What Women Over 50 Should Know About Intermittent Fasting

For women over 50, weight loss can seem like a struggle for a variety of reasons—most of them related to a shift in hormonal balance. It’s no wonder that intermittent fasting has become so popular for women over 50 with its promise of amping up metabolism, reversing cellular damage (and its signs of aging), and improving mental clarity.  Let’s take a look at what happens to women’s hormones as we approach and enter menopause, and what the science says about whether intermittent fasting can help counter some of these imbalances.  Hormones and Women Over 50 During perimenopause and menopause, estrogen fluctuates and becomes unpredictable before falling to very low levels. This decline in estrogen comes with shifts in other hormones like cortisol, thyroid hormones, serotonin, and sex hormones. These hormonal shifts are what lead to some of the symptoms of menopause.  You may become less sensitive to insulin during menopause, leading to difficulties processing sugar and refined carbohydrates. This is known as insulin resistance, which might make you more susceptible to gaining weight around your midsection. Muscle mass may also diminish as fat increases, leading to less metabolically active tissue and difficulty maintaining a healthy weight.  RELATED: Thyroid Disease and Diet: Managing Thyroid Health With the Right Nutrients Cue intermittent fasting. With this unorthodox way of eating touting benefits for healthy aging, there’s no wonder that IF has been popular with perimenopausal and menopausal women. But does the research hold up?  What is intermittent fasting?  In short, intermittent fasting involves eating within a specific time window. The most popular version involves fitting all of your daily food consumption into an eight-hour window, followed by 16 hours of fasting. For example, you could eat between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. every day and fast between 6 p.m. and 10 a.m. (including the hours you’re asleep).  There’s also the 5:2 diet in which you split your week into five days of eating whenever you want and two days where you seriously restrict your calories—500 for women, 600 for men.  While fasting may seem extreme for some, proponents of this dietary pattern claim that fasting causes your body to use stored fat as fuel.  RELATED: The Truth About Intermittent Fasting: Is It Good for Weight Loss and Overall Health? How does intermittent fasting work? What’s the evidence? The research on the health benefits of intermittent fasting is pretty interesting, with the latest findings adding a bit of inconsistency compared to previous results.  A study comparing two groups—a calorie-restriction-only group and a calorie-restricted and time-restricted eating group—followed subjects over the course of one year and found no effect on body weight, body fat, or metabolic risk factors. People who only ate from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. didn’t lose significantly more weight than those who ate any time throughout the day. Any weight loss was attributed to overall caloric restriction rather than time-restricted eating regimens.  Other findings, however, have shown benefits for weight loss, insulin resistance, mental health outcomes, and brain cell activity. Let’s take a look at a few of those.  Weight loss Studies have found that intermittent fasting can help with fat loss by reducing body mass and improving metabolic health. They also show fasting can affect hormones, increasing production of beneficial ones like HGH (for muscle gain and fat loss). Still, these effects appear broadly comparable to standard daily calorie restriction.  In a study that compared the weight loss efficacy of alternate-day fasting (ADF) among pre- and post-menopausal women, body weight significantly decreased from baseline in both groups. This suggests that intermittent fasting may be effective in weight loss regardless of menopausal status.  Another study looked at time-restricted feeding and found similar results. Both pre- and post-menopausal women lost weight and showed metabolic improvements.  Insulin resistance Intermittent fasting’s effect on insulin sensitivity has been a hot topic in recent years. Researchers hypothesize that this is achieved by flipping a metabolic switch. Fasting leads to lower levels of glucose (i.e. blood sugar) and in response, the body uses fat instead of glucose as a source of energy.  Fasting can also lead to improvements in pancreatic B-cell function and the regulation of the circadian rhythm, which promotes better glucose tolerance. In a randomized controlled study of more than 100 overweight or obese women, six months of intermittent fasting reduced insulin levels by 29% and insulin resistance by 19%. Reductions in fasting insulin and insulin resistance were modest in both the intermittent fasting and continuous energy restriction groups, but greater in the intermittent fasting subjects. Another study on non-obese subjects also found that fasting decreased insulin levels and increased fat oxidation—the process that breaks down fat during energy restriction or exercise.  In one study, researchers looked at the effects of intermittent fasting versus continuous calorie restriction on HbA1c (a measure of average blood sugar levels over the past 3 months) in diabetics over the age of 50. They found that a two-day intermittent calorie restriction diet was comparable to a continuous calorie restriction diet for improvements in blood sugar control. Mental health changes  Menopause can cause anxiety, depression, fatigue, brain fog, mood swings, and psychological stress. Studies have found that fasting can improve depression and stress levels, and encourage overall positive psychological shifts. It is important to note that both of these studies were conducted in age ranges below 50 years old.  Brain fog Studies in animals have found that fasting can have positive effects on brain cells, by encouraging better stress responses and clearing out damaged cells in order to regenerate newer, healthier cells. Fasting has also been shown to increase BDNF expression in rats, a protein that serves as a sort of fertilizer or “miracle-grow” for the brain. There are no studies on how fasting affects the human brain yet, but one of the most common things people report while fasting is increased mental clarity.   Bottom Line: Intermittent Fasting for Women Over 50  While intermittent fasting shows promise, we don’t have solid evidence about the benefits or how fasting might affect

