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Katie: Hello and welcome to the Wellness Mama podcast. I’m Katie from wellnessmama.com, and this episode is with Alisa Vitti, who’s an expensive buddy of mine. And it’s all about why cycle syncing can change the world for the higher. And only a be aware earlier than we soar in. This one does contact on some grownup matters like libido and sexual well being and another elements referring to ladies’s month-to-month cycle. It’s extra relevant to to ladies and people who find themselves nonetheless having a month-to-month cycle. So only a be aware for those who’re listening with kiddos, this won’t be the perfect kid-friendly episode, however there’s a lot helpful data on this one.
We speak about issues like reconnecting with female vitality, what cycle syncing is and methods to use it to our benefit, why we really want extra energy in sure phases of our cycle, methods to use meals strategically, how health is totally different in several ranges of our cycle. A motive to keep away from extreme cardio within the second half of your cycle. Why she doesn’t suggest ladies do fasted exercises, some biohacks and finest occasions for particular biohacks referring to your hormones, the draw back of early morning wake-ups at sure factors of your cycle, why ladies want extra sleep on common, and understanding libido and what to be taught from our libido shifts, together with a lot, way more. There’s additionally a whole lot of assets for this one accessible within the present notes at wellnessmama.fm, so be sure that to verify these out as properly. And with out additional ado, let’s be part of Alisa Vitti. Alisa. Welcome again.
Alisa: Oh my goodness Katie, all the time a pleasure. We’ve identified one another for therefore lengthy now.
Katie: It has been so lengthy. And I feel the work you proceed to do is so useful to ladies. And I really feel like this matter is extra well timed than it’s ever been. And we’re at such a cool level the place I really feel like this data is getting into the mainstream much more and ladies are actually taking possession of their very own well being in actually cool and distinctive methods. And we’re going to to go deep on that matter right now. But earlier than we do, I’ve a private curiosity in one thing I discovered in your bio, which is that you just’ve lived in India with one of many solely feminine Zen masters. And I’d love to listen to what led to that and what that have was like. I’m tentatively planning truly to go to Thailand later this yr to sit down with some Buddhist masters there and to simply to expertise different cultures. I’d love to listen to what that have was like.
Alisa: I really like that I get the possibility to speak about this. I by no means do. So in my early to mid twenty’s, I made a decision that I wished to do no matter I may to reclaim my female vitality. Because I had recognized that I had someplace alongside the way in which in the middle of my life and coping with PCOS in some way change into very disconnected from what that was and had what I’d name a very developed sense of masculine vitality. And so I had this little group of ladies that I used to be spending a whole lot of time with and we determined that we’d make a proper research of this. And so each month we’d get collectively in my little tiny house in New York and we might have like a learn prefer it was like a ebook membership. And we have been studying all of those totally different books and speaking about what it meant to stay in our female vitality. And via that course of we in some way discovered this girl who was residing in India, who on the time was one of many solely feminine Zen masters that we have been conscious of.
And we determined that we’d go to India and sit along with her and sit in Satsang, which interprets roughly to sitting in fact. And it was fairly a course of. I’ll always remember shopping for my airplane ticket to go to India. It was like my complete month’s hire to purchase the ticket. And you’d should and that is again while you’d should go to an airline like a journey company to do that. So it was fairly a journey and it was an entire course of of each different day. We would sit along with her for about 3 hours at a time and he or she would train on totally different topics. And then there have been typically Q and A, however typically occasions she would form of simply intuit what it was that folks wanted. And it was very fascinating course of. Very fascinating I’d say life altering.
We primarily mentioned the character of the thoughts and the character of actuality and duality and the place an individual is in that have and methods to navigate that. There was a second the place I contemplated perhaps not coming again to the States and staying and form of staying there, however I made a decision that it could be enjoyable to proceed the form of dedication to constructing a platform as an alternative that may assist ladies. And so I got here again. But yeah, what an expertise on coming dwelling.
The different factor you most likely learn in my bio is that I’ve run to catch a shifting practice on the way in which dwelling. There was an entire factor in Milan, our connecting flight, and there was a strike, and so we couldn’t get taxis again from metropolis heart to get to the airport. So we needed to catch a practice to get again to the airport on time to get our connecting flight to New York. And if we missed it, like, that was it, and we have been going to simply miss it, and who is aware of how we have been going to get dwelling. So we discovered this one practice. We ran from City Center to the practice station in Milan, after which as we’re getting there and shopping for our tickets, we’re working to the practice, however the practice is now pulling out of the station. I’ve received my backpack on and all of the issues that I had purchased from India and all these items. And I’m not like a sprinter. I’m not anyone who runs for enjoyable in any respect. But it seems when I’ve to run to catch a shifting practice, that I can ebook it. And so I ended up working and hopping on this shifting practice and catching my flight dwelling. And so, fairly an eventful journey the entire method via.
Katie: Well, that sounds unbelievable. And truly, you touched on one thing that I feel is an ideal springboard into the remainder of this dialog, which is reconnecting together with your femininity. And that is one thing I’ve been on a journey the previous couple of years as properly, and one thing I can see now. It was a lot simpler earlier in life, particularly with trauma-based compulsion to be very a lot within the masculine vitality. It felt safer and extra protected, and I feel was not useful in a whole lot of relationships, truly, for a lone time. And so it’s one thing I’m now studying to reintegrate all of the components of me. And it, I feel, traces up with what we’re going to speak about right now, which is part of our femininity, which is our pure hormone cycles and all that comes with that. And I’m studying to embrace the fantastic thing about that and what I imagine you’ve referred to as the superpower of that.
