What is Pcos ( Fahami apa itu Pcos )

What Is Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome?

As women age, various genetic and hormonal disorders affect their lives and health. One such hormonal imbalance related disorder that affects women is Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS). In this syndrome, due to an imbalance of the reproductive hormones, fluid-filled cysts fill the ovary. The ovaries get enlarged and stop functioning normally (1, 2).

What Is The Cause Of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome?

The exact reason causing the hormonal imbalance is not known. However, genetic predisposition is considered as one of the leading causes for PCOS. Characteristic underlying conditions seen in PCOS are high levels of male hormones and insulin that lead to the various symptoms associated with this syndrome.

Symptoms Of PCOS

• Abnormal menstrual cycle or no menstruation
• Fertility issues
• Pelvic pain
• Acne
• Weight gain
• Thinning hair on the scalp
• Excessive hair growth, especially on the face (hirsutism)
• Elevated blood pressure level
• Darkened skin around the neck, under the breasts, and around the private parts (1, 3)

There is no fixed medication available in the market to prevent PCOS. Medical experts suggest that affected women should resort to some vital lifestyle and dietary changes to cope with it. Since this is primarily a hormone-related disorder, eradicating the roots of hormonal imbalance can bring the desired result. Some natural remedies control the underlying factors while some others aim at eliminating the symptoms. Find below the home remedies to treat PCOS.

Home Remedies For Polycystic Ovary

1. Vitamins
2. Apple Cider Vinegar
3. Coconut Oil
4. Castor Oil
5. Evening Primrose Oil
6. Green Tea
7. Royal Jelly
8. Aloe Vera Juice
9. Amla Juice
10. Palm Jaggery
11. Jeera Water
12. Seeds
13. Saw Palmetto
14. Cinnamon And Honey
15. Licorice Root
16. Chasteberry

Treat Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome Naturally With These Remedies

1. Vitamins For Polycystic Ovary Syndrome

This might come across as a revelation for you—vitamin D is essential for optimum reproductive system functioning in women. It plays key roles in various ovarian processes and also affects glucose homeostasis. In women with PCOS, about 65-85% of them suffer from a vitamin D deficiency. Supplementation with vitamin D (and calcium) can regulate the metabolic and reproductive processes and help reestablish menstrual regularity and ovulation (4). Get tested for vitamin D levels in your body and start the supplements as soon as possible if your serum levels of this vitamin are low.

Back To TOC

2. Apple Cider Vinegar For PCOS

You Will Need

• 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
• A glass of warm water

What You Have To Do

Mix the vinegar in water and drink this.

How Often You Should Do This

Have this first thing in the morning. You can slowly increase the frequency to 2-3 times in a day (before meals).

Why This Works

ACV exerts anti glycemic effect when ingested on a regular basis. The insulin levels in the body are regulated, and this can help control the symptoms of PCOS 

3. Coconut Oil For Polycystic Ovaries

You Will Need

1 tablespoon virgin coconut oil

What You Have To Do

Consume this as it is or by adding it to smoothies.

How Often You Should Do This

Ingest coconut oil every day.

Why This Works

This oil is one of the healthiest oils to consume as it contains medium chain fatty acids and antioxidants that help regulate blood sugar levels and insulin secretion. It also promotes cardiovascular health by reducing levels of bad cholesterol in the blood 

4. Castor Oil For Polycystic Ovaries

You Will Need

• Organic castor oil
• A piece of flannel cloth or wool
• Hot water bottle or hot pack
• Plastic wrap

What You Have To Do

1. Soak the flannel in castor oil and wring out the excess oil. It should not be dripping with oil.
2. Lie down and place this on your lower abdomen.
3. Wrap the abdomen with the plastic wrap and place the hot water bottle on this.
4. Keep this on for 20-30 minutes.
5. Remove the plastic wrap and rinse the area with soap and water.

The flannel piece soaked in oil can be stored in a ziplock and re-used a few times. Throw away the piece when it starts to smell or change color.

How Often You Should Do This

Repeat this for 3-4 consecutive days in the week and rest for the remainder of the week. Do this for a month and see the difference.

Why This Works

Castor oil pack is an excellent way to let the oil penetrate to deeper layers of the skin and even to the organs and heal them. It enhances circulation, and lymph flow in the area applied to and regulates hormonal and nutrient delivery and waste removal from the body (7).

5. Evening Primrose Oil For Polycystic Ovaries

Image: Shutterstock

You Will Need

Evening primrose capsules

What You Have To Do

Take one tablet daily.

How Often You Should Do This

This remedy works best if you start taking the supplement on day one of your cycle and continue till ovulation.

Why This Works

Evening primrose is useful for PCOS as it helps decrease the high cholesterol levels in the body . This occurs by improving metabolic function. It also gives relief from symptoms that are similar to PCOS and menopause/premenstrual syndrome 

6. Green Tea For Polycystic Ovaries

You Will Need

• 1 teaspoon green tea powder or 1 green tea bag
• A cup of hot water
• 1 teaspoon honey

What You Have To Do

1. Brew fresh green tea by steeping the herb in hot water for 4-5 minutes.
2. Strain, add honey and mix well.
3. Drink the tea while it is still warm.

