What is PCOD?

PCOD or Polycystic Ovarian Disease is a disorder that causes innumerable hormonal disorders. It causes disruption in the normal menstrual cycle, often delaying it. Having been diagnosed with PCOD makes a woman prone to diabetes, cholesterol and cancer. A large number of cysts develop on the ovaries which enlarge when afflicted by this condition. PCOD can increase the chances of severe muscle spasms during one s periods.

Causes Of PCOD-

The cysts are mostly caused due to hormonal changes and fluctuations.

It could be genetic.

PCOD can also be a result of an unhealthy lifestyle that includes little rest, inadequate sleep and unwholesome diet lacking in the right nutrients.

Symptoms Of PCOD-

Acne

Excessive growth of facial hair

Weight gain

Difficulty in losing weight

Excessive hair on body as well, including chest, stomach and back

Irregular menstrual cycle. Women may miss their periods, or bleed more than once a month

Extremely heavy bleeding

Severe pain and muscular cramps during menstruation

Problems getting pregnant

Infertility

High blood pressure

High cholesterol

Depression

Other serious hormonal disorders

It can lead to diabetes

It can lead to repeated miscarriages

A major risk of PCOD if left untreated, is that it can lead to endometrial cancer

Diet For PCOD-

A healthy diet along with physical activities and abstinence from smoking can help to reduce the symptoms of PCOD and prevent the disease.

Increase the intake of fresh, green vegetables.

Cutting down on junk, fried food and most importantly, processed food.

Abstaining from or greatly reducing the intake of alcohol.

Including lots of fibre, roughage in the diet.

Cutting down on sugary, aerated drinks.

Including lean proteins in the diet.

Reduce dairy products as milk may raise the levels of testosterones in the body.

Reducing or eliminating consumption of caffeine may help to increase chances of a fertile reproductive system.

Prevent yourself from giving in to unhealthy food cravings. Eat small healthy meals at regular intervals.

Include fruits, nuts and colourful veggies in your diet.

PCOD- Diet You Must Follow!

Polycystic ovary disease or PCOD is a kind of hormonal disorder in which a woman produces a surplus of male hormones like testosterone.
High levels of male hormones produce symptoms like irregular ovulation or no ovulation at all. In simple words, women with PCOD or PCOS don t release a mature egg from their ovaries every month resulting in infertility. PCOD affects one in 10 women worldwide.

Women suffering from PCOD suffer from symptoms like heavy vaginal bleeding. This is because, as they don t ovulate and produce the hormone Progesterone like normal women do and have normal periods, the lining of their uteri becomes thick leading to heavy bleeding and sometimes uterine cancer.

The other common symptoms of PCOS are:

Acne
Weight gain
Oily skin
Heart problems
Irregular periods
Migraines
Hirsuitism
Infertility
Mood swings and depression
There is a propensity for developing diabetes as well in PCOS affected, as a number of women with PCOD are resistant to the action of the hormone insulin used for sugar metabolism. This means that it takes larger than normal amounts of insulin to maintain normal blood sugar levels. Though fairly common, PCOD has no surefire cure in mainstream allopathic medicine but Ayurveda can help alleviate PCOD symptoms in a big way.

PCOD - How Ayurveda Can Help?

In Ayurveda, PCOD is caused due to an imbalance of any of the two doshas - Pitta (Fire) and Kapha (Water). Aggravated Pitta causes contamination of the dhatus or tissues like blood and plasma. This causes a buildup of toxins or ama in the body.
In PCOS patients, these toxins get accumulated in the channels of the mind, leading to an imbalance of hormones secreted by the pituitary gland. This results in an imbalance of female hormones and causes the formation of ovarian cysts which is nothing but a collection of fluids within the ovary, anovulatory periods or periods with no ovulation etc.

