Stress & Moods

Women are hit particularly hard by stress. Anxiety disorders are the most common mental illness in America, affecting 40 million adults in the United States or 18.1% of the population every year. But women are more likely than men to report having a great deal of stress, and almost half of all women say their stress has increased over the past five years (compared to 39-percent of men).

Worst of all, stress is uniquely hard on women and our reproductive hormones. Here’s what you need to know about how stress affects your menstrual cycle and how you can protect yourself from the damaging effects of stress.

Stress & Your Menstrual Cycle

When you’re stressed, your adrenal glands pump out adrenaline and cortisol, which gets your body ready to either fight or run away from a real or perceived danger in your environment (the fight-or-flight response). This hormonal cascade is a natural process — and, in instances of grave danger, an extremely useful one. But when this happens over and over again, triggered by everyday stressors like deadlines instead of life-or-death threats, it depletes your cortisol reserve, leaving your adrenals unable to respond properly to stress.

A woman’s stress response is also different based on where she is in her 28-day hormone cycle, called the infradian rhythm. Cortisol, the stress hormone, is naturally at different levels in the first and second half of the infradian rhythm and it is important to tailor our self-care and exercise routines accordingly so as not to further disrupt cortisol and cause even more hormone imbalances. This stress response, paired with lack of appropriate phase-based self-care,  has a lot of negative effects on your hormones. Here are the ways stress damages your hormones and negatively affects your well-being:

1. Stress messes with blood sugar. Stress raises cortisol levels and disrupts your blood sugar which, in turn, disrupts your ovulation and period. Imbalanced blood sugar harms your hormones. One of the foundations of the FLO Protocol is using food and supplements to balance blood sugar. Improving your blood sugar is one of the single best things you can do to balance your hormones and heal period problems like acne, PMS, bloating, cramps, heavy or irregular periods, and missing periods.
2. Stress lowers progesterone. The stress hormone cortisol blocks progesterone production and lowers progesterone levels. That’s because your body uses progesterone to make cortisol and respond to the stress — and the more stress you experience, the more progesterone your body will ‘steal’ to make cortisol. This messes with your cycle by lengthening your luteal phase and makes your periods start of slow, with a lot of brown spotting and brown blood before your regular flow.
3. Stress delays ovulation. If you experience stress around the time you typically ovulate, the increased levels of cortisol can delay or even prevent ovulation. Stress’s negative influence on ovulation makes sense evolutionarily – a pregnancy on top of a stressful period in a person’s life is not ideal. By stopping ovulation, your body is trying to preserve energy to deal with the stress before conception takes place.
4. Stress changes the timing of your period. A period of stress after you ovulate can throw your hormones off balance. If you experience a high level of stress after you ovulate, you may experience spotting, an early period, or a period that looks or feels different than your norm in terms of  consistency, color, length, or symptoms like cramping.
5. Stress can cause your period to go missing. Intense stress can cause anovulatory cycles, or months when you don’t ovulate at all. This means no period, or a small bit of ‘breakthrough’ bleeding (which isn’t a real period, but rather your uterus still needing to shed its lining).
6. Stress causes vitamin and mineral deficiencies. Excess cortisol from stress depletes the body of essential vitamins, minerals, and micronutrients. B vitamins, magnesium, and omega-3 fatty acids are especially susceptible to stress — and are especially important for soothing your overworked adrenal system. Stress causes you to lose the micronutrients you need the most to help calm your fight-or-flight response!
7. Stress disrupts up your gut. Stress can interfere with the balance of good and bad bacteria in your gut — and a healthy gut is critically important for any woman who wants to balance hormones and erase period problems. That’s because the gut flora, and specifically a colony of bacteria called the estrobolome, help process and eliminate excess hormones from the body — and when your elimination system is sluggish, your hormones will get out of balance.

Why Most Exercise Plans Don’t Work for Women

Women are the biggest consumers of wellness-industry products and protocols. Yet most of the research behind these strategies is conducted on men, and women’s bodies work differently than men’s bodies. Women have unique biochemical needs that go unaddressed by exercise plans built around male-centered research. That leaves women to try different exercise plans, be disappointed, and then try some more. It’s a cycle that causes untold stress, energy, money, heartache, and sanity.

The fitness industry has good intentions. (Many people don’t talk about the gender bias in wellness research. I’m here to change that!) But when different exercise strategies are sold to the public as great for everyone, it can leave women feeling like it’s their fault if they don’t get the results they want. We  can start to feel like we must not have done it right or tried hard enough or that we lack willpower.

Lack of willpower is not the problem.The problem is that women, all too often, are following exercise protocols that benefit men more than women — or, in some cases, protocols that actively work against a woman’s hormones and sabotage her health and fitness goals. Times up on the gender bias in the diet and fitness industry. As women, we’re biochemically different than men. When we adopt approaches that are designed to work with our unique biological distinctions—when we stop biohacking with the boys—we will start to see results.

The key to biohacking your unique female biochemistry is to understand your 28-day cycle and to match your food and exercise to your natural hormonal shifts. When you sync your self care with your cycle, you’ll experience easier periods, less PMS, reduced bloating, clearer skin, and improvements in weight and body composition. By acknowledging your hormonal reality, you’ll finally be able to look and feel your best.

Is Burnout a Real Thing? What Does it Mean for your Hormones?

That exhausted, depleted, frazzled feeling you have every Friday night (or every night) after work)?It's burnout. And it’s a real, diagnosable condition.That’s according to the World Health Organization (WHO), who last month declared burnout a legitimate occupational phenomenon. Burnout is a result of “chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed,” said the organization, and it negatively influences one’s health.The condition is characterized by three things:

1. Feeling depleted or exhausted
2. Feeling cynical or negative about one’s job, or feeling increased mental distance from one’s job
3. Being less effective and productive on the job

This news will come as no surprise to anyone with a demanding job or other workplace stressors, like a difficult boss, unsupportive co-workers, an unhealthy work environment, a long commute, and/or the expectation of “being on” 24-hours a day. As the speed of work picks up, and as more of us work around-the-clock, burnout has become a way of life. But women have a key advantage when it comes to battling back against burnout. We can tap into the natural rhythms of our 28-day hormone cycle and use our natural strengths during each phase to work more efficiently, be more productive (without feeling overburdened), and find more satisfaction—and less stress—in our jobs.

The Hormone-Burnout Connection

The idea that your hormones could help you have an easier and less stressful experience at work might seem far-fetched, but I’m not making this up!Research shows that our hormone cycles have a direct influence on our mood, energy, creativity, and worldview. So when we plan our activities in accordance with the natural flow of our hormones, we can be top-performing, high-achieving women with energy left over at the end of the day—no to-do list app necessary. (Though we benefit greatly from knowing where we are in our cycle, which is what I designed the MyFLO app to help you do.)If, however, we ignore our hormonal patterns and force ourselves to work in a 24-hour-a-day, 7-day-a-week time construct (one that works for men because of their more quotidian hormonal patterns), we’re more likely to experience burnout—and, as women, that chronic stress shows up in our our cycles, fertility, sex drive, and mood. In other words, working the same way, with the same rhythm, day in and day out makes period problems worse… and that prevents us from taking advantage of the solution, which depends on a healthy cycle!It’s a bit circuitous, I know, but that is exactly what it is: a vicious cycle. When we don’t practice The Cycle Syncing Method™, our hormones fall deeper into imbalance—and that makes it harder to use our cycle as a powerful tool for escaping burnout.As women, our strengths, desires, talents, and behavior shifts with our changing hormone patterns each month. Having female hormones does not mean you lose a week a month to PMS and your period. It just means that by noticing these shifts and then working with your hormones, you can make your hormones work for you.

