FLO Living Blog

We take a look at the types of ovarian cysts, their cause, and effective natural treatments.

In this post we'll be discussing functional ovarian cysts, as opposed to the ovarian cysts associated with PCOS (polycystic ovarian syndrome) or the ovarian cysts associated with endometriosis. Functional ovarian cysts are fluid filled sacs the size of almonds that grow and develop on the ovaries, often cyclically as related to your monthly hormonal shifts. Ovarian cysts like this can come and go, get larger and smaller, and are very responsive to natural treatments.

Your body is designed to deal with ovarian cysts, if it is working at an optimal level of health. However, if you are experiencing hormonal imbalance, this can prevent ovarian cysts from shrinking, cause them to grow larger, and then potentially rupture with a lot of pain and complication involved. ‍

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The symptoms of functional ovarian cysts

Many women don’t realize they have ovarian cysts until they start experiencing symptoms. Once you have symptoms like those detailed below, you may want to ask your OB/GYN for an ultrasound exam to confirm that ovarian cysts are the cause. The common signs of ovarian cysts are:

• Lower abdominal pain
• Pain during sex
• Pressure on the bladder/need to urinate more frequently
• Bloating
• Indigestion
• Irregular cycles and anovulatory cycles (when ovulation does not occur)

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A ruptured ovarian cyst will cause you high fever and pain. Often women who experience this will go to the ER and will often be checked for appendicitis first. It’s best to be aware that a ruptured ovarian cyst could also be the cause of such pain, if you have experienced the above symptoms prior to this happening.

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Types of ovarian cysts

There are several kinds of ovarian cysts, but functional cysts, as described above, are the most common. There are just two kinds of functional ovarian cysts - follicle cysts and corpus luteum cysts. Follicle cysts happen when the ovary follicle does not open to release an egg and instead stays closed, filled with liquid. Corpus luteum cysts are when the follicle does release an egg, but then does not seal and close off afterwards.

Other kinds of ovarian cysts include:

• Endometriomas - tissue that normally would grow and develop inside the uterus can migrate outside the uterus and attach to the ovaries. These cysts are associated with an Endometriosis diagnosis. They can grow large and rupture just like functional cysts.
• PCOS - with a diagnosis of Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome a woman has multiple cysts on her ovary or ovaries (sometimes said to look like “a string of pearls”). PCOS can cause infertility by producing extremely long, irregular cycles without ovulation. This lack of ovulation, the hormonal imbalance, and the enlarged cyst-covered ovary has its own set of symptoms that vary from woman to woman, but can include weight gain, acne, hair overgrowth and hair loss, anxiety, and depression.
• Dermoid cysts - these cysts grow on the ovaries and contain hair, teeth and other substances.

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Treatment for ovarian cysts

Most commonly women are offered the birth control pill to “treat” ovarian cysts. The Pill replaces your natural hormonal changes and cycle with a synthetic hormone stasis. Considering the side effects while using the Pill, and the fact that once you come off the ovarian cysts will probably return and may be worse as a result, we never recommend this as a method for combatting cysts. The birth control pill can make the root causes of ovarian cysts much, much worse.

The Pill is a band-aid for all women’s health issues and in the case of ovarian cysts when natural treatment can be very effective it is completely unnecessary. Natural treatment alone can shrink and resolve cysts, as well as prevent their return relatively quickly.

If you find you have a proclivity for cysts we recommend following our natural treatment protocol and then returning to your doctor every 6 months to monitor them.

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The cause of ovarian cysts

The central cause of ovarian cysts is estrogen dominance. This means your body holds too much estrogen and not enough progesterone to create balance. The estrogen your body is creating is not being processed and eliminated correctly. Plus, you are taking in excess estrogens from outside of your body via synthetic estrogen-filled shampoos, cosmetics, nail polishes, household cleaners, femcare products, plastics and pesticides. This creates an estrogen overload situation. If your body is not functioning optimally then it won’t be able to get rid of the excess estrogen as it needs to, efficiently and quickly. The Flo Living protocol is designed to reverse and prevent estrogen dominance and all of the symptoms that come with this hormonal imbalance.

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The best natural treatment for ovarian cysts

Cycle Syncing® your diet is the best way to manage ovarian cysts. Eating the right foods for the right phase of your hormonal cycle will keep your hormones in check and prevent excess estrogen or low progesterone. There are also certain foods you can frontload in your daily diet to make this protocol even more effective for shrinking, managing, and preventing ovarian cysts long-term. We at Flo Living firmly believe that fibroids and ovarian cysts are best treated naturally.

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These three types of foods can help shrink and even get rid of ovarian cysts:

• Cruciferous vegetables and DIM - Vegetables like Brussels sprouts, kale, collards, broccoli, and cabbage contain DIM (Di-Indolyl Methane) which is very effective at helping the body process and eliminate excess estrogen. Increase your intake of these veggies and supplement with DIM itself in pill form daily.
• Fermented foods - Sauerkraut, kimchi and pickles will help your body deal with and manage estrogen. A certain set of gut bacteria, and more specifically certain bacterial genes called the estrobolome, produce an essential enzyme that helps metabolize estrogen. Your gut is part of the elimination system that is vital in ushering hormones out of the body. Fermented foods are wonderful for gut health.
• Fiber-filled foods - Fiber helps your liver and digestive system move and eliminate excess estrogen from your body. The best fiber-filled foods for preventing estrogen dominance are pears and flax seeds. Flax seeds contain lignan which prevents the body from absorbing excess estrogen.

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A Flo Living Success Story: Ovarian Cysts

Flo Living graduate Heidi Braun came to us with functional ovarian cysts. Within two months of following the Flo Living protocol, she saw her cysts disappear from her ovaries.

“Mid-April and time to go back for another sonogram. Alisa and I spoke prior to my visit and she told me not to expect any changes…that it was too soon. I was fine with that. I knew I was doing all I could and they were great things for my health nonetheless. So as I lay on the table, with no expectations, the technician tells me, “The cyst on the left ovary is gone” and then “Oh! The one on the right is gone, too!” I’m in shock. I’m elated. And as a tear rolls down my cheek, I’m in awe of the power…the power this body has to heal itself. How amazing is that! If I treat it right (if I treat ME right), then amazing things will happen.”

The Birth Control & Libido Connection

An important scientific study published in 2006 in The Journal of Sexual Medicine revealed that:

Women who have taken the birth control pill may find that, as well as having had low sex drive when on the pill, that this side effect persists even when they stop taking it.

The researchers discovered that the impact the birth control pill has on women’s testosterone levels can cause them to have a permanently suppressed sex drive when compared to women who have never used the birth control pill.

While many of us are well-aware of the fact that the Pill can have the highly ironic side effect of making you less interested in sex, it’s not as widely known that, despite stopping the Pill, some women will not see their sex drive bounce back to what it was prior to the Pill, or to levels comparative to other women.

Now, this might sound pretty scary at first if you are on the Pill or have decided to come off the Pill, but this study is showing what some women will experience if they just go off the birth control pill (as many do in the hope of losing the side effects) and do nothing aside from this to support and boost their sex drive. Although that situation is completely understandable - we assume the impact of any medication will stop once we no longer take it - there are definitely things you can do to make sure you are not one of these women who never see a return of their pre-Pill sex drive. Perhaps you’ve been off the Pill a while even, and you feel like your sex drive isn’t what it was, or what you know it could be. It’s absolutely not too late to turn that situation around and get back the sex drive you want.

We’ve previously looked at the different ways the Pill can impact you sex life (including decreased orgasms and increased UTIs) and your relationships (including the type of men you’re attracted to), as well as the best way to approach transitioning off the Pill,  but here let's look at how to tackle this common Pill-related problem of low sexual desire.

First, let’s look at why it happens so we can understand fully how to fix it.

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How birth control stops your sex drive

The birth control pill suppresses ovulation and replaces your body’s own natural hormone production with a consistent stream of synthetic hormones. As a part of this function, the Pill suppresses your testosterone production. It also increases the production of SHBG (sex hormone binding globulin).

When you go off the Pill, your body can start producing its own (and more) testosterone again, however the research study mentioned above found that women are left with 4 times the amount of SHBG they would normally have. SHBG binds with your “free testosterone” in your bloodstream and lowers the levels of available, free, accessible testosterone overall. Free, unbound testosterone is essential for a healthy sex drive, as well as sexual enjoyment. When you experience your natural cycle, your sex drive will peak around ovulation (and sometimes also pre-menstrually). On the Pill you experience none of these natural hormonal shifts.

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How to bring your sex drive back post-Pill

We recommend a three-part approach to regain your sex drive after the Pill, whether you’ve only recently come off, plan to soon, or have been off the Pill for a a few months already.

This strategy has been effective with many women we have supported in coming off the Pill through the Flo Living protocol.

The first part of this strategy focuses on sex drive-boosting foods, the second part centers around sex drive-supportive supplements, and the third looks at adjusting exactly how you approach sex.

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3 things you can do to revive your sex drive after stopping the pill:‍‍

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1. Let food be your foreplay

‍You can support your endocrine system with the right foods that will help your body produce enough testosterone to give your sex drive the boost it needs. After coming off the Pill, you will be depleted of some key nutrients that will also contribute to connecting issues like low moods and poor sleep. Eating a diet rich in hormonally supportive foods will be key in avoiding all the withdrawal effects of the Pill - including rebound hormonal acne, weight issues, and infertility issues.

‍Focus on well-researched aphrodisiacs like avocados (full of bio-identical testosterone), honey (packed with hormone regulating boron), strawberries (an ancient remedy), and dark chocolate (for feeling energized and content).

You’ll also need to nourish your tired post-Pill adrenals & stabilize your mood - you can do this by avoiding caffeine, eating regularly, and upping essential fatty acids in your diet. Try mixing up Alisa Vitti's signature sex drive-boosting smoothie a couple of times per week - the Passion Pour.

‍2. Get sexy with supplements

‍No supplement will change your sex drive on its own, but as part of a wider hormonally supportive diet, they can work wonders.

‍Try maca powder in your smoothies - a well-researched root extract that will help increase testosterone levels.

Try adding Zinc, Magnesium, Evening Primrose and Rhodiola to your daily routine to improve your energy and mood, as well as increase your desire for and enjoyment of sex. These supplements will support your adrenals, up testosterone levels, and give you bigger and better orgasms. Zinc and Magnesium are especially important for preventing the binding of free testosterone and keeping free testosterone available - the importance of which is shown in the aforementioned research.

‍3. Take it slow

The third part of this strategy is to shift your approach to sex. Taking the birth control pill, especially long-term, can change how we think and feel about sex. When you come off the Pill, you will need to work with your new desire level in ways that will let you have the time you need to feel turned on and ready. The effects of the sex drive-boosting foods and supplements won’t be immediate, and while you’re waiting for your testosterone levels to bounce back, you can start with this. It’s all about building a new pathway towards becoming aroused.

Focusing more on actual foreplay (not just food as foreplay!) including long make-out sessions or indulging in some literotica to get in the mood can help. If you’ve gotten used to not having a lot of sex because you just didn’t feel like it, start practicing being sexual regularly in different ways - partnered or solo. Our sex drive is something that can disappear purely through lack of practice!

You might need to start out small and slow with sexual explorations - the more you do, the more you’ll want! Just start exploring! Self-pleasure can certainly be a part of this. Know that as your natural cycle phases return you may also want to practice Cycle Syncing® your sex life to make the most of your shifting sexuality.

Once you are fully living in your FLO, you will notice that how you feel about your partner (if in a relationship) and your interest in sex changes depending what phase you are in at that time.

What is Maca?

‍Maca root powder might seem like just another "trending" superfood, but the benefits of maca root have been long known. This ancient natural remedy happens to be very well researched, and that research has revealed its hormone-balancing, hormonal symptom-soothing properties.

Maca root (most usually found as maca powder) is an adaptogen, which means it supports your whole endocrine system to produce the right amounts of hormones you need. Maca can help your body “adapt” to stressful life situations that might otherwise deplete your body’s hormone production and cause symptoms.

Maca root powder is a wonderful resource to have at hand, especially at certain critical times in your life when its properties can be the most beneficial. That said, maca is not for everyone and anyone, all of the time. Digging deeper and knowing more about this powerful supplement will help you to get the most out of it.‍

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Does Maca “cure” hormone imbalance?

While Maca can certainly be beneficial, we don't recommend seeing it as a miracle cure for all hormonal ills. There is no one product that can or will resolve a woman’s PMS, PCOS, cramps, acne, irrregular cycles or infertility issues on its own. Just adding in a supplement or one food, however “super,” unfortunately rarely works to help a woman overcome hormonal symptoms alone. Resolving hormonal imbalances requires a whole-systems approach - macro and micronutrient support, along with lifestyle changes.

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‍When To Take Maca

There are 3 times in a woman’s life when she could really benefit from using maca root powder on a regular basis as part of a wider hormonally-supportive diet. Those times are:

• After you hit 35, enter perimenopause and then post-menopause
• After you come off the birth control pill
• After you have a baby (and have stopped breastfeeding)

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During these windows, maca root powder could help your body produce more hormones, at a time when your own endocrine system may be flagging due to the effects of perimenopause, hormone suppression from the Pill, or lack of sleep after baby. As an adaptogen, maca root powder helps your endocrine system do its job in sub-optimal conditions. These three life stages can be a stress on your endocrine system.

Remember: maca has some wonderful benefits, but it is not a cure-all. However, using it alongside food can make maca a very effective supplement. After you reach 35, after using the Pill, after baby, you may be experiencing several hormone-based issues that maca can treat, including:

• Low energy levels
• Low sex drive
• Brain fog and poor focus or concentration
• Mood swings and depression
• PMS symptoms

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Who shouldn’t take Maca?

