Hormones & Periods

Here’s the scenario:

Girl meets boy.

Girl is already on the pill and stays on it.

Girl and boy continue dating and get serious.

Girl and boy get married.

Girl gets off pill when they want to start a family.

Girl has a quarter life crisis as she starts to find conflict in her relationship now that she is off the pill.

What happened?

Of course this is an extreme example, and we’re not suggesting that it’s the only option that could happen, but the point is that your hormones do play a factor in your relationships.

If you remember from earlier studies we shared, when given a sampling of sweaty mens t-shirts to choose from, it was proven that women on the pill were drawn to partners whose pheromones do not genetically compliment their own. On the other hand, women who were not on the pill chose partners with genetic compatibility. This suggests that being on the pill can have an effect on the kind of partner you are attracted to, and would explain why the Girl above ended up in her quarter life crisis.

Among other side effects of the pill could be low libido or depression, which can obviously have an effect on your relationships, too.

If you’re on the pill and sensing that something is off in the love department - perhaps you’re not quite feelin’ the one you’re in, or having trouble finding the right partner - it could be a great time to experiment with getting off the pill. Rather than quit cold turkey, taking part in the WomanCode System will prep your body for the transition off and help your hormones adjust to their natural cycle.As we gear up for the month of February, here at FLO we want to do everything possible to ensure it’s as love-filled as possible. And we know that happy hormones = a happy love life.Click here for more guidance on love, relationships, and hormones in my webinar, where I address:

• How to improve your bad moods and lagging sex drive so you feel happy, sexy, and receptive to love all month long
• The ideal time of day for you to have the most mind blowing orgasm with your partner
• What to feed your man so his moods and libido are ideal for you

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,AlisaNeed 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!

Well, it’s the last week of holiday madness, and we’ve been through a lot together:

• healthy holiday gifts
• parties and hangovers
• digestion and blood sugar balance

But once all of that is through, we’re still not done because now it’s time for your body - and your liver in particular! - to recuperate with a holiday detox.

Today I want to share with you my favorite tips for post-holiday detox support. A more in-depth and guided version of the detox is included in my book WomanCode and my online program the WomanCode System - I hope you pick up one or both this week if you haven’t yet!The new year is the perfect time to set new habits in motion and create a new relationship with your hormones.

Start with these 3 tips:

1. Love your liver. Since your liver will be doing a lot of extra work this holiday season, it’s a good idea to love it up even more this week. One of my favorite herbs for liver support is Milk Thistle - you can take it in capsule form once a day for extra detoxifying power.

2. Juice up your intestines. Your intestines might also be feeling some inflammation if you’ve been indulging in more sugar, gluten, or dairy than usual. Fresh green juices daily, preferably first thing in the morning, are a great way to support your internal pathways of digestions and elimination.

3. Get your lymph flowing. Your delicate lymphatic system is another important player in the detox process. The right kind of exercise is important for physically moving that lymph through your system and helping to sweat out toxins. Jumping on a trampoline is my favorite way to flush out lymph, but other modes of exercise are great too!

With the proper support, your body will be back in the FLO in no time!

A smarter way to detox

Want to improve your skin, endocrine system, and overall health for the long-term? Now you can learn how.Sign up here to continuing getting quality women’s health guidance and start feeling better in your female body NOW![gravityform id="3" name="Get on the road to hormonal health!" title="false" description="false"]

Hope you had a happy Thanksgiving!

Before you start getting down on yourself for having that extra piece of pumpkin pie, try being extra loving to your body.As you continue on your holiday adventures, I wanted to be sure you were armed with 3 of my favorite supplements. They are especially helpful for digesting heavy meals and keeping your blood sugar balanced if you’re eating things your body might not be used to.

My 3 favorite supplements for digestive health:

1. Chromium Picolinate - This trace mineral can boost your insulin’s response, so is especially good for meals heavy on the carbohydrates.

2. Cinnamon - This power-food has been proven to reduce blood sugar levels and triglycerides in patients with type 2 diabetes, which means that it can be super-effective for those of us with hormonal blood-sugar sensitivities. Sprinkle it on your meals, or pick up a supplement packed with the good stuff.

3. Digestive Enzymes - These enzymes help you break down the food you eat and absorb nutrients better. If you experience indigestion, gas, or bloating, try them out! Rainbow Light is one of my favorite brands.

Don’t forget that supplements are exactly what the word suggests: supplemental boosts to an already balanced diet. If your diet is not working for you, supplements will have little effect. Check out the details in my most popular Holiday detox audio class: Sex, Turkey, & the Extra 5 lbs.

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 quiz 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 quiz!

As the weather here in New York gets colder, I’m reminded of the value in slowing down and taking time to assess what’s been going on, rather than constantly pushing forward.When was the last time you slowed down and took time for reflection?If you’re following our cyclical life planning method based on your hormonal patterns throughout the month, you’ll know that your menstrual phase (i.e. the time of the month when you are bleeding) is when it’s best to take extra time for yourself and assess how you’ve been feeling. You can then set new intentions and make course corrections to move forward in a way that feels most aligned with your desires.Try this once a month and watch your world transform!In that spirit, we’re taking a moment to recap the specific Hormonal Health Challenges we’ve been sharing throughout this last month and hope that you’ll take a moment to read through the list and pick out the ones most relevant to you:1. Taking prescription drugs to heal hormonal imbalances? Evaluate your reliance on them here.2. Are you BPA-free? Get the list, especially if you’re pregnant.3. Trying to conceive? Eat this meal to improve fertility.4. Feel alone in your hormonal fluctuations? Talk to your partner about your period.5. Dry skin? Make sure your moisturizers are hormonally safe.Start your November off by getting in the FLO with your body and your cyclical rhythms and report back in to let us know how the month unfolds for you!In support for your lady parts,Alisa

Today’s Hormonal Health Challenge of the week is this:

Talk to your partner about your period!

That’s right, ladies. This week it’s time to loop in your partner - your boyfriend, girlfriend, husband, wife, roommate, or whoever you tend to be spending lots of time with.We get questions from you all the time about how best to communicate your changing hormonal patterns with those closest to you. Especially if you’re dealing with mood changes, physical pain, energy shifts, low libido, or baby-making efforts, it’s really important to be on the same page with things.To help aid your discussion, here are a few points to share. You might even want to print this out and read it over together!What you should know about my cycle:Before we get into more specific details, here’s a cheat-sheet of the different phases of my cycle:Follicular: right after bleeding stops, for about 7 daysOvulation: 3 or 4 days of the most fertile time, midway through the cycleLuteal: the 10 days or so after ovulation and before menstruationMenstruation: the 2-7 days of bleeding(note that the exact amount of days will vary from woman to woman)My communication style will change week to week. I tend to be the clearest and most verbally inclined right after my period and up to ovulation. This is because the left hemisphere of my brain is more dominant. Starting right after ovulation, about 10 days or so before my period, my brain chemistry changes and the right brain is more accessible. This means I tend to be more emotional and sensitive and have less ability to communicate exactly how I’m feeling verbally.My needs for sex change throughout the month. Ovulation time is when I’m the most fertile and so my sex drive will be heightened, but this is not the only time! My testosterone peaks during my luteal phase, somewhere during the 10 days before my period. (Every woman is a little bit different with this, so be sure to communicate how you notice your specific needs changing.)My body image will also vary week to week. I tend to be more critical of my body in the week before my period. This is when I need you to be extra loving and reassuring. When I’m ovulating I’m usually feeling great about how I look and will not have problems picking out outfits because everything feels fabulous!Let’s go out sometimes, and stay home other times. I’m the most energetic and ready to be social in my follicular phase (the week after my period) and the week that I’m ovulating. Let’s plan dates during this time! Once I get closer to my period, though, I’d much prefer dark chocolate and a night in watching Netflix. While I’m on my period, I also crave a significant amount of alone time, so don’t be offended if I feel like closing the door to do some reflecting.And finally, ask your partner what he or she thinks and how you can best stay in communication at all times of the month. Come up with a system you both feel great about and watch how your relationship blossoms!Ready for a more in depth look at every phase of your cycle? Get your copy of WomanCode today and share it with your loved ones!

