I started experiencing low self-esteem as a result and was no longer as social as I once had been. I wanted to take these symptoms head-on, so I decided to drag myself to the doctor. He explained that PCOS occurs when a woman’s hormones are out of balance, which can lead to problems with fertility and menstrual cycles as well as weight gain and cysts on the ovaries. I began asking questions: How did this happen? Was it something I did? And finally, what can I do? I was told there was little I could do and that this would stay with me for life. My doctor recommended I go on birth control and begin hormone therapy. I was told that if I wanted children one day I would most likely have to have IVF treatments and that, even then, my chances were slim to none. Over the four months, I focused on getting key nutrients into my body to help produce more blood and improving my circulation by incorporating low-intensity exercises like yoga. I decided to work with my body instead of controlling it. I started listening to my body and altered my diet, eating foods rich in iron and magnesium. Above all, I wanted to treat myself naturally through diet, Ayurvedic methods like eating warming foods, adaptogen herbs, and an overall healthy routine to follow throughout this process. Increasingly, my depression lifted, my skin cleared, my menstrual cycle became regular, and my energy increased. After four months, I went back to my doctor and was officially undiagnosed with PCOS. I had no cysts on my ovaries, my hormones were balanced, and my periods were regular! What did he say? “Some people just get lucky.” Well, that’s not how I saw it. I am now 24 years old and have stuck to this new lifestyle. This means clean eating, exercising (yoga, walking my two dogs, and Pilates), using natural beauty products, and paying attention to my body. As a certified health and wellness coach, I’m passionate about helping other people increase their quality of life too. So I’m sharing a few of the natural PCOS remedies that I found very helpful on my journey to health: My tonic recipe: 1 to 2 tablespoons of ACV diluted in a glass of water (never drink it straight) first thing in the morning. Overall, I stick to a diet of 95 percent whole foods, enjoying lots of vegetables, nuts, seeds, legumes, and leafy greens. I found I really loved how I felt eating this way. At first, this change was hard when I realized some of my go-to crackers and snacks were highly processed. It took some time, but once my body adjusted to this new way of eating, I no longer craved the same foods. I found that a tablespoon a day of this superfood did wonders for my hormones as well as my skin and energy levels.
