4 lifestyle changes that can ease PCOS symptoms
PCOS affects 5 million women in the US and 26% of women worldwide – and many more suffer without a diagnosis. Often dismissed as painful, heavy periods, PCOS isn’t curable but can be well-managed, especially when detected early.
Exactly what makes PCOS so prevalent is as of yet unknown, but incidences certainly appear to have increased in recent years.
Sadly PCOS often goes misdiagnosed and untreated – but even if you’re still waiting on an official confirmation, making these simple, subtle lifestyle changes can help to alleviate some of the most common symptoms of PCOS.
What are the symptoms of PCOS?
PCOS can manifest in different ways in women, but there are some key symptoms to be aware of, including:
*Weight gain
*Irregular, painful periods
*Thinning hair
*Acne
*Excessive hair growth on the face
PCOS symptoms are distressing and can severely impact on quality of life – so alleviating them is hugely important. Most allopathic treatments are invasive or involve synthetic hormones – but there are alternatives you can try first if you want to avoid those.
Eat to nourish and balance
Diet is a huge factor when it comes to holistically treating PCOS. Whilst herbal remedies do have a role to play (more on this below), eating well is crucial in order to minimise symptoms as much as possible.
Concentrate on a balanced, wholefoods diet containing plenty of leafy green vegetables, legumes, unrefined, unprocessed carbohydrates such as whole grains and root vegetables and lean proteins such as fish, chicken and tofu. Anti-inflammatory foods high in omega-3s will also help alleviate and balance.
Stay active
Sadly for many PCOS sufferers exercise is challenging because symptoms prevent easy access to many common forms of fitness. The key here is little and often – building up slowly, being kind to yourself and starting with small steps maintaining regular positive movement.
Exercise has been shown in numerous studies to be beneficial for PCOS patients, as it can support weight loss and may reduce testosterone concentration in the blood.
Try strength and resistance training and exercises that support your emotional health as well as physical like yoga and pilates. Activities such as walking, hiking, rock climbing and swimming also count.
The most important thing is to make exercise fun – it needs to be something you look forward to, not something you dread! This is the key to making movement a habit and really seeing the benefits over time.
Explore traditional medicines and supplements
There really is a plethora of herbal medicines that can support menstrual health and in particular, help to alleviate symptoms of PCOS. However as always caution needs to be exercised when trying new supplements and you should consult your healthcare
provider before starting any new medications or supplements. It’s always best to adopt a guided approach with an integrative health professional by your side – someone who can offer a personalised prescription based on your individual needs.
Some common herbs and plant medicines found to be anecdotally supportive for PCOS symptoms include:
Magnesium
Turmeric
Zinc
Calcium
Maca
Ashwagandha
Tulsi (Holy Basil)
Chasteberry
Probiotics
Don’t lose hope
A diagnosis of PCOS can be devastating and living with symptoms can be exhausting – but don’t lose hope. Make sure you find a medical professional to remain by your side at all times and help you to explore all treatment options available to you. You can find plenty of resources and information on the blog, or download my free guide here.