Your Hormones Deserve a Smarter Approach.

Here's a truth the fitness and wellness industry rarely acknowledges: women's bodies don't respond to stress the same way every day of the month. Your hormonal landscape shifts dramatically across a 28-day cycle, and therapies that help on Day 5 might hinder on Day 20.

Cold exposure is a perfect example. For men, cold plunge works the same way regardless of timing. For women, it's more nuanced. During the luteal phase (Days 15-28), your body is already under higher metabolic stress from elevated progesterone. Adding the intense cortisol spike of cold immersion can disrupt the delicate progesterone-cortisol balance, worsening symptoms like anxiety, insomnia, and fatigue.

But during the follicular phase (Days 1-14), estrogen is rising and your body is primed to handle acute stress. Cold exposure during this window reduces cortisol by up to 30%, activates Brown Adipose Tissue (BAT) for improved insulin sensitivity, and enhances energy without hormonal disruption.

This is what cycle-aware therapy means — and it's the approach Troy has developed specifically for our female clients.

Troy designed the women's hormone protocol after extensive research into how cold therapy, infrared heat, and red light interact with the female hormonal cycle. The result is a framework that doesn't just avoid disrupting your hormones — it actively works with them.

During the follicular phase (Days 1-14), cold plunge is the centerpiece. The acute cold exposure at 40 degrees F triggers a controlled cortisol spike that resolves quickly, leaving you with lower baseline cortisol, increased norepinephrine for energy and focus, and activated Brown Adipose Tissue (BAT) that improves insulin sensitivity — particularly relevant for women dealing with PCOS.

During the luteal phase (Days 15-28), we shift to infrared sauna and Red Light Therapy — gentler modalities that support progesterone production, reduce inflammation, and promote the relaxation your body needs during this phase.

For women with PCOS, the BAT activation from properly timed cold exposure is particularly valuable. Brown fat tissue improves glucose metabolism and insulin signaling — two factors that directly impact PCOS symptoms.