INSPIRING WOMEN TO MAKE EDUCATED DECISIONS.

A SIMPLE HOW-TO GUIDE TO CREATING

YOUR OWN WELLNESS REVOLUTION

FROM NAT KRINGOUDIS

‘Today is the tomorrow that you worried about yesterday. ‘- NAT KRINGOUDIS

INTRODUCTION - P 4

DEBUNKING THE MYTHS - P 7

PCOS - P 11

THE PILL - P 13

IF NOT THE PILL, THEN WHAT? - P 16

EAT YOURSELF FERTILE - P 18

LET’S TALK SUGAR - P 21

GUT HEALTH - P 24

REBALANCING HORMONES – 5 STEPS - P 26

THE ICING ON THE CAKE - P 28

‘The food and drink we consume can either nourish and heal or hinder and harm. ’- NAT KRINGOUDIS

Why hello there pretty lady! I’m pretty chuffed you stopped by. And I see you’re keen as mustard to take your wellness to a brand new level. Well, ok then, let’s do this!

I get it – you’ve been on this hormonal rollercoaster for a while and truth be told, you don’t really know what that actually means – but you know something needs to change. Seems like a good idea to blame your hormones, but what’s really going on here?

Straight up, it’s time to focus on what you want, not what you don’t want. Let go of the fear, the unknown and the blame it on the hormones attitude (or blame it on the boogie). You may now take a sigh of relief because I’m here to help you create your very own wellness reality. I’m here to shine a bright, weight off your shoulders light on the matter.

Only you have the ultimate power. Your new wellness starts with a small step.

Choice.

The reason you’ve landed here today is because you want to see what all the fuss is about. You heard it, I’m happier than Pharrell Williams that you are here. And let me tell you I’ve a few trusty truths to share with you to help create a new awareness for yourself.

You see about 10 years ago I realised that something had to change. Our current treatment methods were ineffective; the hormone hell epidemic was in full swing and something drastic needed to happen. I recognised that we, ourselves, had to step it up. To take our own health by the horns and to shake things up a lot!

INTRODUCTION 4

I realised that your health began with YOU. And that only YOU, you crazy beautiful human, had the ability to really change things.

Sure it was important we sought out guidance and support – but what good was that if we didn’t really understand what the heck was going on? I realised that many women feared the worst when it came to their health, mostly because they had very little understanding of their own unique bodies and left it up to their health care practitioners to do all of the work.

As I kept digging, more and more light bulb moments continued to pop into my head. Things like, not only did we lack the education and awareness of ourselves BUT our bodies were in all kinds of disarray; and our gut health was collectively substandard and messing around with our hormones having a catastrophic effect on our overall wellness.

So here’s where I’m at. Rather than fixing problems long broken, I am on a mission to inspire women, from young to old, that there’s no time like right now to get things back on track and experience wellness. To encourage young women that the only way to heal issues like PCOS and endometriosis or any hormone imbalance is to treat the issue when it arrives on your door step, not 15 years on when a lot of damage has already been done and to help all women feel excited and inspired to take their hormone health to new heights.

We’re a good team you and me. Let’s go on a ride together shall we?

INTRODUCTION 5

“ Most days I feel like superwoman, but some days not so much. And it’s on those days I must remind myself of the super-woman cape that sits in my wardrobe ready for tomorrow. “- Nat Kringoudis

‘ It all begins with awareness. ‘- NAT KRINGOUDIS

Let’s get into it!

So you thought ovulation was something you only needed to know more about when you were ready to make babies? Let’s get clear here and now. Knowing your body is so very much more than offspring. In fact, it is the key to all round wellbeing. Ovulation provides so much information about you – it’s a wonder we’re not taught this stuff as standard (oh, if only!)

Sadly, the ripple on effect means that your Sex Ed teacher was all kinds of confused. Because what we were taught way back in the 9th grade is only giving you a snippet of the reality. It’s like asking you to bake a strawberry flan without the strawberries!

Let’s debunk a few of those myths then, shall we?

