Supplements

If you’re like many women with endocrine fallout, it may seem like your body is hanging onto an additional five, ten, or twenty pounds for dear life.

You can be eating practically nothing and working out like crazy, but no matter what you do those excess pounds are going nowhere.Sounds familiar?Well, the culprit lies in something that might seem unexpected:

Your liver.

Let me explain.

The liver is responsible for removing toxins from the body and it does this by turning fat-soluble toxins into water-soluble toxins so they can be excreted through your large intestine, kidneys, and skin. However, when you have a hormonal problem, your liver’s function is compromised and can’t work as efficiently at removing these toxins.

Therefore, your body clings to those fat-soluble toxins for dear life! It holds them in your fat tissue in order to protect your liver from a toxic load it won’t be able to handle. But then, unlucky for you, those fat tissues become really difficult to shed - unless, of course, you do what’s necessary to help out your liver.

In WomanCode, I go into much more depth on how to specifically support the liver’s function and remove the stubborn fat cells. I even include a 4-day plan to reset your entire system!

Until you get your hands on the full book, here are a few key things to get started with immediately to get your liver into toxin-clearing action!

• Fill up on plenty of veggies from the brassica family: cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, brussel sprouts, and kale.
• Reach for lemons and oranges, adding lemon to your water as much as possible.
• Sneak in caraway and dill deeds into your meals. Grind them and rub onto fish, chicken or other meats before baking, combine them with whole grains, or add them to homemade salad dressings

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!

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

My Dancing Journey to Health!

Having spent the majority of my teenage years in the ballet studio and the majority of my 20s studying psychology and holistic health, I’ve always been interested in how dance and health can affect one another.So I was more than thrilled to discover Dr. Peter Lovatt’s research being done on dance and hormones!In my case, I was drawn to the healing world because of the damage I had done to my body and mind as a result of many intense years in the ballet world. Not that ballet itself was to blame for my suffering health – part of it was genetics and part was my attitude towards my body. In trying to force it into an unrealistic ideal, wanting to control my weight and eating so much, I never began menstruating as a teenager. At 18 I was diagnosed with polycystic ovarian syndrome and put on the birth control pill and metformin, as I was told that it was the only way to get my cycle going and I would most likely be infertile.Long story short, it took over 5 years of feeling stuck in my body, depressed, and on medication for me to seek out another alternative. That’s when I discovered Alisa & FLO Living and began my natural healing journey back to my body.Once I got off the pill and began menstruating on my own, it was like a veil was lifted and the fogginess cleared. Not only did I feel physically better, but mentally I was more clear, focused, and alive than I had felt in years. It was then that dance began to open up to me in a different way.I started getting involved with groups and dancers and who were interested in improvisation and freedom of movement, using dance to express individuality, rather than trying to conform to a particular ideal. I eventually started making my own dances at random moments when the mood hit, and I documented the process on an anonymous youtube channel. Scary, yet freeing and healing on so many levels! That process became more public as I began to see how something very personal to me – dancing – could be inspiring for others to start expressing themselves, reclaiming their bodies, and finding their own modes of healing.You can check out my dance blog here: jessgrippo.tumblr.comAs a holistic health counselor at FLO Living, it’s my ultimate joy to guide other women in their own healing processes and in connecting to their bodies, cycles and self-expression.I’m taking on a few more private clients this Spring and would love to talk to YOU if you feel it might be time for this kind of a process.Click here to read more about what I offer and to set up a time to talk!To your health and creativity,jess

Prevent Hormonal Breakouts: Breaking the Monthly Cycle

Long after puberty, many women experience monthly breakouts. Some changes in the skin over the course of a month are normal--after ovulation the increase of progesterone makes breakouts more likely. For the same reason, taking an oral contraceptive high in progesterone can lead to skin trouble all month long. Also, hormonal imbalances can cause the liver to produce the substances that lead to the wrong kind of sebum--the natural lubricant produced by glands in the skin. There are some things you can do every day to prevent hormonal breakouts.If your diet is high in sugar, fat, processed foods, or foods with chemical additives, your body may have a hard time getting rid of these excesses. Your skin's ability to lubricate and self-clean can be impaired. Remember, your body keeps you healthy by processing out anything toxic, and your skin is a major vehicle for detoxification--including the skin on your face.Americans spend around $6 billion on skin care products each year--there's so much advertising encouraging us to turn to the latest chemical-based product for solutions. The trouble is, those products actually add toxins to our bodies, ultimately contributing to deeper levels of organ imbalance and giving our skin even more to deal with.Here's a quick primer to manage and even prevent hormonal breakouts without chemicals:Daily Detox

