★★★★★
★★★★★
Over the years, I have tried diet (but haphazardly) Chaste Berry, and several other herbs ,some exercise, Metformin 2000mg/day for two years, synthetic progesterone to get my periods and none of that has helped. Not even the Metformin which so many people swears by.
By the time I was 27, I realized I had gluten intolerance. I had poor digestion, a large belly and developed psoriasis. Once I eliminated gluten from my diet, I instantly lost inches and my skin cleared up. Over the next several years, I had to clean up my diet even more to improve my digestion, lose more weight and get rid of estrogen dominance that's so common with PCOS.
I eliminated, gluten and most other grains including "healthy" brown rice and corn, sugars except for low GI fruit and occasional palm sugar (lower GI than agave), fruit juice, soy, dairy, processed foods (of course), hydrogenated oils, canola oil, and several other foods.
My diet is rich in green veggies, low GI fruit, green juices, lean protein, nuts, and, good fats (including unprocessed coconut oil). I make sure that 80% of my diet is raw fruits, veggies, and nuts.
Besides diet, I take supplements including kelp. Though my thyroid tests always came back normal, I may have had subclinical hyperthyroid because when I added 12mg of kelp per day, I started ovulating on CD 15 for the first time ever. I have been taking 12mg kelp daily for 8 months and my body haven't skipped a beat. When you look for kelp in the store, it usually comes in 225mcg tablets. You will have to do the conversion to get the right amount.
I went from a size 14 to a 6 in less than a year and I have kept it off. I think between diet, regular exercise, the usual suspects of supplements (omega 3, B complex, etc) and kelp has been my answer to PCOS.
★★★★★
I am currently taking a break from it. After taking the tea, and regulating my periods, I discovered I had Endometriosis (through surgery as well)--so I am on treatment for that as well--trying the doctors way first before my own. But i still recommend the TEA!
White Peony Tea
Chaste Tree Berry
Thanks,
Shanon
Chaste Tree Berry
★★★★★
★★★★★
I doctor did a pcos workup and all my labs were normal. I was referred to a specialist that thought all the symptoms were in my head and thought I needed a personal trainer. I had only a little facial hair, no fertility trouble, only 25 lbs overweight, and my labs were normal. After aguing with the doctor for 30 minutes he did an ultrasound to 'humor' me. I had 15 cysts on one side. I was rx'd metformin, which made me extremely ill.
I had to stopped taking it because I couldn't work on the med. Carbs!!! Thats the problem. Our bodies were not meant to eat all this processed food. If you want your symptoms to go away you need to change your lifestyle. Exercising and a low glycemic diet is the key. I lost 45 lbs in a year and a half. I weigh less now than in high school. Once you train your body to need the right foods you stop the vicious 'bad'carb craving cycle. You crave carbs because your body is not coverting them into energy, they are being stored as fat, which makes you tired and wanting to eat more 'bad' carbs.
Other than a low carb diet I am a firm believer in hollistic cures. There are herbal supp that can keep your sugar from spiking and destroys it before its stored. Which is also important with pcos.1) Fenugreek- 1 capsule 1 to 3 times daily 2)Gymnema Sylvestre-400mg, also if dissolved on your tongue can keep you form tasting sugar.
I work in the medical field and believe no one, no one knows your body better than you!!
Dietary Changes
Green Tea Extract
★★★★☆
I looked into the elevated testosterone levels, and found that not only does excess body fat EXACERBATE testosterone levels (best solution - reduce body fat), but the KEY to reducing testosterone could be in ELEVATING your SHBG (Sex Hormone-Binding Globulin) levels.
For those of you who have had a thorough blood test for your hormones, you will note that Doctors mainly talk about your Oestrogen, Progesterone and your Testosterone Levels. But I suggest you look at your test and note the levels of your SHBG. SHBG is a glycoprotein in your blood that BINDS the FREE ANDROGENS in your blood stream. Free Androgens are the Male Hormones that are floating in your bloodstream that cause the male pattern baldness, hormonal hair, acne and other androgenous conditions. If your Testosterone is high, more than likely your SHBG is in the lower levels. Basically, there is not enough of the SHBG protein to catch these little fellows that cause all this damage.