Heal Workplace Stress By Learning To Work With Your Hormones

To harness the power of your hormones, first you need to know what your hormones are doing and when. That’s where the MyFLO app comes in. It allows you track your cycle and tune into which phase you’re in at any given time.Once you’re familiar with your cycle, you’re ready to practice The Cycle Syncing Method™, which is the method I developed for engaging in phase-based self-care. The Cycle Syncing Method™ involves working with food, movement, and time management to feel and perform your best (you can learn more about every aspect of the practice here), but for today I’m going to focus on how you can engage The Cycle Syncing Method™ specifically to battle workplace burnout.Here are the four phases of your 28-day hormone cycle and how you can harness your natural strengths during each one to perform better at work, while stressing less!

Follicular Phase

• When: The week after your period ends
• What’s happening hormonally: Estrogen is on the rise
• What to do: Set your intentions for the coming weeks, clarify your vision and purpose at work, organize what you want to accomplish next. Get moving on new projects. This is a time to really lay the groundwork for what comes next.

Ovulation Phase

• When: Mid-cycle for 3–5 days
• What’s happening hormonally: Estrogen is at its highest point
• What to do: Share your intentions with colleagues, collaborate with like-minded folks, schedule meetings, connect with others, brainstorm to find solutions. This is a time to bring others on board with your vision and to work as a team.

Luteal/Premenstrual Phase

• When: About 10–12 days before your period begins
• What’s happening hormonally: Progesterone is at its highest point
• What to do: This is your ‘get it done’ time! You are at your most organized during this phase and you love getting granular about the details. Make this phase all about accomplishing the activities and goals you outlined during your follicular phase.

Menstrual phase

• When: The days when you are bleeding
• What’s happening hormonally: All of your hormones are at a low point
• What to do: Slow down, reflect on what’s happened over the last month, and practice gratitude for all the good things you’ve accomplished. Think back on any areas of your work life that feel less than optimal or that need more attention and use them as a starting point for setting intentions during your next follicular phase.

I guarantee that if you start to prioritize projects at work in line with your cycle, you will experience less stress and greater productivity. Burnout will no longer be a way of life.And if you really want to transform your work life, you’ll engage the other aspects of The Cycle Syncing Method™ in combination with the changes you make at work. This involves food, movement, supplements, and self-care. If you put all these changes into place, you will be unstoppable at work — and you will experience far less stress in your day-to-day life.

How to Outsmart Stress And Heal Your Hormones

Don’t let stress hijack your period. If you are experiencing period problems and stress is playing a role in your symptoms, it’s time to take stress management seriously. A stressed-out cycle is a message. It’s a call-to-action from your body.Here are my top strategies for healing stress and solving your period problems:

FLO Stress Strategy #1: Focus on food

Your first step is to eat hormonally-supportive foods in a phase-based pattern, which helps soothe and support your adrenal glands, turn the dial down on cortisol production, and break the stress cycle. Not to mention that eating nutrient-dense foods at the right times of your cycle will boost your metabolism, support digestion, blood sugar balance, regulate your cycles, detoxify your system, and increase your energy. You can leverage food in multiple ways to combat stress and balance hormones, but I recommend starting by emphasizing healthy fats, like avocados and olive oil, to calm your nervous system, and making sure you’re eating a lot of fiber and fermented foods to help support the microbiome. You can read more about using the The Cycle Syncing Method™ with food here.

FLO Stress Strategy #2: Eat a good breakfast

A nutritious and filling breakfast will set you up for a day of stable blood sugar and balanced hormones. It should also bring in all those essential de-stressing vitamins and minerals like magnesium and B vitamins. I have a whole lot of great (and easy) ideas for breakfast for you right here. If you can make a natural probiotic like sauerkraut or kimchi part of your first meal of the day, even better, as that will help heal your gut. Use coconut oil along the way to boost your body’s intake of good fats.

FLO Stress Strategy #3: Exercise

Exercise is one of your best weapons when it comes to battling stress, but only if you do the right type of exercise at the right times of the month. If you’re doing high-intensity workouts during the wrong time of the month, or if you force yourself to workout the same way every day, you will make hormone balance and period problems worse. To get all the details about exercise and your cycle, go here. But the brief takeaway is this: The first half of your cycle is the ideal time for high-intensity workouts. The second half of your cycle is better suited for slower, more restorative workouts. In your luteal phase, shift from high intensity bouts of exercise to activities like yoga, walking, and easy bike rides.

FLO Stress Strategy #4: Sleep

Get some! No matter which phase of your cycle you’re in, getting enough high-quality sleep is hugely important in easing stress. Studies suggest that women need more sleep than men. Think of sleep as one of the essential micronutrients you need for a healthy period — and don’t skimp on it!

FLO Stress Strategy #5: Make time for pleasure

Whether this means self-pleasure or spa treatments to you, do what makes you feel good at least once a week. I have some tips for better orgasms and hormone-safe spa treatments including the best recipe for a long, indulgent bath for a relaxing night in. Start scheduling times for self-care into your working week as though it were a meeting or gym session and don’t flake on feeling good. You’ll reduce excess cortisol hormone this way and see the benefits fast.

FLO Stress Strategy #6: Supplements

Anti-anxiety mediations and SSRIs are often prescribed for stress. These drugs are designed to block or manage symptoms, not address root causes, and they do not work for everyone and have a long list of side effects. It’s always preferable to address stress-related symptoms like fatigue, depression, and anxiety with food and natural supplements before turning to pharmaceuticals.Here are the botanicals I recommend for stress and anxiety:

• Cinnamon – have it as tea, or sprinkle it on your oatmeal in the morning or take it as a supplement. Cinnamon is an excellent blood sugar regulator as it slows down the speed at which your stomach empties after you’ve eaten a meal.
• Holy Basil – you can take the adrenally-supportive Holy Basil as a nourishing, soothing tea. Holy Basil actually functions as an adaptogen, which means it enhances the body’s natural response to physical and emotional stress.
• Oatstraw – take this supplement as a liquid tincture in your tea. Oatstraw is cortisol-calming and adrenally-supportive.
• Ashwagandha – another adaptogen, Ashwagandha is the perfect herbal supplement if you suffer with anxiety. It is well-researched and respected for its ability to lower cortisol levels and prevent stress.

But remember: these supplements will only work effectively to reduce anxiety as part of a broader strategy to support your adrenals, address blood sugar, and balance your hormones. And here are the micronutrients that I consider absolutely essential for combating stress, balancing hormones, supporting healthy menstrual cycles, and boosting fertility:

1. Magnesium: This powerful mineral calms your nervous system and helps balance cortisol. When your stress system is in balance your levels of progesterone, estrogen, testosterone, FSH and LH will follow suit. Magnesium also helps to control insulin production, which reduces sugar cravings and blood sugar spikes, and it helps you get a great night’s sleep.
2. B5: Also known as pantothenic acid, this vitamin is crucial for theadrenal glands, the organs responsible for pumping out cortisol. Studies have shown that supplementing with B5 helps stimulate adrenal cells, which in turn, helps regulate your body’s stress response.
3. Omega-3s: Research suggests that omega-3 fatty acids reduce inflammation (which is an internal stressor on the body) and help improve mood.

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If you’re ready to stop living with daily, debilitating stress, then it’s time to seek out natural solutions that will support your adrenals, balance your mood, and empower you to take on everything life throws your way. You can’t always control the external stressors around you, but you absolutely can better manage your internal responses. Why not arm yourself with the most effective, safe, and natural tools available?

