While dealing with poly cystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is definitely a multi-faceted issue, and each woman has their own symptoms and root causes, there are a few things that may help get it under control. While there are often medications recommended, natural remedies for PCOS are very helpful at reducing symptoms! Throughout the years, I’ve been able to use natural methods to reverse the effects of PCOS and have gone on to have regular cycles and get pregnant.
photo credit- neirfy
It took me many months to finally figure out what my body needed (and what it didn’t want!) but I’m now able to better balance my hormones and I know what some of my specific symptoms require to get rid of them. Since going from ovulating once, maybe twice, each year to regular cycles, let’s just say I’m a bit enthusiastic about changing our diets and how we treat our bodies!
Ten natural remedies for PCOS
1. Consume good fats
The consumption of good fats is pivotal in your body producing and balancing hormones. Did you know that your body can’t produce progesterone without cholesterol? And yes, while our bodies do produce a small amount of cholesterol on their own, the consumption of it is important for proper balance. When we talk about good fats, we’re talking about those that aren’t highly processed:
- Butter – best if found raw from pasture-fed cows as it’s higher in the fat-soluble vitamins so pivotal for fertility. Next best is going to be pastured butter from pastured cows, then organic butter, then regular butter (though toxins remain in the fat of animals so I prefer to always choose organic when it comes to animal fats) If raw, butter is best uncooked.
- Lard/tallow – the fat from pork or cows is another natural fat that is both high in nutrients and easy for our body to use. (best for frying/baking/cooking)
- Coconut Oil – another good fat, made of medium chain fatty acids, is used primarily for energy and not for storing. It also lends a pleasant flavor and slight sweetness to dishes. Best used only lightly heated for the most health benefits, though it also has a high smoke point and can be useful for sauteing and frying.
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil – from the first pressing of the olives, this oil has a stronger flavor yet is full of heart-healthy benefits and well suited to dressings and dips. Best when used uncooked.
Be sure to stay away from processed vegetable oils: canola, soybean oil, corn oil, vegetable oil, etc.
2. Avoid factory meat and animal products
Because estrogen dominance is very often associated with PCOS, it’s best to stick with organic animal products as conventional animals are often given hormone shots and the excess estrogens are stored in the fat and meat. Ingesting hormones is causing major issues with our bodies, whether it be PMS, infertility, or menopause. The more organic/grass-fed meat we can buy the better off we’ll be.
Organic isn’t always the answer as many large organic farms just feed organic grain instead of allowing them to eat their natural diet (grass), but if that’s all you can find – it’s better than conventional!
3. Avoid refined sugars and grains
Sugars are the thorn in the side of any woman who is dealing with PCOS. It’s basically a double whammy – it depletes the body of nutrients and it causes insulin resistance which causes unbalanced hormones. Cutting out all refined sugars and flours is extremely important!! Cutting back on your consumption of even unrefined (or natural) sugars is also important as any type of sugar affects the body’s insulin production. Some women, especially those with moderate to severe PCOS find that eating a primal diet is needed to reduce and even eliminate symptoms.
Need help cutting out sugar? Check out the Sugar Detox Challenge!
4. Choose natural women’s products
Used by women every month, conventional pads and tampons are actually not great for the body. Tampons contain something known as dioxin which is both carcinogenic (causing cancer) and inhibiting to fertility. Disposable pads prohibit airflow and can cause the area to be a breeding ground for bacteria, though they are better than using tampons.
The best options for menstrual products are going to be:
- reusable, fabric pads (available on Amazon),
- organic tampons,
- menstrual cups like the Diva (available on Amazon) or Moon cup (available on Amazon)
- Thinx period panties – other brands are now available as well – but these are a great way to eliminate any menstrual products as the underwear actually absorbs the blood.
5. Be aware of xeno-hormones
Mimicking estrogen in our bodies, xeno-estrogens are found in plastics, many beauty supplies, cleaning products, and pesticides. Once in the body, they disrupt the hormone balance causing our bodies to be confused on how many natural hormones to make. And the higher the estrogen in the body, the lower the progesterone, causing major problems with fertility.