‍Maca root powder is a great tool for these critical moments when our bodies need the additional support to get back on track. However, when you’re between 15 and 35, eating a hormonally-supportive diet should be enough to balance your hormones, resolve your period problems and regulate your cycles. You should NOT take maca if you have an allergy to iodine, Hashimoto’s, or experience any kind of thyroid nodules or growths, as it contains significant amounts of iodine. Lastly, any time you are trying out new changes to your wellness regimen, remember to note any side effects you experience and keep in touch with your providers about what you experience.

‍What’s the best kind of Maca root to take?

‍The most important thing to know about maca root powder is that there are different kinds you can buy. Keep in mind that it’s the glucosinolate component that you need, to experience maca’s hormone-balancing properties.

Look for brands containing over 1% of glucosinolate  as a standardized extract. Our favorite way to take maca is in a smoothie. Just a spoonful is enough at first, but you can build up to more if you feel it’s working well for you.

There are red, black and yellow maca powders - yellow is the most commonly available and usually the least expensive - it packs a similar nutritional punch of minerals, fatty acids, amino acids and micronutrients as the other two kinds. However, red and black maca powders have some specific researched properties that make them stand out - red has shown to be most helpful for treating acne, infertility and low energy, for example.

Raw maca powder is better than gelatinized or cooked because the enzymes and nutrients remain at their peak levels in the raw state (although if you have a sensitive digestive system, cooked may be easier on your stomach). You may also find maca powders that blend of all 3 kinds of maca, which allow you to get their individual and combined benefits.

If you’ve been trying to get pregnant for a while, I know the process can feel so frustrating. You’ve probably spent years carefully avoiding pregnancy and now you’re ready you can’t believe it hasn’t happened yet. After all, I know you’re doing everything exactly as you’ve been told. You’re tracking your ovulation signs, you’re using all the tools at your disposal (from OPKs to tester strips to apps), you’re timing sex as best you can - but each month passes by and it’s not happening. When we decide to get pregnant, most of us want to get pregnant fast. We take on the task at hand like any other goal in our life - with tenacity, determination, and focus. However, this can be a very “masculine” or “linear” way to approach what is actually a process that belongs to the “feminine” sphere. Changing up your approach to embrace a different, more feminine, energy and outlook can help you to get pregnant faster. This is not just a nice idea, from a biochemical standpoint, reducing your cortisol (aka stress) levels absolutely improves fertility.

How I got pregnant fast

Before I got back in my FLO, I never knew where I was in my cycle, I missed more periods than I could count, and I wasn’t ovulating regularly - this lasted a full decade. After putting myself through the FLO protocol, I have been enjoying regular periods and my ovulation comes around when I expect it to. That said, I knew that conception was more than just well timed ovulation and cycles. I see this first hand when working with so many women through the FertileFLO program. Certainly, it’s not just the hormone numbers that dictate conception. In fact many women have idiopathic infertility - meaning on paper, everything looks as it should, but still conception is not happening. Alternatively, you have a known diagnosis that could affect your ability to conceive (like my own PCOS diagnosis). In both scenarios it’s critical that you take a holistic, full picture view of your fertility beyond “the numbers”. By doing this you can optimize all aspects of your fertility and boost your chance of getting pregnant when you want.

3 Keys to Getting Pregnant Faster

1 - Improve your ovulation with lifestyle changes One thing to remember is that approaching getting pregnant too much like it’s merely a mathematical equation or science experiment (what I mean when I say a “masculine” or “linear” approach) is not enough. It’s not as simple as temperature tracking or timing = conception. It’s easy to look to this approach to help solve what might seem like a mystery when you’ve been trying to conceive for a while. The overthinking, the methods, the materials, this can become stressful - and we all know stress is so bad for ovulation. You might be doing everything in a way that is technically correct and exacting, but you are likely missing a major component. That component is the relationship you have to your cycle, to your body, to your fertility. Practically speaking that means making sure you are eating consistently, sleeping optimally, and exercising in a way that improves your overall fertility, not, as we do in most cases, put a drain on it. Learn more here.2 - Supercharge your whole body from a micronutrient level to optimize egg quality and hormone levelsBefore I wanted to get pregnant, I had taken steps for an entire year before conceiving to make sure that my fertile factors were as optimal as possible. This was on top of everything I had been doing for over a decade by using the FLO protocol. This was about much more than timing, much more than knowing the right day to have sex (although of course that played its part). I spent a year supercharging my body in preparation for the conception. If you’re currently trying to get pregnant, or know you’d like to by next year or the next, you too can start now to prepare for pregnancy and, even if you have symptoms of PCOS, you will be in a much better position to conceive naturally and have a healthy pregnancy than if you continue as you are now. I upped my food and supplement game in specific ways to make sure my hormones, ovulation, microbiome and more were all where they needed to be. You can learn more about that here.3 - Engage your Maternal Energy now to reduce stress levels and set your body to conception-ready modeI embraced some of the responsibilities of motherhood way ahead of being a mother. I shifted my priorities and goals. I said no to things that were a drain on my energy and vitality. I was dedicated to my self care practices. Doing this was about being at my healthiest, my most fertile, my most able to get pregnant - but it was also about being really, truly, utterly ready for pregnancy and motherhood. Now that I am a mother, I’m still doing all of the above even more intensely. This is admittedly, not an easy thing to do. A few months before I knew I wanted to conceive, I cancelled a work trip. It was a big deal to change at the last minute, but I had an intuitive feeling that this trip was going to be a strain on my adrenals and undo my hard work to prep my body. I knew that if I did want to get pregnant I couldn’t afford to get stressed out like that. I had to prioritize that goal ahead of my other obligations. I had to cut down on extra commitments that were not absolutely necessary. I decided I was unwilling to deal with the potential consequences to my cycle and my fertility. I made the call to cancel the trip and do what was optimal for my fertility and my future child. Often times what can hold us back has a lot to do with the anxiety about the constraints of motherhood, when in fact “nesting” starts so much sooner than shopping for baby gear.

What does optimal fertility feel like?

In that year before I knew exactly when I wanted to conceive, I was so fully prepared for pregnancy - physically through my diet and lifestyle, and mentally and emotionally by optimizing my FertileFLO - that people would comment regularly about how I was glowing, and ask if I was pregnant, loooonnng before I actually conceived! Many of the women who have done the FertileFLO program and have gotten pregnant report that this was exactly the feeling that they had not had prior to the program - they looked and felt younger, more energized, happy, and vibrant. Of course, that’s what being fertile is about - being so ripe with health and vitality on all levels that your whole body is ready to receive and nurture a new person. It’s about being in so much abundant health, that there’s plenty to share to 3-D print a tiny human. Redefine the conception process to include your head, your heart...and your uterusI know we live in a culture that makes us think children are not supposed to change our lives one bit, let alone change them a whole year before they’re even conceived! But if you’re struggling to get pregnant, or because of a diagnosis or health issue you think you might struggle to get pregnant in the future, then you need to start thinking differently today about your life. Getting ready to be a mother is not about “missing out” like we’re taught, it’s about making different decisions based on your primary goals and desires. If you’ve been trying to get pregnant using thermometers, gadgets, calendars and equations for a while and it isn’t working for you, you might need to start thinking about how you relate to your cycle and the big changes that motherhood brings. Optimizing your Fertile FLO can get you in tune with your cycle phases and hormonal shifts. It can make you feel like your most vibrant, fertile self - ready for creation.Always remember, that once you have the right information about how your body really works, you can start making health choices that finally start to work for you! You can do this - the science of your body is on your side!to your FLO,AlisaGood things come in threes:

I want to hear from you!

First, are you trying to conceive?Second, do you feel there are issues bigger than “the numbers” at play for you?Third, everyone you know is hormonal – spread a little good ovary karma and share this article on social ;)

Are you trying to conceive?

If you want to do everything in your power to improve your chances of becoming a mom, 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 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.

Having hormonal acne as an adult can be miserable. We all expect hormonal acne to stop happening once we reach our 20s, but this isn’t always the case. Believe me, I know. Before I created, and then lived, the Flo Living protocol it took me 1.5 hours just to leave the house - my face and back were covered in cystic hormonal acne that I would have to cover with heavy makeup just to feel confident enough to carry on with my life. Hormonal acne can come with a shift in our cycle - like going from our ovulation phase to pre-menstruation phase, or it can come with a shift in our age as our hormonal patterns change from our 20s to our 30s. If you’re suffering with hormonal acne right now - I sympathize - and I have some great news. Hormonal acne is very responsive to treatment, healing (and then prevention) using natural supplements. The right choice and the right use of natural supplements can see your acne gone in just a couple of months.

My own experience with hormonal acne

Now, when I had acne I tried everything my doctor would give me. I was desperate to improve the way my skin looked, and the way I felt about myself. I imagine you’ve also gone through a list of potions and pills, hoping each would work for you. I personally tried a long course of antibiotics to stop the acne, which permanently stained my teeth slightly yellow (to this day!) and destroyed my gut microbiome so badly that I spent my entire freshman year of college with viruses, yeast infections and flu-like symptoms. I tried Retinol-A cream and Salicylic Acid and Benzoyl Peroxide thinking I could heal my skin from the outside and just fix the surface of the issue. Needless to say, they didn’t work.The problem with all of the treatments for acne that you’ve probably been offered, or tried already, is that they don’t solve the most common cause of an adult woman’s acne issues - her hormones. In fact, antibiotics and the birth control pill only worsen the hormonal imbalance that is triggering the hormonal acne. A combination of two health problems underpins the development of hormonal acne - a damaged and depleted gut microbiome and a deficiency in key miconutrients for skin health. These lead to hormonal imbalance and the development of acne as a result. Once I figured out how to eat and live to support my hormones with the Flo Living protocol my skin cleared up, and it’s been beautifully clear ever since.

How to use natural supplements to stop hormonal acne

It’s important to remember with natural supplements that they are great if you want to speed up the process of healing and recovery because you’re at a critical point with your acne. With hormonal acne, using natural supplements every day can get you to where you want to be much more quickly than food alone. However, your body holds a delicate balance of nutrients and minerals. Taking in too much of one via supplements can cause an imbalance in another. Food is a gentler, more natural, and more sensitive way of giving your body what it needs. But, if you’re reading this right now with raging hormonal acne and you want it gone ASAP, supplements are here to help that happen more quickly. Once you get back your clear skin, you can lower the amount of supplements you take, and allow your diet - food - to support your skin health. Hormonally-supportive foods and fewer supplements can then help you maintain the skin you love.

My top 5 natural supplements for preventing hormonal acne

1. Magnesium. A lack of magnesium causes skin inflammation. Taking magnesium with calcium combined in supplement form can lower the amount of C-reactive proteins in your body which cause this inflammation. Calcium is part of our tissue matrix - bones, cells, and skin - and very important for skin cell renewal.
2. Omega-3s. Getting your omega-3 fatty acids in fish or flax oil will give you almost instant results. Clearer, softer, smoother skin as well as stronger hair and nails - you can see it happen in days. They have a big picture, whole body affect, as well as results in the short term. Take a good fish oil or flaxseed oil brand.
3. Zinc. Zinc deficiency is a very common issue for many women. When we are deficient in zinc our pores become easily irritated by bacteria and show redness. A large-scale scientific study actually concluded that zinc supplementation is very effective even when compared to commonly prescribed antibiotics. Try Thorne’s high potency zinc capsules. I also recommend having a little bit of grass-fed liver every week as part of a meal or as a snack. It’s full of copper and vitamin A. The copper will balance out the zinc in your body and the vitamin A is what your liver needs to detoxify from excess hormones. A well-functioning liver boosts your absorption of all vitamins and minerals and prevent deficiencies developing in the first place.
4. Probiotics. We need probiotics for a healthy gut. A common symptom of a damaged and depleted microbiome is acne and other skin issues like rosacea. It’s particularly important with hormonal acne as your microbiome assists your body in processing and eliminating excess estrogen. If you’ve been on the Pill or antibiotics for any length of time, probiotics could be key to getting your skin back on track. I like Jarrow’s Stable-Dophilus formula.
5. B Vitamins. Your skin needs B-vitamins to regenerate and renew as they provide the energy all of your cells need for fuel. Taking a good B-complex every day that includes a high level of B6 will target hormonal or pre-menstrual acne. B6 prevents skin inflammation and over-production of sebum (the oil your skin produces at can create acne issues).

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

I want to hear from you!

First, do you have hormonal acne? Second, have you used the Pill or antibiotics to treat hormonal acne? 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!

