Last week I was out walking with my husband and daughter in our local park. We came across a mom spraying down her whole family, including young children and a baby in a stroller, with an aerosol sunscreen spray. I have to say, I actually stood back and waited for that cloud of chemicals to pass before walking on by. I didn’t even want us to go near that mist.Of course, this woman was being a loving mother and trying to do the right thing for her family, protecting them from the sun, from sunburn and skin cancer. That’s a very good thing! But the specific brand she had chosen was also soaking them unknowingly in endocrine disruptive chemicals!

The Wrong Sunscreen Can Decrease fertility

All chemical sunscreens contain endocrine disrupting chemicals that sink into your skin and right into your bloodstream. Just two of the common ingredients - oxybenzone and octinoxate - act like estrogen in the body, are associated with changes in sperm production, endometriosis, and overall negatively impact the thyroid and reproductive systems.Putting a chemical sunscreen on to your skin is one thing, inhaling it in the cloud that comes from an aerosol can be even worse and such absorption can actually damage your organs. The link to cancer is so strong that national cancer prevention organizations suggest you wear a hat and stay in the shade instead of using chemical sunscreens.‍

Are we stopping skin cancer?

‍Most people these days are aware of the danger of too much sun exposure - they are vigilant about wearing sunscreen and slather it on every hour when out in the summer - as the result of nationwide awareness campaigns. Yet, cases of skin cancer are actually on the rise. It’s still the most common cancer currently contracted in the US. So what’s going on? Clearly the chemical sunscreen is not working.  

And it has a lot to do with diet of course!  What you eat affects the function of the skin, one function is to shield itself from photo damage!Researchers from John Hopkins University discovered that a component of broccoli called sulforaphane can prevent cancer when applied to the skin. They actually painted broccoli puree on to subjects skin to test this out! Lead researcher Dr. Sally Dickinson has also discovered that sulforaphane is highly effective at inhibiting cancer-causing pathways and at triggering chemoprotective genes like the Nrf2 gene. Such research suggests there are other ways to deal sensibly with sun exposure that bypass chemical sunscreens and their potential dangers.

3 Foods to Protect Your Skin This Summer

It’s very likely that a combination of the fact that we’re not eating enough skin-protective foods along with the increasing damage to the ozone layer from global warming has got us into this situation.   Here’s what you can start eating to restore the essential micronutrients for sun-savvy skin this summer - and of course - they are delicious, good for your hormones, and taste way better than that chemical spray sunscreen that gets in your mouth when the wind blows it the wrong way - blech!

‍Broccoli

‍Eating more broccoli and any other veggies from the brilliant brassica family, as well as more carrots and fresh fruit to increase your levels of vitamin A and C, will actually give you sun protection all summer long. You will be protected from the inside out, your body will set up its own defences. Of course, you also need to be sensible and not let yourself or your family burn by being out in the sun when it’s at its most fierce or for too long, but the right kind of diet will actually give you more time in the sunshine and prevent rapid sunburning.

‍Olive Oil

‍Vitamin E has massive skin protecting effects. Eating a more Mediterranean-style diet (or following the Flo Living protocol!) will improve your skin’s function and improve it’s response to free radical damage. Drizzle olive oil on everything, even directly on your skin! Tomatoes and basil also have sun protecting skin enhancing effects and the three together make the salad summer is made for! So, if you’re not vacationing in the Mediterranean this year (we wish!), you can bring a piece of that lifestyle to where ever you spend your sunny time out!

‍Dark Chocolate

‍OMG - chocolate actually doubles the amount of UV required to get a sunburn by increasing skin density, hydration, and microcirculation! I mean, there are SO many good reasons to eat dark chocolate every day, puree some raw cacao with some avocado and top with fresh strawberries for a skin protecting dessert! (Thank you chocolate gods for giving us the cacao bean - all praise!)

Unprotected skin, Hormones and Fertility

You do need a minimum of 15 minutes in the sun daily without any sunscreen to allow for production of Vitamin D3.  Adding in foods that are clinically shown to protect this skin can make you feel much more at ease with this practice. This method is better than just staying out of the sun, because we do really need sunshine.  We need that vitamin D3 that only the sun can provide as supplemental forms are less bioavailable.  In addition, vitamin D3 is essential for hormonal balance and optimal fertility.  There’s a bonus too - when we have enough D3, we are actually protecting ourselves against anti-oxidant skin damage.

‍My personal sun solution for me and my baby girl

‍I have a beach vacation in New England planned for this summer. My plan is to take my daughter out in the early morning sun when it’s less intense, so between 9am and 11am. I’ll have her wear a hat and a UV protective long sleeved swim shirt and little shorts. I will be using sunscreen, but only have to apply it to the areas not protected by the clothing. The sunscreen I’m choosing for my daughter is a physical barrier cream rather than chemical sunscreen. At the beach, when I’m not swimming - I personally wear this giant UV protective hat. I sit under an umbrella and if it’s super intense sun, I wear a tunic.

And I pack beach food that protects my skin - tomato, basil, broccoli, quinoa salad drizzled with olive oil and topped with walnuts. Cacao, avocado, strawberry pudding and fresh cherries for dessert.

Physical sunscreens are made of titanium oxide or zinc oxide and they sit on top of the skin. They act as a barrier against the sun’s rays, which are then either absorbed by the sunscreen or reflected away from the body. Physical sunscreens are usually opaque chalky white. You may have seen lifeguards or surfers using a physical block on their face. That’s because when you’re out in the sun all day, this is what is most effective and naturally water-resistant. They’re also hypoallergenic as a rule, which is great as most chemical sunscreens cause allergic reactions for  those with sensitive skin. Formulations are much better now - easier to apply and disappear into the skin.I have chosen the Badger brand zinc oxide-based physical sunscreen for our trip.

I LOVE summer! And I love that knowing how to eat right to protect my hormones also protects my skin - one elegant solution with food really does take care of everything! Say no to chemicals and say yes to broccoli! 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!  

The microbiologist Gregor Reid believes we all need to take better care of our vaginas (we do!). His research shows that your vagina is home to specific vagina-friendly microbes that have their own little eco-system going on. Any imbalance in the delicate production of both lactic acid and hydrogen peroxide can cause a problem called bacterial vaginosis. This causes chaos for your vaginal microbiome, but you won’t necessarily even know that it’s happening, because half of all women with bacterial vaginosis experience no symptoms. Reid speculates that around 30% of American women currently have bacterial vaginosis.‍

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The Vaginal Microbiome & Your Fertility

‍Your imbalanced vaginal flora can compromise your ability to get and stay pregnant. According to Reid, the resulting low-level inflammation from bacterial vaginosis is linked to the prevention of fertilization of the egg, spontaneous miscarriage, and a higher risk of preterm birth. In addition, bacterial vaginosis can also make women more susceptible to acquiring and transmitting STDs and HIV.

‍Your vaginal microbiome balance starts in your gut

If you follow the Flo protocol with your diet, avoid chemical-laden products, and only sparingly use unnecessary medications, then you are also minding your gut microbiome, and by minding your gut microbiome, you are taking care of your vaginal ecosystem. You can read more recommendations for supporting your gut microbiome, probiotic supplement and food recommendations (and the dangers of overuse of antibiotics) here.

‍Stop the antibiotics insanity

‍How many of you have tried taking antibiotics or antifungals, only to have the condition clear up temporarily and then come back? Or even worse, you take the antibiotic to clear up the BV or the UTI, and then you end up with a yeast infection! It’s a vicious cycle and it’s not what the body needs to clear up this imbalance. When you look at your microbiome as something that needs to be supported, then these conventional medicine based treatments make absolutely no sense, and in fact they actually make the situation much worse by destroying your gut flora balance and throwing off your body’s natural ability to keep bacteria and yeast balanced.

You’re not meant to nor can you ever actually get rid of yeast or bacteria - you have TONS of it living in you and on your skin - you need to feed the good bacteria so they keep the nasty ones in check!

We recommend making several changes to your lifestyle along with following our eating protocol - part of this includes switching to natural remedies, because conventional treatments not only harm the microbiome, but they don’t solve the root cause and those nasty symptoms return as a result. If you have used a lot of antibiotics and creams in the past to try and get rid of these problems, it’s likely you have a vaginal microbiome imbalance and compromised gut microbiome as well! Below are some natural remedy recommendations that will get rid of the pain, the itching, and are also vaginal microbiome-friendly.

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OUR FAVORITE NATURAL REMEDIES FOR YOUR VAG

Bacterial Vaginosis

‍Liquid chlorophyll taken internally to alkalize the body

‍Jarrow Femdophilous - clinically shown to restore the vaginal microbiome

‍Vitanica Bacteria Arrest Vaginal Suppositories

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‍Yeast infections

‍Vitanica Yeast Arrest Vaginal Suppositories will give relief and help support your vaginal flora

‍Jarrow Femdophilous - clinically shown to restore the vaginal microbiome

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‍UTIs

‍D-mannose

‍Baking soda in water to balance your pH

‍Jarrow Femdophilous - clinically shown to restore the vaginal microbiome

Consult a homeopath for the right remedies for UTIs.

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More tips for vagina care

Don't wash your vagina. (Say what?!) Wash it in the shower of course, but stay away from douches, wipes, and special V soaps! The fact that these products exist is ridiculous. Your vagina is perfectly designed to clean itself! You don’t need them and they can give you any one of the above 3 conditions!

Switch your menstrual products from the conventional to 100% organic cotton. Conventional products are laden with pesticides and bleach - which are not good for your vaginal microbiome. Opt instead for  100% organic cotton products from Natracare or Maxim. Often that itching, inflammation, and irritation we think is a normal part of our period experience, is actually from  the kinds of pads and tampons we’re using every month. Read more here on how conventional femcare products can be harming your health.‍

Learn your vaginal microbiome fingerprint. Imagine you have a UTI or a yeast infection, and you can take a probiotic that is totally individualized to your vaginal microbiome so that you can get the healthy bacteria flourishing fast! Science fiction you say? No longer! There is a company called Sweet Peach Probiotics. CEO and founder Audrey Hutchinson has invented a way to make personalized probiotics for your vagina just by analyzing a mailed-in swab sampling of your microbes. This is such a brilliant idea and we look forward to seeing what comes of it!

Should you go gluten free if you struggle with symptoms like acne, bloating, weight gain, mood swings, fatigue, terrible PMS, infertility, and other period problems?

The answer is: Yes.

A wealth of research suggests that giving up gluten may help with a variety of symptoms, whether you have celiac disease, non-celiac gluten sensitivity, or no identifiable symptoms at all. Going gluten free won’t heal your hormones all on its own, of course, but if you give up gluten at the same time as you engage in phase-based self care, you’re setting yourself up for hormonal success.

