One of the most searched for topics related to PCOS is whether there is a cure for Polycystic Ovaries.

I’ve always been cautious about promising cures to PCOS because the general medical opinion is that it can be managed but not cured – it’s always with you. I don’t like the idea of giving false hope.

However, my belief in the power of natural, holistic treatments and the experiences of some of my own friends and contacts over the years absolutely convince me that PCOS CAN be cured.

The difference between conventional medicine and alternative therapies is that conventional medicine – for all its wonderful breakthroughs and benefits – tends to treat one thing at a time based on symptoms. Holistic medicine treats the body as a whole. So, in my own case, when I discovered I had an underactive thryroid my doctor said there was no relation to the PCOS even though they are both endocrine disorders. In conventional medicine each is treated separately with separate drugs, but in natural medicine the body is treated as a whole and everything is related.

If you’re not prepared to accept a non-medical point of view then at least accept that PCOS can be reversed to the point that you can live a very normal life without dealing with the symptoms of Polycystic Ovaries. It isn’t easy – even with the use of the popular PCOS drugs – and requires a commitment to a low-GI diet (preferably eating natural and organic foods and avoiding processed foods), balancing good nutrition, vitamins and minerals (cutting out sugar and stimulants like caffeine), and exercising regularly.

I truly believe you can eliminate your PCOS (whether you see it as a cure or a reversal) and hope this blog can offer you some of the support and guidance you need to do so.

Those of you who remember the various incarnations of the PCOS Matters website will remember that a few years ago I interviewed Christine DeZarn the founder of the Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome Association and PCOSupport.org. The interview was made available on the website for readers to download and listen to.

I recently found the interview on my computer and realised the PCOS information and advice offered by Christine in the interview is as relevant today as it was back then.

So, I’ve uploaded it again and would love you to download the interview to take a listen to.

In the interview we discussed topics like:

• the basics of PCOS
• how to live a “normal” life with PCOS
• can you still get pregnant with PCOS?
• what research is being done to help women with PCOS

Part one of the interview can be listened to here just by clicking on the play button:

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To download and listen to the rest of the interview please add your name and email below. You will receive an email with all the download details in. It will also mean I can keep you updated on any other PCOS Matters I think you might be interested in:

Don’t worry, you can unsubscribe at any time by clicking the link at the bottom of each email and I will never let anyone else have or use your email.

The University of New South Wales have just published some excellent videos on the subject of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome, in fact they are some of the best explanations I have seen of PCOS and its symptoms.

So, I hope they don’t mind if I feature them here as I’m sure they will be of interest to you.

This video describes what PCOS is:

As Dr John Eden says,the aim of the video is to inform and empower women with PCOS so they can get the help they need.

I hope it helped you.

In my last video, I shared a little about my journey with PCOS. In this video I talk about my experiences with the traditional medical route for PCOS treatment.

I was disappointed with my initial doctor’s response to discovering I had Polycystic Ovaries i.e. he offered no help whatsoever, so I went and found a new doctor who was more interested in PCOS. I recommend you do the same, and if you can you should ask for the referral to an Endocrinologist.

More doctors are accepting PCOS as a condition that should be taken seriously, but not all of them. And some of those that recognise the problems of PCOS are not educated well enough in it to offer any further solutions.

I urge you to find the best PCOS doctor/specialist possible and make sure you are satisfied with the treatments they offer.

I feel terrible…

My body is complaining BIG TIME!

I wouldn’t usually admit to the debauchery of my last few days but I promised full disclosure, so here it is…

I fell off the wagon.

Actually, I didn’t just fall off, I leapt off…with both feet…willingly!

It all sounds so dramatic, but essentially what happened is that my sister came for a visit and I spent several days happily eating anything that came my way. Instead of following a mainly Vegan diet with a few non-vegan options, I went completely off program and ate all sorts of things I hadn’t planned – 4 days worth of… well, not exactly junk…but definitely not foods that allow for a balanced and healthful diet.

And now I feel pretty rubbish as a result. My body is telling me I need to stop and sort things out.

So, today I’m leaping back on that wagon, taking the reins and riding off into the sunset

On a much more positive note – take a look at this video my friend showed me today – it really made me cry, but in a good way:

And, if you want to know the story behind this video – this one is almost as moving:

And the overall message it conveys is awesome:

I thought it was about time I officially welcomed you to the PCOS Matters blog and told you a little bit of my story.

I was diagnosed with PCOS in my early ’20s, but knew that things weren’t right from my teens. I was on the BCP (Birth Control Pill) from the age of around 17 until I was 34/35 continuously, except for 9 months to a year when I was exploring homeopathy.

I was fed up with pumping my body full of drugs and have a great interest in alternative therapies.

In the next video, I’ll tell you more about those alternative therapies and my experience with traditional medicine in regards to my PCOS.

PCOS is believed to be genetic.

While, it is important to know where it has come from, you can’t change your genes, so it is important instead to focus on solutions.

It is easy to see why most people initially feel that PCOS is a gynecological problem – after all, it is called Polycystic OVARIAN Syndrome.

But, it is becoming widely accepted that PCOS is actually an endocrine disorder. In simple terms, the endocrine system is a group of glands that make hormones. These hormones control the way your body works, such as reproduction, metabolism and growth. When the hormones don’t work properly – as with PCOS – it creates a knock-on effect throughout the body.

In the case of most PCOS sufferers, too much insulin is created, which in turn affects the hormones controlling the reproductive cycle. There is excess production of male hormones (androgens).

Women with PCOS also find they have low energy levels because the insulin is not releasing the energy from food properly.

An endocrinologist is trained to diagnose and treat hormone problems by helping to restore the normal balance of hormones in your system.

There isn’t one definitive test for PCOS, so your doctor will probably arrange a series of tests for you.

Initially, the doctor will take a medical history and learn more about your symptoms. Then you will most likely have a physical exam to check your blood pressure, weight, waist measurement and any unusual skin changes and hair growth patterns.

Lab tests may include tests for Total Testosterone, Free Testosterone, Thyroid Stimulating Hormone, Pro-Lactin and Progesterone Levels, as well as a Glucose Tolerance test and Lipid Profile. Plus, many doctors arrange a pelvic ultrasound as well.

Once all these results are in, your doctor should have a good view of your health and be able to tell you whether it is PCOS or another health problem.

Many women wait years before they are finally diagnosed with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome? So, how can you be sure it’s PCOS?

There are two ways to discover whether it is PCOS you are suffering from, and you should explore both in order to receive an accurate diagnosis:

1. First of all, do you have any or all of the symptoms of PCOS?

These are:

* infrequent or too frequent periods (or no period at all

* unexplained weight gain or obesity, especially around the abdomen

* increased growth of hair on the face, chest, stomach etc.

* acne, oily skin or dandruff

* pelvic pain

* thinning hair

* infertility or inability to get pregnant because you aren’t ovulating

* type 2 diabetes

* high blood pressure

* patches of thickened, dark skin at the nape of the neck and in other body creases (this often appears velvety)

* skin tags

* sleep apnea (excessive snoring and breathing stops while asleep)

Not all women with PCOS suffer from all these symptoms, and some of these can also be symptoms of other medical problems, so if you recognise any of these problems in yourself you should…

2. Consult a medical practitioner

Go and see your doctor and explain your symptoms. Ask them whether it could be PCOS and, if so, if they will arrange some tests to confirm it. Be open to the possibility they may suggest it is another medical problem.

Don’t self-diagnose.