Last month saw the release of a new scientific study published in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology that associated the use of antidepressants with infertility. Women currently using antidepressant medications were shown to have difficulty conceiving naturally when compared to women not using antidepressants.This is not the first time a commonly used medication has been shown to lower fertility in women. The New York Times reported that 1 in 4 women are taking antidepressants - that means you or someone you know is probably using these medications currently. Two thirds of those prescribed antidepressants do not fit the criteria for depression as it is outlined in the DSM (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders).I’ll always remember when, back in my 20s before I had health insurance, I would go to a clinic where you had to wait a while before you were seen by a doctor. I had to wait over two hours, I was tired, I hadn’t brought a snack and my blood sugar was crashing. I was so upset about being made to wait so long and, coupled with my body’s response to lack of food, when I sat down in front of the doctor I was a little teary. The doctor’s immediate response? To suggest she write me a prescription for antidepressants! I was shocked by this reaction. I knew that it was not an issue with my brain chemistry that was making me tearful - it was my blood sugar crash, fatigue and frustration. But, regardless, she wanted to get me on those meds right away!Although there are certainly women who benefit from antidepressants and other such medications due on the specifics and severity of their mental health issue, it’s my belief that these drugs are hugely over-prescribed and often with little care or thought to the root cause of the problems the woman is facing. In my experience women can experience depression for a few reasons and it’s not always a brain chemistry-related issue. Two women I much respect have recently come out with books concluding exactly this - Dr Julie Holland and Dr Kelly Brogan - in agreement with me.If you want to avoid using antidepressants - whether you’re trying for a baby or you just would rather not take a medication that might be unnecessary for you - then start with food first. If you can first exhaust your natural options and get yourself in good whole body health with the right diet, exercise, amount of sleep and relaxation then you’ll be in a better place to make a decision about the antidepressants that may be offered to you. You might find you don’t want or need them anymore. There are 2 other, possibly much more common, root causes of depression for women, unrelated to brain chemistry:

1. Hormonal imbalance. Depression can be hormonally-sourced and it can be related to your experience of your cycle. If this is true, then antidepressants won’t necessarily benefit her. If antidepressants can affect your fertility, that means they can affect your hormonal system and cycle - so it’s possible they will worsen depression that stems from hormonal imbalance rather than brain chemistry. One of the best ways to determine whether your depression is hormonally-derived is to monitor your cycle and your symptoms. If you begin to notice you feel worse pre-menstrually or soon after you’ve ovulated then it’s very likely you’re looking at an issue related to your progesterone levels. Low progesterone (and, therefore, estrogen dominance) post-ovulation or as a result of not ovulating consistently, affects how we feel - with depression, anxiety, mood swings, and PMS.
2. Microbiome and Micronutrient Imbalance. More and more research is revealing that your mood can be determined by your gut. 90% of the serotonin your body makes is actually produced in your gut! From vitamins to minerals…if you’re not eating for maximum exposure to all these nutrients, you can’t make enough mood-stabilizing neurotransmitters. Also if your gut flora is out of balance, you aren’t absorbing nutrients, which causes inflammation, which increases your risk for dementia and mood issues. You can be tested for some deficiencies in vitamins and minerals, but there are also common deficiencies most of us can assume we’re probably dealing with, like lack of magnesium and vitamin D3.

Thankfully, and fortunately, both these root causes of depression can be treated with the same methodology. The Flo Living protocol matches your micronutrient needs and teaches you to live in harmony with your hormones. I believe that some women can benefit from antidepressants, but it’s better to see if you can alleviate your mood with changes to diet and lifestyle before taking something that may not help and only cause you to have unwanted side effects. A drug that affects our fertility, as women, is impacting our core self - ovulation is about so much more than making babies - it’s how we make essential hormones. The WomanCode System not only supports your mind and body with the proper serotonin-boosting foods, but it lays the foundation for hormonal balance and a healthy experience with your feminine energy and emotions – a foundation that will last you for years to come.Always remember, that once you have the right information about how your body really works, you can start making health choices that finally start to work for you! You can do this - the science of your body is on your side!to your FLO,AlisaGood things come in threes:

I want to hear from you!

First, do you experience depression?Second, have you ever taken antidepressants? Third, everyone you know is hormonal – spread a little good ovary karma and share this article on social ;)

Are you trying to conceive?

If you want to do everything in your power to improve your chances of becoming a mom, 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 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.

There are ads everywhere online showcasing miracle weight loss supplements sourced from natural ingredients like green coffee and raspberry ketone. Companies make claims that sound fantastic, inspiring, and oh so tempting to believe. But, of course, if any of these supplements they’re selling actually worked in the way they say then it would be front page news, not back page advertorial, and we would all be taking them!Sure, most of these naturally derived supplements won’t do you any harm. But if you’re diet is endocrine disruptive - if the foods you choose to eat work against rather than with your hormonal patterns - then your body is going to gain and retain fat out of sheer confusion and biological panic. Your body will start acting in opposition to how you’re feeding yourself in order to retain what it needs to keep your brain, heart and muscles functioning. We need fat to function, but excess fat is a sign that your body is in this panic mode and hedging its bets that you will not be making the best decisions for your health.Adding one supplement into that mix isn’t going to make any difference, I’m afraid.I remember what it was like to be obese and, believe me, losing that weight wasn’t as simple and easy as taking one miracle supplement from a magazine. You know that, I know that. However, within the Flo Living protocol, which I developed as a result of my own personal struggles with PCOS, weight gain, acne, and other hormonal imbalance symptoms, there are certainly supplements you can take to speed up and support sustained, healthy weight loss.I have lost 60 lbs twice in my life - the first time in my early ‘20s when I got to grips with my hormonal health problems and then after I had my daughter. I did it without the use of any alleged miracle supplements, but also without starving myself, over-exercising or feeling miserable and deprived.So, which supplements do work? Which products should you be spending your money on?Here is what I used as a part of the Flo Living protocol when I was trying to drop the pounds both those times. These work because they support your endocrine system and the needs of your adrenals, liver and thyroid. Of course, supplements without making the food based dietary changes that are the bedrock of the FLO protocol, will not be as effective as they could be when you use them with the powerful endocrine supportive diet I recommend.

The 3 best weight loss supplements that actually work

1. Cinnamon helps balance blood sugar to keep weight off long term: I like Cinnamon Force from New Chapter - I’m a huge fan of cinnamon for blood sugar stabilization. I put it in smoothies, on eggs, in my oatmeal. But this super strength supplement makes it very easy to get the daily dose you need. You want stable blood sugar so you can avoid the crashes that can cause binge eating or cause your body to feel panicked and retain excess fat. A significant study published in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics revealed the potential of cinnamon supplementation to help those who are overweight and obese.
2. Adaptogens make your adrenals happy so they program your fat cells to release fat: Ashwangandha or Oatstraw (I like the HerbPharm liquid tinctures) - these are adrenal-supportive supplements. If you have anxiety take Oatstraw tincture, otherwise use a good Ashwagandha supplement daily. These will decrease your levels of the stress hormone cortisol, which will help you to lose weight. In a study from Ohio State University, the researchers actually found that women who experienced high levels of stress burned more than 100 fewer calories than women who had not experienced stress, during the period directly after they had eaten a high-fat meal. This disruption to the metabolic process, caused by stress, builds up to the equivalent of 11 pounds potentially gained every year!
3. Feed your thyroid the micronutrients it needs to do its job of revving your metabolic fire: I like Gaia Thyroid Support - this seaweed-based iodine source supports thyroid function. Of course you can’t use this if you have an iodine allergy or have Hashimoto’s. Your thyroid regulates your metabolism, so in order to create a humming metabolism you need to support your thyroid. Thyroid problems are very common in women and often go undiagnosed for years. These problems can be the root cause of weight gain and your inability to shed pounds.

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

I want to hear from you!

First, do you struggle with your weight?Second, have you tried weight loss supplements and they’ve not worked for you? Third, everyone you know is hormonal – spread a little good ovary karma and share this article on social ;)

Need more Hormone Help?

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

A few weeks back I told you about my favorite supplements to boost weight loss and help you shed those pounds. This time I want to tell you about what I take to stay looking and feeling young. I can’t tell you how many times I have been told I look way younger than my actual years. It’s a humble-brag, I know, but it does show that what I’m doing for myself every single day really works. I’m in my late 30s and I get mistaken for someone in their early 30s - and who doesn’t want that?! Vanity aside, why you want to look a decade younger is because you want to be biologically youthful regardless of whatever your chronological age might be, so you have the best chance to live your healthiest and happiest life TODAY, right now. Living in your FLO turns back the biological clock so that your body, your fertility, is actually younger than your chronological years. From my experience, many women experience a body and a fertility that is actually functioning at a point that is older than their chronological years. They feel tired, look older than they should, can’t work out with the stamina and ability they want, and feel slower. We should not expect or assume this will happen to us in our late 30s, 40s or even 50s. We can keep producing buoyant hormones for many more years if we make a conscious effort to live in a hormone-supportive way. I have helped many women reverse this through my Flo Living protocol. And, of course, when your insides are younger, your outsides look younger. Aging occurs chemically when we have too much oxidative stress on our cells, we don’t have enough access to key micronutrients required for all parts of the body to function optimally, and when we start to make smaller concentrations of all of our hormones. This is aging on the inside, and we see it on the outside in the quality of our skin, how funky our periods and hormones feel after 35, our sex drive, our muscle tone, our weight, our mental clarity, diminished fertility, and even our mood! If you want to stay youthful biochemically-speaking - the sooner you get back into your FLO the better. “Anti-aging” (although I hate that term as it’s not scientifically possible) so let’s say - “age defying” is built into the FLO protocol. This is why following this hormone-supportive way of eating and living can help you get pregnant in your 40s and slow the process of perimenopause. Just as there is weight loss supplement industry, there is an anti-aging supplement industry. A quick search this morning showed me there are companies telling women to shell out some $600 for a bottle of pills they say will reverse the aging process! I find this shocking. It does reveal, however, the demand and need for products that help us to look and feel younger. A cursory glance at the ingredients in those $600 supplements tells me this is not the miracle you’re looking for. So I wanted to share what I consider to be the best researched and most effective supplements for their age-defying properties and to save you money too!

My favorite age-defying supplements

1. Blueberries. Not strictly a supplement I know (although it is available in supplement form as an extract), but just as simple and easy to eat every day. Blueberries are a great source of resveratrol and other anti-oxidants. This phytonutrient fights damage to your DNA, which is a central source of the symptoms of aging, and slows tissue aging. In testing on insects and animals blueberry extract has even been shown to increase longevity. Studies on people have shown that blueberry extract improves the appearance of aging skin.
2. Collagen. Most women don’t have enough collagen in their diet. You can take this in pill form like: Biocell Collagen with Hyaluronic Acid, or a powder to add to your smoothies or even by being really dedicated to drinking bone broth. What’s great about collagen is how quickly you see and feel results with this one. This actually helps your skin regenerate and as such increases suppleness and fullness. It will also prevent those aches and pains that can come with aging.
3. CoEnzyme-Q10. This supplement is mitochondria supportive, promoting their regeneration and overall function. Mitochondria are a part of every cell in your body - they’re your cell’s digestive system essentially - which convert glucose into a usable fuel. Again, this supplement prevents DNA damage (a primary source of the symptoms of aging). It fights free radicals which contribute to DNA damage and cell death. This will slow the aging process and, some claim, increase longevity.
4. Vitamin D. A high intake of vitamin D protects telomeres, which are the “caps” on the chromosomes that make up our DNA. Research from Stanford University shows that the key to reversing the aging process is preventing DNA damage via shortened telomeres or telomere erosion. The condition of our telomeres has a direct impact on the aging of our cells and therefore the aging of our bodies. There are supplements out there that call themselves “telomere lengthening” supplements (this is what can cost upwards of $600!). Most of the claims are bogus. It’s better to use food and supplements that prevent your telomeres from erosion and shortening, rather than trying to do what might be impossible, at least for now.
5. Vitamin B12. Known as the energy vitamin B12 can give you back that youthful energy, exuberance and vibrance. It’s important to note that if you’ve recently come off the Pill you may find you’re deficient in this vitamin as it’s one that the Pill depletes the most. Your body needs this to convert the food you eat into glucose for fuel.

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

I want to hear from you!

First, do you feel you’re aging too fast? Second, are you in perimenopause? Third, everyone you know is hormonal – spread a little good ovary karma and share this article on social ;)

Feeling Frazzled, Bloated, and Unsexy?

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

It was a beautiful, sunny weekend in New York City and that tells me Spring is around the corner! But what often comes along with the Spring blooms, blue skies and fresh farmer’s market? Dieting! We come out of our winter hibernation, look in the mirror, and decide we must lose 15 lbs by the time our summer beach vacation rolls around. The Earth’s Spring time is, for us ladies, the follicular phase. In our follicular phase we can find it easier to eat light and avoid junk food - we might actually crave green salads, fruit bowls and simple, light dishes. However, when we come into our luteal or premenstrual phase (which we do once a month in comparison to Earth’s only yearly Fall season), we find our resolve to eat this way is broken and we have cravings for unhealthy foods that we have a hard time keeping under control. We binge and we regret it, and we hope we can get back on the wagon on Monday. I must admit, when I was younger I struggled terribly with my cravings - my family loved breads, pastas, cheeses and cookies my mother would serve up daily. When I got older, I looked to mindful eating as a way to control my bingeing on these kinds of foods. I would sit down to eat, bless my food, chew slowly, and take time with each meal. But it just didn’t have a strong enough effect to counteract what was going on hormonally inside my system.

What your cravings mean

1. You’re missing a micronutrient. Craving a specific type of food means that your body is deficient in a particular micronutrient. Your cravings also have a cyclical nature because your micronutrient needs change throughout your cycle. A deficiency in a vitamin or mineral will trigger a craving as your body’s way of warning you what’s happening.
2. You’re hormones are off balance. Hand in hand with this is the craving as an indicator of hormonal imbalance. If your cravings are multiple, stronger, and more difficult to ignore during your luteal phase then they are trying to alert you to a hormonal imbalance - your levels of estrogen and progesterone are not in harmony. What you might see as “emotional” eating during your pre-menstrual week is actually “hormonal” eating. That overwhelming desire to eat the whole bag of chips? That’s your body saying loud and clear - “Your hormones are out of whack!”

