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Simply Sarena

Simply Sarena

Home | Toxin Free | What Every Woman NEEDS To Know About Their Health & Hormones

What Every Woman NEEDS To Know About Their Health & Hormones

Toxin Free, Women's Health

***I am a Certified Holistic Nutrition Health Coach however, this blog is for informational purposes only and should not be used as nutrition or medical advise. See my blog’s disclaimer for more information.

Scrolling through instagram, I come across an outrageous number of accounts of women documenting their fertility journey or their journey with IVF. Being 30 years old and single, not going to lie, I get freaked out by it. Most of these women who own these accounts are in their 20’s and 30’s. I want kids one day and I would be lying if I said I’m not concerned about my fertility.

A lot of these women are experiencing diminished ovarian reserve, some have unexplained infertility, a lot have PCOS so their cycles aren’t regular, I’m sure there are many more reasons, but those seem to be the most common I’ve come across. 

How did we get to this point? Our grandmothers were popping out kids left and right! Heck, my own grandmother had twins in her mid/late 30’s and they were kids 4&5! (My dad is one of the twins.)

Now so many women struggle to get pregnant and stay pregnant. On top of that, women have much more hormonal issues than ever before.

Growing up, acne was a teenage thing and everyone always said “you’ll grow out of it!” Now, women are struggling with acne in their 40’s! This is unreal to me! Is no one else concerned?? Does anyone else think this is weird?? Once I got in my 20’s and my acne was only getting worse, I took charge of my skin and cleared it on my own. Read about my experience HERE.

I have friends who struggle with their weight too. They try to lose weight, they eat right, exercise, don’t drink excessively, and they still can’t seem to lose weight. I know that’s the story for a lot of women. 

Also, more women struggle with depression and anxiety than ever before! What is happening?? 

I’ll tell you what is happening…we are bombarding ourselves with hormone disrupting chemicals, eating hormones & hormone disrupting chemicals (in the form of birth control, conventional animal products, and pesticides), we are more stressed out because society’s standards are shifting, even though biology isn’t and isn’t meant to. There is so much happening in today’s world that is such a disservice to women.

We need to take back our lives and femininity! If you’re ready to take control of your health and hormones, keep reading!

***We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program and other affiliate advertising programs designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and other affiliated sites. Please see this blog’s Disclosure for more information.

1. Get Off The Hormonal Birth Control:

This is the first step to taking control of your life. Hormonal birth control masks the symptoms while the actual problem gets worse. If you have period cramps, irregular periods, acne, heavy periods, etc. birth control does not treat the root of the problem. These issues are caused by a hormone imbalance (except not all acne is hormonal) and the hormone imbalance should be treated from the root, not masked by Birth Control.

Helping someone figure out what is causing their hormone imbalance is way less convenient than prescribing someone a pill to take. If you’re on birth control to prevent pregnancy, there are non-hormonal options just as effective as hormonal birth control. Condoms and Natural Cycles are both non-hormonal options that can be toxin free too, and if used properly, they are just as effective as hormonal birth control.

2. Educate Yourself On Common Hormone Disrupting Chemicals and Avoid Them:

At this point, we all know parabens are hormone disrupting and should be avoided, but that’s not the only common hormone disrupting chemical in products. Fragrance is even more common than parabens! Fragrance is in everything from your face wash to your air freshener, scented candles to scented tampons. Unfortunately, fragrance is soooo hard to avoid! You really have to be diligent and read labels religiously to avoid it, but it really is so important to avoid.

Fragrance and Parabens still aren’t the only hormone disrupting chemicals. Save the list below to reference when you’re shopping! These ingredients are found in non-stick cookware, plastic containers, skincare and makeup products, perfume, even food! (For completely TOXIN FREE skincare and makeup, click here for $10 OFF your first purchase of $50 or more from Crunchi! Discount automatically applied at checkout when you see my name in the top right corner.)

3. Know What You’re Putting In Your Body:

Diet plays a HUGE role in hormone health! If you’re eating loads of refined sugar, refined carbs, processed food, your hormones are going to get so out of whack very quickly! Also, avoid food high in glyphosate unless it’s organic. Non-organic oats have recently come under fire for containing high levels of glyphosate. Glyphosate is found in GMO foods and non-organic produce and grains. Your best bet is to eat organic or only eat conventional produce with thick skin (like oranges, pineapple, watermelon, etc.)

