#pcoswarrior

Me, diagnosed with an incurable chronic pain condition:

Everything is so "girl power" "strong woman" based which is fine, just not when there's literally nothing for trans-masc folks who have it.

Like I know cis woman are the majority when it comes to PCOS diagnosis but my god can I not have ONE site that doesn't mention how I'm "still a strong confident feminine woman despite the PCOS symptoms" every few sentences? Just give a strictly informational site that just says "You've got PCOS, here's what you may want to do". I don't care that facial hair doesn't make me "less of a woman" I wasn't a bloody woman to begin with(plus the facial hair has never really been an issue, the one symptom I avoided)! I never gave a shit about possible infertility "ruining my womanhood", I literally got my tubes removed to avoid pregnancy!

Picture this: It's a sunny afternoon, and I'm sitting there, trying to make sense of why my hormones are staging a never-ending Broadway show. And then, it hits me: every time I try to explain why I do what I do or feel what I feel, the answer is always... "Because... PCOS."

Why did I devour that chocolate cake at 2 AM? Because... PCOS. Why do I suddenly need a nap after five minutes of adulting? Because... PCOS. Why is my hair having a dance party on the bathroom floor? You guessed it, because... PCOS!

But here's the twist, my fellow PCOS adventurers: Instead of letting our hormonal misadventures get us down, we're turning the tables. We're embracing the quirks, the curves, and the mysterious ways of PCOS with open arms (and maybe a glass of red wine).

So, whether you're here for the PCOS hacks, the hilarious anecdotes, or simply a safe space to say, "Hey, me too!" – "bcos PCOS" is where we celebrate the everyday craziness that comes with this syndrome, one blog post at a time.

Sorry if the format of my post is a little jumbled I took notes on my phone over time and followed this diet for 1 year. After doing a ton of research and with some trial and error this is the diet I followed while trying to conceive! I truly believe it helped me with my symptoms and getting pregnant! After giving birth, a lot of my PCOS symptoms have subsided at least temporarily which can be the case for a lot of women. (Somehow pregnancy/birth can regulate your hormones!) Also I am freely giving this information because I was actually very disappointed to see others charging money for this and calling themselves a “PCOS coach”. I believe that instead we should stick together and help each other out as a community. So if you have any questions please reach out to me and I will be happy to help if I can! And please read my previous post for more information about pregnancy and trying to conceive with PCOS.

HOLISTIC PCOS DIET

*~*~*~*Supplements*~*~*~

Fish oil : contains dha, epa, omega 3. Stored in the fat of coldwater fish, fish oil is an omega-3 polyunsaturated fat that is rich in eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA).

EPA and DHA are essential fatty acids that the body cannot produce and can only come from diet or supplementation. These essential fatty acids are an integral part of cell membranes throughout the body and are a building block for hormones that regulate blood clotting and inflammation.

Fish oil is generally safe and well-tolerated by most people, including pregnant and breastfeeding women when taken in low doses (less than 3 grams per day). Be sure to look for a supplement that uses small fish such as anchovy or sardines rather than tuna, for example, to limit mercury exposure.

flaxseed supplementation (30 g/day) reduced total and free testosterone. The patient also reported a decrease in hirsutism

Tea 🍵

Spearmint tea, for example, has been shown to have anti-androgen effects in PCOS and can reduce hirsutism.

Marjoram herb tea is reputed for its ability to restore hormonal balance and to regulate the menstrual cycle.

Green Tea in the morning instead of Coffee because green tea has antioxidants

Inositol- to help regulate hormones naturally, and can help with stress, can help depression, lower testosterone, help with hair loss

Anti inflammatory supplements- Tumeric Capsules, Apple Cider Vinegar Capsules, PCOS causes chronic inflammation in our bodies which offsets our hormone and does damage to our immune system.

Hair loss: Biotin, iron, calcium, vitamin D, collagen, inositol

Take along with daily prenatal and vitamin C

All of these can be taken daily together.

*~*~*~*Diet*~*~*~*

No processed foods, no deli meat, no frozen food, don’t go out for food either because it’s usually overly salty and packed with calories. Only drink water, 8-10 glasses a day.

Fish- Mackerel, tuna, salmon, sturgeon, mullet, bluefish, anchovy, sardines, herring, trout, and menhaden are especially rich in omega-3 fatty acids. Eat 2x a week grilled or baked not fried

Nuts- Women who ate walnuts increased their levels of sex-hormone binding globulin (SHBG), a hormone that binds to free testosterone, and almonds decreased free androgen levels. The researchers concluded that eating nuts positively affects androgen levels in women with PCOS.

Ways to eat 🥜 1/3 cup per serving

* Toss nuts into a stir-fry

* Dip fruit such as apples or bananas in nut butters

* Add your favorite nuts to replace croutons in salads or soups

* Mix almonds or walnuts into oatmeal or yogurt

* Snack on flavored nuts such as cinnamon almonds or warm roasted chestnuts

* Use ground nuts as a breading for fish or chicken

* Craving chocolate? Try dark chocolate covered almonds for a treat

Almonds and Walnuts are the most beneficial for PCOS.