Choosing organic produce, making your own cleaners and beauty supplies, and using glass instead of plastic will go a long way in reducing your exposure to these chemical hormones.
6. Avoid soy
While the jury is still out on how soy affects hormones production due to the phytoestrogens in it, it’s still on my do not eat list. What happens in the body is this: your natural estrogens go floating around the body, produced by organs and fat cells. Once they come across an estrogen receptor, they fit into it like a specific key fits into a lock – no other hormone will fit in that receptor. Plant-based estrogens are basically the same shape as natural estrogens and they fit in these receptors.
Some people/nutritionists/doctors say that these plant-based estrogens cause excess estrogen in the body since they take up the space the natural estrogens should, causing the natural ones to move around the body looking for a place to go. Others say that plant-based estrogens can reduce the amount of estrogen your body produces over time as the body gets signaled that there is enough in the system.
But most holistic health professionals I’ve spoken with say that the plant-based estrogen particles in soy (isoflavones) are different from other plant-based estrogens and they recommend no one consume unfermented soy. I’ve also heard way too many stories of damage caused to people’s health from moderate soy consumption, infertility is one of them.
7. Take care of your liver
Your liver is responsible for taking excess and old hormones out of the body. If it’s overworked because of over consumption of processed and sugary foods, it won’t be able to keep up and do all of its work – so the excess and old hormones stay. taking time a few times a year to gently cleanse the body is very beneficial as well as increasing your consumption of liver friendly foods like lemon, beets, and garlic. You could also prepare your own liver cleanse tincture, or purchase pre-made liver support herbal capsules (available from Beeyoutiful) to help boost liver function and get rid of toxins.
8. Avoid food preservatives
Chemicals placed in food to preserve or enhance flavor are harmful to anyone, but especially those who deal with some sort of health issue. They cause an issue with insulin production and also slow down the liver, giving it more to do. Cutting out processed foods is the easiest way to lower consumption of chemicals like MSG, Aspartame, and the multitude of colorings and chemical flavorings used.
9. Use herbs/natural supplements to regulate ovulation/menstruation
Herbs and whole foods based supplements can be very effective when regulating the menstrual cycle. Drinking a fertility tea every day will nourish your body with nutrients as well as naturally balance hormones. Supplements like vitamin B complex can increase progesterone production and lengthen the luteal phase. Medications aren’t always needed to do the job when natural products can do it just as effectively!
Sometimes a progesterone cream (like this one from Beeyoutiful) may be helpful in the short-term as well, just be sure to buy a bio-identical cream that contains natural ingredients.
10. Practice Lunaception
Lunaception is the practice of sleeping in complete darkness except for 3 nights out of your cycle/month. Darkness is closely tied to hormone production and when we sleep in a room with light pollution from street lamps, nightlight, and alarm clocks, it can disrupt the natural rhythm of hormones while we sleep.
To practice lunaception, you need to sleep in complete darkness (cover the windows with heavy curtains, cover your alarm clock, etc) from the first day of your period until your cycle day 13 when you would use a dim night-light on days 13, 14, and 15, then sleep in darkness until your next months day 13.
Of course with PCOS, cycles aren’t always regular! But lunaception may actually help regulate them over the course of a few months. The easiest way I found to do this was google the moon cycles and base my “nightlight” nights on the day before, the day of, and the day after the full moon. The rest of the time I sleep in darkness. After a while, more quickly if you take some of the above advice as well, you should find that you ovulate at the full moon and experience menstruation at the new moon.
Bonus #11. Control your insulin levels
If you’re following numbers one and three above, this gets a bit easier! But as a hormone, insulin can greatly affect your reproductive hormones. When you eat a diet that helps to balance your insulin levels (fasting glucose around 85 and after eating should not go above 130) it facilitates weight loss which can greatly reduce symptoms of PCOS! (estrogen is stored in fat, so the less we have, the lower our risk of being estrogen dominant)
An easy way to do this is to grab a glucose meter and test your blood glucose levels for a week, every morning before you eat and then both one and two hours after you eat. You’ll be able to see how your body reacts to certain foods and you’ll know how many carbohydrates it can handle at one time.