What to Eat For Better Balanced Hormones

Hormone balance is a hot topic for women of all ages, and all life stages. Unbalanced hormones can leave you feeling sluggish, moody, stressed out, and just not yourself. Let’s explore why balancing your hormones is so important, and how you can do it with the help of food, starting today.  Why should you care about hormone balance? Our hormones make up our endocrine system, which is responsible for regulating just about every other system in the body. Cortisol is the hormone that regulates stress, serotonin regulates mood, insulin regulates blood sugar, ghrelin regulates hunger, leptin regulates satiety, estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone regulate fertility and menstrual cycles—the list goes on and on! Our hormones even interact to regulate each other via a feedback system. For example, if we aren’t managing stress, we’re potentially affecting our fertility, menstrual cycle, blood sugar levels, appetite, and weight management. This is because chronically high cortisol levels, which are often the result of chronic stress, begin to impact levels of estrogen, insulin, ghrelin, and leptin, too. It’s all interconnected! Assuming you’d benefit from  increased energy levels, stress management, weight management, improved fertility, or an elevated mood, you should strive to keep your hormones balanced. One way to do this is to incorporate hormone-balancing foods into your diet. Foods to Incorporate for Balanced Hormones  Magnesium-rich Foods Magnesium plays many crucial roles in our bodies. It regulates progesterone and helps excrete estrogen, which affects fertility. It also regulates levels of these hormones throughout a woman’s cycle. The relationship between magnesium and sex hormones continues into menopause as well. It also fuels mitochondria, which is the powerhouse of our cells and where steroid hormones/sex hormones are produced. Magnesium also converts tryptophan to serotonin, playing a role in our mood. It aids in digestion and excretion of waste, too.  Magnesium sources include: dark leafy greens legumes avocado nuts/seeds You may also want to consider taking a magnesium supplement. There are many forms of magnesium and each has different uses. Determine which works best for your goals and use it consistently for best results.  Fiber-rich Carbs When fiber reaches the gut, it helps slow the digestion of carbohydrates (sugars), helping to keep blood glucose levels stable and avoiding big spikes and crashes. This helps improve insulin sensitivity, our hormone that regulates blood sugar and that interacts with ghrelin and leptin, the hormones responsible for regulating hunger and satiety.  Fiber-rich carb sources include: fruits and veggies starchy veggies like potatoes, carrots, and squash plant-based starchy foods like quinoa, whole grains, and legumes Prioritize these carb sources over quick-digesting refined carbs and sugars, such as products made with white flour, and products made with added sugars and sweeteners. Of course these indulgences can (and should) be consciously enjoyed on occasion! Sufficient High-Quality Protein The majority of hormones are made from protein and fats, so these key nutrients are necessary for all hormone production. Protein also helps keep us full, fuels our muscles, and repairs cells and DNA.  While protein needs vary from person to person and depend on lifestyle, general guidelines suggest that 0.4-0.8g of protein per pound of body weight satisfies minimal needs. For optimal health, however, you should strive for closer to 1g of protein per pound of ideal body weight, per day. And, of course, choose high-quality protein sources whenever possible. High-quality protein sources include: organic grass-fed meat pasture-raised chicken and eggs wild-caught fish organic, whole food sources of plant protein like quinoa, hemp, tempeh, and lentils Healthy Fats Since fats and protein are the main components necessary for hormone production, healthy fats are necessary for optimizing hormone levels. In addition, healthy fats increase leptin, the hormone that tells us we are satisfied and no longer hungry.  Healthy fat sources include:  avocado and avocado oil nuts hemp seeds tahini olive oil Foods Rich in Omega-3s As Americans, our average intake of omega-6 fatty acids (found in fried and packaged foods and industrial nut and seed oils like canola, soybean, and sunflower oil) to omega-3s (found in the sources listed below) is approximately 20:1. A high omega 6:3 ratio has been linked to inflammation and endocrine disruption, affecting how our body regulates our hormones.  The ideal ratio is closer to 4:1, or, even better, 1:1. In order to achieve this, we need to decrease consumption of foods high in omega 6s, and increase foods high in omega-3s. Keep in mind, omega-6 fatty acids can also be found in dressings, sauces, and condiments, so be sure to watch out for them, and focus on adding more sources of omega-3s to your diet. Foods high in beneficial omega-3s include: wild-caught salmon and cod anchovies and sardines chia seeds flax seeds walnuts seaweed Brussels sprouts Enriching your diet with fiber-rich carbs, high-quality proteins, healthy fats, and foods packed with magnesium and omega-3s can have a profound effect on balancing your hormones. If you’re unable to eat these foods or are having trouble working them into your daily routine, consider working with a Nutrition Coach or Registered Dietitian to devise a plan. They can also help you decide if supplementation may be right for you.  If you’d like to take it a step further and learn more about improving your life—and the lives of others!—through food and lifestyle, why not become a Nutrition Coach yourself? Learn more about our exclusive certification program here. (Image: Unsplash)