I researched how to elevate SHBG naturally, and it seems that GREEN TEA is the best solution. BUT since we all can't drink countless cups of Green Tea to elevate these levels, it would be a wonderful idea to take a natural supplement of GREEN TEA EXTRACT. Check with your health food store or pharmacy, you should be able to get it in capsule or tablet form.
Along with increasing your SHBG levels, Green Tea Extract may also serve to speed up your metabolism, and also burn body fat. If you have PCOS and are experiencing baldness or thinning of your hair, this may be the best long term "INTERNAL" solution to the problem.
My other suggestion is to stay away from hormonal contraceptions at all costs. They do more damage than good to your already sensitive hormone levels. Synthetic hormones are not easily assimilated in our bodies, and therefore, our body reacts adversely. The pill may be the cause of greater infertility than you realise.
The final note for women with PCOS is to remember that PCOS is linked to DIABETES, SYNDROME X/INSULIN RESISTANCE. The majority of women with PCOS have been found to have a history of Diabetes in their families, or come from a culture where diabetes is prevalent. The key for all of us therefore, is to reduce our consumption of simple sugars and any food that elevates our blood sugar levels too quickly (high GI foods). Higher protein, lower PROCESSED carb diets work well for us. Increase your raw vegetable and fruit consumption. Also increase your essential fatty acid intake (i.e. good oils - extra virgin olive oil, flaxseed oil etc).
These changes will go a very long way to ensuring greater fertility, better balance in your hormones, and long term prevention of heart disease and diabetes.
Good luck everyone. If you wish to email me with questions, you are more than welcome to.
★★★★☆
White Peony Tea
★★★★★
★★★★★
Dietary Changes
Dietary Changes
Dietary Changes
★★★★★
★★★★★
★★★★★
After trying to heal my body under the guidance of a nutritionist/chiropractor following the S. P. diet books (just using the initials of the book name here) my hormone imbalanced grew even more out of control. I gained about 25-30 pounds (the chiro and books told me this is supposed to be "normal" as your body heals it's metabolism) and the result was increased bleeding that did not stop.
So, for the past 2 1/2 years I've had to deal with heavy, lingering bleeding. Rx drugs are not for me, so I have been trying to solve this with natural remedies. I managed to lose the extra weight I gained following the SP diet, thank goodness. This helped lessen the bleeding. I lost more weight with diet/lots of exercise and ACV. The bleeding didn't completely stop, but more or less just lingered on and on. Still, it was a big improvement over what I had been suffering.
Then I got my new job where I am sitting a lot, started eating lots of goodies over the holidays, and...no surprise...gained some weight back. As most of us know by now fat = estrogen. Too much estrogen with not enough progesterone to counteract it (due to lack of ovulation) means excess bleeding. And, I started bleeding heavier again. I was ready to pull my hair out and really disappointed in myself for gaining weight back after all my hard work and success.
So, I came to EarthClinic and read about BSM. Once again, so many women said they had good results from it I could not ignore their advice. After taking BSM for about 2 weeks my bleeding STOPPED!!! No lingering, no spotting, nothing!
I tried several ways of taking it...on my granola first, which was totally disgusting. Then I finally tried it mixed in warm water and drinking it like tea. It's actually very, very good this way. My recipe is 2 teaspoons mixed with about one cup warm water morning and night.
After missing the night dosage for a while (during my bout with the flu) I noticed a little spotting returning. I don't know how BSM will affect me altogether, whether or not it will help me have a normal cycle, I just haven't taken it long enough. But I do know that the awful incessant bleeding has stopped and I am so relieved!
Thanks everyone for your suggestions and feedback. Without it I would never have tried BSM.
