Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome of PCOS is a condition where women have hormonal imbalance leading to problems different health problems, including
- Irregular Menstrual Cycle
- Difficulty in Getting Pregnant
- Issues in Outward Appearance
- Issues in Cardiac Function (Including Hear Disease)
- Diabetes

The signs of having PCOS can sometimes be mistaken as symptoms of menopause. Women with PCOS usually develop small cysts in their ovaries, which is basically what causes the imbalance of hormones.


PCOS is caused by different factors:
- Genetic
- Endocrine
- Environmental
- Epigenetic
- Metabolic

These are the contributing factors that lead to having this disorder, which currently affects around 5 million women in the U.S. alone.

This is why before everything worsens, you should watch out for the symptoms and be early diagnosed. Some of the symptoms that you should watch out for are the following:
- Dysregulated Metabolism
- Irregular Menstrual Cycles
- Heavy Menstrual Building
- Alopecia or Balding
- Acne
- Hirsutism (Excessive Body Hair)
- Obesity
- Mood Disorders
- Recurrent Miscarriage

PCOS is a serious condition that can be associated with a lot of health and fertility risks. Some of these issues include infertility, higher risk of breast cancer and endometrial cancer, cardiovascular disease, and gestational disease.

Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome can be diagnosed through an ultrasound. And since this condition can be associated with many other health issues, ultrasound would simply not do for diagnosis. What can be done instead is to look at the ovarian and pituitary hormone serum levels, including the following:

- Estradiol
- Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH)
- Luteinizing Hormone (LH)
- Progesterone
- Prolactin

Other diagnosis methods could also be accomplished through Blood Lipid Profile, Thyroid Panel, Glucose Tolerance Test, and Endometrial Biopsy. You may need to run some hormonal tests also such as estrogen and testosterone blood test.

But if you want to avoid the diagnosis in general, you can instead start some major lifestyle changes and be able to reverse everything around.

Maintain A Balanced Intake of Carbohydrates and Protein Everyday

Having a balanced protein and carbohydrates intake daily can help in PCOS primarily because it can keep your insulin level even. Since one of the major factors that lead to PCOS is the overproduction of androgen, providing excess insulin will help in normalizing the level of androgen.
It is important to consider not just protein or carbohydrates but also the type of carbohydrates they are. When it comes to carbs, you should focus on sprouted grain and wholegrain products. In contrast, you must avoid heavily processed carbohydrates like white rice and white flour.

These types of carbohydrates don’t have nutrient value and can even spike the levels of insulin.

Drinking and Eating Wisely as Part of Your Diet

Diet will always be a factor you have to consider when it comes to your health. One of the programs offered is the PCOS fertility diet. This specific diet will help you improve your body’s condition to have higher chances of becoming pregnant.

Since insulin resistance is the main problem in PCOS, it is important to take it into consideration with your diet. And this is what PCOS diet is all about. Equal protein and carbohydrates are the first step of this diet program.

Besides that, it is also important to drink plenty of water on top of that. And if you prefer, you can also integrate herbs into your diet. There are several natural herbs and supplements that can help, including dim, maca root, progesterone, and vitex.

Achieve Sugar Balance by Eating Low-GI and Low-GL Foods

One of the methods that can help you achieving sugar balance is by eating low GL and GI foods. Since glucose is an important element for the body to function, there is a need for a steady supply for it. Insulin usually causes a gain in weight since it is a natural anabolic fat storage hormone.

What you can do to balance your sugar is to maintain small meals every day. You can stick with 3 small meals and 1 snack. But be sure to not have any food after 7:30. This will help to reduce carbohydrates intake significantly.

Exercise and Stay Active and Fit

Staying fit and active is always a positive endeavor that you can choose to undertake. Exercise can be an important factor in improving metabolism and insulin sensitivity since it helps in getting rid of excess fats that result to higher insulin.

There are different types of exercises that can be included, but you can always try the following:
- Brisk Walks
- Gentle Weightlifting
- Yoga
- Pilates
Make sure to exercise for 30 minutes daily and 5 days a week.

Manage Trans-fat Levels

When it comes to the management of PCOS and hormonal balance, fats will always plan an important role. One of the most common symptoms is the high testosterone levels, caused by the existence of aromatase. Aromatasen is an enzyme that is responsible for converting estrogen to testosterone, which is highly influenced by fatty acids and metabolism.
Food rich in trans-fasts, which you should avoid, include the following:
- Chips
- Pizza
- Confectionery
- Baked Foods
- Biscuits
Look for food high in omega 3 fatty acids to balance your hormones.

Get the Latest & Recommended articles in your Inbox

Subscribe!

Slow Down with Your Coffee Intake

Another thing you can do is to take it easy on your coffee intake. A Fertility and Sterility study shows that while drinking 2 cups of coffee daily can increase estradiol, drinking 4 to 5 cups can produce 70% more. This will influence the menstrual cycle of women and affect hormonal imbalances.

PCOS is incredibly painful and a discouraging condition. This is one way to get rid of those.

Go for Organic Food

Eating organic food will help especially if you choose a high protein diet. Since commercial meats have more estrogen, it is not advisable for women with PCOS, because they have a deficiency in their progesterone. Organic foods get rid of those chances.

Conclusion:

PCOS is an incredibly complex condition. There are all sorts of products that can help you with your condition. But if you want to start the change, you can do so by changing a little bit about your lifestyle.

References:

https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/522390
https://proceive.ie/fertility-blog/2017/4/28/dietary-lifestyle-changes-to-improve-pcoshttps://natural-fertility-info.com/pcos-fertility-diet