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!

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

So, you’ve taken all of my advice on the best foods to boost your sex drive and long since banished your vibrator from the bedroom, now you’re all fired up and ready for the Best Sex Ever, but….your man just isn’t feeling it. Not tonight. Not this week. Not for a while.Men find themselves suffering from low sex drive for similar reasons to us ladies. Just as you have a hormone cycle that works on approximately a monthly rotation; your partner has a hormone pattern for every 24 hours. Men experiencing suppressed testosterone production won’t experience the peaks they’re supposed to and will start to feel less interested in sex, be less able to get and sustain an erection, and find sex less enjoyable. This time of year we can get overwhelmed by advice on ways to feel hotter, but I want to give you a practical, realistic, long-game solution to a flagging sex life. Especially as you and your partner get older, you will need to make a conscious effort to boost your sex drive and he needs to do the same, that is -  if you want to keep the passion burning until your 50th wedding anniversary! To help you do this I have some lifestyle tips along with a solid, one-day meal plan that will ensure when your man returns home from work that he’s feeling energized, relaxed, happy and sexy, so that you can make the most of your meticulously planned, much-anticipated date nights.

First of all, my lifestyle suggestions for you and your man:

Plan your date earlier in the week - If you only get one night to yourself per week (or per month) because of the demands of growing kids or growing businesses then instead of focusing on that big, cliched Friday Night event, schedule your date night for a time when you both are less likely to feel tired and wired from the week - Tuesday or Wednesday are my favorite days for a date night, for this reason as we still feel rested from the weekend. Also, it’s so much easier to get a great reservation and the pressure is off from the start! Get good quality sleep the night before - No different to you, your man needs good quality sleep the night before if he’s going to produce enough testosterone to feel energized and sexy the night of. We all know great sex is a great sleep enhancer, but it’s a cycle in itself - to have great sex you need to not feel fatigued, so start with the sleep. Plus low testosterone can lead to insomnia; addressing this with his diet will set you on the path to pleasure. Make sure he has a relaxing bedtime routine - devices off early, cut back on caffeine, and spot treat those sleep troubles.Jump for your love - It’s not just a great song from the 80’s! If your man comes home for work stressed out and unable to switch from work mode to home mode, get him on an urban rebounder for ten minutes. Jumping up and down on the rebounder will release and lower the stress hormone cortisol that is pumping through his body, bringing him down to a calmer place and most importantly allowing him to be stimulated by testosterone. Sexy Time Timing - Syncing your relationship to your hormone cycle has so many benefits. You create this dance of energies where each of you take on the leadership and the receptive role at different times. It’s good to be the one who’s on the receiving end of your partner’s leadership sometimes – it makes sure we stay open to receiving love and pleasure too.If you align with your hormones you’ll find there’s a right time for an adventurous date, a right time for sharing your hopes, dreams and desires, and a right time for sex...yes, that would be 3pm, in the middle of the afternoon! Afternoon delight, indeed. This concept I teach went viral in December from the daily mail to Details magazine - men wanted to know when the peak sex time is - and it turns out it’s hormonally driven - of course!BUT if that’s impossible with your work schedules - try first thing in the morning after a really good date night, instead of just before you both go to sleep. That’s when your hormones and his hormones are in perfect harmony to make it the hottest sex it can be! Now, onto that meal plan. Food is vital for sustained passion in a relationship. Feed yourself and your man in a way that supports your hormones and you’ll see and feel the benefits. Food really is the BEST foreplay!

My one-day sex-boosting meal plan for your man

Breakfast - make it a big one with both eggs and oatmeal on the menu. This will stabilize his blood sugar for the rest of the day and keep him feeling even. Try some of my breakfast ideas - but rather than just one, pick two to serve up in the morning.Lunch - pack your man a really tasty wholegrain sandwich for work, with real turkey or roast beef (not deli meat) and avocado (a natural source of bioidentical testosterone) plus some folate packed baby spinach. Throw in some snacks to keep him going through the afternoon - sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, almonds, cashews and an apple. Bonus snack that he eats to make you more attracted to him - YES - Add in some celery sticks - when men eat celery they send out a pheromone called androstenol that will make him extra-attractive to you that evening. It’s the same pheromone commonly used in colognes! This lunch will help his body to make more testosterone, stabilize his blood sugar and reduce his stress levels. Dinner - Salmon roasted with a spicy mustard sauce and asparagus on the side. Add some cayenne pepper into that sauce to increase circulation and blood flow. Asparagus contains aspartic acid which boosts libido, plus it also has a reputation as a “natural Viagra” to prevent erectile dysfunction 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 suffer with low libido?Second, are you getting good sleep? 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.

You may be familiar with some of the side effects of hormonal birth control, like depression, blood clots, and weight gain. You might also know that birth control pills, which are often prescribed for things other than contraception—like irregular periods or acne—aren’t the best solution for managing symptoms. In fact, the pill ultimately makes symptoms like acne worse.But hormonal birth control has other, more far-reaching consequences. Specifically, taking the pill can wreak havoc on your love life. I know that probably sounds far out or completely made up, but the idea that hormonal birth control has real consequences for your love life comes directly from the scientific research, which I outline in detail below.

And when you think about it closely, it makes a lot of sense. The pill messes with hormone production and balance by introducing a stream of synthetic hormones to our systems—and because hormones impact how we perceive other people and how they perceive us, it stands to reason that our interactions with everyone—and specifically romantic partners— would be tipped sideways by a steady stream of synthetic hormones. In other words, hormones help us interact with the world. When we introduce a whole new set of hormones to our delicate bodies, it can shift our desires and perceptions on a fundamental biochemical level and have far-reaching romantic consequences.

How the Pill Ruins Love

Here are 5 of the ways that the pill might be messing with your love life:You like the smell of guys or girls who are wrong for you romantically. When our hormones are balanced and healthy and when (biochemically speaking) we’re on the hunt for a baby daddy (which means you! It doesn’t matter if you never want kids or if you aren’t attracted to men. If you’re ovulating, your body goes through the biochemical hunt for a good reproductive partner every month), we are primed to be attracted to men to whom we are genetically dissimilar, which lowers the chance of miscarriage and increases the likelihood of having a healthy baby. It also tends to make for more satisfying sex and happier relationships.

Studies show that if you are on the pill, you are more likely to gravitate toward men who smell like you (possibly because the pill simulates pregnancy and pregnant women are drawn toward nurturing and supportive biological relatives, or folks who smell like them). In this way, the pill acts like an anti-cupid, steering you away from your ideal romantic match. You become less attractive to the opposite or same sex. Pheromones are chemical messengers released by the body—and research shows that women’s pheromones can, quite literally, cast a spell over men and women when it comes to romance. Pheromones act as a sort of ‘love potion’ when they are released, increasing a person’s attraction to a women. But studies show that the pill stops production of these attraction-enhancing pheromones, and that might have negative consequences for your romantic and sexual life. It might make your attraction to your current partner disappear (gasp!). If you start a relationship when you’re on the pill then you may find, if and when you come off, that you’re no longer attracted to your partner. One study found that unless your mate is considered conventionally good-looking by evolutionary standards, you may then find them unattractive after you quit taking hormonal birth control. Here is what study author Michelle Russell told Time magazine in 2014:“Women who choose a partner when they’re on hormonal contraceptives and then stop taking them will prioritize their husband’s attractiveness more than they would if they were still on it. The effect that it would have on her marital satisfaction would carry more weight.”

It can suppress your sex drive. A woman’s sex drive should peak around ovulation, but the pill prevents this from happening. Not only that, but the synthetic hormones in hormonal birth control deplete your testosterone reserves, which, along with balanced hormones, is a key to your sexual desire and enjoyment. Research has linked oral contraceptives with female sexual dysfunction, including less frequent sexual activity, arousal, pleasure, and orgasm, and difficulty with lubrication. Oral contraceptives have also been linked with recurrent yeast infections—and there’s nothing like a yeast infection to sink one’s sex drive. It can lower your mood (which decreases your chances of getting in the mood).The pill has been linked to depression and anxiety, particularly in those women who may have a history of mental health issues. And many women are put on the pill for what’s actually a bad case of PMS—which can be addressed naturally—only to find that it makes their mood swings worse. For some, these mood changes manifest themselves as a bad case of the “blahs,” or just kinda feeling “meh” about everything (otherwise known as anhedonia). Women are supposed to feel a range of emotions throughout their natural cycle, and being in touch with the ebbs and flows of your feelings can actually enhance your relationship. Feeling so-so about everything all the time doesn’t lend itself to romance. When you’re feeling blah, you’d just as rather watch TV than make-out with your sweetheart. If the pill’s deleterious effects on dating are making you question the use of oral contraceptives for contraception or as a medical treatment, follow my protocol to transition off the pill. If you’re going to stay on the pill a little while longer, you can start this protocol now to ensure the switch is smooth and that you avoid seeing the return of any prior symptoms.

If you are on the pill for contraception, don’t forget about non-hormonal contraception choices. And if you want to learn more about potential side effects of hormonal birth control, including cancer risk, check out my special FREE Birth Control Rehab report.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!

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to your FLO,Alisa

Last month ACOG (the American Committee of Obstetricians and Gynecologists) published a report recommending that teenage girls, their parents, and their clinicians consider the menstrual cycle as the “fifth vital sign” of health. In this landmark announcement, this group of women’s health experts suggested that teens keep track of their periods and develop cycle awareness to help clinicians with early diagnosis of reproductive health issues like PCOS, thyroid disease, and endometriosis, which can be indicated by abnormally long cycles, excessive bleeding, or lack of periods entirely. The report includes guidelines on what should be considered outside the normal range when it comes to a teen’s cycle experience - from the onset of periods, to cycle length, to duration of the flow.The ACOG report states: “By including an evaluation of the menstrual cycle as an additional vital sign, clinicians reinforce its importance in assessing overall health status for patients and caretakers. Just as abnormal blood pressure, heart rate, or respiratory rate may be key to diagnosing potentially serious health conditions, identification of abnormal menstrual patterns in adolescence may improve early identification of potential health concerns for adulthood.”HALLELUIAH!! I would have loved THAT to have been part of my conversation as a teenager with all my period issues! I’ve long known the menstrual cycle to be a signifier of our health (you can read my own guidelines on what it means to have a “normal” period here), but I also know the menstrual cycle is the key to developing and nurturing our health.