You ovulate on cycle day 14

Maybe you do, but maybe you don’t. It’s ridiculous to think that we all have exactly the same body function, on exactly the same day, every month. Ovulation can be affected by weight loss, weight gain, poor diet, medication, hormone imbalance and most of all STRESS, amongst other factors. These things can push ovulation way out, meaning you will potentially ovulate later in your cycle. Isn’t that body of yours clever? And for those with hormone imbalances, your ovulation is most certainly in need of some TLC. It’s important to use this as a guide to what is actually going on in your body – for example, a short follicular phase (from cycle day one until ovulation) usually indicates low levels of oestrogen making it virtually impossible to fall pregnant unless you pay it some much needed attention.Of course we need some quality time together if you feel you need to dig into the bowels of the matter, which is why I created my Debunking Ovulation download. We nut through all the possible scenarios to help you understand your own unique body, what it is telling you by way of signs and symptoms and some pretty nifty tricks on how to get things back on track. You can find out more info here.

DEBUNKING THE MYTHS 7

If I have PCOS, I can’t fall pregnant

Biggest myth of all time! PCOS doesn’t mean you can’t fall pregnant – it means you need to better understand how to detect ovulation. What we need to get clear on is that women with PCOS most often attempt multiple times to ovulate in the one cycle – and MOST importantly, the last ‘try’ or attempt at ovulation will always be ovulation. This is key for these women, especially those trying for a baby. So if a woman’s body is ticking all the boxes (signs of ovulation, good menstrual flow etc.), there’s absolutely no reason why they can’t fall pregnant – just ask Victoria Beckham…

All because women with PCOS seem the most confused, I simply had to create an ecourse around this too! And so Debunking PCOS was born. Two hours of charts, graphs, info and love to arm you to take on even the toughest of PCOS scenarios.

I get my period but I’m not ovulating

This is actually physically impossible. If you are truly ovulating, it must absolutely be followed with a period 1-2 weeks later. The confusion here lies around where you actually ovulate. Your GP may perform an ovulation test to check - a blood test done on cycle day 21 to see what your hormone levels are saying. Here’s the problem - as most women requiring such tests are those with signs of hormone imbalance, it’s reasonable to think you may actually be ovulating after cycle day 21, meaning your test is going to come back negative. Your GP is going to tell you you’re not ovulating and understandably your going to need one big box of tissues with this seemingly unfortunate news. Know this – it’s just a symptom of hormone imbalance AND completely treatable!

As we’ve discovered, it’s total craziness to think that every woman on the planet ovulates collectively on exactly the same day, every single cycle since we know so many factors play a role in it happening in the first place. If you find yourself ovulating later in the cycle, you may also be suffering excess oestrogen or low hormones in general. In any case, use the sign as a reason to explore. It’s very treatable and in almost all cases, some simple supplements, diet and lifestyle changes should do the trick.

Understand this: Some women can experience a hormonal bleed when there is a strong shift between oestrogen and progesterone. This can be marked by spotting. It may be around the time the period is due and confused with a period – but the key here is that it is generally very light; almost like spotting and not a flow like seen during the time of menstruation. Obviously this can be a little confusing and women assume it is the period. Remember, if it looks like spotting, it’s most likely not your period.

DEBUNKING THE MYTHS 8

DEBUNKING THE MYTHS 9

When I see a lot of fertile mucus, I’m ovulating.

Oh no you don’t! Fertile mucus means you are ‘potentially’ fertile. If you’re trying for a baby, this can be a disaster! Timing sex to that one day can mean you miss the boat entirely. You see, it’s not the day we see the most amount of fertile mucus (characteristically clear/egg white consistency), it’s the last day we recognise this mucus. If the mucus lasts for 4-5 days this can be key for timing. This equally doubles for your natural contraception (couple it with withdrawal and you’re about 96% covered!) – if you know exactly when your body is fertile, avoiding unprotected sex is key. If this is ringing alarm bells, do yourself and your ovaries a favor and download Debunking Ovulation stat!

Ovulation should be marked by pain

Hells no! Pain at ovulation typically indicates hormone imbalance. Just like the period, ovulation should be symptom free. Pain, heaviness, irritability, anxiety, emotional upset, and headaches are the key indicators. Symptoms of fertile mucus should always be your primary sign of ovulation.

