Lotus plants with flowers

Natural Remedies for PCOS

April 05, 2020

More and more women are seeking natural remedies for PCOS nowadays. In this blog we want to highlight the most important things you can do for yourself to deal with PCOS.

What is PCOS?

PCOS stands for polycystic ovarian syndrome and is one of the most common hormonal endocrine disorders in women. It’s important to note that PCOS manifests itself differently in every woman. Some don’t have actual cysts and never experience any symptoms, while others feel like they have them all. PCOS can disrupt a lot of systems in the body but there are some natural remedies for PCOS that can help.

What are the main symptoms of PCOS?

Symptoms may include irregular or no periods, acne, PMS, weight gain (particularly around the midsection), hair loss and hair growth in strange places (like your chin, upper lip, or sideburns), string of pearl type cysts on your ovaries, extreme PMS symptoms and cramping, insulin resistance and/or type 2 diabetes, headaches, sleep apnea and, often times, infertility.

How is PCOS treated?

In Western Medicine treatment of PCOS consists of using medication like birth control pills, Metformin and Clomid. These medications are somewhat controversial and even though they may control the symptoms, they don’t usually improve the PCOS.

What are some natural remedies for PCOS?

  • Eat an Anti-Inflammatory Diet: Our diet has a great impact on our hormones.

Fruits and vegetables

Foods to avoid: The main triggers for hormone disruptions are gluten, dairy, sugar and processed foods.

Foods to add: organic, fibre-rich fruits; vegetables and whole grains; healthy fats and lean protein.

Incorporate hormone-healing foods like spearmint tea, cinnamon, apple cider vinegar, bone broth and nourishing teas.

  • Moderate exercise: Long intense work-outs can burn out your adrenals which greatly disrupts your hormone levels. It is best to exercise moderately, for less time (up to 30 min) but frequently (up to daily).
  • Reduce stress: Elevated cortisol (the stress hormone) is very disruptive to your other hormone levels. Make the time for relaxing activities like exercise, yoga, meditation, acupuncture, aromatherapy, spending time in nature, being creative and dedicating time to spiritual practices.
  • Balance your Blood Sugars: Insulin resistance is another issue many women with PCOS struggle with. Essentially, when your blood sugar (fasting glucose and insulin) levels are too high, you’re at very high risk for developing type 2 diabetes. To avoid, cut out refined carbohydrates and sugar and focus your diet on healthy fats, fibre and protein. Eat at regular intervals, and especially first thing in the morning to keep your insulin levels down.
  • Use Low-Tox Products: In the same way that what we put in our body is important, so too is what we put on our bodies. Most store-bought products unfortunately contain a cocktail of harmful chemicals that are proven to cause hormonal imbalances (including infertility). Try and eliminating these products and switch to low-tox natural products.

What if you have difficulty managing PCOS on your own?

If you have tried self-help strategies but they don’t seem to be working, make sure you find help. Don’t struggle on your own.

At Natural Solutions Acupuncture we use acupuncture and herbal medicine, to help and support you with your symptoms.

How can I make an appointment?

You can call us on 0414 067 874 or send us an email us here. Alternatively to manage PCOS with natural remedies make an appointment here.