Flush away toxins and fatty residues and improve liver function:• increase your water• increase leafy green vegetables• increase raw fruit and veggies (be cautious with this in cold weather)Feed Your SkinLike any other organ, your skin needs specific nutrients for health:• vitamins A, C, and E--eat your veggies!• zinc--whole grains, sunflower seeds, raw nuts• essential fatty acids--flax oil, fish oil, evening primrose oilChemical-Free Skin Care• hot towel scrub: rub down your dry skin with a hot washcloth daily to open all the pores on your body for detoxification (besides just the ones on your face)• lavender essential oil and tea tree oil: natural antiseptics and excellent topical treatments for blemishes• food-based masks and peels: coffee & sugar to exfoliate, avocado to moisturize, and papaya for anti-aging and skin repair

Hi! We've been sending out these free educational health videos one-by-one via e-mail, but we thought you might like the opportunity to view them all in one place. So here they are! Please comment on the videos and let us know what you think. We'd also love to hear back from you on what you want to learn more about. Xoxo - The FLO Living Team

What you don't know CAN hurt your long-term health and fertility

These women did it and you can too!

3 things that are interfering with your periods, fertility, and libido

Are you part of the silent epidemic crushing women's libidos?

Your relationship with your body can revolutionize the future for women

First: Monitoring Your Cervical Health

When was the last time you had a check-up? Annual pap smears are important to check for HPV and to monitor the health of your cervix.

With about 70% of the population carrying HPV (human papilloma virus), the chances are good that many of us will have to deal with an abnormal pap smear at some point. Getting an abnormal pap smear can feel very scary. Words like pre-cancer create a lot of anxiety and the proposed treatment - a LEEP procedure - can be uncomfortable and painful.

We all know someone or have ourselves been through the worrisome wait for test results. But the more educated you are about your body, the more prepared you will feel. The reality is that the vast majority of abnormal pap smears show low grade cervical dysplasia or cervical abnormalities that do not lead directly to pre-cancer cells or a cancer diagnosis. Getting yourself checked-up and tested is important, but for most women, an abnormal result should not be cause for alarm. The majority of cervix health issues are very treatable and you can feel confident that the next time you have a check-up, everything will be fine.

When it comes to HPV, even though here is no secret cure in most cases by boosting your immune system and taking the proper steps, you can have a clear pap smear in a matter of weeks. Yes, you can actually reverse your HPV diagnosis, treat it, and get rid of it. This means, once diagnosed, you can work to support your body, boost your immunity, and then, when you return to your OBGyn, the HPV will be gone.

There are, of course, certain cases in which HPV and/or an abnormal pap smear can be more serious, so please work with your health care practitioner to assess your situation, and don’t be afraid to get second opinions. Getting regular pap smears is still the best way to maintain your cervical health.

There is a difference between low grade cervical dysplasia and high grade cervical dysplasia. The following suggestions relate to low grade cervical dysplasia symptoms only. However, we want you to know that your body is remarkably resilient, and there are natural approaches to healing your cervix:

• With good nutrition and the right supplements your immune system could fight off an HPV infection and replace abnormal cells with healthy tissue
• With a strong immune system, your body should be able to clear HPV by itself
• A full 90% of HPV infections will clear in 2 years according to the World Health Organization, but most of us need to boost our immunity to make that happen quickly

It’s important that every woman know this is possible and that you can take a proactive position on your own health and well-being. Knowledge is power, the more you have at your fingertips the better! Plus, how can you know what is best for you and your body without all the information? The following natural remedies have been shown to help clear up HPV when the issue is caught early and cervical cell changes are minimal.

