Natural Remedies for PCOD/PCOS: Effective Tips for Better Hormonal Health
PCOD stands for Polycystic Ovarian Disease, is a hormonal disorder affecting the women ovaries mainly and as a result, many seek for natural remedies for PCOD. In PCOD, multiple ovum fail to release from the ovarian follicles and gets accumulated in the form of “cysts” in the ovaries. These immature ova stored in the follicles leads to hormonal imbalances. Some of the major causes of PCOD are hormonal imbalances, genetics or heredity, lifestyle factors and even something as serious as insulin resistance. The hormonal imbalance which causes such PCOD conditions, is due to the over-production of male androgens like testosterone. Therefore, insulin resistance in the body leading to more androgen production, thus indirectly affecting ovulation. Also, lifestyle factors like unhealthy diet, lack of exercises can also lead to irregular menstruation and fertility. Generally, a well-balanced diet rich in all the macro, micro nutrients and the vitamins can be considered as an effective natural remedies for PCOD. Reducing stress through daily practices like yoga, meditation is also a natural remedies for PCOD. And lastly, staying hydrated and avoiding processed and deep-fried food with regular exercises as much as possible are some of the natural remedies for PCOD.
SYMPTOMS OF PCOD
PCOD, being a hormonal disorder, the symptoms vary from great lengths from one person to the other. However, some of the earlier and simpler symptoms would include:
- Irregular Menstrual Cycle
- Unexplained Weight Gain
- Mental Health Distress
- Slower Metabolic Rate
- Hormonal Imbalance
- Polycystic Ovaries
- Infertility
- Fatigue
PCOD, sadly still does not have any ground-breaking medical solution and treatment, thus people often tend to rely on natural remedies for PCOD.
Simple and Proven Natural Remedies for PCOD/PCOS Management
- Lifestyle Changes
Lifestyle changes are the biggest path towards being PCOD free or trying to manage the various PCOD symptoms. Reducing one’s weight even upto 5-10% can help in regulating menstrual cycles and even relieve one from painful menstruation.
- Dietary Changes
Diet is an extremely important part of a PCOD patient’s diet. Some of the food items which should be consumed without fail are high-fibre foods like oats, whole grains, beans, lentils, fruits and vegetables which could help in decreasing insulin resistance. Anti-inflammatory foods like berries, leafy green vegetables, turmeric and ginger would help in reducing any cases of inflammation due to PCOD. High proteins like beef, lamb and mutton should be avoided, on the contrary lean proteins like eggs, fish, chicken and plant-proteins like rajma and beans. Healthy fats like avocados, seeds and nuts should not be excluded from the diet, with the fear of weight gain. And lastly, low GI index food items like quinoa and whole grain breads should be consumed to prevent any sudden sugar spikes.
- Regular Exercises
PCOD, can be managed with the help of efficient lifestyle changes and significant exercises. It is known that exercises help in regulating menstrual cycle and also improves insulin sensitivity and manages excess weight gain, a common PCOD symptom. Cardiovascular exercises like walking, running, swimming along with strength training like weightlifting, 2-3 times a week can also help in leading a better life, especially for the PCOD patients.
- Supplements
While managing PCOD, supplements can play a supportive role in managing the PCOD symptoms. However, supplements should only be taken under the guidance of a health-care provider. Dt. Rukhsana Azhar is one of the renowned nutritionist in India and can be consulted for such supplements. Some of the common supplements which could be taken are omega-3-fatty acids, vitamin D, iron and probiotics etc.
- Hormonal Treatments
As one already knows, PCOD is a variety of symptoms mainly due to hormonal imbalance in the body. It is important with symptoms of PCOD to first do a detailed hormone level check. Generally, PCOD is due to an increased levels of androgen, the male reproductive hormone. This overexpression of male androgens in a female body leads to the unnatural facial hair growth, premature baldness, hairfall, alopecia and irregular menstrual cycle.