I’ve seen so many of the woman I work with benefit by giving up gluten. In particular, I’ve noticed that women who struggle with diarrhea, constipation, bloating, mood swings, irritability, and skin issues (like psoriasis and eczema), get better quickly by giving up gluten. But don’t just take it from me. Take it from the research.

What Research Says About Gluten & Acne, Bloating, Digestive Problems, and Other Symptoms

In a 2014 survey, over half of people who ditched bread and other gluten-containing foods (like pasta) reported improvements in their physical and mental health. And research suggests that even people who don’t have obvious symptoms after they eat gluten may benefit from giving up gluten.Groundbreaking research done by the Italian researcher Alessio Fasano found that gluten triggers the body to release a protein called zonulin. Zonulin has a negative effect in the body: it loosens the tight junctions in the lining of the intestinal tract. When the lining of the intestinal tract is “tight and right,” only the nutrients our bodies need to survive are allowed through the intestinal walls. When these tight junctions are weakened, other substances (like larger food particles and dangerous pathogens) are allowed to sneak through the intestinal walls. This “leaky gut” then triggers a host of other problems, like acne and other skin issues, bloating and digestive distress, mood swings, and always feeling tired.

How Gluten Affects Reproductive Hormones

Gluten fuels inflammation. Inflammation makes hormone imbalance worse. Specifically, gluten inflames and damages the villi (small, finger-like projections) on the small intestine. When the villi are damaged, the body has a harder time absorbing nutrients and food moves more slowly through the intestines. This slower transit time means excess estrogen stays in the body longer, contributing to estrogen dominance. Estrogen dominance is one of the most common hormone imbalances in the women I work with and it is responsible for so many of their period problems.Studies show that women with celiac disease, which is a severe immune-system reaction to gluten, have a greater risk of impaired fertility and adverse pregnancy outcomes. Research also links non-celiac gluten sensitivity with adverse pregnancy outcomes.Women with endometriosis who go gluten free report reductions in pain after six to 12 months of the diet, according to two separate studies. Eating gluten has also been shown to increase incidents of bloating and fatigue. And there is some evidence linking celiac disease and polycystic ovarian syndrome.

One More Reason Gluten Is Bad For Health

The health problems associated with gluten may be related to more than just the gluten itself. Studies suggest that some of the symptoms people experience after eating wheat—like diarrhea, skin rashes, and mood problems—might be caused by the herbicide glyphosate. Glyphosate is a main ingredient in Roundup and is often sprayed on wheat crops. Researchers suspect that glyphosate in the body makes it more difficult to absorb key micronutrients and that its presence may explain some of the reproductive and fertility issues associated with gluten.

The 4 Week FLO Living Gluten-Free Challenge—Do THIS First

I recommend any women who is experiencing period problems or digestive distress (or both) to try my cycle-based gluten-elimination plan. As the name of the challenge implies, the 4 Week Gluten-Free Challenge means you’ll be eating gluten free for four straight weeks. But I ask you to take the process one step further by eating specific non-gluten-containing grains during specific times in your 28-day hormone cycle. So the first thing you need to do is know where you are in your cycle.The easiest way to do this is with the MyFlo Period Tracking app. If you’re already tracking your period, great. If not, download the app and get started learning where you are each week of the month. The app will also teach you the best ways to eat, exercise, and practice self-care during during each phase of your cycle.Once you know what phase of your cycle you’re in, you can start the 4 Week Gluten-Free Challenge.

Your 4 Week FLO Living Gluten-Free Challenge

During each phase of your cycle, I want you to incorporate a different non-gluten-containing whole grain in your eating plan. Here’s what to eat and when:Follicular phase (before you ovulate, after your period)Oats (inherently gluten-free, although processing can sometimes include wheat, so those who are super-sensitive should choose oats that say “gluten-free” on the label)Ovulatory phase (when you’re ovulating)Amaranth, corn, quinoaLuteal phase (before you have your period)Brown rice, milletMenstrual phase (your period)Buckwheat (kasha), wild riceYou can do my 4 Week Gluten-Free Challenge for four weeks, but you might get even more benefit if you stick with it for eight or 12 weeks. Many women experience such impressive symptom relief by going gluten free that they decide to stay off this problematic protein indefinitely. If you reintroduce gluten after four, eight, or 12 weeks and feel okay, you may opt to have gluten occasionally going forward. But no matter what, it is best not to make gluten a staple food in your phase-based approach to eating.

One Final Note: Whole Grains vs. Pre-Packaged Gluten-Free Foods

When I first gave up gluten, there weren’t a lot of gluten-free products on grocery store shelves. Now there are many. It’s fine to try these out when you’re first transitioning to a gluten-free lifestyle, but be sure to read labels carefully. Pre-packaged foods usually contain a lot of additional unhealthy ingredients. You don’t want to give up gluten only to replace it with a raft of preservatives, sugars and sugar substitutes, and other gnarly ingredients. In general, I think it is healthiest to stick to whole, gluten-free grains like buckwheat and quinoa. I like to soak them in water with a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar overnight before cooking. This way, you eliminate the phytic acid that can be harsh on the gut and improve your blood sugar stability.And if you find yourself feeling deprived in the initial phase of the FLO Living Gluten-Free Challenge (or anytime after going gluten free), don’t despair. I’ve got some great dessert and baked good recipes that will make you forget that anything is missing!Most importantly, get creative and have fun! Nearly all of the gluten-free grains included in the challenge make great additions to breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

Learn the Side Effects of Coffee on Women

‍Plus our thoughts on the Bulletproof/Upgraded Coffee trend, How Women Need to Biohack their Energy Levels Differently than Men, and How to Heal from Caffeine Exposure

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In my early 20’s during a routine visit to the gynecologist, my doctor found a lump in my breast. She asked two other doctors to come in to examine it and the three of them were talking about it as if I wasn’t even there. My anxiety about potentially having something serious was mounting. I remember being totally terrified, actually.

Eventually, after what seemed like hours, they decided that it was a fluid filled cyst, so of course I asked what might have caused that. My GYN then asked me if I had been drinking lots of caffeine recently – the answer was a huge yes - I had been staying up late studying for finals, and then it came out that caffeine increases the tendency of breast tissue to produce cysts.

I stopped taking in all forms of caffeine that day, and have been caffeine free for 20 years.  The research that has come out since I made that choice has only made me more grateful that I listened to that early warning signal from my body.  I wanted to share with you 3 little-known reasons you, as a woman, shouldn’t be drinking coffee or caffeine in general, especially if you have PMS, are trying to conceive, or have a diagnosed menstrual issue.  

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‍Reason #1 - Caffeine Causes Cyst Formation in the Breasts and Ovaries

Coffee effects breasts and other systems in females. Caffeine can increase the development of benign breast disease.  Did you know that?  I certainly didn’t! I LOVED coffee, espresso bars, the ritual, lattes – I’m not gonna lie, the stuff is delicious!  

After this scare, I began looking into caffeine and its effects on hormones. Turns out for women with PCOS, Fibroids, Endometriosis, Ovarian Cysts, and Fibrocystic breasts- caffeine is a guaranteed way to make more cysts. For everyone else with hormonal sensitivity, it might not cause cysts, but it will disrupt your system.

Sometimes it seems like coffee is our national drug of choice. We’re too often overworked, under-rested, plus poorly fed, and so coffee has become the crutch many of us use just to get through another busy day. A lot of people feel like coffee must be good for them in one way or another, and with all of the extraordinary marketing by big brands and continuously reported contradictory research, of course you would. The truth however is that we’re addicted and we don’t know the biochemical effects of this substance on our hormones.

Coffee is absolutely terrible when it comes to the female hormonal ecosystem and beyond this cyst formation situation, there are 3 other reasons it’s not good for us ladies. If you’re struggling with your period, fibroids, cysts of any kind in the breast or ovary, endometriosis, infertility, low sex drive, moodiness, low energy, and weight issues – coffee is making all of these problems much worse.

Reason #2 - Your Genes Determine If You Can Metabolize Caffeine Safely

‍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 dictate how your liver will be able to break down and eliminate caffeine from your system.  Based on your gene variation, you’ll either make a lot of this enzyme (and be a successful caffeine drinker) or a little. Turns out only 10% of the population make a lot of this enzyme!  

If you are a slow metabolizer, a 2006 study showed that you are at an elevated risk of suffering a heart attack from consuming 2 or more cups of coffee a day. With heart disease being the number 1 killer of women, it seems that every woman should be testing their genes before consuming this substance!

Here’s the other interesting thing about this, CYP1A2, is also involved by the liver in the metabolism of estrogen. So if you haven’t had your genetic testing done, but you struggle with PMS, a diagnosed estrogen-dominant condition like PCOS, Fibroids, Endometriosis, etc, then you have reason to suspect that you may have a mutation with this gene and are making less of this enzyme needed not only to break down caffeine but also estrogen.

In 2008, research was done to build on the earlier studies linking caffeine to breast tissue changes and showed some association with increased risk of breast cancer.  Perhaps the variation in risk factors has something to do with this gene variation. If there’s a history of breast cancer in your family, then this is important information to consider. This is why getting off caffeine is such an important part of the FLO protocol - you’re here because you are struggling with the various ways estrogen dominance can present in the body and we want to remove all obstacles from the endocrine system so it can break that hormone down more efficiently.

Reason #3 –  Caffeine Increases Infertility Rates!  

It’s alarming how significant an impact this has on fertility for both men and women, and yet it’s rarely ever mentioned as a dietary change required when pursuing conception by any means, natural or medically supported. Not all females are focused on fertility, but if you are, here are the research links to help you understand more how coffee can impact fertility:

• 3 cups of coffee a day consumed by women or men increases the risk of miscarriage dramatically – by 74%
• Caffeine is associated with sub-optimal or suppressed fertility and, therefore, difficulties conceiving
• Drinking caffeinated beverages during early pregnancy (before you may know that you’re pregnant) increases the risk of early pregnancy loss
• Caffeine is considered an impairment to fertility alongside alcohol and smoking
• Men who drink 2 of more cups of coffee a day had a lower chance of conception via IVF
• Coffee disrupts ovulation by increasing cortisol levels and stressing the adrenals
• Coffee depletes vital vitamins and minerals needed for ovulation and healthy fertility (including absolutely necessary B vitamins and folate)  and coffee’s acidity causes gut health problems  

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One more Reason – Caffeine depletes the body of micronutrients essential for hormone balance

‍We all know not to drink coffee when we’re pregnant or breastfeeding, but the fact of the matter is – at every stage it is bad news for your hormones. Coffee flushes magnesium and other nutrients and minerals that are vital for happy hormones, such as B vitamins from your system. Here’s more from me on why magnesium is so very important for your ovaries.

