Julia and I spent the last week soaking up the sun on the Amalfi coast, and yes, you guessed it… eating ALLL the pasta.

As gluten-free girlies, we were pleasantly surprised that Italy takes their GF pasta very seriously. We never had an issue finding GF pasta, bread, or other substitutions.

That said, we definitely did NOT go hungry. (see above photo for proof)

As we fly back to the States, suitcases busting at the seams with the best GF pasta we’ve ever had (America could never), I’m thinking about what else I’m bringing back with me.

And no, it’s not designer hand bags.

It’s a way of eating (and living I guess you could say).

Imagine eating like this…

Let me start by painting you the picture of exactly what I’m talking about.

Imagine you’re sitting at a tiny table on a side street, watching the world go by as you savor your meal, in absolutely no rush to go anywhere.

Nobody was hovering with a check. (It was actually a challenge to wave down the waiter for the check).

Nobody was clearing your plate the second you set your fork down.

Nobody batting an eye when you ask for a gluten-free swap or if there’s dairy in a dish.

And then you come home…

Back to inhaling your lunch between work meetings.

Back to “family sized” portions that push way past the point of feeling full.

And back to feeling like you’re a total Karen the second you ask about the ingredients or making a modification to your meal.

I wasn’t expecting my Euro summer to make me rethink my entire relationship with food, but here we are. So let’s see what we can learn from it.

Ingredients are almost insultingly simple

First up, their produce was the real deal. A tomato tasted like a tomato… a good one at that.

And as we browsed through the markets, I noticed how their produce was smaller than what we see in the states. No genetic modifications to make the grapes seedless or blueberries the size of a gumball. Just real fruit. Wild, right?

And then when it came to cooking, they kept it so simple, you could cry.

Tomato sauce that was really just olive oil, tomatoes, basil, garlic, and salt. Most dishes I ate had maybe 5 ingredients, and every single one of them was putting in the work.

Nothing was dressed up or “enhanced” to taste like more than it actually was. It tasted outstanding on its own and didn’t need any BS flavor enhancement.

Meanwhile, back home, half of what’s on our plates is engineered in a lab or has an ingredient list a mile long.

I’m not going down a processed food rabbit hole today, but there’s something beautiful about leaning into what nature gives us and not trying to enhance or modify it.

As I head back home, I’m going to make more of an effort to grab produce from the farmer’s market and shop for seasonal produce (fewer pesticides/herbicides and more locally grown). I’m also determined to nail down some staple recipes that I can whip up with 5 ingredients and absolutely knock the socks off my dinner guests.

The portions are proportionate

One of the main things I’m bringing back with me is a new perspective on portion sizes.

Meals in Italy were sized so you’d leave content, not needing to unbutton your pants.

This is such a simple idea and yet it felt almost radical: eat until you satisfy your hunger, not until you’re busting at the seams.

With a mindset of “always clear your plate” so deeply instilled in me, I found the smaller portions to be freeing. I would enjoy every last bite, let it sit, and then in a few minutes I’d feel my body signaling to me “hey girl, hunger needs = met.”

As I’ve been working to attune to my fullness cues, I love this idea of serving myself a bit less than I think I need, and then deciding after I’ve cleared my plate and waited a few minutes if I want to get something else.

In the US, we’ve completely lost touch with our fullness cues. We’re so focused on getting our money’s worth at a restaurant, that a heaping serving feels like a win.

You better be ready to wait

I’ll start this off by saying that the Italians take their dinner reservations seriously. Walking into a restaurant without a dinner reservation felt ballsy (got a lot of side-eye for this).

And y’know why?

Most tables get two reservations every evening. There’s no “1.5 hour limit” per table with back to back bookings. There’s no dropping the check to shoo you out. Heck, they won’t even bring you the check until you ask.

This could NOT be more different from our get-in-get-out American dinner culture. When you sit down to eat in Italy, you’re gonna be there a while, whether you like it or not.

This is the part that actually matters for your body: digestion is a parasympathetic (”rest and digest”) process.

Your nervous system needs to be relatively calm for it to work well. When you’re inhaling lunch between Slack messages, inhaling your meal so you can get on your way, or just standing at the counter, your body is still somewhat in “go” mode… and digestion just doesn’t get the memo that it’s safe to fully kick in.

That bloated, heavy feeling after a fast meal? Not always about what you ate. Sometimes it’s about how you ate it!

Meals are a social event, not a task to check off

Bites were slow because the conversation was the whole point. Meals stretched for hours, not because the food took that long (sometimes it did), but because nobody was in any hurry to leave the table.

And yes, I know, we were on vacation so “it’s different” and we didn’t have places to be or things to do.

But the truth is, Julia and I have had hundreds (maybe thousands?) of meals out together. And even at the nice dinners where we had all the time in the world, I can confidently say that 99% of those meals were finished in under 10 minutes. (Unless there were chopsticks involved…that slows us down quite a bit)

This one matters more than it sounds like it should. Eating with other people, talking, laughing, taking your time, actually activates that same parasympathetic state we just talked about.

We talk about nervous system regulation constantly with our clients (breathwork, somatic work, all of it), but “have a two hour dinner with people you love” is a genuinely underrated version of that.

Connection is extremely regulating. It signals safety to your nervous system, and a body that feels safe digests better. Your homework — go give it a try!

Nobody makes you feel like a burden for having needs

When I go abroad, I always get a bit nervous about my food allergies. Your girl is highly allergic (not just sensitive) to nuts.

Italy is an allergic girlies paradise. Most menus come with an allergen guide. America PLEASE get on this.

And if that isn’t enough, they take this stuff seriously. Even when Julia and I mentioned a gluten sensitivity (not allergy), they were on it. Like ON IT.

Nobody sighed. Nobody gave us the “well, we can try” energy. And nobody made us feel like Karens for asking about ingredients and allergens.

It was just, “of course, let me inform the kitchen,” and it was handled like it was simply part of doing their job well. One of our waiters even spent 10 minutes double checking cross-contamination for me. Shoutout to Giana!

So many of my clients express the challenge of going out to eat and navigating certain food sensitivities. And girl, I get it.

I wish it were different… but let’s be clear:

But there’s one more scenario to talk through… because sometimes it's not about a distracted waiter or a kitchen that didn't listen.

Sometimes you can order the "safe" dish, do everything right, and still end up bloated, running to the bathroom, puffy, brain fogged, or breaking out for reasons that have nothing to do with the restaurant.

If that's you, know that there’s a reason (and a solution) behind that food anxiety.

It looks like this — an MRT and a GI-MAP. These two tests can actually show us what's driving the reaction in the first place so we can help you regain confidence and joy around food.

If eating out (or eating in general) feels like a minefield more often than it should, book a free call with us and let's figure out what's actually going on.

So what can we bring back home?

Aside from a nice leather bag, painted pottery, a bottle of wine, and an ungodly amount of gluten-free pasta, there are really valuable things I’m bringing home and I hope you can take some with you too.

Keep ingredients simple and master basic recipes. Fewer ingredients, less fuss, and honestly, more flavor.

When at home, take smaller portions (then go back for seconds). When out, eat until satisfied, not full. Giving your fullness cues 5 minutes to kick in is hugely underestimated and will help you walk away feeling satisfied and energized.

Slow tf down, sis. Put your fork down between bites if you have to (heck, even eat with chopsticks). And if you don’t have long to eat, aim for 10 distraction-free minutes so your body actually shifts into digest mode.

Make one meal a week social. Not a work lunch or eating while you catch up on a group text. I mean making a reservation or cheffing it up and inviting some friends over for a slowed-down meal and intentional connection. Your nervous system and digestive systems will love you for this!

Stop apologizing for your needs. Whether it’s a sensitivity, an allergy, or just a preference, asking for what your body needs isn’t a burden. It’s the bare minimum of taking care of yourself.

The good news is that none of this requires a trip to Europe. It just requires deciding that how you eat matters as much as what you eat.

Buon appetito,

Lena and Julia

Maybe it was a blissful entry into womanhood?

Maybe nobody told you what was happening and you thought you were dying?

Maybe you bled through your pants? (Unfortunately, I belong in this category).

Either way, it happened. Welcome to the cycling sisterhood.

And the next thing you did?

Run to the drugstore for tampons and pads, grab the “period pack” you prepared for this moment, or steal your mom/sister’s stash.

And the rest is history.

For most of us, there wasn’t exactly a research phase.

Nobody sat us down and said: “Here are the different materials you’re about to put in one of the most sensitive (and absorbent!) areas of your body. Here are the pros and cons. These are your options…”

It was more like: “You’re bleeding. Here’s a tampon. Figure it out. Good luck, soldier.”

And most of us have been using some version of the same products every month for the last 10, 15, or 20 years without thinking twice about it.

Until recently, I hadn’t thought that deeply about it either. But some newer research on what’s actually inside tampons sent me down a rabbit hole.

And naturally... I’m taking you with me.

The study that got everyone’s attention

In a 2024 study, researchers did something that seems like it probably should’ve happened a LONG time ago:

They tested tampons for metals.

They analyzed 30 tampons across 14 brands sold in the US, UK, and Europe and tested them for 16 different metals.

They detected all 16 metals they tested for across the different samples

So while we’re all over here saying “oh it’s just cotton”…

We should have really been saying “oh it’s just lead, arsenic, cadmium, nickel, mercury, chromium…etc.”

Yes… toxic junk… inside your vagina for hours. (And no, your ex doesn’t count).

Okay, so where’s the “organic Tampax”?

Before you go grab the organic tampons, here’s where the study gets even more interesting.

Organic tampons weren’t universally cleaner!

While lead concentrations were higher in non-organic tampons, researchers actually found higher arsenic concentrations in organic tampons.

I know you’re thinking “How tf did they get there?”

The reality of any natural material like cotton is that metals can enter it through soil, water, agricultural practices, manufacturing, or other parts of the production process.

I do want to note that follow-up testing found that although trace metals were present, the amounts released during use were far below levels expected to cause harm.

HOWEVER… I’m personally not going to let “below the level expected to cause harm” be the end of the conversation.

I’m glad the FDA’s findings were positive, but “within the acceptable limit” and “something I want repeatedly exposed to one of the most permeable areas of my body” are two very different standards in my book.

Maybe future research will prove there’s absolutely nothing to worry about. But until we have more long-term data, I’m going to err on the side of caution where I easily can.

And in this case? Grab me a pad.

That said, if I am going to use a tampon…we’re team 100% organic cotton here at Wholistic Renewal.

Not because “organic” guarantees zero contaminants, but because we prefer the simplest material profile possible and fewer unnecessary additives.

One risk we DO know about: TSS

Now for all the things we don’t know about tampons, there’s one risk that is very well established: Toxic Shock Syndrome (TSS).

TSS is rare, but it’s serious. Certain strains of bacteria can produce toxins that enter the bloodstream and trigger a life-threatening reaction.

And tampon use is one of the known risk factors.

This adds another layer to my tampon boycott and is why I’m really not a fan of sleeping in them either.

For my girlies who are ride-or-die for tampons, this is where the rules actually matter: use the lowest absorbency you need, change them every 3-8 hours, and never leave one in for longer than 8 hours.

And for those of you who need a mountain of scientific evidence before you start questioning tampon use, TSS is one area where we don’t have to speculate!

Taking this a step further

So we looked at the research that’s available.

And the scariest part — there’s not much to look at.

I’m shook. Why are we only recently studying this?

Many women use tampons for several days every month, for DECADES!

Call me crazy, but I’d like a pretty high bar for what goes in them.

And here's where the questions aren't fully answered: how much of what’s present in these menstrual products can actually cross vaginal tissue and enter systemic circulation over years of repeated use?

Interestingly enough, there is one thing science and studies do accept as fact, and that’s that vaginal tissue is highly permeable and richly supplied with blood vessels.

So much so that the vagina is actually used as a highly-effective route for delivering certain medications into the body. Unlike something you swallow, compounds absorbed vaginally can also bypass the liver’s initial “first-pass” metabolism and enter systemic circulation. (Idk about you, but alarm bells are going off in my head).

So think about this…

Someone who regularly uses tampons throughout their reproductive years could spend roughly 5+ YEARS of her life with a tampon inside her body.

And yes, while the research has yet to prove that everything found in a tampon is automatically absorbed, it does make me rethink everything about feminine hygiene products.

“So tampons must be the reason why…”

And this is where my rabbit hole got even more frustrating.

Because once I started looking into the things I hear clients talk about all the time...

• “My cramps are noticeably worse when I wear tampons.”

• “I swear they make me feel dry and irritated.”

• “Why does my BV always seem to flare around/after my period?”

…I expected to find a mountain of research.

Surprise surprise. I didn’t.

There simply isn’t strong evidence (or very extensive studies) right now showing that tampons cause worse menstrual cramps or BV.

But even without peer-reviewed studies, from everything I’ve seen as a women’s health practitioner, I’m not going to jump back on the tampon train.

Until someone takes a real, honest deep dive to prove that I’m wrong and all the women I work with are “just making it up,” I’m going to trust my spidey senses that tell me something’s going on here.

The bottom line is…

I wish I could draw a clear conclusion. But there simply isn’t enough documented evidence to give us a clear answer.

So in times like these, I’m going to trust my gut, and I hope you will too.

As you investigate for yourself, start by asking questions.

Realize that just because tampon brands can claim heavy metal absorbtion isn’t high enough to be truly toxic… that doesn’t mean they’re the safest option.

When you start looking beyond the published data, questions start popping up:

• What happens with decades of repeated use?

• Does tampon material matter?

• What about absorbency?

• How are we defining “toxic” levels?

• What impacts do fragrance or other additives have?

• Have we considered wear time?

• Could certain women with recurrent BV or painful periods respond differently than the healthy women enrolled in these studies?

• Are we going to ignore all the women who swear they simply feel better when they stop using them?

I know anecdotes aren’t clinical trials. But when women repeatedly report the same experiences, I think those experiences are worth paying attention to… and studying!

So thankfully, we have options.

What are we using instead?

Okay before you go “ewww pads?!” I want you to weigh all the pros and cons of tampons and remember that this isn’t an all-or-nothing health challenge.

If daytime tampon wear is non-negotiable, maybe you start by swapping them out at night. Or use one for your workout and switch to a pad when you get home.

We’re big believers that reducing exposure where you realistically can beats chasing perfection every single time.

So here are the options…

Organic cotton pads

Not revolutionary. Not sexy. But incredibly simple. And more importantly, not put inside you.

I know pads aren’t the most convenient option when it comes to things like exercising. So if pads are going to cramp your style (no pun intended), use a tampon BUT only for that time that you’re at the gym, on your run, or in a pinch.

When you get home: tampon out, pad on.

I get that pads are annoying because they usually mean wearing granny panties instead of seamless, sexy thongs. And if underwear lines scare you more than heavy metals in your hoohah, I would first just ask that you work with me for a second.

• Maybe you wear a long sweater or open button down shirt that covers your bum?

• Maybe you really lean into your feminine and wear skirts or dresses to the office instead of tight slacks? (Personally, I love this)

• Maybe you wear some flowy (and far more comfortable) linen pants instead of jeans?

It doesn’t mean you have to buy a new wardrobe. You just might need to get a bit creative.

If I’ve convinced you to at least give pads a try, here are some of our favorites:

• Rael

• Honey Pot

• Cora

Period underwear

For my girlies who have a heavy flow and want something secure!

And if you’re looking for a nighttime wear option, it’s a great alternative to wearing tampons for hours on end!

One caveat: check the brand carefully. Period underwear has had its own concerns around PFAS and material transparency, so “period underwear” doesn’t automatically mean nontoxic.

Look for companies that clearly disclose their materials. We love:

• Rael (disposable)

• Lola (reusable)

The bigger conversation

I think this newsletter is really about something larger than tampons.

Women use menstrual products for THOUSANDS of hours over their lifetimes.

And yet research into what those products contain and how they impact women’s health has been surprisingly (or rather unsurprisingly) thin.

It makes me wonder…

how many other products have women been using for decades before anyone bothered to ask the questions we probably should’ve asked from the beginning?

So I’m not asking you to panic. I’m asking you to just get curious.

Read the ingredients.

Question what you’re putting in (and on) your body.

Make swaps where they feel realistic.

And above all else, remember that just because something’s been normalized for your entire life, it doesn’t mean you’re obligated to keep doing it forever.

So here’s to asking more questions,

Lena & Julia

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IBS

PCOS

Hashimoto’s

Endometriosis

Hypothalamic amenorrhea

Anxiety

Fatigue

And somehow... you still have absolutely no idea why your body feels the way it does.

Well, allow me to let you in on a little known secret.

That’s because most diagnoses answer one question: What?

Very few answer the question we care most about: Why?

Answering WHY is what leads to root cause healing, not another diagnosis or orange pill bottle.

So I want to take a second to break down the basics and get really clear on what we actually mean when we talk about finding the “root cause.”

What a root cause is NOT...

I think this section is important because so many people misunderstand it.

When people hear “root cause,” they usually picture one big, bad culprit behind all their aches, pains, and misfortune.

It was gluten.

It was mold.

It was stress.

It was birth control.

Truthfully, though? It’s rarely that simple.

It also usually doesn’t boil down to one single lab marker that takes the blame for it all.

Yes, we can usually pinpoint the main driver(s) behind your symptoms, but most of the time it’s not that simple or straightforward.

I like to describe it as a perfect storm.

The “perfect storm” idea allows for that complexity. It shows how a mix of seemingly unrelated things slowly stack on top of one another until your body simply can’t compensate anymore.

Maybe it looked something like this...

• Years of eating processed foods

• Hidden food sensitivities

• Genetics

• Trauma

• Unbalanced meals

• Mold or toxin exposure

• Under-eating

• Over-exercising

• Rounds of antibiotics

We’d be here all day if I listed every possibility. But I think you get the picture — it’s complex, multifaceted, and unique to every person.

And this is why we run labs

If we didn’t run labs, we’d be going in blind.

