PCOS : Struggling with invisible pain

At first you need to know about ovary. It is one of the pair of female reproductive organ in which the eggs form & female hormones such as oestrogen, progesteron are made. This hormones plays an important role in female traits such as breast development, body shape, body hair. It is also involved in menstrual cycle, fertility, pregnancy, breast milk production etc.

PCOS is a common health problem caused by an imbalance of reproductive hormones. This imbalance creates a problem in the ovaries. The ovaries make the eggs that is released each month as a part of healthy menstrual cycle from each ovary alternatively. With PCOS, the egg may not develop as it should or may not be released during ovulation as it should be.

Symptoms :

Some of the symptoms of PCOS include:

• Irregular menstrual cycle. Women with PCOS may miss periods or have fewer periods (fewer than eight in a year). Or, their periods may come every 21 days or more often. Some women with PCOS stop having menstrual periods.

• Too much hair on the face, chin, or parts of the body where men usually have hair. This is called "hirsutism." Hirsutism affects up to 70% of women with PCOS.3

• Acne on the face, chest, and upper back

• Thinning hair or hair loss on the scalp; male-pattern baldness

• Weight gain or difficulty losing weight

• Darkening of skin, particularly along neck creases, in the groin, and underneath breasts

• Skin tags, which are small excess flaps of skin in the armpits or neck area.

Reasons :

The exact cause of PCOS is not known. Most experts think that several factors, including genetics, play a role:

• High levels of androgens. Androgens are sometimes called "male hormones," although all women make small amounts of androgens. Androgens control the development of male traits, such as male-pattern baldness. Women with PCOS have more androgens than normal. Higher than normal androgen levels in women can prevent the ovaries from releasing an egg (ovulation) during each menstrual cycle, and can cause extra hair growth and acne, two signs of PCOS.

• High levels of insulin. Insulin is a hormone that controls how the food you eat is changed into energy. Insulin resistance is when the body's cells do not respond normally to insulin. As a result, your insulin blood levels become higher than normal. Many women with PCOS have insulin resistance, especially those who have overweight or obesity, have unhealthy eating habits, do not get enough physical activity, and have a family history of diabetes (usually type 2 diabetes). Over time, insulin resistance can lead to type 2 diabetes.

Treatment :

1. Hormonal treatment. ( advised by Dr)

2. Diet

> Increase the intake of high fibre foods such as oats, fruits, vegetables, broccoli, whole wheat, > >flaxseed, chia seed, chick pea etc.

>Lean protein like fish.

>Omega 3 fatty acid ( salmom fish)

3. Yoga

Some yoga can reduce the risks of PCOS. These include -

> Baddhakonasan ( butterflypose)

> Bhujangasan ( cobra pose)

> Naukasan ( bowpose)

> Dhanurasan (bowpose)

> Padmasan ( lotus pose)

>Marjariasana ( cat pose)

4. Walk 30 minutes daily.

Why yoga?

One of the biggest side-effects of PCOS is not being able to lose weight. As a result, it is natural to be tempted to turn towards more intense forms of workout, in the hope of burning more calories, and burning them faster. However, yoga is a much better option to choose, not only because it will help you lose weight and control your stress levels (as mentioned earlier), but because it has targeted benefits for different body organs too (which intense forms of workout may not be able to provide). Yoga is more like a one-stop solution that is going to act on more than just an overall/general physical level – it is going to specifically heal the organs that are affected as a result of PCOS.

Can you still get pregnant with PCOS?

Yes, having PCOS does not mean you can't get pregnant. PCOS is one of the most common, but treatable, causes of infertility in women. In women with PCOS, the hormonal imbalance interferes with the growth and release of eggs from the ovaries (ovulation). If you don't ovulate, you can't get pregnant.

Your doctor can talk with you about ways to help you ovulate and to raise your chance of getting pregnant. You can also use our Ovulation Calculator to see which days in your menstrual cycle you are most likely to be fertile.

#pcos #diett #healthyliving #YOGA #livelong #curepcos