In the last decade, PCOS has continued to haunt women of all age groups. Its severity can be accessed from the fact that 7 out of 10 women are diagnosed with PCOS at some stage in their lives. However, it is entirely reversible if one begins to live a healthier life, by being in sync with nature. By following the methods mentioned in this article, hormonal balance can be restored easily, and the feared complications of infertility can cease to exist.

What is PCOS?

PCOS/PCOD also known as Poly Cystic Ovaries Syndrome, is a hormonal disorder detected in women of childbearing age. The body’s hormonal signaling system gets skewed and women with PCOS have a higher level of androgens (male hormones) which leads to an imbalance in the normal functioning of body. The monthly cycle of eggs released for fertilization is disturbed and women with PCOS develop irregular menstrual cycles. The ovaries may develop multiple cysts leading to the term polycystic ovaries.

What are its symptoms?

Following are the common symptoms of PCOS:

• Irregular periods: Menstrual cycle becomes irregular
• Facial hair: Excessive growth of hair on chin or body (hirsutism) is another common symptom of PCOS.
• Acne: From mild, moderate to cystic acne – PCOS disturbs the sebum production as well.
• Weight changes: Women may experience gain in weight during the early stages of PCOS.
• Thinning of hair: Mild baldness on a certain portion of the head is also seen in PCOS.

Why does it happen?

The human body orchestrates thousands of biochemical reactions every day and maintains itself in perfect balance with the help of enzymes, hormones and other secretions from multiple glands. Any wrong inputs given to the body, over time, can disturb this delicate balance leading to disturbance in the functioning of glands

Though androgen is known as the male hormone, androgen is produced in a woman’s body too, though in lesser quantity. When the adrenal glands and ovaries start producing excessive androgens, it results in a hormonal imbalance, causing symptoms of male pattern baldness, acne, hair growth in unwanted places, cysts in the ovaries and irregular monthly cycles.

From the nature cure’s viewpoint, it is an accumulation of toxins in the body over time. The toxin accumulation in the body gets manifested as malfunctioning glands which results in disturbed hormonal balance. The body with its supreme intelligence, stores the toxins in this case, in the form of cysts in the ovary resulting in PCOS.

What lifestyle factors contribute to PCOS?

The following lifestyle factors contribute to PCOS:

1. FOOD FACTORS:

• Chemicals found in processed food items along with the added preservatives, stabilizers, antioxidants, artificial aromas and colours.
• Earlier, people used to have limited consumption of meat and dairy. However, in today’s scenario, consumption has increased. In addition, animals today are being given growth hormones and brought up in an unnatural, stressful environment and fed unnatural food. This contamination in the food chain contributes to hormonal imbalance.

Regular usage of chemicals containing refined oils in food has a negative impact on health. We should try oil-free cooking to save ourselves from such harm.

2. LIFESTYLE FACTORS:

• Chemicals from toiletries, cleaning products and cosmetics are harmful as they are absorbed by cells of our skin. Try making products yourself instead. Get cues from here.
• Excessive usage of plastic in storing food items we ingest. Also, Teflon based cooking material is harmful to our health.
• The loss of being in sync with nature, over-reliance on electronic gadgets leads to a disturbed sleep cycle.
• Sedentary lifestyle aggravates the negative impact on our bodies and blocks the natural functioning of system; thus, prohibiting glands from working efficiently.
• Use of medicines that contain chemicals or birth-control pills leads to a dysfunction in the body. It directly impacts the glands as they cannot secrete hormones in adequate quantity.
• Lack of contact with nature and her cycles, getting inadequate sunshine disturb the synchronicity of body with nature which leads to its malfunctioning.

3. MENTAL FACTORS:

• Chronic stress can cause hormonal imbalance and tired overworked glands and organs. This can cause hormonal imbalance and mood swings.

How can PCOS be healed naturally?

Reconnecting to nature and eating foods which nature designed for us can help heal and restore normal functioning.

1. Don’t Skip Sleep & Sleep Right

Sleep is rightly called as the natural doctor. A lot is happening behind the scenes in our body while we are asleep. When you are sleeping, the body is hard at work, repairing old cells, eliminating toxins from our body, and assimilating nutrients.

When you don’t get adequate and quality sleep, the body doesn’t have time to maintain these housekeeping tasks. This causes waste to start accumulating, causing higher toxin levels in the bloodstream. Adults require 6 to 8 hours of undisturbed sleep every night to enjoy various health benefits, including maintaining a healthy state of mind and body.

2. Eliminate Stress – Let your Mind and Body be at Peace

There is a direct link between stress and hormonal imbalance.

Half the battle here is recognizing the causes of stress. Learn the art of mindfulness – the practice of recognizing what’s challenging you and working out ways to alter your mind’s response. You can inculcate mindfulness by practicing yoga, deep breathing, journaling and meditation.

Bonding with other women or having a health buddy with similar health goals can help you bust stress and keep you on track.

Also, make exercise a regular part of your daily routine to overcome stress and boost the production of happy hormones.

3. Eat the Right Kind of Food

Make sure that you consume whole, plant-based diet that is full of natural nutrients. The usage of healthy nuts like almonds, walnuts, and seeds like chia, pumpkin and flax seeds also ensures that the dietary requirements through healthy fat are met appropriately. Include as many greens, veggies in your diet in form of salads, soups or even in steamed manner. Cut off dairy and related products from diet as they promote hormonal imbalance in the body. Make sure that raw food, i.e., fresh fruits and veggies eaten in raw form, contributes to 50% of your diet. Include seasonal veggies, sprouts and fruits and relish them in the form of a salads, juices, smoothies, soups etc.

4. Soak up the Sunshine

Sunbathing as part of your morning ritual helps your body restore balance. If you are unable to do it in the morning, fix up a time in the evening slot. By doing some gardening or outdoor activities you can make your sun time more pleasurable.

Mother Nature gives us plenty of foods that help us keep our body in its optimum state, free from illnesses. With the right diet and certain tweaks to your daily routine, you can get rid of PCOS permanently.

5. Stay Tuned to your Body’s Signals

Did you know that your body talks to you? Diseases, pain, and other illnesses are all signals from your body, alerting you to get back to balance. The human body is a miracle and is always striving to ensure that we enjoy the best health.

Try to learn the art of interpreting your body’s signals. For example, you should eat only when hungry and not when you are feeling lonely, depressed, happy, etc. And, remember to stop eating when you are slightly full.

Once the body starts responding to its natural mechanism, the functioning of glands improves automatically and hormonal balance is restored.

What additional measures can be taken?

While you work on long term lifestyle changes, the following measures assist in restoring the internal balance. You can do these two to three times a day or whenever you get the time.

• Cold water hip bath.
• Cold water abdomen pack.
• Spinal bath.

You can read about these in detail here.

Conclusion

PCOS is a worrying but curable condition. With the above lifestyle changes, as toxins are eliminated, body begins to heal as a whole. Glands regain their normal functioning and as a result, the hormonal balance is restored. This leads to dissolving of cysts and with the passage of time, the related symptoms also begin to diminish.

You can choose to reclaim your health!

Additional reading

• Sleep – Your Natural Doctor
• Do you love non-veg food?
• Sunshine – Are you taking your daily health tonic?
• Natural Foods
• Is dairy a habit or a need?
• I took care of cysts & fibroids naturally?