The Link Between Breakfast and Weight Loss

How Breakfast Can Balance Hormones and Help You Shed Extra Pounds Despite the fasting-fueled popularity of skipping breakfast, the first nosh of the day is still the undefeated champ of meals—for many people. It’s not just a fuel-up, it’s critical for weight loss and balancing hormones. Don’t believe it’s that powerful? Grab a matcha and let’s dive into the research! The Scientific Link Between Breakfast Habits and Weight Loss Success The National Weight Control Registry (NCWR) is a treasure trove of information about successful weight loss and maintenance. It tracks individuals who have lost a significant amount of weight and kept it off for at least 5 ½ years. One fascinating finding: the correlation between breakfast habits and weight loss success.  A comparison between the obesity rates in America and Germany further highlights the importance of breakfast. In America, the percentage of obese adults is 26.1%, while in Germany, it is only 13.7%. One contributing factor to this disparity is the difference in breakfast consumption habits. Over 75% of Germans eat breakfast every day, whereas only 44% of Americans do.  In the NWCR study, a whopping 78% of participants who successfully lost weight ate breakfast. The Role of Thermogenesis in Weight Management But why is breakfast so crucial for weight management? To understand this, let’s take a closer look at what happens when you skip breakfast. Many people believe that forgoing the first meal is an easy way to save calories. But that’s a flawed strategy on two counts: It can backfire, causing you to get too hungry and eat more later in the day.  But also, when you skip breakfast, you miss out on initiating the process of thermogenesis. Imagine your body as a car idling in the driveway. Without breakfast, the car remains idle, not going anywhere. Stalling thermogenesis programs your body to run on fewer calories throughout the day. Consequently, your metabolism slows down, making it inefficient for your body to burn calories while you go about your daily activities. Moreover, it signals to your body that it is in a state of “starvation.” Your body enters a mode where it conserves energy and holds onto calories. It’s like telling your body, “Don’t burn too much energy because I don’t know when my next meal will be.” The Hunger Factor: Breakfast, Overeating, and Metabolism Hunger is a natural signal that your body needs energy. It indicates that your body has utilized the fuel from your previous meal and requires more sustenance. Skipping breakfast, however, can lead to excessive hunger later in the day, which often results in overeating. Sound familiar?  Picture this: it’s lunchtime, and you haven’t had anything to eat since the previous night. You feel famished and end up indulging in an extra-large lunch. After all, you tell yourself, you saved calories by skipping breakfast, right? Unfortunately, this mindset can lead to consuming more calories overall than if you had started your day with a thoughtful breakfast. One more thing: large meals do not boost your metabolism or have the same thermogenic effects as smaller, more frequent meals. When you skip meals, your metabolism doesn’t reach its maximum potential, and you end up eating more.  Research conducted in London supports these findings. The study revealed that people who skipped breakfast were more inclined to find higher-fat and higher-calorie foods appealing later in the day. It concluded that fasting mode actually increases hunger, making it harder to resist unhealthy food choices. The Role of Breakfast in Balancing Hormones Breakfast not only impacts weight management but also plays a crucial role in hormone regulation. In particular, Ghrelin, often referred to as the hunger hormone, is responsible for signaling hunger. When you fast or restrict your energy intake, ghrelin levels rise—hence, you feel even hungrier. The fix? Studies have shown that even a light breakfast consisting of carbohydrates, protein, and fat can significantly reduce ghrelin levels. This is why you stop feeling hungry after a nutritious meal. Ghrelin seems to respond most to breakfasts high in protein or quality carbohydrates, such as sprouted grain toast with a spoonful of peanut butter. On the other hand, breakfasts high in unhealthy fat, like a fried donut, have a lesser impact on ghrelin levels.  By consuming a nutrient-dense breakfast, you can keep your hunger hormones in check and prevent excessive hunger throughout the day. This can lead to better control over your food choices and help you maintain a healthy weight. RELATED: How To Increase Metabolism By Simply Eating Breakfast The Breakfast Blueprint: Tips for a Healthy and Satisfying Morning Meal So how do we use the science to decide what to put on our breakfast plates?  Consider these guidelines for creating a healthy and satisfying morning meal: 1. Prioritize nutrient-dense foods: Choose foods that provide a balance of high fiber carbohydrates, high quality protein, and healthy fats. Incorporate whole grains, lean proteins, fruits, vegetables, and nuts that are loaded with antioxidants and fiber into your breakfast options. 2. Opt for quality carbohydrates: Focus on carbohydrates that offer sustained energy, such as whole grains, oatmeal, and quinoa. Avoid highly processed and sugary cereals or pastries, as they can lead to energy crashes and increased hunger later on. And, make sure to pair these carbs with protein for a more balanced meal and better blood sugar control. 3. Include protein: Protein is essential for keeping you satisfied throughout the morning. Incorporate protein sources like eggs, Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, or plant-based options like tofu or tempeh. 4. Don’t forget healthy fats: Healthy fats, like those found in avocados, nuts, and seeds, are crucial for hormone production and satiety. Sprinkle some chia seeds on your yogurt or add sliced avocado to your whole-grain toast. 5. Plan ahead: Prepare breakfast options in advance to save time in the morning. Overnight oats, egg muffins, or smoothie packs can be a convenient and nutritious way to start your day. 6. Listen to your body: Everyone’s breakfast preferences and needs are different. Pay attention to how different

