Have you been told that you have PCOS ? Maybe you have a friend with PCOS and you want to find out all you can about the condition ? PCOS, or Polycystic Ovary Syndrome is an endocrine disorder (on other words hormone-related) that affects women of child-bearing age (some define this as between 12 and 45 years) that results in infertility and many cysts or fluid-filled sacs on the ovaries. That is the description but in actual fact it is a very distressing condition in that you experience excruciating pain when one of these cysts rupture. You experience emotional turmoil because of the inability to conceive and you are worried why your periods are so far apart, and if they do happen they are so painful and lasts for anything from two weeks to a month ? Maybe you suddenly find yourself with facial hair and an outbreak of acne ? You find that you have developed coarse hairs on your arms ? You have gained weight and you are really struggling to lose weight ? These are some of the emotions and problems that women with PCOS are faced with.
There are a number of ways in which you can approach the problem and thus a number of actions you can take. These actions includes weight loss, seeking medical help with hormonal treatments, using alternative therapies and if all else fails there is surgical procedures that may be considered. I am sure you are already tired of hearing this but the first and most important step if you are overweight is to approach PCOS from a weight loss perspective. I know that this is very difficult but you have to keep a few things in mind. If you can reduce your bodyweight by 5% the chances are very good that the condition will improve or even go away. You have to consider weight loss as the primary objective of your treatment if you have a BMI or body mass index above 25. Now please understand, I do not propose a weight loss program that involves starvation or deprevation ! The biggest misconception when it comes to weight loss is that if you don’t eat you can’t gain weight. Fortunately this is a load of hogwash or you may substitute a stronger term if you so wish and I for one will agree with you! I am not going to try and tell you what to eat and what not to eat except for one thing : animal fats except butter ! In moderation though. If you are able to reduce your intake of animal fats to as close to zero as you can you are already well on your way to get rid of PCOS and a healthier you. Eat smaller meals more frequently. Do not go hungry. If you eat smaller meals more frequently then you stimulate your whole digestive system and this will be a stimulation of your metabolism. Oh yes , did I mention a bit of exercise ? No need to join a gym or spend thousands of bucks on exercise equipment. Start small and do a few, but not too strenous, exercises at first. If you experience pain or discomfort please seek medical advise before you continue. A look at a programs such as the pilates programs are very beneficial and you can join a local club if you wish or get yourself a video and do the exercises at home if you have the motivation and the persevarance. Now to the benefits of losing weight. Fertility will be restored in most women. Hirsutism will disappear along with the androgenic symptoms. Menstruation will return to normal in most of the cases and also the hyperinsulinism can be corrected.
So you can see that it is very beneficial to lose some weight if you are diagnosed as having PCOS.