“Anxiety was born in the very same moment as mankind. And since we will never be able to master it, we will have to learn how to live with it. Just as we have learned to live with storms.”

I believe the most powerful tool we have to weather our emotional “storms” is at the end of our forks – the food we eat.  For me going gluten-free has tremendously helped my  anxiety levels.  Eating a nutrient rich diet has helped me calm the storms of life. Isn’t this interesting? – according to a study in the Journal Pharmacological Research, berry phytonutrients turn off enzymes that fuel depression and anxiety. (1) Food really is medicine.

Here are some other ways to learn to live with anxiety:

Focus Phrase   Bring to mind a “Focus Phrase”.  My favorite is, “I chose to be grateful and enjoy this moment.”  By saying this to myself, I chose to aim my attention at enjoyment and to the immediate sensory events happening in and around me, rather than worrying about the past or future.

Omega 3′s   Keep anxiety at bay by taking Omega 3′s every day.  Poor diet results in a decrease in Omega 3 fatty acids.  They play an essential role in building and maintaining the brain.  Over 60% of your brain is built from these fatty acids and your brain cells are continually being renewed.  Without adequate Omega 3′s your brain cannot build properly. Ohio State University recently found that healthy adults who took 2.5 grams of Omega 3’s per day for 12 weeks experienced 20 percent less anxiety than those who took a placebo. (2)

Create Ritual   It is a simple but powerful way to reduce your experience of anxiety. For me it means, lowering the lights, lighting a candle and putting on some soothing music – I love George Winston‘s Piano music.

Eliminate Sugar and Caffeine   Sugars are known to increase heart rate which can cause anxious feelings. Caffeine is also known to make people feel jittery and be more likely to feel stressed. Try to stay away from foods high in sugar and caffeine, including sodas, coffee and candy.

Exercise  Exercise will improve overall health and give you a sense of well being by the release of endorphins, can lower stress and anxiety levels. Calming activities like Yoga and Tai Chi are great. Just one hour session of yoga offers the GABA boosting effects of conventional medications with no side effects.   According to a recent study in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, yoga is more effective than walking for reducing anxiety. (3)

Meditation  This is a powerful mindfulness and anti-anxiety tool.  For detailed info and how to’s read my post here.

Lavender Oil – I am a big believer in a relaxing bath.  When my nerves are frazzled and am feeling very anxious I let it all float away in a bath of Dead Sea Salts, or Epsom salt which both contain relaxing magnesium and some lavender essential oil which has a sedative quality.  For my  bath recipe and more info on Essential oils read my post.

Green Tea  L-theanine in green tea is a calming agent – increases alpha brain waves, which are linked to increased relaxation. For more information on the health benefits of tea for PCOS read my post.

B Vitamins- B vitamins are essential for stress management, enery production and neurotransmitter balance.  B6 aids in the production of serotonin which helps prevent mood swings and anxiety. For detailed info on B12 read my post.

Rescue Remedy is great for on the spot relief in anxious or stressful situations. And white chestnut is excellent for worries that wander round and round in your head.

Here’s the description of white chestnut’s uses from the Bach Flower website:
White Chestnut: This Essence helps when your mind is full of unwanted thoughts and mental arguments. These mental arguments can often keep you from sleeping at night. White Chestnut helps you clear your mind and get the thinking under control and can be put to positive use in problem-solving. Worry is replaced by trust in a positive outcome.

Acupuncture  Acupuncture works to counteract the fight or flight stress response by releasing calming feel-good neurotransmitters such as endorphins and reduce stress hormones like cortisol.    It also imporves blood circulation with oxygenates the tissues and cyscles out cortisol  which soothe’s worry.

Acupressure is another form of energy work. By pressing, tapping, or massaging key energy points on your body’s meridian system you can learn to relieve anxiety and worrying thoughts very effectively. 

One excellent DIY way to do this is with Emotional Freedom Technique or “tapping” which I explain in detail in this post.

If you have an anxiety buster that has helped you, please share it with us in the comments!

(1) http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1043661809000449

(2) http://www.cdapress.com/news/healthy_community/article_adb846ca-2821-5def-bde4-570d11b5373f.html

(3) http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/08/100819112124.htm

LO.LI Pharma also markets another myo-inositol product called INOFOLIC PLUS.  This is blend of myo-inositol, folic acid and melatonin.  This product is not sold in the U.S to my knowledge.

Melatonin is a hormone and a powerful antioxidant produced in your brain while you are asleep and it is completely dark (this is one of the reasons I wear a sleep eye mask at night) Since the invention of electricity, many of us sleep with night lights or even outside street lights that brighten our rooms at night.  Our exposure to complete darkness is really limited and this impairs the production of melatonin.

The benefit of the added melatonin is that melatonin plays an essential role in reproductive processes. Your ovarian follicular fluid has high levels of melatonin, and melatonin receptors are present in ovarian cells. Melatonin has been shown to have direct effects on ovarian function.  I’ve added a whole list of published studies at  the end of this post in case you are interested. If you’re not producing enough melatonin on your own, this may be adding to infertility issues.

