PCOS is Polycystic Ovary Syndrome. Breaking that down literally then means
Poly – many, Cystic – cysts, Ovary – Ovary, Syndrome – A group of symptoms.
So, lots of cysts on the ovaries can bring about many adverse symptoms.
PCOS – is unfortunately quite a common condition and affects 1 in 10 women between 18 and 44 (I was diagnosed with it at the age of 32) it comes with many symptoms which may include one or several of the following:
Acne
Boils
Irregular Periods (not helpful for getting pregnant)
Hirsutism (hairy, in places women should not have hair),
Difficulty losing weight
Plus, many many, more I am sure!
Why am I telling you this? for those that have PCOS already know all of this information and probably more.
The two main areas that really can be investigated:
- Increased levels of androgens (the male hormone). Women having high levels struggle to ovulate as the correct balance of the female hormones, oestrogen and progesterone;
- Increased levels of insulin, this is yet another hormone that responsible for blood sugar, and having the blood sugars out of balance not only wreaks havoc on what we eat but also on the ability to drop weight.
What can we do? There are things that we can consider to help bring about a balance:
- Looking at what you are eating will go some way in fact a long way to balancing your blood sugars and insulin levels. There are many diets (hate that word) let’s use ‘eating regimes’ that guide you with eating less or zero sugar. The regime will also have an effect on the oestrogen and progesterone if you start eating foods that help the body produce these. Look at things like the following to boost oestrogen levels:
Porridge
Soy Beans and Soy products
Tofu
Flax Seeds
Dried Fruits but be careful here as they are full of sugar (natural yes, but sugar)
Sesame Seeds
Garlic
Berries (again fruit) but much better for the sugar levels
Wheat Bran
Cruciferous Vegetables – Broccoli, Cauliflower, Brussels and cabbage
Look at what you are using on your skin, I know I keep going on about this, but the research is clear. Would you believe that anything that goes on your skin is actually in your bloodstream in less than 30 seconds which if you check out the ingredients, can have a detrimental effect on your hormone balance? My recommendation here would be to look at products that contain natural products. I personally use Tropic Skincare https://bit.ly/JenTropicShop.
Message me if you need any guidance here.
As a reflexologist, I have helped many women with this problem. I have personally been helped with Reflexology for my PCOS and although I now no longer have PCOS I suspect from a combination of regular Reflexology and a missed miscarriage where I had to have an ERPC procedure done. Anyway, Reflexology is a great relaxer and really helps to balance those all-important hormones. Check out a Reflexologist near you using the AOR.org website or contact me if you are in the Kent, South London Area.
