Problem with female sex. PCOD (Polycystic Ovarian Disorder).
PCOD is now amongst the very common diseases affecting every 1 in 5 women. But again getting proper information, diagnosis and cure for it is something that every girl struggles for.
PCOD is a hormonal disorder causing enlarged ovaries with small cysts on outer edge.
Women with PCOD typically have irregular or missed periods as a result of not ovulating.
PCOD the hormones get out of balance. One hormone change triggers another, which changes another. Part of the underlying mechanism driving the hormone imbalance with PCOD is due to inflammation.
Higher levels of inflammation encourage excess androgen production as well as insulin resistance, contributing to weight gain and an imbalance of sex hormones that regulate the menstrual cycle.
This causes irregular menstrual cycle and makes it harder to get pregnant.
It also leads to problems like excessive facial and body hair, weight problems, hair fall and long term health problems like diabetes and heart problems.
Cause of it is not fully understood but it seems to run in families.
Symptoms can vary largely from person to person. You can have few symptoms to lot of them.
• Acne
• Extra thick and darker hair on face and body
• Thinning of hair
• Irregular periods and/or heavy bleeding
• Depression
• Weight gain and trouble losing weight
• Fertility problems
It hurts me to say that this problem cannot be cured. It can just be controlled.
It can be managed by lifestyle modifications, medications, hormonal therapy and routine check ups.
When you are taking treatment for PCOS/D it won’t treat your PCOS/D but it manages the symptoms of PCOS/D and prevents it from further deteriorating.
If irregular period is one of your main symptoms, treatment will help you regulate your menstrual cycle thus reducing the risk but PCOD will still be present.
Weight gain is one of the common issue faced by women suffering from PCOD.
They become less sensitive to insulin or become insulin resistant. Thus conversion of glucose and starch into energy doesn’t take place which leads to accumulation of insulin and sugar in blood stream. Insulin leads to formation of andogen which triggers the weight gain specifically in abdomen.
Along with medication, adopting a healthy lifestyle will help to control/lose weight due to hormonal imbalance.
• Eat high fiber, low carb food.
• Indulge in lot of fruits and green vegetables.
• Avoid processed food and simple sugars to keep check on blood sugar.
• Load up on protein. This will help curb hunger pangs and will help in build up muscle mass which aids in weight loss.
• Opt for resistant starches (beans, potatoes, bananas, etc), these helps to lower insulin level in overweight people.
• Consume enough calories. Too few calories can cause stress response.
• Eat 4–6 small meals to keep blood sugar stable and will help not to get tempted to binge eating due to hunger. They work especially well in people with hypothyroidism as the disorder tends to slow digestive function.
• Give up on soft drinks and empty calories.
• Workout at least 5 days a week. Include low impact exercises like swimming, walking and weight training. Regular exercise along with a healthy diet is the only way to burn calories and keep your hormones humming.
• Give up on addictions like smoking, tobacco and alcohol.
PCOD/S is a condition which has many health complications associated with it in long term. It is advisable to get the proper treatment followed by diet and exercises to prevent future health risk.
All you can do with PCOD/S is to try to manage your symptoms.
Take good care of your health, if you don’t, it will come up with the same or other symptoms.
Until Next Time!
