MCT, or medium-chain triglycerides, are a category of concentrated saturated fat (the good kind!) made from coconut oil. MCTs are made of various medium-chain fatty acids such as Caprylic, Caproic, Capric and Lauric Acid. These are science-y terms that are good to know, but you don’t need to understand them to reap the benefits that MCT oil has to offer.

MCTs are easily oxidized by our liver which makes them easy fuel for our bodies. This quick oxidization allows our body to burn energy more quickly and efficiently. MCT provides close to instant- and extremely sustainable energy for our bodies.

MCT oil can be found in most health food stores, just look at the ingredients to make sure it is only coconut and/or palm oil.

Health Benefits

MCT oil has numerous health benefits besides hormone balance. I’ll list a few here and we’ll get into why you want it for your hormones in a minute.

• Improved Blood Sugar Regulation
• Improved Metabolism (increases energy expenditure)
• Appetite Regulation
• Cholesterol and Blood Lipid Control
• Health Cell Membranes
• Improved Immune System

Hormone Balance

Blood Sugar Regulation

Blood sugar and insulin regulation are one of the most important things to consider for any hormonal condition. There are even hormonal conditions with insulin problems as a disagnostic factor for the disease, an example of that is polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS). In research the use of MCTs has improved glucose metabolism in subjects, which equals more energy, more stamina and less PMS for you. It has been shown that chronically imbalanced blood sugar in the second half of the menstrual cycle leads to more PMS.

You can use Bulletproof Tea as a great breakfast to use MCT oil and set you day for lasting, balanced blood sugar.

Appetite Regulation

Because it regulates blood sugar, using MCT naturally leads to appetite regulation. Additionally, fat is the slowest burning fuel you can eat, so you will naturally want to eat less. My experience with this is that when I use Bulletproof Tea everyday, I just can’t eat as much food the rest of the day. And you will also want to make better choices! Once you see how good you’ll feel using MCT or other fats in your diet, cravings tend to disappear.

Beyond this, when you’re not eating as much and cravings disappear, then PMS and hormonal imbalance symptoms will drastically decrease.

Weight Loss

We’ve all heard the dangers and risks involved in carrying too much excess weight. While I’m not a proponent of super-thin, nutrient-deficient bodies- having a healthy weight for YOU is important. We store excess hormones in our fat cells, and when we have a lot of extra fat tissue, we tend to accumulate old hormones that should have been detoxed out of the body. So, we can get those PMS + Menopause-causing hormones out of the body with weight loss. Increasing the amount of fat in your diet and using nutraceuticals like MCT can have a big effect on your body weight- whether weight loss or weight maintenance is your goal.

Balance your hormones, reduce your PMS, lose weight and feel energized with MCT oil!

Let’s talk! Have you tried MCT oil or using fats for your health concerns? What was your experience?

When I ask women what their top priorities are, I NEVER hear any woman list herself. Not in her top 3 priorities, not in her top 5. This baffles me every time. I talk to them about the importance of self-care and usually her eyes will start to glaze over, or she might start fidgeting with nerves or guilt.

If this is happening to YOU- stay with me!

As a Taurus, I’ve always loved everything indulgent and am always looking for cool and new ways I can take care of myself. I’ve tried MANY things over the years and I have to say that the more I did it, the higher on my priority list it became.

When something makes you feel good, you want to repeat it, right? Except with self-care, you’re not feeling guilty after having a calorie + sugar-laden doughnut or sitting on your butt, everyday, all day.

And because I’m The Hormone Diva of course I’m going to bring hormones into the equation. When we are constantly stressed and not taking care of ourselves, our levels of the stress hormone cortisol stay constantly elevated. For women this means weight gain, mood disorders like anxiety and depression, as well as exhaustion, cravings, irregular periods and a nasty menopause transition.

Self-care doesn’t have to be hard. It doesn’t have to take a lot of time and definitely shouldn’t make you feel guilty. If you want to reduce your stress, get happy + balance your hormones- you must take part in self-care!