The acidity of coffee also causes an imbalance in your gut flora and makes it harder for you to absorb the goodness of even the healthiest of diets. This makes it harder for your endocrine system to do its job of balancing your hormones. Taking supplements is key when recovering from caffeine exposure - these are the optimal supplements you need to replenish your levels.  

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The Bulletproof Coffee Dilemma and Biohacking Your Energy as a Woman

You've no doubt heard of Dave Asprey and his work with Bulletproof Coffee. Coffee is an essential biohacking tool for men who experience profound daily energy dips, particularly as they run out of their testosterone and cortisol supply for the day. You however, as a woman, do not have that issue, and do not need to compensate for your energy in this way.  

In a male-centric health paradigm, boosting their energy with caffeine makes sense for their bodies and the lifestyle that is patterned after their hormones. In the female-centric health paradigm, you want to boost your energy by supporting your blood sugar and your adrenals to give you sustainable energy all throughout the day, as your estrogen and progesterone, testosterone, and insulin fluctuate throughout the month. Eliminating coffee and Cycle Syncing® your diet is the best way to bio-hack your way to more energy.

For example, men are not designed to hold nutrients for as long as women are. Women are brilliantly designed to conserve as much energy from whatever we’re taking in so we can grown other tiny humans in our uterus. Whether you are actively doing this or not, your body simply retains fluids for much longer and we metabolize the chemicals contained much more slowly.

If you do choose to consume it, and you have the genes to metabolize it, then absolutely add healthy fats to the coffee – especially coconut oil – to help your blood sugar cope with the caffeine.

The coffee detox – my 5-step guide to making the transition

If you want to wean yourself off of coffee, you need to first ask yourself this question – why do I drink it? If it’s because you truly love the taste, I have a 5 step strategy for you to keep the habit under control and make it less harmful to your hormones. If you like coffee because it keeps you awake and gives you energy, well I have a 5 step strategy for you too to heal your fatigue and boost your energy.

‍Scenario 1: OK, I get that it’s bad for me, but I’m never going to cut it out completely. What can I do to minimize the damage?

‍So, for those of you who just love the taste and do not rely on it to feel awake in the morning or to concentrate or to get through the day (be honest!) here’s how to minimize those bad effects:

1. Ditch the White Stuff – Lose the sugar and the cream and minimize the blood sugar impact. Try opting for no or low-glycemic sweetener and coconut milk instead.
2. Size Matters –  Take the European approach to coffee drinking. Drink a small cup of fresh espresso, rather than a giant cup from Starbucks.
3. Only with Food –  Again, the Europeans have this right. Drink your small cup of coffee after or during a full meal. If you enjoy the taste, you should be savoring it – not gulping it down on the run or as you dash to the office.
4. Replenish your Nutrient levels - take the FLO Balance Supplements to ensure you rebuild your lost magnesium and B vitamins & help your gut and your liver deal with the caffeine exposure.  
5. Begin Cycle Syncing® to decrease cravings - when you eat, exercise, and work in a way that supports your fluctuating hormones, you build energy daily, instead of working against your hormones and leaving yourself drained.  You’ll naturally crave less coffee! Download the MyFLO app for the ultimate Cycle Syncing® guide.

Scenario 2: Ok, I now see that this is probably making my symptoms worse and I want to stop, but the withdrawal is bad. What can I do to wean off of it for good?

For those of you who find yourselves groggy and tired even after what seems like a full night’s sleep, you might well be suffering with adrenal fatigue. Rather than jacking up your energy levels artificially, you need to think about healing your adrenal glands. Here’s how to start that process:

1. Calorie Load for Breakfast – Eat a really good, big breakfast every day. Have a two egg omelette with spinach plus gluten-free bread and avocado. Make it the central meal of your day. This is eating with the natural biorhythm of your body. Your body needs fuel early rather than in the evening when it’s preparing for rest.
2. Boost Your Adrenal Support – Support your need for mental focus with ginkgo biloba and rhodiola. For natural and sustainable energy take ashwagandha, vitamin B12 and vitamin B5. To reduce stress and calm your cortisol, drink holy basil tea.
3. My Ultimate Substitute – Swap coffee for kukicha or “twig” tea, which is made from the roasted stem which green tea leaves are plucked from. It has a nutty taste and is perfect any time of the day. It’s also alkalizing for the blood versus an acid-forming cup of coffee. I am a tea collector, and I know that most herbal tea over time just tastes like hot potpourri. But kukicha tea is in a non-floral, non-herbaceous class by itself – you will LOVE it (and want to keep it in your bag at all times!)
4. Replenish your Nutrient levels - take the FLO Balance Supplements to ensure you rebuild your lost magnesium and B vitamins and help your adrenals, gut and your liver heal from the long term caffeine exposure.
5. Begin Cycle Syncing® to build energy - when you eat, exercise, and work in a way that supports your fluctuating hormones, you build energy daily, instead of working against your hormones and leave yourself drained.  Download the MyFLO app for the ultimate Cycle Syncing® guide.

One of the pillars of the Flo Living lifestyle is eliminating dairy. The truth is that dairy is bad for our hormones - it is a root cause of PMS, PCOS, acne, endometriosis, and infertility issues. We don’t need it and we can get all of the nutrients - including calcium - perfectly well from other foods. Getting rid of dairy will only have a positive impact on your overall health. Trust me!

My dairy-free journey‍

I have been dairy free for 17 years and being strict about this was absolutely essential for me to reverse my PCOS symptoms, clear my skin, and get pregnant with my daughter. I’ve never missed or craved dairy ever, but interestingly enough when I was pregnant, my body told me that I needed to introduce some dairy back into my diet. I always listen to my body, and so I very carefully experimented with adding in some dairy.

I have to be honest, I was pretty scared to try adding this back in given how severe my reaction used to be to dairy - my skin would break out in hives and my stomach would be miserable for days. I knew that the only healthy way I could do this, however, was to choose plain goat milk-based yogurt. So, three times a week I would eat a little bit of that goat yogurt and my body thanked me for it - not one negative symptom.

Now however, as I continue with this protocol while I am breast-feeding, I’m finding that I’m starting to show clear signs of my body’s sensitivity to dairy once again - the congestion, the running nose, the sneezing. This has showed me that although I am able to use dairy medicinally short-term, soon it will be time for me to stop and go dairy-free again. And I won’t be giving cow dairy to my daughter - why set her up for hormonal chaos if I don’t have to?  She’ll get goat-milk kefir which also packs a probiotic punch when the time comes.

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The dangers of dairy

The moral of my story is: if you feel the need to have dairy - always go with goat! The majority of dairy cows in the US are injected with a genetically modified growth hormone that causes them to produce more milk than they would naturally. So when you eat or drink this milk, you too are consuming the artificial hormones. The majority of cows are also treated with antibiotics, which your body will then absorb. Plus, they’re fed GMO corn or soy. All three parts of this process combine in your body to wreck your hormonal ecosystem.

‍4 ways dairy is hurting your hormones:

1. Dairy creates inflammation in the intestinal tract which can hinder your fertility.
2. Dairy can throw off your body’s own estrogen production by introducing artificial growth hormones.
3. Dairy containing antibiotics will negatively impact your microbiome, thereby preventing estrogen metabolism.
4. Dairy depletes your magnesium stores, which throws off your pituitary gland and the rest of the adrenal glands.

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The calcium paradox  

‍I suggest you pick up a copy of Annemarie Colbin’s, Food and our Bones: The Natural Way To Prevent Osteoporosis - her work completely undermines the mythology around dairy which we’ve all grown up with. Rather than helping us to form strong bones, dairy actually leaches calcium out of our bones, making us more susceptible to osteoporosis. Cobin does not recommend calcium supplements or pills, but instead a diet rich in vegetables, fruits and greens. Cobin discovered it was those women living in dairy-dominant cultures such as the US and northern Europe that actually had the highest incidences of osteoporosis, as well as heart disease and breast cancer.

We’ve long been told milk is keeping us healthy and strong, when it’s actually doing the opposite. Studies also show that taking calcium supplements will not save us from bone fractures in our old age. In fact, too much calcium supplementation in pill form can lead to kidney stones and, potentially, a higher risk of heart disease.‍

‍The 10 best (and surprising!) sources of calcium

If you’ve been relying on dairy, then you’ve not been getting enough calcium. Here are foods to fill your plate with that are packed with calcium and other beneficial nutrient combinations.

1. Sardines (with the bones) - Click here for my personal recipe!
2. Dried figs
3. Bok choy
4. Kale
5. Almonds
6. Oranges
7. Sesame seeds
8. Oatmeal
9. Seaweed
10. Collard greens

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Tips to help eliminate dairy‍

Hopefully all of this information has helped you decide to go dairy-free! If you’ve been eating a dairy rich diet for some time, there are 3 steps you can take to speed up the elimination process and get your hormones back on track.

Step 1 - Do my 4-Day Hormone Detox - it’s free!

Step 2 -  Add 2 tsp of organic flax meal daily - to scrape out (gently) all that casein that has been accumulating in your intestinal tract and causing inflammation.

Step 3 -  Use warming spices like cinnamon, turmeric and cayenne pepper daily - to dry out the mucus that dairy produces in the body.

Poorly-managed blood sugar is the root of all hormonal health issues. I have yet to meet one woman suffering with PMS, low libido, infertility, or painful periods who had her blood-sugar levels balanced out. That’s because it’s impossible to have well-controlled blood sugar without making a conscious effort.Imagine a chart with a flat horizontal line running across. My goal is to have you, and all women, see only gentle undulations from that ideal blood sugar stasis and not the dramatic peaks and troughs that most of us will experience if we don’t keep an eye on what we eat. Those peaks and troughs are what make us soar and then crash in our moods and they spell disaster for our hormones.Make friends with your sugar gremlinsThe great news is that this goal can be met without you having to take an austerity approach of cutting out all sugar entirely. Phew! That’s right - it’s just one reason the Flo Living way is better than all those elimination-based diets!The fact of the matter is that it’s normal to have sugar cravings. Our bodies need glucose to function. It’s your brain’s primary source of fuel. Without some, you’re going to feel miserable. So, I’m not here to tell you to stop eating cake, brownies or pudding completely. I promise!Even I have certain times of the month when I crave sweet treats. The difference is that when my sugar gremlins come calling, I’m ready for them with smart and healthy choices to satisfy their needs!Hidden sugars in healthy dietsDid you all see the documentary Fed Up? It’s a must-see! One really important takeaway from that movie is that even those women with the best intentions don’t realize just how much sugar they’re consuming on a daily basis. The average American diet is full of hidden sugars. One serving of many packaged foods is giving us our sugar allotment for several days. The so-called “healthy” packaged foods are the worst for this.Another crucial point made in the film is that although we may think that we’re eating well - having lots of juices and smoothies, for example - those fruit sugars without the fibre pairing are actually no different to eating a brownie or a piece of cake! Eek!So what do I give my sugar gremlins to keep them quiet? I’m going to let you in on my favorite recipes for sweet treats. I’m already working on my daughter’s first birthday cake recipe and I’ll fill you in on that when it’s perfected!

