they are.I know this sounds a little confusing, which is why I want to share with you how I personally clean my home andwhere I purchase all the natural, hormone-safe products I choose to use around my family.On Day 3 of my free 4-Day Hormone Detox plan I ask women to do a “clean sweep” of all of the health stressors you will find in your laundry room, cleaning product store cupboards, under the sink, and elsewhere. It’s important to understand that it’s not just about detoxing your diet, you also need to take a long, hard look at many of the other things you do each day that might need some reexamination for the sake of your hormones.

Replace/Reset your conventional home cleaning products with hormone safe alternatives

Before I dive into what I use to clean, I’ll first share where I buy all my favorite products.I’ve recently become obsessed with an amazing new company called Thrive Market. Thrive is a cross between Costco meets Whole Foods online - think Costco wholesale pricing on Whole Foods quality foods and brands with the convenience of purchasing through Amazon. They have the BEST prices on a lot of our non-perishable staples and household items. In particular, I’ve bought all of the natural, hormone-safe cleaning products I share below on Thrive Market.Thrive is the first socially conscious online marketplace offering the world’s best-selling natural and organic products at wholesale prices. For less than $5 a month ($59.95 annually), members can shop 2,500 of the highest quality food, supplements, home, personal care, and beauty products from more than 400 of the best brands on the market, all delivered straight to their doors at 25-50% below retail prices.

I’m not a fan for signing up for things without trying them first and I’m guessing you aren’t either. That’s why Thrive has offered our FLO community:

• a FREE 2-Month Trial to Thrive Market
• 25% off your first order

(I’m totally serious!)I did a side by side comparison of many of the products I share below, and not only are they less expensive than the same organic and natural products on Amazon or at my local stores, but they are often cheaper than the conventional alternative.So take a look below, make your shopping list, andorder on Thrive today! Instead of this: Conventional brand or big box kitchen and bathroom cleaners Use this: Seventh Generation cleaning products. I use these on everything from the toilet to the kitchen sink. With concentrated thyme oil as a central ingredient they make a good degreaser too, plus they smell great! Instead of this: Tide-style laundry detergent.Use this: Orange Oil multi-use cleaner, which can also help you with cleaning the dishes, mirrors, and the toilet bowl. Or try out the Seventh Generation Free & Clear detergent. Instead of this: Tide or other harsh spot stain removers. Use this: Hydrogen peroxide will get any stain out, even from a pure white shirt. Pour some of the stain and then wash in the washer as normal. Instead of this: Bleach products like Ajax and Comet.Use this: Arm and Hammer baking soda. I use baking soda in my laundry loads to keep my clothes crisp, clean, and fresh - I add one cup on top of the clothes themselves and then wash as normal with the above detergents. I also use it to disinfect the floors - a mix of baking soda and water will kill bacteria because it neutralizes the acid they produce. It’s completely non-toxic - in fact I even suggest using it to treat greasy hair!Instead of this: Swiffer WetJet and all similar products. Use this: Steam vacuum! We fill our Hoover Power Scrub with a mix of water and baking soda and use it to deep clean our wood and tile flooring. It can also be used on rugs and carpets. It keeps all my house floors squeaky clean with hot hot steam, which is so important to me now my daughter is crawling. Instead of this: Glade Plug-Ins.Use this: Electronic essential oil diffusers provide a beautiful house-wide scent, plus you’re getting all the health benefits of the oils, which you can tailor to your specific needs whether that’s for concentration in your home office or to relax in the evening. Always remember, that once you have the right information about how your body really works, you can start making health choices that finally start to work for you! You can do this - the science of your body is on your side!to your FLO,AlisaGood things come in threes:

I want to hear from you!

First, what cleaning products do you use?Second, will you follow any of these replace/reset suggestions? Third, everyone you know is hormonal – spread a little good ovary karma and share this article using the social buttons below :)

Want to get your cleaning products at wholesale prices?

Register at Thrive Market as a new member before and receive:

• a FREE 2-Month Trial to Thrive Market
• 25% off your next order

Click here to start saving now!