If you’re trying to maintain a healthy weight or even lose weight with PCOS and have just been recently diagnosed, you’re probably really frustrated and find that you’re having a hard time shedding those pounds. The cause of PCOS from a medical doctor's perspective is said to be genetic, having passed on from your mother’s or father’s side. However, let’s explore the holistic point of view. Today I’ll discuss how you can lose weight naturally with this condition and perhaps even reverse this illness, improving your overall quality of life through persistence and long term lifestyle changes. Hormone levels play a crucial role in PCOS, and addressing them can greatly impact weight loss efforts and overall well-being.
What is PCOS or PCOD?
There is no doubt or argument as to why PCOS occurs in the body; we can all agree that it’s a result of hormonal changes in the body, mainly excess androgen. Androgen comes from the Greek word Andro meaning male. It’s also called androgenic hormone or testoid and is a naturally occurring hormone that stimulates or controls male characteristics. Both women and men need and produce androgen just in differing amounts. The problem with PCOS or polycystic ovarian syndrome is that there is too much androgen being produced, which can lead to issues with fertility. PCOS is also sometimes referred to as PCOD (Poly Cystic Ovarian Disorder). High levels of androgen affect the development and release of eggs during ovulation, which is how we get the name PCOS. We can break this down even further by looking at the words individually. Poly means many and cystic means cysts; we can also substitute in the word eggs or follicles instead of cysts, which would give us a disorder of many eggs or follicles in the ovaries. Women who have PCOS have higher levels of male hormones and are also less sensitive to insulin or are "insulin-resistant." Many are overweight or obese. As a result, these women of reproductive age can be at a higher risk of diabetes, heart disease, sleep apnea, and uterine cancer.
Controlling PCOS With Metformin
The current medical solution is to offer the prescription drug metformin. Metformin is usually used to treat type 2 diabetes, however in this case metformin is used to help relieve insulin resistance in PCOS. It works by improving insulin sensitivity, which decreases glucose production in your body and increases glucose uptake and utilization. This leads to lower insulin levels and can aid in a reduction of symptoms. We’ll talk more about this later but excess sugar or glucose does cause high androgen levels and is one of the main causes of PCOS.
Although this route may be beneficial to some I personally don’t recommence this approach because I do not find that the drug aids in helping individuals to lose weight with PCOS. It can however be a good starting point or used in conjunction with other natural methods in hopes that the individual is not dependent long term.
Improve Polycystic Ovary Syndrome With Berberine Use
Berberine has garnered attention for its potential to address various aspects of PCOS. One of its key benefits lies in improving insulin sensitivity. Studies have demonstrated that berberine can enhance the body's ability to utilize insulin effectively, reducing blood sugar levels and, in turn, mitigating the insulin resistance commonly associated with PCOS. By stabilizing blood glucose levels, berberine can help regulate menstrual cycles and decrease the risk of developing type 2 diabetes, a condition often linked with PCOS.
Additionally, berberine has shown promise in helping individuals lose weight with PCOS, a significant concern for many individuals. It influences the activity of certain enzymes in cells, leading to increased metabolism and a reduction in fat accumulation. This dual action on insulin sensitivity and metabolism makes berberine a valuable tool in addressing weight-related challenges for those with PCOS.
Furthermore, berberine exhibits anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.
Chronic inflammation is often a contributing factor in PCOS, exacerbating hormonal imbalances and other symptoms. Berberine's anti-inflammatory effects can help alleviate some of these issues, potentially leading to a reduction in androgen levels and an improvement in overall hormonal balance.
It's important to note that while berberine shows promise as a natural supplement for PCOS management, individual responses may vary. Consulting a healthcare professional before incorporating berberine into a PCOS treatment plan is crucial, especially for those with pre-existing medical conditions or who are taking other medications. Additionally, consuming foods high in probiotics, such as yogurt, can be beneficial for those with PCOS. Lifestyle modifications including a balanced diet, regular exercise, and stress management techniques remain essential components of any comprehensive PCOS management strategy.
Controlling PCOS Naturally With Myoinositol
Myoinositol, a naturally occurring compound that belongs to the B-vitamin complex, has gained attention for its potential benefits in managing Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS). PCOS is a hormonal disorder that affects individuals with ovaries and is characterized by irregular menstrual cycles, high levels of androgens, and the development of small cysts on the ovaries. Myoinositol plays a crucial role in insulin signaling and has shown promise in addressing various aspects of PCOS.
One of the primary benefits of myoinositol lies in its ability to improve insulin sensitivity. Studies have demonstrated that myoinositol supplementation can enhance the body's response to insulin, thereby reducing blood sugar levels and mitigating the insulin resistance commonly associated with PCOS. By stabilizing blood glucose levels, myoinositol helps regulate menstrual cycles and may even improve ovulatory function, which is crucial for those seeking to enhance their fertility.
Furthermore, myoinositol has been shown to support ovarian function and follicular development. By promoting a healthier hormonal balance, myoinositol may contribute to a more regular menstrual cycle and a reduction in the size and number of ovarian cysts. This can lead to a decrease in androgen levels, alleviating some of the symptoms associated with PCOS, such as acne, hirsutism (excessive hair growth), and male-pattern baldness. In addition, it will assist in helping you to lose weight with PCOS.
