The Many Faces Of Polycystic Ovarian Disorder
What is polycystic ovarian syndrome? Also known as polycystic ovary disease, polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is a condition in which small, benign (non-cancerous) cysts develop in one or both of a woman’s ovaries. The condition is characterized by irregular menstrual periods, infertility, and other hormonal difficulties.
What are the symptoms? PCOS usually causes more than one symptom. These may include:
Irregular or absent menstrual periods
Development of some male sex characteristics, most commonly excess hair on the face and body, deepened voice, and male-pattern baldness
Acne
Weight gain or obesity
Infertility (PCOS is the most common cause of female infertility)
Insulin resistance
Decreased breast size
Women with PCOS are also at higher risk for the following conditions:
Hypertension
High cholesterol
Fatty liver disease
Sleep apnea
Endometrial cancer
What are the causes? Excess production of luteinizing hormone by the pituitary gland is often the initial cause, prompting a woman’s ovaries to produce higher-than-normal levels of the male sex hormone androgen and lower-than-normal levels of follicle-stimulating hormone. This prevents the ovaries from releasing an egg, which instead remains in the ovary and develops into a cyst.
Who is likely to develop polycystic ovarian syndrome? PCOS affects between 5 and 10 percent of females. Symptoms often begin at puberty, but women are most likely to be diagnosed with PCOS in their twenties or thirties. Those who have a mother or sister with PCOS have a higher risk of developing the condition.
How is polycystic ovarian syndrome diagnosed? Physicians typically recognize PCOS by its symptoms alone, and can sometimes feel enlarged ovaries or large ovarian cysts during a pelvic examination. Other tests can be used to confirm a diagnosis of PCOS, including:
Abdominal or vaginal ultrasound, which use sound waves to create images of the pelvic organs on a screen.
Blood tests, to check hormone levels.
What is the conventional treatment? Conventional treatment of PCOS is aimed at addressing symptoms, especially those that contribute to increased risks of cardiovascular disease, such as hypertension, diabetes, and obesity. Treatments include:
Medications to regulate a woman’s menstrual cycle, such as oral contraceptives (birth control pills) and progesterone.
Medications that block excessive androgen, such as the drug spironolactone (Aldactone).
The drug Metformin (glucophage), which treats insulin resistance and shows promise for treating PCOS in particular.
Women are encouraged to achieve and attain a healthy weight by following a healthy diet and getting regular exercise.
In addition to maintaining a healthy weight through diet and exercise, I recommend the following approaches to PCOS:
Dietary changes:
-Follow an anti-inflammatory diet
-Avoid conventionally raised beef and dairy products, which may contain residues of estrogenic hormones used as growth promoters
-Increase intake of whole soy foods, which contain isoflavones, substances that may help regulate hormone imbalances
Exercise:
If you have a predisposition to developing hormonal imbalances, keep in mind there’s a fine line between too little activity and too much. Generally speaking, women’s bodies are more susceptible to hormonal changes when exercise is increased beyond healthy levels.
Of course, this doesn’t mean you need to cut out exercise altogether. It’s just a matter of finding which amount works best for you. If you’re someone who battles high levels of cortisol and chronically unstable blood sugar levels, you might be dealing with some extra body weight and turning to exercise to help shed unwanted pounds. This is still a good approach, but more isn’t always better. And pushing yourself too hard when you’re struggling with exhaustion can cause even more hormonal stress.
Take a close look at all of the types of stress that are being placed on your body, and consider if doing gentler exercise, or intense exercise but for shorter periods of time (such as high intensity interval training), will help you. Focus on getting enough activity to help with insulin sensitivity and burning excess fat, without causing the adrenals to become overstimulated.
Reduce Stress (Both Physical and Psychological)
One of the keys to solving any hormonal problem is to take a close look at the “mind-body connection.” That’s because stress can have drastic impacts on the endocrine system and therefore on hormone production.
Different things work for different people when it comes to combatting chronic stress, whether it’s spending more time in nature, yoga, meditation, prayer, journaling and so on. Try to address which areas of your life cause the most stress and how you can handle them appropriately. Remember that stress can show up in the body in many different ways. Even lack of sleep, your diet, and exercise routine all can be perceived as stressful if they aren’t quite what your body needs.
Eat a Nutrient-Dense Diet
No matter the cause of hormonal imbalance, nutrient density and eliminating exposure to toxins are important. It’s crucial for everybody, whether hormonally balanced or not, to boost metabolism and therefore help with hormone production by eliminating various toxins that enter our bodies through modern and processed foods. Hormones can easily go awry when the body’s bombarded by things like artificial sweeteners, pesticides, preservatives and so on.
Rather than focusing on what needs to be eliminated from the diet, think about “nourishment” being the goal, especially eating a variety of natural anti-inflammatory foods like vegetables, fruits, grass-fed/pasture-raised meat, wild-caught fish (like salmon), nuts/seeds (like chia, flax, hemp, almonds and walnuts) and unrefined oils/fats (including coconut oil, olive oil and avocado). Something positive to remember is that the same dietary treatment used to fight PCOS also helps treat a whole host of other common diseases, including obesity, heart disease, autoimmune diseases and diabetes.
Support your thyroid and adrenal glands by reducing stress placed on them caused by a poor diet. This means experimenting with removing common allergens or sensitivities, toxins, and chemicals, including:
too much alcohol or caffeine
most sources of sugar and sweeteners (including high-fructose corn syrup, packaged sweet products and refined grains that trigger insulin spikes and are inflammatory and irritating to the gut)
as many packaged and processed foods as possible, since these are filled with many types of artificial ingredients, preservatives, sugars, sodium and potential endocrine disruptors
hydrogenated and refined vegetable oils (soybean, canola, safflower, sunflower and corn), which are highly inflammatory
common sensitivities, including conventional dairy products and gluten
Disclaimer:Please take a doctor's opinion before starting your dose!
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Your Well-wisher,
Dr.Insiya
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