PCOS or the Polycystic Ovary Syndrome has become one of the most challenging hormonal disorders which is affecting women globally today. This lifestyle disease not only impacts how a woman feels internally, but also impacts her physically. This includes bringing irregularity in her menstrual cycle, unnecessary weight gain, growth of hair on body, hair thinning on the scalp, difficulty in preparing the body for conceiving a child and the overall emotional and mental well-being.
Although modern science today has approached this disease by managing the symptoms through allopathic drugs, but this is just a temporary solution. The age old wisdom of Ayurveda approaches this lifestyle disease in a more holistic manner. It focuses on treating the root cause and not just diagnosing the symptoms.
Ayurveda looks at the human body as a unique constitution made up of dosha types and energy channels. It is the imbalances in the doshas which results in accumulation of toxins, issues with digestion, metabolism and disruption in the natural rhythm of the body. The Ayurveda PCOS treatment approaches to treat the imbalance of hormones from a more balanced approach. In this guide, we shall learn some causes symptoms and solutions from the viewpoint of Ayurveda to treat PCOS naturally.
Ayurvedic Causes of PCOS
Accumulation of toxins and weak digestion – People today are exposed to a lot of fast and processed foods. These include heavy oils, deep fried items, sugary content etc. These items not only disrupt the body’s digestion, but also lead to accumulation of toxins that show up on the body and affect the hormones.
Sedentary lifestyle – People today lead a sedentary lifestyle that is dominated by long hours of sitting, digital distractions and lack of energy and an inactive routine. This results in the tendency to gain weight and reduction in metabolism levels of the body.
Irregular sleeping and eating patterns – People today are becoming more and more late night bingers. This results in eating at irregular timings, skipping nutritious meals and excessive exposure to digital screens. All of these results in disruption with the sleeping cycle and this directly affects the hormones production in the body.
High levels of stress – Whether it is meeting the hectic work schedule or long deadlines or even the simple social pressure, people today are exposed to high amounts of stress levels. This results in production of excess cortisol levels in the body and the Vata and Pitta Doshas are aggravated which affects the function of the ovaries.
Overuse and resistance to hormonal pills – Even modern science says that long-term use of hormonal contraceptives can hamper the body’s own hormone creation and also lead to abuse as well as resistance to hormonal pills.
Genes related predisposition – The genes related predisposition can also create some susceptibility. But Ayurveda believes that even though the genes load the gun but it is the lifestyle that pulls the trigger. So in spite of having any genetic predisposition, one can avoid the genetically related diseases by maintaining a healthy lifestyle.
Ayurvedic Symptoms of PCOS
Ayurveda attempts to achieve a natural hormone balance through the identification and resolution of these symptoms –
- Irregularities in the menstrual cycle
- Tendency to gain weight, especially around the abdomen
- Acne, pigmentation, scars
- Hair loss and thinning of hair
- Excess hair growth on body
- Irregularities in emotions, and mood swings
- Feeling low and cravings
- Resistance to insulin
How to Manage PCOS through Ayurveda
Detoxification
The internal functioning of the body that includes digestion management of metabolism, balanced production of hormones etc. can be done by undergoing a detoxification treatment such as the Panchakarma treatment in Kerala.
The Panchakarma treatment involves a 5 step procedure which not only helps in removal of accumulated toxins from the body. But also naturally resets the body to function in a healthy manner and balance insulin sensitivity, rejuvenation and enhanced fertility levels in the body.
Including Ayurvedic Herbs for Balancing Hormones
The Ayurveda Treatment in kerala, include a holistic approach that also includes offering Ayurvedic herbs in everyday diet to naturally balance the hormones. These herbs are-
Shatavari – Shatavari is also popularly known as the Queen of herbs. It keeps the menstrual cycle regulated and the ovaries healthy.
Ashoka – It helps control excessive bleeding during periods and supports muscles of the uterus.
Lodhra – This herb is effective in managing the occurrence of acne, inflammation and hormones.
Cinnamon – It balances insulin resistance and helps with the cycle.
Guduchi – It is an excellent herb for detoxification and clearing toxins.
Fenugreek seeds – Aka methi dana and used as a spice condiment. This herb is effective in balancing the blood sugar and reduces weight gain due to PCOS.
Conclusion
PCOS today even though is one of the most common global concerns for women today. But it can be resolved completely only by introducing lifestyle changes in the body. Any amount of synthetic drugs can only offer temporary pain relief, but in order to resolve the disease completely one has to address the root causes. This requires a holistic approach such as Ayurveda which not only helps treat the symptoms but also makes the body healthy enough to prevent these lifestyle diseases altogether.
