Category: <span>Blog</span>

Lower the sugar: You know sugar’s bad for you—causing everything from weight gain to arthritis. But women who eat sugar tend to have more hormonal symptoms, and it can be a trigger for hot flashes in menopausal women (as can caffeine). Try natural sweeteners like xylitol and stevia.

As women we hold a lot of power. We can change the dynamic in the household with just a word or a look. We’re businesswomen, moms, and daughters. Making sure we’re in charge of our hormones, and not the other way around, can ensure that we are able to use this innate power for success.

A woman is in balance when the two main hormones are present in the right amounts at the right time. The first two weeks of our month, estrogen is the main hormone. After a woman ovulates, then progesterone is the main hormone, supporting a new embryo if that is the case. If there’s an imbalance between these, symptoms like PMS, migraines, or emotional symptoms kick in, usually in the second half of the month. So balancing these is key to retaining control. Here are some simple things you can do to get started:

To keep your brain sharp for years to come, try cutting your sugar in half. Low calorie sweeteners aren’t always safe, but xylitol and stevia are all-natural and even healthy. In fact, women with higher blood sugar levels due to diabetes or pre-diabetes had lower cognitive scores. Switching to these safe sweeteners can help easily lower your risk of diabetes, and keep your brain in top shape. After all, your business needs you!

Caffeination: There’s no doubt about it, caffeine helps us think more clearly and get more done. It also leaves us dehydrated due to its diuretic effect, and then can let us down with a crash later.  What if there were a beverage that had enough caffeine to do the job, has been used for centuries, and also contained other compounds besides caffeine that specifically help with concentration? Yerba Mate is a traditional South American beverage. It’s available in the US in grocery isles, in a variety of flavors including chocolate.

Did you know that many times hunger is actually your body’s cry for water? Dehydration is also one of the major causes of fatigue. If you know someone who gets tired and irritable, especially later in the day, try reaching out with a glass of water. Many doctors recommend drinking half your body weight in ounces of pure water each day. For example, a 140 lb woman would drink 70 ounces, or just over 8 cups. You can try increasing your water intake by drinking 2 glasses of pure water upon waking. Not a big fan of plain water? Add a splash of pure fruit juice or a squeeze of lemon. Don’t worry if you can’t get there right away; the more water you drink, the easier it will be to drink more.