Healing PCOS. Amy Medling

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      “Think of PCOS as being in an extended state of puberty, where androgens, luteinizing hormone (LH), and insulin resistance dominate and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), estrogen, and progesterone haven’t established their rhythm.”

       —DR. FIONA MCCULLOCH

       Signs of Thyroid Dysfunction

       Signs of Hypothyroidism (Underactive Thyroid)

       Signs of Hyperthyroidism (Overactive Thyroid)

       CHRONIC INFLAMMATION

       I should be a dentist’s dream patient. My brushing and flossing habits are impeccable. I have my teeth cleaned every six months. I don’t poke around in my mouth with pointy objects. Then why did my gums bleed every time I went to the dentist? For years, no matter what I tried, from my dentist I would get that face and “the talk.” You know the one I mean, about brushing and flossing regularly? As it turns out, it wasn’t my oral hygiene that was the problem. It was my systemic inflammation.

      Inflammation isn’t necessarily bad. Our bodies use inflammation to fight off microbial, autoimmune, metabolic, or physical attacks. For example, it’s what causes our knees to puff up and bleed when we fall and scrape them. It’s a sign the body is deploying white blood cells, which help heal injuries, fend off disease, and replace aging cells. The problem is chronic inflammation, inflammation lasting from a few months to several years. That type of inflammation takes a tremendous toll on every system of the body.

      Symptoms of Inflammation

      According to integrative physician Felice Gersh, chronic inflammation is the root cause of many of the conditions women with PCOS experience, such as obesity and weight-loss resistance, infertility, hirsutism, mood swings, and acne. And recent research suggests that women with PCOS have higher levels of circulating C-reactive protein (CRP), an indicator of general inflammation independent even of obesity.

      Inflammation is widely recognized as the root of many of the major diseases that plague the Western world. Cardiovascular disease, metabolic syndrome, hypertension, some cancers, diabetes, and PCOS all share the common root of inflammation.

      Chronic inflammation may be caused by obesity, food sensitivities and allergies, and stress. It may also result from environmental and lifestyle factors such as pollution, poor diet, smoking, lack of exercise, and poor dental health. Getting to the root of these problems through a proper inflammation-reducing diet and lifestyle is critical for women with PCOS.

       Why Do I Have PCOS?

      Although the exact cause of PCOS is unknown, it is generally agreed that genetics, hyperinsulinemia (high levels of insulin) and insulin resistance, and/or a defect in a hormone-producing organ play a role. I have already discussed the chicken-and-egg debate about insulin and PCOS, whether chronically high levels of insulin cause excess androgens or vice versa. With regard to genetics, studies show that a woman with PCOS has a 40 percent likelihood of having a sister with the syndrome and a 35 percent chance of having a mother with the disorder. It is possible that a mother’s obesity, insulin resistance, or exposure to food high in advanced glycation end products (AGEs) or industrial toxins such as bisphenol A (BPA) may be the root cause. If PCOS is genetic, the genes involved in its expression may be triggered by environmental stimuli such as poor diet or rapid weight gain.

      Some women with PCOS first experience symptoms when they stop taking the birth control pill. Typically, there was a predisposition before taking the pill, but only when they stopped taking it did symptoms emerge as a result of the disruption in communication between the pituitary gland and ovaries. In this case, symptoms should clear as soon as communication is reestablished.

       How Can I Get Diagnosed?

      Getting a firm diagnosis can be a long journey. There are several things to remember when seeking a diagnosis:

      Be honest with your doctors. Tell them all of your symptoms. Try not to be embarrassed, and don’t write СКАЧАТЬ