The start of a new year often brings pressure to do more, eat less, and push harder. But when it comes to hormone health, extreme resolutions can backfire.
If you’re starting the year feeling exhausted, moody, bloated, or dependent on caffeine just to function, it’s not a lack of discipline. It’s your hormones responding to stress.
Why “New Year, New You” Can Worsen Hormone Imbalance
After months of holiday stress, disrupted sleep, and blood sugar swings, your nervous system is already taxed. Jumping into restrictive diets or intense workouts raises cortisol, your primary stress hormone.
Elevated cortisol can suppress progesterone, disrupt sleep, impair digestion, and worsen blood sugar instability. That’s why many women feel worse — not better — by mid-January.
A true reset doesn’t mean doing more. It means supporting your body first.
A Hormone-Supportive New Year Reset
1. Stabilize blood sugar before restricting food
Skipping meals or relying on caffeine keeps stress hormones elevated. Prioritize regular meals with protein, fiber, and healthy fats to support insulin sensitivity and steady energy.
2. Reset your circadian rhythm
Consistent sleep and wake times help regulate melatonin and cortisol. Morning sunlight and dim evenings are simple but powerful tools for hormone balance.
3. Choose gentle movement for hormone health
Walking, stretching, and low-intensity strength training reduce cortisol and improve metabolic health without overstressing the body.
4. Support your nervous system daily
Nervous system regulation is foundational for hormone healing. Even five minutes of breathwork, rest, or quiet time signals safety to the body.
5. Track your menstrual cycle
Cycle tracking provides insight into energy, mood, and hormonal patterns. Working with your cycle — not against it — supports long-term hormonal balance.
Your Hormone Health Goal This Year
This year doesn’t need to be about fixing yourself.
It can be about restoring balance, reducing stress, and building sustainable habits that support your hormones long-term. When your body feels safe and supported, energy improves, cravings stabilize, and sleep becomes more restful.
That’s the kind of reset that actually lasts.
This recipe is made with organic peanut butter, which provides healthy fats that support heart health and help maintain healthy cholesterol levels. The combination of carbohydrates and fats delivers steady, sustained energy—perfect for a mid-day pick-me-up or a pre-workout snack that won’t leave you crashing later. Plus, the dark chocolate chips add antioxidants that help fight oxidative stress and support overall wellness.
Ingredients:
- 1 Egg
- 1/2 cup Brown Sugar
- 1/2 tsp Sea Salt
- 1 cup All Natural Peanut Butter (runny)
- 1 tsp Baking Soda
- 3/4 cup Dark Chocolate Chips
Instructions:
- Whisk the egg and brown sugar well in a large bowl until smooth. Add the salt, peanut butter, and baking soda and mix until combined. Fold in the chocolate chips.
- Transfer the cookie dough mixture to the fridge for ten minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF (175ºC) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Scoop one tablespoon of dough per cookie and form it into a ball. Place the ball on the baking sheet and flatten it with a fork, leaving some space between cookies. Use another baking sheet or bake in batches if needed.
- Bake in the oven for 10 to 11 minutes. Let the cookies cool for 10 minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack for another five minutes. Enjoy!
This recipe supports heart health with pistachios and walnuts that provide heart-healthy fats to help maintain healthy cholesterol levels, while dark chocolate and walnuts add antioxidants that protect your cells from everyday stress. The balanced mix of healthy fats, protein, and carbohydrates offers steady, sustained energy, and the touch of maple syrup and dark chocolate adds natural sweetness without sacrificing nourishment.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup Pistachios
- 1 1/4 cups Walnuts
- 3 tbsps Maple Syrup
- 1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract
- 1 tsp Cardamom
- 1/2 cup Dark Chocolate Chips
- 1/2 tsp Coconut Oil
- 1/4 tsp Sea Salt (flaky)
Instructions:
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC) and line a loaf pan with parchment paper.
- In a medium-sized bowl, combine the pistachios, walnuts, maple syrup, vanilla, and cardamom. Mix well.
- Add the nut mixture to the prepared loaf pan, pressing down with a spatula. Transfer to the oven and bake for 25 minutes, until lightly toasted.
- Let the mixture cool completely in the pan, ideally one hour, before removing. Break into clusters.
- Line a small baking sheet (or large plate) with parchment paper.
- Melt the chocolate and coconut oil in a saucepan on low or in the microwave for 30-second intervals.
- Dip each cluster into the melted chocolate, garnish with salt, and place on the prepared baking sheet. Transfer to the fridge for 10 to 15 minutes or until the chocolate has set. Enjoy!
10 servings
❄️ Winter Self-Care That Supports Your Hormones (and Your Sanity)
For those of you who know me, you know I’m not a fan of cold, grey weather (hence why we lived in Florida for a while). But now that we’re in a place that actually has seasons-thankfully winter here is only 2–3 months and not the 8-month Chicago version-I’m leaning into this season with more intentional self-care.
And not just the bubble bath kind (though no shade to that obviously).
I’m talking about cozy, nervous-system-soothing, hormone-supporting winter rituals that actually help you feel like yourself again.