I have been able to find a supplement which is available in the US that includes 1/2 of the  therapeutic dosage of myo-inositol and folic acid that you get in Pregnitude but it also contains 2 mg of melatonin. The supplement is called OvaBoost and it is sold by Fairhaven Health the makers or ovulation predicators and many other fertility supplements. It is manufactured in the USA in a GMP-certified facility.  If you are concerned about the reduced amount of myo-inositol, it would be easy to supplement the additional 2mg of myo-inositol with one dose of Pregnitude or another myo-inositol like Metagenics or Pure Encaspulations.

Research indicates that egg cells are highly susceptible to harm from free radicals, the unstable oxygen molecules that are produced as the body breaks down toxins. And, to function in a healthy way, egg cells need to produce a tremendous amount of energy. OvaBoost was to include key antioxidants to protect egg cells from the damaging effects of free radicals and to help egg cells produce the energy they need for successful conception and implantation. OvaBoost contains four additional antioxidant ingredients, Vitamin E, grapeseed extract, Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10)  and alpha lipoic acid, to help ensure your egg cells are adequately protected from the damaging effects of free radicals.

CoQ10 also plays an important role in energy production within egg cells. Once conception occurs, the amount of cell division that occurs to allow the egg to grown into an embryo and successfully implant into the wall of the uterus requires a tremendous amount of energy. CoQ10 works within the mitochondria (the energy powerhouse of the cell) of the egg cell to help ensure that energy production is optimal.

OvaBoost retails at $28.95 for a 30 day supply and the recommended dose is 4 capsules daily in divided doses. While Fairhaven Health does ship this internationally, it is also available via Amazon.

I reached out to the Fairhaven Health and they were happy to offer a 15% discount on your first order of Ovaboost to Divas.  Just use the coupon code: PCOSDIVA.

(Full disclosure: I am not an affiliate of this product DO NOT receive compensation on the sales of Ovaboost from Fairhaven Health)

Here are several citations specifically related to the importance of melatonin for egg quality/ovarian function:

The melatonin level 2mg in OvaBoost is a level commensurate with the dosage used in studies that demonstrated improvement in egg quality when taken together with myo-inositol and folic acid.

Effect of the treatment with myo-inositol plus folic acid plus melatonin in comparison with a treatment with myo-inositol plus folic acid on oocyte quality and pregnancy outcome in IVF cycles. A prospective, clinical trial. Rizzo P, et al. Eur Rev Med Pharmacol Sci. 2010 Jun; 14(6): 555-61.

The efficacy of melatonin administration on oocyte quality. Batioglu AS, et al. Gynecol Endocrinol. 2012 Feb; 28(2); 91-3.

The role of melatonin as an antioxidant in the follicle. Tamura H, et al. Journal of Ovarian Research 2012, 5:5.

Melatonin improves the oocyte and the embryo in IVF patients with sleep disturbances, but does not improve the sleeping problems. Eryilmaz OG  et al. J Assist Reprod Genet – 01-SEP-2011; 28(9): 815-20

Oxidative stress impairs oocyte quality and melatonin protects oocytes from free radical damage and improves fertilization rate. Tamura H, et al.  J Pineal Res 2008; 44(3): 280-7

Effect of a supplementation with myo-inositol plus melatonin on oocyte quality in women who failed to conceive in previous in vitro fertilization cycles for poor oocyte quality: a prospective, longitudinal, cohort study. Unfer V, et al. Gynecol Endocrinol. 2011 Nov;27(11):857-61.

Contribution of myo-inositol and melatonin to human reproduction. Carlomagno G, et al. Eur J Obstet Gynecol Reprod Biol. 2011 Dec;159(2):267-72.

Melatonin as a free radical scavenger in the ovarian follicle. Tamura H, et al. Endocr J. 2012 Nov 22.

Effects of melatonin in perimenopausal and menopausal women: our personal experience. Bellipanni G, et al. Ann Ny Acad Sci 2005 Dec;1057:393-402.

Effects of melatonin in perimenopausal and menopausal women: a randomized and placebo controlled study. Bellipanni G, et al. Exp Gerontol 2001 Feb; 36(2):297-310

Here are several citations related to the protective benefits of antioxidants and the detrimental impact of oxidative stress on female fertility:

Antioxidants to enhance fertility: role of eNOS and potential benefits. Visioli F, Hagen TM. Pharmacol Res. 2011 Nov;64(5):431-7.

Coenzyme Q10 content in follicular fluid and its relationship with oocyte fertilization and embryo grading. Turi A, et al. Arch Gynecol Obstet. 2012 Apr;285(4):1173-6.

The effects of oxidative stress on female reproduction: a review. Agarwal A, et al. Reprod Biol Endocrinol. 2012 June 29; 10(1): 49.