Ayurvedic herbal remedies for PCOD

Ayurveda works on these problems:
-Correcting hormonal imbalance
-Reducing obesity
- Reducing high cholesterol levels
-Treatment for insulin resistance
Herbs like Ashoka (saraca asoca), Dashamoola are amongst a group of herbs which are used to prepare Sukumara Kashaya like Ashwagandha, Eranda, Shatavari etc for correcting hormonal imbalance.
Other drugs for curing PCOS are-
1. Shatavari or Asparagus racemosus
This helps mainly in promoting normal development of ovarian follicles. It also regulates periods and aids in revitalizing the female reproductive system. Shatavari also helps in controlling high levels of insulin due to PCOS, due to its phytoestrogen or natural plant based estrogen levels.
2. Guduchi
Guduchi is a powerful anti- inflammatory herb. We know that chronic inflammation in body tissues is the root cause for insulin imbalance and ovarian cysts in women. This herb helps in revitalizing body tissues and lowering insulin resistance.
3. Shatapushpa or fennel
Fennel seeds are used as a supplement as the phytoestrogens in them bring down inflammation and control insulin resistance.
4.Triphala
Triphala is rich in vitamin C- a powerful natural antioxidant that helps in reducing inflammation by reducing free radicals. Hence this remedy is excellent for cleansing and detoxifying systems and is therefore best taken prior to taking any other Ayurvedic medicines to improve outcome.
5. Aloe Vera- Kumari (Aloe barbadensis)
Aloe Vera is yet another Ayurvedic herb that is extremely beneficial in treating PCOS as it helps in regularizing menstrual cycles and promote normal menstruation. It also normalizes hormonal imbalance.

PCOD - How Ayurveda Medicines & Treatment Is Beneficial For You?

Protein is said to be a building block for the body. That being said, a high protein diet can either have some great results to show, or some terrible consequences. As long as a person is willing to learn more about it, only the former will appear!

When a person thinks of a diet which is high in protein, the automatic association is with the famous Atkins diet. This diet is not only high in the amount of protein consumed but is low in the relative amount of carbohydrate.

Who is it for?

A high protein diet is best if a person is looking to build little muscles and does not consume enough protein in his or her current or normal diet. However, studies have found that only professional endurance athletes showed any benefits from a hike in their consumption levels of protein, and that too they could have received these benefits by just eating more food. So, it is fair to say that the normal person is not likely to need more protein than what he or she already gets from his/her diet.

It can be bad too, in addition to this, if a person has an amount of protein which is beyond what is good for him or her according to the activity level, it can be quite bad. This is because a lot of the sources of protein from which most people fulfil their requirements also happen to be quite high in terms of the saturated fat content, which can put the heart at a great amount of risk. Moreover, gout can also occur and it is something that is not curable but can only be managed. A person who is considering the prospect of going on a high protein diet should take these possible side effects into due account prior to making his or her decision regarding the same.

The modest increase in the protein part of a person s diet can be good, and there are a variety of ways a person can increase it by having some simple munch food items such as almonds. Things like these can serve well as snacks and can go a long way in preventing a person from overeating on something less healthy just due to his or her being ravenously hungry. Another option is Greek yogurt and chia seeds, which can be added to almost anything! 

Making small changes in the diet can help in fulfilling the protein requirements. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult a dietitian-nutritionist.

High Protein Diet - Things You Must Know!

Imbalance in the hormones is the primary cause of the polycystic ovarian syndrome. The polycystic ovarian syndrome may result in an enlarged ovary with accumulated fluids. This disorder may lead to various changes in your appearance.

The various symptoms of this disorder are:

1. Acne: This disorder may cause or aggravate acne on your skin.

2. Abnormal periods: You may face irregularities in your periods as the intervals between periods may extend for more than 35 days or heavy periods.

3. Excess androgen: The male hormone known as androgen may increase in the female body which results in facial hair and excessive body hair. It may also cause acne.

4. Hair loss: This syndrome may lead to thinning of hair on the scalp and thus, resulting in hair loss.

5. Enlarged ovaries: The ovaries may be enlarged with various fluid filled sacs.

The various causes of polycystic ovarian syndrome are:

1. Low-grade inflammation: The body's immune system produces various substances that fight foreign infections in the body. If you are affected by the polycystic ovarian syndrome, then you are more likely to be affected by inflammation which causes androgen production in the body.

2. Heredity: If someone in your family has this disorder then you are more likely to be affected by this disease.

3. Insulin: Insulin is a hormone that allows the cells the body to produce energy in the body. You may experience insulin resistance which means energy production in the body may be hampered. It may also lead to increased androgen production which may impair the ovaries&#x2019; ovulation ability.

