PCOD! Causes, symptoms and its effective natural remedies…A complete Guide
PCOS is a problem with hormones that affects women during their childbearing years (ages 15 to 44). Between 2 to 30 percent of women in this age group have PCOS.
Many women have PCOS but don’t know it. In one study, up to 70 percent of women with PCOS hadn’t been diagnosed.
PCOS is a “syndrome,” or group of symptoms that affects the ovaries and ovulation. Its three main features are:
● cysts in the ovaries
● high levels of male hormones
● irregular or skipped periods
In PCOS, many small, fluid-filled sacs grow inside the ovaries. The word “polycystic” means “many cysts.”
What causes it?
Doctors don’t know exactly what causes PCOS. They believe that high levels of male hormones prevent the ovaries from producing hormones and making eggs normally.
Genes, insulin resistance, and inflammation have all been linked to excess androgen production.
Common symptoms of PCOS/PCOD
Some women start seeing symptoms around the time of their first period. Others only discover they have PCOS after they’ve gained a lot of weight or they’ve had trouble getting pregnant.
The most common PCOS symptoms are:
1.Irregular periods. A lack of ovulation prevents the uterine lining from shedding every month. Some women with PCOS get fewer than eight periods a year.
2.Heavy bleeding. The uterine lining builds up for a longer period of time, so the periods you do get can be heavier than normal.
3.Hair growth. More than 70 percent of women with this condition grow hair on their face and body — including on their back, belly, and chest. Excess hair growth is called hirsutism.
4.Acne. Male hormones can make the skin oilier than usual and cause breakouts on areas like the face, chest, and upper back.
5.Weight gain. Up to 80 percent of women with PCOS are overweight or obese.
6.Male-pattern baldness. Hair on the scalp gets thinner and fall out.
7.Darkening of the skin. Dark patches of skin can form in body creases like those on the neck, in the groin, and under the breasts.
8.Headaches. Hormone changes can trigger headaches in some women.
Natural remedies to control/cure PCOS
- Exercise regularly
You can walk, run or go to the gym, but do it regularly. Don’t do too much too soon. Increase the exercises gradually, so it doesn’t become a stressful activity.
2. Maintain a healthy diet
A healthy and timely diet can do wonders towards preventing PCOS or reducing its symptoms.
● You must abstain from eating sweets and fried food completely. In general, avoid high calorie food. When you have a craving for sweets, eat an apple.
● Eat frequent small meals rather than large and irregular ones. This will also help you avoid snacking in between.
● Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Ensure that you eat a nourishing breakfast on time.
● Plan your meal for the day and stick to your plan. This will help you stay away from junk food.
● Add fibrous foods in your diet like brown rice and whole wheat bread.
● Avoid dairy products.
3. Eat special diets
You could consider including some special ingredients in your diet. Many such ingredients are also suggested in Ayurveda for PCOS patients.
● You can eat bitter gourd as a vegetable or drink its juice. This will help control blood sugar levels. Amla or Indian gooseberry also has a similar effect.
● Fenugreek leaves and tulsi or basil will help maintain insulin levels. PCOS patients have high levels of insulin, as it remains unused in the body, increasing blood sugar levels.
● A tablespoon of honey, mixed with lemon and water is good for your sweet craving and weight control.
4. Keep your body and mind stress-free
Take time away far from the madding crowd. The rut and routine can do us all in. It should be minimized for PCOS patients. Follow a mode of relaxation that you enjoy.
Do yoga and pranayamas. Surya Namaskar is an excellent and all-round exercise that will help burn the stubborn, excess fat. The best thing about yoga is that it can be done in groups. This motivates you to persevere with it. For those of you who don’t have time to go to a class, you can try these yoga exercises at work.
The Art of Living’s Happiness program, has the perfect blend of yoga asanas, meditation and breathing exercises like the Sudarshan Kriya. The experience has the twin advantage of harmonizing weight loss with relaxation. Just the thing for reducing those troublesome PCOS symptoms!
