Healthy Living

Progessence Plus - my daily bestie

Progessence Plus - my daily bestie
Let’s talk about that little bottle of Progessence Plus.
Because if you’ve been around the wellness world for more than five minutes, you’ve probably heard:
“It has wild yam, and wild yam helps your body make progesterone.”
Wellllll, not exactly.
And this is where it gets interesting.
First: wild yam is NOT literally progesterone.
Wild yam contains a plant compound called diosgenin. And yes, diosgenin can be used to make progesterone.
BUT that conversion typically happens in a lab.
Your body does not appear to have its own tiny pharmaceutical factory saying, “Oh! Wild yam! Let me whip up some progesterone real quick.” (usually
Research using wild yam cream by itself has not shown a meaningful increase in women’s progesterone levels.

But Progessence Plus is different.

Look at the ingredient list and you’ll see:
USP-grade progesterone (from wild yam extract)
Read that again.
It doesn't just contain wild yam and hope your body figures out what to do with it.
It contains actual progesterone.
The wild yam is used as a starting material to manufacture the progesterone. By the time it’s in that little bottle, your body isn't being asked to turn wild yam into progesterone.
That job has already been done.

So can progesterone be absorbed through your skin?
Researchers have studied topical progesterone, and there is evidence that progesterone can be absorbed through the skin.

But because hormones apparently LOVE making everything complicated, measuring that absorption isn't always straightforward. Blood, saliva and capillary measurements don't necessarily tell exactly the same story.
Translation?
Hormones are complicated little divas that we love so much!

And that's also why I'm not going to tell you that X number of drops will raise your progesterone by X amount. We don't have evidence that allows me to make that promise (however I will say that over the years of being around essential oils and using this one myself, women have mentioned that they have seen their usage of this raise their progesterone to levels that help your body run optimally) 

Now THIS is where Hormone Harmony comes in.
I don't want you blindly throwing things at your hormones because somebody on Instagram told you progesterone was the answer to every problem you've had since 2007 (but maybe it is?🤣)
But let’s go back, your body gives you clues.
Your cycle. Your sleep. Your energy. Your cravings. Your mood. Your stress. Your digestion.

Clues and more clues
Progesterone can be an important part of the hormone conversation but it isn't the *entire* hormone conversation.
And Progessence Plus isn't magical wild yam juice that somehow convinces your ovaries to start pumping out progesterone.
It contains USP-grade progesterone manufactured using wild yam as its source material.
That distinction matters.

Because Hormone Harmony isn't about hormone perfection or another 47-step wellness routine (but wouldn’t it be kind of fun if we had time for that?!).
It's about becoming a woman who understands her body a little better than she did yesterday.

Come join us in Hormone Harmony! 

Do I Really Need to Eat Breakfast? What Women Should Know About Breakfast, Hormones & Blood Sugar

Do I Really Need to Eat Breakfast? What Women Should Know About Breakfast, Hormones & Blood Sugar
You’ve probably heard both sides of the breakfast debate.

“Breakfast is the most important meal of the day!”

Then five minutes later, someone on Instagram is telling you to skip breakfast and fast until noon. 😅

So, **do you actually need to eat breakfast?**

The answer isn’t as simple as yes or no.

You don’t have to eat breakfast the second you wake up just because it’s morning. But for many women, especially those struggling with **low energy, blood sugar crashes, intense cravings, stress, or hormone symptoms**, eating a balanced breakfast can be a really supportive habit.

How Breakfast Can Support Blood Sugar and Hormone Health

What you eat in the morning can help set the tone for how you feel throughout the rest of your day.

A balanced breakfast that includes **protein, healthy fats, fiber, and carbohydrates** can help you feel satisfied and provide more consistent energy. Instead of grabbing a coffee, running out the door, and suddenly realizing at 11 a.m. that you’re STARVING, you’re giving your body actual fuel to work with.

Try building breakfast around foods like:

* Eggs with avocado and whole grain toast
* Greek yogurt with berries, chia seeds, and granola
* Oatmeal with nut butter, berries, and seeds
* A breakfast hash with eggs, sweet potatoes, and veggies

It doesn’t have to be fancy. And it definitely doesn’t have to be another wellness routine that makes your mornings harder.

What If You’re Not Hungry in the Morning?

If you wake up with absolutely no appetite, you don’t need to force yourself to eat at 7 a.m.

But it’s worth paying attention to your patterns.

Consistently having no appetite in the morning may be something to consider alongside your **stress levels, sleep quality, meal timing, and overall nutrition**. Instead of following a blanket rule that says everyone should eat breakfast—or everyone should fast—start noticing what actually helps *you* feel your best.