How to help the teen in your life

If you are the mother, aunt, sister, or godmother of a teenage girl, this report contains crucial information that I believe ought to be conveyed with the same importance as instructions on how to use a tampon or pad. Most of us are comfortable now with sharing the latter with teens - gone are the days when teens would be shocked and horrified by the arrival of their first period, I hope - but all of us adult women, we need to support the younger generation now beyond the practicalities. A great book to help start a teen on this journey is “Cycle Savvy” by Toni Weschler (who wrote the comprehensive cycle knowledge bible “Taking Charge of Your Fertility”). Of course, it’s a little like what they tell you in the airplane safety schpeel - “help yourself before you help others.” Or - lead by example! If you’re living in your Flo and reaping the benefits then you are better equipped to support young women in learning, appreciating, and understanding their menstrual cycles. From this position you can give the gift of hormonal imbalance to others. As the mother of a daughter, I am thrilled that this report was created by ACOG. Although I know that, when the time comes, I will teach my daughter the art of cycle tracking, cycle awareness, and cycle syncing, I am happy that now a certain standard of care when it comes to young women’s reproductive health will become the expected practice. I am glad that we are finally seeing the period as indicator of our overall health and well-being, rather than just something to be suffered through, ignored, or hidden away. That said, there’s one thing missing from this otherwise encouraging report that concerns me, and that’s how these reproductive health issues will be treated, once they are diagnosed.

When the Pill is the problem

Early diagnosis is an important step forward in how we care for women’s health. However, if the primary or only treatment offered to teen girls is the birth control pill or hormone-based IUD, then we are missing out on a huge opportunity to truly help our young women. If the teen in your life is dealing with reproductive health issues like those mentioned in the report, then consulting a doctor is an important part of getting her back on track. However, we must always question the prescription of hormonal birth control as it never treats the health issue, but only masks the symptoms. Once your teen decides to come off, and this might be years down the line, she will discover the health issue will return and possibly be worse than before. If the teen in your life is dealing with very common problems like acne or PMS then the Pill is not the answer there either. Again, it will only mask these issues, not solve them. Although it can be very tempting to reach for these drugs to put a stop to the problem, it’s important to know that doing so can set a young women up for a lifetime of side effects (such as depression, low libido, anxiety, hair loss, cancer risk, and even life-threatening blood clots) and suppressed functioning of her endocrine, metabolic, and immune systems. It really can have a serious domino effect for her health.

Finding your Flo as a young woman

The source of hormonal imbalance issues in teen girls is mainly diet, exposure to synthetic estrogens in everything from cosmetics to shampoos, and stress. While some cycle irregularity is normal during teenage years (your reproductive system does take a few years to mature) we should not be seeing the symptoms to the extent that we are in new generations. Teaching teens to be conscious of their cycles AND teaching them to live in harmony with their hormones will go a long way to saving them much suffering. Although this is not an area I detail extensively in my book “WomanCode,” teen girls can absolutely follow the exact same Flo Living diet and lifestyle plan outlined there from the time they begin cycling. As I recommend for all women, start simply by layering foods in a cycle-synced pattern and build from there. What if a girl’s first period were not only met with a care package of tampons and pads, but also a copy of “Cycle Savvy” and “WomanCode”? If you’re reading this thinking of the teen daughter who is possibly in your future, it’s good to know that the gift of hormonal balance can be given when she’s still in the womb. Prepping yourself for a healthy pregnancy will be one of the best things you can do for your daughter. But, if you’ve come to Flo Living already with a pre-teen or teen in the family, then know that it’s never too late to start living in and loving your Flo. Share your journey with her, she’ll surely thank you for it. 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 shared Flo Living with your family? Second, what do you wish you knew as a teenager? Third, everyone you know is hormonal – spread a little good ovary karma and share this article on social ;)

Need more Hormone Help?

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

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

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

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

I want you to hear her story -

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‍How did you discover the Flo Living program?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

To your FLO,

Alisa

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

How you know if you have Adrenal Fatigue

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

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

Sound familiar?

The root cause of Adrenal Fatigue

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

Adrenal Fatigue and your cycles and fertility

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

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

How to heal Adrenal Fatigue naturally

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

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

3 things to avoid if you want to heal Adrenal Fatigue

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

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

I want to hear from you!

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

Need more Hormone Help?

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

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

5 ways to avoid stress by using your feminine energy

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

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

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

I want to hear from you!

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

Need more Hormone Help?

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

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

Alternatives to NSAIDs that won’t harm your fertility

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

The impact of other medications on your fertility

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

I want to hear from you!

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

Are You Trying to Conceive?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

I want to hear from you!

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

Feeling Frazzled, Bloated, and Unsexy?

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

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

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

The relationship issue that causes tension, fights, and breakups

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

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

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

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

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

I want to hear from you!

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

Feeling Frazzled, Bloated, and Unsexy?

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

I love coming up with new smoothie recipes! It’s so much fun to think of all the possible yummy Flo-food combinations. It’s a little science experiment in your kitchen. As you know, I like to keep the rest of my meal planning super simple, but my smoothies are where I like to get creative and experimental! And, as I always have your health first in my thoughts, I wanted to come up with the ultimate smoothie recipes that truly bring to life the idea of using good food as your medicine.

So I got out my prescription pad and jotted down the best treatments in the form of tasty fruit, veggie and nut blends (plus some other surprising ingredients!) that will help to heal your PMS, fatigue, low libido and infertility issues.

Tip: Embrace the smoothie bowl trend and blend half of the recipes’ ingredients to pour on top of the unblended other half. Great for breakfast or a snack!

My favorite smoothie remedy recipes to balance your hormones

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The Pumpkin Spice PMS Prescription

‍This smoothie will banish your PMS sugar cravings by replacing an impending Oreo binge with good, wholesome sugars from pumpkin and dates. Plus the blend of fruits and veggies will help your body get rid of the excess estrogen in your body that is the cause of PMS symptoms.

Canned, organic pumpkin puree

Dried apricots or dates

Sunbutter

Cinnamon

Nutmeg

Himalayan salt

Almond milk

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‍The No-Coffee Coffee Energy Elixir

‍If you find yourself sluggish after waking up, this is the perfect morning coffee alternative that will also give you sustained, slow-release energy til lunch. So much better for you than a Starbucks ice blended mocha.

Banana

Raw cacao

Blackberries

Raw oats soaked overnight

Cashew milk

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‍The Passion Pour for Low Libido

‍If your sex drive is a distant memory, this smoothie is for you. Packed with real aphrodisiacs that actually work (read more here on why) - you’ll be feeling sexy in no time. Warning: this smoothie might make you late for work.

Avocado

Strawberries

Honey

Almond milk

Pinch of cayenne pepper

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‍The Be Fruitful Fertility Fix

‍If your fertility is flagging and you’re hoping to get pregnant - this is your smoothie. A big boost of folic acid from the spinach, a whole host of vitamins and minerals, zinc from the seeds, plus natural bee product Royal Jelly, which feeds the queen bee and helps her deliver all her babies for the hive! Royal Jelly increases the level of luteinizing hormone, promoting consistent and healthy ovulation.

Spinach

Mango

Blueberries

Royal Jelly

Sesame seeds

Coconut yogurt

Cardomom

Coconut water

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

To your FLO,

Alisa

A core principle of the Flo Living protocol is choosing what you eat to fit the phase of your menstrual cycle that you are experiencing at that time. I call this cycle-syncing. My book, “WomanCode,” provides a comprehensive list of what is good to eat for each cycle phase from vegetables to meats to seasonings. Although this theory is very easy to understand - 80% of the time you enjoy the foods that best support your health within your cycle phase - the practice, as with all lifestyle changes, sometimes feels a little more tricky. I advise women to commit their first month of living in their Flo to concentrating just on the food side of things and getting their fridge and pantry stocked right. Doing this alone is going to have a positive impact on your periods, your fertility, your energy, your mood, and your libido. Which is why I thought it might be helpful for me to show you inside my fridge, my freezer and my pantry, as well as exactly which brands I choose and where I buy them, so that you can see what I really eat on a phase-to-phase basis.As you know, I only use products that are not filled with toxic chemical and artificial ingredients. But sometimes, this can feel exhausting, take so much time, and can feel like a huge drain on the wallet.Thankfully, I’ve discovered a new resource that makes shopping for healthy groceries so much easier. As soon as I saw for myself the money saved on my grocery bill, I knew I needed to find a way to bring this to you! Thrive Market is an online shopping club offering more than 4,000 of the bestselling organic, non-GMO foods and natural products. The best part? Everything on Thrive Market sells at wholesale prices. Finally - a Sam’s Club for healthy foodies!When you join Thrive Market like me, for less than $5 a month you can access all of the amazing products from my fridge and pantry at even more amazing prices. Plus, Thrive Market ships your order directly to your front door, anywhere in the continental United States. And orders over $49 ship for free! Your Thrive Market membership does more than just save you money. For every paying member who joins, Thrive Market will donate one free membership to a family in need. This company wants everyone to be able to afford foods and products that are good for their body, inside and out.And because your time and money are also super important to me, I’ve put together an exclusive deal for my FLO community!When you register as a member of the Flo Living community, you get access to all of the exact products and brands I buy at wonderful wholesale prices, PLUS:

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

I keep a jar of coconut oil in the bathroom, in the baby’s changing table, and in my kitchen - so I always need more of this amazing oil. I am SO thrilled Thrive is going to send you a jar when you join!Click here to snag this amazing deal and come on back to the blog to start purchasing most of, if not all, the items below. Here’s hoping you enjoy these great deals as much as I have - and don’t delay! Register now.Now let’s get shopping...

