Latest / hol+ with Dr. Taz MD | The Future of Medicine is Holistic / Why Women Shouldn’t Work Out Fasted: Cycle Syncing, Blood Sugar, and Hormones with Alisa Vitti
Transcript
- [00:00:00] Alisa Vitti: You cannot ever work out in a fasted state as a female, ever. Never. [00:00:04] Dr. Taz: Okay, you have to [00:00:05] stop right there. And that's because working out fasted- [00:00:08] Alisa Vitti: Because if you want to [00:00:10] build lean muscle, we want to do that at every age, because building lean muscle- Right ... [00:00:15] improves our metabolic flexibility, improves our glucose response, improves our hormones. [00:00:19] Alisa Vitti: It's an [00:00:20] excellent thing to do for young girls, for every decade. It does not matter. You should be [00:00:25] building lean muscle very intentionally. In order to do that, you actually have to front load the [00:00:30] muscle with glucose. So I'm gonna say something a little controversial. [00:00:33] Dr. Taz: Welcome to HolPlus, [00:00:35] the podcast that embraces and tackles the holistic way, bringing it all together, science, [00:00:40] research, innovations in technology, and our collective human experience. [00:00:44] Dr. Taz: This is where [00:00:45] science and spirit come together. I'm Dr. Taz, your host and a double board certified medical [00:00:50] doctor and integrative health expert, a nutritionist, and an acupuncturist. I'm also the founder and [00:00:55] CEO of HolPlus, a digital and clinical platform where my team and I [00:01:00] practice evidence-based holistic medicine every single day. [00:01:02] Dr. Taz: I know and I hear all the [00:01:05] health and wellness noise that's out there. I want this show to be the one to empower you with the [00:01:10] knowledge you need to heal not just your body, but your relationships, your communities, and [00:01:15] our world. Welcome to HolPlus. There's been a lot of talk [00:01:20] around circadian rhythms and what it means for your health. [00:01:23] Dr. Taz: Now, a lot of us know that circadian [00:01:25] rhythms have something to do with sleep, but we don't realize that it's impacting our hormone [00:01:30] health, our mental health, even inflammation and gut health. That's why [00:01:35] I'm so excited to bring on my next guest. Please meet Alisa Vitti. She's [00:01:40] a femtech trailblazer, a female biohacking pioneer, a visionary, [00:01:45] functional nutrition expert, an author and an advocate for women's hormonal health and [00:01:50] gender equality in research. [00:01:51] Dr. Taz: Having overcome her own hormone struggles, she's a [00:01:55] trusted and loved icon in the women's health space. She has written two best-selling and [00:02:00] beloved books, WomanCode and In the Flo. She's the creator of the [00:02:05] game-changing Cycle Syncing Method, and she founded Flo Living to provide natural hormone [00:02:10] support for women from their first period to their last via its digital [00:02:15] dietary therapeutic support and its top ranked and patented hormone care app, MyFlo, [00:02:20] along with supplements. [00:02:22] Dr. Taz: Please welcome Alisa Vitti. All right. I [00:02:25] am so excited to have you here. We have talked before, and we both- We were talking just now. We were just talking just now. [00:02:30] And we both have a little bit of a history, not to date the two of us, but you've been on my [00:02:35] previous show. We've been talking about hormones. [00:02:36] Dr. Taz: I've followed your stuff for so long, so impressed with [00:02:40] everything you've done and accomplished. And this world of hormone health is a deep dive. We were just debating [00:02:45] PCOS just a second ago, and we'll go back there. But before we start, one of the things [00:02:50] I want more clarity on, because I feel like I left you mid-conversation however long ago our [00:02:55] last conversation was, around this idea of rhythms- [00:02:59] Alisa Vitti: Mm[00:03:00] [00:03:00] Dr. Taz: and frequency and what it means for our health and our hormone [00:03:05] health. Now, we know that everyone talks about the circadian rhythm and how important it is for sleep. [00:03:10] I've talked a lot about it, too. Everyone's probably rolling their eyes about how important it is to have a consistent [00:03:15] sleep pattern, and in Chinese medicine, how we tell people they have to sleep between at least 11:00 [00:03:20] PM and 5:00 AM, otherwise they disrupt the hormone cycle. [00:03:23] Dr. Taz: But many people don't realize [00:03:25] it's not just about your circadian rhythm. So you are the expert on [00:03:30] this. I want you to jump in and talk about our rhythms and what's happening and how that's [00:03:35] connected to frequency and flow and hormones and all the amazing things that you've been talking [00:03:40] about over the last 15 years. [00:03:42] Alisa Vitti: Well, it's a big conversation, but, you know, I'll start [00:03:45] with the fact that I was sort of flummoxed by the reality that I kept [00:03:50] facing in my practice, which is so many women show up with hormone imbalances. [00:03:55] And, you know, it's, yes, one could argue, you know, there's endocrine disruption on the [00:04:00] rise with different chemicals, and we live a more stressful lifestyle, but that should apply to both genders- [00:04:05] Mm-hmm [00:04:05] Alisa Vitti: equally if that's the case, if that's really the root cause. So I kept looking for, [00:04:10] what are we missing? What's the blind spot? What might we be disrupting and not even be [00:04:15] aware of it? And that's when I stumbled upon this second biological clock that [00:04:20] women have called the infradian rhythm. And of course, nobody's heard of it, but it [00:04:25] simply refers to the cycle that is longer than a day. [00:04:27] Alisa Vitti: Circadian is cycle that is- Of a day ... [00:04:30] of a day. An infradian is a cycle longer than a day. And we, as women, experience [00:04:35] that in our menstrual cycle. Mm. But it doesn't just affect our menstrual cycle. [00:04:40] It affects our metabolic rate, our immune system, our stress response system, our [00:04:45] brain. I mean, it ex- affects major systems of the body, and that was the big [00:04:50] aha moment saying to myself, "Well, that's what we're missing. [00:04:52] Alisa Vitti: That's our big blind spot." We're walking [00:04:55] around f- taking care of ourselves as if we only have one rhythm, [00:05:00] and that just by virtue of doing that is dysregulating this other rhythm and the other [00:05:05] systems of the body, which explains why more women suffer from hormonal problems than men. Mm. Which [00:05:10] explains why more women have autoimmune issues compared to men, which explains why women struggle with weight [00:05:15] loss more chall- in a more challenging way than all the things. [00:05:19] Alisa Vitti: And it [00:05:20] was really revelatory to come across this information and say, "Well, [00:05:25] if we have a system that supports our circadian pattern," right? A sleep-wake- [00:05:29] Dr. Taz: Right ... [00:05:29] Alisa Vitti: [00:05:30] hygiene- Right ... cycle that you take care of, we also need one for the infradian clock. [00:05:35] And that's when I created the cycle syncing method, to align our self-care with the metabolic [00:05:40] changes that are taking place across the menstrual cycle, with the immune system changes, with the [00:05:45] brain changes, with the cortisol changes, so that we could really dial in more precisely [00:05:50] how we're eating, what we're eating- Mm-hmm [00:05:52] Alisa Vitti: the amount of calories we're taking in, the [00:05:55] types of workouts we're doing across the cycle, sleep amounts throughout the cycle. [00:06:00] All of which need to be modulated based on which cycle phase you're in because your [00:06:05] biochemistry is also changing based on this infradian effect. [00:06:08] Dr. Taz: Okay, so in my head, [00:06:10] I have a visual of the circadian rhythm, and I'm seeing, like, a 24-hour day in a clock. [00:06:14] Alisa Vitti: Yes. [00:06:15] [00:06:15] Dr. Taz: What visual would you give me? [00:06:16] Alisa Vitti: The menstrual cycle. [00:06:17] Dr. Taz: The men- so do men don't have an infradian [00:06:20] rhythm? [00:06:20] Alisa Vitti: No. [00:06:20] Dr. Taz: Children don't have an [00:06:21] Alisa Vitti: infradian [00:06:21] Dr. Taz: rhythm. [00:06:21] Alisa Vitti: No, and post-menopausal women do not either. It's [00:06:25] only active in your reproductive years. [00:06:27] Dr. Taz: So this is a [00:06:30] 28-day, 30-day- Cycle ... cycle. [00:06:32] Alisa Vitti: And you ex- and there are four [00:06:35] distinct patterns