Alisa’s favorite sweet treat recipes

Chocolate Avocado Pudding3 ripe avocados4 soaked dates1/4 cup coconut nectar plus 2T maple syrup1/2 cup raw cacao powder1/2 cup almond milk1 tsp cinnamon, 1 tsp vanilla extract, 1/2 tsp pink himalayan saltInstructions:Add all to Vitamix or food processor and puree until smoothtaste and adjust for sweetness and texture with more sweetener and milkserve on millet toast for breakfast or have in a coupe glass for dessert!!Chocolate Sweet Potato Brownies1 raw medium sweet potato (purple skin/white flesh) - 2 1/2 cups when grated2 whole eggs½ cup melted coconut oil⅓ cup honey or coconut nectar2 teaspoons vanilla extract½ cup raw cacao powder1 teaspoon baking powder1 teaspoon baking soda2½ tablespoon coconut flour¼ tsp pink himalayan saltInstructions:Preheat oven to 375 °FCombine wet: grated sweet potato, eggs, vanilla, honey and coconut oil oil in a large mixing bowl and stir together until well incorporated.Mix dry: cacao powder, baking powder, baking soda, salt and coconut flour.Combine wet into dry and mix well.Pour the mixture into a 9 inch square baking tin lined with parchment paper.Cook for 25-30 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes before carefully removing the brownies from the tin.Serve with raspberries or strawberries and maybe some coconut yogurt to be extra decadent.Banana Bread3 bananas1/3 cup coconut oil1 egg1 tsp vanilla1/4 cup coconut nectar1.5 cups oat flour1 tsp cinnamon1 tsp baking powder1/2 tsp baking soda1/4 tsp saltInstructions:Mix wet into dry, pour mixture into a parchment lined loaf pan, bake at 350 degrees for 45-50 min and let cool completely.Fruit cobbler4 pears, cored, sliced½ bag of frozen blueberriesjuice of ½ lemon½ tsp cinnamon, pinch of salt2 T coconut oil1 tsp arrowrootInstructions:Combine all the ingredients in a 14 inch casserole baking dish.Sprinkle gluten free/sugar free plain granola on top (Udi’s or Elizabeth’s).Cover with aluminum foil.Bake at 350 for 30 min covered.Let sit 15 minutes uncovered and cool.Serve with fresh mint and coconut yogurt or a drizzle of honey.

The secret to sweetening

Now I’ve made you hungry with all of those yummy recipes, I want to share the secret to using alternative sweeteners. Anything that isn’t the white (or brown) stuff, as in pure sugar, is a better choice, but not all sweeteners are equal.Here’s the SWEET TRUTH: When it comes down to it, sugar is sugar is sugar. And a paleo/vegan/gluten-free cupcake is still a cupcake!It’s key to approach everything sweet with moderation in mind. None of my recipes contain much in the way of sweetener and that’s because your body doesn’t need much to feel satisfied. They certainly contain less than even the healthiest recipes you’ll find in most books or online. Aim instead to only use ¼ of cup or 4 tablespoons for any recipe you come across.Regardless of which sweetener I use, my body reacts to it. Remember that flat line on the chart I mentioned earlier? Well, all the alternative sweeteners out there will make that line move up and down somewhat and change how you feel in the hours after. All of them will impact your hormonal health. So let’s keep things moderate and balanced!The best sweetenersThe two sweeteners that do the least to disturb my blood sugar stasis are honey and coconut nectar. Both of which happen to be great for baking!I also recommend date sugar as it’s very natural - it’s literally just crushed-up dates! Date sugar is also a great substitute that actually acts and works like sugar, if you’re into baking cakes and other serious confections.Molasses has excellent medicinal properties, you just have to keep in mind it’s specific and strong flavor (like that found in gingerbread).If you’re looking to use a sweetener outside of baking, say to sweeten your tea, then agave and honey are better than stevia (which, by the way, has pregnancy-prevention properties) but Stevia is great if you’re not trying to get pregnant.Lose the processed white flour and dairy too!It’s actually really easy to also avoid processed white flour and dairy when baking sweet treats along with the sugar. Give it a try, you might be surprised about what you don’t need!My baking tipsOat, brown rice or buckwheat flour are the best alternatives to the white processed kind.Coconut oil is a great butter substitute.Almond milk will replace any dairy requirements in recipes.A substitute egg can be created simply with water and flax seeds - it’s called a ‘Flax Egg’So, yes, you can eat cake! Just not every day…;)Good things come in threes:

I want to hear from you!

First, what do your sugar gremlins crave? When do they appear? Second, which one of my recipes are you going to try? I’d love to know how it works out and share your photos with me!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!

In this exciting new series for our blog, I’ll take a look back at the month’s news - from celebrity life updates to important research studies - that put hormones in the headlines.I’ll be giving my take on what’s current, topical and trendy and asking you all to share your own thoughts and feelings about the hot topics that we cover.So, let’s get started.Tell me what you think. How do these issues impact you?1.) Angelina Jolie has her ovaries removed to avoid cancer.I just wanted to think through her choice here and I find myself left with some big questions for all of us.I really feel for Angelina and I think she is courageous in taking these steps for her own health and for the sake of her children. The BRCA gene, as with any gene, can be impacted by diet and lifestyle. A carrier of this gene who eats and lives in a healthy way will decrease the likelihood that the gene will be triggered or turned on and, therefore, become harmful. I think we can assume that Angelina eats well and lives a healthy lifestyle, taking in few, if any, inflammatory foods. And yet her tests showed inflammatory markers, regardless. That’s a testament to the genetic card she has been dealt. Despite her best efforts she can not turn this gene off.Removing your breasts is one thing, but removing your ovaries has a far more dramatic health impact. By removing the ovaries, Angelina has entered menopause and will experience a huge hormonal shift as a result. Without the estrogen patch (synthetic or not) and the progestin-secreting IUD she is currently using, she would otherwise age dramatically within the first year after surgery. The change would be obvious in her appearance - her skin, her weight, all of this would change. The hormone supplementation will keep her looking, and feeling, more youthful, although it will come with other side effects.Angelina’s double mastectomy may have helped her avoid using the estrogen suppressing medications most women with breast cancer have to take post-treatment, which also have an aging effect on the body. Yet now she must opt for the patch and the IUD to maintain her hormone levels. She is navigating a very complex situation and making choices as best she can with the information she is provided.She knows she’s not out of the woods. Removing estrogen sensitive organs and tissues does not ensure that the gene will not express itself in another area - the uterus, cervix, or other estrogen sensitive tissues. If she is not avoiding inflammatory foods, now would be the time to do so if she is to avoid hysterectomy and further surgeries.What I find incredibly brave about Angelina’s choice is that essentially she has given her body over as a science experiment. What I find frustrating is that neither she nor her medical practitioners have any way of knowing whether this will work as hoped. What’s probably more scary for the rest of us is knowing that she has access to the best medical care money can buy and yet this drastic surgery is her only option and she has little assurance that it will help her avoid cancer entirely.I’m left a bit curious and concerned - we’ve been wearing pink ribbons for breast cancer research for decades and yet here’s Angelina stabbing around in the dark for a solution. In the end I feel like this makes me wonder how we can have not come up with better options for women facing cancer. Why do the medical advances in this area fall short? Why must she depend on such drastic invasive surgeries?2.) Kim Kardashian struggles with infertility.I happened to catch a glimpse of this segment where she was a platinum blonde and when asked why she went there, her answer had to do with her fertility and not fashion - so of course my ears perked up.Kim feels like she has been doing everything “right” to have baby number two with Kanye - including not coloring her hair. It hasn’t worked yet, and so she is giving up being good, and the hair color was her way to “let go” of the process. Kim is right - “going with the flow” (or Flo ;) ) is a good idea if you have been getting stressed about conceiving. Stress can prevent ovulation. However Kim has admitted she has similar fertility issues to her sister Khloe who revealed that she “does not ovulate.” I would speculate that Khloe has PCOS, which is one of the easiest hormone conditions to treat with diet and lifestyle changes. Many women have turned a PCOS diagnosis around by following the Flo protocol and I only wish I could get this information to the sisters. Interestingly enough, Kourtney has a grasp of healthy diet and lifestyle and she now has three babies, though her genetics would have her be equally disposed to the same fertility challenges as her sisters.My concern, however, is that women watching this story unfold will feel discouraged. They will think - if these women with all the money in the world and the best fertility doctors at their disposal can’t get pregnant naturally or with IVF, then what hope is there for them here? It suggests that women without the access to this kind of medical care might as well give up and get IVF or a surrogate, and how many people can afford either? Khloe and Kim are incredibly privileged and yet they still aren’t getting the right information on what to do to heal their bodies and have the babies they want. Options like IVF and egg freezing give us a false sense of control and they do not work often enough to be the default action. What we ought to be doing is figuring out how to make our bodies work how we want and need them to work. It’s not Khloe and Kim’s fault, it’s just that we don’t have the right kind of healthcare for women yet.3.) The birth control is linked to increased risk of Crohn’s Disease.This is huge news!Taking synthetic hormone replacement of any kind is health-altering and here's one more study that shows us yet a new way the Pill can wreak havoc on your health. If you have digestive issues or a history of issues in your family, you want to read this and then seriously consider ditching your birth control pills ASAP.4.) Are women biologically superior to men? Would the world be better if run by women?Umm...OF COURSE we are!! Why else would our gender be exclusively encoded with the ability to make new tiny humans? Our double X chromosomes are actually heartier, our immune system, absorption system, conservation system, and cross hemisphere brain communication are all more robust. As far as how the world would be if it were run by more women, well of course I think that’s a no brainer, but thank goodness there’s now research to solidly back this up. I was introduced to this research at my first TEDXWomen in DC when the author of The Athena Doctrine (one of two men speaking that day) shared his extraordinary and long overdue research about how countries that leverage women, feminine values, and the female brain are the ones that have the most economic and social stability in our present day. Again, I say - OBVI!!! I am eager to see our first female president in the US - like next election!!5.) Are there benefits to being a Moody Bitch?I love this! You are being overmedicated and now there's a book detailing all the studies and science about what is normal for your moods as women and why you don't need all of this unnecessary medication! Could this book be one of the sequels to the Feminine Mystique? I cannot wait to interview the author and share more of her findings with you!!Good things come in threes:

I want to hear from you!

