With new workout fads to green juice trends and suggested eating schedules, there is constant noise about what quick fix is right for your body. One thing that most wellness brands do not realize is the superpower is not in the trend, it is in your intuition and knowing what is right for you.
Women's intuition is a valuable, powerful innate tool that we rely on all the time. We call on it in times of stress, when we are protecting our children and ourselves, and when deciding if we should trust others or not.
So, why are women so disconnected from their bodies and hormones?
Generally, women tend to put others first, but pouring from a glass that is only half full makes it really hard to listen to the signals our bodies are sending us. As if the female body could not be intricate enough, it has 50 different hormones. Of course the way we carry ourselves throughout each day is going to influence this system! When you actually listen to your body, you understand what it is saying to you, and most of the time, it is your hormones talking.
An estimated 80% of women experience a hormone imbalance at one point in their life.
In our six-day cleanse program and beyond, we emphasize tuning into our bodies and listening to what our symptoms and emotions are telling us. Do you really know how it feels to have non-subsidized energy? What should a normal period feel like?
We spoke with our in-house Health Coaches and Hormone Expert Dr. Julie Taylor to provide insight on how to listen to your body, and when to seek additional help.
“We think everyone else has the answer, so we just go from doctor to doctor just to have someone else tell us what’s going on. Should we be taking medication from doctors that say we don’t need to get our period? We should be familiar with our body and the way it’s supposed to run. It’s a well-oiled machine and is supposed to operate in a natural way all the time — it was made to do that! And now we take things to suppress the way we feel, to prevent us from experiencing pain, headaches, anxiety. Feel the way you feel and then figure out why you feel that way.””
Anxiety, Depression, and Your Menstrual Cycle are Reflections of Your Hormones
Over the past two years, Dr. Taylor has seen an influx of patients at her LA clinic wondering why they aren’t feeling as good as they used to: “Diets have changed remarkably in the past two years. We are trying to reverse some of those habits that have creeped in. People are no longer going to work anymore, socializing, eating, exercising the way they used to and now they feel terrible. Back to the basics is really important. Let’s take a step back and take care of ourselves: sleeping, prioritizing our gut health, and diet. What may have been prescribed to you may not necessarily be what you need.”
Then, we combine this with patterns that have lasted lifetimes: “Your period tells you about your overall health, which is the problem when we suppress our period with things like birth control,” explains Dr. Julia Taylor, “We are suppressing the natural state our body is supposed to live in. You are basically shutting that whole system down and we’ve just accepted it for years."
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8 Ways to Listen To Your Body
Slow Down — Take time every day with gentle walks, hot baths with calming bath salts or oils, or simply lighting a few candles and laying on a yoga mat breathing for 10 minutes. Try doing this without music, podcasts, or any other "noise." This opens you up to hear what your body is trying to tell you without distraction.
Don’t Settle For Stress — Society encourages stress, because it means you are working hard. However, this is a sign your body is exhausted and needs rest. Pump the brakes before stress starts to manifest in poor sleep, weight gain, or even chronic illness.
Take Deep Breaths — You can do it anywhere, any time. Whenever you want, stop what you are doing and take 5-10 deep breaths. How are you truly feeling? Are you actually hungry, or is that craving coming from stress, boredom, maybe loneliness? You will instantly feel a release. Your shoulders drop, you feel lighter and refreshed, allowing you to assess your current feelings.
Explore Elimination Protocol — This can be implemented in a number of areas in your life: screen time, your diet, and even relationships. Try scheduling screen-less time blocks or a routine Provenance Detox to bring you into the present and cleanse your mind and body from external stressors.
Move Daily — You don't need to run a marathon or do a crazy HIIT workout, just move in some way each day. Find what speaks to you, whether that be gardening or long walks with your dog. It is amazing what you learn about your body when you give it the love of movement. It also helps to reduce your stress hormones.
Discover Food Sensitivities — This is a great marker for how your hormones are doing. An anti-inflammatory approach with no gluten, dairy, or sugar eliminates the extrinsic influence of diet, which will help balance hormones or identify that more testing needs to be done.
Understand Your Menstrual Cycle — You could be transitioning into perimenopause if your period is changing. You could be going through menopause even if you still have your period! Tune into the normalities (or abnormalities) of your cycle. Low libido, migraines, serious mood swings, painful sex, and heavy flows are not normal.
Learn to Say No — As women, we are so programmed to say "yes" to all the things because we are inherently people-pleasers. Unfortunately, this leads to us overcommitting, which results in burn out. When we say yes to everyone and everything, we can't say yes to ourselves. Put “me time” on your calendar and commit to yourself before committing to everyone else.
When To Get Your Hormones Evaluated, According to a Hormone Expert
Any time you are feeling anxious, depressed, or even suicidal.During postpartum if you do not feel like yourself and are struggling to connect with your child.
You experience symptoms like migraines, debilitating cramps, or heavy periods in your menstrual cycle.
If you are a teenager going through puberty.
Are you recognizing some abnormal symptoms and not sure where to start? Schedule a complimentary Health Coach Consultation with one of our in-house nutrition experts. Together we can set you on the path of happier hormones, better health, and a stronger connection to your intuition.
