Author Archives: rawgirl

Did you know that there are more than 3 million cases of insulin resistance in the U.S. alone each year? Most people suffering from insulin resistance are unaware, and this can also be tied to specific conditions. In women, very often conditions that involve estrogen dominance, including fibroids, endometriosis and especially PCOS, deal with insulin resistance and cravings for sweets, refined carbs and sugar in general. Because an increased intake of sugar can increase estrogen levels, this leads to worsening of those conditions and a continuous downward spiral of sugar addition, fatigue, irritability, horrible periods, growth of cysts and more. These are issues that plague many of my clients.

Iodine is a trace mineral not readily discussed as a solution to these issues because it is thought of as being essential only for thyroid health, but it also can regulate the amount of sex hormones in the body. When it comes to the health of the female reproductive system, iodine is essential as there are receptors for it in the salivary glands, breasts, eyes, stomach, brain, cervix, and even the arteries. When dealing with fibrocystic breasts, ovarian cysts, and cancers of those regions, iodine is usually deficient. Radiation, smoking, stress, liver damage, endocrine disruptors (like pesticides or insecticides), and high levels of estrogen from birth control pills or excessive hormone consumption in diet can all block absorption of iodine.

It’s ideal to take iodine with a blend of other trace minerals or from a whole food source like sea kelp or seaweeds. Beware of where you source your sea vegetables to avoid heavy metals. Using a tincture or supplement can also work. The RDA for iodine is 150 mcg per day, which some practitioners consider too low, especially when treating long term deficiencies. However, when supplementing iodine balance is key as too much can cause toxicity symptoms, so be sure to supplement under the supervision of a health practitioner. -XO

Wednesday Words from a past hormonal balancing client: 

“Esosa has changed my life. I’ve had numerous health issues and suddenly entered into early menopause, so my energy and mood got terribly low. After receiving results from various doctors, it became clear that I would have to put in a lot of work to avoid serious problems. I put my trust in Esosa and she dove right into each issue, giving me ideas for healthy mental and physical activities and she found the perfect supplements and foods to help me heal from the inside out. The result is that I now look and feel better than I have in years. She cared, she put in the work, and she gave me a path to follow so that I could take much better care of myself. Esosa is inspirational. She gave me back the reins to take control of my health.” – Mrs. Bauser 

This is why I do what I do! I am so grateful for the opportunity to help women like Mrs. Bauser. I know that the power of holistic interventions is real and more women need to know about them. Over the past two years I have helped my clients normalize their periods, get rid of menopausal symptoms, reduce their fibroid size and symptoms, and be free from endometriosis pain. And I am so excited to help you do the same in my new Hormone Balancing Academy! If you are ready to do the work to transform your health, sign up for a free 20 minute call with our team via this link. -XO

Ladies! Today I want to break down some PMS basics. The first thing you need to know is that your period is an important indicator of your overall health. My clients are often amazed after working with me for 1-2 months when they start to have pain-free, mood swing-free cycles! A lot of times they are actually confused and think something may be wrong. I have to assure them that this is what normal looks like! 

For many women PMS symptoms return month after month causing fluid retention, nervousness, reactivity, and even depression during the two weeks prior. In addition to water retention and mood changes, you may experience exhaustion, sweet cravings, outbreaks of acne, indigestion, and muscle aches. And of course cramping can be added on to all of these unsavory symptoms making it necessary to shut down work and life as you know it. I’ve had clients who before working with me had the horrifying experience of being hospitalized due to excessive bleeding and cramping. 

The menstrual cycle is more than just the period. In fact, the period is just the first phase of the cycle. The menstrual cycle is actually made up of two cycles that interact and overlap—one happening in the ovaries and one in the uterus. The ovarian cycle consists of the follicular phase, ovulation, and luteal phase whereas the uterine cycle is divided into menstruation, proliferative phase, and secretory phase. The brain, ovaries, and uterus work together and communicate through hormones to keep the cycle going. A menstrual cycle starts with the first day of the period and ends with the start of the next period. Very key to understand because everything you do from day 1 until the next period, diet and lifestyle wise, can drastically influence your symptoms. 

Here’s the good news: there are natural ways to cope and even triumph over Aunt Flow, and you can learn about them in my new Hormone Balancing Academy. If you, or a woman you know, is ready to have pain-free and mood swing-free cycles, sign up for a call with our team via this link. -XO

Did you know I wear cacao on my face everyday? Chile, yes! I make my go-to pressed powder myself. 