PCOS and Food Cravings: How to Beat Urges, Live Healthier During Pregnancy and Beyond

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) affects an estimated 1 in 10 women of childbearing age worldwide. We know the predominant symptoms of the hormonal disorder range from irregular menstrual cycles to thinning hair to weight gain and even infertility. But did you know that many women with PCOS report an increase in food cravings? Research backs this up: a high proportion of women with the endocrine disorder exhibit clinically significant binge eating behavior and food cravings-trait scores. Women with PCOS who are obese present with significantly higher scores regarding food cravings than women with PCOS who are lean. With no exact cure available yet to those suffering, managing PCOS symptoms through targeted diet and lifestyle change is key. Healthy weight management can lower risk of food cravings and binge eating behaviors as well as more serious complications associated with PCOS, such as diabetes, heart disease and stroke. What is PCOS? With PCOS, the ovaries produce an abnormal amount of androgens, which are male sex hormones that are usually present in women in small amounts, according to Johns Hopkins Medicine. The exact cause of PCOS is unknown but researchers believe that the onset is related to genetic and environmental elements as well as the following factors: High levels of androgens: excess production in the ovaries and/or adrenal glands can contribute to symptoms such as acne, unwanted or thinning hair, and irregular periods. Insulin resistance: in PCOS, the body may become less sensitive to insulin and lead to high blood glucose levels. This cascade can contribute to weight gain and even higher levels of androgen production. A polycystic ovary: a cyst on at least one of the ovaries Some women present with only one of the above factors, while others may experience two or all three. Understanding the functional changes of a client’s PCOS symptoms is important when matching the appropriate protocol and lifestyle modifications to rebalance the body. RELATED: How I Changed My Diet to Manage PCOS and Finally Feel Better PCOS and Food Cravings Clients who develop insulin resistance may experience intense food cravings—especially for refined carbs such as white bread, pasta and pastries. These cravings may lead to overeating, weight gain and additional complications triggered by PCOS (irregular periods, infertility, diabetes). Having a management plan specific to food cravings may be valuable for clients experiencing these symptoms. Strategies for Reducing PCOS-Related Food Cravings They include: Food timing: suggest eating every 3-4 hours to regulate blood sugar and keep cravings at bay. Encourage eating a combination of protein, healthy fats and fiber. Remove triggers: work with your client to cut down on foods that contribute to more intense cravings (processed/packaged foods and artificial sweeteners above all). Replace triggers with healthier alternatives: when sugar cravings hit, try using spices such as cinnamon and nutmeg which can be helpful in curbing a sweet craving. Sipping unsweetened herbal teas is also a great strategy that will have negligible effects on blood sugar. You can also try incorporating cashews and pecans