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Inositol is a member of the B-vitamins and a component of the cell membrane. Inositol is found in fruits, beans, grains, and nuts and is also made by the body. While there are nine forms of inositol, myo (MYO) and d-chiro-inositol (DCI) types have been well studied in women with PCOS, both showing good results. Here’s what you need to know.
Looks like women with PCOS can add yet another symptom to an already long list of complications associated with PCOS: Dry Eye Syndrome. Dry eye syndrome is a common condition, affecting an estimated 9 million Americans. Those with dry eyes know that the condition can affect the quality of life as dry eyes can impact your work and every aspect of your life. If not treated and managed, people with dry eyes can develop repeated eye infections that can eventually lead to scarring of your cornea and vision problems. Contact lenses can make dry eye worse as they suck more moisture out of an already dry eye. If you suffer from dry eye syndrome, here’s how to treat it naturally.
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Fish oil offers numerous benefits to women with PCOS, including boosting mood. There’s no question that women with PCOS suffer from more mood disorders such as depression and anxiety than those without the syndrome. For some women, mood issues can be a result of dealing with all the problems PCOS brings: dramatic body image issues, fluctuations in blood sugar, loss of control over weight, difficulty managing the syndrome, infertility, and lack of support. Mood disorders can also be brought on by hormone imbalances. There is some good news for the millions of women who struggle with mood problems: omega-3 fatty acids, particularly the kind that come from fish, may help manage mood.
If you’ve been following the PCOS Nutrition Center blog, you know what a fan we are of a combination of myo and d-chiro inositol (DCI) for pretty much any woman with PCOS, regardless of age or fertility. New research is starting to compare the benefits of inositol to metformin in women with PCOS. The results may surprise you!
As readers of this website undoubtedly know, polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is defined as irregular or even absent ovulation resulting in long stretches of time between menstrual cycles. Often, women with irregular ovulation are given a diagnosis of PCOS, even if they are not insulin resistant. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) sees PCOS in a few different ways, depending on how it presents in your body. Western medicine tends to treat all PCOS patients in the same way, where TCM looks at each patient’s pattern of symptoms before making a diagnosis.
I’ll never forget the moment when I first learned that women with PCOS may have a difficult time breastfeeding. I had just given birth after days of labor only to have an emergency c-section. As soon as I was transferred to a hospital room, Terri, the hospital lactation consultant burst through the door. With her were piles of handouts and a contraption I had never laid eyes on before: a hospital grade breast pump. Immediately, Terri started telling me that because I have PCOS, I may experience a problem with breastfeeding. One way to minimize any risk was to start pumping milk-NOW!