Stop spot-treating your symptoms and white-knuckling through your anxiety: Order the Balance Supplement Kit and get the daily dose of essential vitamins and minerals you need to kick stress to the curb, once and for all.

If you are one of the 5% of menstruating women who experience PMDD, which stands for premenstrual dysphoric disorder, you know the havoc it can wreak on relationships, work, school, and self-esteem. PMDD is not just disruptive, it’s disabling—and it can take over your life one week each month. Many women describe PMDD as a true Jekyll-and-Hyde situation. Like PMS, PMDD occurs the week before your period, but it is far more serious than PMS. Women with PMS and PMDD both experience mood changes like irritability, anxiety, and low mood. But for women with PMDD, those changes are more extreme. Women with PMDD experience one (or more) of the following symptoms:

• Feelings of anger and anxiety that are so pronounced they negatively affect relationships with other people
• Feelings of extreme despair and hopelessness, sometimes accompanied by thoughts of suicide
• Panic attacks
• Feeling out of control emotionally
• Frequent uncontrollable crying
• A complete lack of interest in daily activities and relationships
• Intense mood swings
• Extreme fatigue and lethargy

For women with PMDD, these emotional changes are accompanied by many of the same physical symptoms that come along with PMS, like breast tenderness, changes in appetite, and trouble sleeping. In short, PMDD is a condition that causes a great deal of suffering—and significantly diminishes quality of life.PMDD is harder to treat than PMS (which can be resolved with lifestyle and nutrition changes), but this disruptive hormonal condition can be improved with lifestyle, nutrition, and targeted support. I also recommend that women with PMDD consult with a trusted healthcare provider.

What Causes PMDD?

Experts don’t know exactly why some women experience PMDD, or this more severe form of PMS, but it may involve several factors: (1) these women may be hypersensitive to the normal hormonal fluctuations that happen during the 28-day menstrual cycle, (2) women with PMDD may have more severe underlying hormone imbalances, (3) women with PMDD may experience more dramatic shifts in serotonin levels than women with PMS (or women without any premenstrual symptoms) during the menstrual cycle, and (4) women with PMDD may have other risk factors that predispose them to develop PMDD, including chronic stress, overweight or obesity, a history of trauma or abuse, and existing mental health conditions such as diagnosed depression or anxiety.

Hormones and neurotransmitters share some of the same receptor sites in the brain (in areas that help regulate mood), so experts suspect that women who are uniquely sensitive to hormone changes may have more mood issues throughout their cycle (and during other reproductive events, like postpartum or during perimenopause and menopause). Researchers also know that the gut-brain-microbiome axis plays a role in the development of some mood and mental health issues. That’s why paying attention to nutrition—like reducing or eliminating sugar and eating low-inflammatory foods—can help women manage the symptoms of PMDD. And because factors like unremitting stress, depression and anxiety, and a history of trauma are risk factors for PMDD, stress reduction techniques, like meditation and mindful exercise, can also help.

Manage the Symptoms of PMDD

PMDD is harder to treat than PMS, but you can improve your symptoms with some simple food and lifestyle interventions. Here’s what I recommend:

Incorporate high-protein and complex-carbohydrate foods into your daily diet. Some preliminary research suggests that PMDD symptoms may be less severe when eating a high-tryptophan diet. Tryptophan is a precursor to serotonin and can be found in many healthy high-protein and complex-carbohydrate foods, including wild caught salmon, pastured poultry, grass-fed beef, whole grains like brown rice and quinoa, and legumes like beans and chickpeas. Chickpeas are a great source of vitamin B, which helps with progesterone production. Progesterone helps balance and reduce estrogen dominance, which is the most common hormone imbalance in women who have premenstrual symptoms.

Avoid inflammatory foods. The luteal phase (the time between ovulation and your period) is associated with increased production of inflammatory molecules in the body. (Indeed, several inflammatory conditions, like gingivitis and inflammatory bowel syndrome, are known to get worse during the premenstrual phase.) Similarly, inflammation is thought to play a role in the development of PMDD. So avoiding inflammatory foods can help. I recommend eliminating gluten, dairy, and refined sugar and refined flour from your diet. It’s also important to skip factory-raised meat (which is high in inflammation-promoting omega-6 fats, whereas pastured meats are higher in inflammation-fighting omega-3s). I also advise saying no to coffee and artificial sweeteners, which can aggravate anxiety issues and fuel inflammation.

Balance blood sugar. Balanced blood sugar is essential for easing any hormone-related condition, and it may be especially valuable for PMDD. That’s because imbalanced blood sugar and unstable insulin levels (insulin helps control blood sugar in the body) further fuel inflammation. Blood sugar imbalances can also mess with cortisol production. Cortisol is one of the body’s stress hormones and stress management is a key component of easing PMDD.

Adopt a smart supplement strategy. Some key supplements can help manage the symptoms of PMDD and/or the help address some of the risk factors associated with PMDD:

Omega-3s —These healthy fats have shown promise in treating some types of depression, and some research shows that omega-3s may confer a protective effect against anxiety disorders. While studies that look specifically at omega-3s and PMDD are lacking, research does show that omega-3s may reduce some of the psychiatric symptoms of PMS including depression, nervousness, anxiety, and lack of concentration (it can also reduce some of the physical symptoms of PMS like bloating, headache, and breast tenderness.) Even if omega-3s don’t help PMDD sufferers as much as PMS sufferers, these supplements seem to have a positive overall influence on mood—and they certainly aren’t harmful to take. I recommend them as a good overall support for mood and hormone balance.

Magnesium and vitamin B6. As with omega-3s, research on magnesium and B6 for  PMDD is lacking, but these important micronutrients, when taken in combination, can help reduce the severity of PMS. Because women with PMS and PMDD share some similar underlying hormone imbalances, it may help to take magnesium and vitamin B6.

Calcium. Calcium supplements may ease PMDD symptoms, according to research. I recommend 1200 milligrams a day, but always consult a licensed healthcare provider before starting any higher-dose supplement.

Chasteberry. Also known as Vitex, this herbal remedy has been shown to help with the physical symptoms of PMDD, including breast tenderness, bloating, and cramps. Check with a trusted healthcare practitioner before starting.

L-tryptophan. This supplement has shown promise in reducing the symptoms of PMDD. As always, consult a licensed practitioner before starting a new supplement.

Prioritize stress reduction and support good mental health. Existing diagnoses of depression and anxiety are more common in women with PMDD, so it’s important to tend your mental health as well as your hormonal health. To this end, I encourage women to engage in unapologetic self-care, find and do activities that bring them joy, practice meditation or other mindfulness practices, and seek out extra support, such as finding a therapist, when needed.

Practice The Cycle Syncing® Method. To address PMDD, it’s essential to understand the distinct phases of your 28-day cycle and tailor your food and movement to each phase. For example, PMDD strikes during the luteal phase, when inflammation is more pronounced and may play a more activating role in PMDD. So it is critical to support your metabolism during the luteal phase with the right foods at the right times. That will help stabilize blood sugar and support healthy hormone balance. Likewise, it’s important during the luteal phase to hit the exercise sweet spot—not too much and/or not too intense—to decrease the cortisol output that can exacerbate symptoms.

To put these strategies into place, you first need to know which phase of your cycle you’re at any given moment during the month—and to understand what type of self care matters the most during each phase. And that is precisely what practicing The Cycle Syncing® Method is all about. The Cycle Syncing® Membership teaches you to engage in the type of phase-based self care that helps ease symptoms of PMDD (and other period problems). The Cycle Syncing® Membership makes phase-based self care simple, manageable, and makes caring for your hormones second nature.

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!

