Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome

Naturopath who suffered from Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome shares her story and tips to banish PCOS.

 

 

Nikki Warren, Fertility Naturopath and Founder of NaturoBest,  experienced this herself.  It was her own diagnosis of PCOS at the age of 27 that led her on a path to start studying naturopathy back in 2004.

It is estimated that up to 8-13% of women suffer from polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) and although a specific cause has not been identified, four out of every five women suffer from insulin resistance.  Women may be prescribed the oral contraceptive pill to regulate her cycle, however, that suppresses ovulation and often worsens insulin resistance.  Natural fertility specialist Aviva Romm (2010) claims that "if a patient falls into the categories of being overweight or obese, this therapy (oral contraceptive pill) is relatively contraindicated".

 

Nikki Warren, Fertility Naturopath and Founder of NaturoBest,  experienced this herself.  It was her own diagnosis of PCOS at the age of 27 that led her on a path to start studying naturopathy back in 2004.

 

 "A year before my diagnosis, I had gone on the oral contraceptive pill and gained a huge amount of weight within 5 weeks, so I quickly went off it again.  Unfortunately, the weight continued to pile on, I had acne on my chin and my cycle did not return.  In desperation I sought advice from numerous specialists and complementary medicine practitioners.  Finally, I had an ultrasound which confirmed I had PCOS," Nikki says.  

 

It was a visit to a naturopath/medical herbalist that would change the trajectory of her life.  

 

"I was a flight attendant at the time and knew I didn't want to do that forever, but I had no idea what it was I wanted to do in terms of my career.  The naturopath gave me a liquid herbal formulation which was the most revolting concoction I had ever swallowed.  However, I persisted with it and 3 weeks later I was stunned when my period finally returned, the acne on my chin started to clear and the weight started dropping off.  I was so blown away by this result that I decided to start studying naturopathy the next year".

Nikki started studying while she was flying and that year, she had a special surprise when she unexpectedly fell pregnant with her daughter Taylah.  

 

"I was in a new relationship and what I hadn't realised is that the herbal formulation that had regulated my cycle, had also made me more fertile!  My interest in herbal medicine and hormones quickly turned to natural fertility and pregnancy.  I devoured as much as I could about using herbs during pregnancy to prepare for labour, assisting with breastfeeding and treating infertility in both women and men naturally."

 

Her latest formula, Cycle & Skin Support, contains the herbs she was prescribed by her own naturopath for the symptoms of PCOS as well as some other herbs she discovered were effective in clinical practice.

 

 Nikki says "Dong quai is an emmenagogue, a substance that promotes menstrual flow for women who have amenorrhoea (an absence of periods).  Gymnema is my favourite 'sugar destroying' herb to quell those sugar cravings.  Inositol is a nutrient that has been clinically trialled and found to be useful for insulin resistance which is associated with PCOS".

Of course, it's not just taking a pill that's going to resolve the issue.  Diet and lifestyle measures are also required to have a successful result.

 

These are Nikki's top tips:

    Eat a diet with plenty of protein and good fats and low in carbohydrates.
    Eat organically as much as possible, especially meat, dairy, fruit and vegetables.
    Avoid plastic. Drink from a glass or glass water bottle and avoid plastic wrap and containers.
    Drink 2-3 litres of filtered water daily.
    Eliminate soft drinks and other sugary foods such as lollies and biscuits.
    Add cinnamon to smoothies or protein shakes to help stabilise blood sugar.
    Reduce alcohol to an occasional treat or better still, eliminate altogether.
    Quit drinking coffee and switch to tea instead.
    Drink herbal teas instead of caffeinated drinks. Try licorice tea or spearmint tea – both are yummy and beneficial for PCOS.
    Learn all you can about eating low GI foods and lowering the glycaemic index of your meal by food combining.
    Take a high-quality multivitamin such as NaturoBest's Preconception Multi for Women along with a calcium and magnesium supplement such as Calcium & Magnesium Plus K2 & D3.
    Have blood tests every three months with a fertility naturopath, herbalist, or nutritionist to monitor your progress. You may need extra herbs in addition to the ones in Cycle & Skin Support, especially if you have high oestrogen levels.  If this is the case, I recommend taking PMS Support & Antioxidant which contains herbs that promote healthy oestrogen metabolism.

"I am so excited to release this formula because I know it's going to help so many women who are currently going through what I went through.  It's so frustrating when you are dieting and exercising, and the weight won't budge.  When my patients told me that they were going through that, I believed them.  Most people probably think they are 'closet eaters' but I know they aren't and how much it batters your self-esteem, especially when you also have acne", Nikki empathises.

 

Sometimes a woman may suffer from irregular periods for reasons other than PCOS and this can be extremely distressing to her, especially if she is trying to conceive.  The herbs contained in Cycle & Skin Support are not specific to PCOS and may be used by any woman suffering from an irregular cycle.  As a fertility naturopath, Nikki helped thousands of couples, over more than a decade in clinical practice, realise their dream of a baby.  She launched NaturoBest out of a desire to help couples conceive and women on their pregnancy journey on a much larger scale than she could in clinic.

 

Nikki advises "If a brand is selling tablets rather than capsules you know they are putting profit margins ahead of quality.  Tablets are cheap to manufacture and contain a lot of excipients including colourings in the film coating.  We have chosen vegan-friendly capsules and all our formulas are low in excipients.  This makes it more expensive to manufacture but as somebody who suffers from allergies myself, I wanted to make sure the NaturoBest range was as free of nasties and allergens as possible".