Losing weight with PCOS can be difficult, but it is possible, and balancing your insulin response is one way to help you meet your goal.
There are a lot of natural treatment options for PCOS – but there is no need to stress about it! Simply start implementing some of the above options and I promise you’ll begin to see positive changes.
Donielle Baker
Natural Help for Male Factor Infertility
Thank you so much for this informative list!!
What type of lard do you buy? I’m aware of the other fats as having health benefits, but always thought lard was on the naughty list. Is Tallow the same thing? Thanks so much!
@Annie @ Naturally Sweet Recipes, I would look for organic when buying it – the farm where we have a milk share raises meat and every once in awhile I can buy lard from them. you can buy it online from a place like US Wellness Meats too.
and yes – tallow is basically the same thing, just from cows instead of pigs. It also seems to be a bit more solid.
Thank you for the tips, Donielle. Always interested to read from others with PCOS.
I suffer from pcos as well. We didn’t have any problems conceiving our son but are having problems the second time around. We tried for a little over two years with no luck. We decided to take a break for awhile so I could take care of myself and to get my cycle regulated. I changed to eating a paleo diet(esciencially doing everything you say here) and have done this for four months now. Starting the first month my cycle was a normal length( before it was around 40 days) and it completely regulated itself. I also stopped suffering from very severe pms symptoms. I feel so much better. Not sure yet but think we might have gotten pregnant this month! If not I’m confident it’s going to happen soon! Thanks for the great post!
Hi i was on the depo shot for 3 years and I just stop takeing the shot in June of 2015 May of 2016 i still have not had my Menstrual cycle yet…. I had send to my gyn and she did a lot I’d test of me a mouth later she called said I have been diagnosed with PCOS…. She wanted be to take birth control pills but I didnt want 2 before I was in depo I had my menstrual each mouth… Am 23. And my husband and I are trying to have a baby but nothing for a year am very scared what can I do to get pregnant and to start my menstrual cycle with out birth control pills someone plz help me I live in New York city if anyone has any infor plz email me @[email protected] thanks so much
Nutrition is one of the best ways to combat PCOS! I was able to go from ovulating once a year to every month when I cut out processed foods, sugar, and vegetable oils and added in lots of veggies, good fats like butter, evoo, and coconut oil, and switched to only “Real” or homemade foods. You may also want to look into natural ways to support the liver.
As always, this is a wonderful post. Thank you.
To help me regulate, I’ve also used “fertility smoothies” which are basically, fruit, water or raw milk, coconut oil, raw honey or agave or maple syrup (if sweetener is needed, depends on fruit), maca powder and a few drops of Chaste Tree Berry.
I should be more disciplined about making them since I see a drastic difference when I do!
I work 12 hour shifts 3 days one week and 4 days the next. I rarely get to sleep in the dark. Any other suggestions for getting the “dark” sleep I need:)
@Tarah, Very dark curtains? I guess it depends on *when* you work. but cutting out as much light as you can when you do sleep is important!
@donielle, I work 7:30p to 7:30a. I also watch a little girl from 8 to Noon. After I take her to school I usually can sleep from about 2 to 5 and then I head back to work. The nights that I would and don’t turn right around and go back, I stay up all day until I sleep that night. I feel like I am never sleeping…. Ugh!
I have also cut out everything white and sugar. I still eat 100% whole wheat stuff. He has me on 2000 mg of metformin and boy does it make me sick. I am also taking femara. I go to acupuncture once a week and thats my saving grace. Its the only time I feel relaxed:(
@Tarah, That type of schedule is a killer! At this point it would take a career change huh? But you do need more sleep than that, so i guess I’ll be the person that has no idea how to tell you to do it, but to still recommend you try and figure out a way…..sorry – I wish I had more advice because sleep is so pivotal to hormone production.
