Alisa Vitti is a functional nutrition and women's hormone expert, and the creator of the Cycle Syncing Method®. She's also a faculty member in our Hormone Health Course. The FLOLiving.com founder and bestselling author of WomanCode and In the FLO joined us for a conversation about her signature method, when to practice it, the infradian rhythm, and so much more.
Q: First, let’s get into what your Cycle Syncing Method® is. It’s become a very popular subject, but for those who may not be familiar with it, can you explain exactly what it is, how it works, and how it can help people?
I created the Cycle Syncing Method® after my research into the female infradian rhythm and the distinct patterns and needs that each phase of the cycle has from a metabolic, stress, immunologic, energy, and cognitive perspective. There are 3 pillars to my method: food, fitness, and time management.
So first, change the foods you eat and caloric levels to match each of the four phases of your cycle, to optimize blood sugar stability and hormonal balance. Secondly, change the workout type and intensity to match each phase to optimize metabolism and fat use as fuel. Thirdly, organize your project/time management around each phase to reduce cortisol and stress.
In the follicular phase, estrogen levels are lower, but rising — and our energy rises in tandem with it. Eat lighter foods and do more cardio. During ovulation, estrogen, FSH, LH, and testosterone surge, and we feel very social and energized. Eat more raw foods an do HIIT workouts. During the luteal phase, estrogen and progesterone rise and fall over 10-12 days, and we should feel more focused and calm (though most women feel terrible during this phase due to estrogen overload and insufficient progesterone levels, which can absolutely be corrected). Eat more slow-burning carbs and cooked veggies, and do strength training with moderate cardio (such as walking).
During the menstrual phase, all hormones are at their lowest levels, and we feel the most inwardly focused. Eat more protein, fats, and focus on pilates and yoga. This helps keep blood sugar stable, keep cortisol levels low to promote ovulation, protect progesterone, improve estrogen metabolism, balance moods, and banish PMS. It also helps you get in your peak creative flow more regularly.
Cycle Syncing® has gone viral on social media since I published In the Flo in 2020. I think it is resonating with women on a profound level because it's the first and only method that puts their biology at the center of their health plan, and validates how they have been feeling inside of their bodies throughout their cycle. I think it's a relief to finally be given the information on how your cycle phases work, and what to do to properly care for yourself as you change throughout the month. This is in stark contrast with every other plan that has been researched on men, but has left women out and told them to do those plans anyway and hope for the best. It's wonderful to see how this is shifting the cultural narrative around what real hormonal health looks like for women in their reproductive years. It's cyclical — period.
Q: Infradian rhythm has a big influence on hormone fluctuations. Can you explain what the infradian rhythm is? Specifically, how does it work in relation to circadian rhythms?
The infradian rhythm is the biological rhythm that governs cycles longer than a day, and women experience this over the course of our menstrual cycles. The circadian rhythm governs the daily clock of various body functions, and we experience this with our sleep-wake cycles. The circadian rhythm governs more than our sleep-wake cycle and requires lifestyle support, and if it becomes dysregulated, it can leads to major disease. Similarly, the infradian rhythm governs more than our menstrual cycle, requires lifestyle support, and is chronically dysregulated in women, which is why 80% of women have hormone issues compared to men. In men, their hormonal pattern follows a circadian clock. In women, it follows an infradian clock.
Q: Is there an optimal time in life to start practicing the Cycle Syncing Method®? Can someone using birth control use your method? How about someone in perimenopause or menopause?
While you have a cycle in your 20s, 30s, and 40s, you should be syncing your self-care with your cycle period! And you should start as soon as you learn about your infradian rhythm. The longer you practice the Cycle Syncing Method®, the more benefits you'll get in both the short-term and long-term. It can help keep your blood sugar more stable, reduce stress levels, boost estrogen elimination, improve bowel movements and gut health, clear skin, and eliminate all PMS symptoms. It can also help protect your fertility and slow down ovarian aging during perimenopause. Everything works better in your body when you support your biological rhythm properly.
Aside from pregnancy and postmenopause — when you no longer have a cycle — the only women that cannot truly engage the Cycle Syncing Method® are women who use hormonal birth control. Unfortunately, you don't have any cycle phases when you are on that medication.
Q: Congratulations on joining the Hormone Health Course, which provides in-depth information about balancing your hormones for optimal well-being. You're such a strong advocate for people equipping themselves with knowledge about their health. Can you tell us more about why it's so important to be empowered with this type of knowledge, and how an IIN education can help people do just that?
From where I sit, having experienced hormone issues personally — and having helped women with hormone issues for the past 25 years — the main reason women struggle with hormonal issues is a gap in information. We're not educated about how our hormones work, and what our role is in supporting them, and we end up creating so much unnecessary hormonal imbalance as a result. Since the system as a whole will take some time to catch up, it's up to you to arm yourself with an education so you're in a position to properly care for yourself and your loved ones. The Hormone Health Course is a great way to do that!
Q: In addition to your career as an author and speaker, you're also one of the first FemTech founders in the space. How does FLO Living support women's hormonal health?
After having my own journey with PCOS and working with clients 1-on-1 for a decade, I wanted to use technology to help more women faster. I launched FLO Living in 2012 to help women, naturally, from their first period to their last deal with PMS, PCOS, fibroids, infertility, perimenopause, and other symptoms. Through our online hormonal evaluation, condition-specific supplements, digital therapeutic programs, and telehealth coaching, we are a one-stop shop for women who want to get to the root cause of their symptoms and take control of their hormones!
Q: We love when you said to “get curious, get educated, and get active." How can someone begin the journey of understanding their hormone health?
I'd recommend starting by downloading the free MyFlo app. It will tell you which phase you're in, and what to do in each phase. It provides recipes, grocery lists, workout videos, and a monthly calendar so you can sync everything up with your cycle. Start with one aspect of the Cycle Syncing Method®, like modifying workouts, and build from there. This is not a diet — it’s a lifestyle — so pace yourself! Do whatever you can do each day, and take the pressure to be perfect off of yourself. If you're struggling with other hormone problems — or other issues such as PCOS, fibroids, heavy bleeding, infertility, or perimenopause — go to FLOliving.com and get started with your free hormonal assessment.