How the meaning of your cravings can help you

When I was struggling with cravings it was because I was dealing with a hormonal imbalance - I was not getting the nutrients, vitamins and minerals I need for my body to produce, use, and process the hormones needed to keep me happy and healthy. If you take the time to listen and understand your cravings then you will see they can actually save you from your diet mistakes. Mindful eating coupled with craving understanding can help you reach your health goals. It definitely helped me achieve mine!The secret is to understand what your body needs and instead of reacting to cravings with an impulsive, knee jerk grab for the chips or a chocolate binge, you give it what it actually wants - the foods that will help you build, use, and process hormones and regain your hormonal balance. Switch out the junk for pro-hormonal foods. Instead of eating junk food, eat another pro-hormonal food that will fend off the craving without making you put on the pounds, feel lethargic, and develop symptoms like acne, bloating, and mood swings. Eat well - eat a lot of the good foods your body needs and don’t leave yourself starving. If you’re plain hungry because you’re depriving yourself of nutrition than you won’t be able to hear your cravings talk over the sound of your hunger! You won’t be “giving in” to your cravings, you’ll be taking action to give your body what it needs for you to feel good.

The 3 steps to stop the binges!

1. Eat “Defensively”. Don’t wait for the craving to hit during your PMS week. If you know you feel more “hormonal” in your luteal phase, you’re dealing with an imbalance of estrogen and progesterone in your body. Then eat a generous serving size of at least one PMS food each day. You can treat the premenstrual symptoms, including cravings, with pro-hormonal foods. Make sure you’re getting all of my top 5 foods for preventing PMS every cycle. Make them a big part of your meals during your luteal phase.
2. Know which craving means what. Sometimes you might crave sugar, other times steak. What does this mean? What is your body trying to say. Every food you can crave - from chocolate to pasta to soda - is telling you something about your hormones and what your body needs you to be eating right now. Discover what your personal cravings mean and switch out your knee-jerk choice with a pro-hormonal choice.
3. Ditch the depriving diets. Stop punishing your body in the first half of the month and then feeling bad, guilty, and bloated when you “give in” to your cravings the second half of the month. Don’t leave yourself so hungry you can’t not eat that cookie and then the whole box. Don’t start everyday on an empty stomach and a cup of coffee and then end it with spaghetti carbonara. Instead, Cycle Sync™ your eating habits to align with your hormonal patterns. Harness your body’s programming and use it for your own good.

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

I want to hear from you!

First, do you have cravings? Second, do you always try dieting in the Spring? Third, everyone you know is hormonal – spread a little good ovary karma and share this article on social (buttons)

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!

Period Cycles & Lunar Cycles

Have you ever been around female friends and had the topic of menstrual cycles and the moon come up? This happens more than you might think! 

As women, we’re curious about our bodies, the origins of our cycles, and how they might be connected to the phases of the moon. We may notice that many, though not all of us experience cycles (all four phases of one's cycle) that last approximately a lunar month - 28-30 days. It can feel exciting to sync up with the phases of the moon!

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Why we connect the menstrual cycle with the moon phases

First, let’s consider the traditions and history behind this phenomenon. Which cycles of the moon are related to menstrual cycles?

• The new moon is traditionally associated with menstruation, and if you find you get your period with the new moon this is known as a White Moon Cycle.
• The full moon is traditionally associated with ovulation, but some women do get their period on the full moon and this is called a Red Moon Cycle.
• The White Moon Cycle is the kind that is more commonly experienced. Historically this is down to the impact of light on the Earth and our bodies  - the full moon is the Earth’s most fertile time because of the additional light received by plants when there is bright moonlight as well as sunlight, and this is why it is traditionally associated with the ovulation phase.
• Although the White Moon cycle is more common - that’s getting your period on the new moon and ovulating on the full moon - a Red Moon cycle has interesting traditional connotations. Women who experience a Red Moon cycle have historically been thought to be healers, wise women, or medicine women. These women could take care of the other women who were on their period at the time that they themselves were ovulating. It’s also associated with creation in realms other than getting pregnant and having children - when the woman’s focus is on creating art, a business, or a new way of life for herself and others.

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‍Does it matter if my period does not sync with the moon?

‍Although there are these historical and traditional links, it’s not important that you get your period on the full moon or the new moon - although it can be pretty cool when it does happen! As long as you’re having a healthy cycle that is consistent for YOU - this is what matters. That means that your cycles are regular and last a similar amount of days each time.

If your cycles are wildly fluctuating, then it is an indicator of health issues like PCOS, fibroids, or endometriosis. A consistent, regular cycle is much more likely to be symptom-free, although it is still possible to experience PMS, cramps, or bloating with a regular cycle. Ideally, your period’s arrival is predictable, but not necessarily predicated on what the moon is doing!

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How to Sync Your Cycle to the Moon

1. Spend time in Nature

‍If your cycle is fluctuating in length hugely from period to period, then it may also be the result of your environment - it could be because you’re not getting enough good sleep due to a bright or noisy setting and it could be down to your disconnect from stress-relieving, calming Nature as a whole.

More and more research is revealing that we need to be in Nature frequently - in the way of a park, a hike, the beach - for the good of our health, our mental health, especially. And stress can really screw up your cycles and cause them to become irregular. So, rather than focusing on the moon alone, look at your relationship to Nature in general and make a point of re-connecting with Mother Earth by getting into green spaces as much as you can.

You can do this in your backyard, your local playground, or on a walk through your neighborhood - the key is to direct your attention to those natural elements, breathe them in, and feel the well-being that comes from spending time outside.  ‍

2. Improve your relationship to light and dark

‍Part of how our cycles can sync to the moon is through our exposure to light and dark as it changes throughout the lunar month - at the New Moon we’re meant to be sleeping in darkness, and at the Full Moon, the night sky should be lit up with moonlight. However, many of us live in towns and cities now that give out light pollution. It can be hard to see the moon clearly and the moonlight is competing with office  lighting, street lamps, house lights, illuminated signs and more.

We are not as exposed to the direct light and darkness of the moon phases as we once were. Of course light (and noise) pollution can also be disruptive to our sleep patterns and make for a fitful sleep and frequent waking up during the night. This throws off the hormone melatonin, which happens to be linked directly to ovulation regulation and therefore cycle regulation.

If you want to sync with the moon, but you struggle to connect with the moonlight in a busy, 24-hour town or city, then take steps to ensure you experience good sleep by using black out blinds and a white noise machine, and employing a sleep-supportive bedtime routine. To become more aware of the moon’s phases and have the best chance of reconnecting and syncing your cycle to its changes, download a lunar phase calendar or use an app like MyMoontime - take a look every evening to see where the moon is that night in its cycle and then try to spend some time in view of the moon either meditating, reading, or just resting. More and more places now also have Full Moon hikes where women can connect with the moon and each other. If you can’t find a group, practice a ritual at home in view of the moon or start your own group!

‍3. Fix your period problems

‍To repeat - as long as you’re having a healthy cycle that is consistent for YOU - this is what matters. Monitoring your period and cycle for length with a period tracker app, looking at the color and consistency of your bleeding, and logging any symptoms you experience - from PMS to bloating to acne - is more important to your health than syncing with the moon. It’s from this place that you can start to solve and move past your period problems.

Your period should and can be regular and predictable - if it’s not, there’s a way to change that. Once you’ve got a healthy cycle that feels good for you, then you’re in a better place to start working on syncing with the moon and you’ll be better positioned to reap the benefits of this experience.  Your body is a mirror, whether or not your period comes with the full moon or the new moon. You don’t need to be bleeding with the new moon to reconnect with Nature, but connecting with the natural environment will have a positive impact on your health - including getting your cycle to be more regular, predictable and symptom-free.

Your cycle is magical, regardless of any cool moon connection you might experience. Your cycle can work magic for you, if you support it with hormone-friendly foods and a hormonally-supportive way of living. Get in touch with your own, personal, unique cycle and that’s the first step to living in your Flo with all of its benefits. ‍

I know what you’re thinking - “prevent PMS? There’s no way to do that!” We grow into womanhood believing that PMS is an inevitable part of being female. Then so many of us experience it, we believe that must be true. We just accept that once a month for a few days, a week, longer maybe, we feel crabby, angry, low, anxious, lacking in confidence, frustrated, as well as bloated, ravenously hungry, craving sugar, and covered in acne! Pah! How is that okay? Well, actually, it’s not okay. No woman should suffer with PMS. No woman has to suffer with PMS. If I have one message I want to communicate full blast - it’s this: PMS is not normal. You can prevent PMS completely naturally. PMS is a symptom of a hormonal imbalance and that imbalance can be fixed. Usually this imbalance is a case of too much estrogen, or estrogen dominance, coupled with low progesterone levels. You can combat your PMS with the right morning routine, by getting good sleep, by increasing the pleasure in your life, and by changing your diet to support your hormonal shifts and help your body to create, process and eliminate hormones in the way that’s best and most healthy for you. I make choices about what I eat based on where I am in my cycle. I have managed to get to a point that is long passed PMS by doing this. The FLO Living protocol didn’t just heal my PCOS, help me to lose weight, and banish my acne, it also got rid of my PMS for me. I’m not kidding, in fact when my husband goes out for a guy’s night with his friends, they will sometimes end up talking about their relationships, their girlfriends and wives, and often his friends will share that their partners suffer with PMS and during “that time of the month” they get into fights and feel like they have to stay out of the way. My husband loves being able to say that his wife doesn’t experience PMS. These men, they cannot believe that is possible - but it is.

The best foods you can eat to prevent PMS

1. Chickpeas - these are a great source of B6 which helps with progesterone production. If your progesterone levels are low in the second half of your cycle you will experience both stress and period issues. A low level of B6 can make estrogen dominance more pronounced, when you have too much estrogen in your blood stream and not enough progesterone.
2. Kale and leafy greens - all of the brassica family greens, but especially kale, contain indole-3 carbinol, which is a powerful hormone balancer. This compound promotes estrogen metabolism, which allows us to eliminate excess estrogen and prevent estrogen dominance.
3. Coconut yogurt - my favorite kind of coconut yogurt is Anita’s Creamline Coconut Yogurt, it is utterly delicious. This yogurt contains probiotics in the form of live cultures and lots of good fats, which are both mood stabilizing and prevent PMS food cravings.
4. Sweet potatoes - not only should they satisfy your sweet cravings - consider drizzling roasted sweet potatoes with some honey and top with pecans - but because they are rich in vitamin A, they will also help your liver break down excess estrogen, balance out your blood sugar levels, and balance your mood.
5. Bone broth - a fantastic source of the electrolytes magnesium and calcium which will prevent the headaches, migraines and fuzzy headedness that can come with PMS. Have a cup before bed to also benefit from its sleep enhancing properties!

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

I want to hear from you!

First, do you suffer with PMS?Second, which PMS symptoms do you get each month? Third, everyone you know is hormonal – spread a little good ovary karma and share this article on social ;)

Need more Hormone Help?

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

I’m a strong believer in the healing and hormone balancing properties of honey. Honey is a key ingredient for stabilizing blood sugar, for promoting strong immunity, and for supporting your sex drive. It’s one of those ancient remedies that has helped women for centuries. Honey is also a wonderful addition to your diet when you’re in the midst of scaling back your intake of sugar, like candies, soda, fruit juices, that allows you to satisfy your cravings without doing your hormones any harm.

Honey is so easy to add to your day-to-day - a spoonful in your tea is just wonderful - but it’s also great for healthy juices, smoothies, and baking. It is my number one favorite sweetener and I make the most of it. As I talk you through the health benefits of honey I’m going to share my favorite recipes that highlight and showcase each of the healing properties of honey.

Honey to prevent your PMS

Honey is the perfect substitute for the white stuff (sugar). Poorly-managed blood sugar is the root of all hormonal health issues. I have yet to meet one woman suffering with PMS who had her blood-sugar levels balanced out. That’s because it’s impossible to have well-controlled blood sugar without making a conscious effort. Imagine a chart with a flat horizontal line running across. My goal is to have you, and all women, see only gentle undulations from that ideal blood sugar stasis and not the dramatic peaks and troughs that most of us will experience if we don’t keep an eye on what we eat. Those peaks and troughs are what make us soar and then crash in our moods and they spell disaster for our hormones.

Using a “softer” sweetener like honey in your tea and when baking will go a long way towards keeping your blood sugar stable. It will also satisfy the sweet cravings you may experience prior to your period. Honey is less likely to cause those peaks and troughs, but will give you the glucose that your body needs.

When I’m craving something sweet and satisfying I whip up a batch of these:

‍Chocolate Sweet Potato Brownies

‍1 raw medium sweet potato (purple skin/white flesh) – 2 1/2 cups when grated

2 whole eggs

½ cup melted coconut oi

l⅓ cup raw honey

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

½ cup raw cacao powder

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

2½ tablespoon coconut flour

¼ tsp pink himalayan salt

Instructions:

‍Preheat oven to 375 °F

Combine wet: grated sweet potato, eggs, vanilla, honey and coconut oil oil in a large mixing bowl and stir together until well incorporated.

Mix dry: cacao powder, baking powder, baking soda, salt and coconut flour.

Combine wet into dry and mix well.

Pour the mixture into a 9 inch square baking tin lined with parchment paper.

Cook for 25-30 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes before carefully removing the brownies from the tin.

Honey to boost your immunity

Raw honey contains an immune system-boosting living probiotic bacteria. This soothes the microbiome and in turn supports strong immunity. Your immunity is created and sourced in your gut. If you are prone to colds, honey can have immediate antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and soothing qualities that will also calm coughs and sneezing. The World Health Organization actually counts honey as a demulcent, which shows it relieves sore throats and coughs. It can also aid in the production of white blood cells, improving the body’s ability to fight infection. Honey helps to draw out the benefits and allow the body to absorb the goodness of citrus and ginger, other immunity-boosting ingredients. In the winter cold-season I like to protect myself from common illnesses by sipping this juice a couple of times a week.

‍Cold-busting, immune-boosting juice

‍3 carrots

1 beet

Juice of ½ a lemon

1 T of chopped ginger

½ cup of pineapple

Juice of ½ an orange

1 teaspoon of raw honey

Honey for your libido

Honey is an ancient aphrodisiac dating back to the times of those wise Egyptians. It contains boron, which helps regulate your hormones, plus nitric oxide, which is released naturally during arousal. It’s also a good source of magnesium which is a key micronutrient for everything hormonal balance related!  If you’re looking to feel more sexy, passionate and turned on - try my special smoothie recipe.