Age related changes in mitochondrial function and new approaches to study redox regulation in mammalian oocytes in response to age or maturation conditions.  Eichenlaub-Ritter U, et al. Mitochondrion. 2011 Sep;11(5):783-96.

Amazingly, it’s also one of the most simple habits to do — you can do it anywhere, any time, and it will always have immediate benefits.

How many habits can you say that about?

While many people think of meditation as something you might do with a teacher, in a Zen Center, it can be as simple as paying attention to your breath while sitting in your car or on the train, or while sitting at the coffee shop or in your office, or while walking or showering.

It can take just one or two minutes if you’re busy. There’s no excuse for not doing it, when you simplify the meditation habit.

Why Meditate?

Why create a small daily meditation practice? There are countless reasons, but here are some of my favorite:

• It relieves stress and helps you to relax.
• When you practice mindfulness, you can carry it out to everyday life.
• Mindfulness helps you to savor life, change habits, live simply and slowly, be present in everything you do.
• Meditation has been shown to have mental benefits, such as improved focus, happiness, memory, self-control, academic performance and more.
• Some research on meditation has indicated that it may have other health benefits, including improved metabolism, heart rate, respiration, blood pressure and more.
• Actually, some of the best benefits of meditation are hard to define — you begin to understand yourself better, for example, and form a self-awareness level you’ve never had before.
• Most simply, sitting for just a few minutes of meditation is an oasis of calm and relaxation that we rarely find in our lives these days. And that, in itself, is enough.

How to start a Meditation practice

There are lots and lots of ways to meditate. Don’t worry about being perfect.  It is more important  to form the daily habit of meditation. Keep it simple!

1. Commit to just 2 minutes a day. Start simply if you want the habit to stick. You can do it for 5 minutes if you feel good about it, but all you’re committing to is 2 minutes each day.

2. Pick a time and trigger. Not an exact time of day, but a general time, like morning when you wake up, or during your lunch hour. The trigger should be something you already do regularly, like drink your first cup of coffee, brush your teeth, have lunch, or arrive home from work.

3. Find a quiet spot. Sometimes early morning is best, before others in your house might be awake and making lots of noise. Others might find a spot in a park or on the beach or some other soothing setting. It really doesn’t matter where — as long as you can sit without being bothered for a few minutes. A few people walking by your park bench is fine.

4. Sit comfortably. Don’t fuss too much about how you sit, what you wear, what you sit on, etc. I personally like to sit on a pillow on the floor, with my back leaning against a wall, because I’m very inflexible. Others who can sit cross-legged comfortably might do that instead. Still others can sit on a chair or couch if sitting on the floor is uncomfortable. Zen practitioners often use a zafu, a round cushion filled with kapok or buckwheat. Don’t go out and buy one if you don’t already have one. Any cushion or pillow will do, and some people can sit on a bare floor comfortably.

5. Start with just 2 minutes. This is really important. Most people will think they can meditate for 15-30 minutes, and they can. But this is not a test of how strong you are at staying in meditation — we are trying to form a longer-lasting habit. And to do that, we want to start with just a two minutes. You’ll find it much easier to start this way, and forming a habit with a small start like this is a method much more likely to succeed. You can expand to 5-7 minutes if you can do it for 7 straight days, then 10 minutes if you can do it for 14 straight days, then 15 minutes if you can stick to it for 21 straight days, and 20 if you can do a full month.

6. Focus on your breath. As you breathe in, follow your breath in through your nostrils, then into your throat, then into your lungs and belly. Sit straight, keep your eyes open but looking at the ground and with a soft focus. If you want to close your eyes, that’s fine. As you breathe out, follow your breath out back into the world. If it helps, count … one breath in, two breath out, three breath in, four breath out … when you get to 10, start over. If you lose track, start over. If you find your mind wandering (and you will), just pay attention to your mind wandering, then bring it gently back to your breath. Repeat this process for the few minutes you meditate. You won’t be very good at it at first, most likely, but you’ll get better with practice.

And that’s it. It’s a very simple practice, but you want to do it for 2 minutes, every day, after the same trigger each day. Do this for a month and you’ll have a daily meditation habit.

Expanding your practice

Sitting and paying attention to your breath is really mindfulness practice. It’s a way to train yourself to focus your attention. Once you’ve practiced a bit while sitting in a quiet space, you can expand your mindfulness practice:

When you feel stress, take a minute to pay attention to your breath, and return your mind to the present moment.

Try taking a walk, and instead of thinking about things you need to do later, pay attention to your breath, your body’s sensations, the things around you. For more info read my post about Walking Meditation.

When you eat, just eat, and focus your attention on the food, on your feelings as you eat, on the sensations.

Try a mindful tea ritual, where you focus your attention on your movements as you prepare the tea, on the tea as you smell and taste it, on your breath as you go through the ritual.

Wash your dishes and sweep your floor mindfully.

Do you have a meditation practice that you would like to share with us?  Please comment below.