First, have you been affected by any of these issues in the hormone headlines? Second, what’s your take? Share your opinion with me in the comments and on social media. 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!

Are you in a Kale and Broccoli rut? Do you keep meaning to try new greens but you don’t know where to start? Do you struggle with the symptoms of excess estrogen: acne, bloating, irritability, fatigue, insomnia, low libido, infertility, and period problems?

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If your answer is yes, it’s time to take the 4 week FLO Food challenge!

‍One of the great things about the WomanCode diet is that it truly simplifies your food shopping experience. By cutting down on waste and streamlining your weekly meal plan, eating in your Flo will also shrink your spending dramatically.

Most people expect any major lifestyle change to be both costly and time-consuming. Flo Living is the opposite, especially when it comes to my diet protocol. I created this for women just like me who are busy building businesses, families, and having fun.  

Give yourself time to get used to this new way of thinking, eating, and shopping. It won’t be second nature right away, but it won’t take long.

‍Click here to check out how other successful women organize their pantries and shopping lists.

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Here’s how it works:

Each phase of your hormone cycle (a phase is usually one week in length give or take, so it's perfect for scheduling your regular weekly grocery run) correlates to a new set of meats, grains, vegetables, fruits, legumes, and seafood for your menu. I want you to start with just ONE change. And I want this one change to make a BIG difference in your health!  

So, the 4 week FLO Food challenge was born! It’s totally easy - pick a few veggies from the lists below based on where you are in your cycle and eat them that week. Change the veggies for each of the 4 weeks. That’s it!I created a handy reference for you to shop the produce aisle or farmer’s market so you get more GREENS in during the right times of your cycle! Most symptoms that occur from hormonal imbalance issues are the result of excess estrogen. These foods here support the metabolization of estrogen through your elimination organs and the removal of that unwanted excess from your body.  By incorporating these greens at these specific times, you enhance your body’s ability to metabolize estrogen and your symptoms will disappear.

‍The big question: Do I always have to eat with my cycle? Actually, no.(I bet you weren’t expecting that answer!)I just want to get you started eating in your FLO or Cycle-Syncing as I call it. I know how powerful it is, and even trying just the veggie piece of this will change your health for the better! So, take this guide with you to the supermarket or farmer’s market and as long as you make sure the majority of what you buy is in alignment with your cycle phase you’ll be feeling great in no time! You can add in foods from the other phases depending on what you want and what’s in season. All of these foods are healthy and hormonally supportive.

‍What if my Cycle is Off? The majority of women have a cycle that is too long or too short.  All the more reason to start cycle-syncing your diet to get back into proper FLO time!However, if you don’t know where to start because you are not sure where you are in your cycle right now for whatever reason, you have 2 options:Beginner - just start this week as your follicular week and continue on from there.Advanced - google the moon phases for this month and follow accordingly (the full moon indicates the ovulatory phase, new moon is menstrual, waning moon is luteal, waxing moon is follicular).

Your 4 Week FLO Food Challenge Shopping Guide

Follicular phase (before you ovulate, after your period) Artichoke, broccoli, carrot, parsley, green peas, string beans and zucchini

‍Ovulatory phase (when you’re ovulating) Asparagus, brussels sprouts, chard, escarole, scallion, spinach

‍Luteal phase (before you have your period) Cauliflower, collard greens, daikon, onion, parsnip, radish, squash, sweet potato

‍Menstrual phase (your period) Beet, kale, kelp, mushrooms

Get my guide - The 5 C’s of Self-Pleasure

Fifty Shades of Grey the movie is about to drop. It’s gonna be interesting! Regardless of the quality of the film, anything that helps women get in touch with their pleasure and turns them on is fantastic.

If you find yourself hormonally imbalanced plus busy, and therefore relying on your vibrator to get the job done fast, so to speak, you may be robbing your body of a key hormone balancing opportunity.

Doing self-pleasure correctly, however, will restore regular cycles, clear your skin and create an overall healthier hormonal balance.

‍Tweet: Orgasm balances hormones!

‍Here’s the deal - the problem with vibrators is that they bypass the plateau phase of orgasm.

The plateau or orgasmic phase is the continuation of your initial arousal, before you climax. The longer the plateau the more nitric oxide and oxytocin your body produces. This has healing benefits for the whole endocrine system and advantages include a more regular cycle, clearer skin and increased immunity. Here I share more about how getting hot and heavy is good for your health.

A vibrator sends you quickly to climax, sure, but you’re missing out on a lot of the goodness of a full orgasmic experience. You also might find you have that “fried” feeling afterwards, meaning you can’t hope for multiple orgasms, and who doesn’t hope for those?!‍

Sexy Brain

‍It can seem daunting to give up the buzz.  You turn the device on and then immediately turn yourself on. When you commit to going device free, you have got to use your brain a bit to get the party started.

Reading erotica is a wonderful way for women to get in the mood and warm themselves up to receiving accessory-free pleasure.  Take a wander around Literotica.com where you can find free fantasy tales of all different genres.  You may even find your new Fifty Shades-style favorite there!

Feeding your Orgasm

If you’ve been having trouble reaching climax or wanting to even try, you’ll first need to rebalance your progesterone, estrogen and testosterone levels. This will help to get all the neurochemicals involved in your arousal buzzing.The best way to do this is with food - healthy fats like avocados, nuts and seeds especially - plus a daily supplement of vitamin C with bioflavonoids and ashwagandha. Read more about my eating strategies for improving your sex drive here.Tweet: Avocados make me hot ;)

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‍Pleasure Research

‍Investigate some new strategies from some sexperts! Three favorites on my bookshelf:

‍The Emergence of the Sensual WomanMama Gena’s School of Womanly ArtsThe Illustrated Guide to Extended Massive Orgasm

The 5 C’s of self-pleasure:

Getting handy gives you way more hormonal bang for your pleasure! Start with 30 minutes once a week and build from there.

1. Center - Do what you need to do to feel calm and centered - light candles, draw a hot bath, change to fresh sheets on the bed, play music...whatever you like.
2. Circle - avoid your nipples, areolae and clitoris for the first fifteen minutes. Stimulate your inner thighs, hips, innerarms, abdomen and upper chest with your hands.
3. Clitoris -  Use Aloecadabra on your clitoris. Take time to experience the plateau phase and create a building orgasmic sensation instead of focusing on the climax. Stimulate your inner labia and areas around clitoris to see what works for you.
4. Climax -  When you feel you’re ready to climax, use your hands, or, this is the time to take out the vibrator and set it to the very lowest setting.
5. Calm -  Be sure to allow yourself a proper resolution phase. This means staying still and quiet for a few minutes after climax. Relax and put one hand on your heart and the other on your belly. Breathe and just be with yourself for a while to soak in all those sensations.

Many of the women I’ve worked with over the years have struggled to maintain their otherwise healthy eating habits when they’re in their pre-menstrual or luteal phase. It’s then that their resolve is weakest. I get it - the intense cravings that PMS brings can derail the best of us.But I’ve also met with many women too for whom a day that doesn’t start with coffee and end with a big bowl of pasta is rare. Their cravings become the crutches that get them through the work week.Maintaining a nourishing, nurturing diet to balance your hormones throughout your cycle will go a long way towards lessening the urge to reach for unhealthy foods.Tweetable: The cure for PMS cravings is food!I help women tackle the root cause of why they feel that they just have to have something that they really shouldn’t. I also know that sometimes having a healthy, tasty alternative on hand can work wonders in curbing an urgent appetite.

Gotta have it...

Coffee - why do I feel like I need it? Your coffee habit is the result adrenal fatigue. Your body is lacking cortisol and desperately desires a boost to get you through the day.What’s the alternative?You don’t need to go cold turkey, a step down method will be much more effective and long-lasting. Try a yerba mate tea instead. This will still provide the caffeine you crave, but most women find it has less of the unpleasant side effects associated with coffee, like the anxiety and jitters. Transition after a few weeks to kukicha tea, which has a nutty, non-herbal flavor profile as it’s made from roasting the twigs that grow right below tea leaves. Kukicha still contains some caffeine, but not enough to negatively impact your health. Mixing kukicha with Oatstraw and Holy Basil tea will help support your adrenals and bring them back in balance.Chocolate - why do I have to have it NOW?Your fixation on chocolate comes down to one of two health issues - a magnesiumdeficiency or an overgrowth of bad bacteria and yeast in your gut, which makes you crave sugar. If this craving really gets you when your pre-menstrual, start taking magnesium supplements daily.What’s the alternative?The GREAT news here is that chocolate is a superfood and I eat a little chocolate most days myself, BUT it’s all about what kind of chocolate you have. Chocolate with dairy and sugar is a no-go, but good quality, organic, dark chocolate with minimal or, even better, no sugar or dairy at all is not only a great alternative, but actually good for you. Try my favorite brand Endangered Species.You can actually get a lot of chocolate into your diet by getting creative with raw cacao powder. Add that to smoothies, sprinkle on fruit salad, or try out this recipe for delicious Chocolate Buckwheat Pancakes.Tweetable: Chocolate is good for my PMSPasta - why do I dream about it?When only white carbs will do - be that a big pile of spaghetti or a loaf of white bread - typically it’s blood sugar instability and vitamin B deficiency that’s the problem behind-the-scenes. Your hormones are finding it hard to help you gage real hunger pangs and forcing you into a frenzy. Often a routine of eating very little or sporadically during the day leads to a huge white carb-heavy dinner.What’s the alternative?Instead of feeling like you need to eliminate this food group altogether, it’s better to incorporate healthy carbs into your daily meals. That’s oatmeal for breakfast, buckwheat at lunch, quinoa for dinner - these will all fill you up quicker than white bread and white pasta, keep your blood sugar stable, boost B vitamin stores, plus they will curb the cravings. Eating well and regularly will also help you avoid that end of day crash and the resulting carbo-load. Soda - what’s my problem?Your taste for soda is springing from dehydration. The salt (yes, salt!) in soda makes you crave it all the more. That addictive sweet/salty profile pushes you to need more liquid to quench the thirst it itself has caused, and so you drink yet more soda. Clever, right?What’s the alternative?Increasing electrolytes is the best way to combat dehydration. Coconut water has a similarly sweet taste to soda, as well as that appealing salty twang. But it’s also hydrating and will heal the damage done to your body by a soda habit. Then there’s always carbonated water with a little fruit juice mixed in.If you find you’re craving saltiness in general try swapping out the table salt and sea salt in your pantry for the nutrient-rich Himalayan pink salt (now in most supermarkets) to satisfy that need.Steak - what’s the reason?If this is an overwhelming urge you likely have an iron deficiency. By all means, have some steak when you’re in your pre-menstrual or luteal phase! I’d prefer you to have bison or lamb organic/grassfed in this situation rather than a greasy diner burger. If you don’t like or want to eat red meat, or if you just can’t seem to get enough ever, then you might need to supplement your diet to up those iron levels.What’s the alternative?Take liquid chlorophyll. It’s only one molecule different from hemoglobin and instead of iron has magnesium at its center, which is essential for alleviating symptoms of hormonal imbalance. It’s a much better healer of anemia than iron supplements (or steak!) for women.Good things come in threes:

Now, I want to hear from you!