‍The Passion Pour

‍Avocado

Strawberries

Raw honey

Almond milk

Pinch of cayenne pepper

The best kind of honey

Now, not all honeys you find in the supermarket are the same. If it comes in a small plastic bear then it’s definitely processed honey, which is no different to refined sugar. Much of this processed honey is actually just high fructose corn syrup, which is fed to and then regurgitated by bees to make a cheap and mass-produced sweetener. It really matters what kind of honey you choose - processed, non-organic can actually harm your health. If you’ve never tasted raw honey, you don’t know how honey is meant to taste. Unstrained, raw honey is the good stuff: full of honeycomb, propolis, and pollen, every spoonful contains natural goodness. Plus, it delivers plenty of sweetness without the immediate blood sugar spike from refined sugar/processed honey.

I use Really Raw honey. The flavor of this honey is worlds above the over-processed mainstream brands and the accompanying nutritional benefits are even better. Really Raw honey is not only organic, but since it’s never processed or heated, it retains all its potential health benefits. As an added bonus: Really Raw sources all of its honey from local beekeeping operations, and every jar is packaged by hand. That means every jar tastes just like the seasonal honey you’ll find at your local farmers market.Ready to try a spoonful for yourself? Well, you’re in luck, because for a limited time, Thrive Market is offering my Flo-sisters a free jar of Really Raw honey. And if you’re an existing Thrive customer you can get in on the fun, too - you’ll also score a free jar with your next purchase over $50 by clicking here!

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

To your FLO,

Alisa

Historically, a ritual is all about being present in the moment, giving gratitude to what is happening to you at this time, connecting with yourself and your feelings. A ritual can be a truly transformative experience that shifts your energy, thinking, and emotions in the direction you wish them to go. This means, your menstruation phase, your period, is the perfect time to create and take part in a special ritual.Menstruation is when you reassess and reset for the month ahead. You look back, you look forward and you look within to you deepest hopes, dreams and desires for your life. It’s a time to be still and to listen to your body. This is your chance to let go and your chance to make resolutions.Personally, my period-time is when I like to listen to my inner voice, my truth and let my soul guide me for the month ahead. I use my ritual to set my intentions for the next cycle. It helps me to focus, but it’s also about taking time for myself - to do something that honors my cycle, my body, and all that it does for me. It lets me find stillness, calm and peace in my otherwise busy life. It’s a little date I keep with myself, that I never cancel on and that reminds me to check back in with my body as often as I can.

Ritualizing your whole cycle

Of course, living in my Flo means that I actually ritualize my whole cycle - I have certain foods I eat, teas I drink and activities I do specifically during each phase of my cycle so as to work in harmony with my hormonal shifts. Creating a period ritual can be a good place to start this practice of listening to your body and cycle-syncing your life. Your period is easy to take notice of, it’s so colorful. Once you tune in at this time, you’ll find it easier to tune in during the rest of your cycle, to sense and feel out those hormonal shifts - from the energetic optimism of the follicular phase to the analytical determination of the luteal phase. If you’re having period problems - whether that’s cramps, heavy bleeding, headaches, bloating - paying attention to these symptoms and then really hearing your body’s requests can actually help you to understand the root causes of these issues. It can help you reassess your stress levels, diet, work out routine, work patterns and relationships. You need to know how you truly feel about your period to know if there’s something that needs to change in your life. Sometimes we need the transformative and healing experience of a ritual to make that change.

My favorite period rituals to honor my cycle

I’ll practice my period ritual at any time of the day, whenever I can make space for it. This changes from month to month. I change my ritual depending on how much time I can take to myself - which depends on the needs of my baby daughter these days, as well as working on FLO Living! I’m sure you’re in the same boat as me, so I’m happy to report that it is possible to take the time that you need without guilt or anxiety. Tea Ritual: If you have just 15 minutes If I have just a little time to spare, I’ll sit down for a quiet moment and perform a tea ritual. I’ll make myself a wonderful, hormone-balancing cup of raspberry leaf tea with nettle. Or I’ll make up a batch of my golden milk. It takes a little time, and it’s slow, contemplative, so it can feel quite meditative. Plus, you know you’re taking care of yourself in choosing to do this - that feels good. Golden milk is the ultimate hormone-balancing concoction, and it’s also warming, soothing, and delicious. The combination of turmeric, coconut oil, coconut milk, sweeteners, and spices is warming and rejuvenating, and it’s something I recommend to women with all kinds of endocrine issues. Here’s my recipe: Golden Paste Ingredients1/2 cup organic turmeric powder1 cup water1.5 teaspoons black pepper5 tablespoons virgin coconut oilDirections

1. In a stainless steel pot, cook the water, turmeric, and black pepper until it forms a thick paste, stirring and cooking for about 7 to 10 minutes.
2. Remove from heat and add virgin coconut oil, using a whisk to fully mix in the coconut oil.
3. Transfer the Golden Paste into a glass jar with a lid, and store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
4. You will use this paste to make your Golden Milk below.

Golden MilkIngredients:1 teaspoon Golden Paste2 cups coconut milk1/8 teaspoon vanilla (optional)Raw honey [or stevia] to taste (optional)Pinch cinnamon (optional)Directions

1. In a stainless steel pot, gently heat, but do not boil, 2 cups of milk with 1 teaspoon of golden paste.
2. A whisk is helpful to fully mix the paste into the milk.
3. Add optional vanilla, honey [or stevia], and/or cinnamon.

Home Spa Ritual: If you have 30 minutes If I have a little more time during my period I will hold space for a more meditative, self-care centered ritual. I’ll take a nice hot, long shower and use my favorite facial and body scrubs to cleanse. This makes me feel refreshed. Perhaps only moms can know how nice it is to take a luxuriously long shower, undisturbed! Meditation Ritual: If you have even just 5 minutesSometimes, I’ll just light a candle and get comfortable in a cosy room, then hold my favorite crystal in my hand (bloodstone or tiger’s eye are clearing, grounding and blood-tonifying crystals, perfect for the menstrual phase). I’ll breathe deeply for a few moments. I’ll meditate, stay still and quiet, and listen. My intention is to connect with my soul and what it needs right now. My intuition is powerful at this time. As I listen, I’ll make notes of any thoughts that may arise in my mind that I feel I need to pay attention to, in my journal. These are the thoughts I might consider acting on once my menstruation has passed and I am in the active, energetic, get-it-done follicular phase. After you’ve observed your ritual, observe how you feel - do you feel differently about your period? Your body? How does this impact how you navigate the rest of your cycle? Let me know, I love hearing from 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,AlisaGood things come in threes:

I want to hear from you!

First, do you see your menstrual week as a time for more self care? Second, do you struggle to take time for yourself during menstruation? 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!

Recently a new research study from Loughborough University’s Sleep Research Center in England made waves by revealing that women need more sleep than men. The director of the Sleep Research Center Jim Horne explained, “Women's brains are wired differently ... so their sleep need will be slightly greater...Women tend to multitask - they do lots at once and are flexible - and so they use more of their actual brain than men do." The research also outlined that women are more strongly affected by poor sleep or lack of sleep than men, with a higher likelihood of mood instability and psychological distress as a result. Horne went on to explain that women need an extra 20 minutes of sleep, minimum, in comparison to men, because they use more of their brains throughout the day, meaning they need longer in the “recovery mode” provided by sleep.Firstly, any research that highlights the complexity of women’s brains should be celebrated! We are all too often made to feel like we are lacking in comparison to men - that our femaleness makes us inherently “less”. Here is further proof that there is nothing to support this cultural view. Thank you! Secondly, it’s hardly surprising that women use their brains more and therefore need more time to rest. As the researcher states, we women simply do more with our brains on a daily basis - we multitask, we switch roles, we take care of our children, our homes, and our businesses all at once. We often take on paid work, plus the unpaid work of homemaking and childcare, and the emotional labor of looking after loved ones, simultaneously. It’s no wonder we need to rest more than our male partners! Research has shown that sleep deprivation has a depressive effect - it suppresses adrenal function, slows serotonin production, and produces more mental chatter. A study published in 2014 detailed that chronic sleep deprivation - that is, getting less than the 7-8 hours you need per night on a consistent basis - significantly stalls learning abilities and memory. Lack of sleep prevents your brain synapses from communicating with each other effectively. A protein-based plaque actually builds up between the synapses when we don’t allow the brain to rest, repair, and “decongest” itself at night. Like a computer operating system, your brain needs to defragment and process all the information you took in during the day. A 2015 study showed the dangers of allowing this plaque to build up, as can happen through lack of sleep, in those susceptible to dementia or Alzheimer’s Disease.

The real reason women need more sleep

Most importantly, women are doing all this extra brain work in an environment that organizes our time, energy, and workload by masculine or linear guidelines. It’s amazing we need only an extra 20 minutes of sleep! Women work on a different operating system to men and that’s fundamentally down to our hormone patterns. Men have daily hormone cycles, women have monthly 4-phase hormone cycles. For men and women, our hormones impact how our brains function. The Flo Living protocol, that I live by and teach, supports women in reorganizing their lives to work with their original operating system, to match their hormonal patterns. It overrides the male-centric system we are expected to work within and replaces it with something that is more female-friendly and allows us to not just survive, but thrive. Giving ourselves extra time in bed is really the bare minimum we can do for ourselves in terms of self-care.

Coping with sleep deprivation as a mom

In the last year I have come to know what it really means to live sleep-deprived. My newborn daughter has show me how lack of sleep can impact my mental health! Sometimes it’s just that I find myself struggling to remember the right word or the right name. My thinking feels slowed and foggy. Sometimes I feel truly exhausted. This has made me focus on the best way my daughter, and therefore I, can get great quality sleep every night. I already had a sleep-supportive nighttime routine in place and encouraged my body to allow for deep, restorative sleep through my dietary choices. But in this last year, I’ve really had to up my sleep-game to ensure I get the real rest I need. I had to create an environment for myself and my daughter that prioritizes our sleep. I’m a woman so I’m using more of my brain, I’m a mom of a one year-old, and I’m an entrepreneur! I’ve just had to create the perfect night’s sleep for myself.

What I need for a good night’s sleep

1. Blackout shades for the bedroom. I live in Manhattan, which is wonderful, but also very bright, even at night. Black out shades mean I can go to bed when my daughter does without worrying about sundown and I can block out the street lights, car lights and apartment lights that would otherwise disturb my sleep.
2. A white noise machine. Again, I live in Manhattan! It’s fantastic, but it’s also really noisy. It’s the city that NEVER sleeps, right? A white noise machine has been a great investment. This blocks out all extraneous noise - car alarms, horns, trucks - all times of the day. We can both get sleep whenever we need to without worrying about the city’s schedule.
3. Bone broth before bed. Bone broth is fantastically healing for many reasons. Consuming the gelatin in bone broth before bed helps induce sleep as a result of the amino acid, glycine, that it contains. Glycine has a calming affect on the neurotransmitters within the brain. Research has shown that bone broth will improve the quality of your sleep, help reduce daytime sleepiness, and stop the effects of sleep deprivation like learning and memory issues.

My takeaway is - know this: you’re a woman and your brain is amazing! You didn’t need this research to know that, but isn’t it nice to have it on paper?Always remember, that once you have the right information about how your body really works, you can start making health choices that finally start to work for you! You can do this - the science of your body is on your side!to your FLO,AlisaGood things come in threes:

I want to hear from you!

First, do you have trouble sleeping? Second, does your sleeping get worse at certain times in your cycle? 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!

If you’re reading this post I’m almost certain you are aware of the impact your diet can have on your hormonal imbalance symptoms - from PMS to PCOS, from cramps to endometriosis, from low libido to weight gain. You know that some foods make these health issues worse and some can make them so much better. However, if you’re eating healthily and even following the Flo Living diet protocol, you might still be missing an essential ingredient of creating the kind of hormone-safe lifestyle that will protect you from these symptoms. That missing essential ingredient is in your cleaning supply closet. Because we don’t spend more than perhaps a few hours a week handling these products, we may not think they can possibly have an impact on our health. Yet, cumulatively the hours stack up that we are using, touching, and making skin contact with these chemicals, especially those that can linger on the items we are close to every day - like our clothes. We think picking our cleaning products, especially our laundry detergent, really should be just a matter of what works. And that’s true. We do need products that get our clothes clean and don’t mean spending hours washing and rewashing items to get the desired result. We also need to prioritize our own health. Top selling brand name detergents have been found to contain high levels of petrochemicals which are endocrine disruptors - they disrupt your body’s creation of its own hormones, use of those hormones and elimination of excess hormones. They introduce estrogen-mimicking synthetic hormones into your blood stream through skin contact that can undo all of your best efforts with your diet. These synthetic estrogens create estrogen dominance in the body - a root cause of all of the hormonal imbalance symptoms I mentioned above. An independent research group, Women’s Voices for the Earth, discovered that twenty of the most popular products we use to keep our homes and clothes clean contain reproductive toxins such as toluene and phthalates as well as a hormone disrupting synthetic musk, amongst other toxic chemicals. Many of these substances are not even listed on the product labels, because there is no law requiring that the company do this, keeping even the most informed of us in the dark. Anything that has been shown to cause “pregnancy complications” or “cancer” will also cause hormone disruption. Research shows that many of the chemicals found in everyday house-cleaning products are bio-accumulative and very toxic, which means that once in your system, they actually stay in your system and allow for increased free radical damage, which makes you more vulnerable to autoimmune diseases and cancers.As you can imagine, as a consequence of this research, I am very picky about my cleaning products. Especially my laundry detergent, as the residue of this can stay on clothes that then stay next to my skin, and my daughter’s skin, all day long. Despite the labels claiming that detergent will leave your clothes with a “clean, fresh scent” and “2X cleaner,” the truth is that many conventional detergents contain carcinogens, toxic chemicals, and harsh additives. Don’t sacrifice your family’s health for a clean home any more—instead, opt for natural products that really work, like Molly’s Suds Laundry Powder.Unlike other brands, Molly’s Suds is made from just five all­-natural ingredients that really get your clothes clean. Plus, it’s free from artificial fragrances and dyes, preservatives, toxic chemicals, and genetically modified ingredients, making it gentle enough for even the most sensitive skin, like that of my daughter. Not to mention, this laundry powder received an A rating from the Environmental Working Group—that means it’s just as safe for the environment as it is for your family. There’s another huge upside to this laundry soap: Molly’s Suds is super­concentrated, and just one tablespoon will get each load sparkling clean.Plus, for a limited time, my favorite place to buy all my groceries - Thrive Market - is offering all new customers a FREE package of Molly’s Suds laundry powder. And existing customers won’t miss out on the fun—they can nab a free package with their next order over $50. I’ve been using Thrive Market for months to stock my pantry and my cleaning closet and I love it, it’s so very easy, affordable and convenient.Just go here to claim your free gift!Always remember, that once you have the right information about how your body really works, you can start making health choices that finally start to work for you! You can do this - the science of your body is on your side!to your FLO,AlisaGood things come in threes:

I want to hear from you!