Over time (and due to the pill) we’ve somewhat disconnected from the signs and symptoms our bodies show us each month as clues to the bigger picture. It’s time we got back to basics and understood what’s being communicated to better educate ourselves about…ourselves! Unfortunately being on the pill long term means, for many women, that they have never had the chance to understand these key symptoms to decipher what is normal or otherwise. Coming off the pill we can see terrible hormone imbalance as the body tries to find its hormonal groove again. Sometimes it’s ok, and other times it is a disaster. When all is said and done, the quicker we can unravel as much as possible about our own bodies, the more we can live happier, healthier lives.

Sorry to harp on about it but really - want more? You actually must download my Debunking Ovulation ecourse. It’s a workshop dedicated to teaching you everything you need to know as a woman about your hormones, ovulation and wellness.

“ Stress is a choice. I’m not entertaining her today. “

- Nat Kringoudis

‘ Go to bed knowing that all you have to do is wake up tomorrow and be you. ‘- NAT KRINGOUDIS

Can we dig a little deeper into PCOS for a sec?

I’ve spent a lot of time digging deep into my bag of tricks to really be able to offer women some juicy solutions around PCOS. I’ve had a lot of time to realise, that like every health condition, there’s so much more than meets the eye.

We now know - to think that there is only ever one way to treat anything is plain ludicrous. Genetically we are all different, then we throw into the mix things such as environment, diet, lifestyle, upbringing, and emotional wellness – there’s a lot to know. But here’s the thing, I don’t want it to be confusing or overwhelming or confronting. I don’t want your health and wellness to be in the too hard basket – heck, it needs to be on the top of the checklist!

When we look at things front on, we run the risk of areas being shadowed. I’m so excited to be able to shine the spotlight on PCOS from above and reveal it all – no room for shadows. I want to debunk it good and proper and allow each individual to understand her own situation better. Because no two bodies are exactly the same – not even for identical twins!

So for you with PCOS, you have to know these things:

The wrong kind of exercise for those with PCOS can have horrible effects:How many women are being led to believe that slogging it out at the gym is the solution to getting weight in check (because PCOS is so influenced by weight)? Any kind of stress or load on the body for women with PCOS can be disastrous. And I’ve come to learn that exercising smarter and not harder is, for many, the best way.

PCOS may develop post pill:By far one of the most common things we see in the clinic are women coming off the pill only to discover their bodies are crazy imbalanced. Very often, the signs of PCOS are simply this – hormone imbalance. And by far, the number one driver of this is stress.

Genetics may not play the big role:Epigenetics – the science of ‘turning off’ or ‘on’ our genes is by far the crux of overcoming PCOS. Be it by our thoughts, mindset, attitude, environment, diet and lifestyle – these all influence how our genes behave. So with this in mind, we know that emotional health plays a particularly huge role – especially from a TCM viewpoint.

Need more info – of course I’ve got something else in my bag of tricks! Debunking PCOS is siting ready to teach you everything you need to know about hormone imbalance and PCOS. You can learn more here.

PCOS 11

(POLYCYSTIC OVARIAN SYNDROME)

- NAT KRINGOUDIS

‘ When your body says wait, do you listen? ’

And no mini book of mine would be complete without a lengthy discussion of the pill!The oral contraceptive pill (OCP) is the most used pharmaceutical, worldwide. Most women have taken it at some stage during their life. Many young women are being prescribed the pill to ‘sort out’ a wide variety of health issues including acne, endometriosis and polycystic ovarian syndrome. The truth is, the pill isn’t the solution to these problems. It acts as a band aid to ‘cover up’ the true issue and whilst some women think they are ok taking it, it isn’t until they stop that they realise just how awful they felt whist they were on it.

The pill interferes with fertility – because it is designed to do so. This isn’t a side effect, it is its main reason for existing – to stop you from falling pregnant.

The number one problem with the pill is that when it is prescribed very little information about what the pill does is ever given to a patient. I will never forget asking around my mothers group as to who wasn’t on the mini pill. I was totally shocked to find out that I was the only woman there not taking it. When I asked why they were taking it – most of them could only say they did it because their doctor told them they needed to. I understand just as much as the next person that falling pregnant again soon after having a child is more than likely on the bottom of the to do list – in fact for most it’s on top of the DO NOT list. But understanding when you are fertile and when you are not would be far more useful than handing a woman a pill packet, as if the buck stopped there and she didn’t have to worry about it any longer. Was there any mention of mood swings, constant spotting or bleeding or feeling totally cray cray? And would most women simply put this down to normal postpartum happenings, especially if it was their first time?