Anxiety is real, and it is serious. It can show up in a variety of different ways—from excessive worry about life events like work, health, and family to obsessive thinking, severe social anxiety, or full-on panic attacks. And, for women, anxiety can show up at different times of the month.
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Anxiety for women can actually be hormonal, and it often follows a distinct pattern within your 28-day menstrual cycle. If you notice that your anxiety gets worse the week before your period (luteal phase) or the week after period finishes (follicular phase), that means one thing: your hormones are a factor in your anxiety.

Now, anxiety has many root causes, including poor gut health, micronutrient deficiencies, and lifestyle factors like being sedentary or getting poor quality sleep—and that’s why anti-anxiety medication (which has been the only tool in the conventional psychiatric tool box for many years) has failed so many women. Medication paves over symptoms. It doesn’t treat root causes.

Happily, some psychiatrists and other experts are starting to treat the root causes of anxiety—including hormone imbalances— by using food, supplements, and lifestyle changes. And you can, too. If hormones are a root cause of your anxiety, you can make lifestyle changes that address your specific hormonal anxiety-type.

Are you ready to worry less and enjoy life more? Below are some top recommendations for women who experience ANY type of anxiety, with specific steps for easing hormonal anxiety.

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How to Stop Anxiety

If you’re a woman who experiences anxiety, you’re not alone. Women are twice as likely as men to wrestle with anxiety and almost 25 percent of women—that’s one in four of us—were diagnosed with an anxiety disorder in the past year. Because anxiety has many root causes, it responds best to a multi-pronged approach. If your anxiety is severe and persists for a long time, you should consult a trusted healthcare practitioner. In the meantime, try the following anxiety reduction strategies:

Reduce inflammation to reduce anxiety. Research has shown a link between inflammation and anxiety. So when you take steps to lower your inflammation—which is good for your health in so many ways—you help fortify your body against anxiety. I recommend a couple key ways to lower inflammation:

1. Take omega-3 fatty acids. These are the health-promoting fats found in high ratios in fish and some plant foods, like flax seeds, and they help lower inflammation. Eating nutrient-rich, omega-3-dense foods is important, but I recommend that all women take an omega-3 supplement because it can be difficult—if not impossible—to get healing amounts of this nutrient with diet alone. Also, many fish contain high levels of mercury and other toxins, so you don’t want to rely solely on fish for your omega-3s.
2. Avoid toxins and other hormone-harming chemicals. Hormonal anxiety is driven by hormone imbalances—and one of the root causes of hormone imbalances is exposure to everyday toxins, like the gnarly chemicals found in conventional health and body care products, household cleaning products, air fresheners, fabric treatments, lawn chemicals and pesticides, and many other places. Avoid these chemicals as much as you can to protect yourself from hormone-driven anxiety.
3. Support your body’s innate detox system. With so many chemicals in the environment, our bodies are working overtime to process and eliminate them—even when we assiduously avoid them in our homes and medicine cabinets. It’s a sad fact of modern life that our body’s detox system needs a little extra help to do its job well. I recommend plant-based antioxidants, like green tea extract and turmeric, to help your body detox.

Focus on gut health. Gut health is a factor in many mental health issues, including anxiety, so it’s important to support the microbiota that manufacture hormones like serotonin and dopamine. You can do this in a couple key ways:

1. Fiber, fiber, fiber. The importance of fiber to the microbiome can’t be underestimated. The bugs in our gut thrive on healthy, whole-food sources of fiber. Emphasis leafy green vegetables, brassica vegetables like broccoli and cabbage, flax seeds, and high-fiber fruits like pears.
2. Eat fermented foods. Naturally fermented foods (foods fermented without vinegar), like sauerkraut, kimchi, coconut yogurt, and fermented drinks like kvass, bring good bugs to your GI tract and promote an increased sense of calm.
3. Take a probiotic. Fermented foods are great, but most of us need even more gut support. I recommend all women take a probiotic for hormone balance and emotional support. The idea of feeding your microbiome to heal anxiety might seemed far fetched, but the gut-brain axis is real. A core component of good mental health is good gut health!

Understand and address hormonal anxiety. If you experience hormone-related anxiety, you don’t need the research to tell you that your anxiety gets more severe during certain times of the month. But the data is there, if you want official confirmation. Studies show that fluctuations in female reproductive hormones influence the presence and severity of anxiety. Experts think this is one of the reasons that panic disorders are more prevalent in women than in men. So the first step in addressing hormonal anxiety is understanding your 28-day hormone cycle and adjusting your food, movement, and lifestyle to match your unique needs during each week of your cycle. I call this The Cycle Syncing Method™ and if this is brand new to you, you can learn more about it here. You can also start tracking your period with the MyFLO app. Once you’ve adopted The Cycle Syncing Method™, you’ll know where you are in your 28-day cycle week to week and you can track your moods and hormonal shifts even more closely. For now, you can think of your 28-day cycle as being divided into two parts: the first half and the second half. The first half is from right after your period ends to when you ovulate. The second half is from just after ovulation through your next period. Most women don’t experience anxiety (or increased anxiety) during ovulation. (If you’re not ovulating, it’s a different story and you should work to get your ovulation back on track.)

• If you experience anxiety during the FIRST half of your cycle the cause is likely too much estrogen, which stimulates the brain to become antsy, edgy, and tense.

Natural remedy for anxiety in the first half of your cycle: Emphasize liver-loving foods and supplements during this time to help your body’s main detox organ process and eliminate excess estrogens from the body. Eat foods high in fiber and antioxidants, including cruciferous vegetables like broccoli and cauliflower, flax seeds or chia seeds, and low-glycemic, high-fiber fruits like pears. Get additional support with supplements like turmeric and green tea extract.

• If you experience anxiety during the SECOND half of your cycle it could be a few factors: you might be sensitive to the drop in estrogen, but that should stabilize as progesterone increases during this phase. If you are deficient in progesterone, you might not experience that calming effect. You might also be experiencing blood sugar dips if you’re not eating enough slow-burning, whole-food carbohydrates during this phase. Finally, if you experience anxiety the day or two before your bleed begins, you may be responding to the drop in both progesterone and estrogen that happens at this time. When both hormones plummet, you may feel anxious.

Natural remedy for anxiety in the second half of your cycle: I recommend vitamin B6 to help increase your progesterone levels. B6 is vital for your body to create the corpus luteum that makes and releases all of your progesterone. I encourage all women to take a B-vitamin complex everyday, but you should also incorporate healthy, whole food sources of vitamin B6, including bananas, grass-fed beef, chicken, spinach, sweet potato, garlic, and salmon. If blood sugar is a root cause of your anxiety during this phase, try incorporating more slow-burning carbohydrates like sweet potatoes, brown rice, or quinoa.

•  If you’re experiencing postpartum anxiety, you are not alone. Research suggests that postpartum anxiety is common and that it likely has multiple root causes, including the significant drop in estrogen and progesterone that follows childbirth. Another factor is the disrupted sleep schedule you experience when caring for a newborn.

Natural remedy for anxiety after giving birth: I recommend that new moms continue their prenatal supplement routine into (and well past) the 4th trimester. This will help give you the nourishment you need for breastfeeding. I also recommend that new moms take hormone-supportive supplements to patch up micronutrient deficiencies (micronutrient deficiencies can fuel anxiety) because pregnancy often depletes the body of key micronutrients.

• If you’re experiencing anxiety related to PCOS or PMDD, you may need even more support to reduce anxiety. Both conditions can be uniquely challenging when it comes to anxiety.

