Keeper of the Home » PCOS

Hormone Imbalance: Recognizing and Resolving It Naturally

Sharon Kaufman — Tue, 12 Oct 2010 13:42:54 +0000

Written by Sharon Kaufman, Contributing Writer

Note: Because so many readers of Keeper of the Home are of childbearing age, it is important to clarify that hormonal imbalance is not exclusive to older women. Even teenagers can be affected by it, PMS being one of the symptoms. Please keep reading.

Me? Imbalanced?

A little over ten years ago, I encountered premenopausal problems that included, emotional ups and downs, sleepless nights, difficulties with my cycle, hot flashes and more. At one point I thought I might be pregnant. Being fifty at the time, after the shear panic wore off a little, I rushed to the drugstore, purchased for the first time in my life a pregnancy test kit, flew home and to my relief, tested negative. (It threw me off momentarily, but had I tested positive I would have happily accepted it as God's will.)

My 19 year-old daughter, the youngest child, came home shortly after this excitement and found the pregnancy-test package. In sheer disbelief that her aged mother could ever bear any more children and equally alarmed that she might be wrong about that, she came running out of the bathroom, box in hand, to investigate. Her single question, "Who was THIS for Mom!!!?", confirmed her suspicions that I was the "testee" and then she writhed in agony until I told her that the results were negative. (Now I'll vindicate my daughter. She absolutely adores children and, at the time, was only concerned because I'd had additional health problems.)

For six years I had followed a regimen of hormone replacement therapy which was supposed to have helped. But my cycle had gradually become quite unbearable with profuse bleeding and clotting. (Please bear with me. If you are suffering hormone imbalance, you need details so you can begin to heal.) As it turned out, I had uterine fibroid tumors, ovarian cysts and symptoms that mimicked ovarian cancer.

Natural progesterone is derived from the wild yam plant. Although processed in a lab, the resulting hormone is molecularly identical to what our bodies make and is used by our bodies in the same way.

Image by marthamagenta

Saved from an unnecessary surgery

Not yet aware that the typical processed American diet destroys health, I followed the herd, listening to the popular medical media concerning diet, nutrition and everything else. When my gynecologist recommended surgery, it was only by the grace of God (through a good friend) that I was prevented from getting a hysterectomy which would have further compromised my health.

My gynecologist had prescribed both estrogen and oral progesterone. Now, six years later, after growing progressively worse, it became apparent to me that my symptoms escalated when I put on a new estrogen patch. That’s when my friend, Mary, being ten years older than me and informed about menopause, came to my rescue by giving me a book - What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Premenopause - Balance Your Hormones and Your Life from Thirty to Fifity, by John R. Lee and Jesse Hanley, both medical doctors.

Recognizing and reeducating myself about hormonal imbalance

As I read, it became obvious that to me my symptoms were caused by an estrogen overload in my body, just the opposite of what I had been led to believe by doctors, magazine articles, and the popular media, etc.

Explaining that women of all ages suffer from estrogen dominance, the book revealed that our environment exposes us to estrogen through foods we eat, plastics, pesticides, car exhaust, soaps, carpeting, furniture, etc. But I read that estrogen dominance can even involve low estrogen levels. Basically, estrogen dominance “describes a condition where a woman can have deficient, normal or excessive estrogen but has little or no progesterone to balance its effects in the body” (p. 45), so estrogen dominates.

Women of all ages suffer from hormone imbalance.

Now, you’d think that since I was taking progesterone that my hormones would have balanced out, but it was not so. I learned that the "hormone" that I had been taking wasn’t progesterone at all, but a chemical analog of progesterone, called a “progestin”, which is very different from the progesterone my body makes. In fact, it is not produced by nature anywhere - only in pharmaceutical laboratories. That is what I had been putting into my body for six years.

Reading further, I was stunned to discover that progestins are very different from the natural progesterone our bodies make. Dr. Lee explains, “…progestins inhibit normal progesterone production and compete for progesterone receptors, thus effectively blocking one’s own natural progesterone” (p. 71). Illustrating the dissimilarity between progesterone and progestins, Dr. Lee asks, “…why is it that an ample supply of progesterone is essential for a healthy pregnancy, while even tiny amounts of progestins are contraindicated during pregnancy because they cause birth defects?”. No wonder I'd had so many problems!