First, are you chemical sensitive?Second, have you switched to green cleaning products?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!

If you have been diagnosed with fibroids, you may already be aware of what to avoid (dairy, red meat, all the white starchy stuff). You may also know that the birth control pill can only manage your symptoms and might make them worse when you come off of it. You'll want to get a handle on the pain, discomfort, and heavy bleeding long-term, and you'll want to see some positive change soon. Maybe you also want to try for a baby or you’re just looking to get your old self back again.

We're here to help you reach those goals with a diet for fibroids.

If you know what to avoid as a fibroid sufferer, then you’re already tapped into the idea of food as potential medicine. Some foods make hormonally-sourced conditions worse, and some make them better. Food can alleviate symptoms and even shrink fibroids back to a manageable size.

According to Western medicine, no one knows for sure what causes fibroids, and you may have heard this from your doctor. However, we do know this one very important fact: they are affected by excess estrogen in the body, which makes them grow. This means they will often decrease in size after menopause (when overall body estrogen is lower). So, you need an approach to your diet which allows you to process and eliminate this excess estrogen as efficiently and rapidly as possible, and to create a low estrogen environment in your body.

This is why you may have heard that women with fibroids should specifically avoid certain products from animals treated with synthetic hormones—these are unnecessary and powerful estrogens that can create estrogen dominance and make fibroids grow.  If you think of dairy, red meat, and all the white stuff as stimulating and inflaming the fibroids, then the foods and supplements we'll list here do the opposite: they will calm your internal eco-system and create the right environment for your body to balance itself.

The 5 foods you should eat if you have fibroids

1. Flax seeds

Flax seeds are part of a food group called “selective estrogen receptor modulators.” This means they impact the effect estrogen has on different parts of the body. Flax seeds inhibit estrogen sensitivity in the uterus, which is beneficial when you have fibroids. They are also a fantastic source of fiber, which is needed to move excess estrogen out of your bowel as quickly as possible and to eliminate it from your body. Finally, flax seeds are a great source of omega-3 fatty acids (which reduce the insulin resistance that can suppress liver function) and lignans (which bind to estrogen receptors and prevent absorption of excess estrogen).

2. Soy

In general, we do not recommend soy for women in their reproductive years. But in the case of fibroids, certain forms of soy can be beneficial. Specifically seek out non-processed, organic soy in the form of tempeh and miso to add to your diet. This kind of soy has an anti-estrogenic affect on the uterus. Avoid all processed soy like soy cheese, soy meat, and other meat and dairy replacements. Moderation is key here and we don't recommend having soy every day, but unprocessed and organic soy is a useful dietary tool for managing fibroids.

3. Beans

Legumes are an excellent source of fiber and protein, plus they have a low glycemic impact, which reduces the kind inflammation that can increase fibroid growth. Focus on kidney beans, lentils, and mung beans. As you reduce your intake of meat, beans and legumes can be a healthy protein replacement.

4. Whole grains

As you stay away from white processed stuff like bread, pasta, and noodles, you’ll want to look for a healthy replacement in your diet. Whole grains help with insulin stabilization. High insulin levels from white starchy stuff (which acts like sugar in the body) are a factor in making fibroids grow. Whole grains are also a great source of fiber and will help to speed up the process and elimination of excess estrogen.

5. Pears and apples

These are liver-supporting foods. A well-functioning liver is key to preventing estrogen dominance from developing in your body, and its symptoms like fibroids. Pears and apples contain a flavonoid named phloretin which impairs tumor growth, along with lots of fiber. This flavonoid actual blocks the production of estrogen.

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The best supplements for fibroids

In addition to dietary tweaks, we've created a supplement kit specifically for fibroids. You don’t have to keep suffering through super-heavy periods or excessive pain. The FLO Living RELEASE Kit offers targeted nutrients that help support healthy estrogen and metabolism for easier, healthier periods. RELEASE includes:

• Sulforaphane - detoxifies and clears out excess estrogen from the body to shrink fibroids. It also provides protection against fibroid growth, as well as supporting a healthy inflammatory response.
• NAC - supports detoxification in the liver. NAC can reduce the size of ovarian cysts as well as provide antioxidant support against inflammation.
• DIM - assists the body in removing excess estrogen. DIM also helps balance hormones and weight, and may reduce long periods.
• Calcium-D-Glucarate - detoxifies excess hormones and supports the liver in breaking down and removing xenoestrogens.

I want to let you in on a secret - the day of my wedding, I was menstruating. That’s right - I was on my period, in my big beautiful white dress, for the whole ceremony. And you know that scene they always have in romantic comedies when the wife-to-be has to get her friends to help her use the bathroom? Well, I had to do that too - on my period. My two best friends had to help me maneuver my dress so I could switch out my organic, cotton tampon! Joking aside - when I’m menstruating I feel like my emotional self fully integrates with my more bookish, cerebral self, which is actually great for events full of deep feeling, like my wedding day, and for connecting with those I love. I was on my period the day that I did my TED talk too, in fact I think it helped me to better communicate my passion with the audience. As I don’t experience a difficult, problematic period anymore - I worked hard to get my body and hormones into a place where I feel good all month in fact - so now I am free to tap into the skills my hormonal alignment at this time can give me. Of course, if I had gotten married or given my TED talk when I was ovulating, or in my follicular or luteal phase, I would have benefited from the other amplified skills and talents I have access to during those times. I just don’t see having my period on important days as detrimental, and I don’t dread it. However I know that, for many women, looking at the calendar to realize that your period coincides with your wedding day, your anniversary, your week’s vacation, or Valentine’s Day can provoke real panic and anxiety. If you experience PMS symptoms, cramps, heavy bleeding, or if your period just likes to surprise you so you never quite know when it will turn up, then feeling like your period will sabotage your most special days is completely understandable. We worry that we’ll be in pain, feeling crabby, exhausted, or even confined to bed, when we most want to be at our best. You don’t have to take the pill to deal with your period.First of all, I want you to know that your period does not have to be like this! You can have the perfect period. The Flo Living protocol has eliminated - crampsheavy bleedingirregular cyclesand even PMS (which by the way is not “normal”)for me, and for literally THOUSANDS of women, the world over.

How to stop your period ruining your Valentine’s Day

I know Valentine’s Day is right around the corner and you might feel you are heading straight for a period-sabotaged day, regardless of what lovely romantic plans you and your partner have cooked up. I want to give you some effective, practical solutions so you can look forward to February 14th, or any other special day on your calendar that happens to coincide with a visit from the PMS fairy or Aunt Flo. If you’re in your luteal phase right now (or premenstrual, as it’s also known) here are 3 things you can do in the days leading up to Valentine’s Day (or any special day) so you feel good and enjoy the opportunity to connect with your partner. Then, for the day itself, I have a couple of suggestions to help you cycle-sync your Valentine’s Day to fit your mood.

What you should do if you’re PMS’ing on Valentine’s Day

1. Eat PMS-fighting foods. Fill your meals with foods rich in B vitamins, magnesium, calcium and fiber. This will rebalance your hormone levels and make the luteal phase transition smooth and easy. I’m talking about millet, sweet potatoes, cauliflower, squash, apples, dates, chickpeas, walnuts, beef and cod (you can find a whole grocery list of suggestions for this phase in my book “Woman Code”).
2. Listen to your cravings. Do you desperately want chocolate? Then have some chocolate! Good quality, organic, 70% dark chocolate is a PMS-combating superfood packed full of magnesium to alleviate anxiety, insomnia, and bloating. If you crave pasta, soda or coffee - I’ve got you covered there too with healthy, satisfying alternatives that won’t make your period a problem.
3. Schedule in some self-care. If you usually love your me-time when you’re on your period, schedule some of this in before it arrives this month so you don’t miss it and can still benefit from that important time out. Having some alone time will make being with your partner on Valentine’s Day so much more enjoyable for you and for him! Absence makes the heart grow fonder, right? Create some at-home spa treatments and be your own Valentine for the night! Or celebrate “Galentine’s” Day by having a girls night in with the kind of best friends who leave you feeling refreshed and positive.

What you should do on Valentine’s Day If You have your periodI usually suggest that during the menstrual phase women take their me-time and let their partner get his fill of guys’ nights out, so they can have some space to themselves. However, Valentine’s Day and other special days are all about connecting with others, so this is not always possible or desirable. That said, you can cycle-sync your Valentine’s Day to fit your hormone cycle and align what you choose to do to celebrate with how you will be feeling. Here are a couple of things you can do to make the day a time for real, genuine connection and love.

1. Shift your thinking about sex. I know some women are uncomfortable with full sex when they’re on their period and that’s a big reason we might see our periods as potentially sabotaging our anniversary, vacation or Valentine’s Day. Of course, it’s absolutely fine to abstain when you’re menstruating and find other ways of connecting with your partner through touch. But you can also certainly do everything but actual intercourse for a sexy evening too - perhaps take a bath together, engage in the 5 C’s of self-pleasure together and just be with each other physically, with the pressure off. You might find you enjoy it even more!
2. Romantic Evening At Home. I don’t know about you, but I don’t enjoy restaurants when I’m pre-menstrual or on my period - food is so commonly over-salted, it makes me mad and it makes me feel bloated! Get some cycle-synced restful, introverted, us-time by eschewing the rush to make reservations and get dolled up for a big night out and instead just stay home. If you power through the standard romantic evening because you feel you have to when you’re not in the mood, you’ll only feel grouchy and tempted to displace that frustration onto your partner. It’s so much better to create a comfortable, cosy night in, whether that means cooking together, or playing card games, or watching a movie. You don’t need to be in a fancy restaurant to feel romantic.

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

I want to hear from you!

First, how do you feel about getting your period on special occasions? Second, do you feel like you never know when you’ll get your period? Third, everyone you know is hormonal – spread a little good ovary karma and share this article on social ;)

Feeling Frazzled, Bloated, and Unsexy?

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

In January I told you how I created the perfect morning routine to ensure I never experience PMS symptoms like mood swings and low energy levels, this week I’m going to let you in on my well-crafted bedtime routine that I stick to during my luteal or pre-menstrual phase to prevent the same issues and get really good quality rest.For some women, the luteal phase actually brings about insomnia. Their hormones collide to make it impossible for them to get to sleep, which in turn makes their PMS symptoms worse - particularly that PMS depression, anxiety, and the cravings. In my recent advice column for Yahoo Health, I explain how during your luteal phase you experience a big surge and then decline in estrogen and progesterone. And, although that shouldn’t really cause you any symptoms, the real issue comes when you have too much estrogen and not enough progesterone to keep this all balanced — and is when PMS and insomnia can get bad. As I said when discussing my morning routine, everything starts with a good night’s sleep, it is the foundation upon which you can build a healthy, happy day. And those days add up to a healthy, happy life! A recent study showed that lack of sleep triggers in us a desire to eat more and less healthily which spells disaster at this time of the month. When stress and a poor diet are added to the mix, you’re in trouble. This can make you put on weight - because of the cravings it will induce in you, and because of how it messes with your hormones, blood sugar and cortisol levels. Those who run on too little, poor quality sleep have been found to experience an increase in levels of hunger hormone ghrelin and decreased levels of satiety hormone leptin, causing both overeating and weight gain. Five days of bad night’s sleep can cause you to add on another 2 pounds in just that short time!Once upon a time, before I started living in my Flo, I too struggled with sleep and fatigue for years due to my hormonal issues. I couldn’t fall asleep until 1 or 2 am and I couldn’t drag myself out of bed in the morning – and that grog-fog would not lift until after lunch. Now, I sleep so well I don’t even need an alarm to wake me up in the morning. And I do not experience PMS - it is possible, ladies, I’m telling you! I eat to support my hormones, I move my body, I outsmart my stress, plus I stick to a special bedtime routine that makes my luteal phase a breeze.