First: Tell me what you are craving! If it's not mentioned here, I'll cover it next time. Second: We can #cutcravings together! What do you reach for instead of the cookie jar? 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!

Many women come to me believing that eating right and eating well is too expensive for their budget and way too time-consuming. We have been seduced into thinking stocking up on pre-packaged foods and frozen dinners or eating fast food actually saves us money as well as time.But here at FLO Living we cook once on Sunday and maybe once if needed on Thursday.And what we cook can cut your grocery bill in half.How does that work?I KEEP IT SIMPLE.I would LOVE to get all cheffy in the kitchen more often - I’m a great cook, BUT, I’ve got a 3 month old, a business to run, and a body to care for - so for me, I don’t go nuts with recipes.I just boil, bake, or saute and that’s that! I find that taking the pressure of perfection off makes it much more enjoyable for me to cook and ensures that I do in fact get the cooking handled for the week.Here’s what fed me and my family this week (well, the baby got breastmilk, and that’s free!):Quinoa - I cooked enough (2 cups dry) at the weekend to last through the week.Tuscan kale, swiss chard, cilantro saute - two heads of the kale and chard and one of cilanto lasted us the whole week.

Chicken soup - I took one organic whole chicken and cooked it up with carrots, celery and onions at the start of the week and we had it every day.Salmon fillets with sweet potatoes - I roasted these together and made several meals at once.I always keep a dozen eggs in the fridge for making scramble for breakfast.I also always have oatmeal on hand, which I mix with cinnamon, sunflower seeds and apple sauce.Plus avocados and Garden of Life Black Rice Bread for my favorite Avo Toast snack.And OF COURSE, dark chocolate - my favorite (and though it’s probably not true, it feels like I’ve sampled ALL the chocolate brands out there) is Endangered Species 72% dark chocolate.

Invest in you

The dollars invested in my weekly diet are a deductible against my long term health costs.Think back to last year and how many days you had to take off for doctor’s visits and cramps due on your hormone imbalances. Not to mention the decreased immunity that comes with adrenal fatigue creating regular sick days.Having spent a long time suffering with poor health myself, I know this all too well.You might now be seeing your mother struggling with health issues, medical bills piling up - health issues that are rooted in a lifetime of unhealthy eating and unresolved hormone imbalances.Thanks to the findings of the BioCycle Study from the NIH, we know that unresolved PMS and other period issues in your 20s and 30s, increase your risk for serious illnesses like heart disease and cancer post-menopausally.

If we’re not spending money on what we’re eating, we’re definitely spending the money with the doctor and specialists, on drugs and surgeries.Or we’re spending money on products that promise to cure or hide our acne and expensive monthly facials.We’re hoarding products we hope will make our hair thicker and glossier or shelling out on waxing treatments to get rid of the excess hair we don’t want.We’re shelling out thousands of dollars to make our cramps go away, get our sex drive back, lose weight, or get pregnant.And then chronic colds and flu are keeping us out of work and making us fall behind with our career plan.I know all this because I’ve been there, done that.If I’d continued another decade that way, there is no way I could have hoped to give birth at 38 without the help of IVF, which is extremely expensive and entirely unhealthy.

How do I do it?

I’m not only a functional nutritionist, I’m also a coach and I can tell you that the secret to staying in the FLO comes from a key mindset shift.In fact, this shift has been researched by major universities and they have found that this is the one key to having your life turn out optimally.

Here’s the secret shift:

If you can overcome your tendency to focus on present, immediate pleasures (like having those cupcakes) and instead delay your gratification and in fact find pleasure in new healthy behaviors (like eating dark chocolate squares instead), you will be setting yourself up, ironically enough, for more short term AND long term good health!Once you make this change and concentrate on overall quality of life, your whole future will be better for it, as will your family’s.It will save you money, save you time AND save your present and future health and that of everyone that you care for - budgeting for hormonal health never looked so good!And, good things come in threes, so:

I want to hear from you!

First: Tell me what you’re going to try from my prescription above and why.Second: Join us online to share how you #flothrifty with your recipes and ideas for keeping cooking simple and inexpensive. The best meals and tips will be featured there.Third: You know every one you know is hormonal – spread a little good ovary karma and click our social button below to share this article!

Need more Hormone Help?

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

Click here to get your quiz!

If you or a loved one suffers from endometriosis, you don’t need me to tell you how painful and debilitating the condition can be.You also probably don’t need me to tell you that conventional medical interventions for endometriosis are limited—and far from ideal. There are some things science knows for sure about endometriosis—for example, that the condition involves inflammation, estrogen excess, and an abnormal immune response—but one of the things science doesn’t know about endometriosis is the best way to treat it. To date, Western medicine’s best tools for dealing with endometriosis are non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) like ibuprofen or surgery. Both strategies are for pain control; neither one addresses root causes of the condition. But no woman with endometriosis needs to live without hope. Lifestyle strategies for reducing inflammation, strengthening the immune system, supporting the liver, and balancing hormones can make a huge difference in reducing symptoms and improving quality of life.

What is Endometriosis?

It is a painful, sometimes debilitating, condition that affects as many as one in 15 percent of women ages 15 to 44 in the United States. Endometriosis happens when endometrial tissue, which is normally found in the uterus, grows in places outside the uterus—places where it shouldn’t be. Most of the time this misplaced endometrial tissue lands on the ovaries or fallopian tubes or, painfully, on the abdomen. Because endometrial tissue responds to the same hormonal shifts that trigger the menstrual cycle, the pain associated with endometriosis will follow the same 28-day cycle as your period.Astonishingly, and sadly, many women with endometriosis aren’t diagnosed right away. The average delay in diagnosis is almost seven years. Seven years! This means many women suffer with terrible, sometimes crippling, endometriosis-related pain for the better part of a decade, thinking that it is just severe period problems. Endometriosis can happen to any menstruating women. But why the condition strikes some women and not others is not entirely clear. Some women may be genetically predisposed. Two other factors are: (1) a faulty immune system response—in women with endometriosis, the immune system fails to destroy the endometrial tissue that lands outside the uterus—and (2) excess estrogen in the body. Unfortunately, and simply by virtue of the world we live in today, excess estrogen in women (and many men) is more the norm than the exception. Inflammation also plays a role. And inflammation, like estrogen excess, is driven by lifestyle. What we eat and the toxins we are exposed to (and how well our bodies can detox them) drive inflammation and hormone imbalances.

Your 14-Step Guide to Addressing Endometriosis with Lifestyle & Diet

You can work to reduce inflammation, balance hormones, and support your immune system with food and lifestyle. Here’s what I recommend for helping ease endometriosis symptoms.

1. Start by limiting—and eventually eliminating—exposure to toxic forms of estrogen found in household cleaners, cosmetics, and bathroom products. Go through your house with a fine tooth comb and:
2. Replace cosmetic and body care products with natural alternatives, this includes, soap, shampoo, hair styling products, deodorant, lotions, cosmetics, and perfumes
3. Replace standard laundry soap with green alternatives. You can now find many clean alternatives on the shelves of big box stores, sitting side by side with the old (toxic) standbys. Clean alternatives are comparable in price and work just as well. You can opt for unscented products or products that have been scented with natural fragrance.
5. Replace household cleaning products with clean alternatives. You can buy effective products at almost all big box stores or you can make your own, which is cheaper and healthier. The main ingredients in most DIY cleaning products are vinegar and baking soda.
7. Take off your shoes at the door (and ask your guests to do the same). A lot of pesticides and other hormone-disrupting chemicals are tracked in on the bottom of shoes. Stopping those chemicals in their tracks is a great way to protect yourself!
8. Just say no to pesticides and other chemicals in your food. Shop organic exclusively if you can. If you are on a budget, avoid the dirty dozen (or buy them organic) and feel okay about buying the clean 15 even when not organic.
9. Emphasize dark leafy greens, cruciferous vegetables, low-glycemic fruits like berries and other high-fiber foods to support gut health and help your liver carry out important detox functions. The liver is responsible for breaking down and eliminating excess estrogen, and cruciferous vegetables directly support that detox process.
10. Eat more healthy fats like those found in olive oil, coconut oil, and avocados. Healthy fats help support healthy hormone ratios in the body.
11. Emphasize lean animal protein over other kinds of meat. They are less inflammatory.
12. Limit red meat. Studies have linked red meat consumption with increased risk for endometriosis.
13. Help kick your immune system into high gear with immune-supportive foods like carrots, kale, cabbage, broccoli, beets, artichokes, lemons, onions, garlic, and leeks.
14. Limit sugar. Sugar fuels inflammation.
15. Use targeted herbal support to further support liver detox and speed up estrogen metabolism. Think milk thistle, flax seeds, and dandelion root.
16. Take evening primrose oil to decrease inflammation.
17. Reduce or eliminate dairy, wheat, alcohol, and caffeine to improve your immune response.
18. Take a probiotic to rebalance gut flora and support estrogen metabolism.
19. Use Vitex and a B6 supplement daily to balance out excess estrogen.
20. If you consult a doctor for your endometriosis, ask some key questions.

If you’re reading this article because your friend, sister, or family member is struggling with this condition, share this article with her!Too many women believe the myth that endometriosis has to ruin your life every month.And 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

BALANCE by FLO Living Hormone Supplement Kit

Because you've asked for hormone-friendly supplement recommendations, I created a solution that I am so thrilled to be able to offer to you on your hormonal balancing journey:Balance by FLO Living Supplements are a complete package that work together to keep your hormone levels healthy. They include a 2 month (2 cycle) supply of the following formulations so you’re never caught short in any phase of your cycle.When you take these 5 supplements daily, you’ll be giving your body excellent micronutrients to support healthier hormone levels. Which means that you’ll start to see your worst period symptoms get better… and even disappear after a while.

CLICK HERE to learn more about the BALANCE by FLO Living Supplement Kit

Endometriosis affects at least one in ten women. Many fight for years to get their debilitating pain acknowledged and for their doctor to provide a diagnosis from which they can get treatment.For the majority the treatment offered is either long-term use of hormonal birth control and painkillers, which hold side effects, or surgery, the success of which is generally short term. Endometriosis is highly recurring and women can struggle for their entire reproductive life with the disease.However, there is hope!