Make sure you’re getting enough healthy protein and healthy fats and limiting/eliminating refined sugar and processed foods. This is essential for regulating hormones. (Protein powders with a bunch of synthetic vitamins and artificial sweeteners and flavors won’t do you any good though.) 

If you’re not sure how to eat better, check out this post.

4. Listen To Your Body and Do Some Digging:

Everything in our body is related and affects each other. On my journey to clear skin, when I got rid of my acne with diet, I also got rid of frequent headaches, sinus issues, allergies, and my period cramps weren’t near as severe as they were before.

Also, I suffered from anxiety to the point where I had digestive issues and couldn’t eat. I even dropped down to 105lbs because I was so anxious I would gag when I tried to eat. I would get dizzy spells and almost pass out. Changing my diet got rid of my anxiety issues too!

If you have one issue, it’s probably related to other issues you may not even know are problems. 

I HIGHLY recommend reading Dr. Jolene Brighten’s book Beyond The Pill. There’s questionnaires to really dive deeper into your symptoms and how to figure out exactly which hormones are off. No doctor can tell you how you’re feeling. Everyone knows deep down if something is wrong or off and you need to be the one to take charge of your health. No one will do it for you.

5. We Are Not Meant To Work Like A Man:

A man’s hormonal cycle is over a 24 hour period. A woman’s hormone cycle is over a 28 day period. So the 9-5 work day is literally in favor of men. Testosterone levels for a man are highest in the morning. He feels most confident and energetic in the morning and as the day goes on, testosterone levels drop so he becomes calmer, less energized, then he goes to bed and starts the cycle over the next day. This is great for their productivity during the work day or really for anything in life.

A woman’s cycle is over 28 days. We have 4 phases to our cycle and each phase we experience different energy levels, different sleep patterns, different moods, and even different body temperatures. Taking our cycle and putting it into a typical, repetitive work day is stressful and overwhelming which in turn, negatively affects our hormone levels which can cause hormone imbalances, acne, period issues, etc. 

(Side note, I’m not a screw the patriarchy, it’s a man’s world, man hating femenist. I just believe our bodies are not the same as a man and our needs are not the same. I think there is a biological purpose to traditional gender roles. Men and women are equal partners but we do not have equal tasks or abilities…we’re meant to complement each other, not do the same as each other. I experience a lot of stress, overwhelm, and burnout at work which is why I’m a serial job-hopper. My goal in life is not to excel in a career, but to get married and raise a family…that’s just my natural, biological instinct.)

I’m so happy more and more women are becoming aware of their hormone health and realizing that taking birth control is not a cure all.

Now is the time to really take control, do your research, and do what is best for you and only you! If we don’t take care of ourselves, how can we take care of anyone else and be successful in anything? 

Just know you don’t have to change everything at once! Please don’t try to or you’ll get overwhelmed and you won’t succeed. Baby steps are key to making huge changes in the long run! If you want to make a change now, pick one of these steps to start with.

If you want to change your health and your life but don’t know where to start or need some support, reach out anytime! I check my insta DM’s often!

November 7, 2022 · Leave a Comment

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HI EVERYONE!

I’m Sarena


I’m a Northern Virginia based Integrative Nutrition Coach, a Toxin Free Lifestyle enthusiast, a dancer, and a dog mom to my sweet girl, Miss Cammie.

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simply.sarena

So many women suffer every month from debilitating So many women suffer every month from debilitating period cramps. The conventional way of treating them actually makes the problem worse!

❌Birth Control covers up the symptoms because you don’t get a real period. Meanwhile, whatever is causing the cramps in the first place is still going on in the body and probably getting worse! Birth Control does not treat cramps…it only hides the problem!

❌Ibuprofen may help in a pinch but it doesn’t treat what is actually causing the cramps in the first place. Also, ibuprofen is really bad for gut health (and poor gut health could also be a cause of cramps) so you could be making the problem worse!

❌A lot of women turn to junk food on their period however, junk food is inflammatory so if your cramps are caused by inflammation, you could be making the problem worse! If you’re craving chocolate, you probably need magnesium, so if you’re going to eat it, eat good quality DARK chocolate! 

The biggest favor you can do yourself is listen to your body and figure out what is causing the issues in the first place! The answer is different for everyone and there is no one size fits all solution!

