Entrepreneur
Interview: Alisa Vitti on female biohacking, Cycle SyncingⓇ and being an early femtech founder
Two decades ago Alisa Vitti began a mission to find alternative treatments for her newly-diagnosed PCOS. Now a global expert in functional nutrition, hormonal health and female biohacking, one the sector’s early founders talks to Femtech World.
When Alisa Vitti was diagnosed with PCOS in her early 20s, like millions of other women, she was told birth control was the only possible solution. Having had no cycle since the age of 12, she was overweight and suffering from painful cystic acne, depression, anxiety and hair loss. Her future looked bleak, if her doctor’s advice was anything to go by.
Studying at Johns Hopkins at the time, this diagnosis sent Vitti on a quest to find alternative options. Two decades on, out of this journey Vitti has become a renowned global expert and thought leader in functional nutrition and women’s hormone health, as well as a pioneer in female biohacking as the founder of one Flo Living, one of the very first femtech companies in 2012.
“I’ve been on a mission for the past 20 years to transform first line hormonal healthcare,” Vitti tells Femtech World.
“As a former PCOS sufferer myself, I saw first-hand how the conventional model of care falls short not only for women with hormonal issues, due to the lack of understanding of root causes of hormonal dysregulation, the long lead to diagnosis – an average of seven years – and the one size fits all approach to treatment, for example, ubiquitous prescribing of birth control as a solution.
“Struggling with my hormones had a profound effect on me and as a result I have been building all the tools I wish I had had at the time. I wanted to help myself and then I wanted to help every woman going through these issues.”
Infradian rhythms
Vitti’s early research led her to the discovery that women have a second biological clock— the infradian rhythm— which they experience over the course of their monthly cycle.
“It affects way more than your period,” she explains.
“It affects key systems of your body from your metabolism, brain, immune response, stress response, libido, fertility, and your cycle.”
Like the circadian rhythm, the internal clock that controls the sleep-wake cycle and other bodily functions over a 24-hour period, the infradian rhythm needs to be supported for it to perform optimally.
Men’s hormonal patterns are in sync with the circadian rhythm, Vitti explains, which is why so much of the way we live is based around this.
“The world is oriented around a circadian only clock when women also have an infradian rhythm and as you can appreciate how negatively impactful it would be to have your circadian clock disrupted daily, no one is appreciating the impact of having your infradian clock disrupted daily for years,” she continues.
“Women are not taught exactly how their hormones work and how to care for them from a young age and so they go decades actively disrupting their hormonal cycles.”
This, Vitti says, is one of the key contributing factors to why around 40 per cent of women (around 3.2 billion) globally are experiencing chronic hormone issues, such as PCOS, painful periods, irregular cycles, mood swings and infertility.
“Everything women have been told to do, from eating the same calories daily, to working out the same way daily, to waking up at the same time every morning is not only based on research done on men that actively excluded women, but fundamentally disrupts this infradian rhythm and causes all sorts of hormone issues that affect a woman’s cycle, immune response, stress response, brain and metabolic health,” she says.
“You have to change your self-care routine to match your changing hormones, while men need to keep theirs the same daily to match their hormonal patterns”
The Cycle SyncingⓇ Method
Based on her research, Vitti developed the trademarked Cycle Syncing Method, a groundbreaking diet and lifestyle programme that aims to leverage women’s natural hormonal patterns to improve their health and wellbeing.
The Method is based on three key pillars—diet, exercise intensity and time management— and aims to help women live in sync with their natural infradian rhythms, adapting their diet and lifestyle throughout each of the four stages of the cycle.
“Hormones are a byproduct of our endocrine system, which is elegantly complex, the best way to interact with and improve these hormonal outputs is by dietary and lifestyle interventions,” Vitti explains.
Her patented period app, MyFLO, goes one step further as a practical tool to help women implement the Cycle Syncing Method into their lives. It supports users to change their diet and calorie intake in order to optimise blood sugar stability and hormonal balance; adapt their workout type and intensity to optimise metabolism and fat use as fuel; and organise their calendar around each phase to reduce cortisol and stress.
According to her website, of those who have completed the Cycle Syncing Method, 70% have experienced weight loss, 85% experienced mood improvements, 83% reduced PMS Symptoms and 91% feel more energised.
“The benefits of using The Cycle SyncingⓇ Method are enormous,” Vitti says.