I often get the question, “What foods can I eat to boost my fertility?”

While there certainly are key foods - like avocados, buckwheat, asparagus, and more - that will provide your body with essential nutrients for optimal fertility, I also encourage women to look at the big picture. It’s not only what you’re eating, but it’s how you’re eating throughout the day.If you’re starting the morning off with a green juice, having a salad for lunch, and sushi for dinner, it might feel really healthy but it’s definitely not ideal if you’re struggling with hormonal imbalances or fertility challenges.Why?Blood sugar management is one of the main underlying causes to hormonal imbalance, especially for conditions like infertility and PCOS (polycystic ovarian syndrome).Some women might just have sensitive blood sugar levels or hypoglycemia, while others might be dealing with the more severe cases of insulin resistance. In either case, when you eat very light meals throughout the day, you are causing a red flag to go up in your brain because of the lack of sugar, or glucose, that is coming in. Not enough glucose streaming through your blood, and your brain will call on stress hormones to fill in the gap. Stress hormones are never good in excess!But don’t just take my word for it. This recent study by Professor Daniela Jakubowicz in Tel Aviv proved that having a larger meal at breakfast was related to a reduction of insulin resistance in women with PCOS. Not only does this help with fertility, but it also can help manage other symptoms associated with the disorder, such as unwanted body hair, hair loss, and acne, as well as protect against developing type-2 diabetes.

Now, it's your turn:

FLO Hormone Challenge of the Week!

So ladies, this week your challenge is to eat a hearty breakfast in the morning. Especially if you’re one who waits to eat your biggest meal at dinner, try this out! With breakfast as your big meal, you will be less inclined to over-indulge in the evening which will do wonders for your blood sugar and hormonal management.Try these examples and let me know how it goes!

• Raw sprouted buckwheat granola with cinammon, sunflower seeds, flax, and unsweetened almond milk.
• Smoked salmon omlette with sweet potato hash or gluten-free toast

Add in a steaming hot cup of rooibos chai tea for extra pleasure!

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 quiz 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 quiz!

You know how amazing it feels when you wake up refreshed after a beautiful night’s rest, have a green juice and proceed to get in all the right foods and exercise you need that day?

Is that scenario not happening often enough?

If you struggle with staying consistent with your health regime, or if you know what you “should” be doing for your body but aren’t quite doing it, then listen up.

Here are the key questions to ask yourself:

1. Is your deeper self in line with your outer goals? For example: You can say that you really want to lose weight, but not realize that there’s a deep subconscious fear that’s at the root of your self-sabotage -- perhaps being thin will mean that you’ll get unwanted attention from men, or that you won’t have an excuse for not putting yourself out there on dates or auditions. Get real with yourself by doing some journaling. Ask yourself, “Do I really want this and what do I fear would happen if I actually got it?” Report in what you discover below.

2. Are your goals too strict or unrealistic? Are you putting pressure on yourself to get everything perfect and therefore causing more stress or a total opposite reaction? If someone tells me not to do something, the first thing I’ll want to do is do that thing! Know what I mean? Stop putting so much pressure on yourself to be the perfect picture of health, and start making it a fun and pleasurable process. Find the right balance for you and if you need support in getting there, let us know!

3. Are you taking your menstrual cycle into consideration? Remember that your body is constantly going through hormonal flux and it shouldn’t function the same way each day or each week. If you’re mad because you’re not working out consistently throughout the month, it might be a sign that you have to change up your workout routine for the different phases of your cycle. Knowing what phase of the cycle you’re in and what your body’s unique needs are at that time of month is key to a healthy relationship with your body.

For an in-depth guide to living in sync with your cycle, as well as getting the structure and accountability need to make lasting changes, check out the WomanCode System and let us support you!

Health, is now available on the Dr. Oz website. Just click on one of the links below to watch the entire segment. View Part 1 of What Your Period Reveals About Your Health.View Part 2 of What Your Period Reveals About Your Health.View Part 3 of What Your Period Reveals About Your 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 is the consistency of your period like?Second, is your period problematic - how so? 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!

When I started my women’s health coaching practice over a decade ago, I always had a vision for helping as many women as I could gain access to their inherent power and health.

The transformative work I experienced with individuals was too incredible to not spread it around: Clients of mine reported disappearing ovarian cysts, natural conception after years of trying everything, clear skin, painless periods, and creative leaps into their wildest dreams. What could be better than that?

As technology has progressed over the years, I’m thrilled that it has helped me integrate this work into a platform that could indeed reach many more women than I’d be able to on my own. Enter: The WomanCode System.This online program is the big sister of my other baby, WomanCode the book. Together, they are a power team designed to help you live your best life in a way that honors your natural cycles as a woman and helps you achieve what is you most desire.

If you’ve already become a member of the WomanCode System - go you! Click HERE for a fun way to share your story with me.

If you haven’t yet made the leap, I have a few things to share with you so that you are as informed and in-the-know as possible. If you’re dealing with any kind of hormonal imbalance, menstrual issue, fertility challenge, or plummet in the energy and libido department, then this program could be exactly what you need.

Here’s what you might not know about the WomanCode System:

1. It provides a built in community of women who are going through the same things you are. Did you know that as women we learn and grow better in community? Our biochemistry is wired for support. If you’ve been “on your own” with your health struggles, for too long and not seeing the results you want, this is an important point to consider.
2. Our FLO expert counselors are always on board to help you. Responses to your online community questions come within 24-48 hours, and if you need a little extra help than that, they are available for private coaching sessions. You can customize the level of support you most need by scheduling these sessions once or twice per month.
3. You can take a class anytime, anywhere. The program is virtual which means you can live anywhere in the world and follow through with it, as long as you have internet access. You can also do it at your own pace, so feel free to take your time in integrating each lesson before moving on to the next.
4. You’ll get full access to the FLO Living seasonal cleanses. In addition to the 4-day kick start cleanse I offer in the WomanCode book, the program give you access to 3 more cleanse: Spring, Fall, and the Post-Holiday Detox. You’ll be able to customize your cleanse experience to work with the seasons and cycles around you.
5. It’s yours for life. Once you sign up, the video lessons are yours forever. For-ev-er. You can retake a lesson if you need a boost in a certain area, and revisit the material anytime you’d like.

Pretty great, huh?Don’t delay any longer! Click here to get started on your WomanCode journey. I’ll be cheering you on every step of the way.

Love,

Alisa

Why haven't i gotten my period this month? Why would my period be late if I am a virgin? Is it bad if I didn't get my period in 2 months? Why did my period stop? What does it mean if I menstruate 2 times in 1 month? I'm not pregnant how can I get my period back? 