Here’s how to make pressed powder using ingredients you can find in your kitchen that are high in antioxidants, anti-inflammatory and generally good for the skin.

Potential Ingredients:

Raw cacao powder

Turmeric

Organic cornstarch

Unsweetened organic cocoa powder (with no additives if you have a darker skin tone)

To start you have to figure out what tones are present in your skin. Using a small bowl and a measuring cup, start with the ingredient that is closest to your skin tone or a good base. I start with a large amount of cacao powder. I have yellow tones, so I slowly add in 1/2 tsp of turmeric powder until I get a color that matches my skin tone. If you are darker skinned, starting with the cocoa powder may be a good idea. If much lighter, starting with cornstarch and adding the darker powders little by little until you match your skin tone is key. 

I put my powder in smaller containers I can take with me or store in the bathroom. Be sure to clean / sterilize the containers before putting the powder in there, and clean your makeup brushes regularly to make sure you are not getting any dirt or bacteria on your face.  – XO

P.S. Catch the REPLAY of my talk about The Healing Power of Essential Oils and Aromatherapy with Montgomery Heart & Wellness HERE.

Lately there have been so many powerful women I respect who have bravely stepped forward to discuss their hormonal balance conditions and the steps they have taken to resolve them. The most recent ones I was sad to hear about were: Eve, who chose to have a myomectomy, and Marie Forleo who had a hysterectomy. My heart and prayers go out to them both because I know these decisions are difficult to make, and that sometimes imbalance does progress to the point that a surgical procedure is necessary. What I am concerned about that is missing from the conversation are holistic interventions – diet and lifestyle that can not only prevent the need for these procedures, but ensure that a woman’s body is no longer creating an environment in which fibroids, endo, cysts and more are able to come back. 

Many of my clients have had surgeries, were never told about lifestyle or diet changes, and also never went through a process to rebalance holistically. So what happens is they end up a year or two later with the same diagnosis and sometimes it’s worse than the first time. If you or someone you know is considering an invasive surgery and has not had a conversation with a licensed health professional about other means to turn your hormonal health around, I implore you to do so. It’s important that we start to educate women that going under the knife should be the last option after everything else has been exhausted. 

I am determined to give women the tools and information they need to transform their health and take control of their hormones. Enrollment is now open for Raw Girl’s Hormonal Balancing Academy! If you or a woman you know is ready to transform your health, sign up for a call with our team via THIS LINK. XO

The holidays are here! It is a time for good cheer, connecting with loved ones, gifting, and when excessive overeating can become the norm. So that you are not at square one at the beginning of the New Year, making yet another resolution to shed unwanted pounds… here are some ways to keep your waistline in check tomorrow and over the rest of the holiday season.

Increase your physical activity (aka earn your meals). Eating more is never an issue, the biggest problem is that we do not increase our level of activity to compensate for large holiday meals. If you set yourself up to burn what you may consume, you are less likely to wake up the next day and notice an increase on the scale.

Pick your cheats. If you are currently reducing or eliminating certain foods or alcohol from your diet, it’s a great idea to decide before the meal what you want to indulge in and how much. When we set limits beforehand and give ourselves some room to enjoy, we are less likely to allow that one bite to become the gateway to overeating our restricted foods.

Find healthy substitutions. Making healthier choices should never be about complete deprivation. Most of the holiday foods you love can be enjoyed; it’s a matter of finding substitutions for ingredients to increase the quality of the nutrition. Instead of white flour you could do almond flour, instead of sugar you can use fruit without added sugars, instead of dairy and heavy cream you can use plant-based substitutes etc. 

Eat mindfully. During the holidays some of us save our appetite for one big meal, and then end up overeating. Mindful eating is the practice of staying present while eating, pausing between bites, and listening to your bodies’ cues so that you don’t end up too full. When you feel you have had your fill, make sure you stop eating. If you still need to get in dessert, you can wait a few hours until the rest of your food has properly digested. Keep in mind that leftovers will be around, so you don’t have to go overboard at dinner. 

Hope you all have a wonderful day tomorrow with family or friends, no matter the distance. Let’s make sure to take a moment every day to be grateful for all we have. -XO