Q. My daughter was recently diagnosed with PCOS. Will you share a little more about it and how I can help support her?
A. Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) is an endocrine disorder that affects one in 10 women and is the leading cause of female infertility. It’s a condition where tiny follicles can be built around the ovaries, usually caused by hormone imbalance.
Most women with PCOS are told to lose weight (which can be very difficult with PCOS) or to just go on a birth control pill to help treat their symptoms. The key to treating your symptoms is to find the root cause of your hormone imbalance.
Typically, the most common causes of PCOS are insulin resistance, inflammation, adrenal stress, or any combination of these. Let’s dive into some strategies that can help naturally manage these.
Managing blood sugar is especially important if insulin resistance is the root cause of your PCOS. Balancing blood sugar starts with having a balanced meal. Use the plate method and have ½ your meal non-starchy vegetables, ¼ protein, and ¼ complex carbohydrates.
For better blood sugar balance, try to have at least 25-30 grams of protein at breakfast. For balanced snacks, be sure to pair fiber and protein together like whole grain crackers with cottage cheese and cherry tomatoes and steamed edamame with dip or fruit with nut butter.
Regular exercise can also help with blood sugar balance. Even just a five- to 10-minute walk after a meal can help.
Working on reducing inflammation is key if inflammatory PCOS is your root cause. Eating a balanced diet (see the plate method discussed above) does wonders for this, and aim to include more omega-3 fatty acid foods like tuna, salmon, chia seeds, flaxseeds and walnuts.
Improving gut health also can help reduce inflammation, so focus on eating more fermented foods like yogurt, kefir, kombucha and kimchi.
However, underlying food sensitivities could be the source of your inflammation, so you’ll want to have a medical professional help you check for this.
Reducing stress is the primary target if you have adrenal PCOS. For this, you’ll want to aim for seven to eight hours of adequate sleep every night, as this can significantly reduce stress and help your body better adapt to it.
Of course, utilizing the plate method for balanced meals also can help reduce stress (specifically, not skipping meals).
With adrenal PCOS, you want to avoid over exercising, as this can worsen your hormone imbalance rather than improve it. Take 30 minutes of exercise two to three days a week and remember to embrace the rest days.
To reduce stress, also be mindful of your caffeine intake, as overconsuming caffeine can worsen symptoms.
Getting specific lab tests such as fasting insulin, HgA1c, DHEA-S, total testosterone and vitamin D can help pinpoint your root cause. Once you have that information, you can partner with your healthcare team to provide a clear path forward.