“You can keep your blood sugar more stable, reduce stress levels, boost oestrogen elimination, improve bowel movements and gut health, clear skin, eliminate all PMS symptoms, eliminate cramps, promote cycle regularity, experience better moods, better sleep, better sex drive, lose weight more easily, and boost your productivity. Everything works better in your body when you support your biological rhythm properly.”
The secret to success— without burning out
Vitti herself has lived by the Method for the last 20 years. She tracks her symptoms daily, preps her meals based on what her body needs that week, and arranges her schedule around times of the month when she expects to be feeling more creative or focused, for example. She credits it with not only transforming her health, but also being key to her succeeding in the way she has without burning out.
“It’s the reason I’ve been able to keep my PCOS in remission and to get pregnant at an advanced maternal age, and even to be going through perimenopause more slowly,” she says.
“It is also how I’m able to do as much as I do as an entrepreneur, mother, wife, friend, author, speaker without burning myself out. I compare it to a yoga practice, it’s not about being perfect, it’s just about coming back to the practice every day and being willing to try and learn more about my cycle phases and myself.”
Vitti adds: “For myself and for so many women who use this method, it has an added benefit of being a practice that heals a lot of the cultural conditioning we receive as women around body image, toxic hustle culture, while helping us reclaim our cyclical identity. It has been a method that has both physical and emotional benefits.”
Changing how women think about their health
Having generated over 500m views on TikTok alone, Vitti’s message— and the practical tools she has developed to deliver it— is resonating widely. With almost half of the female population suffering with symptoms which until now they have been told there is no solution for, it’s not hard to see why.
“Women have been left out of medical, fitness, and nutrition research – we have centuries to make up for in terms of catching up to understand how to best support women’s health from a healthcare perspective,” she says.
“I believe as research catches up, the new standard of women’s hormonal healthcare will include pharmaceutical interventions with dietary and lifestyle interventions, much in the same way cardiovascular medicine evolved to include both.”
Vitti adds: “In the meantime, the only way for women to navigate this environment is to biohack and become fully versed in their own health metrics so they can better manage their health.”
With two best-selling books under her belt, TedTalks and her work featured everywhere from Forbes and the NYTimes, to Vogue and Women’s Health, Vitti is empowering women with the tools to do just that.
A quick glance at the comments on her social media posts will squash any doubt that Vitti is changing the narrative when it comes to how women think about their health.
In the Flo by Alisa Vitti is out now (HQ), paperback: £10.99.
Alisa’s five steps to getting started with Cycle SyncingⓇ
- Download the FREE official Cycle SyncingⓇ app MYFLO –https://floliving.com/app
it will tell you which phase you’re in and what to do in each phase for food, fitness, work, relationships and even provides recipes, grocery lists, workout videos, and a monthly calendar so you can sync everything up with your cycle.
- Pick up the book In the FLO – to dive deeper.
- Start with one aspect of the Cycle SyncingⓇ Method – like just start modifying workouts and build from there.
- This is not a diet – it’s a lifestyle – so pace yourself – go for whatever you can do each day – take the pressure off of yourself to get it right or be perfect with it.
- If you’re struggling with other hormone problems or other issues like PCOS, fibroids, heavy bleeding, infertility, perimenopause – go to FLOliving.com and get started with your free hormonal assessment.
Look out for our upcoming interview with Alisa on the Femtech World Podcast.
News
From Hologic to Ark Surgical: Why Joseph LaBruzzo is betting on the future of women’s surgical innovation
After more than two decades leading organisations at some of the world’s most respected medical device companies, including Hologic, SenoRx Breast Care, and BTL Industries, Joseph B. LaBruzzo is embarking on a new chapter as President & CEO of U.S. Operations and Board Member at Ark Surgical.
We sat down with Joseph to discuss what drew him to Ark Surgical, why he believes women’s surgical innovation is entering a transformative era, and what it takes to bring meaningful technologies from concept to standard of care.
You have held leadership positions at some of the biggest names in MedTech. What attracted you to Ark Surgical?
Throughout my career, I’ve been fortunate to work with organisations that developed technologies capable of changing the standard of care.
What attracted me to Ark Surgical is the opportunity to help address a meaningful unmet need in gynecologic surgery with an innovation that has the potential to improve patient outcomes while preserving the benefits of minimally invasive surgery.