as they are “sweet” nuts, and the fat and protein will help with satiety too. RELATED: Sugar Cravings: 4 Reasons They Happen and How to Stop Them PCOS and Pregnancy PCOS is one of the most common causes of female infertility, affecting as many as 5 million U.S. women of reproductive age. Excess androgens or the presence of a polycystic ovary led to disruptions in proper ovarian functioning and make it more difficult for women with PCOS to become pregnant. Some women may not even realize they have PCOS until they are trying to conceive. For pregnant women with PCOS, there is an increased risk of complications. This includes: Preeclampsia: a condition characterized by high blood pressure during pregnancy, and Gestational diabetes: a type of diabetes that develops during pregnancy in women who don’t already have it. Both of these conditions can lead to potential risks for the baby, including premature birth, excessive birth weight and miscarriage. Strategies for a healthy pregnancy Strategies to manage symptoms and maintain a healthy pregnancy are similar to most PCOS protocols: Managing a healthy weight — even a 5% to 10% loss in weight has been shown to significantly increase the chance of becoming pregnant. A plant-based, low-glycemic diet Regular exercise In certain cases, doctors may prescribe fertility medications to help with ovulation or suggest a surgery to remove tissue that produces excess male hormones in the ovaries. In vitro fertilization (IVF) is also common for women with PCOS, although this option is expensive and usually considered when all other lifestyle interventions have been unsuccessful. PCOS and Insulin Resistance: Newest Findings The connection between PCOS and insulin resistance has been well-established and widely recognized. More recently, it’s been found that in addition to insulin sensitivity, women with PCOS may have unbalanced adipokines, which are cell-signaling molecules produced in fat tissue. Adipokines include leptin and visfatin, two hormones involved in regulating body weight and blood glucose. The following lifestyle modifications can help counter insulin sensitivity and adipokine secretion, leading to better metabolic health and reproductive outcomes. 5 Ways to Improve Metabolic Health Living with PCOS doesn’t have to mean experiencing metabolic disorders or food cravings. Luckily, there are many tools we can employ to help alleviate and even reverse the symptoms of PCOS in women. Here are five diet and lifestyle modifications proven effective. Adopt a low-glycemic diet With insulin resistance affecting up to 70% of women with PCOS, keeping blood sugar in check with low-glycemic foods is highly important to stabilizing glucose levels. Foods to incorporate include: whole grains, non-starchy vegetables, low-sugar fruits like berries, legumes, dairy, lean proteins and healthy oils. RELATED: Managing Blood Sugar: Nutritious,Tasty Snacks and Breakfast Ideas Make breakfast a priority Starting the day with a balanced, low-glycemic breakfast can lead to better blood sugar stabilization throughout the day. Reduce chronic stress In women with PCOS, chronic stress can make symptoms worse by further increasing blood sugar levels via an excess production of cortisol. Quality nutrition, sleep and exercise can all help to