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If your cycle is irregular or your period is late or missing, know that you are not alone! We get so many questions about missing and late periods! It can be frustrating and anxiety-producing, especially if you want to conceive someday. Unfortunately, many women suffer from missing periods. It may be comforting to know that this inconsistency within your menstrual cycle is actually a common issue. But it doesn’t have stay that way!

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What does it mean when you miss your period? 

A missing period is an indicator that you are not ovulating. This is obviously a worry if you want to get pregnant, but it should also be a concern even if you have no pregnancy plans in the near future.

‍Ovulation is the key to female health and vitality. Not ovulating does not only lead to missing periods, but also to all PMS symptoms, acne, moodiness, weight gain and more.

There are different reasons for not ovulating including:

• pregnancy
• breastfeeding
• menopause
• over-exercising
• being underweight
• having cysts on your ovaries (PCOS)
• progesterone deficiency
• estrogen dominance

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PCOS, Progesterone Deficiency or Estrogen Dominance? 

There are several kinds of PCOS that women can experience on a PCOS spectrum, with specific root causes and specific natural treatments. Your period might be missing because of one of these reasons, so it’s important to rule those out as contributing factors.

The next step is to take a look at your hormonal balance - specifically progesterone and estrogen.

Progesterone deficiency and estrogen dominance/overload are the two main root causes of missing periods, when other factors are not on the table. Your body needs nutritional support via the right foods to create enough hormones, use those hormones, and then process and detoxify excess hormones. This will maintain hormonal balance and ensure your body is able to trigger ovulation. Once you are ovulating, your period will naturally follow. Your body wants to ovulate, that’s what it’s designed to do, but it just needs the right fuel and foundation.

Our FLO Living protocol has helped thousands of women bring back their period, including Ashley who didn’t have a period for 3 years and Stephanie who was missing her period for 2.5 years.

Get started by Cycle Syncing® one part of your diet - like the greens you eat and then layering in the rest of your weekly meal plan. Once you have that down, you can start detoxing your home and your cosmetics bag of endocrine disrupting synthetic hormones. We recommend tracking your ovulation signs - for most women your period will follow approximately 10-14 days after you ovulate - and with the MyFLO app you can track your cycles, even when they are irregular, and get personalized advice on how to regulate them and bring your period back.

Following the Cycle Syncing® Method could make your period return sooner than you think. A combination of changes to your diet, your exercise regimen, and your self-care can make all the difference in rebalancing your hormones, restoring ovulation, and bringing back your period.

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Do you notice that you feel completely different week to week? Are you lost when it comes to the shifts of your hormonal patterns? Do they seem to affect your work life and impact your productivity?

I bet that some weeks you find yourself working late, deeply focused and excited by a new project, wondering where the time went. Yet, other weeks you find it hard to get motivated, feel maxed-out after half a day, and can’t wait to get home to the couch and Netflix. And I bet that if you tracked exactly when you felt each way, you’d see a pattern. That’s because women are cyclical in nature, and how we feel, as well as our strengths, desires, talents, and behavior shifts with our changing hormone patterns. Having female hormones does not mean you lose a week a month to PMS and your period. It just means that by noticing these shifts and then working with your hormones, you can make your hormones work for you. That said, know that there is not one single day or week when women are not just as capable as men (who have a quotidian hormonal pattern) in every work-related capacity. What women’s cyclical nature means is that we can and do work differently depending on what abilities are brought forward by each phase - from detail-orientated focus to creativity to communication skills. Simply, we are not the same day-in-day-out, and this an amazingly valuable piece of knowledge and a wonderful resource from which we can draw to meet our goals. Will you join me in stepping into a new way of thinking? A way that could actually position your period as an advantage?

If you ever wished you could feel great, and be productive, all month long and use your cycle to be even more successful at work, wish no more because the answer is here!You can learn how to leverage your cycle at work and beyond. Including -

• How to move from “hormonal victimhood” to being a “predictable power-house” - you can learn your hormonal shifts so you know exactly what’s coming and when. You don’t need to feel like you’re being hit by waves, instead you can actually surf the hormonal waves as they come in. Once you understand what’s happening, it becomes very simple to leverage that knowledge to your advantage and have mastery over what was once so overwhelming.

• Understanding the 4 distinct phases of your cycle and how to leverage each one - your cycle has 4 phases - the follicular phase, the ovulatory phase, the luteal phase and the menstruation phase - and during each your hormones are at a different level and interplay in a different way. This is why I created the MyFLO app - to help you know exactly which phase you're in and what activities are ideal for each phase. Be sure to download it here and get started on cycle - syncing your way to success! You'll know when to project plan, when your negotiation skills are at their peak, when to plan plenty of time to get things done with ease, and when to evaluate your progress. Each phase of your cycle provides you with amazing brain super powers, it's essential to know what those are and when they happen, so you can plan ahead to take advantage of them. As you cycle through these different strengths and strategically leverage these areas of focus during the month, you'll accelerate your progress dramatically all while working smarter not harder. That's essential for us as women, because working on the 24/7 masculine clock leads to an increase in the internal environment that breeds hormonal symptoms.

I truly believe that the first step to success is remembering that you have a body! Working all from the neck up and ignoring what your body has to say just leads to burn out. There are better ways to meet your goals than endless to-do lists and staying late at the office every night. When you��re in your FLO, what you want and need will come more easily to you.The great bonus of the Cycle Syncing strategy for your career is - less stress! You can ease your stress levels by not working against your body and your hormones, always swimming against the stream. If you are in a place where your luteal/pre-menstrual phase and/or your period are wiping you out physically and mentally due to PMS, cramps, depression and more, then you definitely need to get your hormones back on track to be able to take advantage of what they can offer. You are suffering from a hormonal imbalance that is open and responsive to natural remedies. Your pre-menstrual phase and menstruation phase can and should be no worse than any other time of the month, just different. Address your diet, add in supplements, and you can banish your PMS for good, just like many of my FLO Living graduates.

The secret to successful project planning and execution is in your cycle. Your hormonal phases can be your guide, giving you a blueprint to launch, execute, and finish projects of all kinds. Your body can be the best life coach for your career, if you’re open to hear the wisdom. Don’t let another month go by without embracing the inherent power in your panties!

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

Do You Know the Easiest Way to Fix Your Period Symptoms?

You don’t need to keep suffering with annoying symptoms that drain your energy for 1-2 weeks every single month. In fact, you can start having a better period as soon as your next period.MyFLO is the first-ever functional medicine period tracker that ALSO helps you fix your symptoms. MyFLO will help you understand why you have symptoms and what to do to improve them with food. It will also teach you how to Cycle Sync™ the 5 main areas of your life: food, exercise, work, relationships, and sex.Have a Better Period with MyFLOWhen you follow MyFLO’s weekly recommendations, you’ll get rid of frustrating symptoms and learn how to optimize your energy to be more productive and have better relationships.Click here to get MyFLO for iPhoneClick here to get MyFLO for Android

You might consider yourself a “health nut” (and I mean that in the nicest possible way - as someone super enthusiastic about their health) if you can answer “yes” to any of the following questions:

-Have you done the paleo, raw, or vegan diet? Or maybe tried all three?

