HOW TO MANAGE PCOS HOLISTICALLY

Here’s how…

29th February, 2020

By Dr. Juhi Agarwal

PCOS (Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome) is complex in nature. It can present itself with a number of symptoms including obesity, hirsutism, acne, diabetes and infertility, often damaging self-esteem in young women and increasing stress hormones— leading to a never-ending vicious cycle and worsening of PCOS symptoms. It is therefore important to tackle PCOS with a multi-disciplinary approach.

• It starts with YOU! You need to be well-informed about the condition, getting the information from dependable and authentic sources.
• There is a lot of stigma around taking medication, especially a commonly prescribed medicine called metformin (used to increase insulin sensitivity), for fear of having to take it lifelong. As a result, alternative forms are experimented with. Even though this is a motivating thought, a combination of both allopathy and lifestyle changes would help you manage symptoms better, without putting your body under any more pressure.
• A dietician or nutritionist should be able to guide you through balanced eating with appropriate supplementation, which is not restrictive and works around your daily routine using what’s available to you. Because, at the end of the day, it is you who pays for, cooks and eats the food, and it shouldn’t be something that adds more stress to your life!

• Being active and getting adequate sleep are both cost effective treatments for PCOS management. Use them freely!

• Our mental and physical health are significantly interlinked and we might notice our PCOS symptoms aggravating when we are more stressed/low/anxious. Our hormones also play an important role in our mood—looking after our emotional health is an essential part of PCOS selfcare.
• Surround yourself with people who understand and empathise with your PCOS journey and don’t criticise/shame you for symptoms beyond your control. This links back to looking after your psychological health by being kind to your body and developing a relationship with it which is loving and compassionate, not critical.

• Lastly, all the approaches (if possible) should be followed together as they go hand-in-hand, giving you optimal positive results.

While the diagnosis of PCOS can be a bit daunting, hoping this post and the earlier ones have given you useful information and viable strategies to deal with it.