What’s inside my fridge

Top shelfPasture-fed eggs (I buy local brand The Country Hen)Anita’s creamline coconut yogurt Organic, fresh blueberries and strawberriesWhole Foods own-brand 365 unsweetened almond milk Purity organic coconut waterOrganic SunbutterFood For Life exotic black rice bread Spectrum organic ground flaxseedHawthorne Valley organic sauerkraut Fiordifrutta berry jam Soma Filtered water Pellegrino water Second shelf Organic greens: kale, baby spinach, broccoli, watercressAvocadosThird shelf Grass fed bisonLambWild king salmonWild codfishOrganic chicken and turkeyDrawers Organic fruit: peaches, nectarines, apples, lemonsOrganic produce: zucchini, green beans, celery, carrots, parsnips, sweet potato

What’s inside my freezer

Frozen organic berries for making smoothies Frozen green peas Frozen shrimpHomemade organic chicken liver and apple pate - I freeze cubes of this to defrostFrozen homemade soups - carrot soup; parsnip, apple and cumin soup; fish and vegetable soupFrozen fish piecesHomemade chicken bone brothGluten free pie crust

What’s inside my pantry

Top shelfElizabeths granola in original flavorArrowhead Mills instant organic oatmeal Second shelfBon Dea organic gluten free flour mixesThird shelfShiloh Farms dried beans, nuts, seedsPacific and Eden sea veggiesFourth shelfTinkyada and Jovial brown rice pastaBob’s Red Mill grains - brown rice, quinoa, oats Eden grains - buckwheat, amaranth, millet Bottom shelf Bionature canned beansCrown Prince sardinesAnnie’s mustard, ketchupMuir Glen tomatoesTeaTraditional medicinals Tazo Choice brands Oils, Sauces, and SpicesSimply Organic and Frontier brand spices Nutiva virgin coconut oilBionaturae organic olive oilPure Indian Foods gheeBragg’s apple ciderCoconut Secret nectarMaine Coast seasoningEvolution himalayan saltCain’s iodized sea saltCeltic sea saltEden wheat free tamari sauceEden toasted sesame seed oilOrganic balsamic vinegarSnacksMary’s Gone crackersEndangered Species chocolateDatesPrunesI hope you take advantage of this incredible membership opportunity to the Costco of healthy living - FINALLY - all the stuff I need to buy at half the cost of Whole Foods! Thank you universe! Always remember, that once you have the right information about how your body really works, you can start making health choices that finally start to work for you! You can do this - the science of your body is on your side!to your FLO,AlisaGood things come in threes:

I want to hear from you!

First, what does your pantry look like? Share your photos on our social media with #floliving Second, do you have favorite brands?Third, you know every one you know is hormonal - spread a little goof ovary karma and share this article on social by clicking the buttons below

Want to cut your grocery bill in half?

Register at ThriveMarket as a new member to automatically receive:

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

Click here to register!

If you’re here reading this I’m going to bet you’ve consider coming off birth control. Maybe you already have come off? I’m guessing that either you’ve experienced unwanted side effects or you’ve realized that the Pill really isn’t treating your hormonal health problems. If you’ve recently stopped taking birth control, be sure to check out my how-to guide for the transition.

First of all, congratulations! You’ve just made a hugely important step towards restoring your natural cycle and living in your Flo. Stick with me and you can have beautifully clear skin, clockwork pain-free periods, and heal your PCOS or endometriosis - all without the Pill. You don’t need it!“

But, wait, what about contraception?” - you say? I hear you, which is why I want to dedicate this post to exploring your natural alternative options. How did I go pregnancy scare-free for years before choosing to have my baby when I was ready? I’m going to let you in on a secret...

I still use condoms!

I’ve been married to my husband Vic for a few years now, but we have always and still use condoms. I know a lot of people feel like a committed relationship is no place for condoms. It’s like we see condom-less sex as a sign of love and trust. Well, I have to say, I don’t agree. If your man loves you, he will use condoms!

Here’s why:

1. They allow you to forgo synthetic hormone exposure. I am so hormonally sensitive and cannot tolerate, like many of you who struggle with PCOS, Fibroids, Endometriosis, the synthetic hormones in oral contraception. I also get to maintain my micronutrient balance and my microbiome health by not having to take the pill. Much smarter option.
2. They actually work. If you don’t want to be on birth control then you need an effective alternative and condoms really do work when used as they’re supposed to be used (which really isn’t that hard to figure out!). When used correctly and consistently they are about as effective as the Pill at preventing pregnancy.
3. They prevent bacterial and viral infections. Your lady parts are very sensitive and prone to picking up any bacteria or viruses going. STD’s can impact your fertility as well as being super uncomfortable and unpleasant. If you want to be a mom at some time in the future - use condoms today! It’s the best way of protecting your vaginal environment and keeping your reproductive organs healthy. Check out my post on bacterial vaginosis if you want to know more.
4. They prevent HPV contraction. Although you can cure yourself of HPV naturally (more on that later!), having HPV puts you at risk of cervical cancer. It’s best to never get this virus in the first place and the best way to avoid this as much as possible it is by using condoms.
5. They don’t depend on trust. I love and trust my husband fully. I don’t think that condoms are somehow anti-romance nor do I think that they can’t be part of a loving relationship. The Ashley Madison scandal should have everyone thinking about the reality of modern relationships! To my mind, if your partner loves you - he will wear a condom, honestly it’s the modern chivalrous version of putting his cape over a puddle. Because if you were to contract a disease this way, it could cause you health problems for your whole life. It’s up to your man to do the research to find a condom he likes using - there are so many out there these days there’s really no excuse. We use L condoms and Trojan Ultra Thin brands. If he really resists condoms, make it something fun and flirty - buy samples of a few brands and invite him to give you a condom fashion show!

Top tip: I only use condoms with spermicide when I’m ovulating, because spermicide can be irritating to the vagina and cause you to be susceptible to infections.

More natural alternatives to hormonal contraceptives

If you want to be super-safe about preventing pregnancy you can always double up with another natural method. I have a few to recommend. You can make using these a part of your foreplay - having a diaphragm in over dinner can feel kinda sexy if you know you’re going to be in bed with your partner later!

• The diaphragm. A new one-size-fits all Flo-purple diaphragm just came to the US! Caya is available by prescription, but you no longer need to find a doctor who knows how to do a fitting.
• The Today sponge. Even though you can still buy the sponge at RiteAid or CVS, you never hear about them anymore. I don’t know why, because it’s a great natural alternative contraceptive. You do use spermicide with this, but you could choose a natural option like ContraGel.

You can use living in your Flo to also manage your fertility -

• Tracking your cycle. Living in your Flo means being aware of where you are in your cycle week to week. This is wonderful for planning your diet, your exercise and your activities, but it can also be useful information when it comes to preventing pregnancy. It just takes a little more awareness and engagement with your body to pinpoint your fertile window. You can track your BBT (basal body temperature) with a device like Daysy or LadyComp, and/or observe changes in your cervical fluid, and then avoid sex completely during your fertile time or know to use condoms plus a spermicide to be safe.

And, if you want to be super-super-safe --

• Wild carrot seed (also known as Queen Anne’s Lace). This ancient herbal remedy has been used for centuries by women to prevent the implantation of a fertilized egg into the uterine wall. You can take wild carrot seed if you have sex when you’re fertile and the condom breaks (these things do happen!). The first thing you might think of in this situation is Plan B medication, but that can disrupt your hormones and your cycle, so if you’d rather have a natural alternative look into the wild carrot seed protocol. For more information on studies and dosage read this informative site who references the master herbalist Robin Rose Bennett’s work with this herb.

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

So many women are given hormonal birth control in their teens to put a stop to their acne. Although it may appear to do the trick of clearing up your skin for some, it’s doing this by suppressing your endocrine system and the natural flow of your body’s own hormones. This leads to all those side effects we know and hate - from depression, anxiety and low libido to blood clots. And when you come off - which most women do as a result of their experience of these negative side effects - the acne almost always comes back and often it is much worse than it was before, due to a drop in estrogen. This is a dirty trick, to my mind. It puts many women in this horrible bind that causes them to feel forced to return to the medication just to get their clear skin back. I hate it - it’s like these drugs have a built in insurance that you will continue to use them. However, that isn’t the only answer. Here at Flo Living I’ve helped hundreds of women successfully transition off hormonal birth control and maintain beautiful clear skin. In fact, off the hormonal birth control, their skin has never been better! First thing of course, is talk to your doctor. Let him or her know that you want to come off the drug or device. Then before you actually stop using it, start following the Flo Living protocol. Cycle-syncing your eating and exercise while you’re actually still taking the Pill can make this transition so much gentler on your endocrine system and save you a lot of the side effects women report including acne, but also - insomnia, mood swings and irregular cycles.Here’s my 3 step guide to coming off the Pill without your acne returning.Plus here’s my breakdown of the 3 most important things you need to know to heal your acne, and fast.

Shawna’s story

Shawna is one of the many women who I have helped to come off hormonal birth control and regain clear (in fact, her clearest yet!) skin. Read her story below or watch the video. “I was hooked on birth control. I was on it from 17 to 24, and it was giving me emotional ups and downs and making me crazy. I didn’t know myself. I tried to go off and my face exploded. Everyone told me it was because I went off the birth control. So I figured a quick fix to that would be to go right back on it. So, I went right back on it. I got married soon after that. We were married in ‘08 and we’ve been married for 7 years. We were thinking about starting a family, but I also just didn’t want to be on birth control anymore. So, I came to Flo Living looking to come off birth control without my face breaking out. On birth control I just felt like I couldn’t control my emotions. It made me feel like I wasn’t in touch with me. I felt victim to feelings I couldn’t control. I had a lot of real highs and real lows and there was never a good place to live in-between. It was like that almost the whole time I was on it. Flo Living was my birth control rehab. My mom heard you (Alisa) talking to Abel James on a podcast. She said she could tell you knew what you were talking about. I looked you up and bought your book. I read it, but I needed more of a step-by-step, hold-my-hand, and give me feedback experience and that’s why I signed up for the Flo Living protocol.

You have seriously changed my life. I can’t even say it without getting emotional.