6 Natural Remedies for HPV and Cervical Health

1. ‍Vitamin C  - studies have shown the protective, immunity-boosting benefits of good vitamin C intake on cervical health.‍
2. Zinc - zinc deficiency is considered a risk factor for the development of cervical health issues. ‍
3. Folic Acid - multiple studies have linked low levels of folic acid to a higher incidence of cervical dysplasia. You can also combine it with B12 for increased protection against cervical cell changes.  ‍
4. Beta Carotene - women with high levels of beta-carotene were up to 50 percent less likely to acquire any HPV-related infections than females with low levels of beta-carotene. ‍
5. Selenium - in a recent study, supplementation with selenium improved the cervical health of over 75% of women, over a period of 6 months.
6. DIM - Di-indolyl-methan, also known as DIM, has been shown to have a positive effect on HPV and could potentially halt the spread of cervical cancer.

HPV is very common and often very treatable with these natural remedies. Other common women’s health issues - like UTIs, yeast infections, and bacterial vaginosis - are also avoidable and treatable with natural remedies. If you are very prone to UTIs and seem to get them all the time, we have developed a protocol that can stop this cycle in its tracks.

FLO Living is committed to helping you understand the amazing natural healing options that are available to you, so that you can make knowledgeable, powerful choices about how to care for your body and your menstrual and sexual 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!

Question: What sticky substance is a part of many readily available foods, but may have hindering effects on your reproductive system when trying to conceive (TTC)?

Answer: Gluten!

Gluten Intolerance and Trying to Conceive

By now if you're not already gluten-free, you’ve probably heard the term. Something that may seem like just another diet fad is actually a much more serious health concern, especially for those of us who already have underlying hormonal sensitivities. Over the past decade, we at FLO have seen the connection between gluten sensitivity and hormonal balance and have helped thousands of women use food as medicine to heal their reproductive health. And, we're so excited to have science on our side! Research has determined that gluten intolerance, or celiac disease, may also be a cause of infertility.

Why gluten is an issue for reproductive health

In people with gluten allergies or sensitivities, when gluten is consumed, the immune system responds by destroying the villi (small, finger-like projections) on the small intestine. This causes malabsorption of nutrients and a slower transit time of food passing through the intestines. Slower transit time means that excess estrogen and other hormones and toxins are not eliminated from the body properly, contributing to a hormonal balance that can interfere with ovulation.

Even if you are at the stage where IVF or IUI is a necessary step, your diet is a still a huge factor! This is why many fertility centers, like The Sher Institute for Reproductive Medicine, recognize the correlation between their patients' fertility and diet, and encourage them to pursue a holistic route of care in combination with the medical support.

Determining if you are gluten-sensitive or not

Now, it's important to mention that you can be gluten-sensitive but not have full blown celiac disease. There are also women who might not have a sensitivity at all. How can you best determine your tolerance to this sticky substance?

Here are some symptoms that indicate you may be at risk of infertility and/or a gluten allgery -

See if any are persistent issues for you:

• Bloating, gas or abdominal pain
• Diarrhea or constipation
• Chronic fatigue and weakness
• Indigestion
• Absent or irregular menstrual cycles
• Prolonged use of hormonal contraceptives
• Skin issues
• Fatigue and/or weakness
• Irritability or behavior change

What to do next

If you’re having menstrual irregularities, digestive distress, and/or trouble conceiving that seems undiagnosable to doctors, we want to hear from you! There’s a good chance your diet is not supporting your hormonal balance, and our protocol was designed specifically to address this issue. We can help you determine your best route to reproductive health and natural conception!

Sticking with you,

Alisa

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!

Is your sunscreen disrupting your hormones?

Say what? I thought my sunscreen was protecting me from the dangerous rays of the sun, but now I have to worry about it harming me too? That’s right, ladies, there are many toxic chemicals lurking in the average product that you see on the shelf.With summer in full swing, it’s freeing to be outdoors enjoying the warmth of sun on your skin. But as important as our daily dose of Vitamin D is, so is our protection from a burn and perhaps more serious illnesses. And with that, comes another caution - beware of the ingredient list on your sunscreen!

Sunscreen ingredients to avoid and why:

OXYBENZONE - Oxybenzone easily penetrates the layers of skin, allowing it to enter your system. It has been linked with endocrine hormone disruption (including reproduction), an increase in endometriosis, cellular level changes, and system toxicity.RETINYL ACETATE (VITAMIN A ACETATE) - Vitamin A in your diet has been proven to protect against HPV proliferation and cervical cancer, but putting it on your skin in the sun does not have the same effects. Studies have shown that vitamin A treated skin exposed to sunlight can increase your risk of cancerous tumor growth.OCTYL METHOXYCINNAMATE (OMC) - Studies have linked to increased levels of estrogen, reduced production of thyroid hormones, and declined immune function.