Resolving my hormone imbalance

Long story shorter...I began using natural progesterone cream to balance the estrogen overload (specifically Emerita brand; for a list of quality brands please visit Dr. Lee's website). Within two months, my cycle had ceased never to return, the fibroids began shrinking, the cysts disappeared, and all the symptoms vanished. I continued using the cream for several years until I began developing a progesterone dominance. Now, 10 years later, I am still symptom and problem-free.

Symptoms of Hormone Imbalance

Since women of all ages can develop estrogen dominance, it is important to know the symptoms, which include:

PMS, breast tenderness, decreased sex drive, fatigue, headaches, dry eyes, irritability, uterine fibroids, insomnia, breast tenderness, infertility, early onset of menstruation, depression, memory loss, foggy thinking, thyroid dysfunction, fat gain, mood swings, polycystic ovaries, water retention, gallbladder disease, hypoglycemia, irregular menstrual periods, hair loss, osteoporosis, magnesium deficiency, and more. (Go here for a comprehensive list of symptoms.)

A word of caution to the wise

If you suspect that you are suffering from a hormonal imbalance, please start by getting Dr. Lee's book, which lays out how you should use the cream. It is not just a matter of rubbing some on whenever you feel like it. The cream must be used very specifically to mimic your body's own production of progesterone (for instance, 3 weeks of the month using the cream one week off.) If the cream is misused, it can create more problems. To further educate yourself please refer to this website.

One last thing...

When you purchase natural progesterone cream, you may notice a warning about cancer on the label. This is required by law in the state of California because progesterone's chemical analog (progestin) actually does cause cancer. Since progestins are referred to as "progesterone", natural progesterone was implicated also. To be assured that natural progesterone is a safe product to use, please go here to read more.

Are any of the estrogen-dominance symptoms familiar to you in your experience? How have you been treated for hormone imbalance?

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Cutting Down on Sugar: Why Do We Eat It So Much?

Stephanie @ Keeper of the Home — Thu, 09 Sep 2010 10:00:29 +0000

I find it highly ironic that as I sit here writing this post, I am slurping (and I do mean slurping) up the last precious drops of my favorite homemade mocha frappuchino drink.

Sugar just tastes good. Really good. I love it as much as the next woman.

Unfortunately for my sugar habit, I've been studying health and nutrition for too long to continue to gorge on sugar in sublime ignorance. I know all of sugar's nasty little secrets, and so although we've been good buddies for much of my life, the relationship has now become love-hate and over the last 8 years I've been doing my best to drop it altogether.

Ditching The Bad Boy Called Sugar

Has anyone heard the radio commercials put out by the Washington Dairy Association? They let us eavesdrop on a conversation between a woman and the "bad boy" relationship that she's walking away from. The jilted lover, it turns out, is good ol' Soda Pop, whom she has now left for wholesome, nutritious milk.

I think it's a fantastic analogy. Soda Pop tries to remind her of the good times they've have, and what constant companions they were. Sugar feels the same way to me. Comforting, familiar, full of memories of parties and fun events and special treats I've had... but despite the nostalgia, I need to drop it like a bad relationship because I know that under the cover of sweetness are a thousand reasons my body just doesn't need it.

Image by ayelie

Here are just a smattering of the reasons that I try to eat sugar as minimally as I can:

It compromises my immune system
It weakens my teeth and causes cavities
It makes my skin break out
It messes with my blood sugar balance, creating vicious cycles of highs and lows throughout the day
It depletes vitamin and mineral stores, and impedes the absorption of nutrients from the food I eat.
It contributes to an overly acidic state in the body (which contributes to disease)
It throws off my insulin levels, which creates hormone imbalances for me.
It is addictive and the more that I eat it, the more that I want it.

Want some more good reasons to avoid sugar?

78 Reasons to Avoid Sugar

25 Reasons to Avoid Sugar (from the Body Ecology site- good stuff!)

Image by ayelie

Why do we eat it so much?

1) It tastes good. Let's be real. Sweet things have become treats for good reason-- they're delicious! I don't love things that are sickeningly sweet, and I also love savory treats, but it doesn't usually take much for me to be tempted by a sweet option.

2) It's easy. Lots of convenience foods (even homemade ones like muffins or other baking) have sugar in them. Granola bars, cereal, juice, dried fruit, many breads, jams and jellies, ketchup, store bought salad dressing, many processed meats, etc. It's really, truly everywhere.

3) We crave it. It's natural to crave some sweet things. God gave us 1/5 sweet tastebuds, mixed in with those for bitter, salty, savory and sour. He made many naturally sweet foods, like fruit and wild honey for us to enjoy. But due to imbalance in the body, we begin to crave it to an unnatural, unhealthy degree.