Here are some super awesome ways to do it, in only minutes a day (seriously):

• Heavenly Acupressure Mat 

Lie on this mat for even a few minutes a day and reap the benefits of reduced stress, better sleep, improved mood and decreased pain. I personally have the acupressure mat I’ve listed above. I bought the set with the pillow as well- what a great way to help with neck + head tension. And no- it doesn’t hurt! The longer you lay on this mat, the more you will sink into it. Up-level your relaxation: Lay on the mat in legs-up-the-wall pose for a double stress-attack.

• Nature walk

I feel like a preacher on this one: time and time again I’ve talked about the benefits of walking in nature. Sure, you may have a treadmill in your basement, but if at all possible- walk outside! The site of plant life and a blue sky will relax you and help you feel grounded. Plus the fresh air will invigorate you and the sunshine will give you a healthy dose of Vitamin D!

• Meditation/deep breathing

If our breathing remains shallow, our body thinks we are in a constant state of stress. So up goes that cortisol again, and we’ll feel stressed + exhausted all the time. Using meditation or deep breathing techniques to reset how you breathe on a daily basis is crazy helpful. Whether you get an App for your phone, or take part in professionally-led meditations, doing this (for even 5 minutes a day) will show you BIG dividends.

• Good book

Ahhh, there’s nothing like a good book. One that you can get lost in, and never want to put down. Romance, thriller, or regular-old fiction- it doesn’t matter. Turn off those phones + computers and go back to paper. Let your imagination run wild as you picture the scenes of a book in your head as your read. I’ve always got a book (or three!) on the go. I like to read both non-fiction + fiction. Currently I’m reading Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn and Buddha’s Brain by Rick Hanson. Cultivate good habits and fit in a few pages a day, at least.

• Primping

While I’m all for women feeling good in their skin, it’s still nice to participate in some beauty rituals from time to time. Because of my PCOS  I struggle with my skin. Excess testosterone in my body builds up in the oil glands of my skin and causes acne. While having adult acne is no picnic, I do a few things in my beauty routine that not only HELP my skin, but also make me feel good + relaxed.

For example, twice a week I do a turmeric face mask. I leave the mask on for 15-20 minutes, and wash off to smooth, beautiful + baby soft skin! I feel relaxed, pretty and happy when I do this.

Some other things to try are doing a body scrub, having a detox bath or painting your nails. Fit these beauty rituals regularly into your life for the best benefits. Beautiful + Happy? What an awesome combo.

• Yoga

I love yoga. I have been practicing on and off since I was 16 years old. The mental + physical flexibility that comes from a regular yoga practice is seriously a miracle. You can kill two birds with one stone with this practice by getting in some exercise and some emotional self-care. This month, I’m completing a 30-day yoga challenge hosted by DoYouYoga.com. With all the free yoga websites + local studios cropping up, there’s no excuse not to try this activity. It’s helpful for women of all ages and activity levels.

When I began my PCOS healing journey, my eyes were opened to the wonderful world of high-fat eating. Now I’m not talking about stuffing my face with Big Macs and milkshakes, but rather using fat as my primary fuel while reducing my carbohydrate intake. Having a breakfast made almost entirely of fat has seriously saved me.

High fat, low carb diets like Paleo and Keto have been really big in the news lately. And for good reason. Every cell in our bodies have a membrane that’s made of fat. If we don’t get enough fat, our cells won’t work properly. Hormones won’t be made in the right amounts, blood sugar will spike, and you may experience fatigue, foggy brain or other more serious symptoms.

You may have heard of something called Bulletproof Coffee floating around the wellness sphere. This is often touted as a miracle weight loss drink. I don’t promote the use of coffee as a regular drink due to the caffeine and stress-stimulating effects. I’ve replaced the coffee with tea here. This drink definitely had an impact on my own weight loss, and have seen it help many others with various health concerns.
  
DISCLAIMER: Without proper use this drink could cause loose bowels, nausea and other temporary digestive upset. Many of our bodies are used to a low-fat diet (skim milk, skinless chicken, fat-free salad dressing, etc) and so ingestion of this drink takes time and patience. You need to give your body time to get used to having so much fat in one sitting. So, do this in baby steps. Start with about 1 teaspoon each of the MCT oil + butter. Drink the tea slowly, and over the course of a month or two, work your way up to the full 1 tablespoon each MCT + butter.

