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| How about that, I have a syndrome that has one of those cool ribbons to go with it. Teal!! |
On May 8, 2012 I finally received an official diagnoses that I have PCOS. So what is PCOS? It stands for Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome which is a hormonal disorder in women. It causes an over production of androgens, facial hair, male-patterned baldness, ovarian cysts, missed periods, acne, oily skin, depression, mood swings, fast weight gain, infertility, insulin resistance, inflammation, skin tags, high cholesterol, high blood pressure and a few more things. Seriously, right? Thankfully a woman can have PCOS and NOT have all the symptoms.
Something else with PCOS is that if it is not treated you have an increased risk for endometrial cancer, diabetes and heart disease.
So now with this information, the past 12 years of my life actually make sense. No wonder it took me YEARS to have Olivia and why I can't seem to lose the weight. It also explains the lovely acne that I am always battling and probably why I get moody.
I have spent the last two months researching all that I can about PCOS and treatments. This is where my decision back in January (3 months before the doctor mentioned PCOS to me) to eat healthier and live a more active lifestyle became validated. It has given me an increase motivation to do all that I can to prevent some horrible diseases.
So what do I have to do? Well I was prescribed a diabetic medication to control the insulin resistance. This is where I am seeing a problem. I know that there is no "cure" for PCOS but why are we only controlling the symptoms? I want to overcome this and become healthier and not simply mask the problems. I don't want to be given four different medications that will never treat this.
I have researched a natural supplement company that is geared towards PCOS. I really believe that we have herbs and good foods for a reason. (Let me state here that there is a time and place for pharmaceutics!) I am hoping to take the natural route and see how I do. There is a great website and forum where other woman have shared some great successes with these supplements (and many other things!). It gives me hope!
The next thing I have to do is carefully watch my diet. This can't be a diet I stay on for a few months or even a year, this has to be a lifelong change and it will take time! I need to cut out all sugars (there are some natural sugars that are okay to have sometimes), preservatives, and anything artificial. I must limit my carbs since they help with the insulin problems and the carbs I do eat need to be a low-GI carb. I need to fill my diet with whole natural foods, fruits and veggies, whole grains, etc.
Now for exercise. I can't over-do working out and I must vary what I do. A good cardio 2 to 3 times a week, interval training for 2 times and a good strength training or something like Yoga or Pilates 2 times a week.
Now you can see why our life reset is even more important and I honestly do love that this is a confirmation of my desires earlier in the year to be healthier. With our resent move this is taking some time to implement, but I will!
A great blog that talks more about PCOS and what she did about it!
I was diagnosed over 15 years ago....and never thought to look up stuff like this! Thanks for the links/ideas. Who knows if I'd changed my lifestyle what that would have meant for us (all those what ifs!)
ReplyDeleteOne of my good friends has this Nicol. I'm going to send this link to her. Thank you for sharing!
ReplyDeleteRegarding food, it almost sounds like you might need to eat like I eat on a GF diet since I can't eat gluten. I'll have GF corn flakes for breakfast, a green smoothie from my Vitamix with Kale, cucumbers, and a little bit of fruit, then maybe a protein and salad for lunch, an apple an peanut butter around 3, and then a another protein/veggie dinner. Sometimes I'll eat potatoes too. This was a big change for me because I use to love bread. Now that I know gluten makes me so sick, it is easier to stay away. I can see how a diet like mine would seem CRAZY in the Midwest though. :)