One of the primary reasons we crave it is due to Candida yeast overgrowth in the body. This yeast feeds on sugars (from not only actual sweeteners, but also grains and starches, particularly refined ones). This happens when our gut bacteria is off, and guess what you crave when you have too much Candida? More sugar!

4) We're used to it. I grew up eating lots of sugar, and the habit grew worse during my young adult single years. Church gatherings, special dinner parties, having friends over, going out for a treat as a family... all events where serving and consuming sugar has become the societal norm. We are so used to eating sugar routinely that we may not even notice how many times each week or each day that we actually consume it.

In another month or two, our family is actually going to go back on the GAPS diet because of the massive health improvements that we saw while we were on it this spring. We needed to take a break during a particularly busy late spring and summer, but now we're slowly getting back into the groove by preparing some grain-free dishes each week, to make it easier when we jump back in wholeheartedly.

I also personally feel that I need to work on cutting back on our sugar intake, because I find that it creeps up steadily during our busier seasons, when I am not as focused on what we eat, but rather just on making food that is quick and simple.

Later this month, I will post again on eating less sugar, with a lot of practical tips on how to do just that!

What are the reasons that you tend to eat too much sugar? Is it something that you struggle with?

Top image by stevendpolo

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At Simple Organic: A Natural Approach to Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome

Stephanie @ Keeper of the Home — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 10:00:31 +0000

Today I'm over at Simple Organic, sharing about my journey with PCOS and natural ways to treat it through lifestyle changes.

Call me naive. I didn’t know that there was something terribly wrong about going 6 months without a cycle.
I was 20 years old and in my last year of university. My health was far from superb, but I certainly didn’t think that there was anything seriously wrong with me.
A friend suggested that I just get myself checked out, and I was surprised when my doctor referred me to an OB-GYN for further testing. A few blood tests and an examination later, I had an answer for what was going on in my body.
I had PCOS, or Poly-Cystic Ovarian Syndrome.
Read the entire post here.

You can also read more of the posts that I've written about living with PCOS and healthy changes here at Keeper of the Home.

Image by D Sharon Pruitt

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Naturally Knocked Up Ecourse Giveaway!

Stephanie @ Keeper of the Home — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 00:02:09 +0000

Are you one of the countless women who has suffered from infertility or miscarriages, and is looking for natural help with conceiving or carrying a baby to term?

Or are you currently pregnant or planning for future children, and wanting to know how to best prepare your body and give your baby the very best chance of a healthy start?

For women in either situation, I am so excited to announce to you that my dear blogging friend, Donielle of Naturally Knocked Up, has created an incredible resource for you, the Naturally Knocked Up Ecourse!

Personally, I fall into both categories. I have struggled with infertility due to a very common disorder known as PCOS (poly-cystic ovarian syndrome), which involves disrupted hormone levels, infrequent or non-existent ovulation, and many other nasty side effects and long term risks. You may be particularly surprised to know this about me because I am the blessed mother of 3 beautiful children, and we hope to have many more children still!

About 8 years ago, my journey to better health through real food nutrition and natural living began. Since that time, my health has done a 180 degree turn around. My weight has stabilized, many health problems have disappeared, my cycles have gradually regulated more and more, and I have been able to conceive and carry to term my precious children.

How This Course Came About

Donielle's story is not so different from mine. She also suffered from the effects of PCOS, which resulted in infertility, and catapulted her into a journey of studying how to regulate her body and regain her fertility through food and lifestyle. Last year she was blessed with her second child, a healthy baby girl.

Her own experience pushed her to create the blog Naturally Knocked Up, where she shares her research in order to help others increase the odds of conception through natural living and nourishing foods.

Her eCourse is an extension of her blog. She wanted a way to help women delve even more deeply into the issues that she was learning and writing about, and to walk alongside them as they made these changes which would improve their health and their fertility.

She also has a passion to help women learn to prepare their bodies to be able to nourish their little ones in utero, so that they could be given the best possible opportunity to be born with abundant good health and free of many of the common diseases, disorders and challenges that the general population of children face today.

What the Naturally Knocked Up Ecourse is All About:

It’s time to become empowered and reclaim your natural fertility and have truly healthy babies.
This one-of-a-kind 12 week multi media course will be a breath of fresh air in an otherwise depressing world of unfortunate statistics. With these classes you will learn:
How to cleanse your body of toxins
Why common products you use may be contributing to your infertility
What exercises can help you prepare your body for conception and pregnancy
How to pin point ovulation
What to eat…..and what not to eat
Alternative treatments for infertility
But most importantly you will learn how to conceive and go on to have a healthy pregnancy and a truly healthy baby!