Estrogen Dominance: What It Is and Why You Can and Should Treat It

As the chief chemical messengers of your body, your hormones play a large role in how well it functions and operates. Whether it’s estrogen, progesterone, or testosterone, your sex hormones are constantly fluctuating. On top of that, your lifestyle can affect your ability to metabolize your hormones. This can lead to unwanted symptoms, like heavy or missed periods or difficulty losing weight—all of which are signs that you may have a condition known as estrogen dominance. What Is Estrogen Dominance, Exactly? Women with estrogen dominance have one of three scenarios, says Dr. Nisha Chellam, MD, a board-certified internal medicine and holistic and integrative health physician at Parsley Health. These include: normal estrogen levels but lower progesterone levels, higher estrogen levels than progesterone, or abnormally high estrogen levels Although estrogen dominance isn’t an official medical diagnosis, functional medicine and integrative health physicians, like Dr. Chellam, say it’s an under-diagnosed condition. “In conventional medicine, when we define a disease, there has to be consistent levels. The problem with estrogen is that the levels go up and down because it’s a cyclical hormone,” Dr. Chellam explains. “So that’s why estrogen dominance is not a clinically relevant condition. But we know that women who are unable to break down their estrogen, for whatever reason, tend to have more symptoms, and what drives that estrogen dominance can vary for each individual.” In women, estrogen dominance can lead to hormonally driven diseases, such as breast and uterine cancer, endometriosis, and polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), among others, says Bill Cole, a doctor of chiropractic, functional medicine practitioner and founder of The Cellular Health Accelerator program. For men, it puts them at higher risk for prostate cancer, infertility, and mood disorders. To make sense of what estrogen dominance is, it’s important to understand the menstrual cycle because your levels of estrogen and progesterone are dictated by what happens during your cycle, Dr. Chellam says. “In women, estrogen dominance can lead to hormonally driven diseases, such as breast and uterine cancer, endometriosis, and polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).” — Bill Cole, a doctor of chiropractic and functional medicine practitioner Your menstrual cycle starts on the first day of your period, and that’s when all of your hormones are at their lowest levels. Then, slowly your estrogen levels build up during the follicular phase; this is when the lining of your uterus starts to thicken and grow. Right when the egg is released during ovulation, your estrogen levels reach a peak. But when the egg doesn’t get fertilized, your estrogen levels drop while your progesterone levels pick up to support the egg, hoping it gets fertilized. When fertilization doesn’t happen, the progesterone levels drop and your estrogen levels get a small boost. “In some women, the estrogen peak [during ovulation] is so high or it’s normal, but the progesterone is not as high when the egg is released. But that’s not something that happens in isolation,” Dr. Chellam says. “When there’s a system problem, like heavy periods, missing periods, or shorter cycles, it’s a system failure. The question is where is the system failing and what’s disrupting it—is it the estrogen or progesterone level?” Estrogen dominance can happen during any point in your cycle—such as if your estrogen level stays high when it’s supposed to tank or if it rises too much when it’s supposed to surge, Dr. Chellam says. “That’s why it’s important to catch it during the cycle, so if you have a 28-day cycle, we try to look at the level around day 21,” she says. “So we can catch the estrogen and progesterone levels and see if they’re in the normal range.” Common Estrogen Dominance Symptoms Subcutaneous (under the skin) fat, which is harder to lose than visceral (in your abdominal cavity) fat, is one of the biggest indicators of estrogen dominance in women and men. Because estrogen is stored in the subcutaneous tissues, you have to adjust the estrogen levels in order to get rid of this type of fat, Dr. Chellam says. According to Dr. Chellam and Cole, women who have estrogen dominance usually experience: Unexplained weight gain Difficulty losing weight Breast tenderness Subcutaneous fat (visible fat under the skin), such as cellulite Heavy periods Missing periods Prolonged cycles (periods after 35 days) Painful periods Premenstrual dysmorphic disorder (PMDD) Infertility Mood swings Insomnia Headaches and migraines In men, Cole says the most common symptoms are: Fatigue Mood changes Infertility Lowered sex drive Erectile dysfunction Gynecomastia (increase in breast tissue in men) Keep in mind that these symptoms can be signs of other health conditions, so it’s important to see your physician to get a proper diagnosis. What Contributes to Estrogen Dominance It’s important to note that there is good and bad estrogen, Cole says. “The good estrogen should comprise about 60% to 80% of a person’s total estrogen,” he says. This is the type of estrogen that offers heart-protective benefits. “The bad estrogen should only comprise 7% to 11% of the body’s estrogen. Increased levels of this estrogen puts a person at risk for developing cancer and other diseases, particularly breast cancer. A third type of estrogen, often considered neutral estrogen, is not as harmful, as it’s bound to protein, but it should only comprise 13% to 30% of total estrogen,” he explains. There are many factors that play a role in someone being estrogen dominant. For example, it could be a change in your genes that makes the process of breaking down and getting rid of estrogen slower for some people, Dr. Chellam says. “We have to evaluate why you have a more difficult time breaking down your estrogen (why your estrogen levels are higher than your progesterone),” she explains. “It could be exposure to xenobiotics (foreign chemical substances), which disrupt your estrogen action and keep them from being metabolized, or it can be a liver or gut problem.” The detoxification pathway of the liver, which is crucial for breaking down and removing harmful estrogen that can damage DNA and cause cancer, needs

Syncing With My Cycle Changed My Life Forever. How It Can Change Yours, Too.