Like we’ve talked about in previous newsletters, the same symptom cluster can align with completely different lab profiles, so testing is a must!

And we can’t forget extensive intake forms. We want to know everything…

• How long is your commute?

• How do you spend your mornings?

• What do you like to do in your free time?

• How much water do you drink every day?

• What does your relationship with food look like?

• Why does your toxic ex keep haunting you?

Together, your history and functional labs give us the clearest picture of what's actually happening beneath the surface.

And before you jump to “BUT I already ran labs”…. not quite.

Why your labs gave you no answers

If you went through your PCP (or even Function health) and ran extensive blood panels, or heck, maybe even had a camera shoved inside you…

You probably only skimmed the surface.

Beyond not diving deep enough to look at dozens of bacterial strains, enzyme production, how your hormones are being metabolized, or even cortisol production throughout the day… I have two main issues with most conventional labs:

1. They ask the wrong question.

“Is something wrong?” gives us very little to work with.

It’s a yes or no question that ends in either you getting gaslit or getting a prescription.

"Why is this happening?" is the question you should be asking. That small shift changes the entire approach and scope of the investigation. (That’s why we ask it!)

2. Their lab ranges are just plain wrong.

Looking at the general population’s health to tell us what’s “normal” is the first mistake here. Because they look for what’s “normal” rather than what’s optimal, their lab ranges are quite wide.

That’s why you can fall well within those ranges and still feel like sh*t.

And maybe if you’re lucky, they highlight that something is indeed wrong and not “normal.”

But then what?

What’s the next step?

A diagnosis?

A medication?

A bandaid?

While skimming the surface might tell us that something’s wrong, it doesn’t guide us toward a next step that’s productive for actually solving the issue at hand.

And that’s why you can get “abnormal” markers and still feel like you’re going in circles, just racking up prescriptions and numbers (but not from cute boys… from doctors’ offices).

What we’d do differently

When someone becomes a WR girly, we run functional labs ASAP. Not only that, we’re also asking questions that explore the WHY behind their main symptom complaints!

Let me paint the picture with a real example from a past client who came to us after months of nonstop bleeding (yes, I said months).

If we’d stopped at the lab markers and diagnosis, the story would’ve ended with “high estrogen.”

Instead, we kept asking why.

WHY was estrogen elevated?

WHY wasn’t she clearing it properly?

WHY wasn’t she ovulating?

WHY was inflammation so high?

Each answer led us to another question until we eventually uncovered gut infections, bacterial imbalances, impaired motility and enzyme production, elevated beta-glucuronidase, food sensitivities, and low progesterone.

When we layered in what we’d learned about her diet, lifestyle, stressors, routines, and history, we could contextualize a lot of what we found on those labs and create a path towards healing.

THAT, my friends, is real root cause medicine.

Things look less like a single connecting of dot to dot, and more like a spider web of interconnected systems, stressors, and causes.

If you want to really get inside our heads on this one, here’s what our train of thought usually looks like when we’re working through client cases:

WHY is progesterone low?

• Is she even ovulating?

• And if not... why?

• Blood sugar imbalances?

• Nutrient deficiencies?

• Years of hormonal birth control?

WHY is estrogen building up?

• Is her liver overburdened?

• Is methylation slow?

• Is beta-glucuronidase elevated?

• Is she constipated?

WHY is cortisol elevated?

• Blood sugar imbalances?

• History of trauma?

• Lack of sleep?

• Overtraining?

WHY is gut bacteria so overgrown?

• Low stomach acid?

• Slow motility?

• H Pylori infection?

• A tanked immune system?

And throughout these investigations, you’ll notice a pattern: every answer leads to another “why.”

Closing thoughts

All jokes aside, I want to promise you something.

When we say "root cause," we aren't promising we'll uncover one magical thing responsible for every symptom you've ever had.

We’re promising something much more valuable.

We’re promising to stay curious and keep asking “why.”

Cause let’s be so for real… your body isn’t randomly creating symptoms.

She might be pissing you off with all these flare ups, but she’s simply responding to her environment and trying to get your attention.

If we silence or ignore her, we often end up with more symptoms popping up in other areas… or coming back with a vengeance years later (not a fun spot to be in!)

So that’s where we come in.

We slow things down, study the facts, and work to understand what she’s trying to tell us and where the dysfunction began.

THAT is what we mean by root cause.

Xo,

Lena & Julia

I know estrogen doesn’t have feelings, but dang I think we gave that poor girl such a bad reputation. She’s up there with cortisol on the charts of health buzzwords.

If you’ve spent five minutes on health TikTok, you’ve probably heard someone blame their PMS, acne, anxiety, and weight gain on estrogen dominance.

And while estrogen absolutely can contribute to those symptoms, I want to clear something up.

After working with hundreds of women and reading their labs, I can confidently tell you that estrogen usually isn’t the villain.

Most of the time, the problem isn’t that your body is making too much estrogen.

The problem is that your body isn’t processing, balancing, or clearing it efficiently.

You’re probably thinking “CLASSIC Wholistic Renewal.”

Once again... this diagnosis needs deeper investigation 🕵️‍♀️

First... what even is estrogen?

I’m gonna keep this high level.

Estrogen isn’t just your “female hormone.”

It plays a pretty key role in:

• menstrual cycles

• ovulation

• bone density

• brain health

• cardiovascular health

• skin and hair health

• vaginal health

• fertility

We love her. We need her.

Without enough of her, we see low libido, vaginal dryness, menstrual cramps, PMS, hair loss, depression, fatigue, achey joints, missing or irregular cycles, infertility… the list really does go on.

So what does “estrogen dominance” actually mean?

Now that we cleared up that estrogen is actually really necessary to feel your best, let me clear something else up.

When we say “estrogen dominance,” that doesn’t necessarily mean estrogen is sky-high. It can actually mean two things:

Absolute estrogen dominance

Meaning estrogen is actually elevated.

OR

Relative estrogen dominance

Meaning estrogen is “normal” but progesterone is too low.

Progesterone keeps estrogen in check, so when that ratio is off… we get some issues.

This kind of relative estrogen dominance is what we see more frequently.

Progesterone is very sensitive to stress so it’s easily thrown off.

When you’re chronically living in stress mode (even if it’s low-grade), your body is prioritizing survival functions… and ovulation isn’t one of those.

If ovulation doesn’t happen, your corpus luteum doesn’t form (this is the temporary structure that forms after ovulation to produce progesterone).

So no ovulation = no progesterone.

And before you think this doesn’t apply to you because you have a regular period — you can still have your menstrual bleed but not ovulate.

You can read up on that here:

Bottom line is that if progesterone drops while estrogen holds steady, progesterone can’t properly balance out estrogen and those “high estrogen” symptoms show up.

Keep reading to see what I’m talking about…

Signs your estrogen may not be balanced

Common symptoms we see:

• PMS

• breast tenderness

• heavy periods

• bleeding for longer than 5 days

• painful periods

• bloating

• migraines

• anxiety

• irritability

• water retention

• fibroids

• endometriosis

• fibrocystic breasts

• weight gain around hips/thighs

• trouble losing weight

Andddd here’s where we deep dive.

This will NOT be a normal field trip.

The Estrogen Escape

Estrogen has an entire journey through your body.

If this were a Magic School Bus episode, we would be going IN for that immersive learning experience, but since it’s not, I’ll stick to analogies. Lucky you.

Your liver is basically TSA.

After estrogen has done its job in your body, it books a flight outta there.

But it has to go through security before leaving the body.

Checkpoint #1: Phase I Liver Detox

In Phase I of detoxification, enzymes in the liver break down estrogen into smaller molecules so that they’re more easily cleared out.

We call these estrogen metabolites.

But there’s a catch.

Some of these metabolites, the 2-OH, tend to be protective and beneficial… think golden child.

Others, not so much. Especially when they’re produced in excess and not properly cleared out, the 4-OH and 16-OH metabolites tend to be problem children.

If estrogen isn’t broken down properly and more of the harmful metabolites are produced, we get some gnarly symptoms that look a lot like high estrogen symptoms.

In that test example, her overall estrogen levels (estrone, estradiol, and estriol) are actually at the low end of the range!

Her debilitating period cramps, heavy bleeding, PMS, and irritability stem from how she breaks down her estrogen.

The 16-OH metabolites that we see her producing a ton of are actually very estrogenic, so it makes sense why her symptoms appear like high estrogen.

Ultimately, how you break down (metabolize) your estrogen matters. It can drive your “high estrogen” symptoms, even if estrogen isn’t high!

Checkpoint #2: Phase II Liver Detox

Now those broken down pieces of estrogen (the metabolites) need to be packaged up so they can safely be cleared out of the body.

Think about those bins you put your bag in so they can safely go through the TSA x-ray machine.

If they’re out of bins, all those bags aren’t getting moved through quickly and things start piling up.

The same thing happens with estrogen when the body’s packaging step isn’t working efficiently.

Methylation is one of the body’s packaging processes that helps ensure safe elimination.

If methylation activity is sluggish... we get a backup in this pathway and estrogen hangs around longer.

That usually shows up as horrible period cramps (so bad that we’ve had clients who regularly would throw up from the pain).

On a DUTCH test, this is what we’re looking at:

Checkpoint #3: Gut Clearance

Okay great, your estrogen got packaged up and it’s ready for safe elimination.

At this point it gets dumped into bile and travels to the intestines.

I bet you’re glad we’re not on that magic school bus right about now lol.

This is where estrogen runs to the gate to catch her flight and leave for good through a solid bowel movement.

BUT (bet you saw that coming).

Certain bacteria produce an enzyme called beta-glucuronidase.

That enzyme literally unwraps estrogen that’s been packaged up all safe and sound and sends it BACK into circulation.

It’s like you made it through security and as you’re headed to your gate, a bomb-sniffing dog takes a fancy to you and you’re asked to open your suitcase.

They pull everything out of your suitcase and send you walking back to security with a half zipped bag that’s leaving a trail of lacy undies and socks behind you.

You get the picture…

Those estrogen molecules get scattered, recirculated, and eventually reabsorbed.

What drives high beta-glucuronidase?

The main drivers:

• dysbiosis (gut bacterial imbalances)

• opportunistic bacteria

• low fiber

• constipation

• poor microbiome diversity

And now you’ll see why we never just run a DUTCH test.

The GI MAP is a must.

A note on constipation

Okay class say it with me:

You cannot eliminate estrogen...if you aren’t pooping.

Stool is the main way your body clears out excess hormones, toxins, and harmful byproducts.

The longer stool sits, the more opportunity there is to recycle estrogen.

Even having one bowel movement every other day can allow more estrogen to be reabsorbed than you'd like.

This is why constipation and estrogen symptoms go hand in hand!

So...what do we actually do?

1. Support liver detox

• cruciferous veggies

• broccoli sprouts

• dandelion root tea

• milk thistle

• hydration

• DIM*

• Calcium d-glucarate*

*DIM and calcium d-glucarate address different parts of estrogen detoxification and aren’t automatically appropriate just because someone has "estrogen dominance." Testing with a DUTCH is essential so we know which supplement and dose is best!

2. Heal your gut

My honest opinion here: Save yourself trial and error and just run a GI MAP.

That’s the only way you’ll be able to pinpoint and address

• bacterial imbalances

• pathogens

• H Pylori

• intestinal permeability

• beta-glucuronidase

3. Poop (seriously)

I could have done a whole newsletter on just this point.

Daily bowel movements are essential for hormonal balance (and a whole lot else).

• Eat your fiber (30g/day)

• Make sure you’re getting enough daily magnesium

• Hydrate well (at least 80oz/day)

• Get your body out of “fight or flight” mode

• Actually set aside time to go to the bathroom every morning

4. Ovulate consistently

Remember that progesterone balances estrogen.

No ovulation = no progesterone.

• Support healthy stress management

• Get at least 8 hours/night of sleep

• Support your blood sugar

• Eat enough calories (don’t forget fats and carbs!)

5. Reduce incoming toxins

Xenoestrogens are chemicals in our environment that can mimic estrogen or interfere with your body’s natural hormone signaling.

They don’t replace your own estrogen, but they can add to the overall hormonal “noise” your body has to sort through.

Some of the biggest sources include:

• plastic food containers

• plastic water bottles

• plastic cutting boards

• receipts

• synthetic fragrances

• pesticides

• certain personal care products

Making a few swaps for glass, toxin-free, plastic-free options can go a long way!

The Bottom Line

If you’ve learned anything from all my ranting and raving, I hope it’s this.

1. Estrogen isn’t the enemy (she's getting blamed for a TSA traffic jam she didn't create!)

2. Your body is far more complicated than just a single hormone your doctor tests for every year (if you beg hard enough).

Estrogen is just one player in an incredibly sophisticated system of production, circulation, metabolism, and elimination.

More often than not, the issue is something deeper.

That’s why we’ll never stop at “estrogen dominance.”

We’ll ask:

• Why is your liver backed up?

• How often are you pooping?

• Why is your gut recycling estrogen?

• What does your estrogen metabolism look like?

• Why aren’t you ovulating?

• What is driving up inflammation?

Because those answers tell us far more than a diagnosis ever could.

With peace and love,

Lena & Julia

If you’ve been in the health space for more than five minutes, you’ve probably noticed a pattern: every week there’s a new thing we’re supposed to be doing.

One week it’s cold plunging.
Next week it’s the sauna.
Fasting.
Greens powders.
Dry brushing.
Tracking everything.
Vibration plates.

The list goes on… but the point is this: many of the habits marketed as “healthy” aren’t inherently healthy.

When your body is already in a depleted state, some of these wellness trends can be stressors that actually set you back from your healing goals.

Here’s what I wish more women understood:

A healthy body can tolerate stress.

A struggling body needs support.

And unfortunately, many women with hormone and gut issues are unknowingly piling stressor after stressor in the name of wellness.

So let’s talk about some of the most common “healthy” habits we see working against healing.

1. Fasting

Before all you intermittent fasting girlies come for me... let’s clear the air.

Can fasting be beneficial? Absolutely.

Can it improve metabolic health in the right context? 100%.

But many women are trying to heal while they’re over here skipping breakfast, calling coffee a meal, grazing instead of sitting down for a real meal, and wondering why their hormones are a mess.

I want you to understand this: When blood sugar drops, the body compensates by releasing cortisol and adrenaline.

That can be useful, but when it’s happening every single morning… Houston, we’ve got a problem.

We’ve seen countless women improve:

• energy

• sleep

• anxiety

• PMS

• cycle regularity

simply by eating breakfast. Yes ma’am. It really can be THAT simple.

What you can do: If you’re struggling with fatigue, hormone issues, missing periods, brain fog, bloating, or anxiety, try prioritizing protein within an hour of waking. Even if you’re not hungry, start with something small and your appetite cues should return with time.

2. High Intensity Exercise Every Day

Exercise is one of the best things you can do for your health, but more isn’t always better.

When you’re already running on sky-high cortisol, poor sleep, blood sugar instability, and nutrient deficiencies, intense workouts are the last thing your body needs.

The body doesn’t distinguish between:

• work stress

• emotional stress

• poor sleep

• overtraining

It all gets added to the same stress bucket… and that’s the part most people miss.

Exercise is a healthy stressor, but it’s still a stressor. Your body doesn’t magically know that your 6am bootcamp class was “for health.” It simply registers that it’s being asked to do more work and expend more resources.

When those resources are abundant, your body adapts beautifully. You build muscle, improve insulin sensitivity, and become more resilient. We LOVE.

But when you’re already running on sky-high cortisol, poor sleep, nutrient deficiencies, blood sugar instability, and chronic inflammation, the body may not have the reserves to adapt. Instead of getting stronger, you just dig yourself deeper into the hole (which might be why you feel like 💩 after your early A.M. workouts that are stealing your precious sleep and starting your day on a cortisol high).

What you can do: Prioritize resistance training, walking, pilates, and cycle-aware movement (attuning to natural fluctuations in energy). The goal isn’t to push and PR every workout. There’s a time and place for that.

3. Cold Plunges

I know there’s going to be an army of angry biohackers coming after me for this one, but I’ve got to say it: not everyone should be cold plunging.

I’m not saying cold plunges are evil, but they just aren’t universally beneficial.

Cold exposure works by activating a stress response… hence why you feel wired and alert after.

To get a little sciency on you, cold plunges fall into a category called hormesis. This is the idea that small doses of stress can strengthen the body.

But here’s the catch: Hormesis only works when the body has enough reserves to adapt. When you’re already running on fumes, another stressor may do more harm than good.

And here's something else that doesn't get talked about enough: most of the research on cold plunges has been done in men, not women. Because women's hormones, metabolism, and nervous systems fluctuate throughout the month, we don't necessarily respond to cold exposure the same way.

In fact, women tend to experience a stronger stress response to cold, including bigger spikes in cortisol. Some experts even suggest that if women choose to cold plunge, the temperature and timing within their cycle matter (…there’s a lot to think about) making the blanket recommendation that every woman should be hopping into an ice bath a little too simplistic.

So if you’re already exhausted, depleted, hypothyroid, struggling with fertility, have painful or irregular cycles, or are chronically stressed... what your body needs is actually warmth.

What you can do: Go read our recent Chinese medicine newsletter. All I’ll say is that grandma may have been onto something with the soup and slippers.

Your nervous system watching you add cold plunges to your healing routine:

4. Living on Salads

Can we collectively stop pretending salads are the ultimate health food? Yeah, I said it.

Raw vegetables are wonderful foods, don’t get me wrong. But for many women with gut dysfunction, bloating, low stomach acid, and enzyme deficiencies, giant raw salads every day can be incredibly difficult to digest. (If you’ve ever had loose stools after Sweet Green, this might be why… clearly I’ve been there myself).

The raw fibers are harder to break down and require more energy and enzymatic activity. Meanwhile soups, stews, roasted vegetables, and slow-cooked dishes are a cakewalk for digestion. The fibers are softened, soups and stews are more hydrating, nutrient absorption is optimized, and your digestive system doesn’t have to work as hard.