The course will include text files with valuable information that you will want to go back to again and again, including worksheets to help you make the most of what you are learning. There will also be podcasts about each weekly topic as well as video tutorials so that you can see some of these things in action!

You can learn more about the course in detail and see a preview of what each week will entail here!

Would you like to win free enrollment into this amazing eCourse???

Please leave a separate comment for each entry!

1. Visit the Naturally Knocked Up eCourse info page, then leave me a comment telling me what you would be most excited to learn from this course.

2. Subscribe to either Keeper of the Home or my new blog, Saving Naturally by email or by RSS feed.

3. Subcribe to Naturally Knocked Up blog by email or by RSS feed.

4. Share this giveaway on either Facebook and let me know that you did so (you can "like" me on Facebook for either Keeper of the Home or Saving Naturally if you want to).

Giveaway ends on Friday, July 2 at 4pm (PST). Giveaway is now closed.

For those who don't want to wait, you can enroll today for only $96.00 (a cost of $8 per course), or in 3 installments of $40! If you happen to win the course through my giveaway, Donielle will gladly refund your course payment. :)

Even better, from now until July 3rd, my readers can get an extra $26.00 off the course by using the code "KEEPERHOME". That makes the course only $70!

You should also know that when you enroll you will be a LIFETIME member, which means that you will always have access to the course materials for reference, as well as to the member's only forum. Also, a portion of the profits go to some of Donielle's favorite non-profit causes, which is a beautiful way to give back!

Disclosure: I do receive a small affiliate commission on each sale from my site, but I only recommend products I truly think are worth buying.

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The GAPS Diet: Why Our Family is Doing It

Stephanie @ Keeper of the Home — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 11:00:11 +0000

Yesterday I shared about what the GAPS diet is. If you missed it, I would suggest going back and reading that post first.

If you try to eat so well, why does your family need to do the GAPS diet?

No one has asked me this yet, but I can well imagine that this is the question in many of your minds,and it is an extremely legitimate question!

As I've shard before, my journey into nutrition and natural living did not come about just because I loved being healthy, but rather because I was an incredibly un-healthy person.

I started out after a diagnosis of Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS), a serious hormonal/reproductive disorder. I used to suffer from Irritable Bowel Syndrome, as well as being lactose intolerant, and would often experience severe episodes of cramping and pain. I also spent about a year and a half on birth control pills before marriage (and before I knew better), and have probably taken antibiotics more than 25 times throughout my life.

I began to get healthy before I started having my children, but not much before, and I was really only just baby-stepping my way towards health back then. Though my efforts have made a tremendous difference (my PCOS is greatly diminished, the IBS and lactose intolerance are gone, and I generally feel 110% better than I used to), I know that I haven't solved all of the damage that was done in the first 20-something years of my life.

From generation to generation

In Gut and Psychology Syndrome Dr. Campbell-McBride says this:

"...When I ask questions about the health of a child's grandparents, particularly on the mother's side, it becomes obvious that we have generations of people with compromised gut flora. This damage becomes deeper in every generation. The era of antibiotics, contraceptive pill, breast feeding going out of fashion, and drastic changes in diet have all contributed to this phenomenon. Doctors have known for centuries that unhealthy parents produce unhealthy children. Mother's body is a home for the growing baby for nine months and a source of nourishment and care for months after the birth...
...As far as science knows an unborn baby is sterile. Its body has no bacteria, viruses or fungi living in it. When the time of birth comes, as the baby goes through the birth canal, it gets its first dose of microbes. Its skin, eyes, mucous membranes in the mouth and nose acquire their first microflora. Through swallowing liquids in the mother's v****a the baby's digestive system gets its first population of bacteria, viruses and fungi."

Can you see that whatever imbalances and level of compromised health is in the mother's body when her children are in utero and then breastfeeding will be passed on to her children?

This isn't a guilt trip and it shouldn't be condemning. Many of us didn't grow up knowing any better than what we have done, and we are in so many regards a product of our society and culture. Please don't hear me laying a burden upon mothers for what they have passed on to their children.

Image by peasap

Rising to the challenge in the now...

I am taking this as a challenge to myself to see what can I do about it now, through God's grace. The past is the past. But I want to give my children every chance to grow up without such a heavy toll on their gut flora, and thus on their overall health!

