HOW I knew I had hormonal imbalance.

HOW I knew I had hormonal imbalance.
14 years ago I was wanting to crawl out of my skin.  I couldn't stand being around myself and my sweet, new hubby thought I had tricked him because I was so different from when we first met.
I didn't know what was going on.

One month I was a normal, 19-year-old, just fell in love young woman. 
2 months later I was 30 pounds heavier (and gaining 10 pounds a month), a hormonal dragon, anxiety, and depression were becoming an old friend to me, and breathing some days felt too much due to the extreme exhaustion.

It took me over 10 doctors, multiple blood tests, misdiagnoses, and ultimately me becoming my own advocate and coming alongside a doctor who was willing to actually walk with me and not just prescribe me Wellbutrin or metformin and hope in 6 months everything is better.

Get your blood tested for hormonal abnormalities with my favorite at-home blood testing kit from EverlyWell-  buy a test here to receive 15% off!



HOW to make MOCKTAILS EASY!

HOW to make MOCKTAILS EASY!
I want to share some fabulous cocktail or mocktail recipes with you. Here is the thing, when you're cutting out or cutting back on alcohol, it CAN still feel like a much-needed end-of-day treat to enjoy a delicious mocktail. So don't knock it until you try it! Why? Well, it may be the only time of day that you slow down enough to craft something delicious for yourself and maybe even put your feet up or read through a book or magazine. Ah, pure bliss! 

And when we use Ningxia Red in our mocktails (or cocktails) it adds a unique energizing and therapeutic shot of TLC to our whole body. Pun intended! 

Here are a few recipes for you to enjoy this month!

NingXia Red Cocktails & Mocktails You’ll Obsess Over
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Here are 4 ways to spruce up your NingXia Red for any festive occasion or holiday gathering. These DIY cocktail and mocktail recipes cover all the bases. Whether you need something to get up and running for a busy day, celebrating with friends into the night or winding down with a cozy nightcap, you are sure to love these spins on NingXia Red.
You can say cheers to a good time and your health all at once!
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Ningxia Berry Spritzer
Ingredients:
  • 2 oz. NingXia Red
  • 1 Can Cranberry or Lime Sparkling Water
  • Cranberries or Lime Slice for garnish
Instructions:
Combine 2 oz NingXia Red into 1 can of Cranberry or Lime sparkling water. Add cranberries or a lime slice to garnish. 2 oz vodka is optional!
. . . . . . .
Ningxia Hot Toddy
Ingredients:
  • 4 oz. NingXia Red
  • 2 oz. hot Apple Cider
  • Cinnamon Stick or Apple Slice
Ingredients:
Pour 4oz. of NingXia Red into your favorite mug. Add a splash of hot Apple Cider and garnish with a cinnamon stick or apple slice. *1 oz rum is optional!
. . . . . . .
Early Bird NingXia Shot
Ingredients:
  • 1 oz. NingXia Red
  • 2 drops Cinnamon Vitality
  • 1 drop Lemon Vitality
  • 1 drop Lime Vitality
Instructions:
Combine all ingredients and shoot!
. . . . . . .
Ningxia Bubbly
Ingredients:
  • 2 oz. NingXia Red
  • 2 oz. Champagne or bubbly beverage of choice
Instructions:
Mix NingXia Red 1/2 and 1/2 with your favorite champagne or bubbly beverage for a delicious & festive drink!
Cheers to wellness!
And don't forget to grab your Thieves Household Cleaner when it is time to clean up!

The secret behind... staying on a wellness journey when you don't see the fruit!

The secret behind... staying on a wellness journey when you don't see the fruit!
After 14 years of trying it all to survive as a woman with hormonal imbalance - I have found the secret when you can white-knuckle your way to weight loss and your JOY is being stolen.  How do you stand in the "in-between" WELL?
Read more...

How hormones affect your behavior :: 4 seasons, one month.

How hormones affect your behavior :: 4 seasons, one month.

When I found this concept a few years ago I had been fighting with my hormones for over a decade with no luck.  This just made so much sense.


4 seasons, one month.


Did you know your brain is different by 25% each week of your cycle.. so you are literally a different person throughout the month!