Ingredients to look for:

AVOBENZONE - Used in products since 1978, avobenzone provides protection against UV-A rays and test results show no hormone disruptions.ZINC OXIDE - Remember the 80s with zinced up lifeguard noses? This mineral shows limited skin penetration, no photoallergy and no hormonal disruption.TITANIUM DIOXIDE - Great for UV protection, this other mineral also has limited skin penetration, no photoallergy and no hormonal disruption.Our environments today have an increased number of industrial-created chemicals that alone not seem toxic but in combination with all the other chemicals (in shampoo, make up, cleaning products, plastics in our home, paint on our walls, finishes on our furniture, I could keep going) and environmental factors (sun exposure) may lead to detrimental effects on our systems. Take control where you can!At FLO living we love using EWG as a resource for product information, all studies cited in this post are results from research done by EWG. Take a peek at their sunscreen guide to 2012.Knowledge is power, and we like you having power!To go even deeper and get an in-depth power session for your body and hormones, sign up for a complimentary 30 minute consultation here.

Is there a magic food to rev up your libido?We've all heard of aphrodisiacs - which are wonderful and very powerful - butif certain other aspects of your diet and endocrine system are not balanced, chances are you won't feel a thing just from eating oysters. So what foods can boost your libido and improve your love life?Foods that support your adrenals and rev up your libido are those that keep your blood sugar balanced, your mood stabilized, and your cortisol levels low, while naturally upping DHEA production. If these factors aren’t in place, you are probably feeling tired, depressed, foggy-headed, having difficulty sleeping, getting frequent colds, or some combination of them. Not only from a nutritional perspective will this weaken your sex drive, but also from an emotional perspective – you just won’t have the capacity to thrive.So get started on the road to better health and a better love life.

Here are the 5 food strategies you MUST know about!

1. Switch to decaf – Caffeine first thing in the morning will zap the life out of your adrenals, leaving you even more tired at that 3 or 4pm lull. If you’re an avid coffee drinker, start by switching to decaf or green tea, then eventually switch over to herbal teas.
2. Skip the salad at lunch– That’s right! Contrary to popular belief that salads at lunch are the healthy way to go, depriving your body of a whole grain carbohydrate source at lunchtime will bring on sweet cravings later in the day and disturb your blood sugar balance. So throw some brown rice into your salad bowl, or eat a sandwich or sushi rolls.
3. Take shortcuts with your snacks – Instead of mindlessly munching Cheerios or fruit snacks with your kids, keep balanced snacks around for yourself. Always have on hand protein sources like: organic sliced turkey breast (which provides the building blocks for mood stabilization), whole hard boiled eggs, canned salmon and sardines (skip the tuna! Too much mercury and not enough EFAs). Whole grain quick fixes include: Mary’s Gone Crackers and precooked brown rice bowls from Trader Joes. And don’t forget about sliced veggies with peanut butter or hummus!
4. Nourish your adrenal glands with supportive foods - Load up on sea vegetables (nori, hijiki, dulse, kelp – which come in flakes that you can easily sprinkle onto your food), black sesame seeds, black and kidney beans. These foods work to nourish your tired adrenals.
5. Get in your Essential Fatty Acids – Especially if you’re breast feeding, your body can be starved of the EFAs, essential for mood stabilization. If you can’t get in things like avocado, salmon, nuts and seeds, then take a fish oil or flax oil supplement.

Get started now and let us know how you feel in the comment box below!

And don't forget that our expert health coaches are here to support you along the way. If you're looking for personalized support and a step-by-step program to guide you through the process, click here to book your complimentary FLO Focus Session!