I have seen in our children the signs of a compromised gut. All three of them have dealt with eczema fairly extensively. The two older ones have shown some tummy troubles from time to time, stools with undigested food in them, mild constipation, etc. Our baby dealt with colic this summer.

Something I have never really discussed on my blog (mostly because I am concerned about the backlash that I will receive) is the fact that our 2 1/2 year old son was showing some signs of developmental delays (motor and speech), as well as some behavioral activities that were similar to those of children in the autism spectrum. Immediately after a Candida/detoxifying diet to deal with his eczema about a year ago, those behaviors almost disappeared and his development suddenly took off, especially his language.

Please don't hear me saying that he had autism and was healed- that just isn't what I'm saying at all. I am simply sharing what I observed in his development and behavior, and the change that took place, and that I have seen enough evidence for me to believe that there is a connection.

All this to say that between my children, my own past of poor gut health, and my husband's battle with recurrent heartburn and other current health challenges, as well as all the chemotherapy drugs and antibiotics that he received during cancer treatments 2 1/2 years ago, I think we have many reasons to be interested in pressing the "reset" button.

Where to go from here

Is any of this striking a cord with you? Do you see your own health or your family's health in what I am talking about?

I have a guest post coming from a mom who has recently had great success with GAPS for her children. I will be also sharing from time to time as our family follows the GAPS diet, though I cannot begin to cover it nearly as extensively as has already been done on the internet.

Here is a gathering of some of the best resources that I have found for doing the GAPS diet:

GAPS Diet and Gut Health- from Kelly the Kitchen Kop. She has written multiple posts with much valuable information, and has many other excellent resource links
How the GAPS Diet is Helping Our Family- a guest post at Cheeseslave.
Starting GAPS and Modifying GAPS to Work For Us- both from Cara at Health, Home, Happiness
The GAPS Diet- I think this is the official website, and it has many excellent resources including detailed information for starting to implement the diet, as well as an online store where you can purchase the recommended Bio-Kult probiotics (I also just noticed that these probiotics are available from Amazon
as well)
Gut and Psychology Syndrome- more info on the diet, as well as another place to purchase the probiotics
The GAPS diet Yahoo Group- I will soon be joining this group, to have a place to share what we're doing and give/receive support and help from others who are also doing the diet.
More from Cheeseslave- several other posts, and her own update as she implements the GAPS diet for her husband

If you really want to do this, I highly recommend purchasing the actual book, Gut and Psychology Syndrome. It's a little bit pricey, but I'm so glad that I actually have it as it has explained everything in so much more detail and also offers a lot of recipes and suggestions for implementing the diet.

I know that I'm going to receive a flood of comments on some of the things that I've shared in this post. Please, keep it respectful, keep it clean, keep it kind. I have a delete button and I'm not afraid to use it. However, I am fully open to polite disagreement and big girl words. Thanks, all!

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Q&A: Living with PCOS

Stephanie @ Keeper of the Home — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 10:00:00 +0000

I've enjoyed your posts on PCOS. I'm struggling with that right
now. Do you think this condition contributes to my sugar cravings?

Jennifer

Definitely! But it's not just the PCOS, although that certainly contributes. I can think of 3 likely reasons for sugar cravings:

1) Unbalanced blood sugar and insulin levels, common in most with PCOS. When our blood sugar levels gets too low (and our insulin is off and thus not able to help balance it) the natural response is that we crave... yup, you guessed it. Sugar! It becomes a horrible, vicious cycle. Your blood sugar is low, so you crave sugar, you eat a donut, you feel great for a couple hours, then your blood sugar plummets, so you crave some chocolate, and on and on and on.

2) Most women (whether they have PCOS or not) have higher Candida or yeast levels in their bodies than is healthy. Basically, Candida is a form of yeast that feeds off of sugars, carbs, yeast, etc. that we eat You can imagine how much there is to feed Candida in a typical North American diet- all that white flour, sugar in nearly everything, yeasted white breads everywhere!

3) The fact that most of us are simply addicted to sugar and simple carbohydrates (white flours, pasta, store-bought baking, etc.).

What to do about sugar cravings?

