Top Tips for Dealing with PCOS and Leading a Normal Life

Polycystic ovary syndrome, abbreviated as PCOS, is a women’s disorder due to hormonal imbalances. The women experience irregular menstrual cycles or the absence of menstruation that might continue for an abnormal period.

It is very common among women of pubertal age groups. Regularly exercising, following a diet plan which limits insulin intake, performing daily activities, and reducing stress, can help your body respond positively and enhance the treatment’s efficiency.

Understanding polycystic ovary syndrome

Polycystic ovary syndrome is a lifestyle disease and is treatable. Your physician will recommend a good gynaecologist to deal with PCOS. You might experience additional concerns like excessive hair growth, frequent acne issues, infertility, or obesity during PCOS. It all occurs due to the hormonal imbalance your body faces where the ovaries develop several fluid follicles and fail to produce eggs.

Few lifestyle modifications, accompanied by the treatment, can turn out extremely beneficial to treat PCOS. Limiting carbohydrates, maintaining a healthy weight and BMI, and keeping optimum blood sugar levels .

What are the symptoms of PCOS?

PCOS can develop either during the first menstrual cycle or eventually as you gain weight. Knowing and understanding your symptoms is an important part of PCOS management. It will provide you with a sign to seek medical care and lead a normal life soon.

Commonly witnessed signs and symptoms of PCOS are as follows:
● Irregularity in periods – Having less than eight or nine periods in a year, having a gap of more than 30-35 days between two menstrual cycles, or having extremely heavy periods.
● Excessive hair on the face and body (hirsutism), acne, and baldness.
● Presence of polycystic ovaries – PCOS ovaries tend to be enlarged due to the presence of follicles surrounding the eggs.

Obesity can worsen the signs and symptoms of PCOS.

When to see a doctor?
Test yourself with these four questions to decide if you need to see a doctor.

1. Am I facing any concerns with my menstrual period?
2. Have I gained weight since my periods commenced?
3. Am I experiencing any signs of infertility?
4. Are my facial hair and body hair far more than normal, along with severe acne and baldness?

Consult your doctor immediately if your answers are a “Yes” to most of the concerns mentioned above.

Call 1860-500-1066 to book an appointment.

What are the causes of PCOS?

PCOS is a lifestyle disorder where the exact cause remains unknown. Some factors that are believed to play an essential role in causing PCOS are as follows:
● Increased insulin hormone – An increase in the insulin hormone can develop excess androgens in a female body. This can hamper with your ovulation.
● Low-grade inflammation – Low-grade inflammation is present in women suffering from PCOS, which stimulates their ovaries to secrete androgens. This results in swelling of the blood vessels and heart-related problems.
● Genetic factors can also lead to PCOS.

What are the complications of PCOS?

Polycystic ovary syndrome can cause various complications in the body. They are:
● Infertility.
● Gestational diabetes, where your blood sugar levels can elevate during the pregnancy.
● Giving premature birth or miscarriage.
● Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis – You might witness excessive fat accumulation in your liver that can cause severe liver inflammation.
● You might develop a series of disorders, including hypertension (high blood pressure), hyperglycemia (high blood sugar), and abnormal cholesterol levels that can put you at a significant risk of heart diseases.
● Type 2 diabetes.
● Depression, accompanied by anxiety.
● Eating disorders.
● Sleep apnea.
● Uncommon uterine bleeding.
● Endometrial cancer.

What are the risk factors of PCOS?

Environmental and genetic factors are believed to play an important role in the development of the syndrome. You are at a higher risk of developing PCOS if you have had exposure to excessive androgens (male hormones) and increased insulin production.

What is the treatment plan for patients with PCOS?

The underlying cause of PCOS remains unknown to the doctors. Due to this reason, PCOS treatment revolves around treating specific issues associated with it. They account for the following: infertility, severe acne, hirsutism, or weight gain, and obesity. Targeted treatment will require you to make various lifestyle modifications and take prescribed medications.

Lifestyle modifications
Your doctor is likely to recommend weight-loss therapies by making you follow a diet low in calories accompanied by regular exercise. Losing even a slight amount of weight can turn out to be a ‘major’ breakthrough in dealing with PCOS. It will enhance your treatment’s efficiency and infertility too.