How Often You Should Do This

Have 2-3 cups of green tea in a day.

Why This Works

The potent antioxidants present in green tea, namely catechins, are responsible for bringing down the levels of the hormones that are causing ovarian cysts and related symptoms. Insulin levels are also brought under control by the green tea antioxidants. Drinking green tea every day also impacts the weight gain that is commonly seen in PCOS and helps you to shed this excessive weight

7. Royal Jelly For Polycystic Ovaries

You Will Need

1-2 teaspoon royal jelly

What You Have To Do

Take this honey-like liquid either by itself or mixed in with your breakfast.

How Often You Should Do This

Do this every day.

Why This Works

Royal jelly is the food that is fed to the queen bee in a beehive. It contains a rich concentration of nutrients, vitamins, and minerals that help the queen bee to become healthy and be able to lay more than 2000 eggs per day. It is said to support ovarian function. Experiments have shown that royal jelly exerts estrogen effects and helps to regulate the abnormalities in the menstrual cycle. Using this herbal supplement can aid your ovaries in performing their functions optimally 

8. Aloe Vera Juice

Image: Shutterstock

You Will Need

A glass of aloe vera juice

What You Have To Do

Drink this in the morning, before breakfast.

How Often You Should Do This

Have this juice every day.

Why This Works

Aloe vera’s constituents have been shown to reduce blood cholesterol levels leading to restoring the ovarian steroid status. This positively impacts ovarian function and helps relieve PCOS symptoms (13).

9. Amla Juice

Image: Shutterstock

You Will Need

• 1/2 cup amla juice
• 1 cup water

What You Have To Do

Dilute the amla juice with water and drink it.

How Often You Should Do This

Repeat this once every day.

Why This Works

Amla is a wonderful detoxifying and cholesterol reducing agent. Its free radical scavenging and anti-inflammatory effects can help to restore the hormonal balance in the body (14).

Back To TOC

10. Palm Jaggery For PCOS

Image: Shutterstock

Palm jaggery or palm sugar is considered a healthier option than regular white sugar because of its properties to regulate insulin and blood sugar levels. It also possesses a low glycemic index and boosts energy levels. Higher levels of insulin are common in PCOS patients, and this unrefined type of jaggery (or sugar) can significantly impact your health when included in your diet.

11. Jeera Water For PCOS

You Will Need

• 1/2 teaspoon jeera powder (cumin seed powder)
• A cup of warm water

What You Have To Do

Mix the jeera powder in the water and drink it.

How Often You Should Do This

Repeat this twice a day.

Why This Works

Jeera or cumin reduces blood sugar levels and also has antioxidant properties. These antioxidants can remove free radicals from the body and regulate body processes (15).

12. Seeds For PCOS

(a) Kalonji Seeds

You Will Need

• 1 teaspoon kalonji oil (black seed oil)
• 1 teaspoon honey

What You Have To Do

Mix the two together and have it in the morning.

How Often You Should Do This

Repeat this every morning, as soon as you wake up.

Why This Works

Kalonji seeds are considered a panacea by many and rightly so as it possesses a plethora of beneficial properties. Its anti-inflammatory, anti-diabetic, and estrogenic properties are the ones that are beneficial for treating PCOS 

(b) Chia Seeds

Chia seeds are considered a superfood as it is a rich source of dietary fiber, healthy fats, protein, and minerals. Omega-3 fatty acids in the form of alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) is present in chia seeds. Heart disease, high cholesterol, and high blood pressure can all be brought under control by this healthy form of fat. Chia seeds also contain antioxidants in the form of phenolic compounds (17). Add them to your smoothie, muffins or simply some yogurt and have them every day.

(c) Fenugreek Seeds

You Will Need

• 3 teaspoons fenugreek seeds
• 1/2 cup water
• Honey

What You Have To Do

1. Soak the fenugreek overnight or a minimum of 6-8 hours.
2. Take a teaspoon of the soaked seeds with some honey and ingest it.

How Often You Should Do This

Do this every day in the morning and then 5-10 minutes before lunch and dinner.

Why This Works

A commonly used Indian spice known as methi seeds in India, fenugreek is a potent remedy to reduce the effects of PCOS. This spice promotes glucose metabolism that in turn helps regulate the hormones in your body
(d) Sesame Seeds

You Will Need

• 1 teaspoon black sesame seeds
• A glass of water
• Jaggery

What You Have To Do

1. Boil the seeds in water until the water reduces to half.
2. Strain this mixture and add some jaggery for taste.
3. Drink this herbal decoction.

How Often You Should Do This

Drink 1-2 cups in a day.

Why This Works

Sesame seeds contain nutrients beneficial for PCOS patients. Its healthy fats help to regulate blood glucose levels. It also contains minerals like calcium, magnesium, and zinc (19, 20).

(e) Fennel Seeds

You Will Need

• 2 teaspoons fennel seeds
• Water

What You Have To Do

1. Soak the fennel in a glass of water overnight.
2. In the morning, add another glass of water to this and boil the solution for 5-6 minutes.
3. Strain and drink this water while it is warm.

