3 Ways to Heal PCOS Naturally
If you’ve had the unfortunate experience of having irregular periods, unpredictable period symptoms, inconsistent ovulation, infertility and difficulty managing your weight, then you are certainly not alone.
These are all frequent symptoms of PCOS (poly-cystic ovarian syndrome).
PCOS is a spectrum of hormone imbalances that affects anywhere from 6-12% of women according to the National Institute of Health (although as a practitioner, I suspect it to be much higher).
The severity of the underlying hormone imbalance determines the severity of symptoms experienced.
What imbalances are common with PCOS?
Insulin Resistance: Insulin is a chemical produced by your pancreas that helps you to utilize glucose (sugar) properly. When the body is resistant to insulin, too much glucose stays in the cells, which can impact the liver and increase fat storage.
Excess androgens: testosterone, androsterone, and DHEA are all considered androgens. All of which convert to estrogen which is our “feminizing hormone.” But when there is too much estrogen, this can lead to painful, heavy periods, migraines, breast tenderness, acne and chronically low progesterone. This can also lead to changes in sex drive and increased facial hair that can be uncomfortable. DHEA is responsible for producing estrogen from the adrenals through menopause- so balancing this out while we are young is crucial to moving through menopause well.
Excess cortisol: When the body begins to increase adipose (fat) storage, cortisol increases because fat stores cortisol. This contributes to increased inflammation and blood sugar
The main contributing root causes will be different for every woman with PCOS and it’s important to know that PCOS is a clinical diagnosis- not a laboratory diagnosis. This means that diagnosis is based off of both labs and clinical/symptom presentation, and therefore should be treated as a case-by-case basis based on your unique presentation.
So, how is one to begin working on this very complex issue?
Grab the PCOS meal plan- this will give you a great foundational meal plan to begin supporting blood sugar regulation, improve protein metabolism and support overall hormone production.
Schedule a consultation HERE.
Have the Dutch Hormone Panel done. This is a comprehensive at home urine test that will show us the breakdown of your individual cortisol pattern, androgens, estrogen, progesterone as well as neurotransmitters and inflammation markers that will give us a very in-depth picture of what your hormones are doing and where to focus our efforts. *The Dutch Hormone Consultation includes the test sent directly to you, 60 minute consultation and personalized protocol. HSA/FSA is accepted on this service.
