PCOS or Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome happens to be the most common disorder that affects the endocrine system in women, between the ages of 18 to 50. PCOS results in discord among hormones and also results in enlarged ovaries with small, though benign cysts in them.
The main symptoms of PCOS include:
- Irregular periods
- Ovarian cysts
- Weight gain
- Excess body hair growth
- Acne
- Heavy period flow
The good thing about PCOS however, is the fact that it is a condition that can be controlled and treated quite effectively by lifestyle and dietary changes.
Treatments:
- Flaxseeds:
- Flaxseeds contain a compound called lignin, which helps in containing and binding the testosterone present in the blood and also helps in its excretion
- This in turn helps, considerably lessen the side effects that the hormonal imbalance might cause
- The flaxseeds, apart from being healthy also adds an amazing texture and crunch to your food as well
- Bitter Gourd/Karela:
- Bottle gourd has been doing the rounds for quite some time now and has been known to bring down the blood sugar levels and improving insulin sensitivity
- As PCOS is also usually accompanied by elevated insulin levels that in turn causes the ovaries to produce more androgen thus causing symptoms like irregular periods.
- Bitter gourd also supports and regulates the pancreas in producing the right amount of insulin.
- Apple Cider Vinegar:
- One of the best and most natural treatments that a person can come across for PCOS is, hands-down, apple cider vinegar
- Apple cider vinegar has also been known to reduce the production of insulin while it also keeps the blood sugar level regulated
- Lesser the insulin level, lesser the chances of the ovaries producing more androgen, thus substantially reducing the issues and symptoms related to PCOS
- Spearmint Tea:
- One of the most irritating and common symptoms of PCOS is unwanted hair growth on both the face and body.
- Spearmint tea is known to have anti-androgen properties and thus is able to reduce the production of male hormones quite effectively.
- As a result, it is also able to relieve many symptoms related to the male hormones like excess hair growth.
- Fenugreek/Methi Seeds:
- A medicinal herb has been known to have some absolutely brilliant effects on hormone regulation as a whole.
- Fenugreek seeds help, very effectively at that, in regulating the menstrual cycle of a woman and making it more regular.
- One can use these seeds ground or whole in various foods like curries and soups and the nutty flavour that they add to the food is nothing short of a bonus.
We hope that these natural remedies, combined with the right kind of exercise and a clean diet will be able to treat and alleviate the symptoms and problems associated with PCOS effectively and also have long-standing benefits.
