WomanCode

WomanCode argues that hormonal problems — irregular or absent cycles, PCOS, acne, low libido, PMS and difficulty conceiving — are usually symptoms of upstream imbalance rather than conditions to be suppressed one at a time, and that food, blood sugar stability and daily rhythm can shift them. Vitti writes from her own history with PCOS and the frustration of being offered symptom management without explanation.

The method is a five-step protocol built around stabilising blood sugar, supporting adrenal function and elimination pathways, and then synchronising food and activity with the four phases of the menstrual cycle — the approach she later expanded into a full system. The book includes food lists by phase, cycle-charting instructions and guidance on interpreting what your own cycle is telling you.

It is written for women in their 20s and 30s dealing with cycle irregularity, PCOS or fertility questions, and for readers who want a physiological story rather than a prescription.

On evidence, one part of the book aligns well with mainstream care. In PCOS specifically, insulin resistance is a central mechanism, and blood sugar stability, resistance training, sleep and weight management have real support as first-line measures — Vitti's emphasis there is not controversial. The wider protocol is a different matter. The cycle-syncing component and the specific phase-by-phase food recommendations have a very large following and almost no controlled trial evidence behind them, and claims about restoring fertility or resolving PCOS through diet alone go beyond what the literature supports. PCOS is also a diagnosis of exclusion with metabolic and cardiovascular implications, and amenorrhea and infertility both warrant proper medical assessment rather than a self-directed program, however sensible its foundations are.