Lower Blood Sugar And Insulin Levels
Insulin resistance is the most common cause of high testosterone in PCOS women. So, high blood sugar and insulin levels must be managed. This can help balance hormones and increase progesterone. Heres what you can do.
Choose Low Glycemic Index Carbs
Essentially, the Glycemic Index ranks a carbohydrate by how it will affect blood sugar levels after consumption. A carb with a low GI value will be digested and absorbed into the body more slowly. Causing a slower rise in blood sugar levels, that will be lower overall. The opposite would be true for a carb with a high GI value.
A low GI is 55 or below, medium 56-69 and high is anything over 70. By choosing low GI carbs, you are better able to balance your blood sugar levels.
Combine carbohydrates with protein and fat
Prepare balanced meals that contain all three macronutrients, protein, carbs and fat.
Eat Fiber
Studies show fiber can lower blood sugar levels. It does this by slowing down digestion and the release of sugar.High fiber foods include vegetables, fruits, oats, beans and legumes.
So What Type Of Pcos Do I Have
In order to effectively treat PCOS and reverse symptoms naturally, you need to know the type of PCOS youre dealing with. The 4 types of PCOS include:
Insulin resistant PCOS
This is the most common type of PCOS, affecting around 70% of people. Insulin resistance is basically where there are higher levels of insulin than normal in the body – also known as hyperinsulinemia. This happens when our cells become a bit numb to the effects of insulin, which causes the pancreas to pump out more and more insulin until the cells get the message. In this type of PCOS, you may be struggling with your weight,holding weight around the stomach/abdomen, have sugar cravings as well as symptoms like fatigue or brain fog. Its high levels of insulin that drives up androgen levels which cause issues like excess hair, male pattern hair loss and acne.Often doctors will just test HbA1c or glucose levels, which while gives us some information about your blood sugar levels, doesnt give us the full picture. To rule out insulin resistance, you NEED to have your fasting insulin tested. Normal fasting insulin levels are less than 10 mIU/L . To help treat insulin resistant PCOS, the key is down to improving your insulin sensitivity. You can work on this through:
Regular exercise and movement throughout the day helps your body to burn sugar, build muscle and improve your sensitivity to insulin.
Prioritising sleep and reducing stress can also help to manage blood sugar and insulin levels.
How To Increase Progesterone
There are plenty of ways to help increase progesterone naturally! For some women, using natural therapies alone will help them eliminate unwanted symptoms and increase progesterone. For other women, they may need additional support and may choose to use a progesterone cream or other forms of bioidentical progesterone.
These are natural ways to support your body in doing its job properly. Often, they can be used alongside other therapies, but be sure to check in with your provider before initiating diet, lifestyle, and supplement practices. Remember, supplements are not designed to prevent, cure, or treat disease. They are designed to support your system, as part of a healthy diet and lifestyle.
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How To Reduce Estrogen Levels In Males
Excess estrogen, which can negatively affect prostate health, is often promoted by weight gain.Exercise may help to reduce psa levels in men.Exercise oxygenates you and produces endorphins, which neutralise stress hormones.Exercises such as walking, jogging, swimming, and tennis are also beneficial.
For some people, this means reducing alcohol consumption.From confident, motivated, and energetic, to insecure, sad and lacking in the energy needed to take on life.High estrogen in men can cause low testosterone, metabolism issues, and much more.How to reduce your estrogen load!
If you fail to get your male estrogen levels under control your body, and your mind will begin to change.If you have any further questions please get in touch with our team via .Males who are concerned about the effects of high estrogen also may benefit from making healthful lifestyle changes, such as:Nettle root or nettle leaves are often used to make prostate medication.
Nettles contain compounds that act as natural estrogen blockers.Not only do you reduce serum levels of estrogen within the body, but you also help the body eliminate them easier.Red grapes contain natural estrogen blockers resveratrol and proanthocyanidin.Reducing alcohol consumption can help reduce estrogen levels in men and women.
Yup, this is what elevated estrogen.
Why Is Progesterone Important
Without sufficient progesterone, your estrogen levels go unchecked & you can end up with estrogen dominance.
Then the PMS drops.The sleep goes bye bye!And the brain goes ACK!Plus, without progesterone we can have issues using our thyroid hormone. Yeah, it’s more than just those sex hormones impacted.
Progesterone is also important for brain health, bones, mood, metabolism, and a whole lot of processes that make you thrive.
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Should I Take Bioidentical Progesterone For Pcos
Bioidentical progesterone is chemically identical to the progesterone the body creates. It is made by extracting a chemical called diosgenin from foods like wild yams. Doctors can prescribe it or it can be bought in either cream or tincture form.
Bioidentical progesterone is best taken under the supervision of a medical professional. But if you do purchase it on your own accord, it is recommended you use it in the last half of your menstrual cycle. The time when you would be ovulating and producing progesterone naturally.
When it comes to dosage consulting a doctor is best. But always start off small and pay attention to your symptoms.
Keep in mind there is no guarantee bioidentical progesterone will work. Increasing progesterone may not be the first thing to address if your body is too imbalanced.