The overall best thing is to move towards a whole foods diet, gradually cutting out more and more processed and packaged foods. Make your eating revolve around nutrient-dense animals foods (grass-fed meat and poultry, free-range eggs, whole and preferably raw dairy, wild fish), as well as whole grains like whole wheat flour, oats, brown rice and others (instead of refined, white grains), and plenty of fresh vegetables and fruit. Start replacing typical sweets and baked goods with homemade, more wholesome versions (and better sweeteners, like honey, maple syrup or Rapdura), or try eating fruit when those sugar cravings come instead. Seek out whole grain sourdough or sprouted grain breads, in place of store-bought white bread. And try to always eat a bit of protein with every meal or snack throughout the day, to keep that blood sugar balanced!

You will find, as I have (and I was seriously, completely addicted to sugar and white carbs!) that over time your taste buds will change and you will stop craving these sugars so badly. Your body and taste buds will begin to be much more satisfied with these wholesome foods, and you will start to feel better... so much better! Less headaches, less cravings, less fatigue, less digestive issues, less breakouts, less roller-coaster emotions. It's a very. good. thing. :)

I'm curious about the PCOS thing, which I also have. Did u take any
medication or supplements to help you be more fertile after u went off
the pill? My cycle is SO irregular, i haven't got the foggiest clue
whether or when I ovulate. I'm becoming quite depressed and
despondent, because we really want kids. But every time i miss a
period, it seems to be just my messed up cycle. I thought u might have
some advice.

God bless
Liz

Liz, I'm so sorry. I know the discouragement you're feeling and it's hard. Huge hugs to you!

The biggest thing that I did when I went off the pill (which I would never, ever recommend- avoid it like the plague!) was to switch my diet over to a whole foods diet as I've just talked about above. I think that this was really helpful for me in starting to replenish many of the nutrients that the pill had sucked out of my body, begin to balance my blood sugar and insulin levels, and to start to nourish my body more fully so that it could get back to cycling more regularly.

I'll tell you the truth, that it didn't happen overnight. It has been a process of about 6-7 years since I began to deal with PCOS, over the course of which my body has gradually begun to cycle more regularly on it's own, allowing me to conceive more easily. Even after having my first baby, when my cycle came back it was still incredibly irregular and it took us a year to conceive our second child, which eventually happened with the help of a mild ovulation medication (Clomid, also not something I particularly recommend).

A few suggestions... one is to add a really good quality B vitamin into your diet. Make sure that it has all of the B vitamins, but especially B6 and B12, which are crucial for hormones and reproductive function. These are really depleted while being on the pill. Another suggestion is to start tracking your cycle by charting it. This will really give you more of an idea of what's actually happening in your body, which is priceless. Third, look into Vitex, which I will talk about below.

I have really enjoyed your series on PCOS and have
even ordered Nourishing Traditions. I have a quick question about
Vitex. You mentioned that this was one of the most effective things
that you have taken for PCOS. I was wondering how often you took it
(i.e. every day of the month, only before ovulation stopping after you
ovulated, etc.). I've been wondering if I should stop taking after I
ovulated and wanted to hear what your experience has been as far as
that goes. Thanks!

Great question! For those who don't know, Vitex
(also known as Chasteberry) is a herb that is traditionally known to help balance hormones, specifically Follicle-Stimulating and Lutenizing hormones (crucial for ovulation). Many women, especially those with PCOS, have found that it helps to balance things enough to encourage ovulation and more regular cycles.

This was the case for me. I have used it both during the year that we tried to conceive our son, and also for several months before conceiving the baby I am carrying now. Both times I found it effective.

The thing about Vitex is that it requires a little bit of patience. In both instances, it took about 3 months to start to notice the effects from it and to begin to ovulate. This is considered very normal when using Vitex. It is recommended to use it steadily for 3-4 months before expecting to see any (or at least many) changes.

I have used both a tincture form, as well as capsules because they were cheaper. I found the tincture slightly more effective, but both worked. You can buy it at almost any health food store, in their herbs section. Look for it under both Vitex
and/or Chasteberry.

It should always be used daily in order to be effective. As for specific dosage, that will depend on which type, brand, etc. that you are using. Consult the package, or speak to a naturopath or a herbalist for more on dosage.

In all my research, I have never read anything suggesting that it is dangerous to continue on with it after ovulation, in case of conception. I would discontinue it as soon as I had a positive pregnancy test, but if you continually stop each time you ovulate, you will never be able to take it regularly enough to see it's effects. If anyone has any really solid information on a reason why it should be discontinued after ovulation, I'd be really interested to hear/read it, but my personal opinion is that it's not harmful.

For those with PCOS, is any of this helpful? Does it spark further questions or comments? Any other issues you would like to have specifically discussed?

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Calling For All PCOS Success Stories!