Natural remedy for anxiety if you suffer from PCOS or PMDD: I encourage women with these conditions to take a concentrated, multipronged approach. Estrogen dominance is very likely a factor in your anxiety, so eating fiber-rich, nutrient-dense whole foods is key. I also recommend supplementing with liver-supportive nutrients, like selenium, green tea extract, and turmeric. The microbiome plays a key role in helping in eliminate excess estrogen, so supporting gut health with a high-quality probiotic is essential. Consider supplementing with calcium, which has been shown to help with mood disorders, including anxiety, during PMS. You will also want to eat foods that keep blood sugar balanced and use The Cycle Syncing Method™ to eat and exercise in sync with your cycle. Anxiety-proof your daily life. You can take other steps in your daily life to downsize anxiety:

1. Keep blood sugar balanced. Balanced blood sugar is one of the biggest factors in balanced hormones and stable mood. You can use The Cycle Syncing Method™ to balance blood sugar. Learn more here.
2. Ditch coffee. Caffeine makes your heart race and your head spin. It is literal fuel for anxiety. Just say no to coffee and caffeinated tea! (Plus, coffee is a nightmare for hormone balance.)
3. Consider ditching the pill. While research on the link between hormonal birth control and mood and anxiety has been inconclusive over the past half century, enough research (and anecdotal evidence) has linked the pill with depression and other mood disorders. The pill has also been shown to deplete mood-supporting vitamins and minerals like vitamin B6, zinc, and magnesium.
4. Take a magnesium supplement. Magnesium has a calming effect on the body, and having healthy magnesium levels in the body supports a healthy stress response.
5. Strengthen your vagus nerve. Experts believe that the vagus nerve is how the brain communicates with the body, and how the body communicates with the brain. Studies suggest that strengthening your vagus nerve may help reduce anxiety. You can help tone this important nerve with singing and music and laughter!

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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!

Attention, Coffee Drinkers! Did you know that caffeine disrupts your hormones for a full 24 hours?

That’s not all. Caffeine stays in women’s bodies longer than men’s and it robs them of essential hormone-balancing nutrients and minerals. Studies link coffee consumption with infertility and poor gut health, which interferes with your body’s ability to detox excess (toxic) hormones.

Then there’s the link between caffeine consumption and cysts in your breasts and ovaries.

In other words, coffee is dangerous stuff if you suffer from hormone imbalances… and it can be dangerous stuff in general. That’s because many people can’t tolerate caffeine and don’t know it.

So that brings up two key questions: how can you tell if you have a hormone imbalance? And how can you tell if you have a caffeine intolerance?
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Let’s start with signs of a hormone imbalance...

How to Tell if You Have a Hormone Imbalance

How do you know if your hormones could use a little TLC...and that caffeine might be something you should eliminate from your daily routine?

Here are some signs and symptoms of a hormone imbalance:

‍PMS

‍Severe period cramps

‍Bloating

‍Acne

‍Moodiness/depression

Anxiety

You have been steadily gaining weight for a few months or years

You can’t seem to lose weight even with a healthy diet and increased exercise

Chronic exhaustion/fatigue

Cyclical migraines

‍Sugar cravings

‍Breast or ovarian cysts

Low sex drive

Low energy

Endometriosis

PCOS

I encourage any woman who is experiencing one or more of these symptoms to ditch caffeine for good, especially if you don’t tolerate caffeine well…and research shows that only 10 percent of the population produces enough of the specific enzyme that helps breakdown and eliminate caffeine. That means 9 out of 10 of you reading this right now are caffeine intolerant, whether you suffer from hormone imbalances of not!

How to Tell If You Have a Caffeine Intolerance

As I just mentioned, caffeine intolerance is surprisingly common, but most of us think of ourselves as immune. Three cups of coffee each morning might affect my coworkers or my sister, but not me! I explain the genetics of caffeine intolerance—and why hormone imbalances and caffeine intolerance often go hand in hand—below, but first let’s take a look at the signs and symptoms of caffeine intolerance.

Almost everyone who drinks coffee or other caffeinated beverages will recognize that familiar pick-me-up feeling that caffeine brings. But if you experience any of the symptoms on the following list—symptoms that are often attributed to other conditions or physiological responses—you might be caffeine intolerant. Symptoms like:

Anxiety

Insomnia

Restlessness

Fatigue (yes, fatigue!)

High blood pressure

Poorly balanced blood sugar

Digestive distress

Feeling wired but tired

Racing heartbeat

In many cases, these symptoms are chalked up to other diagnoses, like adrenal fatigue or anxiety disorders, but the real culprit might be coffee OR the causes of your symptoms are multifactorial and coffee consumption is one of the factors.

Why Caffeine is SO BAD for Hormones

Here’s why caffeine is so problematic for women with hormone imbalances:

‍Caffeine Problem #1:

Caffeine may increase the risk of benign breast disease (BBD), and specifically a form of BBD called atypical hyperplasia, which is a marker of increased breast cancer risk. This is scary stuff! One in eight women will develop invasive breast cancer in her lifetime, so it is wise to take every step you can to protect yourself. Giving up caffeine is easy (and free!), and comes with a host of other benefits, like reducing anxiety and supporting better blood sugar balance.The good news? The same study suggests that taking multivitamin supplements can have a protective effect against developing BBD.

‍Caffeine Problem #2:

Caffeine consumption is linked to infertility. A woman is more likely to miscarry if she and/or her partner drink more than two caffeinated beverages per day in the weeks leading up to conception, according to research from the National Institutes of Health and Ohio State University. Women who consumed two caffeinated beverages every day during the first seven weeks of pregnancy were also more likely experience pregnancy loss.Studies suggest that caffeine consumption may delay pregnancy among fertile women. Male partners, beware! Some research suggests that caffeine consumption among wannabe dads may reduce the chances of conception. Men who drank two or more cups of coffee per day had only a one in five chance of conception through IVF. Caffeine increases cortisol levels, and high cortisol sends signals to the body that it is not an ideal time for conception. Finally, caffeine depletes the body of vital nutrients needed for ovulation and healthy fertility (including B vitamins and folate). If you hope to become a mom someday, you need optimal levels of five key micronutrients, which you will want to take in supplement form…and you won’t want to deplete them at the same time by drinking coffee! Don’t do the good work of getting your essential micronutrients and then shoot yourself in the foot by drinking caffeine.

‍Caffeine Problem #3:

If you struggle with hormone imbalances (and if you’re reading this right now, you or someone you love probably does), it can be sign that your body has a hard time metabolizing caffeine. Hormone imbalances might be a sign that you don’t process caffeine efficiently. That’s because the same process in the liver that helps metabolize caffeine is also involved in the metabolism of estrogen.Caffeine is broken down by the liver using the enzyme CYP1A2. Your ability to produce this enzyme is regulated by the CYP1A2 gene. If you have a mutation in this gene, it will affect how your liver breaks down and eliminates excess caffeine. You will also have a harder time processing and eliminating excess estrogen.Based on your gene variation, you’ll either make a lot of this enzyme (and be a successful caffeine swiller) or a little (and have a tough time with caffeine). Turns out only 10% of the population make a lot of this enzyme. That’s just one in 10 of us! So if you fall into the majority — if you’re one of the 9 out of 10 women who don’t process caffeine efficiently — you also, very likely, have a buildup of estrogen in your body. And estrogen dominance is what gives rise to a lot of the unpleasant period problems you experience.This is why getting off caffeine is such an important part of the FLO Protocol. Estrogen dominance gives rise to so many of the symptoms of hormone imbalance and you don’t want anything blocking your ability to detox estrogen.

