In the FLO: A 28-day plan working with your monthly cycle to do more and stress less

by Alisa Vitti

immediately get strategic.

move work demands to a different phase.

plan to upgrade my self-care on that day or in the days leading up to that date to offset or compensate for the extra energy requirement.

Time for rest and relaxation is required to balance the periods of activity.

cycle phases are not distinct. They transition gradually

can feel your way into your schedule and flow with your own energy and phase awareness.

reasonable to imagine that in the past, many women who lived in communities might all bleed at the same time during the new moon and follow the rhythm of the lunar cycle because they were all exposed to the same light—waking with the sun in the morning, sleeping when the sun went down, and being exposed to powerful and changing moonlight at night.

sync either just your food or just your workouts.

phase, sync both your food and your workouts.

while maintaining the food and work...

schedule and task list and see what activities are in syn...

how many are out of sync, and make s...

out your daily planner, look at the next four phases, and plan your ideal schedule for the next whole cycle.

Brown V-Sign Type: Without enough progesterone, the uterus doesn’t shed completely, and the leftover lining oxidizes and turns brown. If you’re trying to conceive, low progesterone makes it harder to maintain a pregnancy during the first trimester. Does your period blood resemble prune juice? Seeing a brownish color on Day 1 or on the last couple days of your

period indicates your progesterone levels may be too low, which increases your chances of longer cycles or skipping cycles. Women with this type of bleeding may experience mood swings, anxiety, depression, trouble concentrating, sleep disturbances, headaches or migraines, and low libido. If you’re trying to conceive, be aware that low progesterone makes it harder to carry a pregnancy through the first trimester. Many of the women I see with low progesterone also experience hot flashes and other symptoms usually associated with perimenopause, even if they’re still in their twenties or early thirties. Over time, your uterine lining may build up abnormally, leading to a condition called endometrial hyperplasia, which can lead to uterine cancer in some cases.

it only last one or two days? Do you have spotting between periods?

your period is too short, which can be caused by low estrogen

twenty-eight to thirty-two days—

regular and consistent

color of deep red cranberry juice or dark cherry juice

four to seven days.

strong flow without any clots,

shouldn’t be inconveniently heavy

feeling like you’re bleeding through menstrual care pr...

feel your uterus in action with some slight sensations or warm feelings,

shouldn’t

experience any kind of pain that would make you reach for drugs o...

This myth makes your cycle seem so mysterious, so unpredictable, and so unmanageable that there is nothing you can do about your period problems.

you do nothing.

But it’s up to you to be your own hormonal advocate.

modern environment is filled with chemicals, pesticides, pharmaceuticals, and artificial lighting that make it hard to keep our hormones happy and humming.

These endocrine disruptors often mimic naturally occurring hormones—including estrogen, thyroid, and androgens—

These dirty disruptors can also trip up the way the liver metabolizes and eliminates hormones.

household cleaners, skincare products, cosmetics, personal care products, pharmaceuticals, plastics, and food.

many of these toxins are bio-accumulative and can disrupt hormonal balance.

Exposure to endocrine disruptors

estrogen dominance, early puberty, an...

increased risk for breast and thy...

nonorganic foods?

meat that isn’t antibiotic-free and hormone-free,

drink water from plasti...

chemical-laden household cleaning products ...

drugstore cosmetics and skinca...

hair care products that aren’t all natural?

standard nail polish?

switching your diet from conventionally produced foods to organic foods reduces urinary output of pesticides by nearly 90 percent—in just seven days!

foods you eat can minimize your symptoms and help balance your hormones.

Eat more flaxseeds.

natural type of selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERMs),

high in fiber, omega-3 fatty acids, and lignans,