How I Healed my Body from PCOS Naturally

 

 

It's understandable that as you get older, your body is going to endure changes. But at the age of 22, I was increasingly suffering from unexplained weight gain, acne, depression, anxiety, and loss of my menstrual cycle—and I suspected this was unusual. I started experiencing low self-esteem as a result and was no longer as social as I once had been. I wanted to take these symptoms head-on, so I decided to drag myself to the doctor.

 

At my OB-GYN's office, after I explained what I had been dealing with, they drew my blood and performed an ultrasound. Then, my doctor discovered close to a dozen cysts on my ovaries. I was quickly diagnosed with PCOS (Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome). He explained that PCOS occurs when a woman's hormones are out of balance, which can lead to problems with fertility and menstrual cycles as well as weight gain and cysts on the ovaries.

I began asking questions: How did this happen? Was it something I did? And finally, what can I do? I was told there was little I could do and that this would stay with me for life. My doctor recommended I go on birth control and begin hormone therapy. I was told that if I wanted children one day I would most likely have to have IVF treatments and that, even then, my chances were slim to none.

 

At my OB-GYN's office, after I explained what I had been dealing with, they drew my blood and performed an ultrasound. Then, my doctor discovered close to a dozen cysts on my ovaries. I was quickly diagnosed with PCOS (Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome). He explained that PCOS occurs when a woman's hormones are out of balance, which can lead to problems with fertility and menstrual cycles as well as weight gain and cysts on the ovaries.

I began asking questions: How did this happen? Was it something I did? And finally, what can I do? I was told there was little I could do and that this would stay with me for life. My doctor recommended I go on birth control and begin hormone therapy. I was told that if I wanted children one day I would most likely have to have IVF treatments and that, even then, my chances were slim to none.

 

When wellness coach Nicole Granato was diagnosed with polycystic ovary syndrome at 21, she was shocked. “I had never had regular periods, but I thought it was part of my body changing. I was still so young, you know? I figured my body was still figuring itself out.” But at a routine trip to her ob-gyn, it became increasingly clear that something was wrong. “I had told her about my periods being all over the place, and she asked me if I planned on having children someday. I said yes. She ran a few tests and pretty soon, I was diagnosed with PCOS.”

Immediately, Nicole wanted to know what her options were. “I was told it was incurable, and the best way to deal with it was by using hormonal birth control which would manipulate my hormones.  Supplement for pcos My chances of having children were incredibly low, which was a huge blow to me. It was very distressing to hear all of it, especially as I was so young. It was just so unexpected.” Reluctant to use hormonal birth control, Nicole thought about her options carefully. “I spoke with a lot of specialists and eventually decided to deal with my PCOS naturally,” she says. “My first goal was to get my period back regularly.”

Already a certified wellness coach, after the diagnosis, Nicole became hyper-aware of her health. “I became much stricter,” she says. “I started drinking a morning tonic, I did a candida cleanse, I took herbs (the same ones that are now in my own formulas).” The diagnosis, she says, changed her perspective on her body. “Instead of feeling frustrated at being sick, I started to shift my thinking to: what can I do for my body to heal it? What does my body need?” Now, she says, it’s the same kind of shift in thinking she encourages in her clients. “It kind of sounds crazy, but as soon as I tell clients to do this, so much changes for them. It’s amazing.” After a few years, says Nicole, she went from seven cysts on her ovaries to – count them – zero. “I’m so happy that I was able to aid my PCOS naturally,” she says. “Technically, I’ll always have it, but with diet and exercise, I can manage it and keep my symptoms in check.”

Today, Nicole is well known for her wellness programs. She specializes in women’s health and her particular passion is helping women fall pregnant. “I’ve worked with women who are trying to get pregnant for years, and on average, after they see me, it takes about six months for most of my clients.” While not every client has trouble conceiving – Nicole also works with women who might not be having fertility issues but are keen to get their bodies in the best shape to prepare for pregnancy, and then breastfeeding – each is treated individually. “I put everyone on a nutritional plan depending on what their needs and deficiencies are,” says Nicole. “And the plan you start with might not be the one we stick with. For example, the changes your body goes through during pregnancy are huge – you want to make sure your body is as prepared as it can be. Your nutritional needs change, and my work reflects that.”

 

 

If you feel you cannot consume everything mentioned on your diet plan, you can substitute a few nutrients with health supplements. According to doctors, you can either choose tablets and vitamin capsules or try Ayurvedic Churns to combat the effects of hormonal imbalance. Consult your nutritionists to find the best supplements for you.

 

You can control the effects of PCOS on your body by using these home remedies easily. Since no medicine or operation can cure this disease permanently, you should focus on combating the effects. Consult a nutritionist as every woman’s body is likely to react differently to increased androgen levels. Follow the instructions of your doctor and make all the necessary lifestyle changes to bring a balance. PCOS is a hormonal disorder that does not do much harm as long as you stick to the health cards!

 

My Journey with PCOS

I am a woman with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), the most common hormone disorders in women. I was diagnosed in my late 20s after I missed a period and went to my ObGYN in a panic. The doctor ran hormone tests, took my history, and did a transvaginal ultrasound. She diagnosed me with PCOS and told me to come back to see her when I wanted to conceive, and not to worry about irregular periods because “lots of women would love not to have their periods.

Afterwards, my OBGYN referred me to an endocrinologist who told me to return to him in six months after I lose weight. My health insurance at the time would not pay for visits with a dietitian or nutritionist because I wasn’t diabetic. I felt dismissed by my healthcare team, and left to my own devices to figure out how to manage PCOS and live a healthier life. This was the beginning of my journey with PCOS.

After doing research, I found out that I had been experiencing PCOS symptoms such as hair loss and weight gain since adolescence. Looking back at my history, I found that there were many missed opportunities for an earlier diagnosis, but due to my own lack of awareness about PCOS, and various specialists not asking the right questions, I was diagnosed almost two decades after the onset of symptoms.

These experiences and others, and the desire to improve this process for others, led me to create an organization to better educate patients, providers and the community as well as provide a platform for advocacy to effect systematic changes to improve the diagnosis, treatment and care of PCOS patients. So my life with PCOS, almost immediately after my diagnosis, has been focused on advocacy and increasing awareness.

One of the reasons people may feel uncomfortable with asking for help is the perception that asking for help is synonymous with asking for a handout. It goes against our sense of pride as independent people. However, the first step in increasing awareness and advocating for yourself and others is identifying the problem by being open about how it impacts you personally, and how it impacts others.

Research shows that the majority of women with PCOS were dissatisfied with the diagnosis process and the lack of information received after being diagnosed. Over the past decade of doing this work, I have heard countless stories similar to mine and others where the lack of awareness and education has had dangerous and life-altering consequences.

Some of these stories include patients developing cancer when their lack of periods were dismissed as “nothing to worry about,” or the development of self-esteem issues and eating disorders after being given the number for Weight Watchers or being told to go on a liquid diet as “prescriptions” for PCOS; or the loss of opportunity to build their families from being undiagnosed or given an unnecessary hysterectomy during reproductive years. Everyone should find these patient experiences to be unacceptable PCOS for women.

This is why I view my PCOS diagnosis as a defining moment in my life. When people ask me what my life with PCOS has been like, I realize that it has been a series of me asking for help, not just for myself, but for everyone impacted by PCOS and those who will be in the future. Asking for help has now become a part of the process of creating opportunities for change where the patient, provider, and research communities can work together to be a part of the solution.

Admittedly, I may still have a bit of trouble asking for help in my personal life; however, in my professional life, I think the only way forward is for more of us to work together, asking for help together, and changing the future together.