I’d like to introduce you to the Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT), otherwise known as “Tapping”.  This tool has vastly improved my stress levels and quality of life. Tapping has finally hit mainstream, which I define as being discussed on the Dr. Oz. show.   So, I feel like it time for me to come out the closet.

What is EFT?

EFT was developed by a Stanford engineer named Gary Craig in 1993. EFT is a specific algorithm for “tapping” on energy meridian endpoints which sends a calming response to the body.  You are probably wondering how tapping on “energy meridians” can help with anxiety and overall wellbeing?

If you think about it, our bodies haven’t changed all that much from our hunter-gatherer ancestors.  When we feel threatened or in danger, the part of the brain called the amygdala, begins to fire off and we go into what’s called Fight or Flight Mode.  This is the area of the brain where stress response begins. In a moment’s notice our body reacts to a perceived threat by increasing our heart rate, pumping adrenaline through our body, our muscles tense up our body is ready to either fight or run away. The problem that we face is that in this modern day, is that our amygdala cannot tell the difference between a real threat or a perceived one so, getting into a heated discussion with your boss can create the same physical response our ancestors had when faced with a wild beast.

Tapping on these end points of the meridian sends a calming response to the body and the amygdala recognizes that it’s safe. To take it one step further,  doing the tapping while imaging or discussing a stressful event counteracts that stress and reprograms the response to it.

When you focus on your stressor while you tap on the energy meridian endpoints or acupressure points, you will find that you can have the same thought but without having the physical anxiety. This is so key because it allows you to easily let go of whatever stressor or negative thought is bothering you by replacing it with a much more empowering thought.

Science supports this too.  Research at Harvard Medical School over the past decade has shown that stimulation of selected meridian acupoints decreases activity in the amygdala. (1)

There is much, much, more to this, but that is the explanation in a nutshell.

How do I start?

If you are anything like me, tapping will seem strange at first.  It might seem a little new age-y and out there but you have to trust me on this, and just give it a try.  It may take a bit of practice at first.

You first need to know the meridian end points or tapping points:

1. Karate chop point -located under your pinky on the soft part of the outside of your hand.
2. Eyebrow point – located in the inside corner of your eyebrow socket right where the hair of your eyebrow begins.
3. Side of the eye – located on the outside corner of the eyebrow bone at the side of the eye. It’s not on the temple; it’s actually on the bone.
4. Under the eye – located  on the bone just underneath your eye,
5. Under the nose – located under your nose, between your nose and lip.
6. Chin –  not on your chin but really on your crease between your lip and your chin.
7. Collar bone –  use your entire hand and tap on your chest where a man’s bowtie would lie.
8. Under arm – where your bra strap lies under your armpit.
9. Top of the head

How to go through a tapping sequence?

1. Rate your issue – Begin by giving your feeling, whether it’s physical or emotional, a number. So if you’re tapping on a physical symptom, ask yourself, “On a scale of one to ten, how painful is it, ten being very painful, one you barely feel it.” When measuring emotions, you can ask yourself, “How much anxiety do I feel on a scale of one to ten?”
2. Craft a set up statement – “Even though I am anxious about the presentation I am giving tomorrow, I accept myself.”There are different variations to this. Some people say, “I love and accept myself,” or “I accept myself and how I feel.” This is what causes some weirdness. It can seem strange to many of us to say that you love and accept yourself.  Perhaps you  fear that accepting yourself means you accept your current situation so nothing will change, yet it’s our inability to accept ourselves that keeps us stuck.
3. Tap on the karate chop while you tap on the karate chop point, repeat the set up statement three times.
4. Tap on the other points while simply saying how you feel. Just yourself to just be honest with how you feel. It’s not really about using the perfect words. It’s about saying the words that bring up the emotion and energy that you want to clear.  Tap with your fingers on one side or the other or both together (I prefer both) 5-7 times at each point.
5. Take a deep breath once you have finished the sequence. and rate the intensity of your issue again.
6. Repeat until you get the relief you desire.

Tapping brings your energy back to balance so negative emotions can’t stay there. Your natural balance state is one of happiness and joy. You were born with the natural ability to feel joy.

This tapping technique can be used for a variety of issues.  From anxiety, chronic pain, increasing fertility, overcoming addiction, fear, weight control, financial abundance, stress reduction and so much more.

For more info on tapping I recommend:

The Tapping Solution by Nick Ortner

The Tapping Solution Website

Gary Craig’s Website

(1) http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10643726

Detox diets that promise to help you shed 20 pounds in two weeks are not the way to go.  These rapid weight loss regimens can deprive you of crucial nutrients and calories.  This actually forces your body into starvation mode. You may lose weight, but as your metabolism slows, the pounds will eventually creep back.

Radical cleansing programs like a week-long juice fast or the infamous “Master Cleanse” does not compensate for poor diet and lifestyle choices.  These type of cleanses can take a tremendous toll on your body. Extreme fasting is always a bad idea.   In addition, this type of cleanse can unleash toxins too quickly making you feel terrible.