Opportunities like that don’t come along very often.
FemTech World recently highlighted that many women remain unaware of gynecologic cancers and that unexpected diagnoses continue to have a profound impact on patients and families.
How has your own experience shaped the way you think about innovation in women’s health?
Earlier in my career, I witnessed many women receive life-changing cancer diagnoses.
Those experiences stayed with me and reinforced my belief that if there’s an opportunity to reduce risk through better innovation, it’s one worth pursuing.
That’s one of the reasons I was drawn to Ark Surgical.
The vast majority of minimally invasive gynecologic procedures are performed for conditions believed to be benign. Unfortunately, in rare cases, pathology later reveals an unexpected malignancy.
LapBox was designed with a proprietary dual-wall tissue containment system to help facilitate contained specimen retrieval and minimise the risk of tissue spillage during laparoscopic procedures.
I believe innovations like this can help surgeons manage the unexpected while preserving the many benefits of minimally invasive surgery for women.
Women’s health has gained significant momentum in recent years, yet surgical innovation often receives less attention than diagnostics or therapeutics. Why do you think that is?
Women’s health has historically been underfunded and underserved across many areas of medicine, and surgery is no exception.
While we’ve seen tremendous advances in diagnostics and pharmaceuticals, there are still important opportunities to improve the surgical experience for both physicians and patients.
Innovation that enhances safety, efficiency, and outcomes has the potential to make a lasting impact.
What excites you most about LapBox?
LapBox addresses a very real challenge that gynecologic surgeons face during minimally invasive procedures.
It was thoughtfully designed to integrate seamlessly into the surgical workflow while providing an added layer of confidence when tissue retrieval is required.
I believe technologies that solve real clinical challenges in a practical way have the greatest potential to become part of the standard of care.
What do you see as the biggest unmet needs in minimally invasive gynecologic surgery today?
The future of surgery isn’t simply about making procedures less invasive. It’s about making them smarter and safer.
Surgeons need technologies that integrate seamlessly into their workflow while helping them navigate increasingly complex clinical situations.
Every advancement that helps reduce risk while preserving the benefits of minimally invasive surgery has the potential to improve outcomes for both physicians and patients.
That’s where I believe the greatest opportunities for innovation exist.
As you take on this new role, what are your priorities over the next 12 months?
Our focus over the next 12 months is to build a strong foundation for growth. That means expanding physician partnerships, driving early clinical adoption, growing our team, and ensuring that more surgeons have access to technologies like LapBox.
At the same time, we’re focused on building strategic relationships with investors, healthcare systems, and industry partners that support our long-term vision.
What advice would you give entrepreneurs building the next generation of women’s health companies?
Start with a real clinical problem and never lose sight of the patient.
Great technology alone isn’t enough. You also need strong clinical evidence, physician advocates, and a clear market strategy. The companies that succeed are the ones that bring all of those pieces together while remaining focused on improving patient care.
About Joseph B. LaBruzzo
As President & CEO of U.S. Operations and Board Member, Joseph LaBruzzo is leading Ark Surgical’s U.S. growth strategy, physician partnerships, strategic investment initiatives, and organisational expansion, supporting the company’s mission to advance safer minimally invasive gynecologic surgery through innovative technologies.
A market analysis made by Moore Financial Consulting estimates the global market for Zero Candida Technologies, Inc. (TSXV: ZCT) (OTCQB: ZCTFF) (FSE: 9L2) (the “Company” or “ZCT”), a FemTech medical device company advancing next-generation solutions for women’s health, will reach over USD 2 billion by 2030, with a compound annual growth rate of 5.25 per cent globally and 3.9 per cent in North America and 4.2 per cent in Europe.
The analysis emphasis that up to 75 per cent of women will have at least one vaginal yeast infection in their life.
Moreover, recurrent VVC (Vulvovaginal Candidiasis) affects nearly 8 per cent of women globally (for women above the ages of 15-60).
According to the data, 100 per cent of women with Recurrent VVC will purchase a combination of over-the-counter and prescription antifungal treatments, usually with the common use of oral agents.
Compared to women with non-recurrent VCC, 55.2 per cent will purchase prescription antifungal treatment, 37 per cent over-the-counter antifungal, 5.6 per cent will purchase a combination of both treatments, and the rest will not purchase any treatment.