When I talk about the pill, I refer to all synthetic hormone contraceptives including the mini pill, the combined pill, implants such as mirena (TM), Inter Uterine Devices (IUD’s), vaginal rings, and patches. When the pill was initially introduced manufacturers told women and practitioners it was safe. They soon realised it was far from the truth and the source of a long list of nasty side effects, including deaths from blood clotting, strokes, amputations and permanent damage. What was done about it? Not much - warnings were put on the packaging and doses were altered. However, the current generation oral contraceptive pills still come with the same warnings and have considerable side effects as well as cause substantial nutritional imbalances which lead to a host of other issues (and when I say host – I mean a MASSIVE list).

THE PILL 13

Post pill infertility, PCOS and migraines are the most common complaint I see in the clinic. Scientists have discovered that the chemicals produced in the body as a result of the pill to stop ovulation continue to suppress testosterone levels – central to sexual desire in both men and women. Hello low libido! This can continue for up to four years once a woman stops taking it. I find this quite ironic because in theory, you can’t get pregnant whilst on the pill – but if you don’t want sex whilst on the pill, then you can’t get pregnant anyway! Now, lets add to that mood swings, weight gain, brittle bones and migraines. These are just four more of the most commonly seen side effects of the pill. Time and time again I hear women report (especially those who haven’t been on the pill but need to take it as part of IVF treatment) how they feel ‘psycho’ on the pill, as if they could murder somebody or burst into tears for no real reason. This is what incorrect levels of hormones do! If they are doing that to our moods, think about what that is doing on a deeper level. The fact remains that the hormones in the pill aim to mimic hormones in your body however they are not ever identical to your natural hormones. In fact, the normal dose of the pill is four times the amount of oestrogen normally present in the body. Pills are a “one size fits all”, however as no two bodies are the same, it quickly becomes obvious why so many women experience negative side effects.

The most astonishing piece of information I have ever read about the pill is how it alters our attraction to the opposite sex. A recent study found that women on the pill see the world more platonically. They were shown images of naked women and men. Those on the pill reported a much more neutral view as opposed to those who didn’t take the pill who were easily able to imagine sexual scenes from viewing the pictures. It was also noted that those who were on the pill were far less charmed at seeing pictures of babies – hinting at the pills influence on reproductive interest.

And here is the best bit. Certain volatile fatty acids – named ‘couplins’ (not kidding, that is truly the real name) are secreted in the vagina and stimulate male sexual interest and behavior. Women on the pill do not secrete couplins. I’m sure there are dozens more of these little impacts the pill has on our bodies that we aren’t aware of – and again, this is the reason why many women feel so different when coming off the pill. Of the most importance for those taking the pill is its effectiveness and it’s ability to prevent pregnancy. But the thing is – it isn’t all it is cracked up to be. In America alone, some 6 million pregnancies occur in woman taking the pill. This isn’t necessarily because they weren’t taking it correctly. So many factors affect its ability to work. An Australian study of women ages 18 to 39 on the pill who weighed 70 kilos or more, found that they were 60 percent more likely to have their pill fail than women who weighed less. The average woman in Australia weighs 66.6 kilos. Professor Dr Victoria Holt says because women who weigh more have a higher metabolic rate, they need higher levels of hormones to prevent pregnancy – demonstrating again, it isn’t a one size fits all kind of situation. It’s also thought that because the pill is toxic and our bodies trap toxins in our fat stores, the pill may also be less effective in overweight women as it isn’t where it needs to be to work – in the blood stream. [1]

Knowing your body and reading it’s signs is the absolute best way of knowing when you are fertile and when you aren’t. If you aren’t able to distinguish ovulation signs or you don’t have a regular cycle, it’s sure time you found out why.

