LISTEN ON YOUR FAVE PLATFORM NOW: APPLE | SPOTIFY | STITCHER

Have ya ever felt as though something in your body is just off, but there’s nothing you can do about it?

Cystic acne, fatigue, bloating- story of my life!

But what if, instead of fighting an uphill battle against your body, you were able to work with your body to naturally, effectively, and affordably care for your symptoms through balancing your hormones?

Um, sign me up!

Today on the SHE podcast, I got to chat (and geek out a little) with someone who has impacted my personal journey towards healing: Alisa Vitti, functional nutritionist, women’s hormone expert, and author of WomanCode. 

Many of you have heard me recommend her book before already, and that’s because it was absolutely pivotal for me in feeling educated and equipped to actually get to the root problem of my health issues and take steps to fix it, not just hopelessly accept them.

And let me tell you, our conversation was so jammed packed with good stuff that we actually decided to break it up into two parts. So today, get ready to learn all about your hormones, why they matter, and steps you can take to support them, and then come back next week as we dive even deeper into cycle syncing.

Whether you’re suffering from a diagnosed hormonal problem, or experiencing issues like fatigue, mood swings, cramping, PMS, or acne that you’ve never even thought could be related to a hormonal imbalance, this episode’s for you!

Understanding Your Hormones

If you’re anything like me, you really just associate “hormones” with some mystical thing in your body that makes you more emotional when you’re on your period or pregnant.

But actually, your hormones do a whole lot more than that.

In fact, your hormones are the support structure for your entire endocrine system (ya know, the thing that controls your metabolism, ability to get pregnant, mood, and ability to manage stress, just to name a few- so yeah, they’re kinda a big deal).

So hormones affect everything and everyone – they keep us alive.

And your hormones are not a liability for you just because you’re a woman.

Your hormonal health is important and should be taken seriously. 

The reality is, your period is your “fifth vital sign”- meaning your menstruation being healthy is just as important as you having a healthy blood pressure, heart rate, pulse, and temperature.

That means that any hormonal symptoms you are experiencing shouldn’t be ignored. The short-term implications on your health are serious enough, but the long-term effects are even more significant.

Like Alisa shared, even unaddressed PMS in your reproductive system can increase your rate of developing the inflammation diseases like diabetes, heart disease, cancer, and dementia by up to four times. 

FOUR. TIMES.

Holy cow.

So please, for the sake of your own health, don’t ignore the warning signs your body is giving you.

Whether you’re experiencing acne flare-ups, mood swings, PMS, infertility, weight issues, bloating, fatigue, irritability, or insatiable cravings – it’s all hormonally driven.

If you relate, you’re not alone. 80% of women will have a hormonal problem at some point in their lifetime.

And the answer isn’t to suck it up and live with it, and it’s not to topically treat it with products that promise to cure all, but it’s to reframe your problem from a hormonal point of view and heal the root issue. 

You have a role to play in correcting what’s out of whack and getting yourself back into balance.

A Proactive Approach Towards Healing Your Hormones

Okay, so by now you may be feeling slightly more empowered but infinitely more overwhelmed. 

Trust me, I understand. 

But before you either call it quits or start overhauling your entire life, slow down and remember that while it may take time and intentionality, you will see the benefits of taking even a few simple steps.

As Alisa said, the more you’re willing to get involved in actively caring for your endocrine system, the better it will perform.

The best place to start?

Remove all forms of caffeine from your diet for two weeks.

*gasp* 

Okay, yes, I know that this may feel like the cruelest form of punishment, but I promise, as someone who is now almost a year coffee-sober, you can do this.

The reality is, caffeine disrupts your hormones and 90% of people don’t have the enzymes required to break it down properly. 

If you want to learn more, check out Alisa’s blog post that can help you figure out if you’re caffeine intolerant and just how to go about weaning yourself off of coffee if a morning without your almond milk latte seems like a crime.

Alisa also recommends eating a breakfast that’s balanced between carbs, proteins, and fats within an hour of waking up.

So rather than intermittent fasting, drinking coffee on an empty stomach, or eating a bowl of Lucky Charms (No hate, they are magically delicious in moderation) every morning, eat a breakfast that will balance your blood sugar and set you up for success.

Finally, audit your beauty and homecare products by reading the labels and seeing if they contain the names of any chemicals that you can’t pronounce. 

Search any ingredients that you’re unfamiliar with at ewg.org to find out if it’s endocrine disruptive or not.

All three of these steps are essential, but if you do all three, you’ll feel the effects within 21 days, and the benefits will only continue from there.

Because let’s be honest, it’s frustrating just trying a bunch of random things to see what will work and seeing absolutely no results (I’ve been there!🙋‍♀️)

But the good news?

That’s unnecessary. 

You can implement changes that are extremely precise, produce results, and actually heal.

Your hormonal issue isn’t an inevitable part of life.

Your diagnosed hormonal condition doesn’t have to be your future

Learn More

If you’re like me and all of this has already blown your mind, then you’re going to want to join us for next week’s episode to hear even more gold from Alisa.

Until then, tune in to this week’s episode to learn:

• What hormones are and how they affect your body
• Why you don’t have to passively accept your symptoms
• Signs that your hormones are off-balance
• How to get rid of cramping and cure PMS
• Three steps to take towards more balanced hormones

To learn more from Alisa and access more of her resources, check out floliving.com.

After you give this episode a listen, let us know in the comments: what is one new thing you learned from today’s episode?