Ever heard of PCOS? You’re looking in the mirror. Who’s that person struggling with chronic acne well past their teens? Is that facial hair again? You check your period app — late again, nothing new. And those extra couple pounds – are they slowly creeping up? The answer may be that you have PCOS.
That is, Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome. This is a condition characterized by having at least two of the three following criteria:
- Androgen excess (this may look like: acne, hair loss, course facial hair growth and insulin resistance)
- Ovulatory dysregulation (cycles 35 days or longer, but less than 6 months apart, or absent menses for 6-12 months after having a regular period)
- Polycystic ovaries (an ovary which contains more than 12 follicles on ultrasound)
Because PCOS influences different systems of the body as an endocrine disorder, it can manifest in different ways. People with PCOS often struggle with fertility, have oily and acne-prone skin, have sugar cravings or “hanger,” and have trouble losing weight.
The main goals we have as Naturopathic Doctors for individuals with PCOS are to regulate menses and to treat insulin resistance, which thereby balances out the androgen excess. Because PCOS is a multifaceted syndrome, every patient gets treated based on what they individually present with. We focus on diet and lifestyle modifications, herbal support and acupuncture protocols to support the body’s cycle.
If you have PCOS or think you may, let’s work together to get your cycle regular and to improve insulin sensitivity of your cells. If you have not been assessed for PCOS but the above sounds like you, let’s investigate and find the root cause of your symptoms. Click here to book with me.l
– Dr. Henna, ND