1. A Hobson and R. Grumman, ‘Contraception secrets your doctor hasn’t told you’, Cosmopolitan, December 2003.

THE PILL 14

6. Today is the tomorrow you worried about yesterday.

‘ Every positive thought propels you inthe right direction. ‘- NAT KRINGOUDIS

If not the pill or the IUD – then what?

This is my most asked question and quite possibly what inspired me to deliver my event – ‘debunking ovulation.’ Because it all starts with awareness – and once we know more about what are bodies are telling us by way of our fertility, then we can best find options and solutions. You see, there aren’t many days in a month you can actually fall pregnant, but if you don’t have any idea how to work this out, then of course we turn to options like the pill, which as we have learnt aren’t necessarily consequence free. There’s plenty of information on my site around what methods I suggest to assist. The main thing for you to know is that once you understand your insanely beautiful self, the less you’ll fear ‘accidently’ falling pregnant.

To find out more, search around my site or learn from the Debunking Ovulation download.

IF NOT THE PILL THEN WHAT 16

“ In every situation there comes a time where you have to get up and give it all you’ve got. “- Nat Kringoudis

‘ The secret to happy hormones is tofirst heal the mind. ‘- NAT KRINGOUDIS

The food you eat will make you more fertile, but do you actually understand why? Chinese medicine loves to focus on specific foods, like warm cooked foods that maximize health. It is understood that the nature of food will influence how our bodies function, and so with this in mind, we need to appreciate that our gut health drives our entire body function.

Let’s explore how, from a Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) perspective the digestive sys-tem likes to work. Imagine if you will, a pot of soup sitting on a fire. In TCM, both the spleen and stomach are the organs responsible for digestion; they transform and transport to the body the essential elements of the food and drink we consume. The nutrients they draw from food are sent out around the body to do good – and the waste products are removed and sent out as waste.

So going back to our pot again. To help you best understand, the stomach is the ‘pot’ and the spleen is the ‘fire.’ Therefore you may like to understand that digestion is a process that requires warm energy. Then let’s add another layer to this – you may know that all foods have properties in how they behave energetically in the body. Those that are warming and invigorating (think meat proteins, some legumes, chili and alike) and those that are cold, (like melons and berries) which can slow down such processes.

For those who have a cold constitution, (you know these people, they’d sit on the radiator and would bear burn marks if they had to) adding more cold to the pot can be disastrous and equally those who are hot, adding more heat isn’t necessarily ideal either (it can lead to all kinds of issues like period pain or headaches). So you can quickly start to see, that what works for your cousins uncles babysitter, won’t necessarily work for you. And just because Miranda Kerr may thrive on juice, doesn’t necessarily mean you do too.

Now I’m mad for a good green juice – but what you might not realise is that not only do I take notice of what works best for my body, I also factor in the seasons too. That means that warm foods are awesome in winter when it’s cold and you can generally tolerate more raw foods in summer. Adding nutrient packed juices into my diet is seasonal. What’s more, raw foods can be very heavy and over consumption can be linked to weight gain because once again, it puts the ‘fire’ out.

EAT YOURSELF FERTILE 18

From a Western sense, we may like to look at it like this. Our bodies digest food at 37 degrees. So when we consume raw and uncooked foods, not only does it have to go to work to digest, but it first has to get the temperature of the food up to 37 before it can effectively deal with it. For some people this is no problem. But for those with a sluggish metabolism this can be disastrous.

It is all about working out just what works for you and why. Once you know why, you can set about making the necessary changes to have your body thriving. Remember knowledge is power, lady!

When it comes to fertility and reproductive health, we need to make the connection with what we eat and how our bodies respond to it. This may be relevant for something like period pain or infertility, where there is stagnation in the uterus, slowing down the menstrual flow or preventing implantation occurring due to obstruction like endometriosis. Whatever the case, everybody benefits from working out exactly how their body best functions. This is the foundation of the principles in my eBook fertilise yourself. Do you know what works for you? It may be as simple as wheat causingflatulence, or cold foods making the body ache. Whatever your story – it is your bodies own unique way of speaking to you.