How Do We Actually Get Estrogen Dominance
Several root causes can impact our Estrogen, including
- Gut Health If you suffer with regular constipation or IBS you are not cleaning your Estrogen from your body regularly. It can recirculate creating gut bacteria imbalances. This leads to poor detoxification
- Genetics having MTHFR or COMT gene can impact estrogen detox
- Inadequate nutrient intake like B vitamins and amino acids hinder metabolism
- Alcohol, hormone induced meat and insulin resistance can also affect levels
- Dehydration not drinking enough H20
- Stress
- Low fibre foods not enough veggies!
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Foods To Avoid If You Have Endometriosis:
- Gluten Gluten is an inflammatory agent that causes an overall inflammatory response in the body. Gluten is also often laden with pesticides and research shows that 75% of endometriosis sufferers will see improvement after 12 months on a gluten-free diet.
- Dairy Research shows dairy is known to trigger the symptoms of endometriosis via an inflammatory response. One thing to note is that dairy containing A1 Casein has been found to cause higher levels of inflammation than dairy that contains A2 Casein. A2 Casein is found in the milk of goats and sheep so some women may be able to tolerate these products.
- Alcohol Alcohol can raise your estrogen levels which can worsen symptoms of PCOS and endometriosis .
Alternative Medicine And Pcos
Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence. Alternative medicine has been emerging as one of the commonly practiced medicines for different health problems. Alternative medicines include many modalities, such as kinesiology, herbalism, homeopathy, reflexology, acupressure, acupuncture, and massage therapy. Acupuncture is the most common modality. The benefit acupuncture seems to have for PCOS sufferers is in helping them regulate and manage their periods. However, it has also been shown to aid in weight loss and reducing headaches as well as improving patients moods and outlooks. Women with PCOS will have needles placed along the acupuncture meridians related to the reproductive system. This will help stimulate the organs, improve blood flow to the area, contribute to normalizing hormone levels, and promote the proper functioning of the reproductive system.
In conclusion, it is clear that PCOS is an enigma. Its underlying pathophysiology is not fully understood. No treatment is a panacea, because treatments, so far, have been directed at the symptoms but not at the syndrome itself. Extensive efforts should be made to fully investigate the syndrome in order to make therapy more successful and to delay the serious long-term effects of the disease on patients health.
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Bone Up On Vitamin D And Calcium
A case control study examining 100 infertile women with PCOS found that those who supplemented a daily 1500 mg dose of metformin, a medication commonly used to treat PCOS symptoms, with calcium and vitamin D saw improvements in BMI, menstrual abnormalities, and other symptoms. The women in the study added 1,000 mg of calcium a day and 100,000 IU of vitamin D a month to their daily metformin dose for six months.
What Are The Signs Of Estrogen Dominance
You might assume this means you have high levels of estrogen, and thats normally the case. Typically estrogen and PCOS is higher. But when we talk about Estrogen dominance its actually in relation to progesterone. The 4 states which will produce the same symptoms are as follows:
- Elevated estrogen = Normal Progesterone
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Boost Progesterone It’s Important For Your Overall Health
As you can see it’s super important to your fertility and ability to become pregnant, so Ive shared 9 different ways for you to boost progesterone starting today.
As I explained above, there underlying root causes that are behind progesterone issues. Getting to the bottom of what causes low progesterone and fixing them is the best way for you to get amazing hormones and is what I recommend to my patients.
Dr. Jolene Brighten, NMD, is a womens hormone expert and prominent leader in womens medicine. As a licensed naturopathic physician who is board certified in naturopathic endocrinology, she takes an integrative approach in her clinical practice. A fierce patient advocate and completely dedicated to uncovering the root cause of hormonal imbalances, Dr. Brighten empowers women worldwide to take control of their health and their hormones. She is the best selling author of Beyond the Pill and Healing Your Body Naturally After Childbirth. Dr. Brighten is an international speaker, clinical educator, medical advisor within the tech community, and considered a leading authority on womens health. She is a member of the MindBodyGreen Collective and a faculty member for the American Academy of Anti Aging Medicine. Her work has been featured in the New York Post, Forbes, Cosmopolitan, Huffington Post, Bustle, The Guardian, Sports Illustrated, Elle, and ABC News.Read more about me here.
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What Is Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome
Unfortunately, Angie, you’ve got plenty of company. Polycystic ovarian syndrome, or PCOS, is a condition that affects up to 1 in 10 women of child-bearing age. In a nutshell, PCOS is characterized by hormonal imbalances, involving not just the reproductive hormones but also hormones that regulate blood sugar, fat storage, and appetite.
Symptoms of PCOS may include painful or irregular periods, acne, abnormal hair growth, increased appetite, weight gain, and difficulty losing weight. Women with PCOS often develop metabolic syndrome, which increases your risk of heart disease and diabetes. And the reverse is also true: Women with metabolic syndrome are more likely to develop PCOS. PCOS is also a leading cause of infertility.
PCOS is strongly linked with obesityand as obesity levels have risen, PCOS has become a more common diagnosis. But there are also lean women who suffer from PCOS. Almost all women with PCOS, however, have some degree of insulin resistance, which is also known as pre-diabetes.