Polycystic ovarian syndrome may lead to various complications in the body:

1. Sleep apnea

2. Irregular blood pressure

3. Type 2 diabetes

4. It may increase chances of cardiovascular diseases as it may lead to metabolic syndrome

5. It may lead to symptoms of anxiety and depression

6. You may experience heavy bleeding in the uterine region

7. It may lead to complications in the cholesterol levels in the body

Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome

Ovarian cysts is a common problem that affects women in their childbearing years. These cysts develop inside the ovaries at the time of ovulation. 
These cysts are of four main types: 
Polycystic ovaries
Endometriosis
Cystadenomas
Dermoid cysts


In most cases, ovarian cysts resolve themselves, but in some cases they can cause pain and grow. 


Ayurveda is a holistic form of alternate medication that can be quite effective when it comes to treating ovarian cysts. This form of medication has negligible side effects and hence, can be prescribed to women of all ages. Apart from medication, Ayurveda also involves changes in lifestyle and diet. Ayurvedic herbs help balance the hormones in a woman s body and thereby improve the overall functioning of the ovaries as well. 


Some of the Ayurvedic herbs used in the treatment of ovarian cysts are as follows:


Guggul: This herb has the potential to revitalise cells and can rejuvenate a person. Guggul or commiphora mukul also has purifying properties that helps regulate lipid production and increase iron levels in a person s blood. It also helps in weight loss and increases metabolism. 
Shilajit: The Ayurvedic herb asphaltum or shilajit improves stamina and the ability to deal with physical and mental stress. It is also known to increase sexual desire and enhance libido for both men and women. 
Amalaki: Amalaki or emblica officinalis is best known for its ability to rejuvenate cells and rid the body of free radicals. It also helps boost immunity, aids in the development of healthy skin and slows down the aging process. Amalaki helps with digestion and boosts metabolism along with maintaining the proper functioning of the liver. 
Aloe: Aloe is the most common Ayurvedic product used for skin care and anti-ageing products. Apart from skincare and hair care, aloe also helps relieve hypertension and has well known antioxidant properties. Additionally, it helps deal with high blood pressure and respiratory problems. 
Vitamins and minerals: Some vitamins and minerals boost immunity and have the ability to destroy abnormal cells such as cysts. Zinc helps prevent ovarian cysts, helps the body get rid of free radicals and aids in normal cell growth. Vitamin B complex helps in converting excessive estrogen into less weaker forms and hence balances hormone levels. Antioxidants like vitamin A and E protect the cells against damage and abnormal changes in the cell growth. Vitamin C also helps boost immunity and gives the body the ability to fight illnesses and infections.

Ovarian Cyst Treatment in Ayurveda - Effective Medicines

Pcos or polycystic ovary syndrome is an endocrine disorder in women, in which the female hormones, progesterone and estrogen, are imbalanced. This imbalance leads to the formation of cysts (benign masses) in the ovaries. Pcos tends to affect your heart functions, fertility, menstrual cycle and appearance.

There are certain symptoms, which can be indicative of pcos; these symptoms tend to begin as a woman's menstrual cycle starts. In certain cases, however, pcos may also affect a woman in her mid age. Pcos can also cause excessive hair growth in unwanted places like above the upper lip, chin, arms and chest like a male.
The symptoms are:

Increase in the production of male hormone, leads to development of male characteristics
The size of the breasts may reduce
The tone and the texture of the voice may change and become similar to a man's voice
Hair may start to fall
You may suffer from acne and pimple breakouts on your face
It can lead to sudden weight gain
It may affect a woman's fertility
It may lead to pain in the pelvis
Other symptoms: apart from these symptoms, a woman may also experience other health complications such as high levels of bad cholesterol, high blood pressure and diabetes.

Causes: the causes of pcos are not well known, however, the likely causes are genetics and hormonal complications. If someone in the family has pcos, then the risk of being affected by pcos rises significantly. The other likely cause is the overproduction of the male hormone androgen in the female body. Although androgen is a male hormone, the female body also produces it in trace amounts. However, in some cases, when it is overproduced, it might impair the ovulation process.

Diagnosis and treatment: once the condition is diagnosed, there are certain treatments, which are recommended for the patient. The condition in itself does not have a cure, but the symptoms can only be controlled. Medications to control the androgen levels in the female body may be administered if you have androgen hormone complication. A balanced diet and an exercise regimen can be chalked out to control body weight and regulate blood sugar levels. If pcos leads to ovulation problems, then medications to facilitate ovulation may be advised.

PCOS: What You Need to Know About It

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