3 Fertile Foods you must have…

Wild Salmon – is busting with the good stuff. Omega 3’s, fatty acids, fabulous protein quality and other essential vitamins and minerals like B12 and iron. Meaning it helps all the fertile bits. It helps your body cope with stress and fuels you in such a way you won’t be reaching for the cookie jar at 11pm because your body will have ticked all the fueling boxes. You know when we have everything we need – we are less likely to crave.

Coconut oil/butter – my most favourite food ever. I’m loco over coconuts! Coconut water is high in electrolytes (hello wrinkle zapper and IVF support to stop overstimulation), the oil and butter is the most amazing therapeutic fat going, it’s also a fantastic cleanser and moisturiser. Plus, it assists in weight loss, it’s packed full of antimicrobial-ness, it will help balance your hormones and it tastes amazing! Hello.. what are you waiting for?

Olives – Olives are useful to assist in maintaining a healthy reproductive environment because of their high antioxidant levels – so, they help the body recover from daily living. You know, cells are changed by stress which will present as poor semen quality (think abnormal forms or motility issues), poor egg quality in women, period pain and PMS –I can keep on going and going. Seriously – why wouldn’t you be eating olives everyday already?

19EAT YOURSELF FERTILE

- Nat Kringoudis

“ All you have to do is be you. “

- NAT KRINGOUDIS

‘ The only limitations that exist are the ones we place on ourselves. ’

Is your sugar addiction making your reproductive organs unhappy? One of the biggest fertility fizzers in our modern diet is sugar, mostly because it sends our hormones all kinds of frazzled. Just like the big dipper rollercoaster, your hormones are forced to ride the highs and lows – the aftermath leaving our bodies knackered. Remember - fertility isn’t just about babies. It’s about your reproductive system being freakin’ awesome! Equally important to understand is that we’re talking fructose. Fructose is found in refined sugars and many fruits, sauces, dips, processed foods – pretty much in every corner of our modern diet. But there are alternatives, and for more info on this I suggest you make your way over to Sarah Wilson’s I Quit Sugar site where it’s all sitting pretty, just waiting for you.

There are a host of issues that sugar may cause, but there are several specific ways that it affects fertility. Here’s what’s at the top of my list:

Sugar disrupts your hormones:

Hormones are the drivers of all our body functions, but the intricacy of our sex hormones is my primary concern as a natural fertility expert. Sugar consumption will drive our insulin too high, too quickly and only momentarily. This quick peak creates a high and then we drop faster than a hot pie, leaving far more mess. This is what’s know as the fight or flight response – the response of extended stimulation to the adrenal glands. When our sugar levels drop, our adrenals release both cortisol and adrenalin to attempt to replenish sugar levels. Eventually, this can lead to hormonal imbalance since progesterone (the main hormone required for ovulation to occur) and cortisol compete for the same receptor binding sites in the body AND cortisol is the bossy hormone – it will always win over progesterone. Should this continue for a period of time, the entire endocrine system is upset and will lead to disruption of all sex hormones; oestrogen, progesterone, the androgens DHEA and testosterone for both sexes.

LETS TALK SUGAR 21

Sugar is Inflammatory:

Inflammation is simply our body’s response to damage, be it from infection, illness or allergies. Sugar is inflammatory – mostly because our bodies aren’t designed to consume the quantities we see in modern western diets and our gut goes into a frenzy trying to cope. Inflammation is a normal body response toward recovery. This is especially appropriate for women who suffer from endometriosis. Most women who cut sugar out of their diet will notice substantial changes and in some instances total recovery from endometriosis. When it comes to fertility and conception, endometriosis can be an issue as it affects the uterine lining and making implantation of the embryo difficult.

Sugar leads to insulin resistance:

Insulin is released by the pancreas to convert sugar to energy however the more sugar we eat, the more insulin the pancreas releases eventually leading to insulin resistance. Insulin resistance can be to blame for issues with ovulation, maturation of the egg and implantation of the embryo into the uterine lining. What’s more, these women are at a far higher risk of miscarriage than the average. Many women who have PCOS have insulin resistance.

Sugar consumption can make PMS worse:

Not only because of the inflammation already spoken of, but because of the hormone disruption also mentioned – and lets not forget, fertility isn’t just about the babies! Feeling well all month long is all part of having healthy happy hormones.