I believe in gentle whole foods based cleanses.  In order to truly cleanse and  help your body rid itself of toxins, you need to have proper nourishment, lots of filtered water and plenty of seasonal produce – especially green vegetables.  This is the way to prepare your body for spring.

My preferred cleanse is a program that eliminates the type of food that is hard on our systems.  Easily digested foods allow us to free up energy that can be used to help rid toxins from the body. This is the way to go especially if you have PCOS. By removing common food allergens that often cause an immune response and inflammation, you boost your nutritional uptake and support your digestive track.  With a whole foods based cleanse,  you don’t compromise blood sugar and it creates optimal conditions for the toxins to be released that have been trapped in our body.  This type of cleanse helps support the liver in its work of neutralizing and preparing those toxins to be eliminated. The liver also removes excess hormones such as estrogens, which help with hormonal balance, it also produces amino acids and enzymes to metabolize fat, proteins and carbs and helps regulate blood sugar.  So it pays to be kind to your liver!

During a cleanse you are ridding your body of toxins, so you may feel worse for a short period,  but if you wait it out, this sensation passes and you will soon feel amazing. The rewards are great – clearer skin, more energy and vitality, better sleep, less bloating, fewer aches and pains, better digestion, improved mental clarity, and loss of excess “toxic weight.”

1.  Drink Lots of Water

Filtered water is best. I also like to add a glass of  warm water with lemon water in the morning.  It is an excellent way fire up your metabolism, alkalize your body, has a slight laxative effect and helps with digestion. Water increases yin or expansive energy in the body, making it light and airy much like the spring season. Your kidneys work with your liver to eliminate waste from your body.  It is important to drink lots of water to flush the kidneys and bladder, so that  waste products can be expelled before they reach toxic levels.  Eight, eight-ounce glasses or about 64 ounces a day (depending on our size, air temp and activity level) is suggested.

2. Take a Caffeine Break

Our adrenal glands produce the stress hormones adrenaline and cortisol, the more these glands work overtime because of physical, emotional or environmental stressors the greater the chance of adrenal fatigue/burnout.  When this happens too much cortisol is produced which can trigger testosterone and insulin production which will make your PCOS symptoms worse.  Over time, too much caffeine weakens the adrenal glands and interferes with our hormonal balance. Give your body a break from the caffeine for a while.  Try it for a week. You may get withdrawal headaches and fatigue, but I promise you – after this initial phase you will have more energy than you did when you were on caffeine.

3. Eat Lots of Leafy Greens and Cabbage

Chlorophyll found in dark leafy greens rids the body of harmful environmental toxins from smog, heavy metals, herbicides, cleaning products and pesticides. The chlorophyll in greens also helps to oxygenate and alkalize your blood. Dark leafy greens contain a lot of fiber, which helps to detox the digestive tract.

There are two main types of detoxifying enzymes in the liver and cabbage helps activate both of them. Research also suggests that cabbage juice can detoxify the stomach and upper bowels of putrefactive wastes. Cruciferous veggies like cabbage are high in substances called indole 3 carbinols which help to prevent estrogen from being absorbed in the body and aids in its elimination. Chew your veggies well as it helps to release the indole 3 carbinols!

4. Take an Espsom Salt Bath

A warm bath is good for body, mind and soul.  Add some epsom salt (magnesium sulfate) to your bath and you will opens pores and eliminate toxins. Stir 2 cups of epsom salts and 1/2 cup baking soda, 10 drops lavender essential oil and 5 drops geranium essential oil in a cup to your bath. Do not remain in the tub for more than 30 minutes. Check with your physician before taking a detox bath if you are pregnant, have diabetes or high blood pressure. The salt’s key component, magnesium, supports hundreds of enzymes in the body.

5. Try a Detox Tea

There are many herbs that help to gently detox.  I like Yogi Tea’s DeTox which has many of these herbs in their DeTox blend.  Dandelion tea contains nutritive salts that help purify the blood and dandelion is a natural diuretic, it is a wonderful way to support the liver and kidneys.  Burdock also supports the  the liver and kidneys and juniper berry to promotes kidney function.  Sip on this tea throughout your cleansing week. Herbal detox tea blends provide a great way to get the benefits of different herbs, without worrying about dosage levels.

6. Don’t Eat 3 Hours before Bed

I am going to use this analogy, let’s say you are working late at the office. When the cleaning crew comes in to clean your office building at night, what happens when you are still sitting at your desk in at 9PM?  They probably politely knock on the door and say they don’t want to disturb you and will come back to clean later. You finally leave your office by 10:30 and chances are the cleaning crew is finished and is long gone without ever having emptied your trash or vacuum your floor.  Same goes with your body.  Your body takes care of a number of critical cleansing tasks during sleep. It’s much more than simply resting. This is a time when our internal cleaning crew empties the trash and toxins we have accumulated during our day.  If we eat before bed we tell our body that our office is occupied and the crew can’t do its clean up job.  Eating before bed also drives up insulin which will store more belly fat and cause cravings and unbalanced hormones.