Alisa: Well, for me, that was actually the factor that got here out of this complete journey for me, was that I truly wanted a apply not solely to maintain this organic rhythm, however to additionally make it possible for I may tangibly logically join with my female vitality each day as I used to be architecting my life. Because it’s simply nearly inconceivable with out utilizing the cycle syncing methodology to navigate a male-oriented time assemble together with your female vitality and masculine energetic stability intact. And so for me, this apply has been greater than only a well being apply, however undoubtedly one which was additionally paid many, many dividends on that aspect as properly.
Katie: Well, let’s delve into that. I’d guess, like I mentioned, as a result of that is turning into so widespread on social media that folks have perhaps heard this time period, though some won’t have. So outline for us what Cycle Syncing is and the way this pertains to a lot extra of our life than simply our menstrual cycle.
Alisa: Yeah, so Cycle Syncing is the time period that I created to encapsulate this apply that we are able to do when we’ve our cycles energetic to maintain them from a bodily viewpoint. And so that appears at synchronizing your meals, your health and your life-style with every of the 4 phases of the cycle. And sure, it’s change into extremely popular. When I’ve printed my ebook on the topic referred to as In the FLO again in 2020, there have been like 15,000 hashtag iterations of cycle syncing. Today in 2023, there are over 130,000,000 hashtag iterations of cycle syncing. So persons are, I feel, resonating with this idea as a result of they’ve instructed me for various causes.
One, it validates the ways in which they’ve been feeling intuitively at totally different occasions of the cycle. Like oh sure, I’m hungrier right here or sure, I don’t need to essentially be doing any such work on the market. Oh, I’m naturally extra fascinated with any such undertaking presently of the month. So that’s fairly the alternative of the expertise that so many people have after we are coping with our cycles and coping with the medical neighborhood the place we really feel slightly bit extra gaslit like oh no, it’s perhaps all in your head, or that may’t be true. And the message actually comes all the way down to it is best to even though your hormones are altering day over day, it is best to try to perform the identical daily, which is totally illogical and at odds together with your biology and is the supply of a lot physiological stress and psychological stress for ladies. Right?
Because for those who’re attempting to eat the identical energy day in and day trip, do the identical exercises day in and day trip, work in the identical method, get up on the identical time, do every thing the identical based mostly on a 24 hours clock, which isn’t how your physique works, then after all, we’re going to begin to see signs. So the tactic actually is about defending this particular organic rhythm that I uncovered in the middle of my analysis referred to as the Infradian Rhythm which is tremendous, tremendous essential for ladies to find out about. And it offers a construction for a apply. It’s not a eating regimen, it’s not like a regime. It’s form of a apply that you just come to and no matter extent that you may apply it, that day is useful. You don’t should get it good. You don’t should be obsessive about getting it proper. You can simply do as a lot as you possibly can and your physique will be capable to use that and assist itself.
Katie: And are you able to clarify the infradian rhythm slightly bit extra? Because I feel this idea is so helpful and I additionally love this distinction of understanding and working inside our hormone cycles versus, such as you mentioned, as a result of from what I perceive, the male hormone cycle is extra of a 24 hours cycle. It traces up completely with a 24 hours day. And ours is far, a lot totally different.
Alisa: Ours is each/and.
Katie: Exactly. And I feel simply understanding that provides you a lot extra peace concerning the course of versus feeling such as you’re dropping a battle as a result of it’s not, you’re not a person. But I feel there’s so many stunning layers right here. So stroll us via infradian rhythm and the connection to our hormones.
Alisa: So your infradian rhythm is that this organic rhythm that you’ve got energetic out of your first bleed to your final. It undoubtedly governs the timing of your menstrual cycle. But similar to it’s too simplistic to have a look at the circadian rhythm as solely governing your sleep wake cycles as a result of we all know it impacts the timing of so many alternative features of the physique. It’s additionally too simplistic to say, oh, the infraredian rhythm is simply while you’re ovulating and menstruating. That’s not true. It actually is affecting main techniques of the physique out of your mind to your metabolism, to your stress response system, your immune response system, your sexual response, all of these items and your menstrual cycle, proper.
So it’s essential for us to grasp that there’s this clock that’s at play that we’ve to maintain. Right. Because we do know from finding out so intently the circadian clock that the caring of that’s important in your well-being. But we’ve been attempting to maintain ourselves as ladies for many years. If you have a look at the eating regimen and health and wellness tradition of the previous a number of many years, ladies are being fed so many alternative research and traits and this and check out that. And none of them have ever included ladies of their reproductive years in these research for probably the most half, proper? And but ladies are the primary ones typically to attempt them and to see that they find yourself disrupting one thing new, proper?
So you perhaps will begin as a result of you could have a weight situation or one thing off together with your vitality and also you attempt a brand new eating regimen, you attempt a brand new health program, subsequent factor you realize, this was very true when ladies have been doing all of the Paleo and Keto. You’d see all of them of their Facebook group saying I don’t perceive, I’m doing every thing proper, however I misplaced my interval. I’m undecided if that’s okay or now my thyroid is off, proper? So we’re disrupting our hormones extra profoundly by attempting all of those various things that none of which put our cyclical organic wants at its heart and since we’ve this big cultural blind spot round having an infrared rhythm within the first place. Right? And so we do should issue that in. And sure, you do additionally nonetheless have a circadian clock as properly. So you do should nonetheless do good sleep hygiene, get solar publicity within the morning, all these issues that assist with these grasp regulating hormonal features. But you additionally should care in your cycle as properly. It’s a each/and state of affairs.