Almond Milk

Almond butter for gf toast

Almond milk yogurt (Silk brand)

PCOS breakfast smoothie:

Frozen berry mix

Handful of walnuts

Almond milk

Organic applesauce

Reishi mushrooms significantly reduced levels of 5-alpha-reductase, preventing the conversion of testosterone into the more potent DHT (high levels of DHT are risk factors for dermatological conditions such as acne and baldness).

Cook with olive oil and avacado oil to reduce fat and better for heart health

Fruits: limit the serving size of fruit to a small amount per meal, not a full serving for one meal, eating a large serving of fruit in one meal can spike insulin levels

Raspberries strawberries blackberries and avacado are lower in sugar than other fruits

To help reduce inflammation: Blueberries, tomato, spinach, kale, leafy greens, low glycemic index foods, bright colored vegetables, high antioxidant foods, quinoa

Lean Grass-Fed Meat

Eating lean meat is essential for any healthy diet, and although it may be pricier than its high-fat alternatives, this extra cost can be well worth it. This is especially true for PCOS suffers, who may find weight loss more difficult due to hormonal imbalances.

Eating grass-fed, organic, meat is just as important as keeping an eye on the fat content of your food. Non-organic meat usually contains higher levels of hormones, which are given to the livestock, and this can directly impact human hormone levels. Organic meat on the other hand usually has much lower levels of animal hormones, making it safer to eat if you are experiencing a hormonal imbalance.

Whole grains

High fibre foods, such as oats, beans, nuts, dried fruit or wholegrain rice, are slow release carbohydrates. This means that they release sugar into the blood at a slower, more regular pace, and are therefore less likely to cause the spikes in blood sugar levels associated with type 2 diabetes.

Stone Fruits for PCOS 🍒🍑🥭

Plums are part of the stone fruit family, along with cherries, peaches, nectarines, and mangoes. They all have pits in common!

1. They are high in both soluble and insoluble fiber. Fiber aids digestion keeping us regular, and supports healthy blood sugar levels (50% of PCOS fighters will be diabetic by age 40).

2. They can help prevent heart disease by improving cholesterol levels (PCOS fighters are 4-7x more likely to have a heart attack).❤

3. They are high in anti-inflammatory antioxidants, like anthocyanins and flavonols. These support our immune system (PCOS warriors are 2x more likely to be hospitalized).

4. They can improve skin health due to their high vitamin C content. Vitamin C aids collagen production (yup, no collagen supplements are necessary for radiant skin).

*~*~*~*What to avoid*~*~*

Avoid refined carbs like refined flour, white rice, white bread, white pasta; restrict sugar consumption and ward off stress as much as you can to maintain healthy insulin levels.

you must avoid processed foods, canned juices, soda, high GI foods like mashed potatoes, corn, chips, cookies, candies, etc

This includes processed foods, such as biscuits, cakes and ready meals, but also covers carbohydrates such as white potatoes, white bread and white rice.

Dairy

To understand why you should avoid dairy with PCOS you need to understand the role of Insulin Growth Factor 1 (IGF-1). This article has a fantastic explanation, but to summarise IGF-1 mimics the structure and role of insulin in your body, and women with PCOS have been shown to have much higher levels of IGF-1 than other people. The IGF-1 which is found in cow’s milk products has the exact same structure as human IFG-1 and therefore further increases these levels in your body!

‘bad fats’. Foods which have saturated or hydrogenated fats in, include dairy products such as cream or cheese and fatty red meats, as well as processed or fried foods. These unhealthy fats can increase estrogen production, which can make your PCOS symptoms worse, and can lead to weight gain which can also worsen symptoms.

Soy Products

Women with PCOS tend to have higher than normal estrogen levels, otherwise known as estrogen dominance. Soy products have been shown to increase estrogen levels, which is great for anyone with low estrogen but can be detrimental for those with PCOS or other estrogen dominant conditions.

Gluten

Some days are harder than others. I can be so critical of myself when body doesn’t do what it’s “supposed to do “. Learning to love my body for how hard it’s working to keep me going ❤️

Before things get too far ahead of me, I thought I needed to take the time to sit down and write out this post.

First of all: for anyone who is currently considering hysterectomy out there, or has been told they need one for one reproductive problem or another, and is searching the internet desperately for the ‘what ifs’ and ‘outcomes’, let me just say this: breathe.

I know, not all cases are going to be like mine, but I want to go ahead and put my experience out there, and it’s ALL GOOD, so if you’re desperately looking for some GOOD NEWS, you found it.