The functional nutrition is awesome. The food is amazing. But, it was all the emotional changes and all the “you don’t have to be perfect” and “you just do it because that’s what you want to do” stuff that was so good for me. I feel like I like myself the most for the first time ever. I didn’t expect that. I expected it to be like the South Beach Diet, Paleo, all the stuff I tried to do and hoped to stop when my skin when back to normal. It wasn’t that way at all. I learned how to do it and I liked it. I feel like somebody taught me how to eat. Like when you grow up you think you have cereal for breakfast and a sandwich for lunch...but now I know what to do. It worked completely. I dropped the NuvaRing. I quit and my skin stayed completely clear. More people said my face looked good then than did during the whole 14 years I was on birth control. Then we decided we did want to start a family and I’m pregnant! I’m 16 weeks! I think if I could go back and tell myself anything it would be to do this program 7 years ago instead of hiding and medicating the problem using birth control. I would have done it earlier. I would have rather learned this in high school. I could have gone through college more comfortable with myself and more in touch with myself. You can treat yourself with food. Food can heal and food can hurt and it depends on what food it is. You need the guidance for what food to use as your medicine. Food has much more potential than people give it credit for.”

If you’re struggling with acne and you’re ready to make a change - take action now. It will change your hormones and your life. You deserve that.

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 acne?Second, do you want to come off hormonal birth control? Third: You know every one you know is hormonal – spread a little good ovary karma and share this article on social by clicking the buttons below

Need more Hormone Help?

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

Skin Conditions

Your skin provides the hormonal clues you need to start healing your cycles, enhancing your fertility, feeling more energetic, happier, sexier and gooood! Your skin speaks to you all the time, you just need to listen. It’s one of your body’s largest organs and part of the WomanCode “elimination” group along with the liver and large intestine. These organs don’t produce hormones, but they are necessary for ushering hormones out from your body. Can you imagine what would happen if all of the hormones your body produces and all those in the food you eat, the medications you take, and the products you use, just stayed in your blood stream? You’d have an explosive hormonal situation, that’s for sure - the kind that sees estrogen build-up lead to tumor growth. It would also imbalance your whole endocrine system, leading to problematic periods, infertility issues, PMS, PCOS, low libido and low moods. So when you see changes to your skin - whether that’s acne, eczema, rosacea or discoloration - you know your skin is trying to tell you something important about your hormonal health. I’ve talked to you about acne before in detail, I even have a webinar on the subject, so here I’d like to address those other three skin issues you might encounter.

Exit Eczema

Problem: I’m just getting over a bout of eczema that came up in my post-partum period. It’s very common for women to experience at this time, because your body is busy using all of your stores of essential fatty acids for your baby! That leaves not a whole lot left for you and your skin. Solution: The best way to combat this is through heavy supplementation of a good source of essential fatty acids. Cod Liver Oil is packed with EPA and DHA essential fatty acids. Make sure you get the fermented kind of oil, because that retains twice the vitamins of processed oil. I swear by Green Pastures Royal Blue Ice Royal brand. In addition, take Evening Primrose Oil. Topically, you can use aloe vera gel and a good oil based moisturizer - I’m using LAFACE. I find epsom salt plus magnesium oil baths to be very soothing. I recommend Ancient Minerals topical magnesium oil.

Ditch Discoloration

Problem: A change in the pigmentation of your skin - particularly dark patches around the forehead area and eyes - is a sign of liver imbalance. The function of your liver is likely compromised leading to a buildup of estrogen leading to estrogen dominance. The liver is in a hormonal buddy system with your skin. This skin issue is like your liver sending you a message!Solution: Support your liver with a good quality B-100 Complex, inositol, artichoke leaf extract, and the Get Clean tea by Republic of Tea, which contains a lovely blend of milk thistle burdock, and dandelion. Start increasing your intake of greens and cycle-synching your diet with my simple 4 week plan.

Renounce Rosacea

The Problem: The redness and bumpiness to the skin that comes with rosacea is linked back to the health of your gut/microbiome. It is essentially a symptom of inflammation that, quite literally, shows up as inflamed skin. If not specifically clearly triggered by one food type, it will be your diet as a whole that is the source of the problem. The Solution: Make friends with your friendly bacteria and you will heal your skin. Approximately 5lbs of bacteria lives inside of you and the quality of their eco-system – the healthiness of the microbial life plus the diversity – governs your health. A poor internal ecosystem caused by bad diet, exposure to chemicals and stress, will suppress the good bacteria, promote the bad bacteria, and will lead to a toxic buildup of hormones and signs of systemic inflammation on your skin. I’ve outlined some Dos and Don’ts of taking care of your gut and I recently interviewed Dr Kellman, author of “The Microbiome Diet”. 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 rosacea or eczema? Second, what treatments have you tried for eczema or rosacea? Third, you know every one you know is hormonal – spread a little good ovary karma and share this article on social by clicking the buttons below

Need more Hormone Help?

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

Five essential formulations working together to

Where to go from here?

Five essential formulations working together to

BALANCE YOUR HORMONES

I’m sure you’ve seen the latest research that shows sitting down at a desk for hours on end is very bad for your health. You may have even rolled your eyes when reading those headlines, thinking, “If the sitting doesn’t kill me, the constant anxiety I get from this kind of research will!” I understand your frustration. I often hear from the women who work with me here at Flo Living that they just don’t have time for a daily scheduled gym session or 30 minute DVD workout between their work and kids and household chores. I think shows like the “Biggest Loser” have influenced us to feel like we have to be doing intense exercise every day to see any benefits. Thankfully the studies are building to suggest that learning to bring more movement, even the most gentle kind, into your routine is actually much more beneficial than an intensive workout. In fact, the New York Times reported that a single minute of intense exercise within a daily ten minute movement plan can improve your health longterm. A sprint up the stairs within 20-30 seconds interspersed with yoga moves and stretches for 10 minutes every day is enough. Phew! This science is great news because it supports what I’ve been saying all along - you don’t want to over exercise all at once and exhaust your adrenals - it actually works against you in terms of maintaining ideal weight.

Exercise and your reproductive health

Not sitting for long and taking breaks to move is better for your health than a spin or aerobics class. As well as decreasing your risk of developing cardiovascular disease and cancer and increasing overall fitness, regular movement has a positive impact on your reproductive health - specifically that is, your periods, your fertility, and your libido. Regular movement that targets your pelvic area will help to heal painful periods, endometriosis, PCOS, ovarian cysts, infertility issues and low sex drive. Think about it - sitting actually compresses your uterus, ovaries and entire pelvic region. This causes stagnation and poor blood circulation in these organs. Vitality boosting micronutrients and hormones are blocked from circulating properly through your reproductive system. So your lady parts aren’t getting what they need to function at their best. Movement can bring you easier periods and improved fertility, as well as increase your energy, boost your mood, and make sex feel a lot better. Regular exercise makes your body use glucose more efficiently which helps with insulin resistance. This sets you up for healthy menstruation and consistent ovulation. And not stressing about never making it to the gym will have its own rewards! But the more you move, the more you’ll want to move. So, I’m going to share a one day plan for incorporating more movement in your lifestyle, plus make some suggestions for more vigorous exercise for those that feel they enjoy, need or want to continue a regime of working out in the traditional sense.

My one day movement plan

Use an app, your Fitbit, or the alarm on your cell to set reminders to keep moving every 30 minutes throughout the day. If your boss wants to know why you are taking a regular screen break, remember that the much respected “Pomodoro technique” of working in short bursts with frequent breaks has been proven to increase productivity.During work hours:

• Stand up from your desk and stretch from side to side and forward and back to rotate your whole pelvic region. Repeat 5-10 times.
• Stand up tall and stretch your arms and hands over your head to lengthen out the abdomen. Then bend down to touch your toes. Repeat 5-10 times.
• Do a abdominal twist from side to side placing your hands on your back and looking over your shoulder. Repeat 5-10 times.
• If you have a phone conference consider taking part while walking on the spot or around your office building, if you can, rather than sitting at your desk. An in-person meeting could be moved from the boardroom to the sidewalk - studies show we communicate and think better when we’re on the move.

I love this instructive video from the founder of Infinity Wellness Partners for whole body stretches.At lunch or on your break:

• Try out that super short 20-30 second stairs sprint followed by a yoga warrior or triangle pose.
• Take a stroll around the office or, even better, outside. Explore a new part of your local area or walk to your favorite lunch spot.
• Use your office furniture creatively to (safely!) do some push ups or resistance exercises.

Flo Living graduate and fitness expert Emily Sonnenberg put together some easy and short routines you can do at home or at the office.

Cycle-syncing your exercise routine for better reproductive health

If you find that incorporating movement into your daily routine boosts your energy, by all means also incorporate regular workouts as much as you like. However, the best way to approach this is by paying attention to your Flo. I talk a lot about cycle syncing your eating habits, but what about exercise? To really get the most out of optimizing your hormones, you should change up your routine to fit your cycle phase in much the same way as you do your diet. Your body is primed for different kinds of activity across your cycle, just as it’s looking for different kinds of nutrition through the four phases. You’ll lose more weight and feel fitter if you tune to what feels most natural.During the first part of your cycle your energy is naturally higher and you’re ready for high intensity exercise. During the second part of your cycle your hormonal ratio of estrogen and progesterone shifts making more restorative physical activities the ideal. So during menstruation walking and yoga are perfect, but during ovulation you might be primed for kickboxing. I’ve searched the internet for exercise videos for each phase of your cycle and these are my favorites. 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 prefer regular movement to working out?Second, what are your favorite fitness or movement apps? Third: You know every one you know is hormonal – spread a little good ovary karma and share this article on social by clicking the buttons below

Need more Hormone Help?

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

Snacking right is a great way to help your hormones to function better! Skipping meals and snacking on junk is a sure fire way to jack up your insulin, and stress hormone cortisol and throw off your hormones making your PMS, fertility, skin, weight and mood worse!Do you snack right? How’s your energy? Do you feel older than your age? Are you foggy headed? If you’re dealing with any of these problems, then why not try out some of my favorite snacks for balancing my blood sugar? They’re sweet, satisfying and there’s not a carrot stick in sight!I love snacking, in fact, I endorse it fully! For many women, when trying to lose weight, one of the first things they think they must stop doing is snacking. But here at Flo Living we believe snacking - with tasty, healthy food combinations, of course - is an important part of any plan to lose weight, look and feel better. I teach women that an essential part of your WomanCode is the blood sugar group of organs - the pancreas and liver. Along with your uterus, ovaries, and vagina - these two are also lady parts that deserve to be treated kindly. Unstable blood sugar is a core underlying cause of hormonal health problems. Whether you’re dealing with unbearable PMS, low libido, irregular cycles or difficult periods - balancing your blood sugar is the key to your healing journey. It’s also a must-have part of the process of coming off the Pill successfully and regaining your fertility. You need to use food to stabilize your blood sugar throughout the day. Doing so will give you the energy you need to power through your goals and improve your hormonal health as a whole. Choosing and eating the right kinds of snacks between your meals takes the pressure off your liver to deal with fluctuating blood sugar levels, leaving it more room for the essential work of eliminating estrogen and supporting your hormonal balance. This is why I make mastering blood sugar balance the first step in the Flo Living protocol.