Stephanie @ Keeper of the Home — Mon, 11 May 2009 15:19:30 +0000

Image by JuanRax

I know you're out there!

Have you used a traditional/whole foods diet and made natural lifestyle changes to improve your symptoms of Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome? Have you lost weight, seen your symptoms dramatically reduce or even disappear, or finally achieved a long hoped for pregnancy?

Fellow PCOS'ers, if this describes you, I would LOVE to hear from you! I am hoping to compile some testimonies and success stories, in order to offer hope and encouragment to those who are struggling with this hormonal disorder.

As always, it needs to be stated that we are not the ones who ultimately bring healing to our bodies... it is always the Lord doing it in us. Let's just try to be aware of that as we share of the good things that He has done, by leading us to a greater knowledge of nutrition, natural health and how to wisely steward and care for our bodies.

If you're comfortable with it, or would like to leave just a little snippet, feel free to leave your story in a comment. If you would prefer to be kept anonymous, or would like to leave a more detailed story (3 paragraphs maximum, please!), then email me at keeperofthehome (at) canada (dot) com.

I absolutely can't wait to hear from you!

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Living with PCOS: A very good place to start

Stephanie @ Keeper of the Home — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 16:16:41 +0000

Anyone with PCOS knows that one of the most disconcerting aspects of the disorder (and in fact, the biggest giveaway to the fact that that's what you are dealing with) is the lack of a regular menstrual cycle.

In my own journey, my cycle has actually been a bit of a measuring stick for how I am doing at moving towards greater health. Both ovulation and regularity (having cycles that take approximately one month, give or take a week or so) have been clear markers for me that something is happening as it should be.

So, how do we move in the direction of regularity?

Really, this is done through the bigger picture of improving our nutrition, exercising, avoiding those things that hamper our efforts, and supplementing with herbs, homeopathics, vitamins and minerals.

Today I want to focus, though, on how to work towards a greater knowledge of our cycle and what is happening within our bodies. Though it is important to begin to do all of those other things, starting off with a solid knowledge of what is actually happening within your body is so very valuable!

Charting your Cycles

Do you really, truly know what's happening during your cycle? Could you pinpoint the day that you ovulated (or whether you even did at all)? Could you tell me how long your luteal phase was (my lutta-whatta phase?) and whether you have sufficiently high progesterone to support a fertilized egg? Are you having signs that indicate impending ovulation, without the big O actually taking place?

**This is an example of a cycle chart, with the blue dots representing basal body temperature, and the red line in the center representing the day of ovulation. More on this below**

All of these are important questions to be able to answer, for a couple of reasons.

Seeking Pregnancy: First of all, if you are seeking to become pregnant now or sometime in the near future, you would be served to know how your body works, when things happen (or don't happen), and how to best work with what's going on. Knowing your cycle also lets you know when to try to conceive, to have the best chance possible.

Something to Show: During the year that we sought to conceive our little boy, I charted faithfully, and I am so glad that I did. When the doctors wouldn't take me seriously and didn't want to run hormone tests and when I wasn't getting a positive test month after month, not only was I fairly certain of why it wasn't happening (I wasn't ovulating), but I also had something to take with me and help me to advocate for myself in my appointments.

More Information: Charting tells me when I am about to ovulate, and indicates to me when it has already happened. It tells me when to watch for my period (those with long cycles, like myself, will understand how helpful this might be!). It tells me whether my progesterone is likely too low, and whether my luteal phase (the time between ovulation and menstruation) is too short to allow an egg to implant in my uterus, and it helps me as I seek out ways to improve these specific issues that I see happening. Overall, it serves as a bit of a measuring stick for my reproductive health, and indicates problems that need to be addressed.

There are already so many great resources out there for charting (or using the Fertility Awareness Method, as it is also called), that rather than reinvent the wheel, I'm simply going to direct you to them:

Naturally Knocked Up: How to chart your temperature, Checking your cervical mucous, Using cues from your cervix position

How the Fertility Awareness Method Works: Start on the first page, and then click the link that says Next at the bottom of each page (it's 3 pages total). This is from the author of the book Taking Charge of Your Fertility.

Fertility Friend: This is a site that offers free online charting (rather than simply making your own chart with graph paper). It's convenient and something I have used before. Their handbook on fertility is extremely thorough and gives a really excellent overview as well as answering many more detailed questions on the topic.

Taking Charge of Your Fertility
by Toni Weschler: This might just be the most comprehensive book on this topic and is a
valuable book for any woman to own (I have it and have recommend it to
many women!)

