Here’s some help for those battling with PCOS.

Let’s understand the term PCOS first:  The ‘S’ stands for a syndrome which is a collection of diseases, PC is for ‘Poly-cysts’ – a condition wherein there are numerous cysts, and the ‘O’ is ovarian as in relating to the ovary. Therefore, we see that PCOS is a polygenic and multifactorial syndromic disorder.

What are ovaries?

Ovaries are an important organ of the female reproductive system. They contain a lifetime supply of eggs (immature). We all know hormones play a major role in the functioning of all our body organs. The ovaries are directed by the hormones which are produced by the pitutary glands. Every month different hormones get stimulated in the ovaries leading to the occurrence of menses.

Let’s understand what happens every month during menses normally i.e., the pathophysiology of the menstrual cycle-

Ovaries are the organs where a woman’s eggs are produced. The ovaries have tiny sacs called follicles which are filled with a fluid, and where eggs are stored.

Different hormones stimulate the function of ovaries, to some extent male hormones are also involved in the stimulation. As the egg grows the fluid in the follicle increases. When the egg matures the follicle breaks down to release the egg.

The released egg travels to the fallopian tube and waits for fertilization. If the egg is not fertilized, it shreds in the next month of menstruation. All these functions occur when there is a balanced stimulation of different female reproductive hormones.

Now let’s see what happens in the case of PCOS. 

 In women with PCOS, a very high or low amount of female hormones coupled with more than required amounts of male hormone are produced. As a result, ovulation does not occur and all these hormonal imbalances lead to conditions such as the formation of cysts (exhibiting all the symptoms and signs of PCOS), irregular periods, infertility, etc.

Many of us also suffer from Premenstrual Syndrome(PMS) such as back pain, mood swings, anxiety, irritability, loss of libido, impaired gut health, bloating, acidity, indigestion, acne, etc.

Every month before menses, the lymphatic system drains maximum waste from the female reproductive system. But due to long-term consumption of unhealthy food and inadvisable eating habits coupled with a sedentary and westernized lifestyle, the lymph still gets congested and thus leads to the ill-effects such as PMS and PCOS.

 Let’s understand the difference between the symptoms of women with and without PCOS:

Women without  PCOS	Women with PCOS
Regular menses every month.	Irregular menses every month.
Menses are minimum for 4 days, and a maximum of 5 days.	The flow of the menses is either very low or very heavy for one or 2 days and extends for more than 5 days, sometimes even 15 days or more.
No abnormal hair growth on body parts.	Prevalence of hirsutism (abnormal hair growth on face, chest, stomach, etc.).
No abnormal weight gain.	Abnormal weight gain is found.
No abnormal hair-fall.	Abnormal hair fall.
No infertility.	Infertility is seen.
Clear skin	Acne on face and back, redness of facial skin,etc.

Risk factors of PCOS:

• Unhealthy, junk food
• Lack of physical activity
• Stress
• Hereditary
• Obesity
• Adopting a westernized lifestyle
• Lack of a balanced diet

PCOS is unknown to many people and, owing to this lack of awareness, they think it is normal to have irregular. Most believe the myth that they should depend on medication for a lifetime and they just pop-in contraceptive pills every month to regularize their periods without knowing that the long-term use of oral contraceptives may lead to infertility and may also damage other organs such as the liver and kidney.

But here’s some help – try and let us know how it worked.

Diet and lifestyle modifications for PCOS:

Hormones control our entire body, and our gut is directly connected to our health. When you have one imbalance, it upsets the equilibrium of your entire body. When you fix the problem at the source, your body can begin to heal itself.

Therefore, heal your gut! Here’s how you can do it.

We are what we eat – orally and mentally!

Hormonal imbalance is caused by unhealthy eating as well as negative emotions. Along with food, lifestyle changes are also very important. Do not stress yourself of anything, learn to deal with situations, face everything and you will learn something from that situation, as we all know learning is growing. Unhealthy eating and thoughts both affect your gut microbiome which is again clogging your lymphatic system, leading to hormonal imbalance – it’s a vicious cycle.

Thank you,

We’d love to hear from you about your experience of our site, as indeed any suggestions or comments that you may have. Share you thoughts with us via the comments section (given below).

 *Disclaimer: The diet plans, remedies, and other health-related suggestions published on this website are a collation of information on directions and advice from experts (dietitians and others) provided by the respective expert mentioned as the author of an article and, as such, are sourced from reliable and competent sources. However, both the experts themselves as well as the site owners/promoters request readers to consult their family doctor/physician before using the information on this site and also to exercise caution as necessary. By visiting this site and, by virtue of accessing any information from the site, site users indemnify, by default, the site owners/promoters, dietitians, experts, and affiliates, of any potential damage caused (in any form whatsoever).