Ready to Ditch Caffeine? Here’s How

Ready to say no to the hormone-damaging effects of caffeine, but afraid of withdrawal? Never fear! You can quit caffeine without symptoms—and without losing energy. If you follow these steps, you will feel great as you wean off caffeine and you’ll be much less likely to relapse.

1. Start to wean off caffeine during the ovulation phase of your 28-day menstrual cycle, when you naturally have the most energy.
2. Nourish your adrenals with adaptogens that help combat stress, like rhodiola, ashwagandha, and maca root powder.
3. Use magnesium to replenish your mineral reserves, balance your mood, and combat headaches.
4. Supplement with B vitamins. Make sure you’re getting B5 and B12 as part of your B complex.
5. Rehydrate with coconut water that is rich in electrolytes.
6. Do gentle exercise, like walks and yoga, but avoid heavy cardio in the week or two after stopping coffee.
7. Eat a big, healthy breakfast every morning, which will give you fuel for the whole day.

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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!

The 24 Hour Cycle vs 28 Day Cycle

Some weeks you’re on - you’re crushing it at work, you’re killing it in the gym, and you have energy after work to meet up with friends or to engage in leisure activities you love. But other weeks? Not so much. You have to drag yourself out of bed, you feel like you’re phoning it in at work and during workouts, and after work, you crash on the sofa and stare at the ceiling.

If that describes you, you’re probably (and rightfully) frustrated by these swings in mood, productivity, and energy. And being the wickedly intelligent woman that you are, you’ve probably set out to try to fix them.

Maybe you’ve tried the Bullet journal or a to-do list app.  Maybe you bought an inspiring day planner, hoping that the beautiful pages would zap you into action. Maybe you read one of the million books out there on time management or productivity secrets. . But none of those things have worked—or will work in the future.

Why?

Because traditional time management strategies don’t work for women. These external “solutions” force us to follow the 24-hour circadian cycle and they ignore a woman’s natural, 28-day hormone clock. We’ve been taught to plan our lives on the 24-hour circadian schedule, which works well for men—but not for women.

With most time management systems, we’re expected to make to-do lists, check things off as the day goes by, and then wake up the next day and repeat. Every day, every 24 hours, the same thing. But when women are forced to function as if their natural 28-day hormone clock doesn’t exist, we miss out on the superpower granted to us by our hormones.

We have different strengths during each of the four phases of our 28-day hormone cycle, and when we align our activities with our strengths during each phase—instead of keeping the rhythm of our lives the same, day in and day out— we can accomplish more, with less stress. When we understand and sync our lives with our hormone cycle, all of a sudden (and with very little effort!) we have plenty of time to do all that we want and need to. We have more spaciousness to get things done.

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Really? This all sounds a little woo woo….

Now, you might be thinking Wow, that sounds great. Far-fetched and totally made up, but great! But this isn’t theoretical at all. Research shows that our hormone cycles have a direct influence on our mood, energy, creativity, and worldview. So, when we plan our activities in accordance with the natural flow of our hormones, we can be top-performing, high-achieving women with energy left over at the end of the day—no to-do list app necessary. (Though we benefit greatly from knowing where we're at in our cycle, which is the reason our MyFLO app was designed!)

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Leverage your hormones for productivity

As women, our cyclical nature means we can and should work differently, (and plan our food and exercise differently), depending on which abilities are amplified by our hormones, during each phase of our cycle. When we start to get familiar with our different strengths during each phase, we become more predictable powerhouses at work and in life, instead of believing we’re victims to our hormonal fluctuations.

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Time Management for Women: Step into your power

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Step 1

Your essential first step is to sync your diet and exercise with each phase of your cycle. Research shows that your body has different micronutrient needs each week, and that, hormonally speaking, you are better equipped to handle intense workouts during the first half of our cycle. When your system gets the nourishment and movement it needs when it needs it, you will feel energized, creative, and naturally more productive.

Step 2

The second step? Respect your feminine energy. Now, when we say “feminine energy”, we're not talking about how you dress or behave. We're talking about connecting with your unique cyclical nature as a woman, and recognizing the natural shifts in energy and focus that come along with each part of your cycle.

These natural shifts are not vulnerabilities. When we learn how to use them in a way that benefits us, they become strengths. Harnessing the power of these shifts is the secret to achieving your personal, professional, and romantic goals. There is a timing and seasonality to your life—and when you use that knowledge to your advantage, you’re doing what I’ve coined as, Cycle Syncing®. Practicing Cycle Syncing® allows for greater creativity and productivity, without greater stress.

Through Cycle Syncing®, you can accomplish more of what really matters with ease, grace, and less stress. Cycle Syncing® isn’t mysterious or made-up. It’s a practice that starts with understanding the delicate (and often off-kilter) balance between estrogen and progesterone, and how those hormones shift during the month.

After that, it’s about structuring your life around the ebbs and flows of those hormones. It's actually quite simple! In practice, Cycle Syncing® is a totally doable and intuitive way to live.

Step 3

The third step is when things really get exciting. This is when you start to embody Cycle Syncing®, by learning about the four phases of your cycle and aligning your activities with your strengths in each phase. This is the magic that will help you do more of what matters to you, without burning out.

‍The follicular phase

• ‍When: The week after your period ends
• What’s happening hormonally: Estrogen is on the rise
• What to do: Set your intentions for the future, clarify your vision, spend time journaling (or otherwise recording your feelings and thoughts), organize what you want to accomplish in the coming weeks

‍The ovulation phase

• ‍When: Mid-cycle for 3–5 days
• What’s happening hormonally: Estrogen is at its highest point
• What to do: Talk about your vision, collaborate with like-minded folks, schedule meetings, connect with others, embrace your desire to be social during this phase

‍The luteal/premenstrual phase

• ‍When: About 10–12 days before your period begins
• What’s happening hormonally: Progesterone is at its highest point
• What to do: This is your do, do, do time! You are at your most organized during this phase and you love getting granular about the details. Make this phase all about accomplishing the activities and goals you outlined during your follicular phase

‍The menstrual phase

• ‍When: The days during your bleed, when you're on your period
• What’s happening hormonally: All of your hormones are at a low point
• What to do: Slow down, reflect on what’s happened over the last month, and practice gratitude for the good things that have occurred and all you’ve accomplished. Think back on any areas of your life that feel less than optimal or that need more attention, and use them as a starting point for setting intentions during your next follicular phase

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Cheers to your Cycle Syncing® journey! 

We've previously discussed the potential impact of emotional stress on your menstrual cycle, like how it can make your period late, delay or even suppress ovulation, as well as contribute to hormonal health issues such as PCOS and PMS. Here, let's delve deeper into the mind-body connection and how our emotions, feelings, and the energy we hold can play a part in the development of reproductive health conditions.

There is a neurological, endocrine, and immunological conversation at work in every one of us that is reflective of our emotional state.

While it’s very important to look at the root causes of conditions from a functional nutrition standpoint, the emotional aspect also needs to be addressed at the same time for long-term recovery. The emotional patterns behind ovarian cysts, fibroids, endometriosis, and other conditions are common for many, many women and very much a shared female experience.

Understanding this aspect is an opportunity to have compassion for ourselves and for other women. For example, one particular client was experiencing continuous spotting. We had addressed her diet and lifestyle, but during one conversation it became apparent that the spotting had been happening since her father had passed away earlier that year. We suggested that her womb might be holding her unprocessed grief, resulting in the symptoms, which were a literal weeping from the womb. Once she made that connection, she was able to release her emotions - have a good cry - and begin to free herself from the cycle.

‍Your emotions and ovarian cysts ‍

We’ve looked at effective food and supplement-based natural treatments for ovarian cysts in the past.