You can soak and boil fennel and fenugreek seeds together to avail the combined benefits of these spices.

How Often You Should Do This

Have fennel infused water every day in the morning, on an empty stomach.

Why This Works

Fennel seeds are said to help in treating PCOS as they have anti hirsutism properties and help decrease androgen (male hormones) levels (21).

(f) Pumpkin Seeds

Image: Shutterstock

Like chia seeds, pumpkin seeds also contain the healthy omega-3 fatty acids that can help manage the high cholesterol and high insulin levels seen in PCOS (22).  They also contain beta-sitosterol that can remove excess androgens and treat the hirsutism, acne and weight gain symptoms of PCOS (23).

13. Saw Palmetto

You Will Need

Saw palmetto extract

What You Have To Do

Depending on the concentration of the extract, take about 150mg – 200mg equivalent of it.

How Often You Should Do This

Take this supplement daily.

Why This Works

The excess levels of testosterone seen in PCOS is brought down by this herb. It prevents testosterone from turning into dihydrotestosterone, which leads to excessive hair growth (24).

Caution

Women who breastfeed or are pregnant should not use this herb.

14. Cinnamon And Honey For PCOS

Image: Shutterstock

You Will Need

• 1 teaspoon cinnamon powder
• 1 tablespoon honey

What You Have To Do

Combine the two and ingest it.

How Often You Should Do This

Repeat this once every day.

Why This Works

Cinnamon is a herb that is used widely in kitchens. It is known to increase insulin sensitivity and boost calorie burning. It reduces lipid and cholesterol levels in the body 

15. Licorice Root For PCOS

You Will Need

• 1 tablespoon licorice root
• A cup of hot water

What You Have To Do

1. Pour the hot water over the licorice and let this sit for a few minutes.
2. Strain and drink this herbal tea.

How Often You Should Do This

Have a cup of licorice tea every day.

Why This Works

The root of this well-known herb licorice can reduce the serum testosterone in women who suffer from PCOS. The root promotes ovulation and inhibits an enzyme required for the production of testosterone 

16. Chasteberry For PCOS

You Will Need

Chasteberry supplements

What You Have To Do

Take the supplement as recommended by the manufacturer.

How Often You Should Do This

The frequency would depend on the dosage of the supplements you have. Usually, one capsule per day is recommended.

Why This Works

Chasteberry, which is scientifically known as Vitex agnus-castus, is useful for treating symptoms of PCOS as it regulates the activities of the pituitary gland and thus balances hormonal activities While home remedies can be an excellent option for the treatment of PCOS, seeking medical help is also essential most of the time. Speak to your doctor about your plans to give home remedies a try so that the best possible combination of treatments can be devised for you. Also, PCOS is often associated with an unhealthy lifestyle and diet. For this, we have compiled a list of precautionary measures that you can follow to combat this condition.

Precautionary Measures To Prevent PCOS

Apart from using home remedies, you should also follow certain precautionary measures to prevent PCOS.

1. Avoid Processed Food

It is important to stop eating processed foods and snacks to cope with PCOS. The chemicals used to make processed foods can make the symptoms worse.

2. Chromium Intake

Chromium is present in the human body in minimal amounts, and it enhances the ability to soak up insulin. A woman affected by PCOS can become resistant to insulin, and she can tackle this situation by consuming foods containing chromium. Few examples are broccoli, red wine, and green beans. You can also take chromium supplements.

3. Resorting To Physical Activity

Simple calorie-burning activities like walking, swimming or cycling can be helpful too. These activities can help you shed off excess weight. It also promotes sensitivity to insulin. Just keep in mind not to resort to activities that can cause excessive strain on your body and/or exhaustion.

4. Give Up Smoking

Smoking can enhance the androgen levels in your body and cause damage to cardiovascular and respiratory health. Abstain from it to ensure your overall health improves.

5. Relax With Yoga

A lot of women resort to yoga as it has healing effects on the mind and body. However, practicing specific yoga postures can be helpful in dealing with hormone-induced disorders including PCOS. You can resort to expert yoga gurus who can guide you about specific yoga poses that can ease the stressed, hormonal glands in the body. Yoga will also help you stay relaxed and stress-free.

6. Take Care Of Your Liver

It is essential to keep your liver in good shape. If it does not perform well, excess hormones start accumulating in the body. So enhance the intake of liver-friendly foods such as green leafy vegetables, garlic, turmeric, beets, sweet potatoes, lemons, apples, and onions.

7. Consume Specific Nutrients Through Supplements

Nutrients like magnesium and B vitamins play a vital role in dealing with PCOS. Magnesium deficit is linked to insulin resistance. The B vitamins are needed for hormone imbalance regulation nd burning fats. If these are lacking in your diet, have them in the form of supplements.

These measures aim at maintaining healthy functioning of all the organs in the body. Healthy organs lead to optimum functioning of the endocrine system and no hormonal imbalance.

Some frequently asked questions about PCOS have been answered for you below.