The low-energy epidemic

Not one woman who has walked into my clinic has had well-managed blood sugar. Not one! And many, if not most of them complain of low energy. They’re in their 20s and early 30s but feel so much older - as they find themselves foggy headed at 3pm, falling asleep on the sofa at 7pm...Glucose is your brain’s primary source of fuel - you need it to feel bright, awake, and energized. Hypoglycemia, or low blood sugar levels, is what makes you crash and feel low and depleted mid-afternoon, sleepy before bedtime, and unable to stay focused and energized throughout the day. You need sufficient and sustained food intake to maintain a blood sugar stasis in the healthy range. That means eating three proper meals AND snacking in-between, especially when you’re under stress or strain from work, family life, or just a packed schedule. These are the times when we tend to forget about feeding ourselves properly, when it should actually be the time we prioritize our food intake to function at our best.

My favorite energy-boosting snacks

You should be eating a snack two and a half to three and half hours after your lunch. If you eat breakfast very early, feel free to snack between that meal and lunch too. I know when you feel low the last thing you want to reach for is simply carrots and hummus, that’s why I’ve selected truly satisfying and sweet snacks that will give you the boost you crave. The secret is - we need that sugary fix! Our bodies crave it for a reason. As you know, I’m all about listening to what your body has to say. We all have what I like to call our “sugar gremlins.” And when your sugar gremlins come calling, you need to be ready to offer them the right kind of healthy snack that will satisfy their needs. This will help you avoid seeking out the junk food that will make your blood sugar soar and crash like a storm at sea and trigger the hormonal health issues we all want to avoid.

• I’ll put sun butter on anything, but I do enjoy it on toast with a little organic sugar-free strawberry jam. Along with a cup of chai tea in the afternoon - this is bliss.
• I find dates are to be little powerhouses of energy - two of them with a couple of squares of dark chocolate fix me up for the rest of my busy day.
• A little bowl of goji berries and almonds make up a tasty and healthful trail mix.
• A quick smoothie with half a banana, half an avocado, some mango, spinach and ginger. Whizz and your done.
• It’s good to have something decadent and sweet on hand that you truly love for those times you need some me-time pleasure - for me, right now that’s these organic Clif Mojo bars, especially the almond, coconut and dark chocolate kind

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 low energy?Second, what’s your favorite healthy snack?Third, many women you know are trying to conceive and struggling in silence – spread a little good ovary karma and share this article on social by clicking the buttons below ?

Need more Hormone Help?

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

I take my self care very seriously, I thought it was time I shared with you my favorite health-conscious and health-boosting beauty and spa treatments.I teach my Flo Living ladies how to detox their cosmetics bags and bathroom cabinets and how to replace their chemical-laden products with chemical-free and effective cleansers, moisturizers, masks, and shampoos. So it makes sense that we continue to be aware of potential endocrine disruptors when we choose our beauty treatments.I’m going to walk you through all my personal favorite beauty luxuries and how to make the best choices for your hormones in a way that will boost your fertility, sex drive, mood, and energy. I encourage you to take time out on the regular to indulge in relaxing treatments; it really is vital for your health and well-being.So sit back, relax, and let’s talk health-conscious and health-boosting me-time.

Manicures and pedicures

I love a nice pedicure! Since becoming pregnant I have opted out of nailpolish all together, but when I do go back, here’s how I polish safely:My tips

• Choose a salon that is well-ventilated with a door open to the street and/or plenty of windows. Ask to be sat as close as possible to the door. That way, even if others are opting for more toxic treatments (like gels and wraps), you won’t be getting the full onslaught in your breathing space.
• Most good salons give you the option of having your own personal nail kit kept on hand with nail clippers, nail files and so on, so you don’t have to share with anyone else. I personally bring my own utensils, lotions and polish. I love SpaRitual - they have a whole online shopping section for manicure/pedicure essentials including callous remover, cuticle oil, and nail files. All of their nail care essentials are formulated without DBP, toulene, formaldehyde or formaldehyde resin.
• Choose a salon that uses only organic product ranges, or bring your own. It’s not relaxing for me to have cheap, endocrine disruptive lotion rubbed into my feet and legs for 20 minutes, so I just bring my own favorites from home. Naturopathica makes amazing foot and leg cream!
• Most salons offer the formaldehyde-free OPI range of nail polishes, but you could also bring your own better choices like I do. I like the “5 free” nail polish range from Priti. These polishes are free from formaldehyde, dibutyl phthalate (DBP), toluene, formaldehyde resin, and camphor. Great colors too!

Hair cut and color

Before I got pregnant I was very picky about my hair salon, but now I am breastfeeding I’m even more choosy when it comes to where I go! I like to choose a place that has a separate room for those getting a hair color treatment, that way I don’t have to be exposed to the fumes of those products while I’m getting my cut. If that isn’t available, then I am sure to be seated close to the window to get some fresh air.Here in New York City I like Salon 26 and Aveda because they offer chemical-free and organic hair products. Again you can bring your own products if you like. Personally, I use an aloe-based hair shampoo like Shikai Everyday Shampoo.My top beauty tip: Are you worried about grey hair? I’m 38 and I just started going a little grey at the temples (even though it’s in my genes to be completely grey by now!). My secret to slowing down the greying process is living by the Flo Living protocol, but especially eating plenty of black sesame seeds - they will turn your hair back to black they’re so effective!

Facials

As someone who used to suffer with acne, I’m not very comfortable having someone “work” on my face. It’s not a very relaxing experience for me. I prefer to pick great products, spend my money on those, and treat myself to facials in the comfort of my own home. It’s a great ritual I do for myself every menstrual week!I especially like the new online shopping experience of Credo - created by the founder of Sephora to meet the growing need for natural and chemical-free beauty products. They have my longtime favorite brands while also helping me to discover new must-haves.Naturopathica has two face masks that I love for my at-home facials – the Pumpkin Purifying Enzyme Peel and the Sweet Cherry Brightening Enzyme Peel. They are so clean and fresh you could literally eat them!

Massages

I have worked with the same massage therapist for 15 years! Establishing a healthy long term relationship with an amazing massage therapist is a must!The skin is our largest organ and absorbs everything and anything we put on it. A massage is a great way to detox, but not if you’re spending an hour soaking in endocrine disruptive chemicals. That’s why I bring coconut oil or jojoba oil for my massages.If I can, I like to relax in a dry sauna before my massage and a steam room after. If I can’t do that then I’ll warm myself up by doing bends and stretches to bring heat into the body. When I get home I take my washcloth and do a hot scrub in my bathroom to further the detoxification process.

Baths

My mother got me started on the natural bath track. She believes in using simple nourishing items in the bath like Epsom salts and essential oils. Not only is this just as relaxing as bubble bath, but it’s actually a mixture that’s beneficial to your hormones, vaginal microbiome, skin, and overall health and well-being as it is rich in magnesium.If you love beautiful products and gorgeous packaging, find a gorgeous apothecary style container from an antique shop in which to store the salts in your bathroom. It looks pretty and it makes the experience feel more luxurious. You don’t need to buy into spending a ton of money on pretty packaging that’s full of ingredients that mess with your hormones to have a special night in!Always remember, that once you have the right information about how your body really works, you can start making health choices that finally start to work for you! You can do this - the science of your body is on your side!to your FLO,AlisaGood things come in threes:

I want to hear from you

First, what are your favorite natural beauty products?Second, which spa treatments do you splurge on?Third, you know every one you know is hormonal – spread a little good ovary karma and share this article on social by clicking the buttons below

Need more Hormone Help?

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

I was recently showing my dentist a photo of me with my baby, and she asked who the woman was holding the baby - I didn’t understand - she said again - who’s that teenager? I was like - lady - that’s me - hair up and no makeup! She was shocked and so was I. I mean, I know my biological age is much younger than my chronological age, but I guess I didn’t realize how young I look and feel compared to other women my own age.With so many things disrupting our hormonal FLO, we’re increasingly at risk for aging too fast from the inside out. Added to this is the issue that you start to make less hormones around age 35. This lowered concentration of hormones is a big driver of the aging process. Wouldn’t it be amazing if we could slow this down somehow? So we could enjoy our young sexy trim bodies, our firm skin, our hot sex drive, our vibrant energy levels, and our optimal fertility longer?I want to share my secrets to turning on your inner fountain of youth like me. We absolutely can thankfully because hormones are so responsive to food therapy.This process is perimenopause and it’s an important biological shift that is far less discussed than menopause itself. This means few women realize it’s happening to them, even when they’re suffering with the consequences.It’s critical to connect the dots with your new symptoms and the beginning of this process so you take the right steps to eliminate your symptoms and slow down the hormonal aging process.You go along for years with your hormones acting one way, and then seemingly suddenly things start changing and we don’t know it’s perimenopause. I see so many women spending time, money and effort trying to cure their newly heavy periods or missing periods, sleeplessness, sudden weight gain, moodiness, depression...with all kinds of detoxes and products and fixes and medications - and none of those things really work, because they don’t admit and address the root cause - shifting hormones. We try and spot treat each new problem, without realizing it’s all connected and if we eat foods that help our body make more hormones, our symptoms can clear up on their own.Learning how to tackle this hormonal inflection point head on will make it seamless and you’ll protect yourself from all the inflammatory diseases that can mar post-menopausal life for women who let their hormonal imbalances go untreated.

I feel fine/ I’m on the pill/ I want to have babies - maybe it’s not happening to me?