I do know many girls who have gotten off of Met after going on the “primal” diet though, so there is hope to kick that.
I’m on the same amount of metformin and have found that Prilosec or nexium helps a lot with the digestive side effects 🙂
One word of caution to be careful with anti acid meds as they can disrupt body chemistry making it difficult to get off of them later and causing more problems the longer you stay on them.
I eat very little refined sugar (for 9 months, it was none). I mostly use Stevia, raw honey and maple syrup. I also eat gluten, soy, corn and dairy free. This is mostly for my digestion issues, but it also keeps me away from processed, refined. gmo grains. I used to take Chromium Picolinate when I ate more sugar to help with imbalance, but now that I rarely have sugar and eat more protein, I don’t seem to need it. I do take inositol. I’m hoping that it will take care of the hirsutism and hair loss on my head. I also take Iodine since I don’t get much in my diet. (I use sea salt) I am looking for a good fish oil that doesn’t cost more than I can afford. My cycles are long, but they have become fairly regular. I also have a decent luteal phase now. I can read my temp. charts and they actually make sense! I get headaches just before my period but they’re usually not bad. Many times, I don’t even need medicine for them. I used to get severe sinus headaches almost everyday and migraines just before my period.
Thank you for this. I just picked up a prescription for Metformin since my numbers put me on the borderline for PCOS. So far nothing including eating a clean diet has stopped the late-cycle spotting I’m having, although I do ovulate regularly and my charts are fairly sensible. We do a good portion of what’s on this list- the exception being meat. Type 1 diabetes runs strongly in my family so I’m thinking this is related to that.
Late cycle spotting often indicates low progesterone. Have you ever thought of using a natural progesterone cream to see if it helps?
@donielle,
I tried several different brands of progesterone cream including an organic one and it didn’t help at all. I was practically taking a bath in the stuff. I also tried taking vitex/chasteberry for a while and no luck there either even when I combined the two. Progesterone levels were also normal when I had a blood test done.
DH and I are doing a 1 week juice fast next week. My plan is to wait out this cycle to see if that helps and if not start at 1 500mg of Metformin/day. I’ve also thought of taking a cinnamon supplement. I show some other mild symptoms of insulin resistance/pcos even though I’m at a healthy weight, eat fairly cleanly and exercise regularly (I’m a runner).
@Stacy, Keep me updated and let me know if you find anything to help the late spotting!
hey donielle,
Thanks for posting this small but very essential information. I am struggling with PCOS and trying to conceive. we are trying for a baby for over a year now. but the wait is really depressing. I am going to make small lifestyle changes to enhance the chances of conception. Going to fertility doc is very depressing and then putting the body under so much stress is unimaginable. I had been their once and its quite nightmarish. Wish me luck dear and pray for us.
Love
I am new to the whole PCOS diagnosis. I was actually just diagnosed Monday! I had breast cancer 5 years ago and I have a pituitary tumor, the docs all say this is nonfunctioning and has nothing to do with the PCOS. As I have been seeing more “specialists” for my PCOS they keep shoving more PILLS at me! I am currently taking Metformin, that is the only pill I will agree to take so far. My endocrinologist actually told me to lose 30lbs and that there is no question of what will kill me it is when… I am 25 years old I desperately want children sooner than later, and I am a holistic virgin! I am considering dropping my specialists and going with a holistic MD in my area. Since I am so new to this diagnosis I am hoping for any suggestions to coping with the diagnosis and how I should be taking care of myself without shoving 10 pills a day in my mouth! I do not cycle at all as of now, the last 2 cycles I had were due to ovarian cysts rupturing. I greatly appreciate any feedback I can get! Thank you all so much in advance!!!
@Alicia Marriott, Well – most of the info on my blog is helpful for PCOS and I’d also highly recommend reading the book “What Your Doctor may Not Tell You About Premenopause”. The book is full of information on balancing hormones and he also talks a bit about cancer. he also has a book, same basic title, but About Cancer, that would also be really good.
