Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome is the most common hormonal disorder in women, and yet, not much is known on how to deal with the myriad of symptoms it comes with. Here are 7 things you can do in your day to day life in order to help ease your symptoms naturally.
- Understand your particular hormonal Imbalance
PCOS affects each person differently. And although it affects the hormonal system, and typically presents itself as excess testosterone, there are several other hormones that are affected that can tell you a lot about the root issue and ways to treat your personal PCOS.
2. Its about the WAY you move
Every doctor may be telling you to lose weight and exercise more, but not every type of movement is built the same. HIIT puts a lot of stress on your body, a lot of stress that those with PCOS cannot deal with well due to their hormones. Often times, this stress can even cause weight gain and fat gain. For those with PCOS it is better to look at LISS workouts (low intensity for a longer period), as well as strength training in order to lose muscle and gain fat in a way that favours your hormones.
3. Don’t obsess about fad diets
Everyone is saying to cut out all the carbs, go keto, fast, juice cleanse, etc. In reality, whilst these options do work for many people, it also doesn’t for many others. In reality, if you just stick to real, unprocessed foods, your body will thank you for it. Those with PCOS are often more susceptible to food intolerances. Therefore, it’s important to pay attention to these intolerances, listen to your body, and feed it what it wants and what nourishes it.
4. Don’t overdo the stimulants
Stimulants, again, cause stress for your hormones to be working in overdrive. This may include caffeine, smoking, and alcohol. I’m not saying to NEVER have these ever again, but try to limit your consumption in order to bring your hormones into a more relaxed, and balanced state.
5. Support yourself with herbal remedies
Some doctors may be quick to get you on birth control, metformin, and who knows what else to help balance your hormones, where as in reality, if you understand point number one, then there are several herbal and natural options to help your symptoms. For example, Berberines are comparable to metformin in helping blood sugar levels and inositol can help support your overall hormonal balance with spearmint tea being a great alternative to prevent hair loss.
6. Eat a Fiber Rich Diet
Fiber rich foods, as well as lignans such as chia seeds and flax seeds help support the body in detoxification. Through supporting detoxification you are also supporting the secretion of excess hormones in the body, which will aid in rebalancing your hormones.
7. Check for any connecting disorders
Often, when someone has PCOS, they also have another chronic issue. We are whole systems, and need to understand how our system is working in connection. For example, those with PCOS also often have Type 2 Diabetes, Pre Diabetes, Hypothyroidism, IBS, and others in the categories of: metabolic syndrome, autoimmune disease, and inflammatory diseases.