The first-line therapy for PCOS is a diet and lifestyle makeover with the primary goal of improving the bodys sensitivity to insulin. Here are 3 ways to start on a virtuous path.
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Why Is Progesterone So Important For Fertility
Well, first off libido! Arguably the best and most important part of fertility. Progesterone is a hormone that low progesterone can make it very difficult to get into the mood.
If babies arent on the brain, I hope youll consider correcting low progesterone anyway. Because the symptoms can be brutal and affect overall hormone regulation. Low progesterone also be due to estrogen dominance, which has its own set of health issues.
Include Healthy Dietary Fats
Cholesterol is necessary for the synthesis of pregnenolone , which in turn makes progesterone. Cholesterol is also necessary for the production of thyroid hormone!
Fat will also help to balance blood sugar. Insulin sensitivity or blood sugar imbalance has deleterious effects on your hormones. Studies suggest that improving insulin sensitivity can dramatically increase progesterone levels in those with luteal phase defects.
Fat from trusted sources of grass fed meat, fatty fish, and plant-derived fats like coconut oil, olive oil, olives, nuts, seeds, and avocado are all good progesterone food choices . Women wanting to improve their hormones should aim to eat at 1-2 tablespoons of fat at every meal to support natural hormone balance.
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How To Track Your Estrogen Levels At Home
Whether you are looking to achieve your fertility goals, or tap into valuable information about your health, tracking hormone levels at home can help you and your doctor uncover valuable information about your cycles and hormone levels.
The science of tracking fertility hormones at home can be difficult to grasp. A personalized lab-quality and data-driven solution such as Mira Fertility can allow you to identify your unique patterns and offer personalized fertility insights. With its clinically proven accuracy, the Mira Analyzer tracks luteinizing hormone and estrogen giving you real-world data you can track and use, not to mention share with your healthcare provider. Mira takes the guesswork out of tracking and can help you make informed decisions about your reproductive cycle.
Medically Reviewed by Banafsheh Kashani, MD, FACOG
Banafsheh Kashani, M.D., FACOG is a board-certified OB/GYN and specialist in reproductive endocrinology and infertility at Eden Fertility Centers, and has been treatingcouples and individuals with infertility since 2014.
Dr. Kashani has conducted extensive research in female reproduction, with a specific focus on the endometrium and implantation.
Additionally, Dr. Kashani has authored papers in the areas of fertility preservation, and fertility in women with PCOS and Turners syndrome. She also was part of a large SART-CORS study evaluating the trend in frozen embryo transfers and success rates.
Common Dirty Sources Of Estrogen Exposure:
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Foods To Reduce Estrogen To Lose Weight Workout Plans
Change from masculine to feminine.from muscular to soft. Decrease stress in your life
5 estrogen blocker supplements that inhibit aromatase. A 2011 study in applied physiology, showed that 5 hours exercise a week significantly reduced estrogen levels.
5 estrogen blocker supplements that inhibit aromatase. Abnormal increase in estrogen results in enlarged breast tissue in males called gynecomastia.
5 high estrogen foods to avoid high estrogen foods. And we want to know if there are vitamins for estrogen reduction.
Estrogen infographic hormone health menopause. As a result, the liver becomes more productive and helps reduce estrogen more effectively.
Estrogen foods to avoid foods to avoid food nutrition. Change from masculine to feminine.from muscular to soft.
How to lower estrogen in males natural remedies brain. Estrogen blockers may help in cancer.
How to increase estrogen levels naturally estrogen rich. Even though most of the studies and usefulness of estrogen blockers have been studied on men, these blockers have been an.
How to lower estrogen levels with supplements lower. Excess estrogen, which can negatively affect prostate health, is often promoted by weight gain.
How to lower estrogen levels with supplements lower. Exercise may help to reduce psa levels in men.
What Is The Role Of Androgens And Estrogen Metabolism In The Etiology Of Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome
Women with polycystic ovarian syndrome have abnormalities in the metabolism of androgens and estrogen and in the control of androgen production. High serum concentrations of androgenic hormones, such as testosterone, androstenedione, and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate , may be encountered in these patients. However, individual variation is considerable, and a particular patient might have normal androgen levels.
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Foods To Avoid With Pcos
These are the foods which can be worth avoiding, or cutting down on, if you have been diagnosed with PCOS
Processed Foods
Processed foods tend to have a higher Glycaemic Index , which is directly linked to insulin production and diabetes. As already mentioned, women with PCOS are much more likely to develop diabetes, and therefore it is very important to avoid high GI foods, which are likely to result in a spike in your blood sugars. This includes processed foods, such as biscuits, cakes and ready meals, but also covers carbohydrates such as white potatoes, white bread and white rice.
Dairy
To understand why you should avoid dairy with PCOS you need to understand the role of Insulin Growth Factor 1 . This article has a fantastic explanation, but to summarise IGF-1 mimics the structure and role of insulin in your body, and women with PCOS have been shown to have much higher levels of IGF-1 than other people. The IGF-1 which is found in cows milk products has the exact same structure as human IFG-1 and therefore further increases these levels in your body!
Unhealthy Fats
Soy Products
Gluten