Conquering PCOS: What Type Do You Have?

If you’ve been diagnosed with PCOS (polycystic ovarian syndrome) or know someone who has, you might question why you don’t fit into every single one of the symptoms listed on Google.This is because PCOS is a condition that isn’t black or white, but rather it contains a spectrum of symptoms that you might experience at various levels of intensity. Which also indicates that conquering PCOS does not always occur with a one size fits all approach.In general there are 2 extreme types:

1. The classic kind shows up as obesity, hirsutism, amenorrhea, acne, and of course multiple tiny cysts on the ovaries from the lack of ovulation.
2. The thin kind shows up with no extreme weight issues or skin issues, but still amenorrhea and cysts on the ovaries.

Within those 2 extremes are various combinations and levels of severity with each symptom, as every woman��s body and hormones are unique.

What’s the real difference here?

The thin type of PCOS has better efficiency of insulin and glucose in the cells, which is why there are no extreme weight issues that show up, but there is still a miscommunication happening between the pituitary and the ovaries that blocks or delays ovulation. The classic type usually has little or no ability to get glucose into cells and can become insulin resistant. Since the act of ovulation is very sensitive to insulin levels and glucose levels, this can pose a problem for menstruation and fertility.

So does the same treatment work for both kinds?

In terms of classic medical treatment, the answer is no. We’ll talk more about the birth control pill and metformin in next week’s article.In terms of the natural nutritional and lifestyle protocol we use here at FLO, the answer is yes, but with some modifications for each type.What’s true across the board is that extreme diets like paleo or raw do not have a great effect on conquering PCOS, either kind. While women report some results, they don’t get the full remission that is possible with the right kind of diet.What is the right kind of diet? A hormonal and cyclical one! In both cases, you need to eat to support endocrine function - like blood sugar stability, adrenal performance, estrogen metabolism - all the things we take you through in the FLO protocol while simultaneously improving your exposure to the right micronutrients that create hormones, stabilize them, and keep them moving in the blood stream.To help you understand what does work for each extreme type, we’re going to illustrate with two examples: our very own Alisa and our FLO counselor Jessica.

Classic example: Alisa

As we mentioned earlier, Alisa experienced much of the classic symptoms of PCOS: extreme weight gain, acne all over, hirsutism, and very infrequent periods.Her body was having a difficult time managing insulin and glucose levels. Think of it like someone who keeps walking into a glass door but keeps hitting her head. This is what’s happening to glucose when it’s trying to get into the cell. The body releases more insulin to try and help, and those high levels of insulin prevent ovulation.Women with classic PCOS are often put on metformin for this reason, which can sometimes be a bridge until her diet and lifestyle are under control.If you’re on this extreme, here are 2 things you can start doing today:1. Eat cinnamon for blood sugar stability. Sprinkle it everywhere or take a supplement! Cinnamon has been proven to improve insulin and glucose management.2. Try walking for 5 minutes after every meal. Gentle movement after eating helps to mobilize the glucose you’ve just consumed and get it into your cells more efficiently. These short bouts of movement peppered throughout your day and after eating and be even more effective than only doing one chunk of exercise once per day!

Thin example: Jessica

When Jessica first came to FLO Living over 7 years ago, she had been on the birth control since age 18 and never got a natural period. During her teenage years she was a ballerina and was highly active as well as underweight at times, and definitely not eating a diet that was hormonally supportive. This lifestyle combined with genetic factors, caused ovulation to stop and a “string of pearls” of cysts to develop on her ovaries. Her doctor told her she would have to come back for IVF when she wanted to get pregnant since there was a big chance that she would be infertile.Before Jessica knew there was another option, she took the birth control pill to induce a period each month. Meanwhile she was feeling depressed, creatively blocked, and in the dark about her body. She had blood sugar issues, but not to the extreme of insulin resistance.What’s happening with this kind of PCOS is that the pituitary gland and the ovaries are not communicating well due to micronutrient deficiencies that support hormone creation and transport. Think of it like a phone call: The pituitary gland in the brain is trying to call the ovaries (via hormones in the bloodstream) but all the ovaries hear are static on the line because they are not getting the right signals.Women with this kind of PCOS are often put on the pill to induce a period each month, but really it’s just a band-aid solution to a much deeper problem that needs to be addressed.If you’re on this extreme, here are 2 things you can start doing today:1. Lay off extreme exercise. Excessive cardio is only going to zap your adrenal glands and put your whole system in stress mode which is counterintuitive for ovulation and restoring your pituitary gland’s proper function. Explore gentle forms of movement like yoga that can help balance your hormones and stress levels.2. Follow the moon. That might sound strange, but if you start observing the moon and it’s changing patterns throughout the month it can help your body relearn how to get into that cyclical mode. Sleep in complete dark all month long, except for the 3 days before, during, and after the full moon - the light you let in will simulate the moonlight. If you’re already following our protocol, you can also map out the cyclical eating plan to match the moon phases if you’re not menstruating regularly. (New Moon is equivalent to menstruation, Full Moon is equivalent to ovulation.)

Need more Hormone Help?

If you’re needing some health upgrading, it’s time you started you looking into what’s going on with your hormones.I’ve designed a 4 day hormone detox and evaluation to help you understand exactly what’s out of whack and how you can start getting back to balance so that your hormones no longer have to suffer.Click here to get your FREE detox and evaluation!