If you would like to try a Spring Cleansing Diet – check out my 6-week Spring Meal Plan here

Cliff and Amy Medling

I was recently asked by Sapphire Jackson, the writer and director of Pearls: A Documentary Series about PCOS to participate in her project. I was happy to and invited Sapphire and her production team to my home. I shared my thoughts on thriving with PCOS and my husband even weighed in. He coined the term, “PCOS Diva” and shared what it was like to live with me prior to taking on my PCOS and health (it wasn’t easy!).   I asked Sapphire to explain a little bit about her project.

“This project will explain what PCOS is and how it affects woman all over the world. This will not be an ordinary documentary because we will be searching for answers that have been lingering for years about PCOS. Thats right! Your questions will be answered and after watching this documentary you will no longer have to ask why did this happen to me? Now that I have accepted the fact that I have PCOS what do I do now? Do I take medicines? Will I have children and if I do will they have PCOS? Why am I so depressed?

Amy Medling and Sapphire Jackson

Thoughout this documentary you will hear stories of women who have PCOS and what they encounter with this syndrome. You will also get advice from experts who have study PCOS for many years from a medical and holistic standpoint. Tips will be given on how to live a peaceful and healthier lifestyle with PCOS. There is so much you can gain from this project even if you do not have PCOS because it will help you understand the symptoms your family member or friend might encounter if they have PCOS.”

If you would like to support  Pearls: A Documentary Series about PCOS, or want more information about the project please visit  http://pearlsfilm.webs.com/ or email  pcospearls@gmail.com.

 

I have had luck in the past with laser hair removal at a local OB/GYN office.  However it is pricey.  The last time I went was 7 or 8 years ago and at that time I spent $150 each time I went. I probably spent upwards of $1000 for 6 or so treatments.  The Tria Beauty Hair Removal Laser 4X retails at $449.  It still is spendy, but if this does the trick it will be money well spent.  I might even try it on my legs. Although being 6 ft tall I have a lot of real estate to cover!

Tria Beauty Hair Removal Laser 4X is FDA-cleared. This means that the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has cleared the Tria Laser 4X to be marketed as safe and effective.

Tria Beauty Laser Hair Removal 4X

According to the instruction guide, Tria Beauty Hair Removal Laser 4X eliminates unwanted hair by emitting a pulse of laser light, which heats the dark pigment inside the hair and deactivates the hair follicle.  Because the laser light needs to target dark pigment, the laser can only work on naturally brown or black hair for the face and body.  To be most effective the laser needs to treat hair follicles during the active growth period.  Hair grows in cycles, so repeat treatments are necessary.

It is intended for use only on light to medium skin tones.  They actually have a online skin tone test  to determine if this will work for you. It will not work on white, gray, blond or red hair.  If you have African, Indian, Native American or Pacific Island heritage, you may have a skin tone that is not suitable, so be sure to check the online skin tone test.  Darker skin tones can absorb too much laser light, which can injure the skin. Do not use the Tria Laser if you are pregnant or breastfeeding.  It has not been tested on pregnant women.

Some important things to note before starting the Tria:

• 6 weeks before you start you must stop tweezing or waxing. Shave but don’t tweeze hair.
• For best results you must treat the area every week for 3 months or until you are satisfied with the results.
• Prior to starting, perform a skin test.
• Hair follicles that have been deactivated by the Tria will not grow back. After the 3 months of consistent treatment, touch up may be needed.
• The sensation may feel like a warm rubber band snapping on the skin. Or even a warm prickling sensation.  As the amount of hair decreases the sensation will also decrease.
• After your first treatment there will be no visible change to the hair.  The hair doesn’t immediately fall out.  But with additional treatments, there will be a gradual reduction in the number of hairs with each treatment.
• There are 5 different levels of treatment.  The company recommends you use the highest level you can comfortably tolerate.
• Smaller areas like your underarms take a few minutes and larger areas, like the upper leg, can take 25-30 minutes.
• Start seeing results with just 2 treatments.

I look forward to charging up my new Tria and giving it a try.  I’ll let you know in three months if it is worth the $449 price tag.

I have found a way to include all my old favorites, including waffles, in my diet with just a few tweaks to the recipe. I share many of my modified favorites in my Seasonal Meal Plans.  These  waffles  are a delicious addition to your spring breakfast table, but take care to eat them in a balanced way.  Pay attention to the portion size.

Cinnamon Waffles with Strawberries and Coconut Cream

Cinnamon Waffles

Makes 8 servings

1 1/2  cups gluten-free all purpose flour (I use Trader Joe’s)

3/4 cup coconut flour

3/4 cup almond flour

2 tsp. baking powder

2 T coconut sugar

3 tsp. cinnamon

1 1/2 cups coconut or almond milk

3 eggs

3 T expeller-pressed organic canola oil

2 tsp. vanilla

1 lb. sliced strawberries

nutmeg to garnish

Combine gluten-free flour through cinnamon until well mixed . Whisk wet ingredients together. Add wet ingredients to dry and whisk together until slightly lumpy. Pour batter into heated waffle iron and cook according to directions. I like to cook them on the crispy side. Top with sliced strawberries, a dollop of coconut cream and a sprinkle of nutmeg to garnish.

