PCOS and You – How Healthy Living Can Get Rid of PCOS
PCOS is a frustrating and frequently misunderstood diagnosis. Increases in our scientific understanding has improved how we diagnosis and treat PCOS. There are multiple organizations that specialize in PCOS and they have shown now what we have long suspected–that PCOS does not just affect your period, but also your metabolic and endocrine systems. This partly explains the symptoms often associated with PCOS, such as increasing facial hair or acne. This also explains why there can be several different diagnostic criteria used in the diagnosis of PCOS and why there can often be confusing information.We are here to help you navigate through all the information and advice. PCOS is a disease that involves multiple different systems of the mind and body, and will require all of us working together on your journey to health. Women with PCOS are at increased risk for heart disease, uterine cancer, and infertility.
According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists: www.ACOG.org PCOS is often confirmed once other disorders have been ruled out biochemically that mimic PCOS. These are diseases that cause irregular periods in increased male-hormone effects. These diseases are known as thyroid disease, nonclassic congenital adrenal hyperplasia (NCCAH), hyperprolactinemia, and other androgen-secreting tumors.
There is a high prevalence of obesity and insulin resistance among women with PCOS, and they are at increased risk for type 2 diabetes, dyslipidemia, and coronary heart disease. Insulin resistance and the development of compensatory hyperinsulinemia is a frequent finding in PCOS. This requires attention to how your lifestyle is affecting your food and exercise, both of which are central to the treatment of PCOS.
Successful treatment requires a deeper understanding of the complexities of PCOS and how they interact to worsen over time. According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists: www.ACOG.org. The ovaries in women with PCOS are abnormally stimulated by insulin, which increases androgen secretion. This is worsened by obesity through the adverse effects of obesity on insulin function. This directly affects ovulation, leading to abnormal, irregular, and unpredictable menstrual cycles. Weight loss, which can restore ovulatory cycles and improve metabolic risk, is the first-line intervention for most women. Therapeutic goals not only include reduction and control of male-hormone symptoms, but more importantly, management of underlying metabolic abnormalities and reduction of risk factors for type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and uterine cancer.