What you can do: Skip the salad, sis. Warm bowls, soups, stews, slow-cooker meals… that’s what we’re looking for. And if salads have a chokehold on you, maybe try making that a small appetizer before something more warming and soothing to your gut.

5. Low-Fat Diets

Something I wish we were taught in biology class… your hormones are made from cholesterol.

Yes, cholesterol. The big bad “C” word we’re all told to fear.

We’re coming out of the era where eggs, butter, red meat, and animal fat were demonized, which I’m so here for. However, the new problem I’m seeing these days is the fear of fats because of caloric density. With macro-tracking becoming so mainstream, people are prioritizing numbers over nutrients.

And then everyone’s acting surprised when hormone issues are at an all time high.

Your body requires healthy fats for:

• hormone production

• ovulation

• brain function

• fertility

• cell membranes

Especially when you’re trying to regain your cycle, reduce painful periods, get pregnant, or even heal an inflamed intestinal lining, fats are key!

What you can do: Treat fats with as much importance as other macronutrients. Try shifting away from “lean” everything (chicken breast, 93% lean ground beef, low-fat dairy, etc.) and include more balanced sources like chicken thighs, 85% lean ground beef, and regular dairy.

When in doubt, just channel Joey:

6. Treating Caffeine Like a Food Group

If your routine looks like coffee → anxiety → survival → crash → repeat

I’m writing this one for you.

Think of caffeine as temporarily borrowing energy from the future. There’s a time and a place for that kind of trade-off.

However, if you’re replacing food, sleep, hydration, and stress management with a caffeine boost (or a caffeine hit, if we’re being honest), eventually there’s a price to pay. Just like buying everything on credit, the bill always comes due.

We see it time and time again: clients reduce their caffeine intake and suddenly they’re experiencing more stable energy, fewer crashes, less anxiety, and deeper sleep. Why? Because they’re no longer relying on stress hormones to carry them through the day.

And don't just take my word for it. The NIH will back me up — “Caffeine also activates the stress axis, elevating glucocorticoid and catecholamine [the body’s primary stress hormones], output along with increases in blood pressure. As such, caffeine intake during times of stress may contribute to the duration and magnitude of blood pressure and stress endocrine responses.”

In other words, that morning cup of coffee may be doing more than waking you up… it may be telling your body that it's time to kick into stress-mode. (Maybe… just maybe that’s why it makes you feel like you’re on-edge, a bit scattered, jittery and then wham you’re a zombie and reaching for something sugary to get you blood sugar back up).

What you can do: Eat first (remember, breakfast is especially key!). And go easy on the caffeine. We recommend to not go over 150-200mg daily.

7. Constant Optimization

I’m gonna venture to say that this may be the most damaging one of all.

Underneath the supplements, routines, trackers, wearables, and biohacks, there’s often a deeper belief: “I’m not okay unless I’m fixing something.”

I’ve seen women become so consumed with optimizing their health that the stress of controlling every variable keeps their body in a state of hypervigilance.

Tracking every bite.
Analyzing every symptom.
Researching every lab marker.
And never feeling safe or trusting their body.

And ironically, that constant hypervigilance is often one of the biggest stressors in the entire equation. It's so powerful that it can keep your body from ovulating consistently and maintaining a regular cycle. I’ve seen many girls eating enough, reducing exercise intensity, and following every protocol, but still not having a regular cycle — all because the mental strain of controlling it all keeps their body from feeling truly safe.

What you can do: First, take a deep breath, unclench your jaw, and drop your shoulders out of your ears. Then focus on the basics, trust that your body can heal and was created to thrive, and loosen your tight grip on controlling and carrying it all.

The Bottom Line (read this… there’s some mic-drop moments here)

A lot of modern wellness is built around the idea that your body needs to be challenged, hacked, pushed, optimized, and disciplined into health.

Let’s just take a minute to play devil’s advocate and argue — what if the opposite is true?

What if your body actually needs:

• nourishment

• safety

• rest

• minerals

• sunlight

• consistent meals

• sleep

• support

It’s pretty simple. And I think that’s why we don’t believe in it. We’re wired to chase novelty and keep up with trends, so slowing down and doing less seems strange.

On a surface level it might seem counterintuitive, but deep down, doesn’t it just make sense?

The things that humans have always had access too, from the dawn of time, are the things that really allow us to thrive.

That’s exactly why, at Wholistic Renewal, we believe healing doesn’t happen from forcing, controlling, and going against the body’s intuition. It happens when you create an environment where the body can finally do what it was designed to do.

For many of you reading this, the next level of healing won’t come from doing more. It’ll come from doing less.

So here’s to stepping back from the hustle and wellness “trends”, and listening to your gut!

In health,

Lena & Julia

If you’re not up to date on the latest news in the medicine space, I’ll catch you up.

PCOS was recently rebranded to PMOS — Polyendocrine Metabolic Ovarian Syndrome.

And honestly? I don’t hate it.

As someone who got the PCOS diagnosis about 8 years ago (I like to say, before it became a trend), I was very confused by the name. At that time, nobody I knew had heard of it, let alone be diagnosed with it.

My period was missing, ultrasounds showed a bunch of cysts all along the walls of my ovaries, and my first thought — “something is wrong with my ovaries!”

If the doctor had told me I had “Polyendocrine Metabolic Ovarian Syndrome,” that would’ve given me a better idea of what kind of problem I was really dealing with and I would’ve looked more into the metabolic aspect of my condition.

So yes, I’m a fan of the new name, since it’s definitely more accurate and provides some hint at a solution in the name itself.

BUT… here’s what I can’t stop thinking about:

So we go and change the name… but what if we never change the depth of the investigation?

Because women don’t just wake up one day with

• insulin resistance

• elevated testosterone

• chronic inflammation

• irregular cycles

• weight gain

• metabolic dysfunction (to name a few)

Those things develop for a reason.

And until we start asking WHY they developed, we’re still playing symptom whack-a-mole… just with a slightly more accurate name slapped on the problem.

First things first… what even is PCOS?

PCOS (Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome) affects roughly 10–13% of reproductive-age women, making it one of the most common hormonal diagnoses out there.

Traditionally, it’s diagnosed based on a combination of:

• irregular or missing cycles

• elevated androgens (like testosterone)

• and/or “cysts” seen on ultrasound

It’s an odd and broad umbrella of symptoms that get you into the PCOS girls club.

But here’s where things start to break down… those “cysts” aren’t usually true ovarian cysts. They’re actually immature follicles, which just mean they’re eggs that never fully matured or ovulated.

Which is important because it tells us something deeper: The ovaries themselves often aren’t the root problem. They’re responding to disrupted hormonal and metabolic signaling happening elsewhere in the body.

And if you’ve ever struggled with PCOS symptoms, you know this goes far beyond just your cycle. We’re talking:

• acne

• hair loss

• fatigue

• facial hair growth

• cravings

• anxiety

• weight changes

• infertility

• energy crashes

• blood sugar swings

This isn’t just an “ovary problem.”

Classic Wholistic Renewal lightbulb moment: the entire body is involved 💡

So PMOS actually makes more sense

The PCOS facelift isn’t something I’m complaining about.

Polyendocrine Metabolic Ovarian Syndrome is actually far more accurate because the term acknowledges something important that our team of practitioners is often explaining to our PCOS girlies.

This umbrella of symptoms is deeply tied to their:

• metabolism

• insulin

• inflammation

• stress physiology

• hormone signaling

• nervous system

Yes, the ovaries are important, but they aren’t the only thing we need to focus on.

Your ovaries are constantly communicating with:

• your brain

• your gut

• your adrenal glands

• your thyroid

• your immune system

• your blood sugar regulation systems

Which means when one system struggles… the others often follow.

So yes, the PMOS rebrand is warranted… but I want to play devil’s advocate here.

A new name doesn’t mean a new approach

If we’ve learned much from getting chewed up and spit out by the medical system (and seeing our clients go through the same thing), diagnoses are often where investigating stops and prescribing begins.

Go read that again.

So while PMOS may be a more accurate name, it still risks becoming another umbrella term slapped onto a cluster of symptoms without asking why those symptoms developed in the first place.

And unfortunately, the standard approach still looks something like:

• regulate cycles artificially — hormonal birth control

• lower blood sugar (“have you tried keto, miss?”)

• lose weight

• prescribe medication

• revisit fertility later (usually when it’s too late)

And maybe with time, the tools may evolve. Maybe now instead of only birth control and Metformin, we add GLP-1 medications into the mix.

Great timing with the rebrand, huh? That’s a whole other rabbit hole we could go down… I’ll spare you on that for now.

But the model itself?

Still largely focused on managing downstream symptoms instead of investigating upstream dysfunction.

Because elevated insulin, androgen excess, inflammation, and irregular ovulation don’t just happen randomly. Something deeper is driving them and until we address those deeper drivers, we’re just changing labels while the body continues asking for help.

So what’s actually driving PCOS/PMOS?

The diagnosis itself is rarely the true root cause.

It’s usually the body’s response to deeper imbalances like:

1. Blood sugar dysregulation & elevated insulin

When insulin stays elevated, the ovaries are stimulated to produce more testosterone and other androgens, which manifests in:

• acne

• facial hair growth

• irregular cycles

• scalp hair loss

• cravings

• weight gain

This is why blood sugar support is foundational for healing!

2. Chronic stress & HPA axis dysfunction

The brain has to send the right hormonal signals for ovulation to occur.

But when cortisol stays elevated long-term, those signals get disrupted. Your body is smart, so when it feels unsafe, it’s not going to prioritize optimal hormone function.

Ovulation becomes inconsistent.
Progesterone drops.
Inflammation rises.
Blood sugar becomes less stable.

When the body prioritizes survival over reproduction, hormones take the hit.

3. Gut imbalances & intestinal permeability

Your gut microbiome helps regulate:

• estrogen metabolism

• inflammation

• immune activity

• insulin sensitivity

• neurotransmitter production

So when the gut becomes disrupted (whether from stress, antibiotics, pathogens, food sensitivities, or poor diet), hormonal signaling often becomes much messier.

This is one of the reasons we so commonly see women with PCOS/PMOS also struggling with bloating, constipation, nutrient absorption issues, fatigue, anxiety, skin issues, and cycle issues.

The gut-hormone connection is real. And that’s a hill we’ll die on.

4. Nutrient deficiencies

Ovulation and hormone production are incredibly nutrient-demanding processes and deficiencies in nutrients like

• magnesium

• vitamin D

• zinc

• omega-3s

• B vitamins

can make it much harder for the body to regulate hormones properly.

And yes, studies estimate that up to 85% of women with PCOS are vitamin D deficient.

The PMOS/PCOS healing handbook

So if the issue is metabolic, inflammatory, and deeply interconnected… then healing has to support the whole system too.

Here’s where we focus with clients:

We stabilize blood sugar.

• a protein-rich breakfast within 1 hour of waking

• balanced meals

• enough protein

• fiber-rich carbs

• healthy fats

• eating consistently

• no fasting

• walks after heavy meals

• light-moderate strength training 2-3x/week

We support ovulation naturally.

• Myo-Inositol + D-Chiro Inositol (40:1)

  • One of the most evidence-based tools for improving insulin sensitivity and supporting ovulation.

• Berberine

  • Excellent for blood sugar support and reducing inflammation.

• Omega-3 Fish Oil

  • Helpful for inflammation, hormone signaling, and metabolic health.

• Magnesium

  • Supports stress regulation, sleep, blood sugar balance, and ovulation.

• Vitamin D

  • Critical for ovarian function and hormone signaling.

We reduce inflammation.

• address food sensitivities (take out the guesswork… run an MRT)

• heal the gut lining (start with a GI MAP)

• minimize toxin exposure

• calm immune activation

We support the nervous system.

• sleeping enough

• eating enough

• slowing down

• not over-exercising

• regulating stress

• incorporating parasympathetic practices

Want to walk through a real PCOS client case? Check it out here!

Final thoughts

We agree that PMOS is probably a more accurate name than PCOS.

But changing the label alone doesn’t fix the deeper issue.

Whether it’s called PCOS, PMOS, insulin-resistant PCOS, lean PCOS, inflammatory PCOS, or just metabolic dysfunction… the body is still asking you to dive deeper and ask “what’s driving this dysfunction in the first place?”

And that’s the question we believe deserves the most attention.

If you’re ready to answer that, we’d love to help you out and

• run comprehensive lab tests

• pinpoint what imbalances and sources of inflammation are driving your symptoms

• create a game plan for healing

• walk with you every step of the way

Take the first step by scheduling a free call with our team — we’ll talk through what’s going on and lay out exactly what next steps to take for healing.

In health,

Lena & Julia

Maybe you’re the kind of girl who feels a little down or maybe irritable around your period. Picture it like a little bitty thunderstorm rolling through once a month.

But maybe not. Maybe you wish that was your monthly experience.

Meanwhile you’re the kind of girl who feels like a whole damn hurricane rolls through every month. We’re talking a Katrina-level disaster with 100mph winds, roofs ripped off, water flooding the streets…a complete identity crisis.

Rage, hopelessness, panic attacks, depression, exhaustion, intrusive thoughts, debilitating anxiety, insomnia, crying spells, bloating, breast tenderness, migraines, painful periods… basically you feel like a living, breathing DSM-5.

If that sounds dramatic, trust us… it’s not.

PMDD (Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder) is very real, and for many women it feels like they become a completely different person for 1–2 weeks out of every month.

The worst part? Your doctor probably doesn’t believe you.

We’ve worked with hundreds of women dealing with PMDD and all of them have a similar story. They’re either:

• dismissed

• put on birth control ASAP

• handed an antidepressant

• told “that’s just hormones”

We’re here to tell you that you’re absolutely not being dramatic, it’s not “just hormones,” and you have another, better option for healing.

First… what is PMDD?

PMDD is considered a more severe form of PMS, but truthfully, that doesn’t even do it justice.

What makes PMDD unique is that symptoms are heavily tied to the luteal phase, the 10–14 days after ovulation when progesterone rises and estrogen fluctuates.

And contrary to what most people assume, PMDD usually isn’t caused by hormone levels just being “too high” or “too low.”

Research suggests that many women with PMDD are actually dealing with an abnormal sensitivity to normal hormonal fluctuations.

So like… what does that even mean?

The hormone changes themselves may be normal, but their nervous system and brain are reacting to those shifts much more intensely.

That’s why PMDD is often deeply connected to:

• inflammation

• neurotransmitter imbalances

• histamine issues

• chronic stress

• blood sugar instability

• gut dysfunction

And honestly? Once you understand those connections, the symptoms start making a whole lot more sense.

Root causes we commonly see

1. Chronic stress & nervous system dysregulation

If you’ve been here more than a minute, you knew we were going to bring up stress eventually. Classic Wholistic Renewal.

But this goes deeper than just “relax babe.”

Chronic stress literally changes the way the brain responds to hormone fluctuations. Prolonged states of stress end up driving up cortisol levels, which in turn impacts things like:

• progesterone production → SO important for relaxation and balancing estrogen

• neurotransmitter balance → closely connected to mental and emotional wellbeing

• inflammation → manifests in head-to-toe symptoms (skin, gut, joints, brain, etc.)

• blood sugar regulation → important for stable energy, mood stability, and weight

• digestion → motility, nutrient breakdown, enzyme activity, and immunity are not priorities in this survival state

Those impacts might not be significant if they’re acute (aka short and sweet). But when you’re quite literally living in survival mode (as most girlies are), the nervous system takes a hit and becomes more reactive and less resilient to the hormonal shifts that naturally happen during the luteal phase.

For many women with PMDD, the nervous system feels like it’s constantly stuck in high alert, which then manifests in downstream issues we listed above.

2. Histamine overload

If you’re new here — histamine is a major chemical messenger involved in everything from inflammation to digestion to brain signaling.

In normal amounts, it’s helpful and necessary. Without major dysfunction within the body, your detoxification system is able to do its job clearing out the excess. But when histamine builds up faster than the body can clear it, things can get chaotic… fast.

This is a HUGE one that many women have never heard about.

Estrogen and histamine have a very interesting relationship:

• estrogen can trigger histamine release

• histamine can stimulate more estrogen

As you can imagine, this creates a vicious cycle triggered by the onset of natural hormonal shifts.

And because histamine also acts as a neurotransmitter (she really does it all), those higher histamine levels might help explain why you’re experiencing:

• anxiety

• insomnia

• irritability

• headaches

• flushing or even hives

• racing thoughts

Sound familiar?

We especially see this pattern in women with:

• mast cell activation syndrome (MCAS)

• gut issues

• mold exposure

• chronic inflammation

• estrogen dominance

3. Gut imbalances & inflammation

The gut is key here… shocker. It plays a massive role in hormone balance and neurotransmitter production.

For all my fact checkers…

• ~90% of serotonin is produced in the gut

• the gut microbiome helps metabolize estrogen

• gut inflammation increases immune activation and histamine release

So when the microbiome is disrupted — whether from antibiotics, poor diet, chronic stress, pathogens, or food sensitivities — hormone regulation takes a hit.

This is one of the reasons we see PMDD symptoms improve significantly when clients address these deeper issues in the gut.

That’s why we make GI MAP and MRT testing non-negotiable at Wholistic Renewal. We need to see what we’re dealing with — gut infections, bacterial imbalances, food sensitivities, intestinal permeability, and other hidden sources of inflammation that your regular labs aren’t even looking for!

4. Blood sugar instability

Blood sugar swings are behind more than just energy dips and a muffin top. They put a lot of stress on the adrenal glands and nervous system.

When blood sugar crashes, the body jacks up cortisol and adrenaline to bring glucose back up. That’s a good thing… your body is responding accordingly to keep you moving and shaking. But this can be a bad thing when it’s happening all the time and you’re already dealing with a hypersensitive system. This all intensifies:

• anxiety

• mood swings

• irritability

• cravings

• insomnia

And because the luteal phase naturally increases metabolic demand, women become even more sensitive to unstable blood sugar during this time.