Coconut Cream

1 14oz. can full-fat coconut milk

1-2 T maple syrup

1 T cornstarch or arrowroot

1 tsp. vanilla extract

Place an unopened can of full-fat coconut milk in fridge .  Open the can, drain the liquid and scoop out the solid cream that has risen to the top.  With an electric hand mixer, whip cream, honey, cornstarch and vanilla extract to desired consistency.

I am going to lay it unequivocally on the line here –   If you have PCOS and are trying to get pregnant, then I believe you need to avoid gluten.

I have written extensively on the subject of living a gluten-free lifestyle for managing PCOS. Read my previous post here.  I receive daily messages and emails from women with PCOS who are trying to conceive.  They want to know what to do in order to get pregnant.   If I could only give one piece of advice it would be to start eating gluten-free. Many doctors don’t recognize that gluten might play a factor in infertility.  Yet,  it seems to me that before you  take a woman goes down the road of expensive and invasive fertility treatments.  IVF conservatively costs between $12,000 – $15,000 a cycle. Isn’t it worthwhile for her and her partner to at the very least give the gluten-free lifestyle a try for a bit.

I have been searching for scientific data to back my advice of going gluten free.  There has actually been several studies done on males and females with celiacs. A diagnosed autoimmune disorder tied to gluten.  However, there is not yet evidence that avoiding gluten would help people with non-celiac gluten sensitivity.  That is because, “The research on non-celiac gluten sensitivity is 10-20 years behind research on celiac disease,” says Alice Bast, founder of the National Foundation for Celiac Awareness.  “When we better understand why women with celiac disease suffer from infertility and pregnancy-related problems, it may shed light on non-celicac gluten sensitivity.”

Gluten’s effect may be indirect in that it damages the lining of the intestines and in turn reduces absorption of essential nutrients from food. The gluten itself may also trigger an undesirable immune response. 

Gluten sensitivity can also affect how your body absorbs vitamins and nutrients  which are critical components for reproductive health. Without proper food absorption,  nutrition hormones may not function as they should, which could can cause irregular periods and/or ovulation. Nutrient deficiencies can impact the ability of a woman to conceive, and might also impact the health of a fetus (e.g. low birth weight) due to insufficient availability of nutrients. I believe that many women with PCOS are nutrient deficient  - whether this is due to gluten sensitivity  or just plain lack or real nutrient dense food in your diet.

Celiacs and Infertility

A research team led by Stephanie M. Moleski, MD, of Thomas Jefferson University Hospitals in Philadelphia, presented an abstract of  study data at the American College of Gastroenterology Annual Meeting 2012. In the abstract, Moleski pointed out that women with biopsy-proven celiac disease had significantly high rates of infertility and pregnancy complications, and gave birth to less children that those without this disease. The data showed that 41.2 percent of women with celiac disease had increased infertility, compared with 36.5 percent of the women without the disease. Women with celiac disease also had more consultations with fertility specialists and higher rates of miscarriages, preterm delivery, and cesarean sections, compared with the women who did not have celiacs disease.

Another study showed how gluten sensitivity can contribute to infertility and other obstetrical and gynecological problems.  Celiac patients who were not compliant with a gluten free diet presented with “delayed menarche, secondary amenorrhea, a higher percentage of spontaneous abortions, anemia and hypoalbuminemia.”  Gluten free diet compliance led to normal pregnancies.  The author of the study actually recommends that gluten sensitivity should be screened for women presenting with reproductive disorders. (1)  An author of a study of of the Netherlands concurs, “Therefore, coeliac disease must be seriously considered in the preconceptional screening and treatment of patients with reproductive disorders.” (2)  Yet another study shows A gluten-free diet that started at least 10 years before menopause prolongs the fertile life span of celiac women.

Some studies have linked untreated celiac disease with the following:

Absence of periods

Early menopause

Endometriosis

Miscarriage

Stillbirth

Intrauterine growth restriction

Low birth-weight babies

Cesarean section

Going gluten free might be beneficial for your partners’ fertility too.

A study from 1982 showed that there may be a link between a higher rate of abnormal sperm and hormone levels in men with celiac disease.  In addition, 19 percent of men with celiac had infertile marriages. Another more recent stud published in the Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology Research, looked at the prevalence of celiac disease among couples with unexplained fertility in Iran.(5)  The researchers found signs of celiac disease twice as often in the infertile group as they did in the control group, both in men and women. They recommended that those infertile men and women with celiac disease follow the gluten-free diet in an effort to see if their fertility improved. (4). A study reported in the “World Journal of Gastroenterology” in December 2010 found that fertility improved in celiac men who adopted the gluten-free diet and followed it strictly. (6)

Getting tested for Celiac

If you are going to have yourself or your partner tested for celiac it is strongly recommended that you get tested before going off gluten.  Because if you avoid gluten you may not have enough antibodies for the test to be accurate. Celiac disease can be tested for with a blood test which is relatively accurate as long as you have been consuming gluten regularly in the month or so before the test day. As soon as you cut gluten out of your diet, the volume of of anti-gluten antibodies that your body produces may drop, which can make the test misleading. However, many women are sensitive to gluten, but do not have an autoimmune reaction to gluten which making testing even more tricky.

