September is PCOS awareness month. A condition that many women including myself suffer from. It’s important to raise awareness and help support those who are battling the negative side effects. PCOS stands for polycystic ovarian syndrome. It is a common female hormonal condition that causes a variety of symptoms. There’s a variety of symptoms that are associated with PCOS, I listed below some of the most common.
Symptoms Associated With PCOS
- Irregular or missed periods
- Weight gain/Difficulty losing weight
- Fatigue
- Hair loss
- Acne
- Facial hair
- Mood disorders
- Ovarian cysts
- Difficulty conceiving
- High levels of androgens
- High levels of Testosterone
- Insulin resistance
Although there is no cure for PCOS, there’s a few things a woman can do to help combat some of the symptoms. One of the most important things a woman can do for her PCOS is follow a healthy diet. Prioritizing protein and eating fewer, healthier carbs is a must. Staying active is also very important to help fight cardiovascular disease associated with PCOS. There’s also a number of supplements that can help improve some of the symptoms.
Advice For PCOS
I have struggled for years with the symptoms caused from PCOS. The worst symptom in my experienced is weight gain/difficulty losing weight. It’s embarrassing, frustrating, discouraging and depressing. While others can simply cut calories and exercise, I have found that to be difficult for myself despite diet and exercise. For me, it has created a lot of anxiety, depression and humiliation. My advise to anyone struggling would be to keep it simple. Find a calorie calculator and figure out what your daily calorie goal is for your height and weight. You can input in the calculator that your goal is to lose weight and it should give you your calories needed for weight loss. I have found for myself that I needed to go a couple hundred calories less than recommended in order to start losing weight. Just starting with the recommended calories is a great starting point and you can adjust as needed. I track everything. I personally like writing my calories on the magnetic notepad I have hanging on the refrigerator. I know most people like using apps but I just like writing my down. I weigh everything so I can get an accurate number to log for my calories. Prioritize protein first and build the rest of your meal around it. Watch your carbohydrate intake. Try your best to keep them low and don’t overindulge. Obviously, fruits and vegetable are important due to their nutrient contents.
Keep your exercise simple. Walking will do wonders for your health and mental health. I have found walking to be peaceful and stress relieving. I would definitely start walking first and then add in other exercises/activities when you feel ready. There is no need to stress your body out any more than what it is. Just keep it simple and stay consistent.
The supplements I found to be useful for my symptoms are a hair, skin and nail vitamin, inositol and magnesium. Of course, you will want to talk to your doctor before starting any type of vitamins and supplements. It’s always best to be safe. These are just what I have found to work for me.
PCOS Digital Papers/Backgrounds
I have created a variety of PCOS awareness digital papers/backgrounds that can be found in my Etsy shop. These papers are perfect for scrapbooking, cardmaking, flyers, backgrounds and more.