We are thrilled that Alisa and FLO Living are featured in BUST Magazine this week! Rachel Friedman takes on the subject of the birth control pill and whether women should be taking the pill for non-contraceptive reasons. Of course, Alisa was happy to weigh in!Here is an excerpt from the article to peak your interest (if you want to read the entire article, Click Here):Today, 10 million women are on the pill, and 82 percent of us have taken it at some point in our lives. The birth control pill is a $22 billion–a-year industry, with 60 brands now on the market.These days, we assume that the kinks have been worked out, and that the pill is perfectly safe—but is that naïve?The quickness with which the pill is being dispatched to seemingly anyone with a hormone-related ailment suggests we might be overmedicating some women at best and, at worst, dismissing others.Hungry for more? Just Click Here to read the entire article on the birth control pill! *** Note: Some women have experienced loading the above external links, so we have provided the article to you as an internal link on our website below. Happy reading!

Full Bust Article

Alisa is talking with the fabulous women over at Girlfriendology on May 25th 2:00 - 2:30 EST on the BlogTalkRadio show. You don't want to miss this 'girlfriend' talk on health, hormonal imbalance, and living your best life!Here's an excerpt from Alisa's blog with Girlfriendology:EVERYTHING you eat is affecting your delicate hormonal system. Specifically, there are 3 underlying causes of most hormonal imbalances that you must be aware of.These three underlying causes are...

1. Mis-managed blood sugar. Do you feel that afternoon dip in energy? Crave sugar or carbs throughout the day? Need a nap after meals? Those are all signs your blood sugar needs help!
2. Burnt out adrenal glands. Are you stressed out? Have trouble waking up in the morning? Rely on caffeine to keep you going? Chances are you’ve been putting your adrenal glands into over drive which will wreak havoc on the rest of your hormonal system.
3. Slow detoxification and elimination. Are your bowel movements irregular or slow to move? (i.e. less than twice a day, every morning and afternoon) Do you have acne, eczema, or rosacea? Looks like your liver and digestive system could use a bit of support. After all, your liver is responsible for breaking down the excess hormones in your bloodstream, and your digestive tract is how those hormones get eliminated from your body. If they aren’t working properly, those hormones will continue circulating in your bloodstream and contribute to the symptoms you’re experiencing!

To read the rest of the article, Click Here.To connect to the radio program, Click Here.

Check out Alisa's latest interview on Wellsphere.com. The five questions Alisa answered:

1. What is the #1 wellness practice you live by? That thing that you do every day without fail because it revs you up from the inside out.
2. The premise of the blog is that wherever you are in life, is exactly where you need to be. How did you get to where you are today?
3. What was your biggest transformation along the way?
4. If you could only own five items, what would they be?
5. What is the theme song for your life right now and why?

Here is an excerpt from Alisa's answer to question 2: (to read the entire interview, Click Here)The one thing my doctors agreed on was that I should start taking oral contraceptives. They all believed that artificially regulating my hormone levels would reduce my unpleasant symptoms—even though they didn’t know what the cause was. The pill never felt like the right option to me. But after saying no, repeatedly, and not getting any other answers, I realized I had to take a scientific, experimental approach to my situation. I had to admit that, having never tried the pill, I didn’t know how it would affect me. So I went ahead and tried it.Less than two weeks later, I knew my original intuition to say “no” was absolutely right. I was having ocular migraines, which caused me to lose my vision temporarily, in addition to the searing migraine pain, fluctuating body temperature, and heart arrhythmia. I realized that my body was not reacting to the artificial hormones in the pill the same way it would to hormones produced naturally in my body. The simple solution prescribed by all my doctors just wasn’t going to work for me.In that defining moment, I finally realized that it was up to me to empower my own healing process.So that’s what I began to do. I started studying everywhere and anywhere I could. I felt that there were answers available outside of Western medicine, so I apprenticed myself to alternative healthcare practitioners. I studied the whole gamut of herbology, naturopathy, homeopathy, acupressure, elimination diets, and tried everything. I used myself as a guinea pig to see what could be done.During these experiments, I found that I could powerfully impact my own body chemistry with what I ate. When I found the right combination of foods for my body’s condition, I saw tremendous positive changes in my health. I lost 60 pounds, my skin cleared up, and my depression lifted. Best of all, I have had regular menstrual periods for the last 10 years.Click here to read more!

We want you to be a part of the FLO Living Revolution! Jump into the conversation! Join us on Facebook and Twitter, comment on our blog, and to really join the revolution, CLICK HERE.

Thanks for watching our video! We hope you're excited about taking control of your feminine health. Do you have any questions for us? Post your question in the comment section below.If you desire more engagement with Alisa and the FLO Living team, check us out on Facebook and Twitter. xoxo!