This is why surviving on coffee and a granola bar until 2pm hits WAY harder (not in a good way) during the luteal phase.

So… what can actually help?

1. Stabilize blood sugar like your life depends on it (especially during the luteal phase)

One of the most effective things many women can do is increase protein, fiber, and slow-burning carbohydrates during the second half of their cycle.

That looks like:

• root vegetables — potatoes, carrots, beets, radishes, parsnips, and onions

• oats (great with nut butter, eggs, protein powder)

• rice (great with avocado, salmon, chicken, beef, beans)

• squash — spaghetti squash, zucchini, summer squash, acorn squash, butternut

• fruit — berries and stone fruit are the best options for a lower glycemic index

• legumes — beans, beans, beans… don’t sleep on beans

…paired with healthy fats and protein (don’t forget this!).

Reducing those blood sugar swings will help reduce cortisol spikes and give your body the fuel it needs to support progesterone production.

2. Support the nervous system daily

If you’re waiting until your heart is beating out of your chest, you’re sweating bullets, and your head is spinning to download the Calm app… sister that’s not gonna work.

Your nervous system needs consistent signals of safety. Not just when symptoms hit.

Some of our favorite tools:

• breathwork

• somatic exercises

• EFT tapping

• prayer

• meditation

• walks outside (leave your phone behind pls and ty)

• vagus nerve stimulation — splashing cold water on your face, humming, singing

• reducing overstimulation — quiet time, doing one thing at a time, less screen time

This is especially important because many women with PMDD also have a history of chronic stress or trauma. As you’ve probably heard, the body keeps the score.

If those deeper hurts aren’t processed and freed from your body, they’re going to show up in other ways, like autoimmunity, PMDD, cancer, IBS,… scary stuff.

3. Reduce histamine load

If histamine is a major driver, reducing incoming histamine can help significantly during the luteal phase. Unless symptoms are occurring all-month long, we only recommend lightening your histamine load for part of the month.

Histamine is produced by your immune system, but it’s also found in certain foods. So the easiest way to reduce that load is to be more mindful of common high-histamine foods, like:

• alcohol

• aged cheese

• fermented foods

• leftovers

• cured meats

• kombucha

We also often want to protect the body from histamine sources other than food. Histamine is produced when the gut lining is inflamed and permeable, the immune system is overreactive, and estrogen is built up. So it’s key to focus on these things too:

• gut healing

  • l-glutamine powder

  • following your MRT diet (get tested here!)

• DAO enzyme function

  • supplementing with DAO before histamine rich meals

  • healing intestinal villi damage

• estrogen detoxification

  • daily bowel movements

  • increasing fiber intake for detoxification

  • increasing hydration

4. Support ovulation & progesterone naturally

Progesterone really is that girl (PS: we published a deep dive on her in our last newsletter —if you’re interested, you can read it here). So supporting her is a no-brainer.

Her calming, anti-inflammatory effects on the brain are going to make a big difference, especially for anyone with PMDD.

The best way to support progesterone? Support ovulation.

No ovulation = no progesterone rise.

If you’re serious about healing and want to learn more about this key connection, our last newsletter will be KEY.

TLDR… focus on these:

• magnesium glycinate

• vitamin B6

• zinc

• omega-3s

• adequate calories (no deficits right now, babe)

• stress reduction

• Vitex supplementation (in some cases…. you probs should run a DUTCH first!)

5. Reduce inflammatory triggers

This is where functional testing becomes incredibly helpful. BURY me on this hill.

Food sensitivities, gut pathogens, mold exposure, and environmental toxins can all increase inflammatory signaling and make the nervous system more reactive to hormonal shifts.

But guess what?

If you don’t test… you don’t know what you’re up against in the body.

And if you don’t know what you’re dealing with… you can’t create a targeted plan to heal!

This is precisely why root-cause work changes everything for women with PMDD.

The Bottom Line

PMDD is not “just bad PMS.”

And you are not weak, dramatic, or broken for struggling with it. Don’t believe anyone who gaslights you or makes you feel like you’re being over-the-top.

Your symptoms are real… but they’re also not random.

Your body is responding to deeper imbalances involving the nervous system, inflammation, hormones, gut health, and immune function.

That’s scary and overwhelming.

But what’s beautiful and encouraging is that when those systems receive the right support…. things can change dramatically.

We’ve seen women go from dreading half their life every month… to finally feeling stable, clear-headed, and like themselves again.

Don’t take it from me… take it from them:

If you want that for yourself, we’d be thrilled to help you get there.

You can book a free call with our team here to get started.

It’s time you realize that your body isn’t working against you.

It’s trying to communicate with you! And healing starts when we finally listen.

In hope and healing,

Lena & Julia

If estrogen is the A-list celeb of the hormone world, progesterone is her manager holding everything together behind the scenes.

Progesterone is the stabilizer, the diffuser, and the one orchestrating the ultimate display of how amazing the female body is — pregnancy.

So as you can imagine, when the manager is run-down and takes a sabbatical, things start falling apart.

Cycles get wonky.
Sleep gets worse.
Mood gets unpredictable.
And suddenly PMS feels less like a mild inconvenience and more like a full-blown personality shift.

Yet for how important progesterone is, it’s one of the most misunderstood hormones in women’s health.

And maybe misunderstood isn’t even the right word, since that implies we understand something about it. Chances are, it’s just a vague term you associate with your cycle, but nothing more.

Since she’s at the heart of hormone health and balance, it’s time we give her some attention.

So what does progesterone even do?

Progesterone is produced after ovulation during the luteal phase of your cycle (before you get your period).

Her job?

• stabilize the uterine lining

• support early pregnancy

• regulate the nervous system

• balance estrogen

• support restful sleep

• calm inflammation

She’s the one essentially telling the system: “it’s okay folks, you can relax now.”

Which explains why when progesterone drops… you feel anything but okay.

If you’re thinking that might be you…

Given that we see low progesterone levels in more than half the DUTCH tests we run, you’re probably not wrong. It’s one of the most common imbalances we see.

Some of the most common signs:

• irregular or missing cycles

• spotting between periods

• heavy bleeding or painful cramping

• PMS that knocks you out for a week

• breast tenderness

• infertility or difficulty conceiving

• chronic fatigue

• blood sugar dips

• insomnia

• anxiety or irritability

• unexplained weight gain

If you’re reading that list thinking “okay wow… that’s me,” you can trust you’re not the only one. It’s increasingly more common than you’d expect.

And about that… this is where things get interesting.

Contrary to what your doctor might say, progesterone doesn’t usually drop on a whim. No, you’re not just gifted with unlucky genetics and no, your progesterone didn’t just randomly decide to leave the chat.

Everything happens for a reason, right? Well, that holds true here as well.

Progesterone drops when the body doesn’t ovulate consistently or when the hormone production system is under stress.

Stress? Oh great…

If you’re thinking “oh great… they’re going to just tell me to lower my stress,” you’re not wrong, but you’re also probably thinking we mean you need to quit your high-pressure job, leave your partner, move to the islands, and listen to 777 Hz spa music all day.

• Would that probably solve a lot of your problems? Yes.

• Is that realistic? Idk girl… you tell me.

On the off chance that’s a bit unrealistic for you at this time, we’ll give you lowdown on what you can do to manage stress. Before we do, a bit of background…

When the body is stressed, the brain sends SOS signals throughout the body that survival is the priority.

Adrenals start cranking out cortisol to support survival functions. And resources are diverted away from non-essential functions like… you guessed it… ovulation.

Survival takes priority over reproduction. It just makes sense!

And the command center orchestrating this whole operation is something called the HPO axis. Short for the Hypothalamic–Pituitary–Ovarian axis, this system functions as the messaging center between your brain and your ovaries.

Here’s how it works. We’re keeping it very simple and high-level, don’t worry.

Your hypothalamus sends a signal to the pituitary gland, telling it to release LH and FSH, which stimulate the ovaries and tell them it’s time to mature an egg and ovulate.

Once ovulation happens, progesterone starts rising.

But what happens if the brain senses stress? It’s like someone cut your telephone cord (if you were part of the generation who even remembers what those are)… communication goes silent.

• The hypothalamus stops sending strong signals.

• The pituitary backs off.

• The ovaries never get the memo.

• Ovulation never happens.

• Progesterone never rises.

Which brings us back to that long list of symptoms we just talked about.

So when we talk about supporting progesterone, what we’re really talking about is supporting ovulation. And to do that, we need to calm the HPO axis.

Sounds like my HPO axis needs a Xanax.

Well if that’s what you’re thinking, then you’re probably not wrong.

These days, most of us live in a constant state of fight-or-flight. Traffic, taxes, texts, trends, trauma, toxic relationships… I love alliteration couldn’t you tell?

The goal of eliminating stress entirely is completely out of the question (unless you do plan to move to the islands… in which case we fully support and expect an invite to visit).

So then the goal becomes this — building a flexible nervous system. One that can smoothly shift out of fight-or-flight and back into a rest-and-digest state where the body feels safe enough to reproduce.

Some of the most effective ways to do that include:

• prioritizing 8 hours of sleep

• stabilizing blood sugar with balanced meals

• limiting caffeine to one serving per day (and no that’s not one 300mg serving of caffeine in an energy drink… I mean 60-90mg max)

• incorporating daily parasympathetic practices like breathwork, meditation, prayer, or gentle walks

• creating pockets of real rest and recovery

• getting off the screens and getting outside in the sun

These things are simple but they are one of the most effective ways to tell the brain that homegirl is safe and can relax.

While supplements are great, we like to focus on the food and lifestyle supports first. When you’ve got those nailed down, there are certain herbs that can help regulate the hormonal signals responsible for ovulation and support a healthy luteal phase.

Some of our favorites include:

• Vitex (chaste tree berry)
  One of the most well-studied herbs for luteal phase support. Vitex works at the level of the pituitary gland, helping modulate LH and FSH signaling so ovulation occurs more consistently.

• Maca root
  An adaptogenic root traditionally used to support hormone balance, energy levels, and reproductive health.

• Myo-inositol
  Particularly helpful for women with insulin resistance or PCOS, as it improves insulin signaling and can help restore ovulation.

And then there are the stressors you didn’t even consider…

Stress doesn’t only come from having a stacked calendar, car troubles, and a screen time addiction. There are several other very common stressors that quietly block ovulation, even if you feel like you’re doing everything “right.”

Chronic Dieting & Low-Fat Diets

All steroid hormones (including progesterone) are made from cholesterol.

And where does cholesterol come from ladies? Fats.

Put simply: if the body isn’t getting enough calories or healthy fats, it simply doesn’t have the raw materials needed to produce hormones.

This is something we see all the time with women who have spent years in cycles of restriction, fasting, or under-fueling. To the body, that kind of environment is a signal of scarcity, not safety.

And shocker… when resources are scarce, making a baby (i.e. ovulation) is the first thing to come off the body’s to-do list.

What you can do:

• increasing overall caloric intake if you’ve been under-fueling

• including healthy fats regularly (think eggs, olive oil, fatty fish, avocados)

• prioritizing balanced meals with protein, carbs, and fat (and fiber!)

• avoiding long stretches of fasting

Excessive Exercise

Exercise is amazing for metabolic health and mood, but like many things, more is not always better.

High-intensity training without adequate recovery and fuel can raise cortisol levels and signal to the body that it’s under physical stress. So if your workouts constantly exceed your body’s recovery capacity, the HPO axis may suppress ovulation to protect you!

The sad reality is that so many women have no idea that reaching their fitness goals (especially lofty ones like marathons, HYROX, body building or extreme weight loss) can come at the expense of their hormone health and even fertility.

So sometimes the most hormone-supportive move isn’t adding another workout… it’s listening to what your body is communicating through your symptoms and adding another rest day.

Chronic inflammation

One of the most major ovulation disruptors that gets overlooked is systemic inflammation.

Inflammation, similar to stress, tells the body that something isn’t right internally, which pushes ovulation down the list of to-dos.

So where does that inflammation come from? In our clinical experience, a few sources show up again and again:

• Gut imbalances
  Disruptions in the gut microbiome, like bacterial overgrowths, low beneficial bacteria, or intestinal permeability (“leaky gut”), can trigger systemic immune activation. Since the gut houses a huge portion of the immune system, imbalances here can ripple out and affect hormone signaling throughout the body.

• Food sensitivities
  For each of us, there are certain foods that quietly trigger inflammatory responses. Over time, this low-grade inflammation can contribute to hormone disruptions and make ovulation less consistent. And the foods that cause it? They might surprise you… the Mediator Release Test (MRT) reveals clients are reactive to healthy staples like chicken, avocado, spinach and beef!

• Environmental toxins
  Things like plastics, endocrine-disrupting chemicals, pesticides, mold, mycotoxins, and synthetic fragrances can all increase the body’s toxic burden. When detox pathways become overwhelmed, inflammatory signaling tends to rise.

This is one of the reasons we place so much emphasis on reducing inflammatory triggers in our protocols. When inflammation calms down through addressing gut imbalances, following the MRT diet, and addressing lifestyle components, the body can redirect energy back toward normal hormone signaling.

Nutrient Deficiencies

Ovulation is a highly demanding process that requires a surplus of nutrients. Several key nutrients are required for healthy hormone production, including:

• Magnesium – controls follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH)

• Vitamin B6 – supports progesterone synthesis and helps regulate estrogen balance

• Vitamin C – has been shown to increase progesterone levels in some studies

• Zinc – plays a key role in ovulation and egg development

• Vitamin A – supports ovarian progesterone secretion

Without adequate nutrient stores, the body struggles to produce and regulate hormones efficiently.

That’s why we often recommend getting on a prenatal multivitamin, which functions as a super dose of everything you need for healthy ovulation. Our favorite prenatal brands:

• Seeking Health - Optimal Prenatal

• NEEDED - Prenatal Essentials (for fewer pill capsules)

The bottom line

So if there’s one thing we want you to take away from this conversation, let it be this — low progesterone isn’t a random hormonal malfunction.

It’s often the body sending a signal that something deeper needs support. When we calm the nervous system, nourish the body properly, restore key nutrients, and create an environment where the brain feels safe… ✨ovulation often returns✨

And when ovulation returns? So does progesterone!

Cheers to ovulation,

Lena & Julia

When people talk about getting pregnant, they usually talk about two things:

1. Timing.

2. Luck.

But what nobody really tells you is that getting pregnant actually comes with homework.

And no, I’m not talking about simply taking a prenatal and tracking your cycle.

I’m talking about the foundational work of creating an environment where your body actually feels safe to conceive.

Because conception is one of the most energy-intensive processes the body can undertake.

And for that to happen, the body has to ask itself:

Do I have enough nutrients?
Is my environment safe?
Are hormones optimized?
Is stress manageable?
Can I sustain another life right now?

And if the answer to those questions is unclear, the body often does what it was designed to do… it puts a pause on all things fertility.

And your body does this, not because it’s broken, but because it’s protecting you and doesn’t want to pour resources into fostering new life when it’s in a state of uncertainty or survival.

So if you’re thinking about fertility (whether that’s next month or in the next few years) take your notebooks out and let’s go back to school… you’ve got some homework!

Step 1: Lower your toxic load

Our modern way of life exposes us to thousands of chemicals that our bodies weren’t designed to handle. Everything from cleaning products, fast food, makeup, and candles… these toxins are all around.

Many of these chemicals are endocrine disruptors, which means that they interfere with hormone signaling. This directly impacts production and processing of estrogen, progesterone, and thyroid hormones.

That’s a big problem, because fertility is entirely dependent on hormonal communication. And that means that reducing that load can make a major difference.

But before you go clear out every cabinet and cupboard, we recommend focusing on heavy hitters — things you use every day.

Synthetic Fragrance

Those luxury candles (yes I’m talking about that $60 candle sitting on your coffee table), perfumes, room sprays, and laundry detergents often contain dozens of undisclosed fragrance chemicals.

Many of these compounds include phthalates and volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which interfere with endocrine signaling. In other words, they can disrupt the delicate hormonal communication between your brain, ovaries, thyroid, and adrenal glands.

And because “fragrance” is legally considered a trade secret, companies aren’t required to disclose what’s inside. That should scare you.

What to do: Swap synthetic fragrance for essential oil–based products or fragrance-free options whenever possible.

Candles:

• Fontana Candle Company

• Arctic Wicks

Laundry Detergent:

• Molly Suds — Powder or Liquid

• Pronounce Powder Detergent

• Truly Free Liquid Laundry Detergent

Non-Stick Cookware

Teflon and other non-stick coatings contain PFAS chemicals, which have been associated with hormone disruption and fertility challenges.

These compounds can leach into food when heated and accumulate in the body over time.

What to do: Replace non-stick pans with cast iron or stainless steel cookware. To make stainless steel non-stick, check out this quick how-to.

• Cuisinart 12 inch Stainless Steel Pan with Glass Lid

• Cuisinart 8 inch Stainless Steel Pan

• Cuisinart 6 quart Stainless Steel Pot

• Le Creuset Enameled Cast Iron Dutch Oven

Plastic Food Storage and Cutting Boards

Plastic food containers and cutting boards contain chemicals like BPA and phthalates. These compounds can leach into food, especially when plastics are heated, scratched, or exposed to acidic foods.

Once in the body, these chemicals can mimic estrogen and interfere with normal hormone signaling. Several studies have found that higher levels of BPA and phthalates in the body are associated with reduced egg quality, lower fertilization rates, and poorer outcomes in fertility treatments. So yes, the impacts are proven and profound!

What to do: Phase out plastic containers for glass storage and plastic cutting boards for wooden ones.

• Vtopmart 8 Pack Glass Food Storage Containers

• Rubbermaid Set of 9 Glass Storage Containers

• Waldwerk Wood Cutting Board Set of 3

Chemical Sunscreens

Many conventional sunscreens contain ingredients like oxybenzone, octinoxate, and avobenzone (they’re as scary as they sound too).