Without further ado, here’s the recipe!

Bulletproof Tea

Ingredients

1. 1-2 cups your favorite brewed tea (I like to use one that tastes good with milk- like Matcha, Oolong or Rooibos)
2. A few tbsp milk of choice (almond, coconut, organic cow/goat, no soy!!)
3. 1 tbsp MCT oil
4. 1 tbsp organic, pastured butter

Instructions

1.  Brew your tea as desired and use hot.
2. Place butter in the hot tea and cover the cup until the butter melts.
3. After the butter has 100% melted (it won’t blend properly if not completely melted), add in the milk + MCT oil.
4. Using a blender or battery-powered milk frother (my fav easy way!) for a few seconds until all the liquid fat has emulsified (mixed-in) perfectly with the tea and milk.
5. Drink slowly, and enjoy!

This tea gives me lasting energy where I don’t need to eat for 4-5 hours afterwards. It also keeps my brain clear and my focus high. I can’t say enough good things about this tea! Take it slow, and try it out!
  

As women we are always told that we are ‘lesser’ than men. That we should hide in the shadows and not believe in ourselves too much. We are supposed to take a ‘victim’ mentality. But NO MORE! It’s time for us to say Happy Valentine’s Day to ME! and actually start being confident in ourselves, our abilities and our bodies. I double-dog-dare YOU to start thinking you’re a sexy lady (you REALLY are!).

1. Naked Mirror Exercise

This may be the scariest exercise in this list for some of you hotties. But it is so worthwhile. Do you avoid looking at your body naked? Do you run past the mirror on your way to the shower? Try doing this exercise every single day for 2 weeks and see what happens. Whenever is convenient for you during your day, take off all your clothes (and your make-up, if you want to!) and stand in front of the mirror. Take 3 minutes, and really look around. Look at the bits you like, look at the bits you don’t. Stare at them in all their glory.

When you look at the bits you’re not so fond of, say something nice. For example, if you don’t really like you belly, look at it and tell it how grateful you are that your belly nourishes you, held your baby for 9 months, or anything else totally awesome about your totally awesome belly.

2. Affirmations

Affirmations are another fantastic way to build self confidence. Write them out like I have and stick them up everywhere. I have them on my desk, near my bed, in my phone and on my mirrors.

Say them over and over to yourself all day, every day. You WILL believe them eventually. See below for some of my favs:

I approve of myself and feel great about myself.

I am free to make my own choices and decisions.

I deserve all that is good. I release any need for misery and suffering.

My body is beautiful and I respect it deeply. – Click to Tweet!

My body is perfect just the way it is.

I always feel comfortable in my own skin.

Having a healthy body image improves the quality of my life.

3. Healthy Lifestyle

It’s no secret that when you feel good physically you look good physically. If you’re feeling light, energetic and peaceful, you will feel in control of your body. This was a big ah-ha moment for me. When I was first beginning my PCOS healing journey, I changed up my diet for hormone balancing. Within a week I was feeling like a totally different person. My body felt light and super-charged- like I could do anything! Healthy living can be overwhelming at first, so get some help and make it a priority.

4. Planning + Life Management

A healthy and confident lifestyle takes some planning. We’ve all heard about meal planning + prep, and scheduling in things that might take a back seat when we’re busy like sex, relaxation and time to ourselves. The planning that I do each week is the ONLY way I can balance my PCOS healing, business, relationships and ME time. I plan my meals, I have a daily scheduler to plan my business days and I definitely plan ME time.

When everything is planned and prepped, you can sail gracefully from one task to the next without any stress or worry. 

5. Push Your Boundaries

What is the first thing that pops into your head in response to this question: What is something you’ve always wanted to do but felt too scared to try? Go DO IT! Yoga intrigue you but you think your body/skills aren’t good enough? Go check out the local studio- they want YOU there. Book club sound fun? Find a local one on meetup.com and GO. Cute guy at work you’ve been wanting to talk to? Go talk to him! He probably already thinks you’re a sex-pot.