PCOS is a condition where a woman's hormones, for lack of better words, are out of wack. Often times this results in high Androgen levels (think testosterone and facial hair), irregular periods (too many or too few), and really annoying ovarian cysts. Now, doctors can tell you all day long that they don’t know why women get PCOS, and from a standard medical viewpoint I can see where they are coming from. To help fix the issue doc’s typically throw birth control at you, with hopes that it will take away, or minimize the symptoms, which it often can. However if you understand the long term effects of birth control, this may or may not be a viable option for you.
So let’s see if we can view PCOS from a different angle, a more whole body approach.
Statistically you have a much higher chance of having PCOS if you are overweight. There, I said it. Now, what is overweight to some might look different to others, so let’s break this down. If you are eating the standard American diet 365 days of the year you are NOT getting the nutrients that your body needs, and most likely you are carrying a few extra pounds. Estrogen, one of the main hormones produced by the ovaries LOVES fat. In fact, it feeds off of fat. Too much fat when you are in your prime reproductive years can cause an imbalance in your hormonal play ground. So, changing the way that you eat is key, and it isn’t rocket science folks. Eating whole, real foods is where it’s at, and it really is that simple. Is it always easy in our very American way of living? No, but it is 100% possible. Some foods that are great at combating PCOS, are foods like avocados, pumpkin seeds and mushrooms. Why those foods you ask? Because those foods are high in zinc, and according to sources zinc helps the body to combat androgens in the body.
I will second the nutrition with movement. Here is the thing folks, your liver cannot process excess hormones without movement. Did you know that your liver does that? If you aren’t moving your body, sweating, and pooping then there is a good chance that you have some hormonal issues. Poop gets rid of excess hormones, so if you are constipated then that is a problem. If you aren’t exercising, which helps with pooping, then most likely sweating isn’t happening either. Sweating is one of the main ways that the body rids itself of toxins, which in turn supports the liver. So if you are sweating away in a sauna good for you, but you still need to move your body, because movement helps everything else move. Stagnate body breeds stagnate energy. Here is the thing, you don’t have to kill yourself with working out. Commit to walking every day for 20 minutes. Do some light strength training, take a yoga class. Move, breathe and sweat when you can, but do it every day.
We can’t talk about PCOS without talking about hormones…duh! So please, for the love of the higher beings, back off of all of those endocrine disrupting daily rituals like putting on toxic make up, using toxic house hold cleaners, using toxic scents in your home (throw away the Glade!!!!), and even your laundry detergents. I know, this info might be messing with your flow, but you asked so I am telling you. All of those things matter, and they DO play a role in your health and hormones. On that note, ditch the plastic water bottles when you can. Switch preferably to glass or stainless steel.
Now, for my favorite part. Let’s talk about the energetic connection that you have to your ovaries if you are dealing with PCOS. How do you feel about your menstrual cycle? How was your reproduction taught to you prior to at onset of your first cycle? Do you suffer from any trauma or abuse in that area? Maybe you have always had a very poor connection to that part of yourself. Maybe you were taught that it was dirty, or wrong. Maybe you were taught to hide it. Maybe you have trauma from a male encounter and this trauma has rooted deeply into your ovaries. Maybe you didn’t develop PCOS until after the birth of a child. If so, how was that pregnancy, and your overall fertility journey? Where there is stress and trauma there is a fraction of your vitality that has been lost. Rarely, does someone LOVE their bodies, LOVE and respect their menstrual cycles, and have zero trauma in that area and have PCOS. It is possible, but rare. There is almost always a mental/spiritual component as the womb is the most sacred entity on the female body. It must be trusted, respected and loved. How do you treat your cycles now? Do you rest the first 3 days of your cycle with little to no exercise, sleeping, napping, eating iron rich foods? Or do you barrel through, try to ignore the exhaustion, drink cold beverages, and cold foods, suck down Tylenol, and push past what your body is trying to tell you?? Geesh, I could do a whole blog post on this subject. If you are suffering from PCOS I invite you to take a big step back and really look at your relationship to your cycle and to your body as a whole, then let the healing start from there.
Regarding herbs, supplements, and how homeopathy can help…
Remember, eat whole foods, light exercise (quit depleting your energy with insane workouts and runs), learn to RELAX. Then maybe incorporate some yummy zinc rich foods in there. As far as supplements, I am a huge fan of a good whole food vitamin, but get most of your vitamins from nutrient dense foods the best that you can.
Remember I am not officially an herbalist, but I did read a lot about Berberine for PCOS. Apparently it helps to combat androgens, and I believe it helps to normalize hormones. There are a lot of other herbs out there that help to balance hormones, some of my favorite are red raspberry leaf, Dong Quai, and Chaste Berry, but I would consult with an herbalist before taking any of these herbs long term, and/ or if you are on any medications. Again, supporting the liver is key, as I would look into herbs that support the liver as well, under the supervision of an herbalist. I personally love Dandelion Root.
Homeopathically we have many remedies for PCOS, all of which are best indicated for each individual, as there is no one size fits all in Homeopathy. To pursue Homeopathy is to begin a journey, as we may begin working with past traumas first, and the diving into the physical symptoms. Again, it is a case by case basis, but just know this, in Homeopathy we focus on the whole person, and that may include a beautiful journey full of lots of twists and turns. The question is, are you ready for that?