Natural Treatments & Holistic Practices for Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS)
First, let me start by saying that I empathize with you. As someone who has been dealing with the symptoms of Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome since I was a teenager, it has been a long journey of absolute confusion, sometimes anger. I would often wonder to myself, “why me!”.
Once I got over feeling sorry for myself and changed my mindset, it started to feel like a battle that I could win, if I established proper habits, incorporate the use of natural treatments and holistic practices to combat the PCOS symptoms I was experiencing. And It worked!!
Finally breaking free from PCOS took a shift in mindset and belief in myself that I can make the sacrifices necessary to create the changes that will help me manage and ultimately eliminate my PCOS symptoms.
I have compiled what I have learned into an actionable PCOS Digital workbook so that you can quickly move into action with the most necessary parts of managing PCOS.
In this article, I will show you some natural treatments and holistic practices that you can use today to start seeing an improvement in your PCOS, but first, let’s get a basic understanding of PCOS and the changes you can make today to heal your PCOS
Managing Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) is not for the faint of heart. It feels like an upward battle at times. Some days you may feel like you are doing everything to manage your PCOS perfectly fine and the next day it feels like all your efforts are all falling apart.
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We will discuss
- What is Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome
- Can PCOS be cured naturally
- 4 types of PCOS
- Holistic Practices and Remedies for PCOS
What is Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome
Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome is a hormonal disorder that may cause irregular or prolonged menstrual periods, the development of small cysts on the ovaries, and increased male hormones in the blood. These hormonal irregularities may lead to diabetes, heart disease, or infertility.
Can PCOS be cured naturally?
There is no known cure for PCOS, however, PCOS can be managed with proper lifestyle changes. What I realized is that commitment and consistency were important mindset shifts that I had to make. It’s a multidimensional disease and a holistic approach to healing PCOS is very promising. Before you jump into finding a solution for yourself, it’s best that you know what type of PCOS you are experiencing, so hang on, let’s explore them together
What are the 4 types of PCOS?
Before you start to develop a holistic practice for yourself, you should be clear on what you are actually trying to treat. Although PCOS at this time doesn’t have a “cure”, there are many holistic practices that will keep your symptoms at bay, but it starts with knowing what type of PCOS you have.
PCOS is categorized into 4 types. The insulin resistance PCOS, Post Pill PCOS, Adrenal PCOS, and inflammatory PCOS. From my experience, it is possible to exhibit more than one type of PCOS, while one may be more dominant than the other.
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Insulin Resistance PCOS
Insulin Resistant PCOS is when the body releases Insulin however the body is not able to get the signal that insulin has been released. Because there is no feedback system the liver continues to release even more insulin till the body/cells respond. Insulin Resistance can typically lead to weight gain, especially around the stomach area, increased androgen levels (male hormones), increased sugar cravings as well.
You must take a fasting insulin blood work to diagnose this condition. This will help you pinpoint the best course of action.
PCOS supplements can be beneficial and are part of a holistic treatment for PCOS. Supplements like Magnesium, Inositol, and Chromium can be included in your dietary intake. You should also cut down on carbs, only eat complex carbs and choose fruits with low glycemic indexes. Berries are great when you need something sweet that will not disrupt your blood sugar.
PCOS management workbook – identify the PCOS type, track your new habits for success
Post Birth control PCOS
As the name suggests, Post Birth control PCOS occurs due to extended birth control usage. This can lead to irregular periods, excess hair growth, and even acne. Note that these symptoms would not be present before the use of Birth control pills.
PCOS supplements great for post-birth Control PCOS are Magnesium, Vitamin E, Zinc, Spearmint tea, to reduce androgens levels (male hormones).
Adrenal PCOS
The Adrenal Gland is located on the kidney, its job is to produce hormones that will help regulate the immune system, blood pressure, metabolism, and it is responsible for the fight or flight response to stress. When the Adrenal gland is expressing an abnormal response to stress or stressors, this can lead to some PCOS symptoms that include infertility or missed periods.
PCOS supplements that would be great for supporting the adrenal are Kava Kava, Tulsi Tea, Ashwagandha, Magnesium, Vitamin B5, and Vitamin C
There also needs to be a shift in lifestyle choices. Consider including some less stressful exercises, self-care practices like soaking in Epsom salt, or a Custom blend bath soak like the Magical Herb Infused Bath Tea This practice will bring more magnesium into your body while also allowing you time to unwind and reduce your stress level
Inflammatory PCOS
Inflammation is caused by many factors that are both environmental and physiological. Chronic inflammation may lead to increased testosterone, increased joint pain, Bowel issues, and decreased or eliminate ovulation.
Supplements to reduce inflammation include Omega 3 fatty acids, NAC and Turmeric.
I experienced a lot of inflammation before getting my PCOS symptoms under control. One of the game changers was to get a food sensitivity test. I used the Alcat food sensitivity test by Cell Science system. I had my blood drawn from the comfort of my home and received my result in a few days and an inexpensive alternative that you can get from amazon is The Every well Sensitivity Test. Upon doing this I realized that I was having a significant inflammatory response to pectin. Pectin is commonly found in Apples. This was frustrating because Pectin is linked to lowering cholesterol and improving blood sugar(which I needed), however, my body was intolerant to it. I had to give up apples for some time.