So, Should Women Eat Breakfast?

There’s no perfect breakfast time that works for every woman.

But if you’re regularly experiencing **afternoon energy crashes, sugar cravings, constant hunger, or relying on coffee to get through your morning**, experimenting with a balanced breakfast may be a simple place to start.

Your body gets a vote. 💛

Want more simple ways to support your hormones throughout the month? Grab my free Cycle Syncing Guide to learn how to nourish and support your body during each phase of your menstrual cycle.


5 Simple Ways to Support Your Hormones During a Busy Season

5 Simple Ways to Support Your Hormones During a Busy Season
Back-to-school season is here, and even if you’re not the one heading back to the classroom, chances are your routine is about to change.

Earlier mornings. Packed schedules. Practices, appointments, lunches, work, and approximately 47 things you’re supposed to remember before walking out the door.

And usually? Taking care of yourself gets pushed straight to the bottom of that list.

But supporting **women’s hormone health** doesn’t require a complicated routine. In fact, when life gets busy, getting back to a few simple foundations can make a big difference in how supported you feel.

1. Stop Skipping Breakfast

Coffee is not breakfast. (I know, I wish it counted too.)

Starting your day with a balanced breakfast that includes **protein, healthy fats, fiber, and carbohydrates** can help support steady energy and blood sugar throughout your morning.

Think eggs and toast, Greek yogurt with berries and granola, or overnight oats with added protein.

2. Prep Components, Not Perfect Meals

You don’t need five beautifully portioned containers waiting in your refrigerator.

Cook a few proteins, wash and chop produce, make a batch of rice or potatoes, and have easy snacks available. Having basic ingredients ready makes balanced meals much easier when Tuesday night inevitably gets chaotic.

3. Protect Your Sleep Routine

When schedules get packed, sleep is often the first thing we sacrifice.

But consistent, quality sleep supports your body’s stress response, energy, appetite regulation, and overall **hormone health**.

Even something as simple as going to bed around the same time each night can be a good place to start.

4. Make Movement Easier

You don’t need an hour-long workout every day.

Take a 10-minute walk after dinner. Stretch while the kids are getting ready. Lift weights a few times a week. Choose movement that realistically fits into your current season instead of creating another thing you feel like you’re failing at.

5. Give Yourself Something to Eat Before You’re Starving

Busy days make it easy to accidentally go hours without eating, only to hit the afternoon completely exhausted and ravenous.

Keep simple, protein-rich snacks available so you have something to grab between meals.

Your Hormone-Supporting Routine Can Be Simple

As you head into a busier season, you don’t need to completely reinvent your wellness routine.

Start with the foundations: balanced meals, enough protein, consistent sleep, regular movement, and realistic stress support.**

Small habits you can actually maintain will always be more useful than a “perfect” routine you abandon by October.

Want to better understand what your body needs throughout the month? Grab my free Cycle Syncing Guide and learn how to support yourself through each phase of your menstrual cycle.


Feeling Tired, Bloated, and “Off”? Your Hormones May Be Trying to Tell You Something

Feeling Tired, Bloated, and “Off”? Your Hormones May Be Trying to Tell You Something
You know what’s exhausting?

Not just feeling tired, but constantly wondering "why you don’t feel like yourself."

You wake up exhausted even after a full night’s sleep. You’re eating “healthy,” but somehow you still end the day feeling bloated and uncomfortable. One week you’re motivated, productive, and ready to take on the world. The next, you’re crying in the parking lot wondering what the heck happened.

Eventually, you start wondering if you’re simply not trying hard enough.

But what if the problem isn’t a lack of willpower? What if you were just never taught how to understand your hormones?

Understanding Hormone Health for Women

Most women learn very little about hormone health and the menstrual cycle growing up. I know I didn’t.

Instead, we learn to push through exhaustion, PMS, cravings, mood changes, and uncomfortable periods. We reach for another coffee and keep moving because feeling terrible for part of the month has somehow become accepted as “just part of being a woman.”

But your body is constantly communicating with you.

Changes in your energy, mood, hunger, sleep, digestion, and menstrual cycle can all give you valuable information about what your body needs.

The problem? No one gave us the instruction manual.

Supporting Healthy Hormones Starts With the Foundations

Hormone health doesn’t have to begin with another restrictive diet, detox, complicated supplement routine, or quick fix.