The defining moment for me came 12 years ago, when I decided to go on the pill at the age of 20. I was suffering from a hormonal imbalance called Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome, or PCOS. At my worst, I weighed 200 pounds, I had severe cystic acne on my face chest and back, I was deeply depressed, and I had my period only about three times a year. It was quite traumatic.

I didn't even know what I had for quite awhile. Doctor after doctor suggested that maybe I had a slow thyroid, or an endocrine problem, or even candida, but all their tests came back inconclusive. I finally diagnosed myself with PCOS after tremendous research on my own. And that's when I was hit with even worse news: PCOS is considered incurable by Western medicine.

The one thing my doctors agreed on, after finally performing the right diagnostic testing with my guidance, was that I should start taking oral contraceptives. They all believed that artificially regulating my hormone levels would reduce my unpleasant symptoms, even though they didn't know what the cause was. The pill never felt like the right option to me. But after saying no repeatedly, and not getting any other answers, I realized I had to take a scientific, experimental approach to my situation. I had to admit that, having never tried the pill, I didn't know how it would affect me. So I went ahead and tried it.

Less than two weeks later, I knew my original intuition to say 'no' was absolutely right. I was having ocular migraines, which caused me to lose my vision temporarily, in addition to the searing migraine pain, fluctuating body temperature, and heart arrhythmia. I realized that my body was not reacting to the artificial hormones in the pill the same way it would to hormones produced naturally in my body. The simple solution prescribed by all my doctors just wasn't going to work for me.

In that defining moment, I finally realized that it was up to me to empower my own healing process. If I had had access to the best medical thinking on these issues, as I was myself planning to be a GYN while studying at Johns Hopkins University, then what were women to do who didn't have my access for this condition and other GYN castaway conditions?

So that's what I began to do. I started studying everywhere and anywhere I could. I felt that there were answers available outside of Western medicine, so I apprenticed myself to alternative healthcare practitioners. I studied the whole gamut of herbology, naturopathy, homeopathy, acupressure, elimination diets, and tried everything. I used myself as a guinea pig to see what could be done.

During these experiments, I found that the only thing that worked on powerfully impacting my own body chemistry was food. When I found the right combination of medicinal foods to heal hormonal imbalances, I saw tremendous positive changes in my health. I lost 60 pounds, my skin cleared up, and my depression lifted. Best of all, I have had regular menstrual periods for the last decade. Out of all of this experimentation came an understanding of what the true underlying causes of hormonal imbalances are and the discovery of what has become my 5 step healing protocol and foundation of my company.

After completing my studies in Integrative Medicine and Nutrition, I formalized my protocol and opened up my center Laughing Sage Wellness, now FLO Living - in midtown manhattan. At first I began reaching out to other women with PCOS to let them know that their condition was not incurable. In those early years of my practice, I realized something very critical - the underlying causes of hormonal imbalances are very similar, and my protocol was effective for all the GYN castaway conditions.

Fast forward to today, I have a 10 year old center in Columbus Circle Manhattan, I have worked with many hundreds of women in the US and in four continents to heal naturally from these conditions, I educate ten thousand readers weekly through the LSW Newsletter, I hire and train other health counselors to deliver this protocol, and my company is poised on the precipice of major expansion.

The protocol I designed, which uses the science of food (nutrigenomics) to manipulate a woman's hormonal biochemistry, is now the study of a year long clinical trial spearheaded by a brilliant reproductive research scientist and physician from Columbia University in conjunction with the Sher Institute for Reproductive Medicine. It should be noted that the lead physician for this study spent 10 years in his lab researching the effects of turmeric on the vascular health of ovaries!

I have been a woman on fire with a mission for a long time and now my vision for revolutionizing the way women's healthcare is delivered is coming to fruition. FLO Living was founded to treat women with chronic GYN issues such as PCOS, PMS, Fibroids, Cystic Ovaries, Thyroid Issues, Adrenal Fatigue, IBS, Amenorreah, Dysmenorreah, and HPV. If you've gone to the GYN and have discovered one of these issues and you've heard the following options given to you: drugs, surgery, or we'll see you in 6mos - then you need to know about what's possible for you at FLO Living.