PCOS incorporates the word, SYNDROME! When that word is linked with a condition, it basically means that no one really knows why someone would develop it, and, as well, it has a great variety of ways it can manifest itself. PCOS is therefore, a highly individualized condition, resulting from each woman’s unique genetic make-up, along with her mode of delivery at birth, whether or not she was breastfed, her exposures to a variety of chemicals which can act as endocrine disruptors, her nutritional status, her sleep patterns, her exposure to antibiotics and vaccines, her stress levels, and more. Essentially, it is a very complex and variable condition!
Many choices you make can affect how you experience PCOS, which symptoms you get, and how severe they may be. Some women struggle with irregular or no periods at all; some have acne; most struggle with excessive weight gain, while others easily maintain very slim figures. Infertility is a common complaint while thinning scalp hair and excessive growth of facial hair plague other women. And women with PCOS all have elevated risks for developing various cancers, diabetes, irritable bowel syndrome, cardiovascular disease, anxiety and depression, and problems with sleep. PCOS is, at its very heart, a condition characterized by universal insulin resistance and systemic inflammation, regardless of whether the woman is obese or thin. Inflammation is a driving force of the condition.
In fact, since PCOS was first described by Drs. Stein and Leventhal in 1935, physicians throughout the world have debated with defining the syndrome. Today, there are three closely related sets of criteria (NIH, Rotterdam, and AE-PCOS Society) and all revolve around the following issues: infrequent or no menstrual periods, polycystic ovaries (many very small cysts surrounding the core of the ovaries), excessive production of androgens (hormones found in males such as DHEAS and testosterone), and the elimination of other known causes for these symptoms. PCOS is by far the most common endocrine disorder suffered by women around the world, affecting up to 25% of all reproductive-aged women.
Lest you become too distraught over all of these realities, there is a brighter side. There are things you can and should do, along with choices you can make, all of which will ameliorate your symptoms and transform your life for the better.
And that will be the focus and driving force for this blog – transforming lives such as yours, and creating happiness. The dialogue we will have together will focus on concrete ways to make your life as wonderful and rewarding as it should be, despite your PCOS!