Sugar zaps your vitamin and mineral stores:

This can be a massive fertility factor. Our hormones require specific amounts of vitamins and minerals to be well fueled. The pill severely depletes our vitamin and mineral stores, as does fructose. When our stores are low, our entire body is compromised which contributes to amenorrhea, irregular periods, lower immunity, increased infection (which can be a factor in miscarriage too), increased anxiety, depression, irritable bowel syndrome… the list is big and very often the end ‘diagnosis’ is unexplained infertility. Because of this, it also ages us. Cutting out sugar could have you looking younger, sooner than you may think.

Rather than reaching for another pack of biscuits as you digest this information, perhaps think about how you can begin to lessen sugar in your diet. Our bodies aren’t designed to tolerate much – especially of the refined, processed variety. But for many women, high sugar natural foods like fruits can also be troublesome.

I’m a huge advocate for Sarah’s I Quit Sugar program (so much so I’m one of the experts over there answering questions on her program forum). I’ve had patients who have turned their lives around simply by cutting out fructose. It’s important to be well equipped in doing so – remember fructose is highly addictive, so breaking a habit and withdrawing can be a little tricky, but having the support of the program and focusing on the foods you can eat (and believe me there is so much you can) is the key to sticking to any new regime. Most of all, I encourage you to figure out what works best for you – experiment with the idea of quitting sugar. I bet you’ll be pleasantly surprised, period pain free and looking younger in no time.

LETS TALK SUGAR 22

- NAT KRINGOUDIS

‘ If low fat worked, we’d all be thin. ‘

The pill is wreaking havoc for women around the world when it comes to hormone health. You see, our mothers were of the age where they were taking the pill for a short amount of time unlike today where women are on it for far longer durations. What we know is that the pill severely depletes the function of our gut and the gut is the pivot of our health. The pill, just like antibiotics, robs the gut of good bacteria which means that all of a sudden, your body starts to be compromised and unable to fully assimilate nutrients from the food you eat to go on and make sure your body is well nourished. What’s more, the pill will mean that your body’s nutrient stores also become deficient as the body weakens and dips into its reserves to stay healthy – but of course, since you now can’t absorb nutrients fully, these stores aren’t being topped up. So women are becoming extremely deficient whilst taking the pill.

Now, at the time of conception, a child will directly inherit the gut health of the mother. So for women of my age, they are potentially inheriting their mothers sub standard gut flora and fauna. Then add to the mix that they may be born via C-section and don’t receive the essential dose of probiotics out of the vaginal canal, or they aren’t breast fed (which equally contains essential probiotics to feed that good bacteria) then the child will be well behind the eight ball in terms of their gut health. This presents as low hormones (because the body simply doesn’t have the building blocks to essentially make hormones) and so these women may not develop a menstrual cycle. They are very likely prescribed the pill to ‘regulate’ their menstrual cycle, and so the vicious cycle continues. Their gut health is further robbed, and their reproductive hormones just can’t be made. So we are seeing a very deficient group of women of my age who have been on the pill for a very long time to ‘protect’ their health, only to discover it is doing quite the contrary.

Your body requires your gut to be in tiptop shape for all round wellness. This extends to illnesses like cancer. Realistically, the best way to protect yourself from cancer is to move toward all round wellness by way of diet, lifestyle, emotional health, maintaining as non-toxic environment as possible and taking the proactive approach by laying a good foundation from the get go. The gut is something we know how to heal. We can use fermented foods, probiotics and ensure we rev up the bodies ability to absorb nutrients. This is a far more proactive way to ensure health and preventing cancer or any other illness for that matter. We need to be mindful of emotional health too. This is equally one way of bubble wrapping yourself from illness, since our emotions are also a piece in the pie of wellness.

GUT HEALTH 24

- NAT KRINGOUDIS

‘ My highest value is LOVE. ‘

Balancing Hormones

Remember, we’re not designed to be constantly trickling adrenaline and cortisol via our adrenals. This is a natural response to stress, and in our modern world, we are exposed to so much more stress than ever before. It really is the modern day illness. With this in mind, because cortisol and progesterone compete for the same receptor sites in the body and cortisol being its bossy self always wins, it means it plummets progesterone and increases oestrogen. This is bad news for balanced hormones! So unplugging and de-stressing can rebalance things on so many levels. It really is imperative for wellness.