-Do you put a critical eye on ingredients labels, making sure to only buy what’s natural, non-GMO, gluten-free, sugar-free, and organic?

-Do you subscribe to all the latest health blogs and news outlets?

If it’s a yes, I can totally relate. (In my early days of becoming a health nut, I just about turned orange from drinking too much carrot juice, haha). I have always been the one in my family that gets called the health nut. And I love women that are pro-active about their health, taking it upon themselves to seek out the right treatments and solutions for them, just like I’ve always done. Here’s another question, though: Regardless of your “health nut” status, do you find you’re still experiencing any of the following symptoms?

-irregular or absent periods

-fatigue, low energy

-low libido

-cramps

-PMS, moodiness

-anxiety, depression

-skin issues

If that sounds familiar, I’d say it’s time to consider if your health-nuttiness is truly serving your hormonal balance.

If you feel like you eat in a way that’s healthy, clean, organic and fresh, plus work out, plus get your 8 hours of sleep a night, but you’re still experiencing hormonal health issues I can understand your frustration. The thing is, a lot of what we are taught to do to be “healthy” can actually harm our hormones. Health nut favorites like juice fasts, everyday cardio, elimination diets - they can all contribute to hormonal imbalances.Your period is your 5th vital sign of your health. Tracking and monitoring your cycle is important and when your period goes missing, your cycles are irregular, or if you have a lot of hormonal symptoms - then that’s a sign your body is trying to flag up a problem and you need to take notice. You may look great, but you may not feel very good. Ticking all the “health nut” boxes can still leave you with some gaps that you’re body is looking to fill for the good of your hormonal health. A great place to start is to do a period audit with my Period Type Quiz. It’s very quick and simple, just answer a few questions relating to your current period experience, and you’ll get immediate thoughts on the root cause of your hormonal health issues and some personalized advice. Your diet and your workout routine needs to be in harmony with your hormonal patterns and support your endocrine system specifically. For stable hormonal balance, your body requires certain nutrients and minerals, as well as a good source of fat, for example, which is often the ingredient that gets cast aside in the quest for healthiness. Women actually need to eat fat to lose weight and to have their period - this is just one example of how much of what we’ve been taught about “healthy living” is not right for female biology. Many of the trendiest, hottest diets just don’t work for women and are actually designed for men and their specific male biology. Some of them - like raw-centric or Paleo eating - may make you feel better in the short term, but this is rarely sustained. The only diet around designed with women in mind is the FLO Living protocol of Cycle Syncing, which is less of a diet and more of a lifestyle shift. Centering your hormonal patterns, your female biology, rather than discounting it as important is the key to living your healthiest life and feeling great. The simplest way to start Cycle Syncing is to use the myFLO app. This guides you phase-to-phase (using your period start dates) on what you need to eat and how you need to work out to support your body every step of the way. The advice is built-in, easy to follow, and will make cycle awareness like second nature in no time. From my experience, it often takes just a few tweaks with diet and a lot more knowledge about the inner workings of your endocrine system to get things balanced again.Every woman’s body is different, our hormonal patterns are individuated, and so everyone’s version of “health nut” needs to be different to accommodate our uniqueness. What’s your unique protocol going to be?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

What Period-Type are you?

How do you know if your hormones are healthy? The answer is in your period!The color of your flow, frequency of your period, and symptoms you have each month can tell you a lot about your health. There are 5 different PERIOD TYPES, and knowing which one you have will help you get healthy now and prevent disease in the future.Click here to take The V-SIGN TYPE™ Quiz NOW

At this point you’ve probably heard the story of my healing journey, and so you’ll know that I suffered for years with cystic acne all over my face, chest, and back. It was not pretty and it certainly didn’t make me feel good to look in the mirror or go out in public without caked-on layers of makeup.

I spent lots of money and time trying to solve this issue, until I finally discovered how to naturally clear up my skin by addressing my diet and hormones.

And that lesson is exactly what I’m going to share with you today!

In this video I’ll take you through the essentials of skin care, the FLO way:

• what products you’re putting ON your body that are contributing to your breakouts
• what foods you’re putting IN your body that affect your skin
• the 3 key micronutrients essential for clear skin

Check out the skinny on your skin here:

Good things come in threes:

I want to hear from you!

First: Have you struggled with acne?Second: Share your #Flobeauty experience – follow the steps and let us know how you feel.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 quiz 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 quiz!

I often get the question: “Alisa, tell me what I can do to get pregnant easily!”

Sometimes it’s about getting knocked asap, sometimes it’s just for future reference.

So, where are you at on this continuum?Whether you’re ready to get pregnant now or just want to be fertile and prepared for when you’re ready in a year or even longer, today’s video is for you.Watch and learn my 5 Step Fertility-Boosting Plan! I’ll cover not only food and product changes to make, but a couple of surprising tips you might not expect!

Now, we want to hear from you!

First: Where are you really at on this continuum?Second: What was your favorite step in my plan?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

Are You Planning For Baby?

If you want to do everything in your power to improve your chances of becoming a mom—then I 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, my upcoming 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.

Do you ever beat yourself up for not being consistent with your bootcamp class?Do you feel too tired at certain times of the month and chalk it up to laziness? So many women feel burnt-out and demotivated half the month when going through the same workout routine. Well I have good news for you, my dears! It’s not you, it’s your hormones! There is a new way to “cross-train” your exercise routine that will actually have you feeling awesome all month long. All it takes is a little hormone cycle awareness - you can start by noticing exactly when it is that you feel less than enthusiastic about your workout. You do feel differently at different times during your cycle. Your body is primed and ready for certain kinds of exercise – like intense cardio versus yoga – depending on where your hormones are at.In this I simply break down the 4 different phases of your menstrual cycle and explain what’s happening with your hormones week-to-week.

As I’ve said here, each hormonal phase brings with it different strengths, powers, and abilities you can bring to your exercise routine to make sure you love what you’re doing all month, as well as get the most out of it - whether that’s meeting your weight loss goal, or just feeling happy and healthy.

Your follicular phase is a great time to try something new - a class you’ve always been curious about, a new routine you want to master. It’s also a great time for heavy-cardio classes. You have more energy and you’re super capable at dominating new skills.

Your ovulatory phase is a great time to focus on your strength training - whether that’s using kettle bells, weightlifting, interval training, or a bootcamp. Your luteal phase can be when you currently feel low energy, demotivated, and tired. This is when many women fall behind on their work outs, if they’re trying to do the same thing they were doing the last couple of weeks. This is a great time to switch things up to an intense yoga class, pilates, or something involving a lot of gradual movement and stretching. Cardio is not great at this time and will make you feel a little overwhelmed and tired.

Nearer to your menstruation phase is a good time for light yoga or hiking. You can keep moving without stressing your body.

During your menstruation phase, when you have your period, you should feel free to skip the workout. Just take a nice walk around your neighborhood or do some morning stretches. If you skip the workout for these few days, you’ll feel more energized and enthused for your exercise routine the rest of the month. Your energy is bound to be low at this time, so go with it, have some quiet time - take hot baths and practice self-care, which is all part of a holistic, complete approach to your health. Sleep is super important now, and actually vital for your physical health. Research has shown that one night of poor sleep is the equivalent to 6 months eating a diet high in bad fats.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! For more ideas on work outs to try during each hormonal phase go here for a breakdown. Plus check out these phase-divided work outs you can follow at home for free, from great instructors across Youtube. On the FLO Living YouTube channel I have 4 hormonal phase-specific yoga workouts you can do at home, led by my friend and FLO graduation, Emily, a certified yoga instructor. Try the follicular, ovulatory, luteal, and menstrual routines she has devised as someone now totally in-tune with her hormones. Too often we as women blame ourselves for not being able to operate at the same energy level every day and we get frustrated for not staying physically active because of it. I want that to stop, today! I can’t wait to hear how your body responds to this new approach to exercise.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

Do You Know the Easiest Way to Fix Your Period Symptoms?