Excerpted from IN THE FLO by Alisa Vitti, reprinted with permission by HarperOne, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers. Copyright 2020.  I know firsthand how stressful hormonal problems can be. I struggled with them for a decade, and my journey with a debilitating hormonal condition changed my career and my life.  My issues started in junior high school. I was a very late bloomer in the puberty department. Even though I was the president and founder of the Period Club, I was the last one in the club to actually start my period. I was almost sixteen when I got my first bleed, although it was brown and not healthy. I went to my gynecologist annually but was offered no diagnosis or explanation for the laundry list of issues I was having.  RELATED: The Best Period Underwear for Every Type of Flow Meanwhile, my symptoms worsened throughout high school and in college. At one point, I tipped the scales at 205 pounds; my face, chest, and back were covered in severe, painful cystic acne; and I hadn’t had my period more than a handful of times in a decade. Things got so bad for me, I couldn’t sleep, I binged on food to deal with fatigue and anxiety, I felt depressed, and I struggled to do basic things like be on time for appointments and stick with plans to go out with friends. I was a mess and felt trapped in my own body. One night when I was suffering with my usual insomnia, I headed to the library at Johns Hopkins, where I was a student, and I came across a brief article in an obstetrics journal about Stein-Leventhal disease, which is now called polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). As I scanned the symptoms associated with this condition, I recognized myself immediately.  RELATED: What Every Woman Needs to Know About PCOS “This is it,” I thought! In my book WomanCode, I described in detail how that discovery prompted me to demand that my gynecologist give me a test to diagnose PCOS—a transvaginal ultrasound along with bloodwork. When the test revealed the telltale signs of PCOS—multiple cysts on both of my ovaries—I finally knew what was causing all of my issues. It suddenly made sense to me that all the diets, exercise, and skin care treatments hadn’t worked for me. My symptoms weren’t caused by my not trying hard enough; my hormonal system was so severely out of tune that no ordinary diet or skin cream was going to help.  My prognosis was grim—a lifetime of cystic acne and an increased risk for obesity, diabetes, infertility, heart disease, and cancer. As I sat in stunned silence, the doc dispassionately informed me there was no cure, only a litany of prescriptions—birth control pills to artificially regulate my period, Accutane for acne, Glucophage for insulin problems, Aldactone for hirsutism issues, blood pressure medicine, Clomid when it came time to conceive, and on and on—that I would likely have to take for the rest of my life. The message was clear: go home and suffer quietly. As I was reeling from the notion of a lifetime of pills and problems, a voice welled up from deep inside, calmly reassuring me: “That’s not your path.” My body was sending me a strong message that there had to be a better way. I didn’t realize it in that moment, but looking back, my body was letting me know I had the power to do something, to change my hormonal situation and create a better future for myself. In that moment, I made the switch from having a passive relationship with my body to becoming a champion for my health and well-being. I was in a fight for my quality of life, literally, and if traditional medicine was going to leave me unsupported, I’d look elsewhere for a remedy. For the next two years, I embarked on an exploratory journey to learn as much as I could from experts in a variety of health specialties, including naturopaths, herbalists, and acupuncturists. I tried elimination diets, candida diets, herbs, and supplements, and nothing worked for me. Although these therapies can provide relief for many conditions, they didn’t heal my hormonal problems. In fact, my condition continued to worsen. Out of desperation, I went on the pill, but after just ten days I temporarily lost vision in one eye from an ocular migraine and suffered a cardiac episode of low blood pressure and heart palpitations. After medical evaluation, I was told to avoid synthetic birth control. Finally, after exhausting all of the existing treatments, I tapped into my inner strength as a researcher (I had studied biology and wanted to become an ob-gyn) and began looking into the endocrine system, epigenetics, circadian patterns of the body and hormones (chronobiology), and the five-phase theory from Chinese medicine.  My findings encouraged me to experiment and create a revolutionary new way of eating that ultimately put my symptoms and condition into remission naturally. This is the basis of the FLO protocol I described in WomanCode, which includes using food to stabilize your blood sugar levels and insulin, reduce cortisol levels, restore microbial balance in the gut, and improve the breakdown of estrogen in the liver. Within nine months of following this protocol, my period came back, I lost sixty pounds, my skin cleared up, and my mood and life were transformed. I was beyond thrilled with this transformation, but my journey wasn’t over. I needed to find a way to maintain the changes I had made, and I wanted to get in touch with my cyclical nature by reclaiming a female-centered way of living. The Cycle Syncing Method™ was born from these two fundamental needs. The method is based on the extraordinary blueprint for self-care, biohacking, and optimization on every level provided by our cyclical hormonal patterns. The method allows us to stay connected to our feminine energy despite the cultural conditioning that dictates a linear, repetitive way of living. I certainly wish

Why Balancing Your Hormones is Super Important (and How to Do It)

5 smart tips to make sure your hormonal system is performing the way it should be.