My bedtime routine to prevent PMS and insomnia

Some things could go unsaid at this time, but I’ll say them anyway! I avoid caffeine entirely (my favorite alternative is Kukicha); I always make sure to do some cortisol-flushing exercise towards the end of my working day (usually a session on my Urban Rebounder); I eat a nutrient dense, cycle-synced dinner (my favorite meal for a good night’s sleep is here). Then, after putting my baby girl to bed and spending relaxing time with my husband, I settle into my wind-down pattern, knowing I’ll start the next day fresh. At 9pm: I take oat straw and passionflower tincture in some water.At 9:30pm: I shut off all of my electronics (and in the few hours before that even, I make sure to use a blue light filter app on all my devices, like f.lux, which makes screens give off less blue light during the nighttime). I don’t take my phone to bed with me! Also at 9:30pm: I do a relaxing activity like a 10-minute yin yoga sequence to unwind any physical tension that’s built up from sitting at my desk. At 9:45pm: I take a warm bath with epsom salts and essential oils or a shower with a lovely face cleansing using my favorite face mask. At 10pm: I get in bed and while laying in my comfy bed in the darkened bedroom, I think about three things I’m grateful for, to end the day on a positive note. A 10pm to 6am bedtime is the best possible way to get good quality, nourishing sleep. Always remember, that once you have the right information about how your body really works, you can start making health choices that finally start to work for you! You can do this - the science of your body is on your side!to your FLO,AlisaGood things come in threes:

I want to hear from you!

First, do you have trouble sleeping? Second, do you have insomnia only during your luteal phase? 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!

Lena Dunham has made the news again this week with her hormone issues. First of all, I think her willingness to share about her issues with her hormones is game-changing for women. Only by taking these issues out of our individual hiding places, can we find a better way forward. Her story is unfortunately all too common. So many women with one condition can quickly develop a secondary one – in her case, endometriosis and then an ovarian cyst. It's all caused by the same root causes.

What happened to Lena

Here’s what happened to Lena – she developed what is known as an Endometriomas. Endometriosis causes endometrial tissue to migrate around the body and attach to other organs and sometimes this tissue will attach to the ovaries and form a growth which becomes a Endometriomas cyst. A cyst like this on the ovary can grow to be very large and cause the ovary to twist, causing a lot of pain. When a large Endometriomas cyst ruptures, as we heard happened to Lena, it can cause internal bleeding – this is why she was rushed to hospital for surgery. She may have experienced symptoms prior to the rupture like pelvic pain and a sense of pressure in her abdomen, but she would also have recognized these symptoms as related to her long-standing Endometriosis.There are other kinds of ovarian cysts beyond those caused by endometriosis. When ovarian cysts are suspected to be growing women are usually told to either wait to see if symptoms arise or if the cyst goes away on its own, to take birth control pills to prevent more cysts developing, or to have surgery as Lena did. It’s possible Lena had a ovarian cystectomy which means the surgeon left her ovary intact. However, sometimes this is not possible, which means she may have undergone an oophorectomy - removal of the affected ovary. From my knowledge, experience and expertise, conventional treatments like the Pill are not effective enough. How do we know this? Lena is still dealing with her endometriosis symptoms, enough to cancel her promo tour of Girls, and using the Pill did not prevent her from getting an ovarian cyst that grew large enough to rupture. Frequent pelvic exams can catch signs of ovarian cysts early, but they will not prevent them from happening. I have helped many women prevent cysts from growing to the point of rupturing, and I have helped women make their cysts disappear all together! This is just all so unnecessary if we learn how to care for our bodies in a pro-period, female hormone-centric way.

What can we learn from Lena’s experience and What should you do next?

The Pill is not the magic bullet to our hormonal issues. We have to address the underlying causes of our estrogen overload with food. We have to get in action around partnering with our hormones to do all that we can to avoid surgery.In order to truly manage our hormones, we can't rely only on pills. We have to deal with the root cause food and lifestyle issues that are creating our hormonal chaos. And we have to take consistent action to minimize their effect. Here’s what you need to be aware of and what steps you should take next:

1. Estrogen overload of the body from chemical exposure - When estrogen is too high, it can promote the formation of these cysts. Read more here about where these chemicals may be coming from in your life and start making swaps to natural products.
2. Not the right micronutrients available in our diet to break down estrogen - Without these nutrients, estrogen continues to build up in the system and stimulate a cyst to grow. Read more here about how to start supporting the liver long term to keep estrogen moving out of you successfully.
3. Not eating the right foods at the right time for each phase of our cycle to optimize the hormonal ratio each week to eliminate symptoms - This is such a critical step. For example, during your 2 peak estrogen surges during your period, the Cycle-Sync™ method makes sure you’re eating foods at those exact times that maximize estrogen metabolism. You’ve got to get in sync with your body’s hormonal patterns with food and that’s exactly what the WomanCode Online program teaches you to do.

What’s possible instead when you take the natural approach?

Just read the story of one woman, Heidi, who found Flo Living just in time to prevent having Lena’s experience. She worked with me and made her cysts dissappear. “So as I lay on the table, with no expectations, the technician tells me, “The cyst on the left ovary is gone” and then “Oh! The one on the right is gone, too!” I’m in shock. I’m elated. And as a tear rolls down my cheek, I’m in awe of the power…the power this body has to heal itself. How amazing is that! If I treat it right (if I treat ME right), then amazing things will happen.”Don't wait and get caught off guard by a ruptured cyst. You can prevent this from happening - please take a moment now to check in with you body on 2 questions:What is your period experience?As I said, when your hormonal system is not working properly, it can cause a domino effect, producing more period problems and even autoimmune issues from the same hormonal imbalance. Lena had endometriosis, but I’m sure she did not expect to deal with a ruptured ovarian cyst. However, this is all connected and has the same set of root causes. Take a good look at your current period problems and examine the severity of your symptoms. If you are dealing with bad PMS or PMDD, major cramps, wacky bleeding, and you have a diagnosed condition like PCOS, Endometriosis, or Fibroids AND you haven't done anything beyond taking the Pill to help yourself and avoid symptoms, then you might be at a higher risk of developing an ovarian cyst than you realized.Are you eating an endocrine disruptive diet?Ultimately, look at your diet, is it full of dairy, gluten, animal fats, alcohol, and sugar? This will continue to set you up for estrogen imbalance and make you much more susceptible to symptoms and developing secondary conditions like ovarian cysts.This is why I created the FLO Living protocol to help every woman maintain the optimal healthy balance of hormones that keep us symptom free and able to make our body our happy place again.If you think you're at risk - the best place to start is with the FLO Living 4-Day Hormone Detox - to immediately bring down toxic estrogen levels.Sending Love and FLO to Lena's ovaries and yours.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, have you had an ovarian cyst? Second, did you have a prior period problem before developing the cyst? Third, everyone you know is hormonal – spread a little good ovary karma, share this article on social and support Lena!

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!

Ovulation can come with a lot of fabulous side effects like a boosted sex drive, abundant energy, heightened senses, and an overall feeling of optimism and well-being. However, for some women, the ovulatory phase can also bring unwanted and uncomfortable symptoms like bloating, cramping or pain in one side, spotting, breast tenderness and uneven moods. The good news is you can treat the symptoms of ovulation naturally!

Identify the Ovulation Phase Based on Symptoms

If you have symptoms during ovulation, then chances are excellent that you also experience symptoms during your premenstrual week as well as difficulty with menstruation. This is because the root causes of symptomatic ovulation will also create problems throughout your cycle - like PMS symptoms or a crampy period. If you get these symptoms around ovulation or if they start then, only to stay with you until your period arrives, then you are experiencing a hormonal imbalance. And, just as I believe all women deserve the perfect period, I believe all women should feel wonderful when they’re ovulating and get to bask in all of the benefits this time of your cycle can and wants to give.  

Looking at your cycle as a whole and shifting your eating patterns and lifestyle choices to live more in harmony with your hormonal Flo during every cycle stage is vitally important. Each phase is connected to the others and there’s really no such thing as spot-treating an individual phase. However, there are effective, natural treatments that specifically target the sorts of issues that can arise in the ovulatory phase.

If you are worried that you might not be ovulating or you’re having trouble tracking your cycle, go straight to my simple guide for knowing where you’re at.

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How to treat your ovulation symptoms naturally

The source of your symptoms can be found in estrogen dominance - your body has too much estrogen swimming around your blood stream and you are not processing the excess efficiently. This leaves you with too high levels of this one hormone, which causes an imbalance in your progesterone production, leaving you with low progesterone levels. Solving your ovulation symptoms, therefore, is all about supporting your body in generating, processing, and eliminating estrogen. Read the following list of ovulation symptoms and see what you can do to address them:‍

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Bloating During Ovulation

The Flo-facts - Magnesium deficiency causes your body to retain water and salt, leading to that bloated feeling. Another culprit might be stress, as heightened cortisol has the same impact.  

‍The Flo-fix - I recommend you dose yourself with a daily supply of good dark chocolate (you’ll want 70% dark and organic). A 100 gram serving has half of your day’s need of magnesium. Drink coconut water to help with the water retention. Then, whizz up my “Anti-Bloat-ini” juice that combines 1 beet, 4 celery stalks, ½ a cucumber, 2 stalks of kale, ½ bunch cilantro, and 1 lemon. It’s full of natural diuretics, tissue salts, and liver detoxifiers.

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‍Spotting During Ovulation

The Flo-facts - Spotting is always something you should pay serious attention to. A little blood in your cervical fluid around the day of ovulation is not anything to be too concerned about (it’s actually the result of the egg breaking free). However, if the spotting continues, it could indicate a cervical polyp. You want to have any non-menstrual week bleeding assessed by your gynecologist immediately.  

‍The Flo-fix - Roll back your exposure to synthetic estrogens in cosmetics and beauty products, which can lead to excess estrogen levels in your body. Nourishing your liver will support the balance between your estrogen and progesterone levels - you can do this with a weekly “Liver Lover” smoothie of ½ cup mango, ½ a green apple, 1/2 cup frozen pineapple, 1/2 cup coconut water and 1 cup of cilantro.

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‍Pain/Cramping During Ovulation

The FLO - facts:  Pain during ovulation has an actual name - it’s called Mittelschmerz - German for ‘pain in the middle’.  Cramps are caused by an improper balance of prostaglandins and excess estrogen. Often times, it can be indicative of other conditions. For example, if the pain is severe you may be dealing with endometriosis or ovarian cysts, either on their own or due to PCOS.

‍The FLO- fix As with period cramps, reducing the amount of caffeine, alcohol, and dairy you take in throughout your cycle is going to make a significant and positive difference to ovulation pain. But getting more omega 3 fatty acids in your diet is key to ridding yourself of the mid-cycle pain.

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!

Although I do have my favorite skincare products - more about those later - I know that the condition of my skin is a reflection of what I put in my body through my diet, and not just what I put on my skin morning and night. The key to glowing, soft, clear, youthful skin is in your diet and your lifestyle, and not only in a jar, tube or bottle.

There’s no denying it, pregnancy, breast-feeding, taking care of your child changes your skin. It’s a combination of three elements that cause this change - the hormonal shifts, your sleep schedule, and your nutrition as someone supporting another human being! If you don’t focus on taking care of yourself, it will show up on your skin. Lack of sleep, micronutrient depletion, collagen loss, hormonal imbalance - all of this will make your skin appear older. Pregnancy and post-pregnancy can bring about acne, dryness, wrinkles and sagging, eczema, rosacea, and under eye circles if you are not consciously choosing a diet and lifestyle that supports what your body is going through at this time.

I’m always looking at my skin’s signals to me to tell me what I need to add more of into my diet or lifestyle. For example, if I don’t get enough sleep, my pores get bigger! They literally grow in size with every hour of sleep that I miss!

So, how do I ensure I look fresh as a new mom? Let me break it down for you.

My skin care secrets - beauty from the inside out

What to do for beautiful skin:

1. Sleep! Sleep, sleep, sleep - whenever, however you can. For me, that might be an extra 90 minutes when my husband can take care of our daughter’s morning routine before he goes to work. It can also mean a nap in the afternoon or extra sleep at the weekends. Recent research showed that you can payback your “sleep debt” from the previous week by adding hours in bed at the weekend.
2. Outsmart Stress - To get better quality sleep and avoid insomnia or waking up frequently you need to cut back on the caffeine and supplement with the adaptogens ashwangda, rhodiola, and maca which will ease the pressure put on your adrenals from sleep deprivation. Use the blood sugar stabilizer cinnamon on your morning eggs, in smoothies, or in tea to prevent surges and crashes in your blood sugar which can lead to fatigue and poor sleep.
3. Beautify with superfoods - Let’s start with what not to do, namely crash dieting. Don’t try to cut out all fat or cut back on what you’re eating in the day - in fact, do the opposite! Eat a lot and fill up on fats. For me that means 2 eggs every morning with coconut oil, avocado on gluten free toast, sunflower seed butter on apple slices, three full meals every day. Know that if you want to lose weight - women need to eat fat to lose fat.  If you’re breast feeding this is so important! I am breast feeding and I still take my pre-natal vitamins to keep my milk supply high and restore the nutrients that go to my daughter. Add in some essential fatty acid omega 3 supplements to that mix. Plus lots of bone broth for the gelatin that makes your skin bouncy and dewy! You can even add gelatin squares to your smoothies if this is easier.

My skin care secrets - beauty that’s more than skin-deep

I am a huge fan of Naturopathica skincare products. While I’m not paid for these recommendations, I feel passionately about sharing them because it is nearly impossible to find skin care product that has ingredients I personally feel comfortable with using while pregnant or breastfeeding.  These pass my personal test.  Just before the holidays I visited their new NYC spa and had the most dreamy, gorgeous facial and massage. Here are the products I use at home:

1. In the shower every day I use the Naturopathica oat polish facial cleanser to help with skin cell renewal.
2. Each night I use the Naturopathica calendula based super-hydrating thick moisturizer to heal my dry skin.
3. Once or twice per month I spend some time hanging out in the Naturopathica pumpkin enzyme mask for maximum exfoliation.

