Treating and Managing PCOS with Diet

Before we get started, I want to suggest that those who are really interested in making these changes wait until the end of the series to begin. There is quite a bit of information I want to bring to you, and it is going to take several posts to get it all out. Please read them all, as they will all have good information, and will build upon each other. 

PCOS, or Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome, is an all too common condition affecting women. It is characterized by the abnormal growth of small cysts on the ovaries, caused from the inability to ovulate. While the cysts are benign, they represents a hormone imbalance. This disruption of the normal flow of reproductive hormones can cause:

• Irregular Menstruation Cycles or Amenorrhea (Lack of Ovulation and Menses)
• Pain with Ovulation
• Dysmenorrhea (Painful Periods)
• Infertility
• Cysts on Ovaries
• Hirsutism (Abnormal Hair Growth)
• Hair Loss (Similar to Male Patterned Baldness)
• Excessive Weight Gain
• Acne
• Acanthosis Nigricans (Patches of darkening and thickening skin, usually on the back of the neck or thighs, usually a sign of insulin resistance)
• Insulin Resistance
  

If left untreated, those with PCOS are more likely to develop:

• Type 2 Diabetes
• Hypothyroid Disease
• Cardiovascular Disease

PCOS is the most common cause of infertility and reproductive disorders in the US. At last estimate (that I have read) 1 in 15 women is diagnosed with PCOS. PCOS is often difficult to diagnose, and in many cases the only symptom is irregular menstruation.

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