Some of the most important foundations for supporting **healthy hormones in women** are surprisingly simple:

* Keeping blood sugar more stable
* Understanding the phases of your menstrual cycle
* Supporting your nervous system and managing stress
* Prioritizing sleep and recovery
* Eating enough nourishing food
* Creating sustainable daily habits

Imagine heading into your period understanding why your body is asking you to slow down.

Imagine feeling more connected to your cycle instead of frustrated by it.

More empowered. More energized. More like yourself.

Why Blood Sugar Balance Matters for Women's Hormone Health

Why Blood Sugar Balance Matters for Women's Hormone Health
If you've been struggling with energy crashes, intense cravings, mood swings, or feeling hungry all the time, your hormones might not be the only thing asking for attention.

One of the biggest foundations of hormone health is something many women overlook: **blood sugar balance**.

When your blood sugar is constantly rising and falling throughout the day, your body has to work overtime to keep everything stable. Those frequent spikes and crashes can affect cortisol, insulin, and other hormones that influence your energy, metabolism, mood, and overall well-being.

The good news? Supporting healthy blood sugar doesn't require perfection or cutting out all of your favorite foods.

It starts with creating meals that help your body feel nourished and supported.

One of the easiest ways to do this is by building balanced meals that include:

* A quality source of protein
* Healthy fats
* Fiber-rich carbohydrates
* Plenty of colorful fruits and vegetables

This combination helps slow digestion, keeps you feeling fuller for longer, and provides a steadier release of energy throughout the day.

Skipping meals, surviving on coffee until lunch, or grabbing sugary snacks when you're exhausted can all lead to bigger blood sugar swings. While these habits are incredibly common—especially for busy women—they can leave you feeling tired, irritable, and constantly reaching for your next energy boost.

Instead of focusing on restriction, focus on consistency.

Aim to eat regular meals throughout the day, include protein with every meal, stay hydrated, and avoid going long periods without eating if possible. Small, sustainable habits often make a much bigger difference than extreme diets ever will.

It's also important to remember that stress plays a role here too. When your body is under constant stress, cortisol levels can rise, making it even harder to keep blood sugar stable. That's why supporting your nervous system through quality sleep, movement you enjoy, and moments of rest is just as important as what's on your plate.

Hormone health is never about finding one magic supplement or following the latest wellness trend.

It's about giving your body consistent signals that it's safe, nourished, and supported.

When you begin supporting your blood sugar with simple daily habits, many women notice steadier energy, fewer cravings, improved focus, and a more balanced relationship with food.

If you're ready to learn how to work with your hormones instead of against them, grab my free Cycle Syncing Guide. You'll discover simple ways to nourish your body throughout each phase of your cycle so you can feel your best—without restrictive rules or complicated routines.

Meet Leah Negrin

 
I am a bold, beautiful, sometimes timid, usually happy, essential oil, nutrition junkie. Although at 39 I feel as if I've had several careers over a lifetime (or at least sometimes when I look back at my resume that is what shines through). I've been a paralegal, an office manager, an administrative assistant, worked in commercial lending and have finally landed on nutrition.

My journey to nutrition started many years ago when my sister was diagnosed with celiac disease and food had to change for the family. From there, along my own health journey I’ve helped people not only figure out what to eat but how to do it so that it can work for them sustainably. For almost seven years I’ve been counseling people on their nutrition and weight loss journeys. 

Finally getting some sunshine in Southern California *Photo credit  Brittany Hassett 

I am knowledgeable about what purpose food serves your body and I focus on finding sustainable options when it comes to food; this also led to my love of essential oils. I had the opportunity to attend a workshop where a registered dietitian spoke about using essential oils in her practice to help her patients. I was floored. I knew that #plantsheal but I didn't realize that others in the 'conventional' medical community thought that as well!! Learning that it was possible to incorporate these magical little bottles gave me a huge sense of hope.


Alina, myself and Caitlin (oily bffs) *Photo credit Anne Negrin

 
As I learned more about these oils I was diagnosed with increased intestinal permeability or as many of us know it, leaky gut. Leaky gut has been around for quite awhile but many of us are just learning what this is or why this is even more common these days than ever before. Many issues can be related to leaky gut including autoimmune diseases. Receiving this diagnosis just led me down a path further to learn about nutrition and how to best serve my body and take care of myself.


Enjoying a vegan ice cream cone in Budapest! *Photo credit to Michelle Owen 

Since birthing our sweet baby boy at home earlier this year I’ve been incredibly passionate about helping other women too who are pregnant and new mothers with their nutrition. Eating healthy for your pregnant body and your postpartum self is a game changer for both mother and baby.

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