Perimenopause is the slow process of your pituitary gland making more and more FSH to cause you eventually after a decade or so to stop ovulating permanently. That’s the whole purpose of this transition - after that your period stops and you enter the post-menopausal chapter of your life.This should be a slow process, 10-15 years long, with minimal symptoms, but the problem is it’s happening much more quickly for women these days at younger ages. In fact, Premature Ovarian Failure is on the rise for this very reason.Going through this process too quickly is a form of premature aging and it means your fertile window closes sooner, your libido can evaporate, metabolism stall, and you can find yourself feeling like you have landed in a body you don’t recognize. The truth is however, that just like I keep telling you that PMS is a hormonal imbalance that you’re not meant to have, very symptomatic perimenopause is also not normal and treatable with food.The stereotypical symptoms you hear about only come when your other hormones get off balance due to diet.This should concern you because you are likely not eating for your FLO, if you are on the pill to manage hormonal imbalance already, you will feel the impact pretty dramatically, and if you want to have children like me in your late 30’s, then ignoring this puts your fertility at risk by aging you prematurely. Any woman going through IVF knows high FSH levels are terrible for conception.

Signs of Hormonal Aging

Often a change in your period - be that in length, heaviness, or the symptoms you experience around it like cramps and PMS - will be the first noticeable difference. It might start to look very different to the period you had in your 20s. You can also experience insomnia, headaches, night sweats, hot flashes, acne, mood swings and weight gain.The changes may not be anything dramatic, but the perimenopause process is going on inside your body, beginning slowly, as you start making slightly lower amounts of hormones than were produced in the peak fertile years.I know this discussion, the effects of aging, comes with a whole lot of emotional baggage. Us women get such a hard time about getting older - even though, in truth, men start going through andropause at 25! Yes, 25! That’s when their testosterone levels slowly go downhill and they experience their own set of similar symptoms.How much you feel the impact of this hormonal shift in your day-to-day life will depend very much on your diet and lifestyle. The less healthy and hormonally-supportive those are, the more likely it is that perimenopause will hit you hard right at 35. You’ll be producing smaller concentrations of hormones and you will really feel this.

What to Expect

Perimenopause is much like the luteal phase in that it has 2 distinct parts. At first you might not feel very different - in the same way that right after ovulation you tend to feel still very up and energetic. You’ll be busy in your career, starting a family, burning the candle at both ends and letting your self care around diet slip.If you enter part 2, which is like the PMS half of your luteal phase, in a depleted state, you will be hit sideways with all the stereotypical symptoms. Your hormones are off and this impacts your mood, how you look, and your energy levels. I say that 5 days of your luteal phase is the equivalent to 5 years of perimenopause experience. Those symptoms you may have brushed aside during your 20s will be difficult to ignore after 35.Working with Your GYN It’s so important to establish a baseline hormone panel around the age of 30 to see what is normal for you so you have something to compare this to as your hormones begin to shift during this decade. Talk to your GYN ahead of time if you can. Let her know you want to go through this process naturally and unmedicated.If you’re already in the thick of it, then it’s important to get that full hormone panel done to see what’s potentially the biggest issue. It could be low estrogen, low progesterone, low cortisol, low testosterone, or low thyroid. The only hormone that will change but cause you no issue is FSH - that will rise dramatically throughout perimenopause - that’s the whole purpose of this transition - to get you to stop ovulating.Should You Take Hormones to Lessen Symptoms?In my opinion, no. Just like I don’t recommend you go on the pill to fix your period problems, I don’t recommend you medicating your perimenopause. Why? Two key reasons: one - this is a natural process your body is designed to do, there is nothing wrong, nothing to fix, you can go through this naturally and drug free, and two - synthetic hormones mask the symptoms that motivate you to make the changes you need to clear up symptoms - it gives you a false positive that everything is okay with your health. Perimenopause is an opportunity to make sure you are set for a healthy future.Nonetheless, be prepared to hear the standard suggestion from your GYN, which is to just continue on birth control pills until about 45 and then transition to hormone replacement therapy. All of this synthetic hormone replacement has risks and you don’t actually need it. It’s up to you to decide how you want to go through your life in your body - naturally or medicated.

Make More Youthful Levels of Hormones with Food

The Flo Living protocol is a pro-hormonal eating method that actually slows down this biological aging process. You can delay the onset of perimenopause, and in turn the onset of menopause, by taking charge of your diet today. Hormones are our fountain of youth and the higher concentrations (in balance) that we produce, the younger and more vibrant we will look and feel throughout our lives.This, I think, is especially important knowledge for women to have when so many of us come to our baby-making stage at a much “later” point in life. Slowing the perimenopause process will make it easier for you to conceive and help you avoid miscarriage.3 steps to slowing down perimenopauseI’m in my late 30s, too! We’re all in the same boat and I promise this works. It’s helped me, it’s helped so many other Flo ladies.1 - Eat according to your cycle. This is key so you balance out your estrogen and progesterone and eliminate any reason you might develop symptoms. To get started with this idea in a very simple, quick, and easy to understand way check out these two 4 week introductory protocols - how to cycle sync your greens and your grains.2 - Eat enough protein and fat - to make enough hormones. So critical to avoid yo-yo dieting if you want to actually slow the aging process. You need to eat to make the hormones that keep you young - learn more about my favorites proteins here and fats here.3 - Take D3 and Evening Primrose Oil to keep hormones balanced. Both are well researched to have positive hormone balancing effects during this perimenopausal transition. You don’t have to have hot flashes if you’re prepared!

Your Future Self Thanks You

I know that what I do now - choosing to eat and live pro-hormonally - is going to have an impact on my life 20 years from now. It will shape the woman I will be and the body I will have when I’m in retirement! Just as my choice to work with my hormones 20 years ago has got me where I am today - a healthy, happy mother with a successful career and fulfilling life - how I work with my hormones today will bear fruit another 20 years down the line. I invested in my health to live a full and happy life and you can too, with me.I want you to be sexy, strong, happy and healthy when you are 50+ years old. Perimenopause is an amazing opportunity to make sure you are all those things as you age.Always remember, that once you have the right information about how your body really works, you can start making health choices that finally start to work for you! You can do this - the science of your body is on your side!to your FLO,AlisaGood things come in threes:

I want to hear from you

First, do you feel like you might be approaching perimenopause? Second, will you try out my introductory 4 week protocols? Let me know how it goes!Third, you know every one you know is hormonal – spread a little good ovary karma and share this article on social by clicking the buttons below

Need more Hormone Help?

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

1 in 5 women have a thyroid disorder and yet this is the most underdiagnosed hormone issue.Do you feel like your weight gain, hair loss, fatigue and mood issues might be part of a bigger issue? Have you even gotten tested but it came back “within normal range”?This can be so frustrating and I’ve seen so many women in my practice at their wits end because they’re trying to feel like themselves again.Getting an accurate assessment of this hormone is critical when you are trying to resolve period, fertility, and low libido issues.I’d like you to be aware of what your thyroid is, does, and how it impacts your periods, fertility, energy levels and more before you find yourself in the doctor’s office. So, I’m going to run you through the basics and then talk about how to keep your thyroid healthy.

What Your Thyroid Does

The thyroid gland is the largest in your endocrine system and it’s actually located in the front of your neck. This gland is essentially responsible for making your energy by controlling and regulating your internal body temperature. The thyroid works in tandem with your adrenals in tandem. Together they are there to take care of many vital bodily processes, such as -

• Your metabolism and whether you’re a slow or fast burner of energy and whether you are gaining or losing weight
• Your mood balance
• The quality of your sleep
• Your digestion
• Regulation of your body temperature
• Your sensitivity to other hormonal shifts throughout your cycle

A sluggish thyroid that isn’t humming away as it should will show signs of this in your experience of your cycle. Here are some of the signs your thyroid is struggling to do its job -

• You are having multiple periods per month
• Your bleeds are heavy and full of clots
• You’ve experienced one or more miscarriages
• You find you’re having many anovulatory cycles (that means cycles in which you might bleed, but you don’t ovulate)
• You have unexplained weight gain despite eating well and exercising regularly
• You feel exhausted all the time
• You have cold or tingly feet and hands
• You have puffy eyes

The nutrients that make the thyroid hormone are Iodine and L-Tyrosine. 60% of the iodine we have in our bodies is held in the thyroid gland. Tyrosine is an amino acid that you need to synthesize what your thyroid creates.Testing With Your DoctorIt’s important that you work with your doctor to test your thyroid with blood tests and an ultrasound if you’re experiencing symptoms before pursuing treatment as certain protocols - such as increasing iodine intake - is good for some thyroid problems, but not all. Specifically Hashimoto’s disease, which is an autoimmune condition that causes your immune system to attack your thyroid, can worsen with an increased uptake of iodine. So work with your doctor to figure out the best move forward for your issues.You want to be tested for TSH levels, T4, T3 and T3 uptake - this will give you the best understanding of where your thyroid function is breaking down.You may need to be put on hormone replacement. If possible, going bioidentical is better - like Naturethroid, versus the synthetic Synthroid. Regardless of the need for medication, you will need to use food to support your thyroid health, so you don’t continue to experience symptoms of underactive thyroid and need more and more medication to get the same result. Food is your friend in all ways!

Natural Thyroid Support

The best way to improve your thyroid hormone production is by adding in certain foods to your diet that will support the thyroid and protect it from disruption. You can also choose to avoid certain substances that will have an adverse affect on your thyroid. And make sure you include some Iodized Sea Salt in your cooking as well!The three best ways to improve your thyroid function

1. Coconut oil is high in saturated fat, lauric acid and medium-chain fatty acids. Most of the oils popularly used in cooking, baking etc have a negative impact on the thyroid. Vegetable polyunsaturated oils have been linked to many thyroid diseases. Swapping out the other oils you use currently with coconut oil and getting two tablespoons a day into your diet will make a difference to your thyroid function. Click here to read more about the benefits of coconut oil for your hormones.
2. Sea veggies are a great concentrated source of iodine. A little goes a long way, so picking nori, which has comparably low iodine is a good choice, as it will support your thyroid without risking disruption. Steaming, frying or roasting nori are good options for preparation as they produce a moderate release of the helpful iodine content. It’s interesting to note that Japan has a very low rate of cancer and this can be partially attributed to their consumption of sea vegetables in the traditional diet.
3. A deficiency in Vitamin D has been associated with thyroid dysfunction. That’s because this vitamin is what’s called a hormonal precursor. If you’re not getting Vitamin D exposure from sunshine then you need to supplement with Vitamin D3 tablets. A lighter skinned person can just make sure they’re out in the sun for 30 mins, but if you’re darker skinned you may need up to two hours of sunshine a day to get the right amount of D. Just make sure you get out of the sun before your skin has the chance to burn.