Distinct from PCOS - which is indicated by multiple cysts on the ovary - single functional ovarian cysts are fluid filled sacs the size of almonds that grow on the ovaries, often cyclically and in connection with your hormonal shifts.

There are two kinds of functional ovarian cysts – follicle cysts and corpus luteum cysts.

1. Follicle cysts happen when the ovary follicle does not open to release an egg and instead stays closed, filled with liquid.

2. Corpus luteum cysts is when the follicle does release an egg, but does not then seal and close off afterwards.

Functional ovarian cysts are very common - many women have them at some point during their lives, but not all will have symptoms.

It’s possible for a cyst to grow very large if left untreated and even burst, requiring immediate surgery. A health condition like ovarian cysts can convey a message of the kinds of emotions being held there in the reproductive organs. This thinking is rooted in Jungian psychology, specifically the mind/body connection. A student of Jung, Marion Woodman, developed the concept of “feminine psychology” and her work details how unconsciously held emotions, feelings, and thoughts can affect the female body.

One element of Woodman’s work focuses on how women feel about their bodies. Many of us are brought up to be fearful and distrustful of our bodies, and she believed this has a significant impact on our health. She believed that unconscious trauma experienced by many women - as the result of individually experienced acts of abuse and violence, and as the result of cultural oppression - manifests itself in physical symptoms.

When it comes to ovarian cysts specifically, especially those that are symptomatic and recurrent, they are delivering the message of unfulfilled creative expression. Many women experience these feelings - we hold down full-time jobs, do more than our fair share of housework and childcare, and often start second or third shifts every evening. Do you ever feel like you really want to start a creative project, but you just don’t have the time? Do you have a friend who cannot give themselves the time and space to express their creativity and that causes them frustration?

Energetically speaking, ovarian cysts tend to represent blocked creative desire, or ideas that don’t fully blossom in one’s life. This is nothing to do with your personal choices, and everything to do with the position of women in society, and how we are conditioned to organize our lives.

Mind-body connection and compassion

Whatever symptoms you’re experiencing, the takeaway should be compassion, and the need to find compassion for yourself, your body, and for what other women are going through. Many, many women experience trauma in their lives, whether directly or indirectly, and we all live with a heavy weight of expectation, limitation, and judgement on our shoulders. Many, many women also experience ovarian cysts, as well as other hormonal health issues.

We believe that the way forward is to bring these topics out into the open, to talk about our traumas, those things we don’t normally share openly - like our individual experiences of miscarriage, postpartum depression, abortion, sexual abuse, rape, assault, domestic violence, and our collective understanding of sexism and misogyny.

Releasing these emotions can mean we no longer hold them silently within ourselves, where they continue to do harm. At Flo Living, we're here to support you, every step of the way.

A missing or late period can be stressful. Or when it's late, delayed and taking its sweet time to start! "What's wrong?" "Am I pregnant?" The questions can feel endless. Even worse, stress alone can delay or alter your period. Do you think that stress may be delaying your period? Read on to learn about the connection between cortisol and menstruation.

Learn how to improve your diet and other methods you can take to reduce stress

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If you weren't planning for pregnancy, this can create some stress and panic. This begins a vicious cycle, as periods are directly impacted by stress! So when your stress levels rise - particularly for a prolonged period of time - your period can be negatively impacted. This stress might be from what you’ve experienced earlier in your cycle or even the stress you’re experiencing waiting for your period to arrive - and both can actually make your period arrive late.

If you’re breastfeeding, have PCOS, are entering perimenopause or menopause, have a thyroid issue, or if you’ve recently come off hormonal birth control, those factors can also impact your period. If none of these reasons are present, it's definitely time to assess your stress levels.

How long can stress delay your period? Well, that depends. Stress causes late periods because of how it disrupts hormonal patterns. Your hormones need to meet certain levels and follow certain patterns in order to trigger both ovulation and your period. So if stress gets in the way, this can impact your cycle. A rise in stress hormones, specifically cortisol, affects all other hormones, the levels that are produced and their interaction.

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5 things to know about stress, anxiety, and your period

If stress and anxiety have been delaying your period, we've got you covered. Once you learn the causes, you can learn how to get your period "unstuck." Stress has more meanings than just emotional stress. Physical stresses on your body can also delay your period in similar ways. Read the following 5 facts related to late periods caused by stress:

1. Stress raises cortisol levels and disrupts your blood sugar, which disrupts your ovulation and period.

2. The stress hormone cortisol blocks progesterone production and lowers progesterone levels. Your body actually uses your progesterone to make more cortisol, in reaction and response to the stress. This can not only mess with your cycle, but make it difficult for you to conceive.

3. Stress around the time you normally ovulate can delay or even prevent ovulation. Cortisol can suppress ovulation. This makes sense - a pregnancy on top of a stressful period in a person’s life is not ideal.  Your body, in a way, is trying to keep your energy available to address the stress before conception takes place.

4. Stress post-ovulation can cause hormonal imbalance. If you do ovulate and stress comes later in your cycle, it can potentially cause spotting, an early period or a period that looks or feels different to your norm (in consistency, color, length, or symptoms like cramping).

5. A late period may not be considered a period at all - it’s more of a breakthrough bleed. You didn’t ovulate, so it’s not a physiological period - however, your uterus still needs to shed the lining it has built up.

Here's the reality: your hormonal cycle is a chain reaction. If one stage of your cycle does not occur as it should, the following stages will not receive the correct triggers. When your ovary releases an egg, the ruptured egg sack produces progesterone. The increase of progesterone in your body encourages the buildup and eventual release of the lining of your uterus, aka your period.  

We advocate for listening to your body, and a late period is your body saying something loud and clear...but what exactly is your body trying to tell you? A messed up cycle is a message. It’s a call-to-action!

Your late period can signal that you are under constant or chronic levels of stress. To restore ovulation, lowering stress levels is key.  Lack of ovulation is not only an issue if you want to conceive, it also sets you up for greater hormone imbalance and period problems - everything from PMS, to acne, to cramps. A late period is more than just a nuisance or inconvenience, it’s also going to come with a bunch of other health issues.

Once you period is late, there’s not much you can do to make your period come when you want during that cycle. But you can absolutely avoid late periods in the future by taking action today! It's not "too late" to get yourself back on track.

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4 steps to avoid stress-delayed periods

1. Take a Healing Bath - Stressors can be unavoidable, but your response to stress is in your hands. This can mean a deeply relaxing bath 3 times a week with epsom salts and essential oils. It can mean reading a good book before bed each night. It can mean getting creative - taking a painting class, starting a project that inspires you, or even coloring at home. You can use your menstrual cycle to sync your schedule to your hormonal patterns - making everything feel easier and less like an uphill battle. It can also mean making time for more pleasure in your life, and not just sex. Or it can mean all of the above and then some, which is all-encompassing self-care, and the most effective.

2. Go on a Sleep Diet  - Poor sleep or an inconsistent sleep schedule (staying up past midnight and waking up late) creates a burnt out, stressed-out situation. Physiologically bad sleep will cause high levels of stress hormones. But it also leaves you feeling like you're constantly behind. When you’re in bed earlier and waking up earlier, you will naturally have more time in the morning to get centered and ready for your day. This will help you feel more grounded and clear. Put yourself on a “Sleep Diet” to have this sleep schedule every day for 21 days.

3. Try Maca - When we’re stressed, we often have the knee-jerk reaction of reaching for coffee first thing in the morning, (we think it’ll help us get everything done!) and alcohol at night, (we think it’ll help us unwind!). Both of these things raise cortisol levels and actually make you feel more stressed in the long run. Detox from coffee and manage your alcohol intake to avoid chronic stress. Try maca root powder for the energy boost you’re seeking - this adaptogen can give you pep without harming your sleep schedule (try adding it to your smoothie or oats).