I’m talking about cozy, nervous-system-soothing, hormone-supporting winter rituals that actually help you feel like yourself again.
Here’s what’s been in my rotation lately:
🪔 1. Diffusing grounding essential oils during meditation
Cold weather + low light = my mood needs some extra love.
I’ve been making space to sit in silence and breathe while diffusing oils like cedarwood, frankincense, or clary sage. These oils are known for their calming, hormone-balancing effects-and they help me regulate my nervous system and cortisol after long, overstimulating days.
I’ve been making space to sit in silence and breathe while diffusing oils like cedarwood, frankincense, or clary sage. These oils are known for their calming, hormone-balancing effects-and they help me regulate my nervous system and cortisol after long, overstimulating days.
🍫 2. Hot chocolate that actually nourishes me
I’m still a cozy girl at heart-so give me the blanket, the Hallmark movie, and the hot chocolate... but make it blood sugar-friendly.
Lately I’ve been loving this brand, and I doctor it up with:
Lately I’ve been loving this brand, and I doctor it up with:
- Bone broth
- Unsweetened almond milk (I like this one if I don't make my own)
- A little splash of this creamer - it's a pretty great creamer ingredients and taste wise
It tastes like indulgence but fuels like medicine. My inner child and my inner nutritionist are both thriving.
👶 3. Hugging the baby tighter
This might sound simple, but the oxytocin hit from snuggling your baby (or your dog, partner, or heating pad) literally helps regulate cortisol and support hormonal balance. Physical touch = free therapy.
💡 4. Red light therapy on dark, cloudy days
When the sun disappears, my energy plummets.
Using red light therapy a few times a week has helped with mood, skin health, and even sleep quality. This is the one I love this one and I try to use it in the evenings while drinking my tea or journaling.
Using red light therapy a few times a week has helped with mood, skin health, and even sleep quality. This is the one I love this one and I try to use it in the evenings while drinking my tea or journaling.
🧖♀️ 5. Castor oil packs for grounding + detox
This one’s been a game-changer. Castor oil packs over the liver or lower belly help support detox pathways, reduce inflammation, and calm the nervous system-especially in the luteal phase. I’d love to pop mine on in the evening while reading but in reality I apply it over my liver and wear it overnight while I'm sleeping - way easier personally!
🫧 6. Magnesium soaks or foot baths
When I don’t have time for a full bath (which, let’s be real, is often), a magnesium foot soak is the next best thing. It helps with sleep, bloating, cramps, and stress-all of which get worse in the winter if I’m not careful.
Winter might not be my favorite season, but with the right rituals, it feels less like survival mode and more like a reset. These small things don’t just help me feel better-they help my hormones feel safe, too.
If you’re craving deeper support through winter (and beyond), come join us in Reset & Rebalance-doors open on January 12th!
If you’ve been trying to take better care of your hormones — maybe you’re dealing with low energy, weird mood swings, acne that makes you feel sixteen again, or cycles that seem to change every single month — you’re not imagining things. Your hormones really do touch everything… your gut, your mood, your skin, and yep, even how your body handles sugar.
But here’s the part most women never hear about:
That “healthy” protein bar, greens powder, or iced latte you’ve been sweetening with stevia?
It might be working against your hormones instead of supporting them.
And before you panic — no, this isn’t about throwing away half your pantry. I promise.
So… what’s the deal with stevia?
Your ovulation, mood, and overall hormonal rhythm are controlled by a ridiculously smart feedback loop between your brain, your gut, and your ovaries. They’re constantly talking to each other. And anything that interrupts that communication? Your body notices.
Stevia — especially whole-leaf, “natural” versions — is usually marketed as the safer swap for sugar. But early research suggests it may not be as harmless as we’ve been led to believe.
Some studies show stevia may:
- Influence estrogen-sensitive pathways
- Shift your gut microbiome in ways that affect hormone detox
- And in animal studies, even reduce fertility and implantation rates
And because so many “sugar-free” products sneak in other hormone-disrupting sweeteners like sucralose, it’s easy to think you’re making a healthy choice while your body is quietly saying, “Hey… something feels off.”
Do you need to panic-clean your entire pantry? Absolutely not.
This is really about awareness — especially if you’re navigating things like:
- PCOS
- Missing or irregular periods
- Low energy
- Mood dips around your cycle
- Or you’re simply trying to support better ovulation
Your hormones aren’t dramatic or complicated. They aren’t overreacting.
They’re responding.
When something doesn’t feel right — the bloating, the cravings, the fatigue, the skin stuff — your body is communicating with you. Learning how to read those signals is the first step to feeling like yourself again.
Want to understand your cycle in a way that actually makes sense?
If you’re ready to get in sync with your hormones, your energy, and the way your body responds throughout the month, I made something for you.
GRAB MY FREE CYCLE SYNCING RECIPES
Inside, I walk you through each phase of your cycle and show you exactly how to support your hormones, mood, and ovulation without the overwhelm.
Because your body isn’t broken. It’s brilliant.
And when you know how to work with it, everything gets easier. 🌿