Feel free to DM me if you need any support! 

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#womenshealth #periodcramps #periodcrampsrelief #nontoxicliving #lowtoxlife #lowtoxliving #hormonehealth #hormonehealthcoach #womenshormones #hormonal #hormonalimbalance #hormonalimbalances #nutritionforhormones #nutritioncoach #healthandnutrition #holistichealth #holistichealthtips #periodtips #periodproblems #periodpositive #periodpain
Sugar gets such a bad reputation, but not all suga Sugar gets such a bad reputation, but not all sugar is bad!!!

Natural sugar is necessary because it gives us energy! You can find natural sugar in fruits, vegetables, and sweeteners like raw honey, pure maple syrup, dates, coconut sugar, and more.

Watch out for sneaky sugars in processed food as they cause blood sugar spikes which gives us that instant energy but we crash. It also causes type 2 diabetes and insulin issues. 

When you’re reading the ingredient label on food, watch out for different (not so obvious) names for sugar. 

Just because something says 12g of sugar doesn’t mean that 12g is bad sugar…which is why you always need to check the ingredient label for the source of the sugar!

Also, people think Stevia is healthier which isn’t necessarily the case. Stevia is highly processed and should only be consumed occasionally unless you’re consuming stevia in its purest form! 

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#addedsugar #naturalsugar #stevia #holistichealth #holisticnutrition #sneakysugar #ingredientlabels #ingredientsmatter #lowtoxlifestyle #lowtoxdiet #sugarfree #sugarfreediet #sugarfreelifestyle #nontoxicliving #healthyeatinghabits #healthyeatingtips #sugartips #nutritioncoaching #nutritionfacts #nutritiontip
Birth Control does NOT cure a hormone imbalance!!! Birth Control does NOT cure a hormone imbalance!!! Birth Control hides the symptoms of a hormone imbalance, meanwhile the problem is getting worse.

A lot of women struggle with severe symptoms when they come off birth control because they never addressed the underlying cause of their hormone imbalance.

If you are struggling with hormonal acne, period cramps, severe PMS, mood swings, etc. and you think birth control is going to fix the problem, it will not!

There are a lot of factors that can cause a hormone imbalance from our diet, to hormone disrupting chemicals in our daily products, to external factors like stress, lack of sleep, etc. that can throw our hormones out of whack!

If you need support with your hormones, feel free to DM me!

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#hormonehealth #hormonehealthcoach #lowtoxlife #lowtoxlifestyle #crunchyblogger #holistichealthcoach #holistichealthandwellness #womenshealth #womenshealthmatters #womenshealthtips #womenshormonehealth #birthcontrolproblems #birthcontrolpills #birthcontrol #holistichealthcoaching #naturallivingideas #naturallifestyle #naturallivingtips #healthtipsforwomen #pcoslifestyle #hormoneimbalance #hormoneimbalances
Our bodies and hormones are so complex! If you’r Our bodies and hormones are so complex! If you’re eating right, limiting toxin exposure, and still can’t seem to get your hormones under control, it could be a different lifestyle factor coming into play!

We are not men, we do not have the same 24 hour hormone cycle that men have.

We have different needs for different times during the month! Being in tune with your body and doing what it needs at that time is so important!

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#hormonehealth #womenshealth #womenshormones #holistichealthandwellness #lowtoxlifestyle #toxinfreeliving #healthandwellnesscoach #healthandwellnesstips #birthcontrolproblems #birthcontrol #regulatehormonesnaturally #hormoneimbalance #womenslifestyle
These are foods that have been marketed to be heal These are foods that have been marketed to be healthy, but they’re not. There’s so many other actually healthy foods you could eat that are much more satisfying than these. Keep reading for why these aren’t the best options!

❌Whole Wheat Bread: This one comes down to the ingredients. One popular whole wheat bread contains Soybean Oil, Soy Lecithin, and Natural Flavors. Also because I have a gluten sensitivity, eating slices of any bread is a no for me!

❌Cereal: So many cereal’s are full of sugar and synthetic vitamins which are not properly absorbed by our bodies, not to mention artificial colors and flavors. Also, a lot of cereal has extremely high levels of glyphosate! Not a great way to start your day.