I hope you find what works best for your body!
hello please tell me how i get pregnant when i suffer from pco
how i balance my harmones but now i want to get pregnant and i try andtake care of my self 7 months later about my marriage
please tell me
@ainy arif, Here are some great tips for dealing with PCOS: http://www.naturallyknockedup.com/natural-treatments-for-pcos/
my is more than 20yrs living with pocs no child pls tell me what to do fast
There is no fast way to heal from PCOS, but this article gives good guidelines to follow as you begin your healing journey.
Thank you so much for this! Your blog and your book have opened my eyes to what I’ve been doing to my body! I am so excited about eating nutritious, whole foods and hopefully getting off the pill and healing my body of PCOS – taking one little step at a time.
I found a Chinese herbal tea that says it regulates menstruation. The ingredients are: rose, rose chinensis, angelica root, chuanxiong, motherwort and jasmine tea… Do you know anything about these herbs and how they will affect my body?
@Candice Lee Sparks, Thanks so much for your kind words! 🙂
As fro Chinese herbals, I don’t have a lot of knowledge about those – I’d ask a Traditional Chinese Medicine practitioner or acupuncturist.
@donielle,
There is a book titled “Herbal for the childbearing year” by Susan S. Weed. It’s pretty cool because she lists what herbs are good for toning the uterus, for ovulation, regulating the hormones, for preventing pregnancy, for enhancing it, for preventing miscarriage, for bringing about labor, etc…
@alma, Yes, that is a good book, one I have in my library here at home! 🙂
Thank you Donielle for this wonderful info! I bought the luness iPhone app yesterday and I’m a bit buffled to set it like you suggested. Perhaps it’s easier to base your “nightlight” nights on the day before, the day of, and the day after the full moon using the classic luness device.
Do you have any ideas how to do the same for the iphone app?
Tips or advice on that is more than appreciated!!!
Thank you!
@Vera, It took me a bit of playing around before I figured out the app, but you can set your ‘average’ cycle length and then tell it what day you’re on. if you’re not regular at all, you can just set it to a 29 or 30 day cycle and just start on day 1.
@donielle,
Thank you Donielle, will do that! Hopefully my menstruation will come this month!
Something useful for all women who struggle with menstruation irregularities and has helped me a lot:
start the day with warm water or warm water with a couple of fresh ginger slices. It really helps the body to flush out toxins, cleanse the liver and maintain thyroid function.
🙂
I can’t tell you enough how spot on these treatments are for PCOS, especially healing and cleansing the liver. 10 years ago I was told that I may never conceive because of my PCOS. There weren’t helpful sites like this back then, but I did many of the these Donielle suggests here. I also stopped using a microwave to heat food and stopped warming food in plastic containers. 5 children later, I’m thankful to have proved doctors wrong and that the Lord led me to natural solutions for my PCOS. God bless you, Donielle, for this site and helping women heal their bodies to have good health and healthy babies.
I’ve recently started to look for natural ways to help my fertility, after seeing the struggles of several of my friends at various points in their fertility treatments. This is a great concise article to get started. I was diagnosed with PCOS about 10 years ago, when I was 15, and I have been on hormonal contraceptives ever since (I’ve done the pill, the patch, and, currently, Nuvaring). We are not ready to start trying to conceive yet, but I want to do what I can now so it will hopefully be easier when the time comes. Will these things be useful, even if I am still taking a hormonal contraceptive?
@Bethany, Yes – they will be VERY helpful while on synthetic hormones. In fact they should really be implemented as those hormones can be very hard on your body and upset your natural hormone production and rhythm, so taking special care now can help support your body when you do go off the pill.
@donielle, Thank you! I am so happy and relieved I found your blog. I was so confused and had no idea where to start. None of my nursing education touched any of this. I am looking forward to reading your book.