Flo Living offers an alternative means to manage and relieve symptoms by empowering Endo Warriors. The Flo Living protocol embodies the message of endometriosis awareness – “Fight like a girl!” – with a diet and lifestyle pattern that syncs with your cycle.If you feel you have endometriosis be sure to insist that your doctor provide you with a pelvic examination followed by an ultrasound and laparoscopic procedure, including a biopsy of the endometrial material. Ideally you would have the procedure done by a surgeon who specializes in endometriosis.It’s all about advocating for what you want and helping your doctor treat you the way you want to be treated. You can set the tone and pace of treatment, simply share your desires with your physician. The best doctors work with their patients! You can speed up the process of diagnosis and recovery by participating in your own health care.

When you return to receive the results ask your doctor these three questions:

1) What is the severity of the endometriosis?

This will help you determine if you need to go the route of surgery or if you have time to work on your diet.

2) Where is the endometriosis mainly overgrowing?

Important to know especially if you are trying to conceive and again will determine how quickly you might need to take surgical measures.

3) What other blood tests can we do to look more closely at my immune response? How about my level of inflammation and prostaglandins?

In my next blog post this week I’ll be sharing the underlying causes of endometriosis and the natural way to work yourself back to health. Knowing if you have elevated levels of C reactive protein, elevated levels of PgE2, low levels of D3, and changes in your blood chemistry can point to how systemic this issue truly is and how focusing solely on your uterus is not the right solution. You’ve got to feed your immune system to beat endo!As well as the drugs and surgery your doctor will then offer you as treatment, there is a natural approach that addresses the underlying reasons you have the endometriosis in the first place.As you well know by now reading my blog, drugs will only mask the issue for as long as you are willing to take them and your condition will return when you come off. Research has shown that using the birth control pill for a problem like endometriosis can actually exacerbate the condition long term due to the effects it generates on the body from disturbing the gut microbiome, depleting the body of B and other key vitamins crucial to hormonal health and fertility, and compromising the liver's ability to metabolize toxic estrogen efficiently. The surgical procedure offered does not guarantee the endometriosis will not return in time and the impact can be only short-term without further support in healing the body.Women are prescribed these treatments because the majority of gynecologists are not trained in functional medicine. So expect them to suggest either of those two options as a course of treatment.Since optimizing your hormonal function through food is a relatively new option, most doctors have little faith that patients can handle this in their daily lives. Even if they know about this new research, they might not suggest it.But FLO Living knows Endo Warriors fight like girls!The more natural approach I’m describing takes three to six months to address the root causes of your endometriosis with dietary and lifestyle changes. We at FLO know you can handle this.After that time you can return for further blood tests with your doctor and an evaluation of your success. Neither drugs nor surgery will prevent or cure endometriosis, but the empowering FLO protocol offers a long-term solution.

Do you ever struggle with your emotions? I spent many years holding my emotions in -- to the point where I was no longer able to even identify how I was feeling.If you had asked me from the age of 14 to 24 how I was feeling, the only answer I could give was “I’m fine”. I had no modeling to show me how to safely express my emotions. Because I was so afraid of my emotions, I didn’t trust myself or my feelings, and though I didn’t realize what I was doing, I started to rely on my masculine energy. I checked out of my body and lived in the realm of my mind, excelling in academics and problem-solving as much as I could.Meanwhile, my physical body was suffering. I was overweight, covered in acne, and got my period once a year. I was exhausted, anxious, and stressed.While food played a huge part in my healing journey, it was also the relationship between my feminine and masculine energy that had major implications. You see, the fact that I was divorced from my feminine nature was creating all kinds of stress internally. The activation of my masculine energy had my adrenal glands going into high stress mode, plus it had my reproductive organs turned off - hence, no regular period.This is why, in my hormonal health training programs, I not only cover a breadth of information on food and lifestyle shifts, but there is also quite a bit of work we do on your feminine energy.Today, I want get you focused in that direction so that you can start to release stress from deep places and allow your body to do the magic it’s meant to.From a feminine standpoint, reducing stress is NOT about fighting it or cutting it out of your life completely. That, in fact, is a very masculine way of approaching it.Instead, it’s about leaning into the neurochemistry of your cycle and shifting your priorities and the way you engage with the world.As women, our bodies are constantly shifting throughout the month based on our hormonal patterns. So, too, are our emotional needs and ability to handle stress.The next time you’re getting frustrated at yourself for missing an appointment or not accomplishing everything on your to-do list, take a moment to check in with your body.Ask yourself: Where am I in my cycle?Especially if you’re in your luteal (pre-menstrual) or menstrual phases, see if you can cut yourself some slack. Those are the times in your cycle to be gentler with yourself and take things off of your to-do list.I’m curious about your response to stress ...Please share your questions and insights in the comments below, which will help me and my team better know how to help you manage your stress.I know you might feel alone in these struggles, but I can assure you, you’re not!With love to your lady parts - inside and out,Alisap.s. I delving into all this and more when it comes to stress and your female body in my popular webinar, Address Your Stress The WomanCode Way. Click here for more details if you’re digging this conversation!

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!

Heavy period bleeding can be one of the most debilitating symptoms you can experience. The pain, the inconvenience, and the boxes of pads and tampons to go through each month - ahh! Some women suffer from heavy periods all their lives, others get it more intensely after pregnancy or develop it during perimenopause.

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There are a few ways it might show up for you:‍

1. A normal (5-7 day) length bleed with a super heavy flow that causes you to bleed through everything

2. Extended bleeding for 2-3 weeks out of the month or more

3. Frequent bleeding - 4 or more days at a time, twice per month

4. Heavy clotting

Often times these are associated with anemia and fatigue, which can make it feel like a drag to get through the day.

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What’s the underlying cause?

There are 3 main reasons heavy bleeding can develop:

1. Estrogen overload. When your estrogen levels are high, the lining of your uterus can become thicker. Estrogen can also be much higher relative to progesterone, which is the hormone that will keep your uterine lining intact for a longer period of time. Excess estrogen occurs when diet contains estrogen-rich foods, and when your liver is not able to keep up with detoxification.

2. Lack of uterine tone. Both a sedentary lifestyle and pregnancy can cause the uterus to lose its tone. While this is a physical issue, it is also influenced by the quality of nutrients you are getting through your diet.

3. Hypothyroidism. One of the signs that your thyroid might be slow is excess bleeding. If you also notice you have a lack of appetite, are gaining weight, feel cold most of the time, and are fatigued easily, there’s a good chance your thyroid function is below the normal range.

With any of these causes, there is an essential, proactive approach you must take if you want a lasting solution.

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‍What you can do:

To eliminate heavy bleeding for good, you must look at the larger picture of balancing hormones. Your diet and lifestyle are the most essential factors in this picture, since how you eat and how you live have a direct effect on your hormonal balance. In each of the 3 underlying causes listed above, you can see how there is a direct influence from food and daily practices.

Our 5-step protocol is designed to help you create a solid foundation with your diet and lifestyle, so that you can eliminate excess estrogen, restore proper thyroid function, and rebuild uterine health, thereby banishing frustrating symptoms like heavy bleeding.

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Where do supplements come in?

Taking supplements means exactly what the word implies: a supplemental addition to a healthy diet and lifestyle.

If you’re experiencing heavy periods, here are supplements you can start taking that will help heal the issue alongside other dietary changes:

• ‍Vitamin C with Bioflavonoids - 2,000-4,000 mg/day - has an anti-estrogenic effect on the uterus.  A study showed that vitamin C was able to reduce heavy bleeding in 87% of women who participated. Bioflavonoids were also shown to strengthen the vessel walls of the capillaries, further reducing the bleeding. *‍
• Sulforaphane - detoxifies and clears out excess estrogen from the body. It also provides protection against fibroid growth, as well as supporting a healthy inflammatory response. ‍
• NAC - supports detoxification in the liver, and provides antioxidant support against inflammation. ‍
• DIM - assists the body in removing excess estrogen. DIM also helps balance hormones and weight, and may reduce long periods.‍
• Calcium-D-Glucarate - detoxifies excess hormones and supports the liver in breaking down and removing xenoestrogens.

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Our RELEASE Fibroids and Heavy Bleeding Supplement Kit contains all of the essential nutrients needed to help get to the root cause of heavy bleeding to get rid of it for good.

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Of course any supplement is only a part of the bigger picture of diet and lifestyle. To create sustained healing and a balanced period, you need to address several factors including estrogen overload, progesterone levels, cortisol levels, elimination and blood sugar stability.

In our webinar, Troubleshoot Your Period Problems, we'll break it all down for you into easy-to-apply action steps that will get you from feeling weighed down by your period to flo-ing freely all month long! This webinar covers:

• The most common period problems and how to self-diagnose: PMS, heavy bleeding, irregular or missing periods, etc.
• Exactly what signs and symptoms to be aware of – and which ones indicate something more serious
• The steps to take to address them all from the underlying causes

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Ingredients:

1 1/3 cups chickpea flour

1 cup of water

½ cup olive oil

1 tsp sea salt

1/4 cup vegan kimchi

1/4 cup of cilantro

ponzu sauce for dipping

In a large bowl, combine the 1st four ingredients and mix until well blended. It will form a batter. Then add in the kimchi. (You can add more or less kimchi to your taste preference!)Heat a skillet and coat with oil, then pour the batter into a pancake formation. Flip it over after a minute or until the first side is golden brown. Heat the other side until fully cooked and move to a serving dish. Continue cooking the pancakes until all batter is used.Serve with ponzu sauce for dipping!Makes an excellent appetizer to a Korean-inspired meal :)

Ready for more food support?

Don’t forget that recipes like these are only one part of an entire system designed to help you eat in sync with your cycle all month long!Stay in the loop and get more recipes like these by subscribing to our complimentary weekly women’s health newsletters:[gravityform id="3" name="Get on the road to hormonal health!" title="false" description="false"]

Have you ever gotten a well-intentioned gift that just wasn’t usable because it contained products you don’t use or food you don’t eat?

Let’s be proactive and start giving healthy holiday gifts we would want to receive - gifts that are hormone-supportive and FLO-friendly!

Everything on this list has been personally tried and tested by me, Alisa.

From my family to yours…

Here are my top picks for healthy holiday gifts!