Special Flo-tip

If you are coping with acne you may have been interested in all the recent news about probiotic skincare. Some of these products are amazing, if you’re curious if it might work for you, experiment by just taking the juice from a finished jar of sauerkraut and dabbing it on your skin after your cleanser to help rebalance the skin microbiome.

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

In a recent column for the New York Times, Nicolas Kristof asked, shockingly, “Are you a toxic waste disposal site?” In this article he writes, “Even if you’re not in Flint, Mich., there are toxic chemicals in your home. For that matter, in you. Scientists have identified more than 200 industrial chemicals — from pesticides, flame retardants, jet fuel — as well as neurotoxins like lead in the blood or breast milk of Americans.”Kristof goes on to talk about the “pre-pollution” of babies in the womb and the “toxic stress” in our bodies from being exposed to dangerous chemicals each and every day of our lives. Then, just last week, the Food and Drug Administration announced they would be testing our food for the presence of a herbicide called glyphosate, which is the main component of the most commonly used weed killer or pesticide worldwide. Consumer groups have claimed that glyphosate residue can be found in both breast milk and commonly eaten foods. Independent research suggests glyphosate can have serious health implications.A recent meta-analysis study revealed that organic meat and dairy products are actually more nutritious, with 50% more omega 3 fatty acids. Essential fatty acids are important for women’s hormonal health- whether from meat or from vegetarian sources like flax seed. Although I avoid dairy products (aside from eggs), I do eat meat and this research has bolstered my long established decision to buy organic, grass-fed meat only.For many years I have advocated buying organic food and using organic beauty products and cosmetics, as well as avoiding toxin-laden cleaning products for your home. I have followed the growing body of research and known that being vigilant in these areas is vitally important for our health. Many hormonal health issues are worsened by the introduction of outside endocrine-disrupting chemicals like pesticides.

Here’s how pesticides impact your hormonal balance. Pesticides...

• add synthetic hormones to your body (like xenoestrogens)
• congest your liver, making it harder for your body to process and eliminate excess hormones
• confuse the hormonal conversation your body needs to have to create balance and avoid symptoms and diseases
• can increase infertility
• can make the growth of fibroids worse
• can impair ovulation
• can damage thyroid function
• just to name a few…..

Studies show that eliminating the pesticides found on food from your diet by going all-organic for just two weeks has a hugely positive impact on your body. There are certain foods you must only and always buy as organic – such as celery, peppers and tomatoes, all greens, berries, melons, pears and peaches (see my book WomanCode for the full rundown). Other produce you can be a little more relaxed about, but personally as a hormonally-sensitive person, I prefer to make my whole grocery list organic-only. I encourage all women to follow an organic protocol in every area of their life at least 80% of the time. If you do this, the other 20% of the time your body will be much better prepared and primed to cope with the additional disruption. If you’re not doing this now, but otherwise eating healthily and exercising regularly, you may still be suffering with PMS, cramps, PCOS, fibroids, endometriosis or other hormonal imbalance symptoms. If you needed more convincing, the fact that this growing body of research has now got the New York Times and the FDA sitting up and taking notice should be enough of a push for you to make the change your body needs.It is my view that buying organic produce, although certainly more expensive than buying non-organic, pesticide-laden produce, is an investment in your health long term and will save you money on medical expenses down the line. Local farmers markets can be a way to pick up organic fruits and vegetables at more affordable prices, as well as signing up for a local CSA delivery from a farm in your area. If you’re looking to heal hormonal health issues or get pregnant in the near future, going organic is a decision that will reward you for years to come. Always remember, that once you have the right information about how your body really works, you can start making health choices that finally start to work for you! You can do this - the science of your body is on your side!to your FLO,AlisaGood things come in threes:

I want to hear from you!

First, do you eat organic only?Second, do you have symptoms of estrogen overload? 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!

This month writer, actress and all-round bad-ass Lena Dunham announced she would be taking some time out and stepping back from promoting the fifth season of her television series “Girls,” stating ““As many of you know I have endometriosis, a chronic condition that affects approximately 1 in 10 women’s reproductive health. I am currently going through a rough patch with the illness and my body let me know, in no uncertain terms, that it’s time to rest.”Although Lena has long held my admiration and respect, with this decision she has become, to my mind, a real role model for women everywhere and an honorary Flo-sister! I am a long-time advocate of listening to your body and it is wonderful to hear someone in the public eye highlight the importance of taking time to rest, recuperate and heal. On top of that, she is also drawing much-needed attention to endometriosis and the suffering it can cause women. Lena shows us all that we can live our dream life and honor what our bodies need, as well as ask that those around us understand and support this choice. That said, it is distressing to hear that she is experiencing so much suffering from her endometriosis that she simply cannot carry on with her work when she might actually need to. It’s particularly distressing to me, because I know that you can do something about endometriosis, the pain and everything that comes along with this health issue.

Why I can relate to Lena’s experience

The thing is, I do know how she feels - although I have not experienced endometriosis myself, my PCOS came with chronic fatigue and depression that forced me to put my life on hold. When your hormones are out of whack it can have profound effects. When it was happening to me, I just knew that it should not be happening. I knew that it was not my “natural” state and instead a result of endocrine disruption from my diet and lifestyle. I knew I could change this for myself. The great news for Lena here is that like PCOS, Endometriosis is very treatable from a functional medicine standpoint. However, it does need a targeted approach that gets to the root of the autoimmune nature of this condition in order to alleviate the suffering long term. From this perspective I’d like to outline what I would love to tell Lena Dunham, if ever I got the chance to take care of her ovaries! Wouldn’t that be amazing? Here’s a very distilled version of my Flo Living protocol for endometriosis. For advice on how to talk to your doctor about your endometriosis diagnosis go here. For advice on specific food strategies to help with endometriosis go here.

The 3 things I’d like to tell Lena Dunham about Endometriosis

With access to some of the best healthcare there is available, I am certain Lena has already undertaken some necessary fundamental changes to her diet and lifestyle in order to heal her endometriosis - this includes cutting out all inflammatory foods sources such as sugar, alcohol, red meat and dairy. As well as looking at all the food she is eating as potential medicine and therapy for her health issue, Lena needs to also be hyper-vigilant about the products she uses on body (shampoos, cosmetics, moisturizers) and in her home (cleaning products, laundry detergent). We are often unaware of the amount of external estrogens (xenoestrogens) we are exposed to on a day-to-day basis, keeping this as a low as possible helps the body process and eliminate excess estrogen more efficiently, which is vital to endometriosis sufferers.

1. Endometriosis and your microbiome - the best way for Lena to get her immune system functioning the way it should be is to focus first on healing her microbiome. Probiotics are essential to rebalance the good gut bacteria. A certain set of gut bacteria and more specifically certain bacterial genes, called the estrobolome, produce an essential enzyme that helps metabolize estrogen. Your gut therefore is part of the elimination system that is vital in ushering hormones out of the body. You’ve got to feed your internal ecosystem in the way that promotes the growth of these good bacteria that are there to help take care of you. I would suggest a daily tablespoon or two of fermented foods rich in good bacteria like kimchi and sauerkraut plus a probiotic supplement such as the Stable-Dophilus formula from Jarrow.
2. Endometriosis and your liver - the other agent in metabolizing excess estrogen is your liver. Lena’s liver needs to efficiently break down estrogen that is produced by her body and the estrogen she takes in from the outside. It’s important to eat lots of liver-supporting foods that help with your body’s effort to cleanse your system of estrogen-overload. Broccoli contains the phytochemicals sulforaphane, indole-3-carbinol and D-glucarate which are critical liver detoxifiers. Beets contain pectin, which is a fiber that removes the toxins processed by the liver so they can be flushed out of the system instead of reabsorbed into the body. Dandelion greens are a diuretic that restore the mineral balance after detoxing our elimination organs. Lemon juice helps the stomach break down food, which leaves less for your liver to do, allowing more energy for estrogen elimination.
3. Endometriosis and pain - although pain killers can provide short term relief for some endometriosis sufferers, a long term effective solution can be found in essential fatty acids. Using high amounts of painkillers can put a strain on your liver that feeds the underlying causes of endometriosis. A chemical series called Prostaglandins are what stimulate your uterine muscles to contract and create discomfort. There are 3 types – PgE1,2, and 3. PgE2 is the one that causes uterine contractions and pain. Leave it to the genius design of your body to have only one that does that and two that counteract it – PgE1 and 3 are antispasmodic – natural pain killers! The essential fatty acids found in evening primrose oil and flax seeds increase the production of the two prostaglandins that can prevent contractions that cause the pain.

Help me to help Lena by sharing this post and tagging Ms. Dunham! She is an honorary Flo-sister and I would love to help her get back in her FLO. Always remember, that once you have the right information about how your body really works, you can start making health choices that finally start to work for you! You can do this - the science of your body is on your side!to your FLO,AlisaGood things come in threes:

I want to hear from you!

First, do you have endometriosis? Second, have you already cut out red meat, sugar, alcohol and dairy from your diet? 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 it comes to libido, women with PCOS have one of two experiences - there are those who have a relatively high sex drive and those who experience a very low sex drive. If you want to enjoy a healthy, pleasurable sex life you need to work with the PCOS libido you have to make sure you’re getting what you need. As a result of working with so many PCOS sufferers, and being a former PCOS sufferer myself, I have developed strategies that allow women with high or low libido to reinvigorate and reinvent their sex life and relationship from a basis of cycle awareness and hormonal understanding. Here at Flo Living I often hear women with PCOS say that they just “don’t feel like a woman” - is this a feeling you connect with too? The source of this unease is your testosterone levels and how high testosterone can push you to stay in your masculine energy all of the time. Or, alternatively, it can be sourced in how low testosterone can make you feel disinterested in sex and the person you love, in either case making you feel unfeminine. As a former PCOS sufferer myself, I personally had the high testosterone/high libido experience. In this post I’ll talk you through how this made me develop a unique approach to my relationship. Those two types of PCOS in regards to sex drive look like this:

• Low libido - due to low testosterone levels and high sex hormone binding globulin levels (SHBG). Women experiencing this do not usually have other symptoms like acne and hair loss/unwanted hair growth.
• High libido - due to high testosterone levels and low sex hormone binding globulin levels (SHBG). Women with this kind of PCOS will normally have issues with acne and hair loss/unwanted hair growth.

My own high testosterone levels had an impact on every area of my life - energetically it led me towards living predominantly in my masculine energy. I began to consciously balance this out by practicing ways of connecting to and nurturing my feminine energy. I found this much more satisfying in my romantic relationships, so I could feel like I was receiving more from my partner in and out of the bedroom. So, how do you know if you’re experiencing a masculine/feminine energy imbalance personally and in your relationship due to high testosterone levels?

• You feel disconnected from your emotions.
• You find it difficult to receive focused touch from your partner.
• You find it hard to verbalize your feelings to your partner.
• You feel like you have to take the lead in your relationship in general

If you have low sex drive as a result of low testosterone levels then you may also be experiencing these symptoms:

• fatigue
• vaginal dryness
• insomnia
• gaining weight around your middle
• problems retaining muscle mass

For more on low testosterone or “low T” visit my previous post.Now, to stay balanced in my relationship, I just let my cycle take the lead so I’m always dancing in a balanced way between my masculine and feminine energies. I find I like to take charge in the bedroom when I’m in my ovulation phase and my testosterone levels are at their peak. During this time I get the most pleasure out of being in charge and being proactive about my desires. During the rest of the month, however, I prefer to be the one who is pursued! Here are the strategies I use in my own life and those I recommend to my Flo Living clients:

Low libido with PCOS

Leverage your Peak Testosterone TimeUse what’s happening with your body to your advantage. If you have low testosterone levels, your testosterone production will still find its peak when you’re in the ovulation phase. So start by tracking your cycle so that you know when you’re ovulating and can plan ahead! Make the most of that time. Clear your calendar! Plan a few date nights with your partner and let him in on the secret! Then make sure you focus on the foreplay, because it might take you a little longer to feel ready, especially when you are not in your ovulation phase. Spend some time getting to know what feels good for you and then teach your partner what you need. Make more testosterone naturallyTo increase your testosterone levels and lower SHBG maximize zinc and saturated fats in your diet. Avocados are a wonderful source of bioidentical testosterone and beans and seeds are packed full of Zinc (although you could also supplement with 50mg daily).

High libido with PCOS

Practice Receiving PleasureConnect with your feminine energy. It’s not fun or pleasurable to always be the one who is leading, initiating, and dominating in a relationship. It can bring about resentment if you’re never in “receiving” mode in your relationship - being pursued, wooed and adored by your partner! Getting into the mode of receiving pleasure from your partner can boost your mood and health. There are many ways you can practice connecting with your feminine energy.Lower Your Sensitivity to TestosteroneTo lower testosterone levels and increase SHBG try saw palmetto extract daily which is anti-androgen (androgens are “male” hormones) and also anti-inflammatory. A study published in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition showed that women who ate walnuts increased their levels of SHBG and those who ate almonds decreased their free androgen levels. In study published in the Iran Journal of Reproductive Medicine, women who were given omega-3 supplements saw their testosterone levels decrease. Instead of supplements you can increase salmon in your diet. Women with both types of PCOS libido will certainly benefit from cycle-syncing their relationship, alongside their diet and wider lifestyle choices. Always remember, that once you have the right information about how your body really works, you can start making health choices that finally start to work for you! You can do this - the science of your body is on your side!to your FLO,AlisaGood things come in threes:

I want to hear from you!

First, has PCOS affected your sex life? Second, which do you experience - a high or low libido? Third, everyone you know is hormonal – spread a little good ovary karma and share this article on social ;)

Feeling Frazzled, Bloated, and Unsexy?

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