Katie: So let’s speak about among the methods to each look after our cycle and to, I’d say, like harness that superpower that’s our cycle. Because I’ve discovered this, I really feel like very a lot the onerous method in what you simply talked about with attempting totally different diets that have been not likely supportive of my hormones in any respect and doubtless truly careworn me out much more. Even issues like simply undereating for therefore a few years that my physique was in an entire state of stress, regardless that I didn’t really feel careworn. And then now, on the flip aspect, attempting to embrace the advantages of really these hormone shifts and seeing how if I do this in my exercises, as an illustration, I see enchancment over time versus if I attempt to simply struggle and do my heaviest exercises whereas I’m on my interval, I get pissed off that it’s simply not going to occur. So speak about that. What are among the elements that go into this and the way can we harness it?
Alisa: So there’s meals, there’s health, there’s life-style. So we are able to begin with simply understanding among the fundamentals about metabolism and how one can assist your self with eating regimen as a result of it’s so true, while you work smarter round your cycle and never more durable, you do get outcomes. And I’m residing proof within the sense that after I first had my PCOS signs, weight was a giant element of that. And utilizing the Cycle Syncing Method has not solely helped me initially lose that fifty kilos that I wanted to lose, however I’ve maintained that weight reduction for, I don’t know, now over 20 years, proper? And that features a being pregnant the place I gained the identical quantity of weight and misplaced that once more. Right? So it’s one thing that you should use to actually assist your self with out having to do something in an excessive style.
So with the metabolic piece, it’s a must to perceive that in these totally different phases of the cycle, the metabolic price adjustments. So you don’t truly need to try for a similar calorie consumption daily. And I simply need to pause on that as a result of I do know that you just’re considering, wait, however that’s what all people tells me to do and it’s not relevant to you relying on the place you might be within the cycle, it actually does change. In the luteal part, research present {that a} girl, relative to what she is often taking in, wants 279 extra energy per day within the luteal part. And why is that? Well, no huge deal. You’re simply 3D printing an organ throughout that part, proper. The endometrium is a really specialised organ filled with stem, I imply, it’s like an unbelievable organ. And you manufacture that from the micronutrients that you just eat and that you’ve got saved each month, along with manufacturing increased ranges of progesterone at the moment. This doesn’t simply come out of skinny air. You should have vitamins to do this. And so that you undoubtedly want extra of that. Plus, your blood sugar is extra unstable presently. So it’s essential use carbohydrates strategically.
So within the first half of the cycle, follicular and ovulatory metabolic price is slower. You can eat lighter. You may play with slightly extra prolonged fasting for those who’re in a spot the place that’s okay so that you can do. If you’re coping with something with thyroid or the rest, I wouldn’t do this in any respect. And then within the luteal part, you bought to eat extra about 280 energy extra per day, and also you need to eat extra sluggish burning carbohydrates. So you need to eat way more savory breakfast, root greens, complete grains, issues which might be no matter you possibly can eat, legumes, no matter’s good in your digestion, that’s going that can assist you navigate your blood sugar all through the day. So that’s sort of the primary cross. That first stage is simply understanding that it’s a must to change your caloric consumption throughout the cycle for those who’re doing something to remain the identical. That’s outdated data.
And it’s data that was based mostly on excluding ladies from the health and vitamin analysis and a really unscientific assumption. Which was? Well, we’re not actively finding out ladies, however they’re smaller variations of males, so let’s simply assume that they want fewer energy and extra figuring out to compensate for his or her slower metabolisms, which is simply not correct. So you bought to let that go. That’s an outdated understanding.
And then you can also use meals, particular meals strategically to take care of all of the estrogen fluctuations all through your cycle. Right? Because throughout Ovulation, for instance, you could have this tremendous surge of estrogen, which is nice, has fantastic results on mind chemistry, and we’ll speak about that in a second. But when you have any issue metabolizing that estrogen, you could discover it with breakouts in your chin or breast tenderness or complications or simply different funky form of signs, proper? So you need to use some extra uncooked meals, salads, smoothies, cruciferous, greens, issues which might be going to assist your physique break that estrogen down and get it out of the intestine as shortly as potential. So there’s a steerage by way of a meals chart in Chapter 4 of In the FLO that’s now fairly well-known, the FLO meals chart. And you possibly can sort of look to see what meals may be strategically useful for you at that specific part. The identical is true of each part. In the luteal part, like I already talked about, you’ll use extra nutrient dense meals, sluggish burning carbohydrate meals. You’ll prepare dinner your greens at this part to make it simpler as a result of digestion slows down slightly bit. So you need to just be sure you can extract probably the most vitamins out of your meals by cooking them slightly bit otherwise on this part, but in addition bulking up on the fiber amount so as to tackle the slower transit time within the intestine due to that rise in progesterone. So you’re repeatedly processing out hormones in that method.
So it’s actually about understanding that you’ve got two issues to actually care about right here. Both calorie consumption to maintain blood sugar steady, but in addition meals sort to form of strategically work together with all of the hormone shifts which might be occurring all through the cycle.
So that’s the meals piece then on the health piece. There’s a lot right here to speak about. But the concept is that you just need to perceive that you may practice intensely in every part, however you simply need to have a distinct focus. So within the first half of the cycle, as a result of metabolism is barely slower and resting cortisol ranges are barely decrease, you are able to do all types of cardio alongside power coaching within the first half of the cycle. In the second half of the cycle, particularly the luteal part, as a result of we’ve a shift with basal physique temperature, with metabolism, proper. The metabolism quickens, resting cortisol ranges are increased, and you’ve got this extra sensitivity in blood sugar ranges. You undoubtedly need to keep away from extreme quantities of cardio on this part, proper? So for those who’re an athlete, after all you possibly can nonetheless do a few of these issues, however you need to focus extra on power coaching for those who’re not an athlete and you may simply form of choose your exercises, power coaching is nice. And for those who do cardio, maintain it to issues like strolling or limiting the time by which you’re doing cardio, one thing like half-hour or much less that can assist you not burn into any of that form of Adrenal reserve.
