Suppose you’re living with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). In that case, you’re not alone: Some 15% of women who menstruate live with this complicated condition and its wide-ranging effects on hormonal balance, reproductive function, appearance, and long-term health.
In recognition of PCOS Awareness Month this September, our women’s wellness experts at New Beginnings OB/GYN want you to know that successful PCOS control begins with beneficial lifestyle changes — and we’re here to help you every step of the way.
Read on as Dr. Christina Parmar and Dr. Rania Ibrahim discuss the ins and outs of PCOS, including how healthy habits can minimize its symptoms and health effects.
PCOS causes imbalanced reproductive hormones during a woman’s prime childbearing years (ages 15-44). Specifically, it causes abnormally high levels of male sex hormones (androgens), as well as impaired insulin sensitivity. About 70% of women with PCOS have insulin resistance, too.
These two defining features of PCOS — high androgen levels and insulin resistance — are responsible for the wide array of symptoms that accompany it, including:
The combination of high androgen levels and insulin resistance can also take a toll on your health, increasing your risk of developing serious chronic conditions like high cholesterol, high blood pressure, heart disease, and type 2 diabetes.
Many women with PCOS have chronic, low-grade inflammation. Experts believe this systemic inflammatory state may contribute to the condition’s initial development — and play a role in its continuation.
Fortunately, specific lifestyle changes can help you control the various mechanisms that drive PCOS and its related symptoms and problems. As part of a comprehensive PCOS management plan, we recommend that you:
Daily exercise is foundational to PCOS control because it dials down systemic inflammation, increases insulin sensitivity, and promotes a healthier body weight. It would help if you aimed to get at least 60 minutes of physical activity most days.
Physical activity improves the way your body uses insulin. As your body restores more efficient blood sugar control, you experience a cascade of positive effects — your androgen levels drop, your PCOS symptoms improve, and your associated health risks decline.
A diet that’s rich in refined carbohydrates, added sugars, and ultra-processed food products is a leading contributor to insulin resistance and severe PCOS symptoms.
It’s not surprising, then, that another foundational element of PCOS control is healthy eating. Like exercise, the right dietary choices can ease inflammation, reverse insulin resistance, help you manage your weight, and reduce the effects of PCOS.
This means establishing eating patterns centered on wholesome, fiber-rich foods — fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, and nuts — and heart-healthy unsaturated fats and lean proteins. Incorporating anti-inflammatory foods like berries, dark leafy greens, and fatty fish like salmon can also be highly beneficial.
If you’re overweight — as up to 80% of women with PCOS are — shedding excess pounds is one of the best steps you can take to improve PCOS symptoms and related health risks. Why? Extra weight worsens inflammation and insulin resistance, increasing androgen output and exacerbating your symptoms and health concerns.
Losing 5-10% of your body weight is often all it takes to improve these issues. Luckily, the two critical elements of effective PCOS management — daily exercise and healthy eating — can help you reach that goal with consistent effort.
If you feel stressed out more often than not, the extra strain and tension may worsen your PCOS symptoms and related health risks. Chronic uncontrolled stress activates your adrenal glands, causing elevated stress hormone (cortisol) levels that, in turn, contribute to increased levels of androgens.
Finding ways to minimize stressors and cope with stress more effectively can help you feel more centered and improve your PCOS symptoms. Exercise, meditation, connecting with others, and taking time to do things you enjoy are just a few stress-busting strategies that may work for you.
These changes alone—weight management, nutritious eating, daily exercise, and stress control—are often all that is needed to improve insulin resistance, ease systemic inflammation, reduce androgen production, and minimize PCOS-related symptoms and concerns.
Are you ready to gain the upper hand over PCOS? We can help. Call or click online to schedule a visit at New Beginnings OB/GYN in Shenandoah, Texas, today.