And shocker… these compounds are known endocrine disruptors and can interfere with normal hormone signaling, particularly involving estrogen, progesterone, and thyroid hormones.

What’s especially interesting is that research has shown these ingredients don’t just sit on the surface of your skin… they’re readily absorbed into the bloodstream. Measurable levels have even been detected days after application 👀

What to do: Opt for mineral-based sunscreens that use zinc oxide as the active ingredient. These sit on the skin as a physical barrier rather than being absorbed into the body, making them a much better option!

• Crunchi Body Sunscreen

• Cocokind Mineral Face Sunscreen

• Clearstem Acne-Safe Sunscreen

Undies (yep… the last thing you’d expect)

Most clothing isn’t made from natural fiber like cotton, wool, or linen anymore. These days, we’re not only eating and drinking plastic... we’re wearing it too. Nylon, polyester, and spandex are essentially forms of plastic.

As you can imagine, wearing and washing them shed microplastic fibers, which are absorbed by… you guessed it — your skin! The skin in the genital area is especially thin and extremely absorbent, with a concentrated network of veins (meaning more access to circulation). Chemicals have a much easier time passing through the skin barrier and entering circulation here compared to other parts of the body.

Not only do these synthetic fabrics disrupt hormone signaling, but researchers have even found microplastics in human blood, placental tissue, and reproductive organs (you’re not screaming, we are). As you can imagine, that sends up red flags about how wearing these items every waking minute can impact fertility and fetal development.

What to do: Opt for 95%+ cotton underwear whenever possible, especially for everyday wear and sleep!

• Oddobody

• La Coochie

• Pact

For more non-toxic swaps, check out our Low-Tox Living Guide

Step 2: Do the inner work

We spend a lot of time talking about food and supplements, but there’s another piece of fertility preparation that often gets overlooked.

Your mindset.

If your internal dialogue sounds like:

• “It’s going to be so hard for me.”

• “My body probably won’t be able to do this.”

• “Something is wrong with me.”

That constant stress signal doesn’t just stay in your head… it affects your nervous system, hormone signaling, and so much more.

Your brain and reproductive system are deeply connected (just like EVERY part of your body). That means addressing limiting beliefs, fear, and stress patterns is just as important as cleaning up your environment.

What to do: Journal, dispel limiting beliefs, process past traumas, go to therapy, explore somatic work, try EMDR,… and most importantly LOVE on yourself.

Step 3: Regulate your dang nervous system

We’ve said it before (many times), and you can bet we will be saying it again.

Chronic stress is one of the most underestimated barriers for fertility (and healing in general).

Why? Because your body is incredibly intelligent. When it senses danger and shifts into fight-or-flight mode, resources are automatically redirected toward survival. Hormones and energy that would normally support ovulation, implantation, and reproductive function are instead used to keep you alert and protected.

The frustrating part is that your nervous system doesn’t distinguish between a true life-threatening event and modern stressors like work deadlines, financial pressure, or constant mental or emotional overload.

To your body, it’s very simple: safe or unsafe.

And reproduction only happens when the body feels safe enough to invest energy into creating new life.

What to do: Simply telling your body that it’s safe doesn’t always work. Your nervous system responds much more to physical signals of safety than logical reasoning. The most effective strategy is to activate the parasympathetic nervous system (the branch responsible for “rest and digest” functions). Try breathwork, somatic practices, meditation, EFT tapping, prayer, time in nature, humming.

The Bottom Line

Before any supplement or protocol, there’s one belief that matters most:

Your body was designed to do this.

It knows how to heal.
It knows how to conceive.
It knows how to grow life.

Sometimes it just needs the right support… and a little less interference from the modern world.

And if you’re doing all the “right” things but still facing fertility challenges or simply want guidance preparing your body for pregnancy, we’d be honored to walk alongside you and take a deeper dive into what might be happening behind the scenes in your gut, hormones, and overall health. You can reach out to meet with us here.

Rooting for you and your future family,

Lena and Julia

If you’ve spent any time in the wellness space lately, you’ve probably heard the buzz around peptides.

They’re everywhere right now.

Fitness influencers, biohackers, mommy-bloggers, wellness aficionados, your cousin… everyone’s doing it.

And it makes sense!

If what they say is true, that you can have it all — fat loss, muscle growth, glowing skin, tissue repair, and longevity — without paying any price (other than the hefty peptide price tag), then this really is a remarkable addition to the health space.

But before we all start ordering peptide stacks left and right, I think it’s worth slowing down and asking a very important question.

Do we actually understand what we’re putting into our bodies?

Wtf are peptides anyways?

Try asking someone already on peptides if they know what peptides even are, and chances are you’ll know more than them after reading this.

At their core, peptides are short chains of amino acids, which are essentially smaller versions of proteins.

Your body naturally produces thousands of them. They function like messengers, telling different systems in the body what to do. Things like:

• release growth hormone
• regulate appetite
• repair tissue
• control inflammation
• regulate metabolism

Because of this signaling role, researchers have been exploring synthetic peptides as potential treatments for things like metabolic disorders, wound healing, and autoimmune conditions.

So while the concept itself isn’t crazy, we still arrive at a problem:

Most peptides aren’t well studied

The majority of peptides being used in wellness clinics today exist in a research gray zone. That means…

• not FDA-approved
• not tested in long-term human studies
• manufactured with varying quality control
• studied mostly in animals or small short-term trials

And while that doesn’t automatically mean they’re unsafe, it does mean we don’t fully understand their long-term effects.

And when you’re injecting a signaling molecule into your body (sometimes man-made ones), something that’s designed to alter your biological pathways, that gap in understanding is kind of a big deal!

Doesn’t that ring a bell?

One of the things that shapes our philosophy and personal health stories at Wholistic Renewal is remembering how many times medicine hasn’t exactly been straightforward.

You’ve probably heard some version of these before:

“Your labs look normal.”
“That’s probably just stress.”
“Are you sure you’re not overreacting?”

And my personal favorite (the one that kicked off my entire health journey): “This is completely safe.”

Only for us to learn years (sometimes decades) later that the story wasn’t quite so simple.

For me, it all started with breast implants.

For years women were told there was absolutely no systemic risk. Last time I checked, that was still the dominant narrative. If someone shows up to the doctor with fatigue, brain fog, autoimmune symptoms, or chronic inflammation and immune activity after implants, doctors glaze right over that red flag and treat the symptoms without connecting the dots.

Even after my explant surgery and subsequent healing (i.e. all my symptoms resolved 🧐), when I called my original doctor to let him know what had happened, I was totally dismissed.

In the last 5 years, we’re seeing an entire movement of women speaking out about Breast Implant Illness (BII).

Or look at Botox and fillers.

These procedures are widely normalized now, but even today we still don’t fully understand their long-term immune, lymphatic, and neurological impacts after repeated use for decades.

In many cases, the data simply doesn’t exist yet.

And peptides may very well fall into a similar category. Yes, I know they’re exciting and cutting-edge today (even I’m intrigued!), but what will we think years from now when we have the full story.

Remember...your body isn’t a science experiment

At Wholistic Renewal, please know we’re not anti-science. Quite the opposite, actually.

We love emerging research. We love learning about new therapies that could genuinely help people heal. Heck, our team just spent last weekend in Dallas deep diving into the latest on hormone testing!

But we also believe something that feels increasingly rare in the wellness industry:

Just because something is new and promising doesn’t mean you should add it to your wellness routine.

Your body isn’t a testing ground. And especially when it comes to things that don’t have centuries or millennia of documented use (hello herbal remedies).

And when it comes to injecting man-made molecules into our bodies, we think that deserves a very high level of evidence before it becomes routine.

This especially applies when the issues people are trying to solve (fatigue, weight gain, inflammation, hormone imbalances) often have very real root causes that can be addressed without introducing experimental compounds.

The truth about healing

In our work with clients, we’ve seen something over and over again… call it a pattern, will you?

The things that actually move the needle for gut health, hormones, metabolism, and energy are rarely the flashy biohacks.

They’re the foundational things like restoring gut integrity, correcting nutrient deficiencies, regulating circadian rhythms, addressing microbial imbalances, supporting detox pathways, and creating structured routines.

Not very sexy, huh? And not very viral-worthy either?

But guess what? They are incredibly effective.

And when those systems start functioning the way they were designed to, the body often does something remarkable.

It heals itself.

The future of peptides

Do they have a place in the future of medicine? Possibly. Probably.

There are targeted medical areas where peptide therapies may become incredibly valuable, but just using them willy-nilly is playing with fire.

Who knows how they might impact things longterm like fertility? fetal development? longterm cognitive function?

The data just isn’t there yet so we’re going to hold out until we add them to our routine.

Because at the end of the day, caution isn’t anti-progress.

Closing thoughts

We live in a time where new wellness trends appear almost weekly.

Peptides are just the latest example.

But the most powerful healing strategy we’ve seen, both personally and with our clients, isn’t chasing the newest intervention or invention.

It’s learning how to listen to your body and work with it.

In health,

Lena & Julia

Hey my girl,

Not sure if your TikTok FYP looks anything like mine, but it seems like just about every girl is entering her “Chinese era.” And honestly? I am HERE for it.

Before I get ahead of myself, what does that even mean?

From a trend perspective, it appears to be about drinking tea and eating soup for breakfast… but it’s really so much more than that. I would say it’s a return to intuitive, ancient practices that our modern hustle culture has moved way too far away from.

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) has always focused on warmth, circulation, energy preservation, and working with your body instead of fighting against it. And as all the girlies are finding out… they were on to something all along.

At Wholistic Renewal, this perspective is something we deeply align with. We truly believe in the body’s innate wisdom and ability to heal. That’s why we emphasize working with the body, rather than overriding it with extremes, suppression, or punishment.

So today, I want to highlight a few of my favorite Chinese medicine principles that are making a comeback (you have no idea how excited we are about this).

1. Cold drinks in the morning (or winter)… girl pls stop

Your digestion relies on warmth to function optimally. You can think about it like this: cold slows things down and heat gets things moving.

So you can imagine, cold beverages, especially first thing in the morning or during colder months, can blunt stomach acid and digestive enzyme activity. In Chinese medicine, this is described as extinguishing digestive “fire.” This makes it harder to break down food efficiently and adds to bloating, feeling sluggish, and even impaired nutrient absorption. When digestion struggles, everything downstream (hormones, energy, immunity, etc.) also suffers.

What to do:
Start your day with warm or room‑temperature liquids. Think warm lemon water or herbal tea. Avoid warm caffeinated beverages like coffee or matcha — those are best for after breakfast. Save the iced drinks for hot summer months or later in the day… if at all ;)

2. Ice, Ice Baby… Not

Cold plunges are all the rage, but it’s not necessarily working in your favor, especially if you’re already in a depleted, inflamed state. In Chinese medicine, they view cold as being constricting and depleting to your core vitality. And this makes sense, since cold plunges activate a stress response, spiking adrenaline and cortisol.

That stress response might feel “energizing” in the moment and calming to sore muscles, but over time it can worsen fatigue, hormonal imbalances, inflammation, and cycle issues.

What to do instead:
If you’re dealing with bloating, burnout, irregular cycles, thyroid issues, or chronic stress, prioritize warmth over cold. Think hot showers, saunas, warm baths, cozy layers, and warm matching sets instead of ice baths. These are also great ways to get those muscle soothing benefits that cold plunges have to offer, without the negative impacts!

3. Cold feet = cold womb

Okay don’t let the title throw you off… your feet play a much bigger role in your overall warmth and circulation than you may realize. In Chinese medicine, key reproductive and digestive pathways begin at the soles of the feet. When your feet are cold, heat is pulled away from your core (your gut and womb). This can impair digestion, metabolism, and reproductive function.

Something I also think that’s worth highlighting is that, from a nervous system standpoint, cold extremities can be a sign that your body is in fight‑or‑flight. Blood is being shunted away from the core, slowing metabolic processes and oxygen delivery where it’s needed most.

What to do:
Keep your feet warm at all times! Wear socks or slippers, use thick rugs, and avoid walking barefoot on cold floors. (…Yes this is your excuse to buy those cute slippers you’ve been eyeing).

4. Mix up the meats

Muscle meats (think chicken breast, ground beef, steak, turkey, etc.) are undoubtedly rich in protein and essential amino acids. We’re big protein gals, don’t get us wrong. But when eaten in isolation and in excess (we’re also guilty of this), it can contribute to imbalances.

One of the key amino acids in these muscle meats is methionine. When not balanced by glycine, it can actually elevate homocysteine levels. That’s a bunch of science talk that essentially means: too much muscle meat without the collagen-rich parts can quietly increase inflammation and stress inside your body.

Traditional cultures understood this and used the whole animal… bones and all. Glycine-rich connective tissues, bones, and organ meats were central to their diets, which supported their digestion, joint health, skin, and hormones. These nutrients are deeply restorative and help buffer the stress response, something our modern diets are missing.

What to do:
Incorporate meats off the bone, rich bone broths, short ribs, slow‑cooked stews, or collagen‑rich soups into your weekly meals. One recipe I’m loving lately is this waterless chicken soup that cooks an entire chicken in the soup!

5. Eat regularly like your life depends on it

Remember when intermittent fasting was all the rage? Well, we now know that if you’re a woman, especially one struggling with hormonal and metabolic issues, this is the last thing you should be doing.

Our bodies are smart, and when you skip a meal, your body interprets this as scarcity (shocker right?!). That raises cortisol and suppresses thyroid output to slow metabolic rate and preserve energy. That sounds negative, but it’s actually pro-survival! As you can imagine, over time, this can worsen fatigue, drive blood sugar imbalances, disrupt cycles, and totally stall healing.

Consistent nourishment tells your body it’s safe. And the reason that’s so important? Safety is required for your body to put resources towards repair, hormone production, and metabolic recovery.

What to do:
Eat ya damn breakfast. Eat regularly. Eat enough and avoid skipping meals or relying on snacks to get you through the day (no girl dinner, sis). Focus on warm, balanced meals with protein, healthy fats, and carbohydrates. Stop waiting until your stomach is growling and you can’t keep your eyes open.

6. Soups - IN. Salads -OUT.

Salads are “healthy” but truthfully, the more I learn about women’s gut and hormone health, the more I realize that they are a total scam. Don’t get me wrong, I love a good crunchy salad… but they have their time and place, and that is not every day.

Raw foods are much harder to break down. If you’re dealing with bloating, sluggish digestion, low enzyme activity, or hormone imbalances, your body is already working overtime. Cold, raw meals can add unnecessary stress to the system.

From a TCM perspective, raw vegetables are considered “cold” in nature and can weaken the digestive fire (spleen and stomach qi). Over time, this can contribute to “internal cold and dampness.” That shows up as fatigue, bloating, bowel irregularities, brain fog, and even painful periods.

What to do:
Focus on warm, cooked meals as your default and save salads for when you’re out to eat in warmer months or in a pinch. Think nourishing soups, stews, stir-fry, roasted vegetables, and slow-cooked dishes. I’ve been on a total soup kick and loving these GF/DF soup recipes from Olivia Adriance. Adding in warming spices like ginger, cinnamon, or cumin are also great to help boost circulation and support digestion!

Final thoughts: TCM knows what’s up

If you’re not sold on the wisdom of TCM, then give these tips a try for the next 2 weeks and follow-up with us 😉

We love that this ancient healing wisdom is finally having her moment. It’s a powerful reminder that real healing doesn’t have to be intense or complicated. Sometimes it’s as simple as socks, soup, and slowing down. (If someone doesn’t put that on a t-shirt, I think I might).

If you’ve been burning out trying to “optimize” your health, maybe it’s time to enter your Chinese era.

Get back to the basics. Nourish instead of restrict. Support instead of suppress. Warm instead of shock.

We’re here when you want to take it a step further and dive deeper with functional lab testing 🫶

Warmly (pun intended),

Lena & Julia

But today?

We’re just gonna talk about the bees 🐝

Because while bees are small, what they create can have huge impacts on our health.

Honey has been in the spotlight more recently but I wanted to dedicate some time to understanding exactly why it’s so powerful and how we can use it to help our Wholistic Renewal girlies heal!

So let’s start with what I found to be the most “duh” but also “ah-ha” moment in my research…

Why is a honeymoon called a honey-moon?

Historically, newlyweds were gifted mead, a fermented honey wine believed to enhance fertility and virility (let’s pretend we all know what that word means). They would drink it daily for the first month (or one full moon cycle) after marriage.

Hence, we get the name “honey-moon.”

For thousands of years, it’s been symbol of vitality and fertility. And it turns out, our ancestors were onto something. Just look at historic fertility trends… our ancestors clearly knew things we've long since forgotten!

The Queen Bee Diet 🐝

No not Beyonce… I’m talking about the actual queen bee.

I think we all have heard about the queen bee, but I bet you didn’t know that she’s actually not born a queen.

All bees are born genetically the same, so the queen bee begins life as a regular Joe Schmo.

What makes her into a “queen” is her special diet that enables her to lay eggs while other bees remain sterile.

So what is this special fertility diet? It’s royal jelly, a milky, nutrient-dense secretion produced by worker bees (sounds weird, but it works).

It’s because of that royal jelly diet that she develops fully functional reproductive organs, lays thousands of eggs daily, and lives 20x longer than her hive mates.

Not sure about you, but I find that absolutely WILD!

In animal studies, royal jelly has been shown to:

• Support follicle development & egg quality

• Improve luteal phase health by binding to estrogen receptors and influencing hormone levels

• Reduce oxidative stress through its powerful antioxidant content (a game-changer for egg and sperm health)

• Promote early pregnancy and ovulation by supporting nutrient density and hormonal signaling

It’s also packed with amino acids, fatty acids, B-vitamins, and trace minerals, which are all key for building hormonal resilience and optimizing reproduction.

How we use royal jelly:

The one we personally use (and recommend to clients) is Beekeeper’s Natural’s Superfood Honey.