within that cycle, four phases, the follicular, [00:06:40] the ovulatory- Luteal [00:06:40] Alisa Vitti: the luteal, and the menstrual. And each of those unique [00:06:45] hormone ratios that occur in those cy- in those phases affect us in distinct [00:06:50] ways, metabolically, cognitively, from a stress response system, et cetera. [00:06:54] Dr. Taz: [00:06:55] Okay, are you ready to break all those down? Sure. I wanna break them down, and I also wanna tie them back to these other [00:07:00] areas that you've talked about when it comes to brain health, and immune health, and metabolic health, and what the [00:07:05] ramifications are there. [00:07:06] Dr. Taz: So maybe just let's jump right in. Okay, we've got this [00:07:10] infradian rhythm. It's a 28-day to 30-day cycle, roughly. [00:07:13] Alisa Vitti: Mm-hmm. [00:07:14] Dr. Taz: What are the [00:07:15] phases each, what is significant, I should say, for each phase? So if you talked about the follicular phase, [00:07:20] let's start there. What is the follicular phase? So many patients still are confused by their [00:07:25] cycle, and they're still not sure what the follicular phase is versus the luteal. [00:07:28] Dr. Taz: So talk about the [00:07:30] follicular phase. What should we be aware of? [00:07:32] Alisa Vitti: So I'll start just by let's break the [00:07:35] cycle down into the first half and the second half. Okay, perfect. And I, I define the first half as follicular and [00:07:40] ovulatory, which is controversial, but, uh, so be it. Um, and the second half with the [00:07:45] luteal. [00:07:45] Alisa Vitti: Wait, [00:07:45] Dr. Taz: why is that [00:07:45] Alisa Vitti: controversial? Well, because the The, the rubric is that [00:07:50] the, um, the day one is day one of your bleed. But if you are a menstruating [00:07:55] female, there is nothing about the first day of your bleed that feels like a beginning, [00:07:58] Dr. Taz: right? [00:07:59] Alisa Vitti: Facts. [00:08:00] Like, it feels like the culmination- Right ... of that cycle. [00:08:02] Alisa Vitti: It feels like the end. It's the end. Yeah. It's [00:08:05] the completion, and then we begin again in the follicular phase. So you can still count day one as y- as your bleed day [00:08:10] because that's the convention for counting. But the first phase of your cycle, that's [00:08:15] of the new cycle- Right ... really does feel like your follicular phase, and so that's why it's a little [00:08:20] controversial. [00:08:20] Alisa Vitti: Yeah. 'Cause we're going on the energetics of it. But you can, you can count however you like. [00:08:24] Dr. Taz: Right. [00:08:25] So technically what you're saying, just for everyone listening, you're saying that really day [00:08:30] seven is more of- The beginning ... the beginning. [00:08:33] Alisa Vitti: Well, and, and when we look at it- Yeah ... [00:08:35] from, let's say, the ovarian perspective, that is the beginning. [00:08:37] Alisa Vitti: Right. That is when we have follicles [00:08:40] beginning to become excited and stimulated by some estrogen rising, and one of [00:08:45] them is gonna- Yeah ... make it to the finish line at ovulation during the ovulatory phase, and that's sort of our [00:08:50] mid-cycle moment. And then we have the luteal phase, which is when the endometrial lining is [00:08:55] being developed and held onto in case of a pregnancy, and then it sheds at the [00:09:00] nadir of all of our hormonal- Mm-hmm [00:09:02] Alisa Vitti: patterns, right? Then the, the lining leaves the body [00:09:05] through menstruation. So those are the... That's what's happening. [00:09:07] Dr. Taz: That's what's actually... And you know what? Psychologically, [00:09:10] I feel better talking about day seven as the beginning. I don't know why. It just feels like, okay, [00:09:15] fresh start. [00:09:15] Alisa Vitti: Fresh start. [00:09:15] Dr. Taz: We're ready, we're ready for something new. [00:09:17] Dr. Taz: Well- [00:09:17] Alisa Vitti: You know? ... and cognitively in the brain, we have these [00:09:20] rising levels of estrogen that's very stimulating. We're interested in new things for the first time [00:09:25] from that cyclical perspective, right? So end of menstruation is a very [00:09:30] inward phase. In fact, from a brain chemistry... I'm s- jumping ahead here, but from a brain chemistry [00:09:35] perspective, the two halves of the brain communicate the most across the corpus callosum [00:09:40] during menstruation- Mm [00:09:41] Alisa Vitti: which makes you very oriented [00:09:45] around, um- I- i- i- interpreting your [00:09:50] feelings and facts about a situation and making decisions that will lead [00:09:55] you into new things for the next cycle. So, you know, if you're having a tough time [00:10:00] at work- Yeah ... you're gonna evaluate, "Well, what are, what is going on? And how do I feel about that? [00:10:04] Alisa Vitti: And [00:10:05] what would I like to do new in the next cycle to shift [00:10:10] this situation?" Right? Mm. Every menstruation is like New Year's Eve. You make resolutions, [00:10:15] and you move that into the new phase, in the follicular phase, and take some, plan some things. That's a [00:10:20] planning phase, the follicular phase. So it's similar. [00:10:22] Alisa Vitti: Your, your ovary is planning to [00:10:25] produce an egg, and let's say cognitively, you're planning all sorts of new things to get [00:10:30] started on in your life in that cycle. So it, you know, there's, there's a whole macro and [00:10:35] microcosmic situation happening, um, there. So [00:10:37] Dr. Taz: fascinating. [00:10:38] Alisa Vitti: It's really interesting- Yeah ... to think about it that [00:10:40] way. [00:10:40] Alisa Vitti: You know, our, our biology really dictates so much of our behavior, except when we [00:10:45] don't align with it, we feel this tension, and we don't make the progress that we could make if we [00:10:50] simply embraced it. [00:10:51] Dr. Taz: Wow. So back to the follicular phase, [00:10:55] what... So you've talked about, you know, new month, new goals, new- Fresh start [00:10:59] Dr. Taz: fresh [00:11:00] start, new strategy. What's happening maybe at an immune level, at a gut [00:11:05] level, hormonally? [00:11:07] Alisa Vitti: Hormonally, s- just some gentle rise [00:11:10] in estrogen, energy starting to pick up. Metabolically, we have [00:11:15] slowed things down. Mm. So our metabolism slows down at this time. We're more efficient. [00:11:20] Um, and we just aren't doing something, let's say, that's so, uh, metabolically [00:11:25] intense, like producing a, an organ, an, a little organelle called the endometrial lining. [00:11:29] Alisa Vitti: [00:11:30] So we aren't nec- needing to consume as many calories. So you can [00:11:35] have lighter meals. You can have fewer calories. Uh, from a cortisol [00:11:40] perspective, resting cortisol levels are lower. [00:11:42] Dr. Taz: Mm. [00:11:42] Alisa Vitti: So you can do more [00:11:45] intensive cardio. You can strength train every single day of the cycle, but from a cardiovascular [00:11:50] perspective, you can do your, like, cardio dance classes and your HIIT workouts in that [00:11:55] first half of the cycle, follicular and ovulatory. [00:11:58] Alisa Vitti: Um, [00:12:00] once we cross over ovulation into the luteal phase, looking at, let's say, [00:12:05] metabolic rates and cortisol patterns, the metabolism speeds up because we need to 3D [00:12:10] print this, this endometrial lining. Mm-hmm. It's very nutrient heavy in terms of requirements, so [00:12:15] we have to be much more rapidly extracting nutrients from our food, and we [00:12:20] burn through that more quickly so that we can extract the most. [00:12:23] Alisa Vitti: So you, [00:12:25] studies show you need more, like 280 more calories per day just to, to keep your [00:12:30] blood sugar stable while your body is building this little organelle, [00:12:35] if you will, right? And that's important because so many of us [00:12:40] continue to try to restrict- Yes ... continue to try to fast- [00:12:45] We should talk about fasting. [00:12:46] Alisa Vitti: Yes, [00:12:46] Dr. Taz: we have to. [00:12:47] Alisa Vitti: And, uh, continue to try to eat [00:12:50] salads and smoothies, and we find that, um, you know, we're [00:12:55] sort of like in a trance at the bottom of a bag of chips at some point during the day in the luteal [00:13:00] phase thinking, "What have I... W- you know, what happened?" Right. "Why, why can't I control my hunger the way that I was [00:13:05] controlling it last week?" [00:13:05] Dr. Taz: Right. [00:13:06] Alisa Vitti: And what's happened is that infradian effect has taken hold of your metabolic [00:13:10] rate. It's sped up, but you haven't ch- modified your diet- Accommodated [00:13:13] Dr. Taz: that ... [00:13:14] Alisa Vitti: to c- [00:13:15] to accommodate that. Ah. And then you end up binge eating things that are not helpful to [00:13:20] you and can exacerbate your PMS, right? [00:13:22] Dr. Taz: Right. [00:13:23] Alisa Vitti: Any disruption in [00:13:25] your blood sugar levels will then recruit extra [00:13:30] cortisol, which then down regulates the production of progesterone, which exacerbates your symptoms of PMS.