Don’t Harm Your Thyroid

1. Avoid Fluoride and Chlorine - these chemicals are present in our drinking water and toothpaste so it’s best to get a filter that will take them out for you and choose flouride free toothpaste. Studies have correlated the amount of fluoride in our drinking water to an increase in underactive thyroid issues. Too much fluoride and chlorine can actually cause iodine deficiency.
2. Don’t Eat Raw Cruciferous Vegetables - Cruciferous vegetables like: broccoli, cauliflower, brussel sprouts, kale, collard greens, bok choy and cabbage contain goitrogens which is a chemical that suppresses the function of the thyroid gland by disrupting and blocking the enzyme that lets your thyroid use the iodine in your body to make the thyroid hormone. If you have an underactive thyroid or hypothyroidism then eating raw cruciferous vegetables can suppress the thyroid function. These vegetables have many other nutritional benefits so you just need to limit your intake to two times a week and be sure to cook them before eating. Of course if you have normal thyroid function there’s no need to avoid these. Otherwise you can substitute with celery, romaine lettuce, beet leaves, cucumber and chard.
3. Manage Your Stress - Stress throws your cortisol levels off, which is turn impacts your adrenals and therefore your thyroid. Cortisol helps your thyroid work more efficiently and so producing just the right amount is very important for healthy thyroid function. If your cortisol levels are low because of stress-induced adrenal exhaustion the thyroid cannot regulate your energy and metabolism. Chronic stress causes too high cortisol levels.

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

I want to hear from you

First, do you feel like you might have a thyroid problem? What are your symptoms? What have you tried?Second, will you try out my suggestions? Let me know how it works for you!Third, You know every one you know is hormonal – spread a little good ovary karma and share this article on social media ?

Need more Hormone Help?

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

My big secret to increasing the speed of weight loss is by increasing my fat intake. Yep - you heard me correctly - women have to EAT FAT to LOSE FAT (click to tweet).And yes, it’s certain fats, as not all fats are created equal. The fats I’m talking about are MCT’s - Medium chain triglycerides. The more of these you have, the better your metabolism works! And this kind of fat actually heals some of the underlying hormonal problems that are slowing down your metabolism to begin with! The best source of this is coconut oil and it’s my secret weight loss weapon! I make eggs with it, I put it in smoothies - I personally have about 2 tablespoons a day, plus a whole avocado a day - good fats keep your hormones sexy, slim, and young!Did you know that coconut oil isn’t just great for your skin and hair, it can also help you to heal your thyroid, lose weight, have more energy and fix your periods? And it only takes two to three tablespoons per day to have these wondrous effects on your health.I encourage WomanCoders to use coconut oil when cooking their greens, in place of butter on gluten free bread, and in their oatmeal, as well as replace moisturizers and makeup removers with this incredibly versatile substance.

How Coconut Oil Speeds Weight Loss

1. Coconut oil contains medium-chain fatty acids which are absolutely essential for building hormones (also known as medium-chain triglycerides). These fatty acids are not found in many other oils, making the coconut kind pretty unique.
2. These medium-chain triglycerides help balance out our progesterone and estrogen levels which leads to a boosted sex drive, regular and pain-free periods, no PMS, healthy fertility and great skin.
3. Hormones are stabilized in a lipid or fat ring. It’s in this lipid ring that they circulate around the body and reach their necessary destinations. Our hormones need good fats to develop this fat inner tube and float around the bloodstream. Coconut oil helps us make hormones and helps them get to where they want to go.
4. We’ve gotten used to thinking of oils as fattening, and many of them are, but coconut oil’s medium-chain fatty acids actually speed up your metabolism and promote increased weight loss. A 2002 study published in the Journal of Nutrition showed that coconut oil can increase energy, help with weight control and keep you feeling fuller and more satisfied for longer when compared to the long-chain fatty acids found in the likes of olive oil. Long-chain fatty acids are actually used to promote weight gain in livestock, so you can see where our oil fears may have started!
5. Coconut oil balances thyroid function as it has the ability to transform cholesterol into pregnenolone, which is one of the essential building blocks for thyroid hormone-making. It even increases basal body temperature, which is very important for those with low thyroid function.
6. Those who suffer from inflammation symptoms of the gut such as Crohn’s disease have found coconut oil to be healing - both in repairing tissue and preventing the development of harmful bacteria that can hurt your microbiome. The medium-chain fatty acids are actually a lot like a human mother’s milk in the way they act on the body and as such, just like with breast milk, they have amazing properties of the antibacterial and antimicrobial kind. Coconut oil contains lauric acid (more than any other substance), which protects against infection from viruses, bacteria, yeast, parasites and fungi. Lauric acid inactivates the unhealthy and harmful microbes in your gut that can lead to all kinds of hormonal issues (for more on this read my guide to your microbiome).

5 Ways to Get Coconut Oil in Your Diet Every Day

The great thing is coconut oil is super easy and simple to use! It can withstand high temperatures so can be used for roasting vegetables as well as sautéing greens without breaking down or degenerating. It can be kept at room temperature for up to a year with no concerns for it turning rancid. It’s both a solid and a liquid so it can be used in lieu of butter or in lieu of milk. The best kind to pick up at the supermarket is cold-pressed virgin coconut oil.5 cool ways to use more coconut oil every day:

1. Stir a tablespoon into your favorite hot drink to give you an energy boost and to make it taste smooth and almost creamy.
2. Add it into kale-based or date-based smoothies (or mix all three!).
3. Use it to cook your eggs and greens in the morning - it takes away the slight bitter taste of collards or spinach.
4. Substitute butter for coconut oil when baking breads and desserts.
5. Apply as a moisturizer anywhere and everywhere.

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

I want to hear from you

First, do you think you could benefit from eating more coconut oil?Second, will you try out any of the 5 ways of getting more coconut oil daily? How do they work for you? Let me know and share pics! Third, You know every one you know is hormonal – spread a little good ovary karma and share this article on social media ;)

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!

PLUS I share what kind of sex to have each week of your cycle to have your best orgasms every time!

These days it’s not just aging that can cause your sex drive to take a nosedive. All those factors of modern life that conspire to make our diet poor, our exercise minimal, our sleep unsettled and our stress levels high, not only mess with our menstrual cycle and our fertility, but also our libido. It’s all connected!‍

Why I want you to have more sex!

‍When we’re rushing around trying to do our best in all areas of life, sex is often the first thing to get majorly de-prioritized. I think that’s a real shame as sex is not only fun, it’s also great for your health! In fact regular sex plays an important part in regulating your cycle and sustaining your fertility.So, I want to share with you how cycle-syncing both your diet and how you have sex for the next 4 weeks can give your libido and enjoyment a big boost.

‍Your hormones and your desire

‍When you are living in your FLO and truly feeling cycle-aware, you might notice that how you feel about your partner, your energy levels, and your interest in sex changes depending what phase you are in at that time. This is perfectly natural. In the first half of your cycle you will feel a growing sense of desire that spikes around ovulation. Then, in the second half of your cycle, the closer you get to your period, the less interested in sex you will feel. That said, with my tips for engaging in the right sex for your phase you might find yourself with a much larger window of high desire.

However, please do remember, it’s okay to simply not feel like it, sometimes! It’s okay to want to take a break, just let your body be your guide.

The SexyFLO guide to turning yourself back ON in just 4 weeks

Follicular phase (before you ovulate, after your period)

Food: Honey. Here’s food you can actually use in and out of the bedroom, if you’re feeling playful! An ancient aphrodisiac, honey contains boron, which helps regulate your hormones, plus nitric oxide, which is released naturally during arousal.Bonus: I suggest having your partner eat celery at the start of each day, as this food makes him send out these crazy-attractive pheromones that will make you much, much more interested in him!

‍Sex: You’ll want to amp up the touching, massaging, and nonpenetrating foreplay to get mentally and physically readied for sex. Right after your period, your sex drive will be low, so you’ll need a lot of extra attention. This is also a good phase for trying new things, so make extended and creative foreplay a sexual frontier.

Ovulatory phase

Food: Strawberries and figs. Indulge in strawberries, the symbol of Venus, the Goddess of love, at this time. They contain antioxidants and phytochemicals that are nutritious energy support, plus their symbolic power can get you mentally in the mood. Try dipping figs in honey for a sensual treat. The fiber and potassium are great hormone balancers, plus they’ve been associated with sexiness since the times of Ancient Greece.

‍Sex: Your testosterone and estrogen levels are at their highest, hopefully making you feel very frisky. You are at your most fertile and your body is primed to procreate (so stay safe if you don’t want a baby!). You won’t need a lot of foreplay, so this is the right time for quickies and spontaneity.

Luteal phase (after you ovulate, before your period)

Food: Right after you ovulate try some recipes involving asparagus and artichokes. Asparagus contains aspartic acid, which can help prevent fatigue as well as low libido. Artichokes have an ancient connection to increasing sexual interest that might be sourced in how sexy it can be to dip and eat their leaves!As you get closer to your period try raw dark chocolate, full of desire-boosting magnesium, as it will satisfy your natural cravings, make you feel content, and give you a much-needed energy boost. Another one to bring into the bedroom if you are feeling experimental!

‍Sex: As you move towards menstruation, testosterone, estrogen and progesterone begin their descent to their lowest levels. You’ll be needing more stimulation now to climax. This is the time to utilize any toys that help you to increase sensation. Or try out my techniques for increasing arousal solo or with a partner.

Menstrual phase

Food: Avocados are full of bioidentical testosterone, which will aid you at this time when your own testosterone is at its lowest ebb. Aztecs believed avocados had the power to incite sexual passion and, in this way, they were not wrong!