It’s medicinal-grade raw honey that’s packed with all the good stuff — propolis, bee pollen, and royal jelly. Beekeeper’s Naturals sources their bee products from small-scale, sustainable beekeepers across Canada and Europe, where pesticide and antibiotic use in honey is highly regulated (unlike in the good ole USA). This matters so much for purity and potency!

Instructions:

• Take 1 tsp per day — straight off the spoon, NOT in any hot beverages!

• Don’t heat it up — heating honey over ~95°F can damage its enzymes, antioxidants, and healing compounds. Basically, you turn medicine into syrup and spoil its therapeutic benefits.

Honey for Healing

I know that fertility stuff is pretty unbelievable, but what you’re probably more familiar with are the immune and healing powers of honey.

Honey (especially raw, local, and unfiltered) has been used for centuries to treat wounds and support immune health. It has strong antimicrobial properties, which is why it’s been applied to burns, surgical incisions, and open wounds to speed up healing and create a protective barrier.

Raw honey also contains oligosaccharides, which act as prebiotics that feed beneficial gut bacteria like Bifidobacteria and Lactobacillus. And since ~70% of your immune system is housed in your gut, that’s a big deal — especially during cold and flu season. By naturally reduces inflammation and irritation, honey is also great for supporting your throat health or curbing a cough.

Manuka honey, in particular, is in a league of its own. It contains methylglyoxal (MGO) — a compound with potent antimicrobial and wound-healing effects that have been clinically studied. This makes it a go-to when you're looking for something more medicinal than your everyday raw honey.

A quick story time to back this up —

Propolis single handedly saved us when we were traveling in Europe this fall.

I (Lena) started feeling under the weather with a horrible sore throat just a few days into our trip to Portugal. I’ve had strep before and this felt like it might be heading that direction, so I went to an herbalist pharmacy and the lady there gave me pure bee propolis. I was religious about taking it the next few days and completely stopped that sore throat in its tracks.

Julia never even got sick, despite sharing hotel rooms and Ubers (and matchas) with me. She brought her propolis throat spray on our trip and kept that up the entire time. We both think that made the difference and kept her from catching whatever I had.

So long story short — this stuff WORKS! With flu season in full swing, here’s is your sign to stock up and incorporate it into your daily routine.

We swear by Beekeeper’s Naturals Propolis Immune Support Throat Spray.

Closing Thoughts

I think it’s remarkable that so many healing sources were here long before we were.

We always reach for prescriptions or other man-made things to ease our aches and pains, but nature offers some of the best medicine. That’s why the supplements we use are mostly derived from herbs and extracts.

And isn’t it kind of ironic? One of the most medicinal substances on earth (royal jelly) comes from something most of us call the exterminator about… a beehive!

When we founded Wholistic Renewal, I remember brainstorming — what’s the simplest way to describe what we believe?

And the answer was this — “Go back to the Garden.”

Nature has always known the way. And the closer we can get to that original, intended state — closer to the earth, to simpler ways of living, to God, and to our own intuition, the healthier we often are.

So here’s your gentle nudge to not just look to the next trending supplement or quick-fix diet or product.

Instead, look to nature and above all, look to your body’s innate wisdom.

Pretty sweet, right? ;)

- Lena and Julia

On one level, I get the appeal — A clean slate. A blank calendar. So much potential and motivation all wrapped up in this fresh start. It’s inspiring, really.

BUT (there’s always a but) the “new year, new me” narrative starts to lose me when it’s applied to health.

Why?

Because it’s usually rooted in the assumption that something is broken.

That you are broken.

So we start frantically searching for quick fixes… the new detox tea, the metabolism supplement, the 8 days a week workout challenge (I know one of those hit home for you).

The emphasis is on throwing every routine, hack, supplement, and gadget at your body, hoping that something sticks and finally moves the needle.

So allow me to offer you something you probably won’t hear said in many other places:

Your body is not broken.
It doesn’t need to be fixed.
And it certainly doesn’t need to be punished into healing.

What it needs is: support, consistency, and trust.

Why “broken” sells

Let’s be real — panic sells.

When the forecast shows a storm coming, what happens?

Panic. And yes, also cleared out shelves of toilet paper (don’t ask me why).

When you’re operating from fear (“I’ve ruined everything”), shame (“Why can’t I stick to anything?”), or urgency (“I need to lose 10 pounds before spring break”), you know what you end up doing?

Too much.
Too fast.
Too soon.

That kind of energy might give you 2 weeks of all-in, type-A, 10/10 adherence…

But then?
You burn out.
You start ghosting your routine reminders.
You end up further from your goal than when you started.

Or worse — you don’t start at all because the pressure is too much.

That’s exactly why the wellness market loves to sell you extremes. Because extremes are reactive and feed on insecurity. And most importantly, they keep you chasing another solution every couple of months.

Girl, that is not wellness. That’s what sales people call a returning customer.

What if you weren’t broken?

Hold up and just sit with that question for a second.

What if the symptoms you’re experiencing (the bloating, fatigue, breakouts, PMS, mood swings) weren’t signs that your body is broken?

What if they were signals? Real-time messages from a body that’s actually working exactly as it should.

This perspective shift might seem subtle… but boy oh boy does it change everything.

A sidebar on my personal story here cause this mental shift truly flipped my world right-side-up.

When I was deep in the trenches of my health journey, all hell had broken loose. Symptoms were popping up in places I didn’t even know they could…eyes, skin, hair, joints. I was a MESS.

I truly felt that my body was malfunctioning. I woke up every day feeling less like myself. Being only 19, the thought of what this might look like in the coming years made me absolutely panic.

So, out of fear and desperation, I tried everything — supplements, cleanses, restrictive diets, prescriptions, bloodwork, protocols. You name it, I tried it. (My bank account was NOT happy).

And guess what? It didn’t work. None of it.

The harder I pushed, the more my body pushed back.

I was so preoccupied searching for a “solution” that I never stopped to ask: What is my body actually trying to say?

My body wasn’t mad at me. She wasn’t broken. She was trying to save me.

When you believe you’re broken, you tend to act from desperation. That looks like pushing harder, restricting more, and ignoring your body’s intuition.

But when you believe your body has innate wisdom and is still on your side, your actions shift.

You start to support instead of punish.
You start to nourish instead of deprive.
You start to listen instead of silence.

And here’s the kicker… your body isn’t the problem. She’s been trying to solve the problem this whole time.

So the next time you find yourself spiraling or scrambling for a quick fix, remember: Your body is not broken.

Where to go from here

There’s a reason Julia and I made this a part of our philosophy at Wholistic Renewal. And it’s not just a nice little tagline for us… it’s a foundational belief that shapes everything we do.

We don’t look at your symptoms and ask “What’s wrong with you?”
We ask “What is your body trying to say?”

Because we believe your body has innate wisdom, and when given the right support, knows how to heal.

So let us be the first to tell you:

You don’t need to be fixed. You need to be heard.
You don’t need to your body. You need to support her.
You don’t need another out-of-touch protocol. You need a sustainable plan that honors your body’s wisdom.

So as you step into the new year, and you feel that urge to throw the kitchen sink at your symptoms, I want you to stop, sit with her, and listen to her.

Your body isn’t working against you. She’s trying to guide you.

We’d be honored to walk alongside you on that journey when you’re ready. But until then, we hope this note plants a seed and gets you thinking about what healing could look like if you let your body take the lead.

And with that, our 2025 season comes to a close ;)

We’ll see you in 2026!

Lena & Julia

And yes while I partly mean Christmas, I also mean that reflective window between turkey and fireworks, where we all ask: “How do I want to feel in 2026?”

It is a time where you can look back at the last 12 months so you can have more clarity on what you want the next 12 to look like.

And if you’re like “oh great the ‘new year, new me’ spiel,” then I can promise you you’re in for a surprise.

We’re spilling the tea on the mindset shifts that actually helped us reach our health goals. (AKA what got us from feeling like crap to feeling our best)

Because let’s be real… if healing were easy, everyone would be thriving, and we’d be out of business.

But the truth is, healing is one of the hardest and most transformative things you can commit to.

And if you’re stepping into this new year wanting to feel like yourself again, then these are the shifts we believe can help you get there.

1. Consistency > Perfection

Here’s one mindset shift that us type-A girlies learned the hard way: You don’t need to be perfect to heal. You just need to keep going.

There were days when I missed supplements, ate something that was delicious but made me feel crappy, or completely fell off my routine (for more than just a weekend).

Lena 3 years ago would have spiraled when that would happen. I was so wrapped up in an all-or-nothing mindset that getting off track felt like total failure.

But guess what I found out? It’s part of being a human.

That means aiming for 100% adherence… can be more of a hindrance than a help.

What matters far more than the times I messed up is the fact that I picked myself up (or Julia picked me up), reminded myself of why I started, and kept going.

Because healing isn’t about never falling off track. It’s about getting back on. Again and again… and again.

2. It’s not about the days. It’s about the months.

Your body didn’t get to this puffy, bloated, burnt-out state overnight. And what that means is that expecting it to fully heal overnight… is a bit of a reach.

It took years of stressors adding up, countless night of poor sleep, restrictive diets, and ignoring your body’s cries for help to disrupt your gut and hormones to this point. So it’s going to take more than a perfect week or 30-day challenge to heal.

So my advice for you is to ZOOM OUT!

If you’re focused on how each day went, you’ll miss the bigger picture and give life’s natural ups an downs too much power over how you feel and show up for yourself.

3. Healing isn’t linear

You’ve definitely heard us say this before.

And the reason we won’t shut up about it? Everyone is still surprised by setbacks.

And yes, even our clients have ups and downs. Flare-ups. Frustrating days. Steps that feel like they’re going backward.

It’s a fact of life and a fact of healing. You can’t get around it. But what you can do is learn to expect the ups and downs. When you can anticipate the dips, you’re less likely to abandon the process.

4. No two journeys look the same

Stop comparing your healing timeline to someone else’s.

You don’t have their genetics. Their trauma. Their gut microbiome. Their lifestyle. Their stressors.

I know we post a lot of client wins and while I LOVE celebrating these transformations, I’ve had some clients get bummed out when they don’t feel like they’re seeing that same progress.

Two notes on this —

1. You’re seeing the highlights, sister. You’re not seeing the check-in where they felt like they weren’t seeing progress or were experiencing a flare. You’re seeing what happened when they stuck with the program and didn’t give up!

2. They’re not you. Like we said — different lab results, diet, job, family, … the list goes on. It’s not your job to match someone else’s pace when they’re running a totally different race. It’s your job to honor your own.

Healing is a deeply personal journey. When you turn your attention from everyone around you to focus on your own healing, you get more out of your own journey.

So maybe that means muting, unfollowing, or deleting certain apps right now.

Or maybe it means sitting with that part of you that jumps to comparison or self-hatred and helping her see the value in your unique path.

5. Small shifts = sustainable change

Healing isn’t about overhauling everything at once.

Oh boy have I tried that — got the workout guide, made a meal plan, started the supplements, and created a regimented routine that didn’t even fit my lifestyle.

The result? It didn’t work. Maybe I stuck with it for 5 days and quickly felt burnt out by the weekend.

But why does it not work? Generally speaking, you’re doing too much all at once.

Real healing is built on tiny, consistent shifts. Eating breakfast every day. Stopping coffee after 2pm. Actually chewing your food. Taking a 10-minute walk after work. Swapping out one inflammatory food at a time.

It might seem like shifts that small won’t make a difference. Well remember, it’s about consistency and months (not days) of making & sticking to these changes. Overtime, those little shifts add up and before the year ends, your day won’t just look different but you’ll feel different.

And the best part is that those small shifts are far more sustainable than a full overhaul. And longterm change means longterm results.

So, contrary to what social media might tell you — you don’t need to be in a constant state of “optimization.” What you need to do is make choices you can stick with — for life.

Bottom line? Your mindset matters just as much as your protocol.

It’s not just about what supplements you take or how “clean” your meals are. It’s about how you show up for yourself day in and day out, especially when things feel hard, messy, or slow.

If you’ve been feeling stuck, frustrated, or like you’ll never “get there,” I want you to know: Julia and I have been there too. We get it.

So as you start planning for 2026 and thinking about how you want to feel in the new year, digest this advice (chew slowly!) and don’t forget to check your mindset.

We’re cheering you on into the new year!

With you always,

Lena & Julia

Now that we’re done looking for things to add to our plates and are looking for things to add to our carts, we want to address the elephant (or turkey) in the room — where we choose to spend our money, and what it actually costs us.

With all this talk of deals and discounts, we had a flood of DMs asking if we had a Black Friday deal. We don’t do discounts or bonuses often — in fact, we never do.

But this year, we decided to offer something we’ve never done before.

This week only, when you book a call with us, you get to skip‑the‑line for onboarding and receive two extra weeks of support.

So if that sounds appealing but you’re stuck between that cart of goodies and your health goals, we’re going to be SO real for a sec…

Cyber Monday rolls around and suddenly we’ve got no problem spending $300 on “holy grail” skincare we saw on TikTok, a pair of boots we’ll only wear twice, or a biohacking gadget that’ll just collect dust. And these days, those little purchases add up FAST.

But when it comes to spending that same money on resolving real issues…

• crippling fatigue

• daily bloating

• debilitating PMS

• food anxiety

• migraines

• breakouts

things that tank your confidence…we freeze. We hesitate. We tell ourselves, “maybe later, my health can wait.”

Here’s your tough love moment

Why are you so quick to spend money on things that don’t truly move the needle… but hesitant to invest in actually healing your body?

Cause here’s the truth….

You won’t fully enjoy that beach vacation or new bikini if your gut issues have you looking 6 months pregnant.

You won’t be able to enjoy Christmas dinner when your food anxiety has you questioning every bite.

You won’t really enjoy all that new skincare and makeup when you’re breaking out and can’t pinpoint why.

You won’t be in the holiday mood if your PMS is turning you into a grinch.

No material item can bring you the kind of freedom, energy, or confidence that real health can.

So if you’re ready to put your money towards things that will level up your confidence, wellbeing, and happiness in 2026 (AND get a special deal) then this one’s for you.

Our Cyber Monday Bonus

Book a call with us for this upcoming week and you get

✅ Skip-the-line onboarding (no waitlist!)
✅ Two extra weeks of personalized support (on top of your 4 month program)

So if you’re tired of seeing posts of all our badass clients getting amazing results and you want it to be your turn, NOW is your time.

Book your free discovery call here.

Let’s chat about where you’re at, how you want to feel, and how we can help you heal from the inside out.

This is an invitation to choose yourself.

To put your money where your actual priorities are.

To stop waiting for a better time.

Let’s do this 👉 Book Your Call

– Julia & Lena

Having gone through years of health challenges, it’s no surprise that these holiday dinners conjure up a sense of fear and anxiety within me. I remember the despair of feeling stuck between two terrible two options —

1. eating what was served and feeling like total crap the rest of the night

2. not eating at all since I had no idea which foods were “safe”

I’m betting many of you know this feeling.

Whether you’re far into your healing journey or still figuring out your food triggers, the holidays can bring up a lot. But here’s the truth we remind our clients all the time:

One meal, one day, or one celebration won’t undo months of healing. Your body isn’t that fragile.

So let’s talk about how to approach the holidays with your healing in mind.

Remember that you don’t need to be perfect.

If you’ve done any functional lab testing like the MRT, this is your permission slip to let go of your all-or-nothing mindset. If you haven’t realized it already, trying to stay on top of your protocol 100% of the time is impossible. We’re human, we have off days, and, like we always tell our clients, the ups and downs are part of the healing process.

Believe it or not (you should believe us cause we’ve helped a lot of women with this), letting go of your “all-or-nothing” mindset will actually serve you and help you progress. The importance of this kind of self-compassion and perspective is key during the holidays.

Remember that one day, one meal, or one holiday won’t undo the progress you’ve made. Your body is far more resilient than that, and your healing journey is built on a much stronger foundation than a single deviation.

“But what if I feel like crap after?”

If you eat a bunch of your reactive items all at once, it’s not going to be a big surprise if you don’t feel a1 after. But is this reason to panic? Not at all.

The beauty of the MRT is that you now know what foods serve you and what foods might trigger symptoms. Rather than getting frustrated and fighting it, let that offer you peace of mind if you do decide to get off track.

“How do I know if my body can handle it?”

If you’ve built a strong foundation over the past few months (calming inflammation, supporting your gut, balancing blood sugar), then your system is building towards more resiliency. The goal is to build up your body’s capacity — so even if you eat something that might be a trigger, your body can handle it.

If you’re not at that point in your journey yet, don’t let that discourage you. Trust that you’re on your way to that place and we’ll equip you to get there.

The goal here isn’t restriction… it’s using this knowledge to find healing and freedom, which might require small sacrifices but is worth it to feel your best.

Remember: use your labs as a compass, not a cage.

Advocate for your body and stop saying “sorry”

We all have that relative... the one who’s all up in everyone’s business and trying to stir the pot and get a reaction out of you. Well, if you haven’t experienced it yet, I’ll be the first to warn you — any kind of dietary restriction is a prime target.

When they start playing food police or give you get the classic “but it’s just one bite” guilt-trip, I want you to take a breath before doing anything. This is not the moment to justify your protocols, whip out your food sensitivity test results, or launch into a TED Talk on holistic health.

A simple “I feel better when I skip dairy” or “I’ve learned what works best for me” is more than enough. Keeping answers short and sweet is often the best solution.

If they push back, it often has more to do with their own discomfort around food and health than with your choices. We’ve noticed that people tend to react to what they see as discipline, especially when it highlights an area they may not feel in control of themselves.

Remember: this is your body, your healing, and your right to choose what you eat.

Don’t show up empty handed

We aren’t just saying this because it’s best-practices as a dinner guest. Planning ahead and bringing a tasty dish you can enjoy and share is the best way to make sure you feel included.

If you’ve never explored the ever-growing number of recipes and products that exist for dietary needs, then we’re about to blow your mind. There are tons of tasty options out there that can help you remake a classic family dish or try something new that will aligns with your needs.