[00:13:35] [00:13:35] Alisa Vitti: Simply by dialing in your caloric intake properly [00:13:40] in the luteal pha- I mean, all phases of the cycle- Right, right ... but especially in the luteal phase- [00:13:43] Dr. Taz: Right ... [00:13:44] Alisa Vitti: you can stay [00:13:45] away from that insulin cortisol thing, situation, and keep [00:13:50] progesterone buoyed where it should be so that you have enough to counteract [00:13:55] sort of the estrogen that's t- that's rising in this phase of the cycle. [00:13:58] Alisa Vitti: PMS is simply [00:14:00] a situation in the luteal phase where there's more estrogen than [00:14:05] progesterone, and so many women have this scenario in their [00:14:10] 20s, in their 30s. Yes. And by the time you hit perimenopause, it starts at 35, [00:14:15] but let's say you're hitting it really harder in your early 40s, that [00:14:20] two decade plus scenario in which you have been under producing [00:14:25] progesterone really starts to come back in a negative way in [00:14:30] terms of exacerbating the journey of perimenopause and aging you [00:14:35] hormonally much more rapidly than you should be. [00:14:37] Alisa Vitti: And, and that's, uh, uh, unfortunately a common [00:14:40] thing. In fact, a study just came out about a month ago talking about how women are going through perimenopause- Much [00:14:44] Dr. Taz: earlier ... [00:14:44] Alisa Vitti: [00:14:45] much earlier- Right ... at a historic- Right ... global rate. And, I mean, uh, that's simply o- one [00:14:50] of the main reasons is simply by, you know, just dysregulating this [00:14:55] infradian metabolic situation- So I'm- [00:14:56] Alisa Vitti: for decades. [00:14:57] Dr. Taz: Well, yeah, and I'm concerned that it's actually starting [00:15:00] in puberty, like in, in our young girls. W- yeah. Because I feel like, you know, if we think about a span [00:15:05] of, you know, 15, 16 years of practicing, I feel like there's a downward [00:15:10] shift in the symptomology around hormones. Like, our younger girls are [00:15:15] having incredible, I'm talking about, like, 13 to 21, incredible PMS, right? [00:15:19] Dr. Taz: Yeah. [00:15:20] They're having early diagnoses of endometriosis. Yes. You know? [00:15:23] Alisa Vitti: Precocious puberty [00:15:24] Dr. Taz: is on the rise- Precocious puberty ... in both genders. [00:15:25] PMDD, like all- Yeah ... these different things. And so, you know, selfishly, as the [00:15:30] mom of a now 17-year-old, it's like there's a lot of concern about what's going on [00:15:35] there. And then the other thing I'm seeing, too, you know, uh, a- as we look at [00:15:40] labs, is that downward shift of progesterone earlier and earlier. [00:15:44] Dr. Taz: So in The [00:15:45] Hormone Shift, I had talked about how it's a big thing for the current generation from 20 to [00:15:50] about 30. Now, I mean, that book was two years ago. I would actually even say that I'm seeing [00:15:55] it in our teenagers, where progesterone levels are plummeting. They're having a [00:16:00] lot of estrogen dominance, and in turn, both the cognitive component, the [00:16:05] autoimmune or inflammatory component, and then definitely the overall, you know, classic [00:16:10] hormonal symptoms are all presenting. [00:16:11] Dr. Taz: Right. You know? Is that something that you would explain [00:16:15] with this infradian rhythm? [00:16:17] Alisa Vitti: I think that s- one of [00:16:20] the root causes of so much of the disruption [00:16:25] that women are experiencing ha- comes down to this mismanagement of our infradian [00:16:30] rhythm. Mm-hmm. Absolutely. In my first book, Woman Code, you know, I talked about how do we triage the endocrine system- Right [00:16:34] Alisa Vitti: [00:16:35] when things are problematic, you know, how do we interact with our hormones with [00:16:40] food and supplements? And you can, of course, recalibrate your body dietarily [00:16:45] to address these hormonal issues, to address excess estrogen, et cetera. [00:16:50] But, and this is why I wrote the second book- Right ... because In The Flow, talking about, [00:16:55] um, this infradian effect, even y- you can't just stay in a state of triage forever. [00:16:59] Alisa Vitti: We [00:17:00] need a lifestyle that aligns with our hormonal biology [00:17:05] so that we're not every single day disrupting it. In fact, when I was being interviewed by a [00:17:10] male biohacker, he said, "Oh my goodness, I am wrecked if I have [00:17:15] one thing off with my morning routine." [00:17:17] Dr. Taz: Mm-hmm. [00:17:18] Alisa Vitti: And he said, "I'm just [00:17:20] really taking it in at how profoundly challenged women [00:17:25] are, like, experiencing their day-to-day because they're fundamentally- Changing [00:17:29] Alisa Vitti: [00:17:30] disrupted on the most core level." He's like, "I organize my entire life [00:17:35] based on the circadian clock," because that's what matches his hormonal pattern. Mm-hmm. Testosterone [00:17:40] per- you know, is cyclical on that circadian rhythm, but estrogen and progesterone are [00:17:45] not. Hmm. And we have to function with both of these clocks. [00:17:47] Alisa Vitti: We have to be honoring our circadian clock, [00:17:50] obviously. But we do need to take care of this infradian rhythm and it's, and the [00:17:55] more you do that, the better off you'll be long-term. And I mean, I've been cycle syncing [00:18:00] now for I don't know how long, 20 years, and you know, here I am about to turn [00:18:05] 48. I'm still ovulating. [00:18:06] Alisa Vitti: I'm still menstruating. I'm not on any HRT. [00:18:10] Nice. I have no symptoms of perimenopause whatsoever. My hormone [00:18:15] levels are definitely much, o- of a much younger woman. Mm-hmm. And it's simply because I [00:18:20] know how to take care of them, and that's available to every woman. Remember, birth control, [00:18:25] synthetic birth control- Yeah [00:18:25] Alisa Vitti: was introduced into the population 100 years, 75, 100 years ago at this [00:18:30] point because women were on their eighth or ninth child at [00:18:35] 48, 49, right? When there was no birth control. [00:18:38] Dr. Taz: Right. [00:18:38] Alisa Vitti: We're designed to be [00:18:40] maximally fertile for the maximum amount of time. That's just nature in general. Right. So this idea [00:18:45] that you would see tanking progesterone levels in teens, [00:18:50] it's a con- it's a, it's a whole conversation and spectrum of [00:18:55] what are we getting so fundamentally wrong here? [00:18:57] Alisa Vitti: And, and- [00:18:58] Dr. Taz: Well, what are we getting wrong? This [00:18:59] Alisa Vitti: in- we're [00:19:00] missing this infradian support. [00:19:01] Dr. Taz: So what, what should we be doing? But [00:19:05] before I ask that question, I, I don't wanna get away from the luteal phase- [00:19:08] Alisa Vitti: Mm ... [00:19:08] Dr. Taz: and [00:19:10] the cognitive component of that. Mm-hmm. What should we be thinking about? What's the, same question, [00:19:15] immune and gut- [00:19:16] Alisa Vitti: Mm-hmm [00:19:16] Dr. Taz: sort of ramification of the luteal phase? And then let's dive into [00:19:20] what we need to be doing. [00:19:21] Alisa Vitti: Yeah. Okay, so in the luteal phase, it's my favorite [00:19:25] phase because it's the phase where progesterone enters the party- Right ... and she is for sure my favorite hormone. Yes, [00:19:30] mine too. I know, I know everybody thinks it's ovulation is, like, the fun time, and it is a [00:19:35] two-day peak period. [00:19:36] Alisa Vitti: Right. You know, you have this super surge of estrogen in the brain, so [00:19:40] cognitively you're, um- Your verbal and social centers are [00:19:45] hyper-stimulated, and it's easy for you to be extroverted and do forward-facing social things for [00:19:50] that short period of time, you know? But the luteal phase is a, is a gem of a phase. [00:19:54] Alisa Vitti: It's [00:19:55] 10 to 12 days. You have all this progesterone. Anybody who's ever been pregnant, you know that second [00:20:00] trimester when progesterone is like- You're happy. ... you're just... Well, no, it's like you're doing the nursery. Yes. You're [00:20:05] planning parties. Yeah. You're getting so much done. Yeah. For me, I wrote, like, book proposals, you know? [00:20:09] Alisa Vitti: Yeah. Like, [00:20:10] whatever your f- Yeah ... pick your pleasure. [00:20:11] Dr. Taz: Yeah. [00:20:12] Alisa Vitti: And so, um, it's just, uh, [00:20:15] progesterone has a calming, focusing effect in terms of cognitive [00:20:20] performance. Mm. Um, in fact, a study just recently came out about showing [00:20:25] now... We, we've understood that it affects, let's say, cognitive performance, but now there have [00:20:30] been scans that has show it actually affects, this infradian rhythm affects gray and white matter [00:20:35] in the brain. [00:20:35] Alisa Vitti: Wow. So the structure of the brain is changing throughout these different cycle phases. [00:20:40] They don't even know what it means yet that the gray and white matter are shifting in volume and [00:20:45] density, but that's incredible- Fascinating ... that we have that. I love that. [00:20:50] Right? Yeah. Yeah. So they're just beginning to do the research [00:20:52] Dr. Taz: on that. [00:20:52] Dr. Taz: Right. Right. Who knows [00:20:52] Alisa Vitti: what it's gonna unfold? Yeah. But obviously, we have [00:20:55] some intuitive sense that, of course, it's changing us. These hormonal ratios [00:21:00] affect us, and we feel differently and distinctly. And I think that's what women love about the Cycle Syncing method, [00:21:05] um, is that it gives them permission to, uh, [00:21:10] you know, feel what they're feeling instead of- Yeah [00:21:11] Alisa Vitti: ignoring it. Yeah. So in this, in this phase, [00:21:15] uh, metabolism speeds up, as I mentioned. Cor- resting cortisol is higher. [00:21:19] Dr. Taz: Mm. [00:21:19] Alisa Vitti: [00:21:20] So you should not do any HIIT workouts, uh, or extr- like, lengthy [00:21:25] cardio sessions- Maybe a dream ... because it's gonna kick up your cortisol, and that's gonna have a downregulating [00:21:30] effect on progesterone and exacerbate your PMS symptoms. [00:21:32] Alisa Vitti: Strength training is your [00:21:35] gold standard, let's say, workout for the, for that phase. Then when you get to the [00:21:40] bleeding phase, right, just to sort of tie these two together, um- You know, I would [00:21:45] say this is a phase that's really dependent on your symptoms. As you're [00:21:50] healing, you may still be experiencing excessive cramping, excessive bleeding. [00:21:54] Alisa Vitti: But as [00:21:55] you get better, as you start practicing this sort of infradian support [00:22:00] consistently, you're gonna feel great every phase. There isn't gonna be a phase where you fall off, [00:22:05] let's say, the hormonal cliff and feel low energy or moody or tired. [00:22:10] And you can continue to strength train and do your workouts and feel great during- Mm-hmm [00:22:13] Alisa Vitti: the menstrual phase as [00:22:15] well. But in the beginning, as you're recovering from so much infradian disruption, you may [00:22:20] find that that first day or two of your bleed, you may need to take it easy and just sort of rest. And [00:22:25] rest is extremely underrated because we're talking about- [00:22:28] Dr. Taz: I don't think women rest [00:22:30] today [00:22:30] Alisa Vitti: well, and, and that, uh- Or girls, honestly ... continuous, uh, [00:22:35] demand on the adrenals has a de- massively depleting effect- Mm ... [00:22:40] on ovarian function, short and long term. And we do need to be really [00:22:45] factoring that into our overall long-term hormonal biohacking game plan. Because if your [00:22:50] goal, and I think your goal should be, to ovulate for as long as [00:22:55] humanly possible and to produce your own endogenous hormones for as long as possible.[00:23:00] [00:23:00] Alisa Vitti: That is the goal. [00:23:01] Dr. Taz: Mm-hmm. [00:23:01] Alisa Vitti: If you, if that is your goal, then you need to be thinking about, how do I [00:23:05] reverse engineer that? And so much of it is not what you add in, it's how [00:23:10] you align and support what the bo- what the body wants to do for you, right? [00:23:14] Dr. Taz: [00:23:15] Such a different way of thinking than many of us practice, honestly, where a l- a lot of times [00:23:20] we're triaging- [00:23:21] Alisa Vitti: Topping [00:23:21] Dr. Taz: up [00:23:22] Dr. Taz: treating, you know, balancing. [00:23:25] The idea of alignment, I think, is more challenging, and many [00:23:30] people kind of get lost in that. For some women, honestly, they're so stressed, like, they're not even [00:23:35] tracking what's happening, you know? What would you tell those women, and kind of what is a good [00:23:40] way for them to live in this rhythm, to live in this infradian rhythm?[00:23:45] [00:23:45] Dr. Taz: And again, I have more questions, but we'll get there in a minute. So what's a good way for them to live kind of [00:23:50] in this rhythm, you know, in a way that's realistic and healthy? [00:23:54] Alisa Vitti: Yeah. You [00:23:55] know, it's all about habit stacking. You know, at this point, I've been doing this for so long, I have so [00:24:00] many habit stacking- Yeah [00:24:01] Alisa Vitti: practices that for the, for the beginner, it [00:24:05] would seem out of reach- Right ... to do the practices that I'm doing. And I wouldn't suggest that you start [00:24:10] with all of the practices that I do. Right. But I wouldn't miss one of my- I saw the bag. I wouldn't, I wouldn't miss one of my practices. I wonder [00:24:15] what else is in [00:24:16] Dr. Taz: that bag, by the way. [00:24:17] Dr. Taz: So anyhow. [00:24:17] Alisa Vitti: Oh please, whenever I travel, half the things I [00:24:20] pack are food and supplements- Yeah. Yep ... and all of that. But, um, you know, when, [00:24:25] when I recommend women get started, just start with what you're comfortable. Pick a lane. Is it gonna be the [00:24:30] food or is it gonna be the fitness? What feels more doable for you? [00:24:33] Alisa Vitti: In a lot of cases, the fitness [00:24:35] is the first step for a lot of women, so you start to shift your workouts. [00:24:40] You start to really re- reap the benefits of not pushing yourself to do the [00:24:45] same types of workouts day in and day out as you go through a cycle or two, and you start to [00:24:50] see, oh, my PMS is a little bit less intense- Mm [00:24:52] Alisa Vitti: the second month because you're not draining your [00:24:55] adrenals continuously. And then the second layer, if that's the first [00:25:00] pass that you take, the fitness pass- The second layer would be managing your blood [00:25:05] sugar through modulating caloric intake- Mm ... across the cycle, right? Because when you dial [00:25:10] in, because it- from the endocrine system's perspective, that's, like, the best gift you could give it. [00:25:14] Alisa Vitti: Right. You know, [00:25:15] giving it s- keeping that blood sugar's level stable, and not forcing this [00:25:20] insulin, cortisol kind of overcompensation, right? Where your insulin, too much [00:25:25] insulin to overcompensate for too much carbohydrate intake. Right. Then we have a [00:25:30] hypoglycemic crash. Right. Then the adrenals are r- you know, have to secrete some cortisol to [00:25:35] s- sort of compensate for that, to have the body pull some of stored s- glucose out of your fat [00:25:40] tissue. [00:25:40] Alisa Vitti: Right. And then we have to, let's say, not be producing as much progesterone [00:25:45] because we have to produ- overproduce cortisol, and that's just because you've mismanaged blood sugar. [00:25:50] We haven't even talked about your stress levels, which also do the same thing. [00:25:53] Dr. Taz: So you make a really important [00:25:55] point, though, because this conversation around blood sugar currently is really dialed into the [00:26:00] menopause community and maybe the post-menopause community. [00:26:03] Dr. Taz: It's not so much [00:26:05] dialed into women that are actively- Menstruating ... menstruating, and/or girls. [00:26:10] So maybe go into that a little bit. How should we balance blood sugar at each [00:26:15] phase? Again, if you're 21, if you're 35, if you're 42, [00:26:20] you know, before you even hit menopause, 'cause I know the menopause folks have heard it, you [00:26:25] know, about the protein and the fiber and all those different things. [00:26:28] Dr. Taz: What would you tell younger women? [00:26:30] [00:26:30] Alisa Vitti: Well, it's a circadian and infradian conversation