Hi, I'm Kristy!

I believe body literacy is a human right!

My mission is to empower and inspire women to become their own health advocates by understanding their bodies. You might be shocked by what you weren't taught.

My Credentials:

• FAE, Certified Fertility Awareness Educator & Women's Health Advocate, FEMM Fertility Education & Medical Management, 2024

• HNC, Holistic Nutrition Certification, AFPA, American Fitness Professionals and Associates, 2019 

• RYT 200, Registered Yoga Teacher & Meditation Guide, Yoga Alliance, 2017

• B.A. Educ., English Concentration, Psychology Minor, McNeese State University, 1999

When my daughter was 15, she was diagnosed with PCOS (polycystic ovarian syndrome.)

The first visit to the doctor's office was unproductive at best. We saw the nurse practitioner who informed us in a very dismissive way that her symptoms were completely normal. But my intuition was telling me something wasn't right.

I made a follow-up appointment and insisted on seeing the gynecologist. The receptionist gave me a hard time about this, and I had to really push to get my daughter in to see the doctor and not the nurse practitioner.

When she was finally diagnosed correctly, she was told to eat more protein and take Metformin. Nothing else. No explanation of the Metformin - we left there not knowing what the medication was specifically for. No explanation of the disorder itself - how she developed it, what caused it, or if it could be cured.

I had to do my own research to find the cause and solutions. She definitely did not get the guidance she needed from the gynecologist.

Approximately 1 in 10 women have PCOS. Why? And why aren't women educated about such a common issue? It's unacceptable!

PCOS is not technically a disease. It's a collection of symptoms. There are ways to balance your hormones and reduce PCOS symptoms. It doesn't happen overnight. It takes time and commitment, but there is hope.

At 14, my periods became debilitatingly painful. The crippling pain began only after I started using tampons. When I learned the truth about endocrine disruptors and how those tampons were affecting my body, I was shocked.

For most of my life, my period would last up to 2 weeks. My doctor actually told me this was normal! IT's NOT!

On top of that, I only learned of the possible side effects of hormonal birth control after taking it for twenty years.

I trusted my doctor to tell me what I needed to know about the medication he was prescribing, and I trusted that he wouldn't prescribe something that was harmful. I was only 17 when I started taking it, and I really didn't even know what questions to ask.

And yes, there are risks with any medication, but it would have been nice to know how it affects bone health since osteoperosis runs in my family. That's just one example. If the side effects had actually been discussed, I may have reconsidered taking it.

After I got over my initial anger and sadness for my younger self, I realized that everyone should know this basic and vital information.

I've spent years studying health, nutrition, the female body and reproductive system, yoga, and meditation. I’ve turned everything I've learned into Avó Rouge, a platform dedicated to empowering and inspiring women to become active participants in their own healthcare by learning about their bodies and reproductive systems.

I've created self-study courses, group programs, and 1:1 private intensives that teach cycle tracking, cyclical living, and ancient wisdom about the feminine archetypes and how to apply the concepts to our modern lives. 

This platform is not for everyone. If you, too, believe that understanding how your body works is your right, that body literacy is a human rights issue and you want to learn all you can, then you're in the right place, and I'm thrilled that you're here! WELCOME SISTER!

What's in a Name?

Long ago, feminine wisdom was passed down from the wise female elders of our tribes, especially during the time of women's monthly menstrual cycles.

Women gathered in the red tent to bleed together, to sing and tell stories, and to hold space in support of one another.

The men of the tribe took over all the women's responsibilites while the women were in the red tent in honor of this sacred time and in support of the women.

One of my grandmothers is Portuguese and the other was French. 

Avó means grandmother in Portuguese and rouge means red in French.

The name Avó Rouge pays homage to my heritage, to both of my grandmothers, to the long lost traditions of our female ancestors, and to the sacred feminine cycles...including our menstrual cycle.