What is it?

Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is a very common condition in women, with as many as 9-10% of women experiencing it. During normal menstruation, several follicles develop in your ovaries. One matures and is released, which is called ovulation. The other follicles degenerate. However, with PCOS, these follicles are larger than normal and may clump together and are called cysts. When these cysts cause hormonal imbalances and other symptoms, this is called PCOS. Symptoms of PCOS include:

• Hirsutism (excessive body and facial hair)
• Acne
• Obesity
• Infertility
• Insulin resistance
• Irregular menses

How is it treated?

Conventional medicine often uses a combination of birth control drugs and anti-androgen drugs as a first-line treatment for PCOS. However, there is a more natural way to treat PCOS, and that is through an individualized treatment, where the cause of the symptoms is explored with the patient. PCOS is a complex disease, with many different causes. Some common causes of PCOS are: genetic predisposition, hormonal imbalance, environmental toxic buildup and insulin resistance.

A holistic approach to PCOS includes treating the cause of the disease. Treatment options for PCOS includes:

• Dietary and Nutritional supplementation to ensure that any nutritional imbalances are addressed. If someone is experiencing insulin resistance associated with PCOS, nutritional support will likely be part of the treatment plan.
• Botanical Medicine to address any hormonal imbalances that may be present and contributing to PCOS.
• Chinese medicine to address the root cause of the problem including hormonal imbalances and menstrual cycle irregularities.