because we, uh, you know, [00:26:35] are active within a day period- Right ... right? But then we have to modulate, let's say, overall caloric [00:26:40] intake based on the infradian clock. So first things first, you have to bal- you have to understand how to [00:26:45] eat in a single day. [00:26:46] Dr. Taz: Mm-hmm. [00:26:47] Alisa Vitti: And I'd like to start [00:26:50] off by saying that women in their reproductive years should not be fasting. [00:26:53] Dr. Taz: Yes. [00:26:54] Alisa Vitti: Thank [00:26:55] you. You're welcome. Thank you. I said it in, I said it in my book, in The Fro- I'm so against [00:26:58] Dr. Taz: fasting. [00:26:59] Alisa Vitti: Thank you. [00:27:00] Um, well, the science is also, you know, pretty, um... [00:27:05] In fact, there's a new study that just I'm so excited about that talks about how f- [00:27:10] um, from a, from the perspective of metabolic, uh, speed- [00:27:13] Dr. Taz: Mm-hmm [00:27:14] Alisa Vitti: that actually [00:27:15] people do better when we invert the fasting window, not skipping breakfast and- Right ... and [00:27:20] eating until 1:00, uh, waiting to eat until 1:00. Yes. But actually inverting it and eating [00:27:25] when, upon waking- All the way through [00:27:26] Dr. Taz: the day ... [00:27:26] Alisa Vitti: all the way through the day, but stopping early, like at 5:00. [00:27:28] Dr. Taz: Right. [00:27:29] Alisa Vitti: Right? Mm-hmm. [00:27:30] That is the best way to fast. So anyway, [00:27:35] balancing your macros throughout the day is really important. You need to be eating a p- within an hour [00:27:40] of waking up. Mm-hmm. Just period, right? And what about my morning workouts? You have to... You cannot [00:27:45] ever work out in a fasted state as a female, ever, [00:27:48] Dr. Taz: never. [00:27:48] Dr. Taz: Okay, you have to stop right there [00:27:50] 'cause everybody sitting at home right now or in your car, wherever you're listening, [00:27:55] mental note, how many of you are fasting and going into a workout? I've been [00:28:00] guilty of that. You, [00:28:01] Alisa Vitti: you, [00:28:01] Dr. Taz: it's- I, I mean, I've tried to be better recently, but I have [00:28:05] historically- [00:28:05] Alisa Vitti: Yep ... [00:28:05] Dr. Taz: never wanted to eat before working out, and all my workouts are in the morning. [00:28:09] Alisa Vitti: All my workouts are [00:28:10] in the morning, and I have a full 30 grams of protein, 35 grams of [00:28:15] carbohydrates, and about 12 grams of fat before I work out. [00:28:19] Dr. Taz: And that's [00:28:20] because working out [00:28:20] Alisa Vitti: fasted- Because, because you, your muscles... I mean, when we're talking [00:28:25] about working out, now this is a slightly different conversation than how do we balance blood sugar. [00:28:28] Alisa Vitti: Right. But I'll take the digression 'cause it's [00:28:30] important. Right. [00:28:30] Dr. Taz: And like I said, we have so many things to talk about. Right. Hopefully we'll get through [00:28:34] Alisa Vitti: all our points. [00:28:34] Dr. Taz: [00:28:35] Well, yeah. But anyhow, back to [00:28:36] Alisa Vitti: this. If, if you want to build lean muscle, because we want to do [00:28:40] that at every age because building lean muscle- Right [00:28:43] Alisa Vitti: improves our metabolic [00:28:45] flexibility, improves our glucose response, improves our hormones. It's an excellent thing to do [00:28:50] for young girls, for in your tw- every decade, it does not matter, you should be building [00:28:55] lean muscle, like, uh, in- very intentionally. And if you wanna do that, in order to [00:29:00] do that, you actually have to front load the muscle with [00:29:05] glucose. [00:29:05] Dr. Taz: Mm. [00:29:05] Alisa Vitti: Not fructose, not sucrose, but glucose. So I'm [00:29:10] gonna say something a little controversial, but bodybuilders know this. [00:29:13] Dr. Taz: Do it. Mm. [00:29:13] Alisa Vitti: Oatmeal is [00:29:15] an optimal pre-workout food because it's all [00:29:20] glucose. Mm. It's all extremely usable by the body. You say, "Well, I think that's gonna give me [00:29:25] a high spike in my blood sugar levels." [00:29:27] Alisa Vitti: Not if you pair it with protein- Right ... and [00:29:30] fat, and if you eat the right amount of that carbohydrate for your [00:29:35] body. [00:29:35] Dr. Taz: Mm. [00:29:35] Alisa Vitti: So that's where you might have to start weighing and measuring and figuring out. Get a rough [00:29:39] Dr. Taz: [00:29:40] idea. [00:29:40] Alisa Vitti: And- [00:29:40] Dr. Taz: Yeah ... [00:29:41] Alisa Vitti: everyone, if you're uncertain about your glucose response to [00:29:45] carbohydrates and your ability to tolerate amounts of carbohydrate Whether you have [00:29:50] PCOS or not, it's irrelevant. [00:29:51] Alisa Vitti: Everyone needs to learn their body's response to carbohydrates as, [00:29:55] uh, to balance your hormones. Wearing a continuous glucose monitor- Yeah. Love those. Yeah ... for 30 days [00:30:00] as just a citizen scientist who wants to understand her own, you know, [00:30:05] response to different carbohydrates, even combining carbohydrates. I cannot combine [00:30:10] carbohydrates, right? [00:30:10] Alisa Vitti: If I'm gonna have rice, it's just rice. Mm-hmm. I can't have rice and beans and corn and sweet potat- Mm-hmm. [00:30:15] One at a time is the max that I can do, but I can have a pretty significant dose of those now that [00:30:20] I've built my lean muscle- Mm ... up to the point that I have. So you'll, this will [00:30:25] change over time, but you definitely want to pre-game before you work out with glucose. [00:30:29] Alisa Vitti: And [00:30:30] then as you get stronger and your metabolism speeds up, you're also gonna need to bring some more [00:30:35] food to the workout- [00:30:36] Dr. Taz: Hmm ... [00:30:37] Alisa Vitti: to keep your blood sugar stable. Because the other thing that [00:30:40] happens to a lot of women is they have a massive hypoglycemic experience [00:30:45] post-pr- post-workout, and then you overeat, and then you're not doing yourself any [00:30:50] favors in that post-workout meal because you're super loading your body with sugars. [00:30:53] Alisa Vitti: Right. And that creates [00:30:55] more stored fat, which you don't want. So in fact, eating more moderately [00:31:00] but more frequent amounts of carbohydrates in and around your workouts and earlier in the [00:31:05] day and spreading that out more evenly throughout the day does you huge benefits [00:31:10] from a metabolic flexibility perspective, a muscle building perspective, and a blood sugar stabili- [00:31:15] stability perspective. [00:31:16] Alisa Vitti: So how I do it is I eat probably by, uh, [00:31:20] 7:30, 8:00 in the morning. I'm at the gym 8:30, 9:00, [00:31:25] and have a, I have an intrawork out small meal, about 15 grams of protein. What [00:31:29] Dr. Taz: does that look [00:31:30] like? What is that? [00:31:30] Alisa Vitti: It's a shake that I make with- Okay ... a little protein- Okay ... a little leafy greens, um, [00:31:35] some almond butter, nothing f- Okay [00:31:37] Alisa Vitti: water, blueberries, banana. Gotcha. It's very small. [00:31:40] And, um, and then when I get back from the gym, I have another large dose of protein, [00:31:45] 30 grams. Mm-hmm. 30, 35 grams of carbs, um, fats as [00:31:50] well, right? And then at thr- so that's around noon, so I've already had a bunch of stuff [00:31:55] already. We're talking now s- uh, 30, 30, 15. [00:31:57] Alisa Vitti: That's at 65 grams of protein. And [00:31:59] Dr. Taz: we're at [00:32:00] 12:00. [00:32:00] Alisa Vitti: And we're about 12:30. [00:32:01] Dr. Taz: Mm. [00:32:01] Alisa Vitti: Right? [00:32:02] Dr. Taz: Mm-hmm. [00:32:02] Alisa Vitti: And we've had about the same in [00:32:05] terms of carb- no, more. 60, 30, 35, 70. [00:32:10] 90 grams of carbs already and then at 3:00, 3:30, I'm having [00:32:15] another mini meal, 30 grams of protein, 30 grams of carbs, [00:32:20] 10 grams of fat. That looks like avocado, turkey, chicken, sweet [00:32:25] potatoes- Mm-hmm [00:32:25] Alisa Vitti: apple. That's sort of my afternoon thing. And then around 6:00, [00:32:30] again, every three hours is when we need sugar, right? Yeah. Because we've [00:32:35] digested- Right ... the carbohydrates and we need that glucose. And when you're eating the right amount of [00:32:40] carbohydrates throughout the day, you feel when you're low on blood [00:32:45] sugar really, you're, you become much more sensitized to it, and you need to eat every three hours. [00:32:49] Alisa Vitti: So around [00:32:50] 6:00, that's when I'm having my last meal of the