You don’t need to keep suffering with annoying symptoms that drain your energy for 1-2 weeks every single month. In fact, you can start having a better period as soon as your next period.MyFLO is the first-ever functional medicine period tracker that ALSO helps you fix your symptoms. MyFLO will help you understand why you have symptoms and what to do to improve them with food. It will also teach you how to Cycle Sync™ the 5 main areas of your life: food, exercise, work, relationships, and sex.Have a Better Period with MyFLOWhen you follow MyFLO’s weekly recommendations, you’ll get rid of frustrating symptoms and learn how to optimize your energy to be more productive and have better relationships.Click here to get MyFLO for iPhoneClick here to get MyFLO for Android

Today I touch on a topic that will apply to you now if you’re considering getting pregnant. But if now’s not the time for you, I’m sure it’s something you’ll be able to share with your girlfriends at weekend brunch or save for later when you might want to start a family. Conversations and questions about fertility treatments like IVF (in vitro fertilization) are becoming more and more the norm, and it’s often an area that can instigate fear. If you have ever had a procedure like IVF or other ones like these, or if you are considering having one done, allow me to interject some important information. The best cure for fear, I find, is knowledge! Arm yourself with information and you will feel more confidant and secure in your options. I think pro-active healthcare is so important for women. So walk into that appointment knowing exactly what you need and why. Watch my video to start your education.

If you’re only considering IVF at this stage, download my report packed with information on whether IVF will be the right choice for you.In this video above I share the one food you must eat during your IVF procedure, plus 2 key nutrients to be consuming before, during, and after the process. Because yes – what happens after the process is just as important as everything leading up to it!This one could save you big bucks, lots of worries, and most importantly a not-so-often-mentioned after effect of IVF procedures. IVF isn’t just something that you have done to you it’s also something you can actively participate in, by supporting your body and boosting your body’s ability to react well to this process.You can work to get your body in balance prior, during, and after an IVF procedure. It will increase your success rates, help you feel good throughout, and help you get over the after-effects faster.Researchers from the Harvard School of Public Health monitored the fat consumption of 147 women undergoing IVF treatment and discovered that those who ate the highest amounts of monounsaturated fat were 3.4 times more likely to have a child after IVF. They concluded that avocados contain the best kind of monounsaturated fat (and the least saturated fat, which was found to decrease the amount of “good eggs”).What secret does this study reveal? It shows that what you consume has a direct impact on your fertility and your dietary choices affect your IVF outcomes. Knowledge is definitely power here!The other two foods I mention in this video, aside from avocados, are watermelon and brazil nuts. These will give you good doses of glutathione to support your liver and selenium to enhance your fertility. So, while the IVF process can feel a little out of your control, there are elements you can certainly control to help your body through the process and hopefully get the baby you want. You can work as a team with your medical practitioners to ensure your IVF cycle has the optimal opportunity to bring you a baby. It’s not about overriding the advice of medical professionals, it’s about using the science to take a proactive stance when it comes to your health and fertility.You just have to hear the amazing story of this wonderful 43-year old woman who came to work with me on the FLO Living program. She was told her chance of conceiving was very low, but within months she’d turned it all around and got the baby she so badly wanted. How did she do it? We worked together to make changes to her diet and lifestyle that prioritized her fertility. She couldn’t believe how quickly she saw results. I have many more fertility-boosting food recommendations, as someone who was told I would have a hard time conceiving with a PCOS diagnosis who went on to conceive at 38 naturally, I’ve done my research and I am more than happy to share it all with you. I love to empower other women to feel empowered themselves, rather than fearful, anxious, or out of control. You can also watch my second video in which I explain my thoughts on preparing your body for conception a full 3-9 months before you try for a 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,Alisa

What Period-Type are you?

How do you know if your hormones are healthy? The answer is in your period!The color of your flow, frequency of your period, and symptoms you have each month can tell you a lot about your health. There are 5 different PERIOD TYPES, and knowing which one you have will help you get healthy now and prevent disease in the future.Click here to take The V-SIGN TYPE™ Quiz NOW

Ladies, I hear you loud and clear: Endometriosis is a serious condition that is causing you pain, confusion, and frustration. Last week, you shared some of your stories with me via Facebook. You recounted how painful Endometriosis cramping can be and how you have period symptoms even when you’re not getting your period. You said you’ve spent months and years trying to get control over this painful and confusing condition, some of you with laparoscopies and multiple surgeries, with no solution to be found. Some of you struggle with fertility issues. Many of you are diagnosed in your 20’s and 30’s. To make things worse, many of you report doctors who second-guessed your symptoms and said they were “all in your head.”Thank you for your honesty and courage in sharing these stories with me. Endometriosis is a serious condition affecting 6-10% percent of women from their teenage years through adulthood. For these thousands of women, not fully understanding what is going on in their bodies and not knowing how to help themselves feel better can make them feel lost and frustrated. The time has come for women with this condition to feel empowered, hopeful, and begin their path to healing.In honor of Endometriosis Awareness Month, we’ve outlined for you the basics of endometriosis and essentials for healing.

FLO Recommendations for Managing Endometriosis Symptoms and Healing

Endometriosis Basics

Endometriosis occurs when the cells from the lining of the uterus, called endometrial cells, migrate to elsewhere in the body. The endometrial cells that line the uterus respond to the rise and fall of female hormones; the shift in hormones that occurs around your period is one of the reasons why endometriosis symptoms can be especially painful at your time of the month.Endometriosis has also been found to be caused by an autoimmune reaction in the body, meaning that antibodies are formed to fight against the body’s own tissue. As Dr. Christiane Northrup describes in her book Women’s Bodies Women’s Wisdom, these antibodies can interfere with regular menstruation and fertility, and on the deeper level can be associated with some aspect of the woman rejecting her female body. (This might sound a little out there, but we’ll get into the details in a moment.)Here’s the good news: you can regulate the fluctuating hormones in your body and heal your symptoms through diet and lifestyle shifts. We’re here to tell you how.

Estrogen and Prostaglandins

The key to controlling Endometriosis through diet lies in the role of estrogen and prostaglandins in the body. Prostaglandins are naturally occurring fatty acids, derived from what we put into our bodies thru diet. The body can produce a variety of prostaglandins—good ones and bad ones. The goal of a good diet, of course, is the increase the good prostaglandins to offset the effects of the bad prostaglandins! For example, certain prostaglandins in the body increase uterine contractions. With the right dietary choices, we can increase the good prostaglandins to soothe and calm the body and reduce those contractions. (Some especially negative prostaglandins are found in saturated fats, butter, and red meat---avoid these as much as possible.)