❌Flavored Yogurt: Any yogurt except plain yogurt has a lot of sugar. You’ll also find natural flavors and gums in some popular brands. Natural flavors is an easy way for companies to not disclose all ingredients and gums can cause digestive issues. In my opinion, you may as well have a bowl of ice cream and enjoy it than try to be “healthy” with flavored yogurt.

❌Farmed Salmon: You may think you’re making a healthy choice by choosing salmon however, farmed salmon should be avoided as it is basically big agricultures version of salmon. It is bred in crammed cages, fed an unnatural diet of fish meal & animal by products, and they are full of pesticides and antibiotics 🤢

❌Granola Bars: Granola bars are full of a lot of sugar including corn syrup. You may also find soybean oil or canola oil which are inflammatory, and natural flavors. You’re better off baking some cookies and knowing exactly what you’re putting in the cookies. 

Did any of these surprise you?? Let me know in the comments! 

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#healthyeatinghabits #unhealthyfood #lowtox #lowtoxlife #crunchygirl #holisticnutritioncoach #iinhealthcoach #iinalumni #iingrad #toxinfreeliving #nutritiontips #nutritionfacts #eathealthybehealthy #healthychoices #foodismedicine #dontbefooled #biggovsucks #biggovermentsucks #healyourselfnaturally #healyourselfwithfood
I’ve had so many women reach out to me lately ab I’ve had so many women reach out to me lately about wanting to get off birth control, but they’re scared how it will effect their body.

The truth is, if you got on birth control for bad period cramps, hormonal acne, irregular periods, etc., birth control was covering up the problem…not fixing it!

When you go off birth control, you’ll probably find you’ll have the same problems of not worse.

That’s why balancing your hormones is so important when coming off birth control!

These 3 tips are a great place to start! There are so many different things you can do to get your hormones in check. 

Follow for more holistic health & nutrition tips!

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#postbirthcontrolsyndrome #getoffbirthcontrol #hormonehealth #hormonehealthcoach #saynotobirthcontrol #womenshealthcoach #womenshealthmatters #womenshealthtips #womenshealthandwellness #womenshealthadvocate
✨Make sure you save this recipe for later!✨ T ✨Make sure you save this recipe for later!✨

These are the BEST healthy peanut butter chocolate chip cookies 🍪 

Recipe: 

1 egg
1 cup of peanut butter
1/2 cup coconut sugar
1/4 cup ground flaxseed
1/2 tsp aluminum free baking powder
3/4 cup dark chocolate chips (make sure you check the ingredient label and only use clean chocolate chips!)

Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 8-10 minutes!

Let me know if you give these a try! 

#healthydessertrecipes #glutenfreecookies #refinedsugarfree #bakingreel #holisticnutrition #hormonefriendly #womenshealth #womenshormones
It’s still January for a few more days! Last y It’s still January for a few more days! 

Last year, I did a lot that wasn’t working for me. I got so stuck in my routines, I was saying “yes” to everything, even if I didn’t want to, because I didn’t want to offend anyone.

This year, I’m only doing things that light me up and that are in alignment with my goals 💕✨

Health isn’t just about what we eat and the products we use, it’s also about how everything else in our life makes us feel and effects our physical health.

At the end of 2022, I realized I needed to make a change when I was starting to get headaches almost daily again. I had also spent soooo much money it makes me sick thinking about it.

No more! I’m putting myself and my goals first this year! 

#newyearnewme #2023goals #freshstart #holistichealth #holisticwellnesscoach
I ALWAYS have these 5 tea’s on hand 🍵 Green I ALWAYS have these 5 tea’s on hand 🍵

Green Tea: Contains caffeine so it gives me energy. Green Tea is also high in antioxidants!

Echinacea Tea: Has immune supporting properties. It’s even known to shorten symptoms of colds and the flu!

Dandelion Tea: This tea is a powerful liver detox! It also has anti-inflammatory properties.

Raspberry Leaf Tea: This tea is great for a woman’s cycle. It’s high in magnesium and vitamin B6 so it helps relieve PMS symptoms and helps regulate hormones.

Chaga Tea: Chaga is the king of medicinal mushrooms. It’s full of antioxidants and has anti-inflammatory properties. It helps regulate blood sugar and blood pressure, it boosts the immune system, and it may even slow the growth of c**cer cells. Literally the KING! 

My favorite brands of tea are @yogitea, @tradmedicinals, and @numiorganictea. These brands have organic teas and their tea bags are plastic free!
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