day, and that is a very [00:32:55] plant-oriented meal in terms of any carbohydrates I'm having are s- exclusively [00:33:00] plant-based. So it could be cauliflower. It could be zucchini. It's a lot of [00:33:05] vegetables on the plate. It's, it's a large plate of, of veggies and protein, 30 grams of protein and fats. [00:33:09] Alisa Vitti: [00:33:10] Mm. And that's my dinner meal And then I'm fasting [00:33:14] Dr. Taz: until [00:33:15] [00:33:15] Alisa Vitti: about 13 hours, 14- 13 [00:33:16] Dr. Taz: hours or so ... [00:33:16] Alisa Vitti: golden, that's the golden fast, 13, 14 hours. [00:33:20] And that's what I'm doing right now, and it's amazing how, um, you know, you can shift your [00:33:25] body composition. So I wasn't tr- I was just playing around with this- Right ... and dialing this in. [00:33:29] Alisa Vitti: Right. [00:33:30] And in the past seven months, I've lost 25 pounds [00:33:35] of fat. [00:33:35] Dr. Taz: Wow. [00:33:36] Alisa Vitti: My fat percentage right now is 18%. [00:33:40] My BMI is 20.4. Wow. Um, I have put on [00:33:45] about 10 pounds of lean muscle. I'm lifting super heavy. My hip [00:33:50] thrust is up to 220 pounds. Um, it's a, it's so much fun- [00:33:54] Dr. Taz: [00:33:55] Yeah ... [00:33:55] Alisa Vitti: to, and I'm doing that very intentionally because I'm about to turn 48. [00:33:58] Alisa Vitti: Right. And I'm really interested [00:34:00] in protecting my ovulation, protecting my bone density, protecting my [00:34:05] metabolic flexibility, and all of that is something that you have to work on. This is something that [00:34:10] younger girls need to be doing too because they, y- it turns out, [00:34:15] if you build that lean muscle in your 20s, you have this muscle memory for life. [00:34:18] Dr. Taz: Right. [00:34:18] Alisa Vitti: Teens and 20s, in [00:34:20] fact. [00:34:20] Dr. Taz: Well, it's also one of the big points I think you're making as I'm listening to you is, you know, [00:34:25] protecting your hormones through- Diet ... these different cycles is a lot about protecting your [00:34:30] blood sugar. [00:34:30] Alisa Vitti: Well, that's what I wrote [00:34:31] Dr. Taz: about in the first book. And owning- Yep, absolutely [00:34:32] Dr. Taz: and owning your blood sugar because, you [00:34:35] know, we have an epidemic of, of w- of infertility. We have an epidemic of [00:34:40] endometriosis. That's right. We have an epidemic of PCOS. I mean, I could go on, right? Fibroids, we have all [00:34:45] these different things- That's right ... that women are experiencing with the age skewing down. [00:34:49] Dr. Taz: And I [00:34:50] think the skewing down of that age, you know, is the excess of cortisol [00:34:55] production, and then not having a plan. Like, so many girls and women, [00:35:00] you know, can understand intellectually, even me, I can throw myself into that, intellectually we can [00:35:05] understand that this is happening, you know? That we're having these shifts, that cortisol's an issue, that blood [00:35:10] sugar's an issue. [00:35:10] Alisa Vitti: But the practical- [00:35:12] Dr. Taz: But the practical putting it into action, we [00:35:15] all start to get flummoxed a little bit. [00:35:16] Alisa Vitti: And we still, w- you know, I think the conversation with hormones is still so [00:35:20] much, it's outside of me, I need to take- Right ... something to fix. Right. And you know, [00:35:25] I, with my PCOS journey, remember I was obese- Right [00:35:27] Alisa Vitti: and acneic, cystic acne, and not [00:35:30] ovulating or menstruating from 12 to [00:35:32] Dr. Taz: 22. Wait, I didn't know you had PCOS too. Oh, yes. I forgot that part. [00:35:33] Alisa Vitti: Yes. [00:35:34] Dr. Taz: Hello, [00:35:35] PCOS sisters. [00:35:35] Alisa Vitti: Hi. Yeah, and I mean, and that's the thing too. Yeah. I mean, at 48 to have an, I mean- Right ... I've [00:35:40] already maintained a 60-pound weight loss for most of my life. [00:35:42] Alisa Vitti: Right. But to then lose another 20 was [00:35:45] really interesting, 'cause all I did different was start to eat more. [00:35:48] Dr. Taz: Yeah. Which [00:35:50] every woman has an issue with. They're like, wait, [00:35:51] Alisa Vitti: but- And, and with PCOS, it's supposed to get harder [00:35:55] and harder. And one of the things I've really enjoyed about my own biohacking journey is just debunking all of this [00:36:00] mythology- Right [00:36:00] Alisa Vitti: around, like, well, this isn't supposed to happen, or that's not supposed to be possible. Right. And [00:36:05] it turns out it, it's all a bunch of garbage- Yeah ... for the most part. If you understand h- the sort [00:36:10] of functionality of your endocrine system, it's really easy to biohack that. And blood sugar, as I [00:36:15] wrote about in 2013, is the first step in the Flow Protocol- Hmm [00:36:19] Alisa Vitti: because it's so [00:36:20] germane to the functioning and the proper functioning of the endocrine system. If you don't [00:36:25] get that right, the rest of your hormonal cascade will be dysregulated simply because your [00:36:30] body's trying to overcompensate for your mismanaged diet. [00:36:32] Dr. Taz: Wow. [00:36:33] Alisa Vitti: So diet is a [00:36:35] key, key- lever for you to individually use to [00:36:40] start to address your hormonal problems, whatever they may be. [00:36:43] Alisa Vitti: Yeah. Because it doesn't [00:36:45] matter- [00:36:45] Dr. Taz: And is [00:36:46] Alisa Vitti: that really the first step? That is really the first step. That's the first step. That's the first [00:36:48] Dr. Taz: step. Yeah. So food is really a [00:36:50] fundamental part of this, right? [00:36:51] Alisa Vitti: Yes. [00:36:51] Dr. Taz: Or the first step. The first step. Would you agree that food is the first step? [00:36:53] Alisa Vitti: Uh, absolutely. And whether [00:36:55] you are dealing with PCOS or fibroids or infertility or perimenopause, or you're a [00:37:00] teenage girl and you're just feeling really crummy every month and you have PMS, getting your blood sugar [00:37:05] stable is the first step, period. [00:37:07] Alisa Vitti: Pun intended. You must do it. You can't skip over it. [00:37:10] There's nothing else as powerful as that lever. [00:37:14] Dr. Taz: And [00:37:15] after food, if you said, "Okay, people are managing their blood sugar, but they're [00:37:20] still coming back and we're seeing a lot of cortisol dysfunction, or we're seeing some other things," where do they go [00:37:25] next? [00:37:25] Alisa Vitti: Then we start to talk about looking at that infradian support, right? So [00:37:30] making sure you're modifying your caloric intake- [00:37:32] Dr. Taz: Mm-hmm ... [00:37:33] Alisa Vitti: throughout the cycle. First half, have [00:37:35] less calories, second half, have more, 280 calories more per day. Choose [00:37:40] more blood sugar stabilizing types of carbohydrates. And then change your workout [00:37:45] routine. [00:37:45] Alisa Vitti: Make sure you are being active in the first place. Sitting d- being sedentary is not good for [00:37:50] your adrenals or your hormones- Right ... right? Mm-hmm. So make sure you are being active, but do it in the [00:37:55] correct ways that sort of support that cortisol pattern throughout the cycle. So more cardio in the first [00:38:00] half, less cardio in the second half, but strength train the entire cycle. [00:38:03] Alisa Vitti: The entire [00:38:04] Dr. Taz: [00:38:05] time. And how long is, are those strength training sessions? Does it matter? [00:38:08] Alisa Vitti: Studies show that three times a [00:38:10] week, a full body, like, strength training circuit is equally [00:38:15] beneficial to an everyday practice. So I'm extremely lazy. Yeah. You know? Just do the three days a week. [00:38:19] Dr. Taz: [00:38:20] Okay. [00:38:20] Alisa Vitti: Okay. I'm, uh, right now I'm a little bit ambitious, so I am doing five days a week- Right [00:38:24] Alisa Vitti: because I'm trying to [00:38:25] target, let's say, some physique changes. I have such a slim upper body, I'd like to put on some more muscle, so I have two days where [00:38:30] I'm just doing upper body workouts. But if you just wanna get started, start with a three [00:38:35] day a week, Monday, Wednesday, Friday, or Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, whatever you can fit into your schedule, [00:38:40] 30, 45 minutes of strength training. [00:38:42] Alisa Vitti: Progressive overload, meaning [00:38:45] every time you do the same workout, you're putting on heavier weights so that- Mm ... you build those muscles. Do not go [00:38:50] in there and do the same five pound dumbbells