Many of my clients have PCOS and come to me wanting to heal their symptoms without using birth control.
What is PCOS? PCOS, or “Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome,” is a misnomer. Polycystic ovaries can occur with PCOS, but not always. Having cysts on your ovaries does NOT always mean you have PCOS.
PCOS can be diagnosed by having 2/3 criteria:
Delayed ovulation or menstrual cycles
High androgens
Polycystic ovaries
Symptoms of PCOS Include:
Irregular periods
Hirsutism
Weight gain
Fatigue
Hair loss
Oily skin and acne
Constipation
Mood changes
What drives PCOS?
Insulin Resistance: This can impair ovarian function and increase androgens. It also mangiest as high androgens, irregular cycles, hair growth/loss, acne, weight gain, and fertility.
Inflammation (in the gut): This impairs digestion and absorption of food. This can also increase cortisol and estrogen, lower progesterone, and manifests as PMS, weight gain, acne, and even mood changes.
Stress/Adrenal dysfunction: This increases stress and adrenal output, lowers progesterone, and raises blood sugar. This manifests as high androgens, irregular cycles, and insulin resistance.
When diagnosed with PCOS, it is important to look at your metabolism because THIS is the root cause of all three drivers. It’s also important to talk about minerals when it comes to PCOS. I see so many clients with PCOS have mineral imbalances when doing their Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis (HTMA).
Common Mineral Imbalances in PCOS:
High iron:
Irregular cycles
Leads to gut issues
Inflammation
Low vitamin A and copper
History of hormonal birth control use
Low macrominerals:
Depleted calcium, magnesium, sodium, and potassium
Slow oxidizers:
More depleted, sluggish thyroid, gut issues
Irregular periods:
Fast oxidizers:
High stress, anxiety
Adrenal type of PCOS
Shorter or longer cycles
If you’re a woman with PCOS and dealing with metabolic issues, I understand that weight loss can feel impossible. Maybe you’ve tried plenty of diets and exercise programs, yet still feel like nothing is working. Extreme dieting and exercise can exacerbate PCOS symptoms and make you feel just as lost as when you started. Losing weight isn't going to magically heal your PCOS.
A huge myth we are taught in Conventional Medicine is that you have to go low-carb for PCOS. This can actually cause more stress on your body, slow thyroid function, and lead to a sluggish metabolism.
When it comes to healing PCOS, it is so much more than losing weight by a calorie deficit and exercise. It is about supporting the metabolism and replenishing the nutrient deficiencies and nutrient imbalances. THIS will allow the body to have a healthy insulin and stress response, reducing those PCOS symptoms.
Focus on nourishing your body and supporting your metabolism with foods such as:
Adrenal cocktails
Pasture-raised eggs
Quality meat
Bone broth
Grass-fed dairy
Whole food carbs
Shellfish
Whitefish
Are you struggling with PCOS? Let me know in the comments below!