Myoinositol also exhibits positive effects on mood and emotional well-being.
Myoinositol also exhibits positive effects on mood and emotional well-being, which can be particularly significant for individuals with PCOS who may experience mood swings and symptoms of anxiety or depression. By modulating neurotransmitter activity in the brain, myoinositol may help stabilize mood and improve overall mental health.
It's important to note that while myoinositol shows promise as a natural supplement for PCOS management, individual responses may vary. Consulting a healthcare professional before incorporating myoinositol into a PCOS treatment plan is crucial, especially for those with pre-existing medical conditions or who are taking other medications.
Additionally, a balanced diet, regular exercise, and stress management techniques remain essential components of any comprehensive PCOS management strategy. Beans and other protein-rich legumes can be included in the balanced diet to provide necessary nutrients and promote overall health.
PCOS Symptoms (Problems Caused by High Androgen Levels)
Females need androgen as they have many functions. They are necessary for estrogen production, they assist in bone loss prevention and they increase or give you that sexual desire however high levels of androgen will lead to the following.
Symptoms of PCOS:
- Irregular Periods or Absent Periods
- Infertility
- Inflammation
- Acne, Poor Skin Quality
- Excess Hair Growth
- Weight Gain, Obesity
- Insulin Resistance Diabetes
- High Cholesterol
- High Blood Pressure
- High Blood Sugar
- And possibly more.
There is no one test you can take that will diagnose PCOS you just have to go by your symptoms. In addition, to assessing for the above symptoms doctors do however order investigative blood work looking for high androgen levels among other tests.
If you’ve had your thinking cap on you would have come to the conclusion that you will need to eliminate high androgen levels in the body. The body has a system in place for this, it can use an enzyme called aromatase cytochrome p450 to convert excess androgen into estrogen. However, you must also make sure that you do not create environments in the body that cause elevated androgen levels accidentally. Here are some ways you might be doing that.
Possible Causes for PCOS and PCOD
I’m all about empowerment here and as I said earlier the holistic or natural view does not readily point to genetics. The danger of always blaming everything on genetics is that it takes away your reason or purpose to pursue a cure. That being said, let’s look at some possible root causes for PCOS from a holistic perspective and then see what we can do about it in terms of improving your situation and helping you lose weight with PCOS.
There are four possible root causes of PCOS:
- Excessive GMO foods are blocking the conversion of androgen to estrogen. In particular, glyphosate (herbicide) inhibits the enzyme aromatase cytochrome p450. (Glyphosphate can also cause liver damage and mimic estrogen.)
- Excess sugars can spike insulin triggering the hormone IGF which can convert to androgen.
- Excess stress can increase cortisol which can be converted to androgen.
- Low progesterone can create a hormonal imbalance causing excess androgen.
This information is key because using this information we can take the necessary steps to take back control of our bodies. Most if not all of the above-mentioned causes can be controlled or eliminated with a valiant effort.
The PCOS Diet ( 5 Steps to Losing Weight With PCOS)
Using the above information we can now develop a strategy to lose weight with PCOS. Let’s break this down into four simple steps:
Step 1 – Balance Your Hormones
Balance your hormones by consuming plenty of cruciferous vegetables and by taking such herbs as Maca Root Powder, CBD Oil, and Ashwagandha. Also, consider using berberine and myoinositol supplements. See also Top 4 Healing Herbs for Women.
Step 2 – Stress Reduction
Do your best to remove or limit exposure to major stress in your life. Include stress management practices like walking, meditation, and deep breathing exercises. Also, support the adrenal glands with key supplements like selenium and combination supplement formulas that will enable your body to adapt to stress well. You can also consider homeopathic remedies like Aconite, Calcarea Carbonica, and Kali Phosphoricum.
Step 3 – Start a Liver Cleansing Diet
Consuming a liver-cleansing diet means including plenty of cruciferous vegetables daily, both cooked and raw. Along with adequate amounts of protein, healthy fats, and probiotics. This will support the liver, and assist it with fat-burning and hormone-clearing.
Step 4 – Remove Starchy Carbs, Sugar, Alcohol and Dairy
Eliminating or reducing starchy carbs, whole grains, dairy, alcohol, and sugar will create the best environment for fat loss. This will also address any diabetic, insulin, or sugar-related issues.
Step 5 – Eliminate GMO Foods
Remove all GMO (genetically modified foods) from your diet and eat only organic vegetables and meats so we do not interfere with the aromatase enzyme.
Paige was one of my clients who implemented these steps and was able to lose weight with PCOS very successfully. The body is able to do remarkable things if you support it naturally.
Conclusion
By taking a more proactive approach and not blaming this condition on genetics we are then empowered to seek solutions and take action. I’m sure if you implement the above 5 steps to losing weight with PCOS or PCOD you will be very successful and it won’t be long before you weigh less and quite possibly reverse all of your symptoms for good. You’ve got this!
0 comments