Poly cystic ovary syndrome - not just one disease.

Instead, it’s a range of symptoms related to androgen excess. And there are multiple causes of androgen excess.

Defined as: anovulation (lack of ovulation), androgen excess that presents as irregular periods, hirsutism (increased facial hair), acne, alopecia, weight gain and infertility.

A diagnosis of poly cystic ovaries is not the be all and end all. In fact, normal ovaries are filled with ovarian follicles and those follicles are essentially “cysts” which each month grow, burst and are reabsorbed as apart of your menstrual cycle. A dominant follicle becomes larger than the rest (around 12 in healthy adults) and suppresses the others, which is ovulation.

In PCOS, there is no dominant follicle. Each of the 12 grow a little and become enlarged, underdeveloped and there is no ovulation. Now you can understand the term poly-cystic.

To understand the reason for your androgen excess we need to find what promotes androgen dominance in your body.

Epigenetics, hypothyroidism, endocrine disrupting chemical exposure, insulin resistance, chronic inflammation, hormonal contraception and elevated DHEAS (dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate {adrenal hormone}) are all different drivers of PCOS, and require different targets for treatment.

Vitamin and mineral deficiency may also cause androgen dominance, as well as high prolactin (lactation promoting pituitary hormone) or hypo-thalamic amenorrhea (under eating).

Carbohydrates are not evil, in fact are necessary for ovulation - as well as plenty of other mechanisms in the body to occur. Get rid of the idea that carbs are bad. If we didn’t need them, they probably wouldn’t be in every single natural food source available on the earth we stand upon and in turn receive nutrients from. (!)

So look, there are several reasons to consider and paths we can take to help regulate ovulation and decrease symptoms of poly cystic ovaries. Understanding the origin of your symptoms is the only way to properly arrive at a positive outcome for this disease, and it is very possible to do this naturally with the aid of herbal medicine and correct nutrients.

NATURAL WAYS TO PROMOTE HEALTHY FEMALE REPRODUCTIVE ORGANS + BEYOND

Diet. What you consume is the number one way to promote health of your reproductive organs, as well as of course your entire being. What you consume is what your body needs to build every inch of you, quite literally. Every protein, DNA transcription, fiber and muscle is all because of the nutrients that you ingest. That’s why “you are what you eat” “eat good, fell better” are quotes to live by, well in reality, you live BECAUSE of this.

Things to consider when given a PCOS diagnosis:

• do you have insulin resistance? Regular fasting insulin sit at <8mIU/L.

• were your periods regular before hormonal contraception? How old were you at commencement of the pill + simialr.

• any signs of inflammation anywhere in the body?

• is DHEAS your only high androgen?

• hows your thyroid

Inflammatory foods like sugar, gluten and dairy is what PCOS loves.
Inflammation promotes and proliferates disease, and is not subjective to poly cystic ovaries.
Understanding and controlling your refined carbohydrate and sugar intake can drastically improve your symptoms.

A BLOOD TEST

to see where there is excess and deficit.

Free testosterone, total testosterone, androstenedione, DHEAS and SHBG (sex hormone binding globulin - a blood protein that binds to testosterone and estrogen, and is especially low in PCOS) are what your health professional should ask for when getting bloods done, as well as your thyroid hormones TSH T3, T4 and reverse TSH.

SUPPLEMENTS AND HERBS TO CONSIDER

Magneisum

• stress and hypothalmus regulation

Alpha-lipoic acid

• an antioxidant, improves insulin sensitivity and promotes healthy development of follicles.

Myo-inositol

• improves insulin sensitivity and reduces androgens

Vitamin D

• promotes immunity, insulin sensitivity and healthy ovarian follicles.

Zinc

• reduces inflammation, increases immune responses, stress responses, bowel health, possesses anti-androgen effects and health of our ovarian follicles as well as progesterone levels.

N-acetyl cysteine (NAC)

• regulates ovulation, insulin production, promotes bowel health, reduces inflammation and aids removal of toxins.

Vitex, Licorice, Berberine containing herbs like Goldenseal and Barberry, Peony, Rhodiola, Saw Palmetto, Reishi, Withania are all herbs shown to improve symptoms and elevate negative effects of PCOS. There are unique considerations with each of these herbs, and some you may like to take in combination to regulate your reproductive health.

Words and wisdom:
Period Repair Manual (2018) by Lara Biden
Foundations of Naturpathic Nutriton (2015) by Fay Paxton

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