Katie: That is smart. I’ve undoubtedly observed that in myself of just like the cardiology and particularly within the second half of my cycle, is extra brief, intense sprints, however not a whole lot of them, and with relaxation in between. So I really feel like I can then get the advantages of progress hormone and stimulating the muscle tissue, however with out, such as you mentioned, the stress on the Adrenals or that prolonged cardio that looks like it actually simply taxes my nervous system even.
Alisa: Well, what it does is it begins to tank your blood sugar after which additionally impacts form of that cortisol stage. And yeah, you simply aren’t going to really feel good after that. If you do an experiment the place you form of choose your ideally suited exercise from the primary half of the cycle and do it in your peak luteal part, you’re going to really feel extraordinarily totally different doing that very same exercise in these two phases of the cycle. And I encourage each girl to do this simply so you possibly can see for your self that really it isn’t your willpower otherwise you’re having an off-day. It’s simply that it’s a must to use the suitable exercise in the suitable part to get the outcomes that you just’re on the lookout for.
And that is true, for instance, ladies who’re aggressive runners, I’ve suggested on form of how are you going to do that, how are you going to use cycle syncing for those who’re competing in several races and issues? So I all the time say it’s ideally suited for those who can choose doing a contest form of like between day 5 and twelve of your cycle, perhaps simply at first of the luteal part, day 17 via 20, as a result of estrogen and progesterone are sort of at their lowest. So your physique is utilizing saved sugar for vitality extra effectively. So that’s a good time to plan a race or to do any form of cardio, proper? But if it’s a must to compete or do any form of intensive cardio throughout the luteal part, then it’s a must to actually use some issues that can assist you handle your temperature, like ice baths earlier than you go in your race, or consuming ice throughout the competitors and cooling down after and likewise refueling with carbohydrates.
Now, for those who’re not a aggressive athlete, how are you going to apply this to your individual apply? First of all, no girl ought to be doing a fasted exercise, proper? Because that’s simply in any part of the cycle that’s going to disrupt your blood sugar after which that’s actually the top of the sport proper there. Because as soon as that goes off, then every thing else goes off monitor. So ensuring you’re fueling correctly after which ensuring you’re consuming after you’re employed out strategically to be sure to’re refueling with carbohydrates within the second half of the cycle, particularly so that you’re not having any dips in that blood sugar. You need to keep away from that as a result of as soon as your blood sugar dips, then what occurs? Ghrelin takes over. And particularly within the luteal part, you’re going to be binge consuming issues or consuming extra of one thing than you would like you had and derailing your targets as an entire.
So it’s actually about understanding how your biology works and simply working with it. There isn’t any logic that I’ve discovered that in any respect provides as much as you form of combating what the truth is, proper? And I feel as ladies, we’ve been so conditioned to struggle our our bodies that that’s the most important hurdle is to recover from this behavior of, properly, no, I feel I ought to be capable to do that presently, or no matter, and doing it anyway. Whereas males have been conditioned for a very long time to grasp, hey, your physique works like this. This is when testosterone is peaking. This is what’s occurring together with your cortisol. They take that as very matter of reality. And they only incorporate that into their consuming plan, their coaching program and their work schedule and they don’t prefer to deviate from that. Whereas we’ve form of adopted this stance of, properly, perhaps I ought to push via it or I ought to push via it and work towards my physique, but it surely actually simply yields no dividends, for positive.
Katie: Yeah, I feel one thing you simply mentioned is so essential, and it was a tough discovered lesson for me. But that concept of studying to not struggle our our bodies not even associated to our cycle. But I bear in mind after I had thyroid, stuff nonetheless happening, and I couldn’t shed weight. And I felt like I used to be attempting to will my physique and power it and punish it into doing what I wished. And it was a lot simpler after I discovered to shift slightly bit into extra self-love and taking note of my physique and nourishing it. And satirically, all those self same issues I used to be attempting to power it into doing occur naturally after I simply form of listened to it and embraced what it wanted at totally different occasions and for all the explanations you simply talked about. Now I’m even studying if I’m going to do power coaching, which I do all through the month. But I’m going to do my heaviest lifts in that part of my cycle after I know I’m going to most likely see the most important outcomes and likewise going to really feel the perfect about it versus attempting to power it within the luteal part after which really feel like I’ve misplaced power, which isn’t truly true. It’s simply my physique is of course in that part. And so I feel having this conscious helps us in so many areas of life and likewise with that actually key mindset piece that’s typically not talked about practically sufficient.
Alisa: When you step again and also you have a look at feminine physiology versus males and the way our cycle form of mandates that we form of do our self-care, it actually form of stands out fairly shortly at how environment friendly the feminine physique is. Right. And I spoke about this, I wrote about this in one of many earlier chapters of In the FLO. We extract vitamins extra effectively from our meals, proper. We retain vitamins for longer in our our bodies, but in addition relating to making power good points, proper. You as a lady don’t should do the day in and day trip grind as a result of your physique is simply oriented otherwise and it’s way more effectivity. So you possibly can truly go farther by pedaling, let’s say much less regularly. Right. You can do a few huge pushes on the proper time, strategically all through the month and you will get big outcomes, however you don’t should undergo this form of every day battle that I feel we’ve been placing ourselves via once more, as a result of this had the flawed data. And we’ve been attempting to function as if we had that male organic actuality, which we don’t.