and try to do 50 reps. I'd re- And [00:38:55] think [00:38:55] Dr. Taz: something's gonna change. [00:38:56] Alisa Vitti: Nothing's gonna change. Yeah. You need to do five pounds today, and then 10 [00:39:00] pounds next week, and 12 and a half pounds the week after, and you keep building up your muscle strength and [00:39:05] stressing those muscles to, to develop. [00:39:06] Dr. Taz: So then w- for women that have passed sort of [00:39:10] perimenopause- Mm ... right? Have gone past it, they don't have an infradian rhythm anymore. [00:39:14] Alisa Vitti: Correct. [00:39:15] So you're- [00:39:15] Dr. Taz: Do the rules- ... circadian [00:39:16] Alisa Vitti: only. [00:39:16] Dr. Taz: Okay. So then this, does the circadian rhythm dominate at that [00:39:20] point? [00:39:20] Alisa Vitti: Yes, yes. Okay. So when you're post-menopausal, you can go back to your childhood state of being circadian rhythm, [00:39:25] g- you know, oriented only, and you focus in on the basics of balancing [00:39:30] your blood sugar throughout the day, eating earlier in the day and every three hours. [00:39:34] Alisa Vitti: Now, [00:39:35] there is some- research that shows that intermittent fasting postmenopausally [00:39:40] can be beneficial But I would argue, and with the women that I've worked [00:39:45] with who are post-menopausal who have made strength training their longevity focus- [00:39:50] Mm-hmm ... that that intermittent fasting is not, doesn't give them the same [00:39:55] benefit as- Hmm [00:39:55] Alisa Vitti: eating and fueling their workouts and doing that earlier in the day. So th- so [00:40:00] if you are gonna be consistent with a strength training routine post-menopausally, I [00:40:05] would invert the fasting and do it earlier, like stop eating at 4:30, 5:00. [00:40:08] Dr. Taz: Gotcha. And then- [00:40:09] Alisa Vitti: [00:40:10] Be- and, and here's the other thing too, if you're in perimenopause and you're having any vasovagal response at [00:40:15] night, hot flashes, night sweats, that's simply your body's way of trying to save you from [00:40:20] glucose overload, right? [00:40:22] Alisa Vitti: And you're literally sweating this off- Hmm ... because [00:40:25] you have no place to put it. So another reason to front-load the day with [00:40:30] carbohydrates and then restrict them after 3:00 PM is to [00:40:35] simply prevent hot flashes and night sweats, of which I've never had any. [00:40:38] Dr. Taz: Wow. [00:40:38] Alisa Vitti: Right? You don't need to [00:40:40] have them. It's just about managing this sugar intake. [00:40:44] Alisa Vitti: Very, very [00:40:45] interesting. [00:40:45] Dr. Taz: So interesting. So then where does HRT fit in? [00:40:49] Alisa Vitti: You [00:40:50] know, I think it's a personal journey. I've s- I've worked with women in their 50s who've transitioned [00:40:55] beautifully because they were dialing in the right endocrine support for decades leading up to [00:41:00] it, and they are not on any HRT, right? [00:41:02] Dr. Taz: Hmm. [00:41:03] Alisa Vitti: And they feel great. [00:41:05] And then there are women who need some, and there is research that shows that there are [00:41:10] beneficial windows of time to take some estradiol, to take some progesterone, but it really just depends on your [00:41:15] individual labs, your goals, you, you know, if you're ready to sort of take [00:41:20] on that journey. [00:41:21] Alisa Vitti: And you can't stay on them forever. [00:41:23] Dr. Taz: Right. [00:41:23] Alisa Vitti: So at some point you do have to [00:41:25] transition, and I think that's a conversation around, you know, really looking [00:41:30] at our mitochondrial health- Mm-hmm ... as a sort of secondary source of energy and, [00:41:35] uh, vitality beyond just what hormones provide. And then [00:41:40] additionally, a lot of women, if you are not taking care of yourself in your 20s and 30s, you go into your perimenopause [00:41:45] journey thinking, "No problem, I'll just get on HRT." [00:41:47] Alisa Vitti: You, there's a rude awakening when we're s- [00:41:50] many decades of depletion, micronutrient depletion, excessive dieting, extreme [00:41:55] workouts, um, dis- Cortisol [00:41:56] Dr. Taz: and stress, right ... [00:41:57] Alisa Vitti: cortisol and stress- Right ... dysregulating the infradian rhythm- [00:42:00] Right ... not honoring the circadian rhythm. You get to that HRT take, starting to take your HRT [00:42:05] in your 40s and you don't respond to it. [00:42:06] Alisa Vitti: Yeah. I've had clients who are like, "My libido's tanked." [00:42:10] I've taken s- they've taken so much testosterone that they're starting to have androgenic effects- Mm-hmm ... but no [00:42:15] improvement in their libido, and it's their ovaries are so suboptimally [00:42:20] performing, they just can't respond to all this hormone stimulation. [00:42:21] Alisa Vitti: So where would [00:42:22] Dr. Taz: you direct somebody like that who's not, who's [00:42:25] so depleted, not responding? Where do they wind their way? Same [00:42:28] Alisa Vitti: thing. [00:42:29] Dr. Taz: Same place. [00:42:29] Alisa Vitti: Same thing. [00:42:30] Okay. You have to- Got it ... the, you can't get around the basics. [00:42:32] Dr. Taz: Right. You [00:42:33] Alisa Vitti: know? Can't cheat, guys. Sorry. You know, I [00:42:35] wish I could tell you that- No ... listen, if there was a magic bullet, I would have been taking it- 25 years [00:42:40] ago when- Right [00:42:40] Alisa Vitti: I was struggling with being 210 pounds, not ovulating, not menstruating, depressed, [00:42:45] anxious, insomniacal, cystic acne. It was a mess. Yeah. I was sort of trapped as a 20-year-old [00:42:50] with a post-menopausal sort of situation. Right. It was a m- Right, me too ... it was really challenging. Yeah. If there had been a [00:42:55] quick fix, I would be the first one to tell people about it, because n- you know, y- you h- when [00:43:00] you have hormonal problems, you really do have to commit yourself [00:43:05] to supporting your body in a way that is not conventional, right? [00:43:08] Alisa Vitti: 'Cause our modern lifestyle [00:43:10] says- [00:43:10] Dr. Taz: I [00:43:10] Alisa Vitti: think, but- ... eat whatever you want, drink wine at night. Right. I stopped drinking alcohol [00:43:15] at 35 because that's when perimenopause began. Right. And I said, "I don't want any excess glucose- Right ... cooking me from [00:43:20] the inside, aging me metabolically- Mm ... um, increasing my risk of cancer, [00:43:25] or, uh, slowing down, you know, or i- speeding up my, my ovarian [00:43:30] aging process." [00:43:30] Alisa Vitti: I didn't wanna do that, so I made that choice. That's an unconventional choice, but it's one that's paid [00:43:35] huge dividends for me. Yeah, [00:43:36] Dr. Taz: definitely. [00:43:37] Alisa Vitti: Um, and I think that we have to make these unconventional [00:43:40] choices to protect our hormones in an environment that is really not aligned [00:43:45] with supporting our biology, with our infradian rhythm. [00:43:47] Alisa Vitti: Keep in mind that men, why are only, like, [00:43:50] 20% of men having hormonal problems? Well, because the whole [00:43:55] environment is set up to support their testosterone cycle. [00:43:57] Dr. Taz: Yeah. Although they're struggling a lot too now with [00:43:59] Alisa Vitti: d- [00:44:00] Less- [00:44:00] Dr. Taz: Yeah ... [00:44:00] Alisa Vitti: men. [00:44:00] Dr. Taz: Less than us. [00:44:01] Alisa Vitti: Less than us. [00:44:01] Dr. Taz: Definitely less than us. [00:44:02] Alisa Vitti: You know? But yeah. And yes, it should get worse for men [00:44:05] because the environment's getting worse for everybody. [00:44:06] Alisa Vitti: Right, right. So I wouldn't be surprised to see those numbers balance out at some point. But [00:44:10] still fundamentally, having that circadian clock be the dominant clock of [00:44:15] society is a big advantage for their hormones. [00:44:17] Dr. Taz: Are you worried... Last question, I promise. But are you [00:44:20] worried about, uh, EMFs, light cycles?[00:44:25] [00:44:25] Dr. Taz: hormones, how it matches to the infradian rhythm. Are you worried about [00:44:30] that? Yeah. Because we have light everywhere now, so. [00:44:32] Alisa Vitti: Worry, worry is a strong word. I would say I'm [00:44:35] intentional about it when I can be. So for example, in my home, I don't use LED [00:44:40] lighting. Um, w- there's blue light blocking happening when, you know, needed- Right [00:44:44] Alisa Vitti: after 6:00 [00:44:45] PM. [00:44:45] Dr. Taz: Right. [00:44:45] Alisa Vitti: Um, and then yes, you know, sunlight in the morning. So absolutely, you, you know... It, [00:44:50] it... You want to u- our bodies are wired to use natural lighting like [00:44:55] sunshine- [00:44:55] Dr. Taz: Right ... [00:44:55] Alisa Vitti: to activate that super ischemic clock that sort of se- helps set up the [00:45:00] circadian rhythm for success on a daily basis. So yes, that's an important thing.