Holistic Women’s Hair Loss Solutions for PCOS
Holistic Hormone Balance & How to Regrow Hair with PCOS
Healing hair loss due to PCOS comes down to three main things:
- supporting insulin sensitivity
- decreasing systemic inflammation
- supporting overall hormone function.
How do we do this? We address what I call the PCOS Triangle. Which is:
1. The Gut and Liver Detoxification
In practice, I often see inflammation from increased overgrowth of yeast, or Candida, and a higher prevalence of gluten intolerance in PCOS patients. Candia can also spike insulin with PCOS patients, which then spikes androgen production in the ovaries as well.
To reduce inflammation that contributes to hair loss, women with PCOS often do well with an anti-inflammatory diet. Basically, this means:
- Lots of nutrient-dense veggies and leafy greens that are full of antioxidants.
- Healthy fats from animal sources, nuts and seeds, avocado, coconut and olive oils.
- Omitting dairy, gluten, or other common allergens your gut may struggle with.
To calm digestive inflammation, try Belly Fix.
Liver Detox
You can think of your liver as kind of like the laundromat for your body. Your liver is responsible for packaging up and getting rid of substances your body is no longer using–this goes for hormones as well.
When hormones linger in the body longer than they should, they can interfere with a healthy hormonal balance. This can be due to:
- Poor detox function due to poor methylation in the body
- Not having regular bowel movements as a result of poor digestion or constipation
Which is why it’s important to prioritize digestion and detox pathways in the liver for good hormones. Belly Fix is formulated to support both.
2. Hormones
If you’re experiencing PCOS symptoms, getting your hormones tested by an integrative medicine doctor is going to be very important to your journey. Hormone differences with PCOS include:
3. Toxic Load
Environmental toxins are altering hormone balance in many of us, not just with women who have PCOS. It’s important we support detoxification processes which can support hormonal balance.
Limited studies have shown that PCOS is correlated with reduced methylation determined by the expression of certain genes. Poor methylation means your body’s natural detox pathways aren’t able to properly metabolize and get rid of certain toxins (3).
The longer your body holds onto toxins, the more potential they have to build up and alter hormone function.
Watch: PCOS Signs, Symptoms, and Diet (The PCOS Triangle)
How to Regrow Healthy Hair with PCOS
PCOS is a complicated diagnosis to receive, and even if you suspect you have it, but aren’t able to get a diagnosis, you may be feeling overwhelmed, confused, and unsure about where to turn.
Fortunately, you don’t have to be an integrative women’s health doctor to make a positive impact on your PCOS symptoms! Follow these recommendations to get started with diet, lifestyle, and PCOS supplements.
YOU have the power to positively impact your PCOS symptoms, and that includes re-growing your hair!
Nutrition – A PCOS Diet
The best diet for PCOS symptoms will keep blood sugar in control, which will in turn help regulate insulin. There isn’t one diet that works for everyone, but these guidelines are a good starting point.
- Reduce or eliminate gluten (and minimize other processed grains which contribute to insulin resistance)
- Get 3-6 cups vegetables per day (really, the more, the better)
- Include PROTEIN AND FAT at every meal (this helps modulate insulin production as well)
- Eliminate added sugar as much as possible
The goal with diet and PCOS is to keep blood sugar stable and provide you with adequate nutrients and calories so you feel satisfied and have the right nutrients for healthy hormone balance.
Supplements to consider: B vitamin complex, omega-3s, and Ayurvedic hair support.
Learn how to eat the right foods for healthy hair in this article.
Gut Health
If the liver is like a laundromat for your body, think of your gut like the hormone production center. Without a healthy gut on board, hormone balance is a struggle.
- Eat more probiotic-rich foods
- Eliminate added sugars (which can help get candida overgrowth in check)
- Focus on prebiotic fiber to nourish GOOD gut bacteria (ideally from veggies)
- Leverage the use of supplements like Belly Fix to help this process along
Stress
This is something that no woman is surprised to hear: we’re dealing with more stress now than we ever have before, and it’s taking a huge toll on our health. Stress increases inflammation. And inflammation worsens hormone imbalance. These are some of the ways I turn things around when I’m stressed:
- Journaling
- Exercise
- Adaptogenic herbs like ashwagandha and rhodiola
- Headspace app is a great resource for guided meditation
- And I prioritize this next step below!
Sleep
Poor sleep makes us less resilient to all kinds of stress–physical, mental, emotional. If there was one thing I would recommend to almost everyone that would improve every aspect of wellbeing–it would be more quality sleep.
When I’m traveling, or have patients in the clinic who need help falling or staying asleep, my go-to are these three ingredients here.
Integrative Medicine and Women’s Hormone Balance
Hair loss is often a sign of imbalance lurking beneath the surface, and whether it’s been going on a long time, or has just started, it’s best to take action as soon as you can to avoid more symptoms arising, or the risk of permanently losing your beautiful head of hair.
For more information about PCOS and fertility, take a look at natural solutions for PCOS.
Resources