I just ran across your blog when doing research for PCOS. I was very recently diagnosed, at the age of 25, on the day my husband deployed. I have been trying to deal with it in my head and believe I’m now ready to try and approach it naturally. My doctor wants to refer me to an invitro clinic, but I’m hesitant to start there. Where do you suggest I start with just learning I have PCOS and wanting to have a baby when my husband returns from deployment? I’m working on controlling my food and losing some weight but I’d like to add some supplements to my diet to hopefully help.
@Katie, Have they ever run a full thyroid panel for you? I’ve recently been posting a lot on the subject and it’s really important for any women dealing with hormone imbalance to have their thyroid checked. And if you’re dealing with military doctors it may get rather difficult to get the care you want/need depending on the doctors there. But thyroid issues are often the root cause of PCOS. I’d also recommend getting a vitamin D lab run as well!
If you haven’t already, you can start here – http://www.naturallyknockedup.com/start-here for information on proper diet and needed nutrients.
I also have information on cleansing and other important articles here: http://www.naturallyknockedup.com/table-of-contents
This article is another good look at how someone healed their PCOS with a primal diet: http://www.naturallyknockedup.com/healing-pcos-with-nutrition/
Hope that helps!
I suffered from infertility for 4 years, never knowing what was causing my symptoms until I was finally diagonsed with PCOS. I wanted to take control of my symptoms, so I cut out all sugars and carbs from my diet immediately. I’m also sensitive to fake sugars and preservatives (they give me migraines), so I cut those out of my diet too, and the VERY NEXT MONTH I was pregnant!!! I’m not sure if it’s supposed to work that quickly, but it did for me! I fully endorse the steps mentioned in this blog, you really can gain control of your life and your fertility by making a few lifestyle changes. I’m not going to pretent it was easy, I still LOVE a cookie now and then, but the changes it’s made in how I feel are invaluable. Not to mention I now have a beautiful baby boy to show for my efforts 🙂 Thanks for supporting the PCOS community with your information. Best of luck everyone!
@Charlie’s Mama, What a great success story! Congratulations on your little one. 🙂
Hi! I just found your blog when researching natural ways to control my PCOS. I have been on medication – Lybrel an Spironolactone – for about 8 years. Our family has really self-educated ourselves this past year about nutrition and organics. I have lost 60 pounds and we now eat organic/clean 90% of the time. I am wanting to try and treat my PCOS without medicine. I found a website recommending saw palmetto, pygeum, and nettle capsules as a recommended therapy rather than Spironlactone. I am now researching alternatives for the Lybrel. I am very nervous to jump into this because I know how much pain I was in before starting the medication 8 years ago. But I also know how awful it is to put these chemical drugs into my body. Any recommendations or suggestions would be greatly appreciated!
@Adrianna McCord, I know some women have had great success with saw palmetto, but I haven’t used it personally. And nettle is a great herb for many reasons, but can be especially helpful in cleansing the liver, which helps break down excess and old hormones in the body. Most women who have had great luck with herbs have also made some big changes in their diet as well, so the two work phenomenally together. 🙂
Hi, Donielle-
I’m freaking out because I’m 36 and started having abnormal blonde facial hair growth and some hair loss. I eat all organic and go through phases of cutting out sugar. I’m doing a wheat-free diet because I thought it was making me extremely tired. I’m scared to go completely Paleo because I have terrible GI issues (IBS) and when I go grain-free/Paleo, I can’t go to the bathroom. Anything I try to do to regulate it proves disastrous. I’m going to talk with doc about PCOS, but all of those medications seem to have horrible side effects. Any suggestions? I’m at my wits end:( Thanks!
@A, The hair loss, fatigue, and possible PCOS symptoms make me wonder if you’ve had your thyroid checked. Here are the tests that should be run to see if something is going on: the-thyroid-tests-you-need-to-ask-your-doctor-for
For GI issues, it’s actually really important to eat properly fermented foods. That seems to be something a lot of paleo folks forget about! Either way, whether you eat some grains or not, fermented foods can be really helpful for you and can help heal the body.
I find that I do well with some grains and no sugar. And I try to make sure my grains are always properly prepared by soaking them before cooking. Hope that helps some!