[00:45:05] [00:45:05] Alisa Vitti: I think you can go down the rabbit hole with that. [00:45:08] Dr. Taz: Mm-hmm. [00:45:09] Alisa Vitti: And I [00:45:10] find that that's an, uh, that's a form of stress that I try to mitigate by just saying, "Okay, well, [00:45:15] what are the things that I can control?" [00:45:16] Dr. Taz: That's a good point. [00:45:17] Alisa Vitti: Right? Yeah. And I don't wanna make myself feel [00:45:20] anxious about all the disruptions that are out there, and there are countless. [00:45:24] Alisa Vitti: So [00:45:24] Dr. Taz: many. [00:45:24] Alisa Vitti: [00:45:25] Right. But you can, y- and I say this to everyone who comes through Flow Living, you know, just control the [00:45:30] things that you can in your environment. So get rid of the c- toxic chemicals in your beauty products- Mm-hmm ... in your [00:45:35] cleaning products. Make sure they're out of your children's environment, right? [00:45:38] Alisa Vitti: Simple things [00:45:40] like making little unconventional choices like I don't have any rugs in my home. [00:45:43] Dr. Taz: Yeah. [00:45:44] Alisa Vitti: Right? Yeah. [00:45:45] Because rugs cr- just collect dust. Dust is a major endocrine disruptor. Mm. [00:45:50] And so, you know, dust once a week kind of a thing. You know, thing, little simple s- [00:45:55] habits that you stack over time is really the name of the game. [00:45:58] Alisa Vitti: Think about it this way. [00:46:00] What creates wealth? Money over time. [00:46:03] Dr. Taz: Right. [00:46:03] Alisa Vitti: What creates health? [00:46:05] Habits over time. Over time. [00:46:06] Dr. Taz: I love that. [00:46:07] Alisa Vitti: So don't just think about, well, what do I need to do right [00:46:10] now just to fix this? Think about the long game for yourself, for your children. I have a 10-year-old daughter, [00:46:15] 10 and a half. [00:46:15] Alisa Vitti: You know, I'm, I have been reverse engineering her optimal pubescent [00:46:20] transition since she was in my uterus. Wow. Mm. With the choices that I made, what I was [00:46:25] eating when I was pregnant, how I fed her in the first six months of solid food, how long I [00:46:30] breastfed her, what she eats, her school lunches that I pack. [00:46:33] Alisa Vitti: Everything that I do is so- [00:46:35] Mm ... that she cannot have the experience that I had with a hormonal [00:46:40] chaotic journey. It's totally avoidable, whether you're a teenager, [00:46:45] in your 20s, in your 30s, in your 40s. We didn't even get to talk about [00:46:50] birth control- No ... which is [00:46:50] Dr. Taz: another form of HRT. That's a whole, uh, really important topic that we have to get into at some [00:46:55] point. [00:46:55] Dr. Taz: We do. And even for women in their 50s, I think so much of this is still relevant. But [00:47:00] blood sugar's the big, the big one. That's what I've taken away, like, really managing blood [00:47:05] sugar and understanding where we've been maybe misguided with some- Yeah ... of the information out there. There's a [00:47:08] Alisa Vitti: daily practice, and [00:47:10] there's a cyclical practice, right? [00:47:11] Alisa Vitti: So you gotta balance your carbohydrate load during the day, but [00:47:15] then you also have to balance overall caloric intake first half and second half of the [00:47:19] Dr. Taz: cycle. Can we [00:47:20] reverse ovarian aging? Can we, if it, if the train's out of the station, can we turn it [00:47:25] around? [00:47:25] Alisa Vitti: Absolutely. Absolutely. Any f- s- and because aging of the ovary is really [00:47:30] about inflammation. [00:47:31] Alisa Vitti: Hmm. And you can absolutely reverse inflammation. In fact, you know, [00:47:35] having worked with so many women at Flow Living over the years w- who have been, let's say, dealing with [00:47:40] idiopathic infertility, watching them come in with levels of FSH at level 16, and then- Right ... [00:47:45] just within three months, getting those levels down to seven or eight, absolutely, that's reversing [00:47:50] the age of the ovary- Right [00:47:51] Alisa Vitti: because r- and, and then we haven't even talked about melatonin and its role- [00:47:55] Right ... in ovarian aging. So there's so much that you can do to slow down the train, even if you feel like it's [00:48:00] gone a little too fast, or you're identifying that you feel like you're aging faster than you want to from a hormonal [00:48:05] perspective. [00:48:05] Alisa Vitti: What does that mean? You're 42, you have night sweats. You're 43, your [00:48:10] cycle's irregular, right? That's, you're aging too quickly. [00:48:13] Dr. Taz: A little bit too fast, yeah. [00:48:15] I think it's so important at the end of the day for all women, all girls to be aware of this rhythm, and I [00:48:20] love, you know, how you've coined and developed this idea of the infradian rhythm, to own [00:48:25] it, to understand it, because, you know, it is the long game, and that's important. [00:48:29] Dr. Taz: I think it saves so much [00:48:30] heartache. So I, I love that you have, you know, really guided us into this in [00:48:35] matching circadian and infradian rhythms. The idea of rhythms, it's not [00:48:40] something in our current modern Western culture that we really embrace or we really [00:48:45] jump on. So thank you so much. And we're gonna have to do a part two, for sure- Well, I would love- [00:48:48] Dr. Taz: 'cause there's so much. [00:48:49] Alisa Vitti: I have, like, [00:48:49] Dr. Taz: [00:48:50] questions after questions. [00:48:50] Alisa Vitti: And for people who- Yeah ... are interested in, you know, learning how to start the cycle [00:48:55] syncing practice, I built an app called MyFlow that really just h- puts this all [00:49:00] into the palm of your hand so you don't have to become a subject matter expert. [00:49:03] Alisa Vitti: And you're all welcome [00:49:05] as guests of Dr. Taz to- Amazing ... a free month of the cycle syncing membership inside [00:49:10] the MyFlow app. Just put the code in HOLFLO, and you'll have your first- HOL [00:49:15] is- Your- [00:49:15] Dr. Taz: H-O-L ... [00:49:16] Alisa Vitti: H-O-L. Yes, okay. And then F-L-O. [00:49:18] Dr. Taz: F-L-O, [00:49:19] Alisa Vitti: all right. And, [00:49:20] and you'll, you'll get access to recipes, meal plans, workout [00:49:25] videos, all based on your unique cycle phases so that you know exactly what to eat and what to [00:49:30] do to support this infradian rhythm all month long. [00:49:33] Dr. Taz: So brilliant. All [00:49:35] right, I'm gonna leave you with my final question. [00:49:36] Alisa Vitti: Okay. [00:49:37] Dr. Taz: What makes you hol? [00:49:40] [00:49:40] Alisa Vitti: Oh, what makes me hol? Probably just sort of the [00:49:45] oxytocin I get from spending time with my family outside. [00:49:47] Dr. Taz: Family. That is the theme. [00:49:48] Alisa Vitti: You know? [00:49:49] Dr. Taz: We ask [00:49:49] Alisa Vitti: all our guests [00:49:50] this. Mo- Mother's Day, I was outside planting the garden with the kids and my husband, and I was like, "This is the [00:49:55] best." [00:49:55] Dr. Taz: I love that. This is the [00:49:56] Alisa Vitti: best. [00:49:57] Dr. Taz: Amazing. Family, we all come back to family at the end of the day, I think. [00:50:00] Absolutely. Well, thank you so much for taking some time out to be with me today. It's been [00:50:05] enlightening. As much as we all think we know about hormones or women's health, you know, there's [00:50:10] always a new angle. [00:50:10] Dr. Taz: There's always something to think about, and I think this idea is something I want all [00:50:15] women thinking about as well, so thank you so much. [00:50:17] Alisa Vitti: Thanks for having [00:50:17] Dr. Taz: me. [00:50:17] Alisa Vitti: Thank you so much for listening to this [00:50:20] episode of HolPlus. Be sure to share this episode with your friends and family. [00:50:23] Dr. Taz: And if you haven't already, [00:50:25] please take a moment to subscribe to this podcast on YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts. [00:50:29] Dr. Taz: To [00:50:30] engage with the community, follow @liveholplus and check out our website, holplus.co. [00:50:35] That's H-O-L-E-P-L-U-S.C-O for more resources and information on [00:50:40] holistic health. See you next time.