So simply additionally simply maintain that perspective. Not solely are Katie and I right here to attest that you may obtain outcomes by aligning together with your cycle, however the fact is your physique’s tremendous environment friendly and the much less you stress it, the extra it’s going to carry out for you.
Katie: Such an essential level. And I need to be sure that we additionally get to the touch on the fertility aspect of cycle syncing, as a result of that is one thing I’ve been utilizing. I’ve been utilizing your app truly since 2017. And earlier than that I used to be charting each month on paper. So I discovered NFP after I was most likely 19, and I’ve been utilizing it in some kind since then and utilizing it to trace my fertility and use that information in no matter method I wished at totally different occasions. And I do know that that is additionally now way more talked about. I really like that this dialog is occurring increasingly and persons are selecting due to understanding this, selecting non-hormonal choices for selecting once they’re fertile, once they’re, understanding once they’re fertile, once they’re not, and utilizing that to their benefit.
I’d love so that you can break down among the knowledge behind that and the way correct it may be as a result of this blew my thoughts. You hear the charges of all of the contraceptives and realizing that really this may be extraordinarily efficient. Plus you’re getting a lot extra information about your physique that, like we’ve already talked about, is useful in all these different areas as properly.
Alisa: Well, I imply, charting with basal physique temperature is extraordinarily correct method so that you can form of handle the place you might be in your cycle. I feel there may be even an app that has some form of FDA clearance round accuracy or equal contraception, safety as condoms, proper? And so it’s a fairly highly effective device for ladies to be utilizing to grasp the place they’re within the cycle, the why that’s true. I feel we additionally should take a step again and perceive that we’ve additionally been fed a story of worry about our fertilities, which is that you can get pregnant at any month, at any day of the month, proper. And for anyone who has ever tried to conceive and is aware of how difficult that may be, your egg is simply viable for 48 hours. And sperm can solely stay within the physique for 5 days. So meaning you’ve received a couple of seven day window the place it’s a must to be anxious about for those who’re attempting to forestall a being pregnant, some form of barrier methodology that you’d have to issue into your planning.
The remainder of the month, there isn’t a viable egg. It’s simply not potential. So you possibly can actually use this data to your benefit such as you have been speaking about. And the rationale why you need to do that’s as a result of it could permit you the chance to not use this very outdated expertise, in my view, of artificial hormonal contraception, proper? And I name that outdated expertise as a result of when it was created, there have been no monitoring units, there was no understanding of all of this form of behind the scenes of when the viability was and all of that. And it was simply form of like the concept shutting down all of the hormones daily of manufacturing in order that there was no chance of conception at any time, proper?
Now we’ve a way more nuanced understanding and so we must always use the brand new instruments that we’ve at our disposal to navigate that. And the brand new methods by which these medicines are being prescribed to deal with menstrual issues are usually not even efficient. Right? That taking contraception to repair your PCOS or your fibroids. Your endometriosis will not be a repair. It’s only a short-term band help robbing you of valuable time to be feeling the signs that may encourage you to take the motion that it’s essential tackle these points from a useful medication viewpoint to get precise outcomes and precise decision to these points, which we do daily at FLO Living. And that’s why we’ve our firm devoted to being a hormonal well being care platform that actually adjustments what hormonal well being care ought to seem like.
But I feel that desirous about cycle syncing and contraception can also be essential as a result of for those who’re on artificial contraception, you don’t have a cycle. You can’t use the cycle syncing methodology. You are principally taking artificial hormones in a every day dose daily to close off your individual hormonal manufacturing and dose your self with one thing that could be a semi-menopausal stage of hormones, proper? So you’re not ovulating, you’re not menstruating. You sort of are having often a breakthrough bleed, which isn’t an actual interval. And a whole lot of ladies don’t know that. They don’t know that they’re not having a cycle. That’s all the time a shock nonetheless to today after I train about it.
And then the opposite factor that they don’t know is what it’s costing them to do this, proper? So with out ovulation, each month, each ovulation confers large mind, coronary heart and bone safety to you right now, but in addition places that form of in your well being checking account for when you’re ultimately postmenopausal and continues to guard your mind, coronary heart and bone density lengthy after you’ve stopped menstruating.
But for those who’re not ovulating since you’re on artificial contraception for 10,15,20,30 years, you’ve missed all that point to do this. And then, after all, the treatment itself, it’s not a direct match to your individual hormones. It has excipients, it has different issues. It depletes sure key micronutrients in your physique, like Vitamin D3, which, by the way in which, is crucial for fertility. Turns out that 90% of idiopathic infertility has a Vitamin D3 deficiency in frequent, proper? And so B Vitamins are depleted. It disrupts your intestine microbiome, creating irritation, any stage of irritation or one thing to that impact in your system goes to speak to the endometrium that it won’t be an optimum time for an implantation to happen. So you could be prepared with the egg and the seed coming collectively on the proper time of your cycle. But as a result of you could have this unaddressed fallout from being on this treatment for years, as a result of ladies are usually not instructed that they should form of assist themselves after they get off of that treatment, you might have some challenges with attempting to begin a household while you’re prepared.
So there’s loads to consider relating to contraception and there’s loads to be taught. And I hope that there’s an entire chapter on it in The Flow that can assist you form of navigate the place you’re at and what you would possibly have to do to maintain your self. And at FLO Living, we’ve one thing referred to as contraception rehab. If you’re somebody who’s on the treatment and also you’re desirous about what to do subsequent, there are steps you possibly can take whilst you’re nonetheless on it and determining what to do subsequent to assist offset all that publicity to that treatment. And the Balance dietary supplements are one thing that I formulated particularly to assist with that specifically.