I then took the next step of Addressing My Gut Health. My favorite probiotic is Megaspore and it drastically changed my digestion and improved the inflammation I was experiencing.
Want to know what other supplements and hormone tests helped, check out the FREE PCOS toolkit with recommended supplements, blood work suggestions, and other tips to heal your PCOS holistically.
Download this PCOS Digital Workbook and habit tracker to document what’s working and not working so that you can make changes and have notes for your next visit with your health practitioner
Holistic Practices and Remedies to Try
How to use Yoni steam to heal PCOS naturally
Yoni Steam or Vaginal Steam is a holistic practice that stems from the Maya practices for healing and cleansing the uterus from menstrual ailments, after birth, and for menopause. This practice is popular in Central America, India, Korea, and Eastern Europe, and some parts of Africa. Be sure to do your research to learn more about the practice.
I found Yoni steam to help reduce my very menstrual cycle, and with consistent use, I noticed a difference in my flow and deduction in what was debilitating menstrual cramps.
This was a practice that my naturopathic doctor thought I might find helpful and it delivered.
Want to learn more about yoni steam? Check out this Healthline article with Everything you need to know about Vagina steaming, want to purchase your yoni steam from a trusted small business? Check out Magical Yoni steam, or grab the Female Rituals Steam Therapy on Amazon.
Want to set up your own yoni steam at home check out Earthmama on youtube
Seed Cycling for Hormone balance
Another holistic practice for PCOS that I found beneficial is Seed Cycling. Seed cycling is the practice of eating a specific combination of seeds at specific times of your menstrual cycle to help balance your hormones.
It involves eating a combination
- Day 1-14: 1 tablespoon each of Flaxseed and Pumpkin seeds during the follicular phase of the menstrual cycle
- Day 14-28 1 tablesspoon each of sunflower seeds and sesame seeds during the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle
Seed Cycling with Irregular menstrual cycle
This was a bit harder for me to execute because I did not have a perfect 28-day cycle. Instead, I had closer to a 36 or more days cycle. So instead I would rotate my seed consumption based on the moon cycle.
Science advances carried out a study that stated that in their study of the moon’s effect on menses there is the “plausibility of a causal [relationship]between the Moon’s cycle and women’s menstrual cycles.”
If you have longer than a 28-day cycle follow the instruction below
- NEW MOON PHASE to FULL MOON PHASE: Day 1 – 14 eat Pumpkin seeds and flax seeds – Follicular phase – Ovulation
- FULL MOON PHASE to NEW MOON PHASE: Days 15-28, eat sunflower seeds and sesame seeds– Ovulation phase – Luteal Phase
Simply continue this cycle each month and observe any changes or lack of change you are experiencing. It is important that you track your menstrual cycle.
Some additional benefits: during the follicular phase which is the first part of your cycle, the combination of pumpkin and flax helped with estrogen level balance. the lignans in the flaxseed will bind with excess estrogen that may be causing an imbalance in hormones. The high level of Zinc in Pumpkin seeds helped with the production of progesterone. Women with PCOS commonly have low levels of progesterone.
During the second part/phase of your circle known as the Luteal phase, sesame seeds and sunflower seeds provide a boost to the progesterone level. Sesame seeds also contain zinc which boosts progesterone as previously stated, coupled with the lignans that can help block excess estrogen. The goal is to make sure that the estrogen does not go back into an imbalanced state during the second phase of the menstrual cycle
Sunflower seeds(my favorite) contain high levels of Vitamin E and selenium. Both help boost progesterone and selenium help with detoxing the liver. A healthy and detox liver helps improve hormonal imbalance. The liver is responsible for breaking down excess hormones in the body so it’s important to keep it in optimal health
I was skeptical about seed cycling but I gave it a go. My observation was that my menstrual cycle became shorter, but I cannot tell you that it’s strictly based on seed cycling. I believe it’s a combination of the holistic choices I was making.
Important note: GIve this some time, allow 90 days or more to see if you feel the difference. This is not a quick fix.
At the very least you get the abundant nutrients contained in the seeds you consume. So it’s a win-win for me
How to incorporate seed cycling into your eating habits and routine
It is best to opt for Raw seeds especially when it comes to flax and sesame seeds. I purchased a small spice grinder to make my ground seeds on the go, however, you can also opt to make them in small batches up to a cup and keep it refrigerated. i would only make this in small batches to prevent losing the important nutrients.
Incorporate it into your food
- Add it to your favorite green salad as a topping
- Add to your favorite smoothie bowl or yogurt
- Blend until smooth and use as seed butter on your toast
Best Diet for Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome
Beating PCOS requires you to be more aware of what you are putting in your body.
A few actions to take include
- Eliminate processed foods
- Adopt a whole food diet
- Increase your protein intake
One simple thing I learned is to pair my carbs with protein, to prevent a sudden spike in blood sugar. For example, whenever you choose to eat an apple, pair it with some peanut butter or almond butter, this will help with reducing the spike in sugar and manage Insulin resistance, a common PCOS symptom. Learn how to lose weight with PCOS
Related Article: Weight Loss with PCOS
I truly hope that you have found this article helpful. I’ve learned that I needed a mindset shift so that I implement these changes. Tracking my habits and progress helped me stay focused. I did this by writing down everything, this is where the PCOS Digital Planner and habit tracker can help you stay consistent and committed to healing your PCOS holistically.
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