Got PCOS? Why this is actually a liver issue.
If you have been diagnosed PCOS (poly cystic ovarian syndrome) it’s because your lab work came back presenting high androgens like DHEA-S, androstenedione, and testosterone along with high blood glucose. The high androgens will cause estrogen to rise and you may present with symptoms like acne, excess body hair, amenorrhea, trouble getting pregnant, or weight gain around the abdomen. Even further, some doctors will order an ultrasound to look for enlarged ovaries or ovarian cysts. Keep in mind you need the lab markers to show for PCOS- not just cysts. Just because you have ovarian cysts does not mean you have PCOS.
Depending on ones diet, lifestyle, and history of birth control will show the likelihood of developing this kind of metabolic dysfunction.
So how is this a liver issue?
Androgens are metabolized mainly in the liver! This means that the liver is responsible for the ridding of metabolic wastes like excess hormones, cholesterol, pharmaceuticals, etc. When the liver is congested it makes it that much harder for it to do its job. When we are overly stressed, eating out often, hyped up on coffee, not sleeping well, drinking alcohol, or have potential gut inflammation our livers become overworked thus having a hard time detoxifying.
If you want to lower androgenic activity, increase progesterone levels, balance cortisol, lower estrogen, and rid your PCOS then you need to address liver function! Left unaddressed could leave you with even more complications such as type 2 diabetes, insulin resistance, high blood pressure, ovarian cancer, or difficulty getting pregnant.
If you're looking to rid your PCOS without birth control and to prevent continuous cyst removal surgery here are some steps to take-
Get a handle on your stress! This could look like journaling, scheduling therapy, prioritizing more outside walks, purchasing organic veg and produce, ridding caffeine, or taking a social media fast.
Eat more nourishing foods! Cook at home and dress your plate like this: protein (organic ground chicken), healthy fat (avocado), carb (veg, fruit, rice, sweet potato). Purchase more foods with one ingredient and try your best to consume less sugar, caffeine, alcohol, gluten, and dairy for all these things have been proven to disrupt the gut and promote unwanted stress and inflammation.
Move more! I always recommend 45 min/day at least! Light weight training, walking, pilates, stretching- just get moving! Try to take a 10 min walk after meals to stunt blood sugar spikes!
Prioritize sleep! The more you move, eat nourishing food, and work through stress the safer and more relaxed your body will feel at night to get optimal sleep! Try to aim for a 9:30pm bedtime and 6:30/7am wake up!
And if you’ve implemented all of those to the best of your ability with little to no success, then join my 6 month R+R Program where we really get to the bottom of your health disparities! For a lot of people, the missing link is stress reduction first and foremost but then parasites, bacterial dysbiosis, or yeast which we discover via a functional test called the GI MAP included in the program.
xx, Steph