Katie: Yeah. And I’ll be sure that I embody hyperlinks to your books and to your web site and the app as properly within the present notes, as a result of I do know you could have an amazing quantity of assets accessible on there, even past even what we’re speaking about right here, however for serving to perceive the dietary ideas that come into play at totally different occasions or for various signs. Same with dietary supplements, identical with life-style elements. And the fantastic thing about this and the truth that we do have these month-to-month fluctuations, it places a lot inside our energy to truly have an effect on change. When we learn to work with our physique with that. And I really like that I’ve heard from many ladies who’ve come off of hormonal contraception and sort of been via their very own model of a rehab with out even understanding they have been doing that after which have been in a position to achieve a lot knowledge about their our bodies from simply truly studying their very own pure rhythms once more.
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Another factor I hear a couple of respectable quantity from listeners and readers is the libido aspect of this. And it looks like there perhaps are some pure fluctuations that occur in several phases of life. Certainly I do know I noticed these in postpartum, but in addition perhaps at totally different ages of life or are these issues attributable to life-style elements that folks have some management in altering?
Alisa: So I feel each February, or no less than for the previous couple of years, I’ve run a biohacking your Orgasm Challenge totally free in our neighborhood and on our web site. It’s open to all people as a result of after I wrote In the FLO and there’s an entire part about understanding your libido throughout the cycle, I need ladies to grasp that even it’s the identical form of pathology. Like we’re purported to eat the identical energy daily. We even have a perception that we’re purported to really feel the identical by way of want each single day. And that’s simply not what it’s after we have a look at it via the lens of our reproductive hormones.
And so our libido follows this infradian rhythm similar to our cycle does. And so there are occasions of the month the place you’re undoubtedly extra fascinated with intercourse, the place you’re lubricating extra naturally. There are occasions of the month the place you’re not lubricating in any respect, which is regular. And in order that simply signifies that it’s essential know what that’s, so as to carry lubricant to the situation, so that you’re not in any form of hazard of getting any harm or discomfort, after which actually giving your self a whole lot of grace to know which occasions of the cycle are you in want of extra assist to attain your orgasm, extra stimulation, extra no matter that’s, extra time with your self or your associate, giving time to you and the place you would possibly want much less. Right? And understanding that and simply having the fluency of this language of libido in your individual physique and your individual cycle is so, I feel, important as a result of the self criticism that I’ve heard ladies specific about this topic specifically, they really feel a lot ache and disgrace and stress about it.
Am I regular? Shouldn’t I be feeling otherwise? Shouldn’t I be attending to my climax quicker? What’s flawed with me? We form of internalize our lack of understanding about this situation into one thing is flawed. I’m in some way poor when that simply couldn’t be farther from the reality. For the overwhelming majority of ladies, 63% of that are sexually unhappy, by the way in which, it actually comes down to simply not understanding which part of the cycle they’re in and what these sexual parameters are for that part.
And that’s one thing I invite each girl to actually study. Because after you have that, you’re empowered, you feeling constructive, you possibly can talk that with to your associate, they’re feeling extra constructive and empowered, after which that statistic can change. Now that’s form of desk stakes for everybody.
Libido additionally fluctuates throughout the lifespan, proper? So you might have clearly, as your hormones are coming on-line within the teen years, there’s a whole lot of that for some individuals. For me, as a result of I used to be having all of those hormonal points as a teen, I didn’t expertise that in any respect. There was no libido for me. I had no cycle. It was a large number, proper? But when these hormones did lastly come on-line in my twenty’s, I used to be like, oh, that is what all people’s speaking about. So it simply will depend on what’s happening. And that’s essential as a result of when you have a hormonal situation that you just’re coping with that may completely have an effect on the diploma to which you expertise your libido, your sexual want. And so that you need to give your self some grace for those who’re coping with Fibroids, for those who’re coping with PCOS, for those who’re coping with different points which might be inflicting you to have hormonal challenges that you could be not form of be feeling fascinated with, that on a regular basis, and that’s okay. While you’re engaged on getting your self hormonally balanced, simply give your self that interval of grace, after which, sure, identical factor applies postpartum.
I don’t perceive this complete rush to get again to intercourse postpartum… it’s essential get better and heal, after which, you’ll know, while you’re prepared and everybody ought to offer you that grace interval within the relationship to take the time that you just want. And then I feel the apply of doing this, particularly for those who’re in a partnered dynamic the place you’re cycle syncing your intercourse life together with your associate, for instance, simply the adjustments throughout the luteal part each month, proper? Of needing slightly bit extra foreplay, of needing slightly bit extra emphasis on ensuring that every thing’s lined up with the emotional intimacy rather well earlier than we transfer into the bodily intimacy half. Right. That turns into very, very important to wholesome sexual response for ladies within the Luteal part, let’s say in comparison with the ovulatory part, the place estrogen and testosterone are using excessive and also you’re simply sort of like, I don’t even actually care what we’re speaking about proper now. I’m simply extra fascinated with having this bodily expertise.
But within the Luteal part, that emotional intimacy is so, so essential. And for any girl who’s going via perimenopause, that’s just like the on a regular basis expertise, proper, that emotional intimacy container must be actually stable so that you can really feel snug shifting right into a bodily house. And I feel that is the place a whole lot of relationships battle as a result of the container was not being practiced and nurtured as soon as a month with cycle syncing, our sexuality in our associate dynamic, after which after we get to perimenopause, there might be form of this breakdown. And I feel that if we have been to make use of cycle syncing to assist the expansion, the emotional progress of our romantic relationships, ladies could be a lot better served in perimenopause with their companions by the point they get there.