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Hi it was confirmed that i had PCOS when i was bout 22, i had always suspected it was the cause of many of my problems but a doctor was able to confirm it. My question is i am currently on the Iud but plans to take it out in may. But my question is being that i was on birth control for a while plus also having PCOS, are there any extra steps that i need to take to increase my fertility, i quess the best way to put it is does birth control make PCOS worse.
@erica, I would really look into supporting the liver to help it naturally clear out any synthetic hormones and then make sure you stay away from substances that also contain estrogen like compounds like plastics. And make sure you eat a clean, whole foods diet. Give your body time to balance itself out, but if after about 6 months, if things aren’t right, working with a holistic practitioner may be very helpful.
Not speaking specifically for fertility, but I have been prescribed Metformin to treat my PCOS. The purpose of the this drug is to lower blood sugar and improve insulin resistance which in some way helps with PCOS symptoms. However it does not agree with my digestive system and I would prefer to no longer take it. I have done some research on cinnamon as a replacement for this. Do you know of this as a treatment? Do you have an opinion on it?
@Becky, I know a few women that have had good experiences with using cinnamon, just be aware of what type of cinnamon you’re buying and look for ceylon cinnamon. If it doesn’t specifically say ceylon cinnamon, it’s probably cassia, which is not a “true” cinnamon.
I also know of women who had great results drinking diluted apple cider vinegar!
I’m apt to try different things for myself so I wouldn’t hesitate to do so, but always make sure you do your own research or talk to your health practitioner first! 🙂
hi, I’m new to this, although I have been a fan of your page for a while. I’ve been married for over five years, and pregnancy is always something we’ve wanted. I had to get my cycles “jump started” at age 17 with a shot of what I think was progesterone, and have had long and very irregular cycles ever since. I have always loved bread, gluten, been a big factory farmed meat and dairy eater(was raised on at least two glasses of milk daily). I’ve never been terribly overweight, but have never been at my ideal weight, but always slightly over. I’ve recently read some things that have lead me to cut out most of factory farmed meats, and dairy, and cut the gluten out too. I would say that I’m eating as a nutritarian for the most part(a dr furhman reference), eating at least one gigantic salad with leafy greens and a variety of nuts each day. I feel already very much better. any other suggestions, and am I going about this the right way? I’m close to being a vegan at the moment, but not a strict one, and only about 80 percent of the time. I have no health insurance to run tests, and believe i am healthy otherwise. I am a runner, jogging about 2-3 miles every other day, so cutting down the carbs would be hard. I’m 35, and have some decent years left for reproduction, but I don’t want to delay things. anything you say I will appreciate. thanks, mp
@mary pikka, Well, I can’t say I’m a big fan of vegan diets, unless it’s for a short term cleanse. Vegetarian is a bit better if you can get nutrient dense foods like pastured eggs and fresh milk. One thing to think about with PCOS is just to try and get your blood sugar as stable as possible, which will help balance out the hormones. So even if you cut out all refined sugar, keep watch on the natural sugars in grains and fruits. not that they are “bad”, but because we can still eat to much of them if we’re not careful.
i find your information very useful.I have not been diagnosied of pcos and i can not say i dont have… I suspect i do. I have been trying to conceive my second baby but to no avail. I guess i am going to cut alot of my sugars and stick to my salads more. please give more advice on my fertility chances
@sajih, If you haven’t yet looked around the blog, you could try starting here – http://www.naturallyknockedup.com/start-here
or check out
http://www.naturallyknockedup.com/table-of-contents
Hey Donielle
Thanks for posting info Its vary helpful to those who are just first getting Diagnosed with PCOS.
I am a little confused about the part where you say stay a way from natural sugers, Really? I was first diagnosed with pcos 8 years ago. all my doctors have said eat lots of fruits, lean meats, and vegtables and to stay away from strachy foods such as white rice, egg noodles, white noodles pastries and high processed products. I get 180.00 in food stamps and can’t afford to buy organic. however i do try to buy range free/hormone free lean meets and try to eat lots of fruits and veggies. so basicly what you are saying doing eat fruits right?
