Sarah EatonPolycystic ovarian syndrome, or PCOS, is a common hormonal disorder in women. Plagued with PCOS symptoms, some women might find themselves perusing the web for polycystic ovarian syndrome natural treatments. PCOS affects roughly 5 percent to 20 percent of women of childbearing age. (1) But the good news is that polycystic ovarian syndrome natural treatments are available. They all involve doing what you can to correct the hormone imbalance. For example, some polycystic ovarian syndrome natural treatments include diet changes and better management of stress. For more polycystic ovarian syndrome natural treatments, read below.
If you want to how to cure PCOS naturally and get pregnant, but are wary of taking medications, you might consider taking a natural route.
Here are 8 treatments to help promote a PCOS cure naturally:
1. Consume a Nutrient-Dense Diet
Whether you are overweight or underweight, a nutrient-dense diet is a crucial component to balancing hormones. (2)
However, rather than focusing on eliminating foods from your diet, focus on nourishment. Choose anti-inflammatory foods such as vegetables, fruits, nuts and seeds, and healthy fats. (If you want to know what foods to eliminate, however, avoid processed foods and foods that come in packages. You should also avoid sugar and artificial sweeteners, as well as too much alcohol and caffeine. Also avoid hydrogenated and refined oils, such as soybean, canola, safflower, sunflower and corn oils. They are extremely inflammatory! (3)
2. Reduce Stress
Stress can have a serious impact on the endocrine system, which will then affect hormone production. You might try yoga, keeping a journal, or spending more time in nature to help combat stress. Find something that works for you. (4)
Furthermore, to help protect the body from the effects of cortisol caused by chronic stress, you can try an assortment of adaptogen herbs. These herbs can also be used to treat PCOS. They include ashwagandha, holy basil and maca root. While they won’t take the place of a healthy diet and dealing with stressful circumstances in your life at their root, they can prove to be helpful. They can improve thyroid function, lower cholesterol, and reduce anxiety and depression. (5)
3. Get Enough Sleep
The answer to “how to cure PCOS naturally fast”, as well as several other medical conditions, includes proper sleep. A good night’s rest is important to aid in cell regeneration, hormone production, stress control and even weight management. Sleep deprivation, in fact, can have the same negative effects on hormones as can a lack of exercise and poor diet. (6)
In a review published in Human Reproduction, researchers looked at a cross-sectional study of women with and without PCOS. They discovered that “sleep disturbances were twice as common in women with PCOS compared with those without.” Furthermore, women with PCOS especially had difficulty falling asleep. (7)
According to another study, PCOS sufferers who don’t get enough sleep are at more risk for mental issues and insulin resistance. (8)
Aim to get 7 to 9 hours of sleep every night.
4. Exercise in an Appropriate Way
While exercise is important, there is such a thing as too much of it. For the most part, women’s bodies are more susceptible to hormonal changes when they exercise beyond healthy levels. For example, female athletes are likely to have irregular periods, according to multiple studies. (9)
Of course, you shouldn’t cut out exercise altogether. It can help balance hormones to shed a few unwanted pounds. (10) Use your best judgment to decipher if you need to tone it down or amp it up.
5. Avoid Exposure to Endocrine Disruptors
Endocrine disruptors are chemicals that interfere with hormones. And to be more specific, they affect the production, release, transport, metabolism or elimination of the body’s hormones. These disruptors can mimic naturally occurring hormones, estrogen in particular, which can result in either overproduction or underproduction of real hormones. Unfortunately, we come across these more than ever before: in the air we breathe, water we drink, soil we use to grow food, and in the beauty or household products we buy. (11)
While you might not be able to avoid all toxins, you can avoid some. This includes dry-cleaning chemicals, certain skin care products, and non-organic produce ridden with pesticides.
6. Try Healthy Ways to Lose Weight
Many treatment plans for PCOS includes losing weight. ( 12, 13) It’s true, losing excess pounds will likely decrease symptoms of insulin resistance and irregular periods. (14, 15)
A trial conducted by the Penn State College of Medicine studied randomized groups of women with PCOS. These women underwent lifestyle adjustments including restricted caloric intake and a regular exercise regimen. They found these women experienced significant weight loss without the metabolic syndrome occurrence found in the group who used only birth control to manage the condition. Ovulation increased by 60 percent in the “lifestyle change” group (with a 67 percent increase in the “combined” group who underwent lifestyle changes as well as took birth control pills). Furthermore, 26 percent of the women in the “lifestyle” group achieved live births during the duration of the study. (16)
Generally speaking, obesity worsens symptoms of PCOS. While weight loss can be a challenge, it can greatly reduce symptoms, promote fertility, improve glucose tolerance and regulate menstruation. (17)
7. Supplement with Inositol
One particularly significant natural method of treating PCOS is inositol, a sugar alcohol chemical compound found in fruits, beans, grains and nuts. (18)
Inositol may improve insulin resistance, decrease male hormones in the bloodstream, and lower blood pressure and high triglycerides. And it seems to promote ovulation, which, in turn, may support fertility. In one study, a mere 6 percent of control group participants experienced menstrual cycles versus 86 percent who experienced menstrual cycles in the inositol group. (19)
8. Chiropractic Care
Some patients with PCOS may find relief by visiting a chiropractor.
According to the Journal of the International Society of Gynecological Endocrinology, acupuncture may play a role in PCOS by increasing blood flow to the ovaries. It may also reduce ovarian volume and the number of ovarian cysts. (20)
While these methods may or may not work for you, if you want to know how to cure PCOS permanently, understand a good place to start is by balancing your hormones. These natural methods just might be the answer to how to get rid of PCOS completely.
Sources:
1. Mayo Clinic
2. NCBI
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4. Hormone Health Network
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