4. Focus on Micronutrients - Micronutrients are absolutely essential when it comes to balancing hormones and resolving symptoms like PMS, weight-loss resistance, acne, mood swings, bloating, cramping, missing periods, and painful, heavy periods. The micronutrients you need more of when it comes to hormone balance are: Vitamin D3, Vitamin K, B vitamins, Magnesium, as well as Micronutrients that support liver health, and Compounds and nutrients that support gut health. These micronutrients, in the right amounts, will help you get back on track hormonally and bring relief from your symptoms.

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Love & ovaries,

Alisa

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

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

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

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

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Why Your Period Might Go Missing

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

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‍Reason for Your Late Period #1: Sugar

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

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

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‍Reason for Your Late Period #2: Stress

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

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

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

To your FLO,

Alisa

If you’re a new mom and dealing with unstable moods or a lacking libido, you’re not alone.Unfortunately, the more I hear from hot mamas around the world, the more I hear the same complaints and concerns. Women tell me:

• “I have no energy, no sex drive, and I can’t lose weight!”
• “I’m trying to fake it, but inside I feel MISERABLE! Not in the mood for much of anything…”
• “My baby is 8 months old and I still have no sex drive. Is it the breastfeeding? What can I do?”

Ladies, I hear you! As a mom of a 2 year-old toddler, I have now experienced the postpartum shift for myself and felt, firsthand, how your hormones evolve and change with this huge transformation. After years of helping other women overcome the sex drive downturn, mood swings, and more that can come after motherhood begins, I got the chance to put my teaching into practice for myself and I can say, it truly works!

If you’re ready to change this reality, keep reading because I have great news: the way to get your sex drive back is through sugar – but not in the way you might think! Right now I know you might be turning to sugar (the white stuff) to boost your energy, stay awake, feel up and peppy, and even just for comfort. But I’m no fan of the white stuff and how it wreaks havoc on your hormones and health.

What I actually mean by “sugar” here is that you can improve your sex drive by 50-75% within 2 months by making sure your blood sugar is stable throughout the day and taking the following recommendations. More is outlined in my book WomanCode on stabilizing blood sugar every day and long-term, but I hope this post gives you the head-start you need.

Motherhood & Food

Before I talk about supercharging your sex drive and balancing your moods, let’s talk about why this is all happening in the first place, why exactly you have these concerns and complaints about how you feel as a new mom.

When you’re pregnant, your body is mostly concerned with supplying essential nutrients to your growing baby. If your diet is not adequate during that time, it’s likely that it won’t keep you fully stocked on all the essential nutrients that you need beyond what your baby needs.

As you breastfeed once baby is born, nutrients continue leaving your body if your diet is not restocking them quickly enough. They’re all going to baby, which isn’t leaving enough for you to feel good.

Therefore I would strongly advise you to work on your diet first and foremost. Not only will it keep your cycle regular, but it will protect your bones, your mood, your sex drive, and keep perimenopause progressing slowly. Basically, focusing on eating the right foods and enough of them is going to fix your symptoms short term and benefit your long term health goals.

Synthetic hormones, like the birth control pill or Depo shot, or any of those other hormonal contraceptives women are often offered postpartum to prevent pregnancy and mask symptoms of hormonal imbalance, will not reset you or heal the underlying cause of your issues here, but science shows that food will!

First and foremost, you’ve got to get your blood sugar stabilized throughout the day. Grazing on snacks here and there just will not do. Prioritizing meals for yourself with the right balance of protein and carbohydrates is essential. That means 3 meals per day plus snacks.

This is what I was eating postpartum. It may sound like a lot, but it revved my metabolism, allowing me to lose all my baby weight (60 lbs. of it) within 6 months. Within just 3 months, I’d already lost 40 lbs. So you don’t need to deprive yourself after baby is born, and in fact, if you do - you’ll only suffer with the physical and mental side effects of your body’s deprivation of nutrients.

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Breakfast – Steel cut oats with black sesame seeds, coconut oil, flax, cinnamon, goji berries

Snack – 2 eggs scrambled in coconut oil with turmeric

Lunch – Salmon and quinoa with lentils and fermented sauerkraut

Snack – Avocado on black rice bread

Dinner – Bison/lamb/beef burger with green beans and sweet potato baked ‘fries’

Snack – 2 Dates or dried figs with 3 Squares Dark Chocolate with Mother’s Milk Tea

Snack – Macaroon or gluten-free lactation cookie

Snack – Bone Broth with black rice bread and chicken liver pate

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In addition to changing how and what you eat, I would encourage you to do the following:

• After you eat anything, walk around the block once or up and down a flight of stairs for 5 minutes after a meal. This will turn OFF the fat storage program in your body and cause you to start using calories for fuel. Lowering body fat will absolutely help reduce estrogen dominance issues that are contributing to your low libido. We all know babies like a bounce in the stroller so it’s a good excuse to get out of the house too!

You likely won’t get your period for some time after you give birth - especially if you’re breastfeeding. However, if you’re worried about where your period has gone, eating these Flo-centric foods, will bring it back when it’s the right time.

Motherhood & Moods

Here’s another reason why nutrient-dense food is essential postpartum: You need to give your brain the building blocks for mood-stabilizing neurotransmitters.

• Protein, complex carbohydrates and good fats are essential during this time.
• Calcium and magnesium, B vitamins, and Omega 3’s are safe supplements to take while breastfeeding.

Although clinical postpartum depression can be a real problem for some women that requires treatment by a doctor, there are mood changes across a spectrum that impact yet more women - including mild and subclinical postpartum depression and anxiety.

Focusing on food and getting the necessary micronutrients in your body will help prevent many of the most common mood changes that occur postpartum for the majority of women. Of course, other factors can be compounding - poor sleep, lack of childcare support, work demands etc - but you will be better prepared to face these challenges if you have a strong food foundation.

I highly recommend the book “The First Forty Days”  as an excellent resource on postpartum nourishment to enhance your health, physical and mental, as well as that of your baby. I like to call this approach an “active recovery” – instead of assuming and hoping your body will spring back or assuming and hoping that once you’re physically healed that the work is done, know that you have to be active in your post-birth recovery every single day. Don’t see it as an additional responsibility, see it as something you’re doing to take care of yourself and, as such, excel at taking care of your child.

Motherhood & Sex Drive

Sex drive is complex in women, but it can be broken down into elements that you can improve and boost to get the libido you want! First is the hormonal component: the estrogen/progesterone/testosterone blend. Then there’s the adrenal component. Both of these elements can be improved with food and some strategic supplements.To get you started, take these recommendations:

• Begin taking daily a B-complex vitamin and vitamin C – both help heal the adrenals.
• Try to eat poached eggs a few times a week – the yolk helps boost progesterone levels naturally and this can offset higher levels of estrogen that might make you feel less in the mood.

The other issue of course is the reality of motherhood, the strain on your time, the free space in your mind, and your own relationship with your changed body.

• I would definitely recommend one session per week of self pleasuring (no vibrators!) – give yourself 20 minutes to feel pleasurable touch as it boosts oxytocin and nitric oxide levels both which can help you recover your libido. Try my 5Cs of self-pleasure to get yourself there.

Remember to feed yourself super nutrient dense foods and spend a little time with yourself and you WILL get your sex drive turned back on in no time.

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‍Here’s a little mama blessing for you and for your new baby: ‍

All is Well. Everything is conspiring for your highest good. Only good things are coming to you now. You are safe. You are loved.

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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