Going gluten-free doesn’t mean you can go to the store and start eating gluten-free cookies and donuts.  It means eating a plant-based, whole food diet with gluten-free grains. My Seasonal Meal Plans are a great place to start if you don’t know where to begin going gluten-free.  They are nutrient dense and delicious.  I have had emails for many women who have  used my meal plans increased their nutrients and removed gluten their cycles returned and many became pregnant. Here are just a few:

“After using the PCOS Diva Meal Plans, my cycle became regular and I was able to get pregnant! You have thought out every aspect of the meal plans, the recipes are easy to follow and quick to prepare.” – Joy B.

“Having the PCOS Diva Meal Plan is very helpful.  My weakness is planning and organizing our family meals. These plans allow me to be organized in the kitchen along with enhancing my cooking skills.  The combination of the two have set me up for success.  The dinners are amazing. My husband always asks for seconds.  I have energy now and feel great.  With the help of these healthy eating habits, we are expected a baby in October!  Thank you Amy.” – Jenn K.

If you have any questions about gluten and fertility or my Meal Plans please post in the comments section below.

(1) J Clin Gastroenterol. 2004 Aug;38(7):567-74. Gynecologic and obstetric findings related to nutritional status and adherence to a gluten-free diet in Brazilian patients with celiac disease. Kotze LM.

(2) Eur J Obstet Gynecol Reprod Biol. 2001 Jun;96(2):146-9. Coeliac disease and reproductive disorders: a neglected association. Rostami K, Steegers EA, Wong WY, Braat DD, Steegers-Theunissen RP.

(3) Menopause. 2011 Oct;18(10):1125-30. doi: 10.1097/gme.0b013e3182188421. From menarche to menopause: the fertile life span of celiac women. Santonicola A, Iovino P, Cappello C, Capone P, Andreozzi P, Ciacci C. 

(4) Gut. 1982 Jul;23(7):608-14. Male gonadal function in coeliac disease: 1. Sexual dysfunction, infertility, and semen quality. Farthing MJ, Edwards CR, Rees LH, Dawson AM.

(5)  JObstet Gynaecol Res. 2011 Oct;37(10):1308-12. doi: 10.1111/j.1447-0756.2010.01518.x. Epub 2011 May 11 Fertility disorder associated with celiac disease in males and females: fact or fiction? Khoshbaten M, Rostami Nejad M, Farzady L, Sharifi N, Hashemi SH, Rostami K.

(6)”World Journal of Gastroenterology”; Reproductive Changes Associated with Celiac Disease; Hugh James Freeman; December 2010

 

Strawberry Coconut Cream Pie

Crust:

1/2 cup oats

1/2 almond flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1 cup oat flour (grind 3/4 cup of oats in high power blender  to makes 1 cup of oat flour)

dash of sea salt

2 T maple syrup

1 tsp. vanilla

1/4 cup of coconut oil melted

Heat oven to 325. In a mixing bowl, mix the oats, almond flour, oat flour, baking soda and salt together well.  In a separate bowl, combine coconut oil, maple syrup and vanilla.  Add wet ingredients to the flour mixture. The pie crust batter will be sticky and you will use your hands to press into a 9 inch glass pie pan. Then bake the crust  for 12-15 minutes until golden brown. You may need to press a fork up to the sides again after you take it oven while it is still hot if the crust slides during baking. Cool completely.

Coconut Cream:

4 T cornstarch (you can also use arrowroot)

1 can full fat coconut milk

1/4 cup coconut sugar

1/2 cup fresh strawberry puree

1 tsp. vanilla

3 T Amaretto liqueur

Place the cornstarch in a small pan, and gradually whisk in a couple tablespoons  coconut milk until smooth. Gradually whisk in the remainder of the coconut milk.  Add coconut sugar and heat the mixture over medium heat, continuously whisking, until the cream thickens. Add strawberry puree and cook for 1 to 2 minutes longer, then remove the cream from the heat, and stir in the vanilla and liqueur. Allow mixture to cool at room temperature for 10 to 15 minutes. Spoon the coconut cream into the pastry shell and smooth. Cool pie in refrigerator

Topping:

Before serving, top cream pie with 4 cups of sliced strawberries.  Brush with 2 T melted all fruit jam.  Enjoy

For more sweet treat and dessert ideas see my Seasonal Meal Plans at www.pcosmealplans.com.