Any woman knows that hormones have a mind of their own. Starting at puberty and all the way through menopause, hormones can both be a blessing and a burden. We often dread the first day of our period, but our thankful when a healthy, regular cycle allows us to become pregnant. We generally don’t look forward to menopause, but are eventually grateful when the periods stop, especially if we have a history of painful menstruation and PMS.
Our whole lives, we walk a fine line between hormonal balance and imbalance. It can take the smallest step in the wrong direction to throw us off course. This is especially true of Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome, commonly referred to as PCOS.
If you are not familiar with the specifics of this diagnosis, I encourage you to read my earlier blog: https://drgalinand.com/pcos-understanding-polycystic-ovarian-syndrome-a-common-hormonal-imbalance
The PCOS diagnosis is frequently overlooked, or when it is recognized, the woman is often misled into thinking that there is no way back and the only solution is to go on birth control and hope for the best. I am here to tell you that is not the case!
As a Naturopathic Doctor, I take a holistic approach based on the principles of Functional Medicine. That applies not only to the management, which is natural and comprehensive (I will cover more about this in another blog), but also includes specialized and complete testing and diagnosis tools to make sure that not only are the symptoms being covered but the root cause is determined and addressed as well. That is what the Naturopathic / Functional Medicine approach is all about.
The Institute of Functional Medicine is great resource for those that want to learn more about this approach. Here is the most clear and simple definition of what functional medicine is:
“Functional Medicine determines how and why illness occurs and restores health by addressing the root causes of disease for each individual. The Functional Medicine model is an individualized, patient-centered, science-based approach that empowers patients and practitioners to work together to address the underlying causes of disease and promote optimal wellness. It requires a detailed understanding of each patient’s genetic, biochemical, and lifestyle factors and leverages that data to direct personalized treatment plans that lead to improved patient outcomes. By addressing root cause, rather than symptoms, practitioners become oriented to identifying the complexity of disease. They may find one condition has many different causes and, likewise, one cause may result in many different conditions. As a result, Functional Medicine treatment targets the specific manifestations of disease in each individual.”
Approaching PCOS through the lens of functional medicine provides better understanding and outcomes for the women suffering from this hormonal imbalance. The first step, whether you have been diagnosed or suspect you might have PCOS, is proper testing.
My Five Phase Holistic PCOS Program goes beyond the basic blood work, which is of course important, and includes a variety of specialty tests that cover every aspect of hormonal health. The testing that you may complete as part of this program is outlined below:
✔️ Basic blood work – markers for general health, sex hormones, thyroid hormones, & more as needed for each individual
✔️ Specialty sex hormone test and/or Cycle Mapping test
✔️ Adrenal test – including cortisol patterns
✔️ Metabolism tests – variety of tests including testing for organic acids, micronutrients, and toxins
✔️ Digestive tests – if applicable, based on individual presentation
✔️ Genetic test – if applicable, based on individual presentation
- Are you ready to think outside the box with me?
- Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome is exactly the kind of diagnosis that can benefit from a functional medicine / naturopathic approach. Women are not just a collection of their symptoms, but are rather complex and intricate. The approach to hormonal imbalance, and especially PCOS, must also be complex and intricate.
- As mentioned in my earlier blog, my complete Naturopathic Approach to PCOS includes:???? Dietary Modification
???? Lifestyle Changes
???? Specialty Testing
???? Supplementation I have developed a Five Phase Naturopathic Program for PCOS Management that will include the above mentioned approaches. The foundation of my program will be REDEFINING PCOS. Instead of PCOS being defined by the symptoms and negative health outcomes that drastically affect a woman’s life for the worse, I propose shifting the paradigm and designating the abbreviation of PCOS to stand for the following:
- PCOS does not have to define you, but rather YOU define PCOS!