“But Martha Stewart’s recipe calls for 8 sticks of butter!”

This isn’t the time to try and rework a recipe built on sticks of butter. Instead, check out some of our favorite recipe developers who exclusively craft GF/DF recipes. This kind of cooking is their bread and butter, one might say (pun 100% intended there).

• Olivia Adriance — Recipe Blog + Instagram

• Caitlin Jesson — Recipe Blog + Instagram

• Rachael Harlington – Recipe Blog + Instagram

• Megan Murphy — Recipe Blog + Instagram

• Hannah King — Recipe Blog + Instagram

And for some not-so-homemade holiday swaps

• Aleia’s Gluten-Free Savory Stuffing (GF/DF)

• Williams Sonoma Gluten-Free Stuffing Mix (GF/DF)

• Trader Joe’s Gluten-Free Stuffing Mix (not DF)

• Primal Kitchen Dairy-Free Gravy (GF/DF)

• Kevin’s Natural Foods Gluten Free Turkey Gravy (not DF)

• Farmer’s Market Organic Cranberry Sauce (GF/DF)

• 4th & Heart Original Grass-Fed Ghee (lactose-free)

• Kevin’s Natural Foods Mashed Sweet Potatoes (not DF)

• Miyoko’s Vegan Butter (GF/DF)

• Cappello’s Herbs And Hint Of Garlic Dinner Rolls (GF/DF)

• Cappello’s Buttermilk Biscuits (GF/not DF)

• Simple Mills Pumpkin Bread Mix (GF/DF)

• Miss Jones Pumpkin Bread Mix (GF/DF-optional)

• Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free Pie Crust Mix (GF/DF-optional)

• King Arthur Gluten Free Pie Crust Mix (no DF)

• Fronen Madagascar Vanilla Frozen Dessert (GF/DF)

The bottom line: It’s not just about the food

Let yourself be present.

Sometimes the most healing thing you can do is laugh at the dinner table, hold your grandma’s hand, or say no with confidence. Yes, we gather around food, but the memories, the people, and the presence are what actually nourish you most. The people who love and support you are ultimately what really make a difference in your healing journey.

So whether you eat the pie or pass on the stuffing, let this be the year you prioritize both your healing and your joy. Because both matter and, yes my girl, both are possible.

So let’s raise a glass (of non-alcoholic goodness 😉) to healing and joy.

Cheers,

Lena, Julia, & the Wholistic Renewal Team

You’ve got your multi-step skincare girlies with a lineup of serums, toners, and jade rollers for glowy skin. (I wish I could be one of y’all).

And then you’ve got your “rinse and maybe moisturize” girlies who keep it minimal and pray for the best. (My people!)

Whether you’re in one of those parties or fall somewhere in between, I know you can relate. No matter how solid your routine is, there’s bound to be a time when your skin just freaks out for no apparent reason…and usually right before something important.

While I wish this post held THE product to solve all skin woes, what I can offer you is something better…the actual root-cause insight you probably haven’t heard from your dermatologist or TikTok.

To get to that, we’re going straight to the gut (shocker, right?).

Here is the truth: Skin flares are surface-level symptoms of a deeper imbalance.

Your skin is your largest detox organ and it’s constantly reflecting what’s happening beneath the surface. When breakouts, rashes, hives, eczema, or rosacea flare up, it’s often your body’s way of saying, “Hey! Something’s off in here!”

When we dive deeper into these issues with clients, we often uncover things like:

• Leaky gut (intestinal permeability)

• Dysbiosis (microbial imbalances in your gut)

• Pathogens, parasites, and fungi …oh my!

• Poor detox or sluggish liver function

• Food sensitivities triggering inflammatory responses

• Hormonal issues driven by… you guessed it, gut dysfunction

Let’s break this down further.

Here’s what your skin might be telling you.

Acne: Gut inflammation + hormone imbalances

Acne is often tied to poor digestion and dysbiosis — especially when paired with bowel irregularities, bloating, other GI symptoms. We often see overgrowths of H. Pylori, Candida, Streptococcus and Staphylococcus drive acne, along with many other bothersome symptoms.

These kind of imbalances can impair nutrient breakdown, slowed motility, and clog up detox pathways. As you can imagine, if you’re not properly eliminating toxins and excess hormones, those things recirculate, get reabsorbed and can lead to even more imbalances and inflammation.

Remember how the skin is the largest detox organ? Well imagine what detox pathway the body is going to use to purge these toxins if bowel movements are backed up? *cough cough*

Your skin!

Now if you’re thinking, “Listen lady, I don’t have gut issues and I STILL have acne”…

Well then this one’s for you: Even hormonal acne is often a gut-hormone-liver triangle issue.

Pinpointing the hormone component can be tricky, but often you can tell through cyclical flares and deep, painful cysts on the chin and jawline. Even if it seems like it’s just a hormone issue, that’s not the full picture.

Ok…. so what am I supposed to do about it? Try this:

• Support detox by hitting at least 30g of fiber, staying hydrated, and ensuring daily BMs

• Ditch common food triggers to figure out what’s triggering your system — dairy, gluten, refined sugar. (Or just make your life easier and run a Mediator Release Test so you know exactly what foods are behind these flares!)

• Consider a GI MAP and DUTCH test to get the full gut-hormone picture and address those gut pathogens with a clear, direct plan.

Rosacea: Leaky gut + histamine intolerance

Rosacea often links back to intestinal permeability, gluten sensitivity, and histamine issues. If you flush easily and your skin perpetually has that red rosy color, this could point to a breakdown in the gut lining, food sensitivities, or poor DAO enzyme function (the enzyme that breaks down histamine in your gut).

A compromised gut barrier means more immune reactivity. Your mast cells (a white blood cell responsible for releasing histamine) are located deep in the mucosal tissue of our GI tract. When that barrier is inflamed and compromised, mast cells are more easily triggered and can drive up histamine levels. Additionally, an inflamed gut lining means less production of the enzyme that is responsible for breaking down histamine, called DAO. Double whammy, huh?

That means you might be more reactive to food that raise histamine levels and notice those foods trigger more skin flushing. While you heal your gut lining and support your immune system, it can be helpful to temporarily reduce incoming histamine-rich items.

Our clients with rosacea often see the biggest transformation when we not only address gut permeability and imbalances, but also go 100% gluten free. It might sound simple, but gluten is a sneaky trigger, especially for those with gut permeability.

What to do if you struggle with rosacea:

• Cut out gluten completely for at least 3 months to see how your body responds. Even small exposures can keep the immune system activated, so going all in matters.

• Heal the gut lining with L-glutamine, non-reactive food items, and stress support.

• Reduce high-histamine foods (temporarily) like alcohol, fermented items, aged cheese, kombucha, and produce like strawberries, tomatoes, spinach, pineapples, bananas, and dried fruits.

Eczema: Pathogens + food sensitivities

Eczema is a classic case of the gut-immune-skin connection. It often looks like a localized skin issue, but under the surface it’s typically driven by gut inflammation, immune dysregulation via food sensitivities, and pathogenic overgrowths (especially Staph and Strep).

These opportunistic bugs don’t just live on the skin, but also reside in the gut. When gut health is compromised (i.e. leaky gut, low levels of good bacteria, slow motility… aka not using the bathroom frequently, or suppressed immunity), these pathogens can thrive and trigger systemic immune responses, which manifest on the skin.

And let’s not forget food sensitivities! We see this over and over again in our practice where eczema flares are directly tied to hidden food sensitivities. You may not get a direct reaction after eating, but it’s chronic exposure to even healthy foods that can show up through inflamed, itchy, or dry skin.

Gluten, dairy, soy, and corn are common offenders, BUT every person’s triggers are unique, which is why we rely heavily on the MRT food sensitivity test to take the guesswork out of it. We had one client who was severely reactive to chicken and that’s what was largely behind their bad eczema flares!

What to do:

• Test, don’t guess. Run an MRT to pinpoint immune-reactive foods and remove them short-term while you heal the gut.

• Address gut pathogens. If Staph or Strep show up on your GI MAP (and they often do), a targeted antimicrobial protocol is key.

Hives: Immune dysregulation + “the perfect storm”

Hives are less about one root cause and more about an umbrella of immune dysregulation. They’re a sign your immune system is on high alert, often tied to mast cell activation syndrome (MCAS). But even MCAS isn’t a true root cause…it’s more-so a manifestation of symptoms that stem from an immune system that’s become overly reactive.

What can drive that “perfect storm” behind immune reactivity?

• Pathogens (like bacteria, parasites, or viruses)

• Food sensitivities or hidden triggers

• Estrogen dominance

• Poor detoxification capacity

• Intestinal permeability (“leaky gut”)

• Mold and mycotoxins

• Chronic immune trigger (breast implants, environmental toxins, etc.)

When these factors combine to trigger your immune system, your mast cells can release histamine excessively, triggering hives, itching, swelling, and rashes.

What to do:

• Focus on gut repair and lowering your body’s total histamine load for relief

• Support detox daily (sweat, sauna, fiber, liver support)

• Investigate deeper triggers like parasites, mold, estrogen dominance, or chronic viruses

• Work with a practitioner to calm the perfect storm and reduce reactivity

The bottom line

Whether it’s acne, rosacea, eczema, or hives, know that your skin isn’t just being dramatic by flaring up. It’s actually sending you signals that something deeper is going on in your gut, your immune system, and your detox pathways.

It’s SO tempting to try to address these issues on the surface. But trust us, no amount of topicals, cleansers, or steroids will truly address the root of the issue.

If you’re dealing with stubborn skin issues and you’re ready to look beyond skincare, we’ve got you.

At Wholistic Renewal, we use personalized testing (like GI MAP + MRT) and whole-body protocols to get to the why and build you a plan that actually works.

Your skin isn’t the enemy. It’s a messenger.

And once you listen to what it’s saying? That’s where real healing begins.

To clearer skin (and a healthier gut),

Lena, Julia, & the Wholistic Renewal Team

Grab your pencils and get ready to take some notes, cause we’re gonna be giving you alllll the tips on how to outbeat your luteal phase.

But before we dish out all our hacks, we’ve got to give you some background on what the luteal phase even is and what’s going on in your body.

I know you already started scrolling down to skip this part, but I encourage you to stick with us. As we always tell our clients, if you can understand the why behind your symptoms, you’re going to be that much more equipped to understand how you can heal.

So first, let’s nerd out.

Hormones, huh?

They’re wild little buggers. As women, we really get to experience the full spectrum of highs and low thanks to them. But on a deeper level, what even are hormones?

Hormones are chemical messengers that your body sends between systems to keep things running smoothly. They regulate everything from your mood, energy, sleep, skin, digestion, metabolism, to your menstrual cycle. Literally everything!

For women, hormones are produced in several places:

• Ovaries: These are your hormone powerhouses, producing estrogen and progesterone (your main cycle-regulating hormones).

• Adrenal glands: These sit on top of your kidneys and make cortisol (your stress hormone) and some backup sex hormones.

• Hypothalamus + Pituitary gland (in the brain): Think of these as the control centers, telling your ovaries and adrenals what to do.

• Thyroid: This gal regulates metabolism and energy through thyroid hormones, and is heavily impacted by your sex and stress hormones. She’s super sensitive!

And unlike men, whose hormones run on a fairly steady 24-hour cycle, women operate on a 28-ish day cycle. Oh how I LOVE being a woman!

This means two things:

1. There’s a reason why men can’t understand us and think we’re crazy at times. Their 24-hour hormone cycle could neverrrr.

2. Our hormone levels are constantly rising and falling throughout the month in response to the different phases of the menstrual cycle.

So no, you’re not “crazy” for feeling different each week. You’re just hormonally cycling like a healthy, biologically functional woman.

And the more you understand this rhythm, the more empowered you’ll be to work with it, not against it. And that’s when you can tap into that female knowledge to truly optimize and thrive during your cycle.

Thanks for sticking with us through this little nerd-out. Now let’s get into it.

The Luteal Phase: AKA “Why you’re bloating, snappy, and crying about Lord knows what”

The luteal phase is the second half of your cycle, starting right after ovulation (around day 16-ish) and ending when your period starts. It’s often called the “inner autumn” of your cycle because this is a time when things are slowing down and your body is preparing to shed the uterine lining if no pregnancy occurred.

Who’s on the roster:

• Progesterone: She’s rising to maintain the uterine lining and prep your body for a potential pregnancy.

• Estrogen: She’s up in the first half of the luteal phase, then takes a dip if no egg fertilization occurs.

This hormone rollercoaster can lead to:

• Breast tenderness

• Bloating and water retention

• Mood swings, irritability, anxiety

• PMDD

• Fatigue and poor sleep

• Headaches

• Acne

• Bowel changes (hello constipation or loose stools)

If that sounds like you, keep reading… we’ve got some tried-and-true tips that can help.

6 ways to beat the luteal lows

These tips are all about working with your biology, not against it. Think of this as your hormonal cheat sheet to feel more sane, steady, and supported in the back half of your cycle.

🍓 1. Lower your histamine load

We know estrogen is all over the place during the luteal phase. That fluctuating can trigger the release of histamine, a signaling chemical your immune system uses. Having higher levels of histamine can worsen premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) which looks like severe mood swings, headaches, irritability, and anxiety. And if you’ve already got low progesterone to start, histamine can magnify estrogen’s effects.

What to do:

While histamine levels rise in your body naturally, you can reduce external sources of histamine that come from eating histamine-rich foods. During this phase, try cutting back on histamine-rich foods like aged and fermented items (cheese, deli meats, jerky, dried fruits, sauerkraut, kombucha, and wine) as well as high histamine produce like spinach, tomatoes, strawberries, and pineapple.

🍠 2. Eat more slow-burning carbs

Your metabolism actually increases during the luteal phase (you can burn up to 300 more calories/day), so it’s normal to feel hungrier. The key is to eat smarter, not to restrict yourself or binge on inflammatory treats that will just make you feel worse.

What to do:

Prioritize complex carbs like sweet potatoes, lentils, carrots, squash, and quinoa. These help regulate blood sugar, support serotonin production, and keep you full longer. To reduce any kind of blood sugar imbalance, pair them with healthy fats and protein. My go-to: roasted sweet potatoes, lentils, avocado and ground beef or turkey.

🌻 3. Try seed cycling

Incorporate 1–2 tbsp of sunflower + sesame seeds daily during your luteal phase. Sesame seeds are rich in zinc and lignans, which support progesterone production and help block excess estrogen. This balance between estrogen and progesterone is crucial for a healthy menstrual cycle and curbing symptoms. Sunflower seeds are high in vitamin E to boost progesterone production and also provide selenium, a key nutrient for liver detoxification, which helps your body process and eliminate excess estrogen.

What to do:

Use raw, organic sunflower seeds and sesame seeds, adding 1-2 tbsp to your oatmeal, smoothies, or toss into salads. Do this in the second half of your cycle, on days 14-28.

🧘‍♀️ 4. Adjust your movement to match your hormones

During the luteal phase, your energy naturally dips, especially in the second half as progesterone peaks and your body starts to wind down. If you try to push through with high-intensity workouts like it’s ovulation week, you’ll likely feel more fatigued and inflamed. Your body won’t be happy!

What to do:

In the early luteal phase, strength training is still great, but just be intentional about recovery. As your period gets closer, switch to lower-impact movement like Pilates, yoga, or walking (it’s giving soft-girl era). Light movement won’t cause as much inflammation and it can help reduce bloat, stabilize mood, and support lymphatic drainage.

A note to all my gym rats (yeah I’m talking to you!) — This isn’t being lazy! This is being smart and actually working with your body. If you still want to lift… totally go for it, but maybe don’t push for a PR and instead focus on form and mind-to-muscle connection. When you work with your hormones, your body will show up stronger for you when you are in the place to push for those PRs.

💩 5. Increase fiber to support estrogen detox

Fiber binds to excess estrogen and helps your body eliminate it. This is crucial in the luteal phase when poor detox can worsen PMS symptoms. If you’re dealing with constipation (AKA not having at least one solid BM daily), then this is a MUST!

What to do:

Aim for 30-35g of fiber every day. Might not seem like much, but most people are averaging under 20g of fiber. Some easy sources are foods like oats, chia seeds, beans, kiwi, berries, apples, carrots, avocado, zucchini, green peas, onions, and cruciferous veggies. Also huge shoutout to THE holy grail of gluten-free breads that pack a punch with 8g of fiber: Base Culture Simply Honey Bread (not sponsored, but I wish!)

💤 6. Support your sleep

Progesterone should make you sleepy. So if you find energy is lower during your luteal phase, don’t fight it! Allow yourself to sleep in a bit. Get to bed a bit earlier. Embrace your grandma era! If you find that you actually feel wired and tired at bedtime or toss and turn all night, that’s a signal that progesterone may be low or your stress is high (hello cortisol!).

What to do:

• Limit caffeine intake. Caffeine spikes cortisol and cortisol steals from the resources needed to make progesterone. Stick to only one cup of coffee or matcha (after breakfast obviously!!) and have it no later than noon. This will support better sleep and and reduce an unnecessary cortisol spike.

• Take magnesium glycinate before bed to support relaxation. And drink herbal teas (like lemon balm or chamomile) to not only help you wind down but also reduce histamine levels.

• Start dimming lights and limit screen exposure 1–2 hours before bed to support melatonin production. If you’re looking for a good bedtime routine, I’ve never known anyone who said they didn’t sleep well after a cup of tea and a few chapters in their favorite book.

Final Thoughts

If your luteal phase feels like a regularly scheduled meltdown, it’s not in your head and it’s not just “part of being a woman” (try telling THAT to your OBGYN).

A bad luteal phase is really your body trying to tell you it’s out of balance and needs more support. By tuning in and taking small, consistent actions, you can feel more in control and feel a bit better.

And if you’ve tried all the things and still feel like a hot mess? That’s where we come in.

We dig into your hormones and gut, take a look at your diet and lifestyle, and find what’s really driving your symptoms. And then, we build you a plan to actually feel better and hold your hand every step of the way.