Goals for Managing Symptoms & Healing thru Diet

With Endometriosis, the goal of eating well is to boost the immune system, balance hormones and prostaglandin levels and cut down on estrogen in the body. One key to reducing estrogen is to boost liver function so it can break down and eliminate estrogen.Overall, you want to cut down on your consumption of bad fat and boost those foods that help to cut down on the estrogen circulating in your system and encourage good prostaglandins.

Immune System Boosters

• Beans, Peas & Lentils
• Carrots
• Garlic
• Ginger
• Green tea or Rooibis tea
• Leeks
• Live Yogurt
• Onions
• Rhubarb
• Seeds

Balancing Hormones: Reducing Estrogen thru Fiber

Not only does a diet high in fiber aid digestion, but it is thought that fiber can decrease circulating estrogens in the body. A high fiber diet means getting 25 grams of fiber every day. Good sources of fiber include:

• beans, peas and legumes
• brown rice
• quinoa
• fruits and vegetables, especially dark leafy greens like kale
• oatmeal
• whole grains *not wheat & rye

Balancing Hormones: Supporting Your Liver

As mentioned above, a healthy liver is key in eliminating excess estrogen and other hormones or toxins that could be interrupting your hormonal balance. Part of our 5-step protocol involves a more detailed Spring Cleanse to detoxify your liver. Here are some key foods to get started with:

Liver-Loving Vegetables

• Artichokes
• Beets
• Burdock
• Cabbage
• Carrots
• Kale
• Lemon & Lime
• Dandelion & mustard greens
• Watercress

Avoid these Harmful Foods

As with any good diet, it’s as much about what you take out of your body as what you put in. Cut Out or Drastically Reduce:

• Alcohol: consumes Vitamin B and compromises liver function
• Caffeine: increases abdominal cramps and estrogen levels
• Refined Carbs, including bread, flour, and anything made from refined flour
• Dairy: causes inflammation
• Fried Foods and Fats: promotes negative prostaglandins
• Red Meat: promotes negative prostaglandins
• Sugar and Honey: causes inflammation
• Wheat, including breads, pasta, and cake

Also avoid additives and preservatives, which increase the chemical load on the system.

Good Protein Picks:

• Beans
• Chicken/Turkey (a small amount)
• Salmon

Energetic Considerations

As with any condition, diet is only one part of a larger picture. As women, we can be prone to certain symptoms because of the energetic or emotional patterns happening in our lives. What we've noticed as a pattern with women with endometriosis is that there's an imbalance with mothering. When a woman's womb, the place of nourishing and mothering, is literally growing in other places outside of her uterus, it can indicate that she is not mothering herself where she most needs it and perhaps putting her mothering energy too much in the direction of career or outside matters.If you resonate with any of this, try doing the following:

• In a quiet place with no interruptions, connect to your body by closing your eyes and taking a few deep breaths with your hand on your belly.
• Take out a notebook and begin free-writing on the questions:
• What messages from my body/uterus do I need to hear right now?
• What kind of mothering am I in need of?
• Discuss your feelings and thoughts with a trusted friend or health coach.

Keep in mind that the emotional and energetic connections will continue to be revealed as you put more attention and openness on them. Getting support and having a sounding board for working through all of this is so essential to the healing process.

Now what?

We recognize that endometriosis is a complicated issue and not always easy to address. You might have even heard much of what we’ve outlined before. If you sense you need more support in implementing the correct changes to your diet and lifestyle, or if you aren’t sure about what kind of support you might be needing, talk to us.We have a team of health coaches ready to provide personalized, effective guidance, as well as a step-by-step program, the WomanCode System, which is transforming thousands of women’s lives daily. It would be our pleasure to serve you :)

Now that we’re clear you don’t have to be a perfectionist to balance your hormones, it’s time to create more awareness of the signs and symptoms your body is giving you.

Remember -

You are partnering with your body. Like in any relationship, you need clear communication to thrive and so learning how to interpret your body’s language is essential to cracking the code of your long-term health and hormonal balance.

Here’s a summary of what to be looking for during your period - which you might have caught glimpses of on The Doctor Oz Show last week:

Brown stains = low progesterone levels

Dark red or black clots = low progesterone, elevated estrogen, congestion in the uterus

Heavy bleeding = elevated estrogen, potential for fibroids or polyps in the uterus

Short length of bleeding (1-2 days long) = low estrogen, low progesterone

Very frequent bleeds (twice a month or more) = potential sluggish thyroid

As you might have heard us say before, regulating your cycle and balancing hormones is never about spot-treating the symptoms. We’ve identified above what these different kinds of bleeds can mean for you, but it’s up to you take the necessary steps to get to the underlying cause of the equation. This is where the first 3 steps of the WomanCode protocol come in handy:

1. Balancing blood sugar levels

2. Healing adrenals

3. Supporting organs of elimination (liver, large intestine, skin, & lymphatic system)

Tomorrow I’ll reveal more specifics about one of these three areas that could be the unexpected culprit of your sluggish, stubborn weight issues! Can you guess which one it is?

The WomanCode System is the tried and true program for accountability and efficiency at implementing the code-cracking protocol laid out in the WomanCode book.

I don’t want you to suffer any longer.

Take control now!

Start here and get my special Health Insider videos.

Cracking the code one step at a time,Alisa

So you slipped up:

You ate the big piece of chocolate cake.You snuck in some coffee at the office.You stayed up way past your bedtime.You had one too many cocktails.

Is your hormonal health destiny doomed to failure?!?

Absolutely not!

One of the questions we often get from you is“what happens if I don’t stick to the protocol perfectly?”

Starting a new “diet” plan is often full of fear and doom and exacerbated perfectionism. You want to get it right. You want to fix yourself. You don’t want to waste your time, money, or hard-working efforts.

Well guess what, ladies --WomanCode is about to change this game completely.

The WomanCode System is not one of those diets that will leave you feeling starved, frustrated, and scared to walk by a bakery.

It’s an entire lifestyle plan and philosophy that gets you to partner with your body, learning the intricacies of your hormones and cycle so that you know how to take care of your body and bounce back from everyday slip-ups.

We know that life isn’t perfect and there will be times when you can’t help but get thrown off course. In fact, it can be fun to get thrown off course once in awhile - right?!?

Because of that we created a “survival kit” section in WomanCode dedicated to helping you counteract the potentially hormone-hazardous events that daily life can bring.

Check out these examples:

You drank too much:

Did you know that a dose of inositol, vitamin C ester, and B-complex taken before bed improves the liver’s ability to detoxify and prevent the morning hangover?

You overdid it on the carbs:

Did you know that a short bout of exercise - walking up and down stairs or a few squats at your desk - right after a meal helps manage glucose and insulin levels and prevent storage of fat?

Get more in-depth tips on common slip-ups plus so much more in WomanCode.

And stay tuned, because we’ll be sending you more tips over the next few days to continue to help you crack the code and get in the FLO of your life!

To being perfectly imperfect,Alisa

Low libido? What to do if it’s happening to you!

While it’s been a few years since we’ve seen formal studies on low libido in young women, we are seeing more and more social studies coming out that suggest young people (women included) are having less sex.

A new study from the Archives of Sexual Behavior showed that people are having far less sex now than they did even ten years ago. Another recent study from the same journal showed heterosexual women are having fewer orgasms than any other demographic.

Although our culture is becoming more “sex positive” and embracing sexuality as a healthy, essential part of our lives, it seems that we’re still having less sex and not always enjoying the sex we have to the fullest. Although our sex lives is a complex issue with many impacting factors, low libido or lack of sex drive is definitely one of the drivers behind this trend.