Some people need to cut out a lot of fruits at first to help stabilize their blood sugar, but not all need to. The problem is that too many people eat a lot of higher carb fruits like peaches, apples, melons, etc and although it’s not “sugar” per se, it can still have a negative effect on blood glucose levels, especially those who are insulin resistance. And when I say natural sugars, I also mean honey, maple syrup, and whole cane sugar. 🙂
So it’s really about listening to your own body and what it needs!
Hi! Thanks so much for the resource. I was diagnosed with Pcos January 2012, and was put on Metformin 1600mg per day. After a weeklong fast in April, I decided to get off tamer forming, and try to approach the syndrome more naturally. However, I had not kept good on my decision. Since then, I have gained about 15lbs, and now I’m a bit more serious. Being Ttc for about 18 months, and my husband was said to have a low sperm count. Was looking for help and came about this article you wrote. While I understand the points, I’m wondering if you can be more specific about what foods fall in the category of what I can eat. In other words, it would be awesome if you could list a variety of foods that one can eat following the Primal diet. Is oatmeal considered grains. Can one also eat brown rice? Or are food items like those completely off limits? Thanks so much!
For an “official” list of primal foods, check out http://www.paleoforwomen.com or http://www.marksdailyapple.com
Grains would include wheat, spelt, rice, oats, barley, millet, sorghum, corn…
For myself, I don’t choose to go completely grain free, but did do it completely at first. Now I go by how my body feels and eat them when I feel I need them. 🙂
Which natural drugs can i use for block tube & hw & where can i get it in Nigeria?
Honestly, I’m not sure. Some women have decent luck with castor oil pack and abdominal massage, but I don’t know how you’d look for a a practitioner who specializes in that within Nigeria.
I’m 25yrs and was diagonised with pcos last year. I have being on traditional medicines for a month now and I’m glad to say that am now free from pcos. Will love to share with other ladies with pcos problems. Thanks
Hello Eunice could you pleeeeassse tell me what you did to get rid of pcos. Ive been battling with it for four years now
hi,
I did my first IUI which failed , I am mild PCOS , in late 30’s , m looking for natural way to concieve. I am obese cat I. please advise
I’m so sorry for your struggles. <3 But I'm unable to give personal medical advise for legal reasons. This article is a great start on getting control over PCOS, make sure to check out the links in the article as well for more information.
I simply wanted to thank you for your amazing website you have developed here. It
is full of useful tips! I ALWAYS preach healthy and natural in my home and you have created a great source of information, I shall go through your archive of knowledge!
Furocyst is a natural and promising dietary supplement effective for management of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS),a chemically proven and US patented medicine.
Is sunflower oil good
Depends on who you ask! 🙂 I tend to use it every once in awhile as it brings very little flavor into foods, and some dishes I make I don’t want the oil I use to have any flavor. I do my best though to find sunflower oil from a small producer and make sure it’s not adulterated with any other oils or processed under high heat.
Hey there. I love this. I am 26 and vegetarian, technically vegan in diet (no dairy, eggs, meat, fish/seafood). I take several supplements every day. I’ve had pcos since I was a teen and I have Graves Disease and Hashimoto’s. My lethargy and nausea is so bad no matter what I do…I just started a new of the supplements yesterday but I have been on others (berberine, NAC) for awhile. The new ones are chromium, arginine, zinc, inositol, fiber ones for immune system, co q 10, vitamin e and a few others. I still need to buy and try a few. I am also gluten free, peanut free… I am really struggling with this. I’m thinking about going mostly raw vegan. The thing I struggle with is fully giving up soy as it is a source of protein for me. I want to get pregnant but I’m afraid to even try because I’m afraid of a miscarriage.
I’m so sorry for the troubles you’re having! Autoimmune issues definitely disrupt so much. One thing to think about is that adrenal health is closely tied to thyroid health, so if your adrenals are struggling, you’ll be tired and fatigued.
I hope you find something that brings you more healing so that you feel better!