1. For the Product Junkie: beauty products that are NOT endocrine-disruptive and amazing:

• John Masters Organics: blood orange & vanilla body milk (my favorite!)
• Red Flower: revitalizing sea salt scrub
• PritiNYC: - organic nail polish

2. For the Foodie: luxury pantry items we can’t get enough of:

• Pink Himalayan Sea Salt: “the purest salt on earth”
• Bee Raw Honey: supports family-owned apiaries and the sustainability of our planet
• Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil and Coconut Oil
• Vosges Chocolate Black Pearl and Chuao Chocolate Spicy Maya

3. For your friends with epic pinterest pages of interior design: eco-friendly, hormone-friendly hostess gifts:

• Infusion Organique: organic candles
• Sister Bliss: aromatherapy spray (formula 19) good for your room, sheets, and you!
• Soma: eco and hormone healthy replacement for your Brita pitcher/filter

4. For your friend who needs to see herself in a more beautiful light: self care is sexy

• Journelle: my favorite lingerie store

5. For Every Woman: the ultimate guide to your body, hormones, and vitality

• WomanCode: the book

[gravityform id="3" name="Get on the road to hormonal health!"]

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

Is that scenario not happening often enough?

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

Here are the key questions to ask yourself:

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

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

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

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

It’s time to get intimate.We all have lady parts, and we all at some point will come across mysterious or embarassing symptoms that we’re not sure what to do with.I thought it was time to break the silence around these, so this week I’m talking about all the things you wonder about but feel too shy to mention in public: dandruff, bowel movements, body odor, and more!It turns out these symptoms actually have A LOT to do with your hormonal balance, so if you're not addressing them, it could be costing you your fertility, energy, good moods, and more.Get the scoop on your less-than-pleasant symptoms in this week's video!And find out how they could be affecting your hormones.

I’ll share:

• the symptoms to look for
• why they are hormonally related
• what you can do to start healing them and feeling better now!

I call these my “body gossip secrets” for a reason -

with summer love,Alisa

Have you ever wondered how being on the pill - or any kind of hormonal contraceptive - can affect your fertility?

Well if you haven’t thought about it, then I suggest you start getting curious. Really curious.

I’ll reveal a few key reasons here, as described in WomanCode, to help with this essential piece of cracking the fertility code.

Reason # 1 the pill messes with your fertility:

Especially for women who are already dealing with hormonal sensitivities - like PCOS, PMS, cysts, fibroids, etc. - you might be bleeding less and feeling less symptomatic when on the pill, but it’s a false sense of security because you are only masking the underlying causes for your symptoms. When you get off the pill, they are going to come right back. And then you may have less time to address these problems simultaneously while you’re trying to get pregnant. If you want to have a smooth transition off the pill, begin the necessary steps we outline in the WomanCode protocol while you’re on the pill so that you are not symptomatic when you come off and that you don’t have to take valuable time clearing up those symptoms which can impeded your fertility when you want to get pregnant.

Reason #2 the pill messes with your fertility (this one might shock you):

Being on a hormonal contraceptive can give you a false sense of security with sex. If you are not using condoms during sex - and many women who are on the pill are not - you are making yourself more vulnerable to bacterial exposure which has been shown to affect your fertility. And this goes for women in monogamous relationships as well as women with multiple partners (although having multiple partners greatly increases this risk).

Any woman - on or off the pill - needs to take responsibility for her body and her fertility.

And guess what - the manual you’ve been waiting for is finally here. Get my bookWomanCode today and get started. It’s never too late to get informed and take charge of your future.

To your fertility,

Alisa

On February 14th, 2013, one billion people around the world are rising and dancing to end violence against women.We at FLO are passionate about the cause because we believe that a woman’s body is a vessel for creating change. We believe you have the power to heal your body and then use it to add positive energy to the planet.And we’d love for you to join us in this movement!Here's how you can rise, from wherever you are in the world!

Our FLO health coach Jess Grippo is heading up a performance project as part of the One Billion Rising movement.

At 4pm on V-day, she’ll be dancing in a window-front on Broadway (at ABC Home & Carpet) to rise for the cause and wants YOU to be part of the performance.

Click here to read the details and get involved!

And if you're in NYC, join us and an amazing group for a flashmob in Union Square at 6pm. If you're anywhere else in the world, check out the official site to find a flashmob or other dance event near you.

So you want to get pregnant.Maybe you’ve been trying to conceive for awhile, unsuccessfully.Maybe you are concerned about your age and don’t know if you can do it naturally.Maybe you’re just thinking ahead to best prepare your body for when you’re ready to make a baby.Wherever you are, listen up - because we’re about to share some key information that your doctors might not even be telling you.Infertility Treatment OptionsLet’s clarify the 4 main treatment options you’ll be faced with:

• Clomid, is an oral ovulation induction medication that acts to support a successful ovulation for women who have identified this as their infertility issue. Clomid mimics estrogen, attaches to those receptors in the hypothalamus and "tricks" the body in to producing more FSH. Because it is blocking estrogen receptor sites in the brain, it also affects the cervix and it's production of the important cervical fluid that allows successful passage of sperm to egg. This cervical fluid is produced during healthy natural ovulation, but often is compromised on Clomid and additional synthetic estrogen often needs to be added to help.
• Intrauterine Insemination (IUI) is a method that places sperm directly near the egg in order to bypass inhospitable cervical fluid or to assist with sperm motility issues. Selected sperm are inserted directly into the uterus via the cervix with a catheter. The woman’s ovaries may or may not be stimulated with clomid or injections prior to the procedure. This procedure is particularly effective when male sperm action is comprised.
• In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) is a medical procedure that replaces natural reproductive process. Hormonal injections are given to the woman to hyperstimulate the ovaries to increase the number of follicles during an ovulation cycle. These are then surgically harvested and combined with selected sperm outside of the body. Multiple embryos are then inserted into the uterus via the cervix with a catheter. A serious side effect of this is Ovarian Hyper-Stimulation Syndrome (OHSS). The hormone injections cause the ovaries to swell and fluid can leak in to the abdominal and chest cavity. Having hormonal imbalances prior to IVF increases the risk for this .
• Egg Freezing is a method in which, similar to IVF, hormonal injections are given to stimulate the growth of the multiple eggs, which are then harvested and frozen for later use.

Our favorite Fertility Treatment: Hormonal Synchronization - our protocol uses a food sequencing technique that supercharges all organs and glands of the endocrine system for optimal function, so you end up with better egg quality, better ovulation, better cervical mucus, and better progesterone levels for successful pregnancy. No side effects except motherhood ;) Risk InvolvedA very important piece of information that often gets left out of this conversation is that multiple rounds of IVF, Clomid, or other hormonal injections can leave you vulnerable to a whole host of hormonal side effects and put you in a position where you might have to take a significant break from attempting to conceive while your body heals from all of this hormonal disturbance and stress. Not only is this reason to seek out other options, but it’s also reason to make sure that, if you do go this route, you do everything possible with your diet and lifestyle to make your first try a success!

One of Alisa's fave sayings is 'Have ovaries, will travel!' Lately. it seems she needs to add to that saying. Perhaps 'Have ovaries, will give speech' or 'Have ovaries, will give interviews' or 'Have ovaries, and an online course that will teach you how to optimize your body' or 'Have ovaries, will do anything to get the word out to women everywhere about hormonal balance and how it can change your life' - but somehow, all that's not quite as catchy, is it?!?All this is to introduce you to the women who have been interviewing Alisa lately. They ask intelligent questions, they are hungry for knowledge about their bodies, and their blog posts are insightful.The first blogger we're introducing to you is Jen, author and creator of MsMorphosis.com - fearless thinking for the Modern Miss.Some of what Alisa and Jen discussed:

• Self love, self care, and body love!
• The value of feminine energy
• The best foods for PMS and PMDD
• And a whole lot more (click the link below to get the whole interview)

Read the entire interview with MsMorphosis by clicking here!

My Dancing Journey to Health!

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

I'm so thrilled to be speaking at Ignite! with my friends and colleagues Gabby Bernstein, Kate Northrup, and Meggan Watterson - and many more amazing speakers and teachers. This weekend conference is information-packed and fast-paced. Each speaker is given 20 minutes to communicate their incredible wisdom to you. (20 minutes! Note-to-self: work on condensing my speech!) As always, Hay House will be featuring cutting edge authors, speakers & documentary filmmakers in the mindful spirituality, health, holistic, & sustainability lifestyles movement. These trendsetting speakers will Ignite your passion with topics ranging from relationships, sexuality, finance, & personal transformation to mindfulness, youth empowerment, health & so much more!Click Here to reserve your seat today![caption id="attachment_365" align="aligncenter" width="300"]

LOUISE HAY & ALISA[/caption]Here's more information on the conference:All over the world, people and businesses fail to thrive due to their own failure to recognize the need to change and innovate. Is it time for you to be innovative with yourself & re-evaluate what you thought you knew?Have you noticed a growing disparity between where you are in your life and where you want to go?

• Join us and discover ways to use the change that is occurring all around you as a catalyst for living an exceptional life full of innovation and inspiration

Are you experiencing diminishing returns in the quality of your relationships?

• Join us to learn to appreciate the neurobiological differences between men and women in order to enhance your relationships

Do you feel poor when you look in the mirror?

• Join us to find your true beauty stop feeling unequal and create your own portable paradise

Are things that you thought were true no longer that way?

• Join us and learn to KNOW how you need to feel within yourself in order to get what you desire

Has the life philosophy you've employed led to a somewhat unfulfilled life?

• Join us and discover how making a slight shift in your perspective (focusing on the rights in your life) can lead to more contentment

Has the concept of financial freedom disappeared for you?

• Join us and learn to use your soul-voice to live out your potential and gain financial freedom

Is your self-worth lower than your net-worth?

• Join us and learn the rituals and self-care practices that are the portal for self-renewal and increased self-worth

Do you see yourself as an ignored, anonymous member of the world population whose needs are unmet?

• Join us learn to feel, and hear, your guardian angels, not just pray to them, and become a magnet for miracles

Has ecstasy disappeared from your life?

• Join us to understand why ecstasy is necessary & why it's OK to use your sex as your power source

Not answering that wake-up call you've been getting to take control of your health?

• Join us and discover the real, underlying reasons you get sick and the healthy secrets to becoming model skinny

Looking for the tools you need to overcome patterns of self-sabotage so you can recognize the need to change?

• Join us and learn to use your body as your partner, not your foe

If you have been searching for the mindful resilience needed to face today's personal, political & financial challenges, look no further! Ignite your life with empowering concepts that you and our next generation can take advantage of to create and live happier, healthier, and more intentionally.Join positive thought leader Louise Hay, and her inspirational group of transformational authors, speakers, and documentary filmmakers, and take the first step on your personal journey to ignite and discover real truths about your relationships, sexuality and personal transformation to mindfulness, youth empowerment, health and more!Register today to reserve & occupy your seat and access that untapped energy & inspiration that exists in all of us!Click Here to reserve your seat today!