Katie: And I do know within the app you guys even take this a step additional and make it a straightforward dialog by permitting somebody to incorporate their associate within the app and get notifications, which I really feel like I’ve heard this joked about by guys earlier than, however you guys even have made this a actuality of like, oh, it could be a lot simpler if I simply understood what was happening in her physique at these totally different occasions. You actually ship them a cheat sheet of like, hey, simply so you realize, right here’s what she’s experiencing. These issues would possibly assist this week.
Alisa: That’s proper. I imply, I launched that in 2017. I bear in mind after we have been beta testing the app, myflo again then, a whole lot of the ladies have been actually uncomfortable with doing that a part of the beta check. They’re like, oh, I don’t suppose my husband or my male associate goes to be fascinated with receiving that. They have been actually feeling just like the disgrace about their cycle and sharing that data. And I mentioned, properly, it’s a must to do it. It’s a part of the beta check. So they did it. And then we received flooded with emails from the blokes saying, that is what thanks, that is what we wished, as a result of they function that method with they perceive their recipe for achievement, proper? They know when their testosterone ranges are highest. They know when their peak sexual experiences can happen. It’s not lining up with ours. Right? But they perceive that there’s a method for that and they want the method for ours. And so would we, by the way in which. So I feel it’s simply nice that there’s a lot opening for that sort of dialogue now. But sure, the MyFLO app, it’s referred to as the Partner Sync Feature, and also you simply put in your companions. And additionally, simply to be clear, that is additionally very inclusive. So for those who’re not in a male-female dynamic, it’s an inclusive associate sync no matter your orientation.
Katie: Yeah, and I feel you’re proper. It’s like such a helpful perception into somebody who hasn’t skilled your physique, clearly. And I’ve heard from ladies, shut pals of mine even, whose husbands took that and have been like, oh, that is nice, I perceive the code now, and actually received subscriptions for flowers and chocolate to indicate up proper earlier than her interval, actually knew when to have the nice conversations as a result of they like, oh, she desires some emotional connection. Perfect. I’ll be sure that I’m current.
And it’s helped individuals a lot and it looks like it ought to be so foundational, but it surely hasn’t been till now. So I really like that you just guys embody that and circling again to the libido slightly bit, I really like the way you defined that it’s considerably cyclical and it may possibly go in phases even inside the month. Just understanding that’s most likely so releasing. But if somebody is having and I do know you could have symptom quizzes within the app, but when somebody’s having low libido for a protracted time period, can that even be an perception into one thing hormonal happening that enables completely management over that?
Alisa: Absolutely. If you’re having low libido that it’s form of like extended the place you simply are usually not feeling any fluctuations throughout the cycle and for months and months, then sure, there’s usually some form of micronutrient depletion. There’s some form of hormonal imbalance at play that you just’ve received to get to the basis explanation for to handle and no quantity of forcing the difficulty goes to get the outcomes. At the identical time, you even have to have a look at, have been you uncovered to any artificial hormones? Because it’s identified that while you take oral contraception that it will increase circulating intercourse hormone binding globulin. And that may bind to all of your testosterone and suppress the degrees that you’ve got publicity to, which may lower your libido. The drawback is, once more, this isn’t very well-known, however while you go off of that treatment, off of contraception, these ranges can keep elevated. So you could not ever regain the libido post-pill that you just have been designed to have due to that form of disruption in intercourse hormone binding globulin. So it’s one thing to concentrate on and there are issues that you are able to do to assist that. But largely what we’ve seen over 20 years of taking good care of ladies at stream residing is absolutely micronutrient. Sort of reestablishment and replenishment is known as a crucial first step to getting your intercourse drive again on monitor, in addition to among the different sensible issues. Right?
A variety of us ladies don’t have a self-pleasuring apply that helps us to attach with our sense of want. And that’s actually essential as a result of having bodily intimacy together with your associate is nice. But individuals all the time ask me on interviews, like, what’s the one factor you’d take to a desert island? And I used to be like, most likely just a few lube. Because I do know that if I’m having common orgasmic, plateau, not even climax, then I’m conferring large hormonal well being advantages to myself from regulating ovulation to boosting my immune perform, to supporting mobile well being. I imply, simply the record goes on and on. Reducing irritation, flushing cortisol, boosting pores and skin well being. Your self-pleasuring apply 20 minutes, a few occasions every week with none units might be an essential a part of your basic dedication to biohacking.
And it’s one thing that I feel, once more, the lads within the biohacking neighborhood are way more snug speaking about this. A variety of them are speaking about this apply for his or her aspect of the road and I don’t suppose we’re there but as ladies speaking about this. We consider it as form of like one thing we do if we get an opportunity to, however I truly suppose it’s one thing that ought to be a part of your basic wellness apply on a steady foundation all through your years.
Katie: Well, and on that be aware, are there some other suggestions for ladies, particularly of biohacking associated issues, dietary supplements, life-style elements which might be usually supportive? I do know you guys give very particular ideas, even on meals which might be most supportive at totally different occasions and dietary supplements which might be particular to individuals. But are there any usually supporting ones that you just discover are useful to a whole lot of ladies?