HERBAL AND NATURAL REMEDIES FOR PCOD
Some of the most common herbal and ayurvedic ways of combating PCOD is by the well-known spices of India like cinnamon, fenugreek (methi) seeds, ashwagandha, spearmint tea etc.
- The cinnamon is known to have a role in menstrual cycle irregularity and helps with insulin sensitivity. Therefore, it acts as useful for women with insulin resistance.
- Whereas, spearmint tea is known to reduce male reproductive hormones in a female’s body, the major cause of PCOD. This can reduce symptoms like hirsutism, severe hormonal acne and hairloss.
- Fenugreek controls blood sugar levels and prevents any cases of sugar spikes, in turn helps in balancing the female hormones like progesterone and estrogen. It also helps in reducing the size of ovarian cysts.
- Ashwagandha, helps managing stress thus keeping the cortisol levels at check in the female’s body. 30-400mg is often the prescribed and safe dosage for ashwagandha.
- Triphala is a combination of amla, haritaki and bibhitaki. This herbal potion helps in detoxifying and improves the gut health, while balancing the hormone levels in the body. It is available as a packaged powder, and can be mixed with warm water and warm milk and to be consumed before bedtime, for best absorption.
- Neem, a well-known anti-bacterial herb which is often consumed by people around the country, to combat a number of diseases. It plays a role in detoxifying the body and also has anti-androgenic properties that would naturally lower the levels of male hormones in a woman’s body. Neem can be consumed as juice without any additional spices or sugar. Also, there are neem capsules too, which can be consumed as per the dosage prescribed by one’s dietician. One could take a quick consultation of renowned dietician Dt. Rukhsana Azhar.
FAQS REGARDING NATURAL REMEDIES FOR PCOD
- Does natural remedies at all work to cure PCOD completely?
Till now, there has been no study showing that could have cured PCOD completely. Various natural remedies for PCOD are available, but they only helps in managing the PCOD symptoms. Various teas and juices can combat irregular periods, excessive hairloss and unnatural weight gain. These herbal juices helps in managing the hormonal balance thus keeping the PCOD symptoms at check.
- Will there be any side effects of using natural remedies for PCOD?
Herbal, natural remedies are made out of natural substances with no to negligible chemical addition. So, they are generally considered safe for everyone. However, it is best to consult a ayurvedic practitioner or a dietician like Dt. Rukhsana Azhar for the correct way and frequency of consuming these natural remedies for PCOD in one’s daily life.
- How long will the natural remedies take, to cure PCOD?
Natural remedies are known to take longer periods of time as compared to the modern-day medications. So the time required to see results various from individual to individual. However, the natural remedies for PCOD take a minimum of 3-4 months to show any kind of positive result.
- Can pregnant and lactating mothers consume the herbal remedies?
Not all natural remedies for PCOD, can be safe for pregnant and lactating mothers. So, they shouldn’t be consumed casually and without supervision of a doctor. Items like spearmint, cinnamon and methi are often avoided during pregnancy as they could enhance un-timely contractions. Whereas something as common as aloevera might lead to risks of miscarriage.
- Which is the best herbal drink to cure PCOD?
It is difficult to mention one best drink to manage PCOD, as it depends on a variety of factors like personal choice to specific symptoms. For irregular periods, cinnamon tea can be great. To manage excessive hairloss, one can go for spearmint tea or tulsi tea or juices.
Hello My Name is Dt. Ruksana Azhar and I am a certified dietician and providing online & offline services for Weight Management, PCOS/PCOD Management, Diabetes Management , etc. I have 12+ years of experience in the Apollo Hospital Delhi , Max Super Specialty Hospital Delhi, Lilavati Hospital Mumbai and VLCC healthcare Mumbai. I loves to write healthcare and lifestyle related blog. My favorite part of being a doctor is the opportunity to directly improve the health and wellbeing of my patients and to develop professional and personal relationships with them.