Your medications will focus on various aspects, such as:

To ensure timely menstrual period
● Your doctor will recommend a combination of birth control pills that contain progesterone and estrogen. This combination will help you deal with excessive androgen secreted by your ovaries. It will reduce the risk of cancer in the uterine lining (endometrial cancer).
● A progestin therapy will be advised for 10-14 days for every 1-2 months. The therapy will help you regulate your menses and prevent endometrial cancer.

To ensure ovulation:
● Oral anti-estrogen medicines (clomiphene)
● Stimulation of ovaries with the help of breast cancer treatment using letrozole
● Medications such as metformin to reduce insulin levels by enhancing insulin resistance This medication focuses on people with type 2 diabetes
● Gonadotropins – These hormonal medications are injected using a syringe

To combat excessive hair growth all over your body (hirsutism)
● Birth control pills to decrease androgen secretion.
● Medications such as spironolactone and eflornithine cream to fight excessive hair growth. They work by blocking the effects of male hormones on the skin and slowing down facial hair growth in women with PCOS, respectively
● Electrolysis to destroy hair follicles and limit hair growth

Top tips to follow to manage PCOS
Be it hypertension, diabetes, thyroid, or PCOS, disease management is an essential component for bettering one’s malady. Few lifestyle modifications and home remedies can help you overcome PCOS and lead a happy life.

The three M’s to follow to manage PCOS are:

Maintaining a healthy weight
Your gynecologist will recommend you to maintain a healthy weight to reduce various risk factors of PCOS. Losing weight will help you reduce androgen and insulin levels. This can restore ovulation in your body. You can join weight-control programs to meet your goals.

Maintaining a healthy diet
Your dietician will advise you regarding the food items you should add to your diet.
● High-fiber vegetables like broccoli and lean proteins (fish) are beneficial during PCOS.
● Some anti-inflammatory products like tomatoes and turmeric can assist in combating inflammation.
● A low carbohydrate diet is recommended for you if you are suffering from this ailment. This will help you with insulin resistance.

Avoid consuming high carbohydrates, sugary products, and processed food items.

Maintaining an active lifestyle
Regular exercising and staying active will help you fight the factors causing PCOS. This will reduce your symptoms and keep blood sugar levels low. You can achieve this by performing yogasanas and pranayama. Being positive and healing yourself spiritually can help in long term PCOS. You can get a step closer to winning the war against polycystic ovarian syndrome by performing Surya Namaskar daily.

Watching your diet Few dietary tips for managing polycystic ovary syndrome are:
Low-glycemic index diet
The cells in the women with PCOS have difficulty in utilizing the insulin secreted (if any). This causes an increase in blood sugar levels. To battle this, a diet of a low-glycemic index (GI) should be followed. It primarily consists of fruits and vegetables, lean protein, and whole grains. This certainly can restore regularity in your periods.
Increase the consumption of healthy fats
Healthy fats are known to lower blood insulin and androgen levels. This will unquestionably combat your insulin resistance.
Reduce carbohydrate intake
By limiting your carbohydrate diet, you can ensure a greater weight reduction. A low-carb diet reduces your insulin and androgen levels, which, in turn, improves insulin sensitivity.

Conclusion:
PCOS is a commonly found illness among women of reproductive age. A healthy weight, a healthy diet, and an active body are needed to deal with PCOS and lead a normal life ahead. It will not only heal you physically but will also enhance your spiritual well-being.

Frequently asked questions (FAQs)

1. How will the doctors diagnose PCOS?
   There are no specific tests to diagnose PCOS. Your medical history and severity of symptoms will help the doctor figure out and help you deal with it. They are likely to check the signs of excessive hair on the body, acne, and male pattern baldness. Lab tests like a pelvic exam, blood tests, and ultrasounds can be advised.
2. Can I ever conceive during PCOS?
   Yes, you can conceive during PCOS either naturally or by taking medications. Not every woman with PCOS faces difficulty conceiving. Ovulation can be achieved by following the regimen.
3. What are the best types of exercises to follow during PCOS?
   Given below are some exercises that can help you in dealing with PCOS:
   ● Cardio: These include walking, jogging, swimming, cycling, etc.
   ● Strength training: These include squats, push-ups, etc.
   ● Core strength: These exercises will help your body prepare for pregnancy.

Call 1860-500-1066 to book an appointment.