Background: I have Hashimotos and PCOS, which causes a veritable STORM of problems in my body. Symptoms galore. The worst was when my period decided it was going to keep coming back every other week and it made me anemic. (low red cell count, low iron, all the fun stuff). I was MISERABLE. Combined with my various OTHER symptoms from both issues (high blood pressure, liver and kidney problems, mood problems, sleep problems, headaches, etc etc) my PCP (that’s primary care physician) finally looked at me months after trying to wrangle the anemia in line and it just kept getting worse, and said: “With everything that’s wrong with you, have you ever considered hysterectomy?” with a cringe. I nearly leapt across the room in tears to hug him. I’d been trying for almost three years to find someone to do that for me after already losing one ovary to a cyst that grew to 10 centimeters (yeah, you read that right).

So, long story short, PCP was able to give me a referral to a different OB/GYN who was willing to work with me despite my ‘young age/lack of children, yada yada yada’, and I will NEVER be more grateful, let me tell you. I mean, don’t get me wrong, I got the usual ‘cautionary tale’ from the OB/GYN, as per usual (Oh, you’re going to go into premature menopause, and you’re going to lose all sex drive, and blah blah blah) and I was just like: Sir, I would like to stop bleeding my life away, who gives a fuck. I don’t have ANY sex drive at present, because I’m too god-damned tired and out of breath to even walk from one end of the house to the other because of the anemia, and my body is so fucked up from the hormonal imbalances caused by my OTHER hormonal issues, I wouldn’t even know. Hot flashes? Have those. Mood swings? Have those too. Give me a break. Besides all that, I’m Ace, have no S/O, and take care of my disabled mother. I don’t want children, don’t have TIME for children, ain’t interested in pleasing anybody but myself, and if I’m not interested in a night with my ‘special toy box’ well then that’s all right with me.

After a brief fight with the insurance (which didn’t want to pay for my surgery OF COURSE), I got my hysterectomy.

IMMEDIATELY after surgery, I noticed a HUGE change. I’m talking the MOMENT I woke up.

This body had been in PAIN. NON-STOP. And I didn’t even know it. I didn’t even know it until my uterus and remaining ovary were gone, and the pain of surgery was so MINIMAL compared to the pain I had experienced BEFORE surgery, that I could have DANCED out of that damned hospital if they didn’t have me hooked up to more devices than I even want to name. The nurses couldn’t believe that I didn’t want pain meds, but I seriously DID NOT FEEL A THING. In fact, it wasn’t until about 3-4 days AFTER surgery, that the surgery pain finally faded, and I realized I HAD IN FACT been in pain after surgery, but it was SO FREAKING MINIMAL, that I hadn’t noticed.

Let me tell you something I would NEVER go back to that pain, I don’t care what anyone offered me, I would rather die.

My mood lifted (of coursee it did, I wasn’t in crippling pain all the time anymore), I’ve had less headaches, sleep is still sketchy, but my blood pressure improved (again, less pain will do that) even my Hashimotos briefly improved. (I say briefly because Hashimotos is a tricky bitch and nothing ever lasts with it..) My red cell count has finally stabilized, though almost six months later we’re still waiting on the iron to catch up.

Physically, my freakin’ BODY changed. I mean SWELLING went down all OVER my body. Puffiness from my face, limbs, tummy, all of it. It wasn’t THAT drastic, but there’s a difference enough that people ask if I’ve lost weight and tell me I look SO much better.

Not to make too much of a point on it, but yes, even the swelling of my vulva and labia went down, which shocked the hell out of me. My clit reappeared, go figure. And that ‘sex drive’ I was supposed to lose? Um, Hell No. I think she took a U-turn and came back to see what was new.

And for those that are wondering: yes, I do achieve orgasm still. Yes, I do achieve orgasm faster and easier. My ‘G-spot’ is extra-sensitive now, and there is now no pain associated with penetration. The main difference that I’ve found in the six months post-hysterectomy, is that if you like those deep, cervical orgasms, you will unfortunately lose those if you have your cervix removed. I did, because cancer runs in my family. And it seems not a moment too soon, because fibroids, calcified cysts, all that fun stuff were part of the lab findings. Could it have been a non-issue? Certainly. Could it have turned nasty with everything that’s wrong with me? Absolutely. I’d already been warned I was at high risk for Endometriosis.

Also, so far: I’m not on hormone replacement therapy. My doctors are playing it by ear. We don’t want to send my body into another panic spiral while it’s still finding a new balance, so in another month or two, we do more tests, see where I’m at and discuss.

Now for the: ‘but all these articles say’ portion of our blog. I know. I read those. But as someone else pointed out: Almost all those articles were written by men. All the nay-sayers ARE MEN. Why do you think that is? What the FUCK do they even know about women’s health anyway? Are they female? Do they HAVE the REPRODUCTIVE MATERIAL NECESSARY to make judgements on whether or not hysterectomy is beneficial to women in my position or not? NO.