Eli Ben Haroosh, founder & CEO, Zero Candida Technologies, said: “Moore’s market analysis matches our estimations, Zero Candida is a groundbreaking and game-changing company in the world of women’s medicine, and we look forward to be one of the leading companies offering AI-driven, tampon-like device, helping women suffering from VVC .
Zero Candida announced recently that its shares are now successfully listed on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange (FSE).
This listing marks a significant milestone for the Company as it expands its global presence, now cross-listed on both the TSX Venture Exchange and the FSE, providing increased visibility and access to a broader pool of international investors.
Propel Healthtech West Yorkshire has opened applications for its final 2026 healthtech cohort, offering innovators support to scale solutions for the NHS and wider healthcare system.
The accelerator is inviting healthtech innovators with ambitious solutions to join its last cohort of the year.
Propel Healthtech West Yorkshire supports small and medium-sized businesses at start-up and scale-up stages as they develop, progress and scale healthcare innovations.
The fully funded programme is delivered by Health Innovation Yorkshire & Humber in partnership with West Yorkshire Combined Authority.
It provides tailored business support, NHS engagement and access to a nationally recognised innovation network.
Successful applicants will join a six-month programme designed to accelerate commercial growth and NHS adoption.
Support includes business development, regulatory guidance, one-to-one mentoring, masterclasses and direct access to NHS organisations, investors and industry partners.
Regulatory guidance helps companies understand the rules they must follow before healthcare products can be safely adopted.
Dr Neville Young, director of enterprise and innovation at Health Innovation Yorkshire & Humber, said: “It’s always incredibly exciting to open another round of applications for Propel.
“So far, we’ve seen outstanding examples of how this collaborative, innovation-led programme supports companies to start, scale and embed their products and solutions within our local healthcare system.
“As we launch our final cohort of 2026, we’re looking forward to welcoming another group of ambitious innovators who share our vision of improving health and care through innovation.
“The value we can offer participating SMEs continues to grow year on year, and we’re proud to deliver Propel Healthtech West Yorkshire alongside partners who help shape a programme that is truly world-leading in its ambition, quality and impact.”
The programme launched in November 2025 following £4.5m through the West Yorkshire Mayor’s Investment Zone, part of a wider £160m Investment Zone.
It aims to accelerate innovation, attract investment and strengthen the region’s health and life sciences sector.
Over four years, the programme plans to support hundreds of innovators, helping businesses grow in West Yorkshire while developing technologies intended to improve patient care, tackle healthcare challenges and create high-value jobs across the region.
The programme is delivered with a network of regional, national and international partners, giving innovators access to expertise, markets and organisations familiar with developing and scaling healthcare innovations.
Applications are open to early-stage innovators and organisations that can show evidence of NHS traction.
Applicants must already have a presence in West Yorkshire or be willing to establish one.
Each successful organisation will receive support tailored to its stage of development and growth ambitions, reflecting its individual commercial and clinical priorities.
Applications opened at 9am on Monday 20 July and close at 4pm on Friday 25 September.
Successful innovators are due to be notified on Friday 2 October, ahead of the cohort launch event on Thursday 15 October.
Programme offboarding is scheduled for March 2027.
Tim East, workstream lead for start-ups at Propel Healthtech West Yorkshire, said: “Every cohort brings together founders tackling some of healthcare’s biggest challenges with innovative ideas, technologies and solutions. What makes Propel unique is the breadth of expertise available to innovators, from NHS partners and academics to investors, experienced founders and international organisations.
“Whether you’re at the beginning of your commercial journey or preparing to scale, Propel is designed to give innovators the knowledge, connections and confidence needed to successfully navigate the healthcare system and accelerate growth.”
Tracy Brabin, mayor of West Yorkshire, spoke in November 2025 during the launch of the £4.5m investment as part of the Local Growth Plan.
She said: “The first priority of our Local Growth Plan is to boost our region’s fastest growing business sectors, because we know that’s how we’re going to drive investment, create jobs and put more money in people’s pockets.”
She added: “This will help with access to finance, skills and workspace to bolster collaboration with hospitals and universities, boosting growth and helping us build a stronger, brighter West Yorkshire.”
Propel Healthtech West Yorkshire says it is committed to building an inclusive innovation ecosystem and is encouraging applications from underrepresented founders, including female founders, innovators from Black, Asian and minority ethnic communities and entrepreneurs with disabilities.
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