Joanne’s Story
The 14-Day Rescue Plan to Jump-Start Your Hormonal Health If you had
asked me ten years ago what I did to keep myself healthy and my hormones
functioning at optimal levels, I would have said, “I go to the gym for one hour
four or five times a week. Sure, I try to eat well (but have to admit I indulge my
cravings for York Peppermint Patties at 4 p.m. every day). I drink two to three cups of coffee every day because I love it and can’t live without it. I buy lots of vitamins, but maybe once in a while I
forget to take them—my bad! I use whatever shampoo is on sale in the drugstore. Oh, and I work as hard as I
possibly can until I collapse into bed (and then have a hard time going to
sleep).”
Now, my schedule is completely different. A savory green smoothie and the supplements I need for breakfast every day? Check. Gratitude journaling and mindful breathing? You bet. A hike outside or high-intensity interval training at least five times a week? Wouldn’t miss it. Fresh, simple, delicious meals, low in sugar and high in flavor? Of course. Nontoxic skin-care products that I love to make myself, that have given me the best skin and hair of my life? What a treat! Essential oils by my side all day long? Well, what do you think?!
All these activities have become second nature to me. I never thought they would—but they keep me healthy, vibrant, energized when I need to be, and relaxed when it’s time to wind down, so I can’t ever imagine going back to my former bad habits. My hormone chaos has been completely tamed by simple, effective home remedies, real food, and real exercise.
Here’s the thing: I am not a different person. In terms of personality, I am the same woman I was a decade ago—but what did change was my determination to do the work I knew I needed to do to finally take care of myself the way I deserved to be taken care of.
I created the 14-Day Rescue Plan to give your body the jolt it needs to balance your hormones quickly and effectively, and show you how incorporating all the good habits you’ve read about in this book, especially in the previous chapter, will drastically improve your health. The plan consists of incorporating self-care
techniques, rituals, and essential oils to help you reset your hormones. This is where the work comes in, because you have to listen to your body in order to know what it needs the most. By identifying the areas where your body needs work, you can begin to select the routines and rituals that make the most sense for you from Part II. I recommend marking them with a sticky-note flag so that you can easily reference them. Then, you can begin to work them into your daily routine—your morning and evening routines, as well as pitstops throughout the day for balance. If something doesn’t work for you, stop and swap it for something else.
Before beginning your 14-Day Rescue Plan, we need to firm up your foundation as well. Let’s take a good, hard look at nutrition first, then exercise, and revisit stress management, eliminating the toxins and adding self-care routines. Success will come from using the Five Pillars for a Foundational Lifestyle presented in
will come from using the Five Pillars for a Foundational Lifestyle presented in Chapter 15 as a guide to incorporating the self-care rituals that will help you create your individualized plan. These rituals will eventually become the habits that support you in your 14-Day Rescue Plan and beyond!
The next step is the addition of the 14-Day Rescue Meal Plan, which supports the other changes you have made. When you begin the meal plan, you will have already laid a firm foundation and have begun implementing the self-care routines and rituals for your hormonal rescue. You will not believe how well your body will respond when you tie everything together. Sure, there will be bumps along the way, but you can do it. Your body needs you to go all in and find yourself again.
I’m right here with you to support you all the way.
The 8 Steps of the 14-Day Rescue Plan
1. Mark your routines and rituals with sticky-note flags. Rank them in order of importance based on your individual needs. Create a checklist for each of the following: morning routine, evening routine, stress management, and daily habits. Feel free to add more rituals per pillar or section as needed.
2. Create your essential-oils diary and your food journal to track how each oil, blend, and meal treats your body.
3. Read Chapter 15, making notes on the Five Pillars for how to firm up your foundation.
4. Begin incorporating the foundation-firming routines and the morning and evening rituals to discover what works best for you for one week.
5. Prepare for the 14-Day Rescue Meal Plan by shopping ahead and ensuring that you have all ingredients needed.
6. Clear your calendar. Be sure that you have two free weeks without added stress or travel, and get ready to start!
7. For 14 days, follow the 14-Day Rescue Meal Plan with your daily rituals and self-care routines. Note your successes and pitfalls in your food journal, your mood and bodily responses in your essential-oils diary, and your praises in
your gratitude journal.
8. Review your journals and diary and see how you feel. Tweak according to your individual needs, then take a look at Chapter 18 for the Refresh and Replenish.
Let’s get started!