Alisa: I actually suppose it comes all the way down to supporting this infradian rhythm. The extra that you just do this, the extra your blood sugar ranges are steady, proper? Like the aim of biohacking is to assist the totally different features or the important thing precedence features of the physique. Blood sugar stability, cortisol administration, proper? These issues that assist with lowering irritation, supporting longevity. So cycle syncing form of touches all of that as a result of we’re factoring in your biology and its hormonal wants. So you’re going to maintain your blood sugar steady, you’re going to maintain your cortisol ranges balanced, you’re going to cut back irritation, you’re going to be metabolizing toxins extra effectively. All of these items are actually the important thing Biohacks, every thing on prime of that, I feel a few of them are important.
I’d say morning daylight publicity is crucial. Getting exterior, placing your face within the solar for ten to fifteen minutes, tremendous important. No blue gentle publicity, as a lot as you possibly can all through the day, however then undoubtedly at night time, eliminating all types of that. I feel, desirous about utilizing your self pleasuring apply as a biohacking device is essential. I feel for these individuals who have shift work, utilizing pink gentle remedy might be actually useful when you have different well being points. That one I actually suppose is a very good device. Infrared saunas are fascinating, chilly plunging is fascinating, however it’s a must to do these issues, I feel, at particular occasions of the cycle for those who’re going to do some chilly plunging. I feel that is smart within the luteal part, solely perhaps slightly bit throughout Ovulation, however not the remainder of the cycle. I wouldn’t have that be form of a every day apply. And I do know that we’ve to begin to tease out what is suitable for males from a biohacking viewpoint and what’s applicable for ladies.
Early morning wake ups additionally should be cyclically oriented and remember the fact that you as a lady want 20 minutes extra of sleep per day in comparison with male brains due to the extra densely networked system that we’ve in between our ears. So you shouldn’t be waking up concurrently your male associate, when you have a male associate to go and do a morning exercise, timing your exercises. All of these items should be adjusted based mostly on the place you might be within the cycle. And I feel that’s actually the last word biohack for ladies is absolutely understanding that and beginning to work with that and letting all the opposite issues fall into place.
Katie: Yeah, this has been very a lot a lesson for me the final, I’d say even ten years, and one I’m very grateful to be regularly studying, particularly with 4 daughters and hopefully with the ability to give them a greater basis into understanding their our bodies from a youthful age and the entire benefits that include that. And like I mentioned, I do know there’s a lot extra associated to this matter than we may probably cowl in an hour as a result of our well being is so fascinating and such as you mentioned to start with, is a superpower.
So I undoubtedly will hyperlink to your books and to your web site and your app within the present notes for you guys listening. Like I mentioned, I’ve used your app since 2017 and it’s been in helpful in my very own well being and so I’d undoubtedly encourage you guys to attempt it.
A few questions I like to ask on the finish of interviews although, the primary being if there’s a ebook or variety of books which have had a profound affect on you and if that’s the case, what they’re and why.
Alisa: Yeah, so many I imply, my books are my prized possessions, however I’d say a pair stand out as a result of I simply bear in mind how I felt studying them The Daughters of the Earth after I was younger. I learn that for the primary time and it was simply the primary time I’d ever heard about cultural traditions round menstruation. This is a ebook written by Native American ladies and speaking about their expertise of being ladies, ladies inside the tribe. And simply the rituals round menstruation have been so incredible and fantastic and I simply thought, wow, what’s lacking right here for me that we aren’t speaking about? That simply received me considering.
And then, Woman and Intimate Geography was an ideal learn in my 20’s. I actually appreciated that as properly. Just the delight round describing the feminine physique was so in stark distinction to every thing else that I had learn, which was slightly bit extra oblique, simply form of like actually spot on speaking about issues. Similarly with The Vagina Monologues, I assumed that was actually brazen in a really needed method.
And then, The Path of the Priestess was a very fascinating ebook too, simply because it was one thing I used to be by no means uncovered to this form of concept that there have been cultures and practices and rituals from historical occasions that form of integrated female cycles into life in a method that we don’t right now. And then the final ebook that I only in the near past, inside the previous, I don’t know, 5 or 6 years learn that I actually simply actually blew my hair again, was Circe by Madeline Miller. And the rationale why I all the time put this one on the record and I speak about it on a regular basis. I feel it’s required studying for all ladies. And the rationale why is as a result of it’s the one ebook that I’ve seen that talks concerning the hero’s journey via the feminine lens and what that appears like. Instead of a journey of killing dragons, it’s a journey about slaying the interior demons. And so fantastically constructed however carried out in that historical Greek mythological assemble the place you’re anticipating somebody to go kill a three-headed canine. You have this different journey and I simply thought that there was a therapeutic there in studying that ebook since you grew up studying all these different tales which might be instructed via the male lens. And this one was so oblique distinction to that. I simply cherished it, cherished it, cherished it.
Katie: Well, I’ll hyperlink to all of these. Those are some new suggestions for me and I’m excited to verify them out as properly. Those will all be linked together with every thing else we’ve talked about within the present notes for you guys listening on the go wellnessmama.fm has all of that. This has been such a enjoyable dialog because it all the time is with you. I’m so grateful in your time and for all of the assets you could have for ladies. Thank you a lot for being right here.
Alisa: Oh, thanks for having me, Katie. Such a pleasure.
Katie: And thanks, as all the time, to all of you for listening and sharing your most dear assets, your time, your vitality and your consideration with us right now. We’re each so grateful that you just did, and I hope that you’ll be part of me once more on the subsequent episode of The Wellness Mama Podcast.
If you’re having fun with these interviews, would you please take two minutes to depart a score or evaluate on iTunes for me? Doing this helps extra individuals to search out the podcast, which suggests much more mothers and households may gain advantage from the data. I actually recognize your time, and thanks as all the time for listening.