A good dose of Vitamin D

I know not all holidays are spent in the sunshine but it’s fantastic where possible to get your Vitamin D dose. Vitamin D is required to make happy hormones too – just 15 minutes of unprotected sun exposure can fix up some of your hormone imbalances. Find some sun lovin’ and feel fantastic because of course, it helps to release endorphins too.

Forgetting about the baby making

Not for me – I’m good there thanks (imagine another in the mix!), but having a break, in whatever way – chilling out from the ‘baby making’ routine can do wonders. Having sex because you have time rather than because it’s ‘time’ is important for our reproductive health and our relationships. This sounds so simple but we can get so caught up in making babies our relationships can really suffer.

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Reset your mind

We can so easily be focusing on the negative, especially crawling out of winter. Holidays can create the space to get some perspective and clarity on the year ahead. Hate your job? What are your options? What would happen if you left or changed direction to get what you wanted? Downtime can create air between you and whatever is driving stress to get clear, set goals and rethink what seemed impossible when loaded with stress. It might be a relationship that needs attention or a conversation you need to have with your boss. Whatever it is, you’ll work it out.

Get your you time

I say to patients, minimum 4 hours of ‘you’ time a week is key for happy, healthy hormones. Holidays obviously create the space for even more ‘you’ time. It’s the best time to take advantage of sitting in the sun and reading a book or sleeping in. Whatever works for you and whatever provides you with the most amount of happiness really! Plus it just gives you time to do things you really want to do but don’t always have time for.

Every time I take a holiday I stop and wonder why I took so long to take a break. Every. Time. Scheduling or knowing when your next break might be can also help continue the holiday feeling. In any case, I encourage you to get onto that break that you so deserve, way before you’re at the point of wanting to stab your boss in the eyeball. Life can be stressful. It’s implementing little tricks like downtime that help make it sweet again.

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“ Allow fears to be the catalyst and drive you to motivation to approach health with a strong element of love. For we cannot fully know wellness and true healing driven from a place of fear. It’s dark, lonely and torturous. It serves only a short while. Love is the key to overcome. “- Nat Kringoudis

‘ Worry is like praying for something you don’t want. ’- NAT KRINGOUDIS

Emotional wellness

Say you’ve been through it ‘all’. You’ve ticked all the physical boxes you can think of and still, everyday you feel like a mess. There’s just one thing left on your list and that’s nutting through your emotional health.

As youngsters we’re not taught how to deal with emotions. We are quickly conditioned not to cry, not to express anger in public and to ‘behave’. Sadly this accumulates and in the process creates yet another stress we need to manage. Without the skills to do so, over time emotions manifest and like an imaginary tumor, they begin to riddle the body. It can be difficult to identify for this reason exactly why you feel like you do or why just can’t seem to balance hormones. Investing in a health professional to assist is absolutely key.

Retraining the mind

Mind medicine is the absolute key in overcoming hormone imbalance. Anybody can heal with the right tools. Mindset and attitude are the icing on the cake. Perhaps this resonates with you. I’ve listed some websites, including those of some health coaches below that may be able to assist you in moving through the process of mind shift and retraining your brain to create the life you want – not the one you loathe.

Above all, with the right mindset and attitude you can do this. You can create the life you have always wished for. If all you hear today is this – then I’m one happy girl. Small, gradual steps pave the way for healing. Set clear goals but take each day as it comes, always reminding yourself why you are creating a better life and ultimate health. The journey is the reward – and health is one big long journey in this game we call life.

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SARAH WILSON – http://www.sarahwilson.com

MELISSA AMBROSINI – http://www.melissaambrosini.com

J ESS AINSCOUGH – http://www.jessainscough.com

SAM GOWING – http://www.foodhealthwealth.com

TARA BLISS – http://www.suchdifferentskies.com

RACHEL MACDONALD – http://www.inspacesbetween.com

ELLE GRIFFIN – http://www.ellegriffin.com

CLAIRE BAKER – http://www.thisislifeblood.com

NICOLE JARDIM – http://www.nicolejardim.com