What Every Woman Needs to Know About PCOS

Thanks to the Internet and real life stories from celebrities like Lena Dunham and Padma Lakshmi, more people are familiar with the hormone imbalance known as PCOS (Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome). These days PCOS is estimated to affect 5-10% of women of childbearing age, with 30% of all women exhibiting some symptoms of PCOS. Reports indicate that PCOS is on the rise and yet, despite its prevalence, much remains unknown about the syndrome. As with most things that are related to a woman’s menstrual cycle and hormones, there has been little discussion about this syndrome and many women are left wondering if they have PCOS, misunderstanding what PCOS is, or being diagnosed with PCOS and unfortunately coming to believe things that just aren’t true about their condition, what it means for their health and how to treat it. What is PCOS? What many people don’t realize is that PCOS is not one syndrome but rather four different disorders: Type 1: Classic. Women with classic PCOS have high androgen (male hormone) levels, irregular or absent ovulation, and a polycystic ovary. Type 2: Hyperandrogenic anovulatory. Those who have hyperandrogenic anovulatory PCOS have an excess of androgens and irregular or absent ovulation. Type 3: Ovulatory. Women diagnosed with Ovulatory PCOS have a high level of androgens and a polycystic ovary. Type 4: Non-hyperandrogenic. For women with non-hyperandrogenic PCOS, the syndrome presents as an irregular or absent ovulation and a polycystic ovary. The recently proposed fifth strain is Obesity. Women with this type have insulin resistance, which causes their testosterone and estrogen production to go into overdrive. As a result, these women typically experience acne, facial hair, and irregular or absent ovulation. RELATED: Schedule a free conversation with a Parsley Health expert to learn about our comprehensive approach to PCOS. Common Misconceptions It is often falsely assumed that the way one woman experiences PCOS is how all women experience it. For example, it is commonly believed that having PCOS means you have cysts on your ovaries and won’t have a regular period. In fact, only three of the four types of PCOS are associated with ovarian cysts and while menstruation can be affected by the condition, it is also heavily dependent on inflammation, body fat percentage, and one’s cortisol and insulin levels. Similarly, some, but not all, women with the condition will experience acne, facial hair growth, or both. How to treat PCOS and if it can be treated at all are also widely misunderstood. Women who come to Parsley Health with a PCOS diagnosis are often on a birth control pill and believe that their diagnosis means they are infertile. “In reality, the birth control pill does nothing to cure, prevent, or fix PCOS or any other hormone disorder. It can be helpful as a management tool for symptoms, but ultimately it just masks the problem,” explains Parsley Health founder and CEO Dr. Robin Berzin. RELATED: How to Eat for Fertility How to Treat PCOS Although the cause of PCOS remains unknown, research indicates that imbalances in hormone levels, body fat percentage, and metabolism are to blame. At the root of these imbalances are stress and diet, which often go hand in hand as high stress can lead to poor dietary and other lifestyle choices. Treating the condition requires making dietary and lifestyle changes. For our patients, we recommend a low-glycemic, plant-based, Paleo-style diet complemented with supplements to balance hormone levels, blood sugar, and insulin levels and decrease inflammation. By following our protocols, our patients have re-balanced their bodies, reversed PCOS, and oftentimes been able to conceive. If you have been given a diagnosis of PCOS, the best thing you can do is educate yourself and find a physician who will take the time to explain the syndrome and work with you to heal. Just because a friend has PCOS or you have heard that women with it always have a particular symptom does not mean that you will have that experience. At Parsley Health, we believe in a personalized approach to medicine because no two people are the same. This piece was originally published on Parsley Health. Parsley Health is a groundbreaking medical practice of highly trained doctors and health coaches in New York, Los Angeles and San Francisco. Parsley Health takes a smarter, whole approach to helping you live a healthy life. You deserve a better doctor. Sign up here to speak to a health expert to figure out how Parsley Health can help you achieve your goals today.

How to Track Your Period for Energy, Happiness, and Productivity

Balanced hormones and a humming cycle won’t just curb cramps—your moods, workflow, and overall wellness may improve for all 28 days.