Winter phase (menstruation):  in this phase, you are open to so much, and yet feeling more tired.  As your progesterone and estrogen fall you will feel more tired.


If you are having a painful period of depression caused by your period that means there is some kind of imbalance in the weeks before.  So this is something to pay attention to.


The Winter period is usually between day 25 and day 4.


Your hormone levels are lowering quickly. 

This creates a great opportunity for the two sides of your brains to communicate!


The left: analytical 

The right: the feelings


This phase is a great time to work through how you feel about certain situations in life that may have had you stumped.


Schedule some time this week to think through what you need to.

It's ok this week to turn INWARD.


You might feel like you want to push, as females, we are encouraged to do a million things at one time.  Even though we are capable to do this, we need to honor the season, it WILL pass.



As we move out of our winter phase, we move into our spring phase (follicular), which is pre-ovulation.


So think of the actual spring, more fertile, life is happening, you see growth from the inward season of winter.  Your energy is growing!


You're going to start to feel more social coming out of the winter, you will want to interact with others.


Focus on connecting with people that nourish + feed you.


Your creativity is HIGH this week!


Use this for your advantage, sit down and think BIG, schedule things out, and say YES to invitations that come your way in the coming weeks!


Your brain this week is in a place where it can be open to new ideas, beginnings + creative outlets.


The estrogen is starting to rise around day 4 or 5.


Remember this is not exact.  The Lord created our bodies intimately and we are all unique. You can begin to observe the rise of energy in your body rising.


Your FSH hormone is increasing to help eggs mature. How cool is that?

All of your hormones are super low and will slowly be building back up this week.


Out of the spring phase, you are coming into summer, phase three, and ovulation.


You will reach the peak in your estrogen on day 14.


Spring is roughly day 5-12 and then summer takes over, day 13 for 7 days.


This is the phase when you are looking for a mate, you are most social, we are taking better care of ourselves, we also feel like we can do a million things and rock it.

This is perfect because if you have been rested in the winter season and planned carefully in your spring season that means when you get to the summer season you can go out into the world and DO.


Now we have to be careful because everyone else can feel it and will want a little more of you.


Collaboration is FLOWING this week!


Your communication skills are high this week.. so what do you need?


Once estrogen has peaked, we release an egg 12 hours later.  This is when you are most fertile.


The rise in your FSH and LH encourages the follicle to release an egg.  Your estrogen hormone rises and created a thickened uterine lining.  Testosterone surges, and then quickly drops after you ovulate.  ASK FOR IT!


So be careful to not put your energy into things that don’t serve your greater purpose and what you have planned in your winter phase.  Stay focused and be compassionate.  In this season don’t forget to start grounded in the Word and truth.


The verbal centers in your brain are on FIRE by these hormones this week.

Talk about what you want this week!

Schedule needed conversations and community this week!  


Set aside 10-15 minutes to either walk or sit barefoot on the ground. This time alone and in communion with nature helps us balance our rising hormones naturally. This is a time to get away from the hubbub of our daily lives and allow our natural rhythms to lead us in the right direction. 


Your brain chemistry is on FIRE this week for getting things done and checking off tasks on your TO-DO list!


Check back on any plans you made in the follicular week and see what needs accomplishing!



The autumn (luteal) phase is for reflection to slow your body back down after the busy summer season. This is your gentle reminder to listen to your body.


What do you need?  If you start to ignore it you will notice the critique inside of you rising up.  The judgment of the last month, of all the things you “should” have done.


This is the season to reflect.


Think about what happened over the last few weeks. 


What happens is then we go into the winter phase.


You can then take all that reflection in the winter season, organize and then use it for the next month.


Estrogen, Progesterone + Testosterone have all peaked! 

They then quickly fall right before the bleeding begins.


PMS sometimes happens this week but it is not needed.

Typically this means the estrogen is out of proportion to the progesterone.   



Ready to dig deeper and let me show you how your hormones can actually be your superpower?

acne can be a symptom of stress..

acne can be a symptom of stress..
TODAY we are going to be talking about hormones and stress and how that all intertwines with our body and then how our body kind of communicates that with ourselves like if I have a hormone imbalance it can translate a completely different way for me than it does you.

Read more...
 
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