What is PCOS & How to Heal PCOS
Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome aka PCOS is a health problem that affects 1 in 10 women of childbearing age.
Women with PCOS have hormonal imbalances and metabolism problems that can affect their overall health and appearance. This syndrome is a common and treatable cause of infertility.
Being diagnosed with PCOS can be scary, but you’ll see below that there are many ways to heal. Even if you haven’t been diagnosed with PCOS, some of the information below could be very eye opening to you - so keep reading!
Before we can get there though, the first thing is understanding the different types of PCOS:
Insulin Resistant PCOS: This type of PCOS is defined by high fasting blood glucose & testing HbA1c can help diagnose this. In this case, monitoring and balancing blood sugar, using complex carbs vs simple carbs, reducing added sugars, increasing fiber intake, and focusing on a higher fat, lower carb approach is best. Many women benefit from weight training & cortisol support - which are both big players in blood sugar balance.
Post-Pill PCOS: The loss of or abnormal cycle up to 1 year post stopping birth control (BC) is where this category sits. In this case, ladies can have altered liver or gut health, nutrient deficiencies (that BC can deplete) and their hormones may be not regulating themselves again just yet - as BC surpasses your body’s natural production. I commonly see women with high testosterone or low progesterone in this case.
Adrenal PCOS: Adrenal dysfunction is often seen in this case and this is where Hypothalamic Amenorrhea is commonly misdiagnosed as PCOS! Too low of intake of food, too high of workouts or cardio, chronic stress, and cortisol dysregulation are seen with this type. Tired & wired at night? Blood sugar swings? Waking up wide awake for hours in the middle of the night? Adrenals needing love? Focus here is on stress reduction, ensuring there’s enough energy availability, and balancing blood sugar levels.
Inflammatory PCOS: In this case, inflammation may be from the diet (food intolerance or infection), environment (xenoestrogens), or chronic diseases such as Hashimoto’s or Rheumatoid arthritis. Joint/muscle pain? Headaches? Chronic bloating? Skin issues? Inflammation may be the culprit.
Though there are 4 main types of PCOS - don’t box yourself into either type.
The best thing you can do is TEST, don’t GUESS.
That’s where I use and recommend the Dutch Test - in which we can check your hormones, and if digestive issues are present, dive into digestive symptoms with possible testing. If you’ve never heard of the Dutch Test before, click HERE for more information.
I ALWAYS suggest checking your thyroid as PCOS and thyroid issues can go hand in hand along with nutritional deficiencies. Make sure to get a full thyroid panel to ensure that your thyroid is truly functioning properly. Not sure what a full thyroid panel is? Check out my blog post on Comprehensive Thyroid Testing for more information.
If you’re dealing with PCOS or hormonal imbalances, keep an eye out for my new program - The Soulful Reset - which is launching in a few weeks. This might be the answer you’ve been searching for and I’m happy to answer any questions you may have about how this program could be perfect for you!
Learn more about working with a practitioner to heal your PCOS HERE.
Hi, I’m Ashleigh Norris, CNP, NNCP
Are you struggling with the symptoms of painful or missing periods, PCOS, endometriosis, thyroid issues, infertility, or other hormone imbalances and feel like no one gets it?
Or maybe you’re confused by all the conflicting information out there?
Not sure who you can really trust and lean on for support?
Been to a few doctors and practitioners but still feel awful?
I can help.
The Soulful Sprout Holistic Nutrition was created to offer you a different approach to health and your hormones.
I use integrative functional tests, blood chemistry analysis, and other research to get to the root causes of your symptoms and address the underlying issues, instead of merely treating your symptoms.
NO MORE BAND-AID SOLUTIONS & WASTED TIME.
With personalized nutrition and lifestyle recommendations, you can regain normal, symptom-free menstrual cycles, get your energy back, find your libido again, loose weight, and get even pregnant naturally — without medications or giving up any of your favourite foods.