More and more women are coming to FLO Living reporting that their sex drive barely exists whether they are single or coupled, with or without kids. Having no to low libido is a common symptom that sometimes stands on its own, but more often than not is accompanied by other factors: fertility struggles, menstrual difficulties, adrenal fatigue and/or low energy.

If you can relate, then listen up. I’m calling this a silent epidemic, but don’t worry, help is at hand.

I believe that you have the power to shift this trend by making simple dietary and mindset changes. And we believe it because we’ve seen it. Women who follow the Sexy FLO program report incredible changes in their libido and energy, and we want to see the same happen for you. To start, let’s identify what could be the cause of your lack in sexual energy.

Main underlying causes of low libido in women in their 20s, 30s, and 40s:

• Over-working. Keeping up with insane work schedules in addition to other personal obligations adds up to a common result: burnout. In some countries they’ve had even to implement laws around when employees can and should check email in order to ease the work/life imbalance. Constant connection to the office via our smartphones can mean we’re never not working. Too much stress and too much demand on your mental and physical energy results in the depletion of your poor little adrenal glands, the powerhouse glands that are responsible for the output of your stress hormones and most of your testosterone, which is where that desire for sex comes from. Increased output of stress hormones means decreased output of juicy sex hormones. Stress can delay your period and make you gain weight - all because of how it impacts your hormone balance.

• Birth control or other medications. If you’re on the pill, anti-depressants, or other medication, this something very important to consider when it comes to your sex drive and your hormonal balance, as very often a side-effect is a low libido. We encourage you to talk to your doctor about this potential and partner with other practitioners to find the right kind of support and wean off what is not necessary for you. The birth control pill has a lot of side effects including several that directly impact your love life. And anti-depressants have been shown to negatively affect a woman’s fertility.

• Masculine energy dynamics. When I developed the FLO Living protocol to treat my PCOS, I launched into research on the masculine and feminine energies. This might 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. As a result of the demand on women to perform well in business, to sometimes be the primary breadwinner of the family, and to compete with the go-go-go energy of much of the working world, there has been a tendency for many women to get locked into that kind of “masculine” energy, which can be counter-productive when it comes to getting intimate in the bedroom. We all know that getting turned on is not as simple as pushing a button. The fear and anxiety producing part of the brain – the amygdala – needs to be turned off in order for a woman to get turned on, as Dr. Louann Dr. Brizendine, author of The Female Brain, explains in this article with Oprah and Dr. Oz. “It requires turning off the worrywart circuits in the female brain to have an orgasm,” Dr. Brizendine explains. We all need to balance our masculine and feminine energies - both women and men - as they are in us all. Once we lean too far to the masculine, we can suffer with the side effects.

What you can do to naturally improve a low libido

Now that you’ve identified what might be causing your low libido, let’s talk about practical tools you can begin using now to get your sexy back.

1. Support your adrenal glands. Especially if a demanding work schedule is a reality for you, you’ll need to take extra good care of your body and in particular your adrenal glands to avoid symptoms of adrenal fatigue. Taking Jarrow’s Adrenal Optimizer is one way to begin this process of adrenal support. You can also add these researched aphrodisiacs to your daily routine to supercharge your sex drive.

2. Make pleasure part of your job. Don’t just survive through your day, thrive within it. Adding pleasure to your day in simple non-sexual ways can greatly improve your ability to feel pleasure in the bedroom. Try bringing flowers to your desk or playing music you love during your morning commute. Indulge in body lotions or perfumes (organic, of course!) that make you feel beautiful. Get regular massages. Check out the ideas of our favorite pleasure revolutionary, Mama Gena. You can bring more feminine energy into your working day in some easy, simple ways. I have 4 daily practices I use to ground myself in my feminine energy and make my busy schedule work for me.

3. Take matters into your own hands. You need to ask for you what you want, but first you need to know what you want. Make time to research your sexuality and the underlying causes of your low libido. Read tasteful erotica and see what turns you on - take a wander around Literotica.com. Read about your anatomy and the physiology behind turn-on, and get to grips with the 5 Cs of self-pleasure. Once you know yourself better, don’t be shy to ask for assistance or experimentation from your partner. No partner? No problem. Then you can really take matters into your own hands more often, if you know what we mean. But give vibrators a miss, they’re actually limiting your pleasure.

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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 wanted to let you know that today I’m lifting up my skirt, so to speak, by talking publicly about something I’ve never talked about in this way before.  Something taboo.  Secretive.  Shameful for some of us. It’s something that we, as women, often try to hide.

Do I have your attention?It’s about my moon cycle, my period, my menses — whatever you want to call it.  I’ll be talking about how my own cycles affect my work in the world.  Not to mention my relationships, and my overall view of myself as an empowered, embodied woman.

This conversation is long overdue.Today it feels really good to let my hair down and share more openly about this in a free month-long online event, featuring myself and 27 other feminine leaders, called “I {Heart} My Moon Cycle”.  My friend and colleague, Sara Avant Stover is hostessing this event. In case you don’t know her, Sara is a yogini, women’s teacher and mentor, and the author of the best-selling book The Way of the Happy Woman. This special month stretches for 28 days (one lunar cycle) from February 18-March 17 and is designed to bring more awareness and acceptance of our cycles, from menarche to menopause.Why should you care?  That’s a good question!  As women, we should all be talking more about this than we are. Our bodies have different rhythms and cycles that we can harness in ways that you have probably never been taught…until now.

My own story about my cycles and how they relates to my work in the world went live this morning. Come on over to see what I have to say about this more secretive part of my womanhood.This is taboo stuff, ladies.  Let’s see if we can bring it into the mainstream, and take away the stigma.  

Care to join me? Here’s where to find me there: http://www.saraavantstover.com/iheartmymooncycle/10/It’s a serious subject, but we’ll have some fun with it, too.  

And you’ll get a lot of information that you can use in your own life and your own relationships. I hope you join me, and let your voice contribute to an emerging women’s movement rooted in the deepest and most powerful parts of us. P.S. “I {Heart} My Moon Cycle” culminates with a free online class and celebration on March 8, International Women’s Day where Sara teaching “What do to on the first day of your cycle (or on the new moon if you’re not bleeding anymore)”— especially if you’re busy professional, mom, or both. She’s a very thorough, inspiring, and gently powerful teacher—I think you’ll really like it! You can join that free class here too http://iheartmymooncycle.com

“But the doctor said my blood work came back normal. Why do I still feel so terrible?”“They didn’t find anything in the blood work panel. Now what?”If you’re like us or many of the clients who walk through our virtual door, I’m sure you’ve felt similar sentiments. Interpreting your symptoms and your blood work can feel like a mystery. Whether it comes back “normal” or if the doctor tells you certain numbers are too high or too low, you can often be left with the feeling of “Now What?”Well let us step in and help clear things up.We’ve identified the top 4 points to consider when you are getting (or thinking about getting) hormonal blood work done:

1. Understanding the benefits and limitations of blood work: Remember that a blood work sample is capturing one moment in your highly fluctuating hormonal reality. While it’s important to establish a baseline through blood work periodically, for chronic hormonal issues it’s often better to do saliva testing over a period of 30 days to truly track how your hormones vary throughout the month and pinpoint what’s not working right.
2. The best time to get blood work done: If you are going to move forward with blood work, the best time of your cycle to get it done can vary, depending on what you’re testing. This is when it’s best to partner with your doctor to determine the best time for you and your health investigation.
3. How to interpret results: Get a copy of your blood work results and pay attention to the numbers. Sometimes a hormone level can be considered “normal” because it falls within the standard range, however, where it falls on that range makes a big difference in how you feel. For example, if your progesterone levels are found to be low but within normal range and you’re having a lot of symptoms with your cycle and your mood, then you can use that information to address the issue before you go completely out of range and have to rely on bioidentical hormones. And that means, from the functional medicine standpoint, that you should start changing your diet and lifestyle to support bringing your endocrine system back to balance. Which brings us to our next point...
4. Your body knows best: If your blood work doesn’t shed any light on your health, but you are still experiencing symptoms, know that there is still a way for you to make progress and improve your cycle, fertility, and/or libido. You can learn about the underlying causes of endocrine disruption and then learn how to use food sequencing to correct the imbalances and get back to feeling like yourself. While many doctors are catching on to holistic treatments options, many are still only prescribing drugs, surgery, or the “wait and see” suggestion. Don’t settle. Become the sexy scientist of your body and start running the show! Our WomanCode System is the first step to getting there, so be sure to check out the details and talk to one of our counselors if you feel it might be for you.

Trying to conceive? Whether you are going about it naturally or getting assistance with infertility treatments, here’s a list of what you must do before moving forward to increase your chances of conception.

1. Check the sperm first! For starters, be sure that the sperm from your man or donor are viable. It can be more lucrative for fertility clinics to jump straight to procedures on the woman before even checking the male counterpart. Don’t be fooled. Before you spend thousands on a procedure to your body, wouldn’t you want to be sure it was your body that needed it?
2. Feel empowered to ask questions. Here’s a reality check: your doctor works for you. Therefore, you have every right to ask questions and feel empowered at each visit. Don’t let fancy jargon intimidate you. Get the facts. Seek second opinions. Get clear about all your options before making a decision.
3. Get your diet and lifestyle in check. We all know that the success rates of IVF procedures are not great. Studies are now proving the point we have been making for years, that your diet dramatically impacts your fertility. Something as simple as increasing the amount of avocado in your diet has been shown to increase the successful outcome of an IVF procedure by 3 times. Feed your fertility!

We know the clock is ticking. And we are experts at hand-holding you through this process. Download our PROGRAM GUIDE now to find more about how our protocol works and what it could do for you!

The heart is multi-faceted: both the the center of our circulatory system and the center of our emotional system. We feel things with our hearts, we connect to other people with our hearts, we love from our hearts, and when we follow our hearts, we follow our dreams.But how often do we actually do these things?As women, our hearts should not be overlooked, although they often are. With heart disease being the number one killer of women, we at FLO take it as a sign that even more attention should be on protecting the heart. And the best place to start is by balancing your hormones. Let us explain:What most don’t realize is that mismanaged blood sugar is at the root of heart disease. Elevated sugar in the bloodstream causes triglyceride levels to rise and plaque in the arteries to build up - all to counteract the acidic effects of too much sugar streaming through the blood.On that same note, it’s not a coincidence that most women with hormonal imbalances are dealing with blood sugar imbalances as well. PCOS is one of the more common examples of this connection, but it’s also a factor in other conditions such as PMS, PMDD, ovarian cysts, fibroids, endometriosis, and infertility.Not being aware of your blood sugar is a common form of body-disconnect in women. If you often skip meals, power through your work day without thinking about your body, or find yourself reaching for sugar and carbs often, chances are this is an area that you could use support with!It’s an act of self-love to feed your body in a way that keep your blood sugar balanced, and when you have this foundation you’ll be that much more able to give and receive love freely with others in your life. You’ll also be around for much longer, since how you treat your body in your 20s, 30s, and 40s is a big indicator of how you will age and feel in the future.So do yourself - and your loved ones - a favor and learn how to attend to your hormones as a foundation for heart health!Here are a few ways you can started.3 tips for heart and hormonal health:

• Don’t skip breakfast! It truly is the most important meal of the day. Not eating breakfast - or eating breakfast that is high in sugar - will set you up for sharp spikes and falls in your blood sugar balance throughout the day. It will not end well. ;)
• Take a calcium/magnesium supplement at night. The powdered ionic form is best - we love the Natural CALM brand. Studies have shown that magnesium deficiency can lead to high blood pressure, and that supplementing with magnesium can decrease risk of death from heart disease. In addition, both calcium and magnesium are essential for hormonal health and period regulation. Your heart and your ovaries love each other - so help them do their jobs!
• Connect to your heart daily. Notice the distinction between how you feel and how you are thinking about something. Choose to go with your heart twice a week, for starters! If you need help tapping inwards, a simple meditation we love is to place one hand on your heart, one hand on your belly, and take 3 deep breaths - feeling your belly and chest expanding with each inhale.

We also invite you to check out our WomanCode System if you are someone who’s dealing with hormonal issues and a blood sugar imbalance. We delve deep into sustainable blood sugar management, as well as other key facets of hormonal health. Download our PROGRAM GUIDE to find more about how it all works and what it could do for you!

As ladies, we just can’t get enough green leafy vegetables in our diet. They are full of calcium, magnesium, iron, zinc, folic acid, plus fiber! Green leafy veggies also act as a housecleaner for the body – they sweep the blood & improve circulation. Finally, greens are great mood boosters, making you feel light and optimistic!So what’s the key to getting enough greens in your diet? Cooking them up to be tasty and delicious! To start you off we’re sharing below a recipe for a mouth watering, gluten free and vegetarian Kale Salad. The recipe comes from the Clean Plates Cookbook which you can purchase here or learn more about here.Here’s to tasty greens and feeling great!Kale SaladSERVES 2Ingredients3⁄4 cup/90 g 1/2-inch/1.25 cm diced kabocha or butternut squash2 tablespoons plus 11/2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided, or more to taste21⁄2 cups/45 g chopped or shredded kale, ideally Tuscan or black kale1⁄4 cup/35 g whole almonds, toasted1⁄4 cup/30 g crumbled aged Cheddar cheese, such as Cabot Clothbound Cheddar1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice, or more to tasteFine sea salt to tasteFreshly ground black pepper to tastePecorino or other hard cheese, for shaving (optional)InstructionsPreheat the oven to 375°F/190°C.In a medium bowl, combine the squash and 11/2 teaspoons of the oil. Arrange in a single layer on a small, rimmed baking sheet and bake until tender, 10 to 12minutes. Set aside to cool to room temperature.In a large bowl, combine the squash, kale, almonds, and Cheddar cheese. Add the lemon juice and remaining 2 tablespoons of oil and toss to combine. Add more lemon juice, more oil, and salt and pepper to taste.Arrange the salad on plates or a platter, garnish with shaved pecorino cheese (if using), and serve.Recipe reprinted with permission from THE CLEAN PLATES COOKBOOK © 2012 by Jared Koch with Jill Silverman Hough, Running Press, a member of the Perseus Books Group.

Ever wonder how the food you eat affects your hormones?

We’ve designed a quiz to help you the state of your hormonal balance and how our food-based protocol can help you heal fast.[gravityform id="1" name="Sign up here to get your quiz!" description="false"]