‍Sex: Low pH levels in your vagina at this time can make those prone to infections more susceptible and we know there’s nothing sexy about a UTI! It’s okay to abstain from sex for a few days, regardless. However, if you suffer from period-related cramps or migraines then solo or partnered orgasms can really help as a pain-reliever. Finally, some women feel very turned on during this week due to the increased fluid pressure in the pelvic and pubic area. Go with your FLO and choose to do whatever is right for you!

‍Food as foreplay

‍When you’re eating these foods, whether alone or with your partner, I want you to really try to enjoy the experience. Slow down and focus on the pleasure and sensuality of eating. Make the meal a meditative process, even consider it to be part of your extended foreplay. This will bring more awareness to your body and relax your mind. Think about how you can make the most of these libido-boosting foods with your partner and involve him in this new way of engaging in sex and your sexuality.Remember: the potential sexual powers of these foods can only be activated if you are already living in your FLO and building a hormonally-balanced internal ecosystem. Only then will you really feel that buzz!

Is soy safe? We've been led to believe that soy is a great health food - it's touted as being a great source of protein and calcium and low on calories. If someone is avoiding dairy, they might turn to soy milk, soy cheese, or soy-based meat alternatives and tofu to ease the transition. However, soy, or the most commonly consumed form of processed soy, is not healthy.

I’m so passionate about this subject that they built me a giant soybean to take apart on Dr. Oz! If you want to watch me and Dr. Oz discuss the soy situation - click here. You can also read about it here!

For some of the women, the amount of processed soy they’ve been eating has shown itself to be very harmful to their hormonal balance. Women with estrogen-dominant conditions such as PCOS, fibroids, ovarian cysts, infertility, and low libido are particularly sensitive to the effects of processed soy.

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‍The soy you can eat

‍Let's be clear - whole, organic, fermented soy is very good for you in small amounts - that’s miso, natto, tempeh, and soy sauce. Women living in Asian cultures who appear to have improved health and longevity only consume, on average, 2 teaspoons of fermented soy per day. It’s usually in the form of a condiment or a side dish - never the main meal. Fermented soy is really good for cancer-prevention and hormonal symptom reduction, but go easy on it.

‍What is “processed” soy?

‍Processed soy is actually something called soy protein isolate. This improves the texture of foods, increases moisture and it ups the protein level, which is what many people are looking for in these products. But to get this effect, they must strip away everything that makes soy good - the omega-3s, the fiber and the healthy carbohydrates. This soy protein isolate is added to foods in huge amounts.

‍How is it harmful?

‍Soy products contain high levels of phytoestrogens that actually mimic the body’s natural estrogen hormones. If your body is already struggling to break down what you have - and this is showing itself in estrogen-dominant conditions like the above - then processed soy will only add to the problem.

If a soy-based product is also GMO, then research shows this can be endocrine disruptive and can interfere with the fertility of both women and men. A 2009 Brazilian study exposed female rats to soy for 15 months and these rats showed significant changes in their uterine health and reproductive cycle. Second, they can inhibit thyroid function due to their high levels of goitrogens and the isoflavone genistein, which can be antagonistic to thyroid hormone.

‍Stepping away from bad soy

‍If you’ve felt reliant on soy for protein as someone who is vegan/vegetarian/lactose intolerant, be that in soy milk, soy ice cream, soy yogurt, soy cheese, soy protein powders et al, don’t worry as I’ve already outlined all the best sources of protein for you in this post. You can learn more about other fantastic sacha inchi, hemp and pea proteins.

If soy has been your dairy substitute, I want you to read up here on how you are right to give up dairy, but consider the alternative calcium sources I recommend instead.

‍Syncing good soy with your cycle

‍In the Flo Living protocol, you will see there’s little mention of soy products at all - that’s partly because we do not recommend a heavy reliance on any kind of processed foods and it’s also because just a small amount of fermented soy is enough.

During your menstrual phase is the time to indulge in miso, tamari, and black soybeans, as your body will best benefit from the nutrients and phytoestrogens.

‍The hidden source of soy you’ve never heard about

‍Supplements! Some popular brands of supplements contain soy in the form of soybean oil. Be sure to check the labelling on any supplements you buy. The good, reputable companies should provide clear dairy, gluten, and soy-free labelling on their products. It’s the last place you might think to find this, but consider how much you will be taking in if you take several supplements per day, every day. It adds up!

Many, many processed foods also contain soy. You’ll need to look out for these words and phrases as well as any other use of the word “soy” - texturized vegetable protein, hydrolyzed vegetable protein, soy lecithin, soy protein concentrate, and, as mentioned above, soy protein isolate.

‍How soy harms your family

‍For men and children, processed soy is even more harmful. As I’ve discussed in my previous post about low libido, the phytoestrogens build up very quickly in men and have a strong, rapid impact.

You should never, ever give your baby or child soy milk or any processed soy products. We are seeing that more and more young girls are experiencing early onset puberty - breast development, pubic hair development - some as young as 5 or 6 years old. Our dependence on processed soy might be one of the causes. The Breast Cancer Fund funded a study by Sandra Steingraber titled ‘The Falling Age of Puberty in U.S. Girls,’ that showed that 50% of white girls begin to develop breasts before they are ten, and 14% before they are eight. African American girls start even earlier than that. A documentary released last year, Little Big Girls, explores how we can best deal with this phenomenon.

Hormones and the Microbiome

Turns out 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. This process, when working efficiently, plays an essential role in perfect hormonal balance. And of course, you’ve got to feed the internal ecosystem in the way that promotes the growth of these good bacteria that are there to help take care of you!

Meet your microbiome

This population of friendly bacteria or “gut flora,” as it’s also known, makes up your microbiome. Your microbiome is a main player in regulating your hormones, especially your estrogen levels. Estrogen-dominance as a result of a poorly functioning microbiome leads to every hormonal imbalance symptom or sickness you can think of - infertility, PMS, low libido, cramps and heavy bleeding, and PCOS. Plus, it can make you far more susceptible to estrogen-led cancers like breast cancer.Approximately 5lbs of bacteria lives inside of you and the quality of their eco-system - the healthiness of the microbial life plus the diversity - governs your health in so many ways. A poor internal ecosystem caused by bad diet, exposure to chemicals and stress, will suppress the good bacteria, promote the bad bacteria, and will lead to a toxic build up of hormones as well as other signs of systemic inflammation.Research shows us that addressing the microbiome holistically is the only way to get your immune system, digestive system and endocrine system working smoothly. Check out Missing Microbes by Dr. Martin Blaser to learn more.How do I know if I have a microbiome imbalance or ‘Dysbiosis’ ??Dysbiosis is a microbiome or gut flora imbalance. These are the first obvious symptoms and signs you will see if this is something that you suffer from badly:

1. Bloating and gas
2. Acne
3. Funky pooping
4. Foggy headedness and headaches
5. Frequent illness - from colds to yeast infections
6. Difficulties losing weight

That’s right - dysbiosis can lead to stalled weight loss. Gut flora is linked to your appetite, digestion and how easily you feel full and satisfied (aka satiation). Studies have shown that obese people have a less healthy and less diverse microbiome to those that are slimmer, and as people who are obese slim down, their gut flora changes. You need healthy gut flora to break down fats and sugars and get them in transit out of your body.

How to maintain a healthy microbiome for happier hormones

New research shows that unless we make a conscious effort, we in the Western world cannot maintain a healthy gut. The mainstream lifestyle works against our microbiome with what we generally eat and how we live. We have to decide to take control of our own health and make the right choices.There are Flo-fixes that will support healthy gut flora. Here are my Do's and Don'ts:Do's

1. DO get rid of the white stuff - that’s dairy, sugar and gluten by following the Flo Living protocol. Try out my free 4-Day Detox and see how much better you feel.

1. DO eat fermented foods rich in good bacteria like kimchi and sauerkraut - a couple of tablespoons a day will work wonders.

1. DO take a trusted probiotic supplement from a well-established company like Jarrow. Try their Stable-Dophilus formula as it doesn’t need refrigeration. Don’t waste your money or time on any big box store brands as there’s no regulation on the ingredients of their supplements.

The Pill Damages Your Microbiome as much As Antibiotics!Don'ts

1. DON’T ingest too many antibiotics. Avoid eating meat that contains antibiotics and avoid turning to antibiotics every time you have a cough or cold. Overuse will harm your estrobolome. As the antibiotics kill off the bad bacteria, they also kill off the good bacteria and it can be very difficult for the microbiome to bounce back from an aggressive course. More and more of us are becoming aware of the dangers of overuse of antibiotics as we see what happens when superbugs are created that are resistant to any kind of medical treatment. (Read more in Blaser’s book, which I mentioned above, Missing Microbes)

1. DON’T use the Pill. The Pill acts like an antibiotic in the gut, destroying the micro biome balance. If your doctor prescribes the Pill for PCOS particularly, you will find it will only worsen the problems of weight gain and insulin sensitivity, because of the impact on gut flora. Just recently new research linked Pill use to an increased risk of Crohn’s disease, a symptomatic disease of imbalance in the microbiome. Click here to read my guide to quitting the Pill. WomanCoders will have read that I don’t think it is an effective treatment for hormonal imbalance issues anyway and now we know for certain it will make your hormonal issues worse.

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 any of the symptoms of dysbiosis? Second, will you implement any of my Dos and Donts? Tell me how it goes!Third, you know every one you know is hormonal – spread a little good ovary karma and share this article on social by clicking the buttons below

Need more Hormone Help?

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

1. Birth Control Statistics.http://www.med.umich.edu/1libr/wha/wha_contrace_crs.htm
2. Our Bodies, Ourselves. http://www.ourbodiesourselves.org/book/excerpt.asp?id=24
3. Allen, Kim, “The Pill,” IO.comhttp://www.io.com/~wwwomen/contraception/pill.html
4. “New study widens pill risk for cancers,” Reuters, 10 Aug 2005. http://en.epochtimes.com/news/5-8-10/31022.html
5. Women, Heart Disease, and Stroke.AmericanHeart.org.http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=4786
6. Borenstein, Seth, “Estrogen can bend gender of male fish living in water contaminated by birth-control pill residue,” Knight Ridder Newspapers, 27 Jun 2003. http://www.ourstolenfuture.org/press/2003/2003-0627-KR-estrogenizedfish.htm