Poly Cystic Ovarian Syndrome
with Lynne Singlewood

This is a disorder that is close to my heart as I have watched one of my children go through all the various struggles relating to PCOS throughout the years, recently however she had a beautiful baby girl so there has been light at the end of the tunnel so to speak.

In this article I’m going to explore what PCOS is and what may have caused it, we will also look at what you can do to help yourself and see if we can create some light at the end of your tunnel.

Poly Cystic Ovarian Syndrome is an Endocrine disorder, your endocrine system is comprised of all the glands that produce hormones, which in turn regulate metabolism, growth, sexual function, sleep and much more. PCOS may affect your menstrual cycle and it tends to raise your Androgen levels, these are hormones most people associate with men, women, however also make them. High levels of androgens may affect the development of eggs during ovulation and this in turn can affect your ability to have children. Periods are often irregular and many small cysts may form in the ovaries. Another important factor to take into consideration is your blood sugar levels, many individuals with PCOS tend to have an imbalance influenced by a hormone called insulin, women with PCOS may tend to have raised insulin which in turn may raise their androgen levels, so as you can see, there is an endocrine system imbalance here and hormonal imbalances can cause absolute havoc in the body. Raised insulin can tend to make you gain weight, it may cause acne and oily skin, and you may even find you develop hursutism, which is excessive body hair on the face and various parts of the body.

The cause of Poly Cystic Ovarian Syndrome is unclear at this stage but thought to be related to several factors, such as genetics and an imbalance relating to the hormone insulin.

The good news is that with a little effort and knowledge on your part, you can have a profound effect on your future in regards to this disorder. Your diet is really important, you see every time you eat a carbohydrate such as cake, biscuits, white bread, white pasta, sugar etc. your pancreas will produce insulin, which in simplistic terms, binds to cell receptors to take glucose into your cells to create energy. If you eat too much of the above your cell receptors become resistant and there is a decrease in the sensitivity of the body’s Cells to the actions of Insulin. This lack of sensitivity to the effects of Insulin results in ever-increasing production of Insulin, to the extent that dangerously high levels can occur. Therefore you need to cut down your carbohydrates and increase your fibre with fresh fruit and vegetables, low glycemic foods are also good, there is a list that you can down load on the net, it has been developed as a means of rating the effect that a particular Food has on Blood Sugar levels. Foods that cause a rapid rise in Blood Sugar (and consequently an excessive release of Insulin) are known as “high glycemic foods”. Alternatively, “low glycemic foods” cause a slower, sustained increase in Blood Sugar and Insulin. This is a good place to start, however you might like to find a good practitioner or naturopath to help advise and motivate you through this journey.

You need to increase your daily exercise, find something you like doing, like dancing, swimming, golf, walking the dog etc, it really needs to be something you enjoy or you probably won’t stick to it.

To check if you have PCOS your doctor may do an ultrasound to examine your ovaries for cysts and check the lining of the womb called the endometrium, this lining can become thicker if your periods are irregular.

There are some amazing herbs available to help reduce the effects of elevated androgens, stimulate ovulation, balance and support insulin sensitivity along with hormonal levels in general.

Something to consider, if you want a healthy body it’s about balancing all aspects of your life, not only what you put into it. Peace of mind and happiness can also have a profound effect on your health, my daughter did put in the effort on her physical body, but it was when she was truly happy with her life that she fell pregnant.

Lynne Singlewood has taught Iridology and herbal medicine at Endeavour College, she also lectures Constitutional Iridology at WEA. She has a passion to help the community with their health and well being. Her deep love of iridology and herbal medicine is infectious. Ph: 0421 618 792 or email lynne@irishealth.com.au. Web site: www.irishealth.com.au