If that sounds like what you’re looking for, we offer a free discovery call where we can discuss functional lab testing and find the program that’s best for you. You can book that here.

Either way, we’re here for you and would love to hear what tip resonated most!

In health,

The girlies at Wholistic Renewal 🫶

Maybe that makes you think of CEOs waking up at 4 a.m., making their beds military-style, journaling, cold plunging, and meditating for 30 minutes before eating a single almond. Relatable, right?

Or maybe you’re like, “Honestly, it’s a win if I only snooze my alarm once and make it to work with clean-ish hair.” Actually relatable, right?

Whether you give yourself two hours or twenty minutes in the morning, this still applies to you:

The first hour of your day is the single most important hour of your day.

*mic-drop*

And I say that as someone who’s seen this firsthand—with clients and with myself.

Let’s pause and get honest for a sec.

Ask yourself these two questions:

1. What does the first hour of my day actually look like?
   Scrolling in bed? Chugging coffee? Running out the door? TikTok rabbit hole? Group chat updates? 5x snoozes? A cold slice of pizza?

2. How do I feel in that first hour?
   Dazed? Distracted? Anxious? Wired but tired? Foggy? On edge? Already behind before the day’s even started?

If you’re nodding along thinking “Okay, I get it… something needs to change,” you’re right. You’re also not alone.

Here’s why this matters:

Your nervous system is taking notes the second you wake up.

If you start your day in fight-or-flight mode (think… rushed, reactive, overstimulated), you’re setting yourself up for dysfunction and dysregulation before the day’s even started. Cortisol, your body’s stress hormone, is naturally highest in the morning. This is what helps get us up and out of bed.

We need that natural rise of cortisol. What we don’t need is to spike it even higher with things like:

• blue light (from your phone)

• overstimulation from music, screens, tv, social media, etc.

• rushing out the door

• jumping straight into work/tasks/chores

• caffeine on an empty stomach

• a sugary breakfast

• better yet…no breakfast

Sounds like I just outlined your morning routine, huh?

When the brain senses these stressors and triggers demand for cortisol, it throws off our digestion, hormones, mood, blood sugar, and energy for the entire day.

It’s like waking up on the wrong side of the bed, every day. And eventually, that takes a huge toll on your health — trust me, the majority of our clients’ challenges stems from a chronically dysregulated nervous system and zero stress support.

So let’s build you a morning routine that actually supports your health.

And don’t worry, I’m not about to give you a 19-step wellness influencer checklist.

These are foundational habits I recommend to my clients (and practice myself) that regulate your nervous system, help you start your day in a state of “rest and digest,” support your hormones and energy, and ground you so you can handle whatever the day throws at you.

📵 1. Don’t look at your phone right away

Yes, this is your sign to stop waking up and scrolling. When the first thing you consume is news, texts, emails, or the latest on who got kicked off Love Island, you’re putting your brain and body in reactive mode and not even giving a second for you to connect with your own thoughts or feelings.

It’s like your mind and body are getting hijacked the second you open your eyes.

You need to give yourself your attention before anyone else gets it.

Tip: Explore a classic alarm clock so you don’t have to rely on your phone to wake you up. If you need to use your phone alarm, just charge your phone anywhere but beside your bed. When it goes off, get up and shut it off, leave your phone where it is, and move to step two below….

☀️ 2. Get sunlight in your eyes + on your skin

Step outside within 30 minutes of waking (even if it’s cloudy or the sun is barely up). Just 5–10 minutes of natural light helps set your circadian rhythm, regulate cortisol (which follows a circadian pattern), boost your mood, and ultimately cue your body that it’s time to wake up (without needing 3 shots of espresso).

Sit on your balcony, open or sit by a window, and just get the light on your face. And no, this isn’t the time to sit and scroll…

🧘‍♀️ 3. Grounding or nervous system work

As you sit still, this is the perfect time to ground your nervous system in a parasympathetic (“rest and digest”) state. Take 3-5 minutes to intentionally activate this part of your nervous system. Here are some of my favorite ways to do this:

Deep Belly Breathing

• Inhale through your nose for 4 seconds and fill your belly up with air.

• Hold the breath deeply in your belly for 8 seconds.

• Exhale through your mouth for 7 seconds, making a “whoosh” sound.

• Repeat a few cycles of this and then continue with untimed, deep breaths.

5-4-3-2-1 Grounding

• Get comfy sitting and identify 5 things you can see.

• Then close your eyes and identify 4 different things you can feel around you (ex. your flannel pajama pants, the cushion behind your back, the breeze blowing on your face, the concrete under your feet, etc.)

• Next, listen for 3 things you can hear.

• Then, smell and identify 2 distinct scents.

• Finally, see if you can identify one taste (I know… not great if you haven’t brushed your teeth yet)

These practices or similar techniques are all aimed at bringing you into the present and grounding you in your body and breath.

Why the present? You show up best for yourself and are your most authentic self when you’re living in the present. This means not being consumed by the worries of the future (like all the potential scenarios of what could go wrong in the day ahead) and not dwelling on the past (like all the things you regret doing or saying yesterday). The present is where you have the most control over who you are and how you show up.

✨ 4. Set an intention, pray, or reflect

I’m not asking you to get all woo-woo and spiritual on me now. Like I said earlier, you need to give yourself attention before you give it away to others. I want you to take a quiet moment to check in with yourself.

• How do you want to show up today?

• What’s one thing you’re grateful for?

• Is there something you need to release before going into your day?

• Is there something you need to carry with you into the big day ahead?

Ask these questions now because before you know it, you’ll be sitting in bed later tonight, thinking about all the ways you wished you had showed up differently that day. Hindsight is 20/20… so learn from yesterday and get ahead of today (I just came up with that quote and lowkey feel like it belongs on a mug or t-shirt).

🍳 5. Eat a high-protein breakfast (before caffeine)

Some of the biggest morning mistakes I see: skipping breakfast, not eating within the first hour of waking, eating breakfast like you’re a 6-year-old (yeah I’m coming for your Lucky Charms), and making caffeine the first thing that touches your lips.

It’s likely been at least 8 hours since your last meal. This is not the time to load up on caffeine, sugary cereals, juice, or just skip breakfast altogether. These all spike (and then tank) your blood sugar, stress the adrenals (these glands produce cortisol!), increase anxiety, and mess with energy and hormone balance.

Here’s what to do instead:

• Aim for 20–30g of protein within an hour of waking. This is when your body needs fuel most. Protein is going to provide you with more sustained energy and set you up for a much better day (trust ya girl on this).

• If you aren’t hungry, this is not a good sign… this tells us your body is used to relying on cortisol for energy! To remedy this, start eating a small nutrient-dense meal shortly after waking and your hunger cues should slowly come back online to the point where you can eat a normal breakfast in that first hour.

• Then, after your meal, enjoy your coffee or matcha.

A note on “healthy” breakfasts like oatmeal — Oatmeal has it’s moment, but breakfast is not that moment.

Carbs are a great energy source, but they shouldn’t be the main character for breakfast. Focus on protein, healthy fats, and fiber (yes, fiber is *that* girl). Make the main meal something like chicken sausage and eggs, and have your oats as a side, topped with ground flaxseeds and berries. Your energy will be far more stable when you have a well-rounded breakfast.

The bottom line:

You don’t need a perfect morning, but you do need a supportive one.

The way you start your day sets the tone for everything that follows: your mood, your digestion, your hormones, your energy, your focus.

If your mornings are chaotic, rushed, overstimulated, or even just disorganized… you’re starting the day in a state of dysregulation. Your nervous system will mirror that. And trust me, that will show up in your health. I see it time and time again with my clients.

So start small. Pick 1 or 2 things from those recommendations. Don’t look at your phone. Step outside. Eat something real. These may seem like tiny shifts, but they’re the kind of habits that compound and create long-term change.

Cheers to more slow mornings and moments of intentionality!

- Lena, Julia and the team at Wholistic Renewal

Here’s the truth: Healing your gut is a marathon, not a sprint.

One way to put things in perspective is to highlight that it likely didn’t take you a few months to end up in a chronic state of bloating, constipation, diarrhea, acid reflux, brain fog, fatigue, etc. All that dysfunction actually started years ago and gradually built overtime. That means it’s going to take some time to remedy this all and get you to optimal health. Like the title says, 90 days is certainly enough time to do a 180 and feel significantly better.

If you lock in for this time, you can lay a solid foundation of gut health that will propel you to reach your health goals and integrate healthy habits that will serve you for the rest of your life.

Multiple Angles of Attack

At Wholistic Renewal, we always talk about the “perfect storm” of factors that led to a client’s health challenges. This “perfect storm” is often a mix of things (mental and emotional stress, poor sleep, under-eating, restrictive diets, antibiotic use, food sensitivities, etc.) that result in intestinal permeability, gut imbalances, poor enzymatic activity, and an overwhelmed gut-immune system.

Since there were many varying factors that contributed to your compromised gut, that means that you’ll also need a healing approach that attacks from multiple angles.

Think…

• Identifying and removing food triggers

• Focusing on foods and nutrients that heal the gut lining

• Nervous system regulation

• Addressing microbiome imbalances

• Reducing external and environmental stressors

So with that preface, let’s dive in to how to heal your gut.

Step 1. Run the Labs

I know you might be looking for the test-free version of gut healing 101, and while I will give you some test-free steps, I have to start with testing since it truly is a game-changer for us and for all of our clients.

If you’ve been trying a million different gut healing hacks or worked with practitioners and not seen results, then it might be because you’re missing key information.

Without lab insights (from the right lab tests too) you’re quite literally flying blind.

Many symptom patterns look the same but require vastly different approaches to heal. For instance, depleted commensal bacteria can cause bloating, gas, acid reflux, acne, fatigue, and brain fog. But overgrowths of commensal bacteria can also cause these exact symptoms. While a probiotic would solve commensal depletion, it could make a commensal overgrowth worse.

That’s all to say that if you’ve wasted time, money, and energy on things that aren’t working, then it might be time to invest in something that will. And that starts with running the right functional lab tests.

Step 2. Remove Inflammatory Foods

Whether you’re running an MRT food sensitivity test or not, one of the most impactful first steps is reducing inflammatory foods (to be totally real with you, removing these triggers is going to be much more impactful than just reducing). Food can be your medicine, but it can also be your poison. You may not realize that foods you’re eating every day are triggering your immune system and weakening your gut lining.

While the foods that trigger the immune system look different for every person (a reason we love the MRT), there are some common items that generally cause issues in most. If you’ve run an MRT, follow your personal reactivity results — those “yellow” and “red” foods matter, even if you don’t notice immediate symptoms after eating them.

If you haven’t run a test, you can still start by removing the common offenders.

• Gluten (shocker, ikr)

  • The main protein in gluten, gliadin, can increase zonulin, a protein that opens up tight junctions connecting the cells of your gut lining. This leads to more intestinal permeability (“leaky gut”). Apart from the protein itself being problematic, gluten is highly contaminated with glyphosate, an herbicide sprayed on wheat crops. This wreaks HAVOC on the gut lining!

• Dairy

  • Even if it’s organic or grass-fed, dairy can be hard on the gut when digestive function is compromised to start. Many people don’t make enough lactase, the enzyme needed to break down lactose, which leads to bloating, gas, and acne. Conventional dairy also contains hormones, antibiotics, and additives that can disrupt digestion and trigger inflammation. Removing it completely for the initial 4-6 weeks of healing and then slowly reintroducing high quality, organic A2 dairy is a good strategy.

• Refined sugar

  • Sugar feeds dysbiotic bacteria and yeast in the gut, promotes blood sugar spikes, and depletes key minerals that support digestive and immune function. It’s inflammatory and honestly overrated. There are far better sources of sweetness out there that are natural, tastier, and healthier. Hello frozen fruit bowls (a must-try)!

• Alcohol (sorry to be a party pooper)

  • Alcohol is inflammatory and we all know it. It disrupts the gut lining, feeds opportunistic bacteria, increases intestinal permeability, and adds to your body’s overall toxic burden.

  • I’d say just drink in moderation, but honestly, when you’re trying to heal, being a sober sally is the best route to take…

• Energy drinks

  • If the battery-acid taste isn’t enough of a red flag, just read the ingredient label… Energy drinks are packed with caffeine, artificial sweeteners, and chemical additives that tax the nervous system (increasing cortisol secretion) and inflame the gut lining.

• Artificial sweeteners and zero-cal “foods” (gymrats… this is for you)

  • No real, nutritious food can be zero calories. Artificial sweeteners might cut calories but they also damage the microbiome and trigger inflammation. Don’t prioritize calorie count over food quality.

• Ultra-processed foods

  • Highly processed foods (think foods with 10+ ingredients, boxed/canned stuff that sits on the shelf for years without changing color, and flavored items) aren’t found in nature. They’re made in a lab. And let’s be honest… gums, fillers, preservatives, and inflammatory oils don’t belong in your body.

Even just a 3-4 week elimination of these foods can give your gut the space it needs to start repairing. It might feel like a lot, but if you’re consistent and committed to it, it can truly make a massive difference.

And when you start feeling better, you might find that you don’t even want to have these inflammatory triggers again.

Step 3. Buy Organic Food

Prioritize organic foods as often as possible. This reduces your exposure to pesticides, additives, and synthetic chemicals that can damage the gut lining, disrupt your microbiome, impair detox pathways, and throw hormones out of balance. Think about what those pesticides and herbicides are doing to the bacteria and microorganisms on the crops… then imagine what they’re doing to your delicate microbiome.

Step 4. Stick as Close to Nature as Possible

It’s important to also prioritize to single-ingredient, nutrient-dense foods. Think: eggs, ground beef, wild-caught fish, fruits, vegetables, beans, rice, etc. Essentially, the less processed, the better. If it was made in a lab or comes with a long ingredient list you can’t pronounce, it probably doesn’t belong in your body!

Step 5. Support Digestion with “Rest & Digest” Habits

This one is often overlooked but incredibly important. You could be eating the most nutrient-dense meals in the world, but if you're scarfing it down while answering emails or stressed in traffic, your body won’t digest it properly.

Before meals, take a few deep belly breaths to shift your nervous system into parasympathetic mode (“rest and digest”). Sit down, chew your food thoroughly, avoid distractions (no scrolling!), and make mealtime feel slow and sacred. Your gut will thank you for it.

Step 6. Rebuild the Gut Lining

Another bombshell has entered the villa…. L-glutamine. This amino acid is one of the most effective nutrients for restoring the integrity of the gut lining. In times of stress and chronic cortisol secretion, glutamine is depleted so it’s important to restore it.

Pair L-glutamine with gut-soothing foods like aloe vera, bone broth, or marshmallow root for even more impact.

Step 7. Opt for Warm, Cooked Foods

Salads seem to be “that girl” when it comes to healthy eating. But this is not her time to shine. When your gut is inflamed or your digestion is sluggish, raw foods can be surprisingly harsh. While they might be nutrient-dense, raw vegetables (especially cruciferous ones like kale, broccoli, and cabbage) require more work to break down. If you’re facing gut issues, that’s a job that your body might not be able to handle well right now.

Instead, focus on warm, cooked meals that are easier to digest and gentler on the gut lining. Think soups, stews, sautéed or roasted veggies, and lightly steamed greens. These forms still give you the nutrients your body needs, but in a way that’s much more soothing and supportive during the healing process.

Step 8. Emphasize Healthy Fats and Fiber

Healthy fats like avocado, olive oil, coconut, walnuts, flaxseeds, and fatty fish support hormone production, reduce gut inflammation, and soothe the GI tract. Not all fats are created equal, so watch out for omega-6s like seed oils and fried foods.

We also can’t forget about fiber. Fiber never gets enough hype. It’s key for feeding your microbiome and supporting regular bowel movements, detoxification, blood sugar balance, hormonal balance, and so much more. Aim for at least 30g of fiber daily. Most of us don’t get nearly enough fiber, so definitely try tracking your intake for a few days to see how you need to adjust your diet. Look for fiber in fruits, veggies, flaxseed, chia seeds, oats, rice, and legumes.

A simple goal: aim to get fat, fiber (often also a carb source), and protein in every meal.

Step 9. Activate Your Vagus Nerve Daily

Your gut and brain are in constant communication through the vagus nerve. The vagus nerve plays a key role in your parasympathetic nervous system (aka “rest and digest” mode), which controls digestion, inflammation, heart rate, mood, and more.

When your vagus nerve is underactive (which is when your body is constantly in fight-or-flight) it can lead to slowed motility, poor stomach acid production, increased gut inflammation, and symptoms like bloating, constipation, anxiety, hair loss, … the list goes on and on.

Thankfully, you can rewire your nervous system by activating the vagus nerve to send signals of safety to your body and allow healing to begin.

Some of our go-to vagus nerve exercises:

• Gargling for 30 seconds in the morning (yes, it’s weird but it works)

• Singing loudly or humming (I just gave you an excuse for a daily jam sesh)

• Cold exposure like a splash of cold water on the face or cold towel on the neck

• Belly breathing and breathwork

Other great practices to support your nervous system include things like meditation, EFT tapping, prayer, or journaling. Find practices that you enjoy and can be consistent with. Aiming for 10 minutes daily is a good place to start. Work your way up to 30 minutes scattered throughout the day.

The Bottom Line

If you feel like that’s a lot, then it should make sense why I called gut healing a marathon, not a sprint.

There will be weeks where you feel amazing and others where symptoms pop back up. When we say that healing isn’t linear, that’s what we mean! The key is not to get discouraged and to instead to ask questions, be patient, and continue listening to your body’s feedback.

Every choice you make, from swapping out processed foods for real ones, to slowing down at mealtime, to supporting your nervous system, is a step in the right direction.

And if you’re feeling overwhelmed or unsure where to start, that’s exactly why we’re here. At Wholistic Renewal, we walk with you through every step of the journey, from functional lab testing to a personalized plan that fits your body.

Best of luck babes! Cheers to your gut healing endeavors!