Any other charters out there? For those who do chart, how have you found it to be beneficial? What other resources or charting tools have you used and liked?

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Living with PCOS: More Q&A

Stephanie @ Keeper of the Home — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 05:13:45 +0000

Continuing on from Monday's post...

3) Do you have the insulin problem (insulin resistance) and if so, how do you deal with it?

I
do have insulin issues, although mine are not as pronounced as some
women's. This may be because I have been able to maintain a healthy
weight, ever since I began to drop the junk foods I had been accustomed
to eating and turned my diet to focus on whole foods instead. I think
that keeping my weight maintained is crucial for improvement with
insulin resistance.

Other things that I have done, or would recommend for those who especially struggle with this area are:

Avoid all refined sugars and grains, as these are the worst offenders for insulin and blood sugar imbalances
When eating anything with sweeteners, even natural sweeteners,
eat some protein and/or fat with it (such as a piece of cheese, a few
spoonfuls of yogurt, a glass of milk, a handful of nuts or seeds) at
the same time, as this helps to maintain more steady blood sugar
levels.
Try using supplements such as Chromium and Cinnamon (both readily
available at any health food store), which support healthy blood sugar
and insulin levels
Get active! I notice that I have more difficulty with my blood
sugar balance during seasons when I am less active, such as in the
winter. Any sort of exercise or activity is beneficial, whether it's
going to the gym or for runs, or simply taking a walk or doing some
gardening (or even vigorous housework!). Every little bit helps, and the more regular, the better.

4) What advise would you give me to treat PCOS naturally?

My biggest pieces of advice would be to:

Avoid conventional/pharmaceutical treatments, such as birth control
pills or Metformin or others. I do know some people who have used Metformin
briefly to start getting their insulin under control and begin to lose
some weight, and then get off of it once they have seen some progress.
This is one way to use Metformin more sensibly, although I
cannot think of any way that birth control pills will contribute to
long term healing or balance. Generally, I would say to avoid these and
instead begin to pour your efforts into lifestyle changes.
Begin with your diet. Here are my Top 3 nutritional changes
that I would recommend to anyone starting out and looking for a few
things to begin to change. Some great reads to get your going are The Maker's Diet
and Nourishing Traditions,
which will help to explain a lot of the why's behind what they are
suggesting. Don't expect to make all of the changes at once, but pick
one or two things and get started!
Try to find a reputable Naturopath. There are so many wonderful
supplements, herbs, homeopathic remedies, etc. out there that can
really make a difference, but unless you have a lot of time to spend
really digging into the research yourself, it can be a bit overwhelming
at first. By seeing someone who works with these issues regularly, you
reap the benefits of their experience and recommendations and it gives
you a great starting place.
Bring it before the Lord. We don't deal with this on our own, but
only with the help and grace of our good God, who knows us and our
bodies intricately. I am grateful to God for the teaching and resources
that He has brought my way, and also for the continual reminders to
bring all of my efforts back into submission to Him. I am learning to
trust Him as my Healer, and not myself or anything natural that I do.

Now that I'm getting back into this series a bit, are there any particular concerns or questions that you would like to have answered? I definitely do not have all the answers, but I'll try my best!

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Living with PCOS: Some Q&A

Stephanie @ Keeper of the Home — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 04:18:31 +0000

Hello, fellow PCOS'ers!

I hope you don't think that I have forgotten or abandoned you in light of my current pregnancy! In fact, it makes me even more eager than ever to continue to talk through the issues surrounding PCOS. I hope that I can offer encouragement, as I keep sharing about the lifestyle changes that I have made and the natural ways that I have been able to address PCOS, as I really believe that God has used these changes to bring healing and allow me to conceive and carry these precious babies.

To get back into this series, I thought I would answer some questions that landed in my email a while back, since I think that they are relevant to many of you:

1) Do you take anything for your PCOS?
I have never been on Metformin or any other specific PCOS medication, although I did do a brief stint on birth control pills at the beginning of my diagnosis, before I began to learn more about the natural options available to me.

Here is a brief list of some of the natural remedies/supplements I have taken over the years. At some point, I will post about these things in more detail, but for now I will list some of the things that I have taken:

Natural Progesterone Cream- This was one of the earlier supplements I took- I think it helped somewhat, though I'm not sure that I would go this route again
Seed Cycling- This is a method of using ground seeds (like sunflower, sesame and flax) along with healthy oils (flax and evening primrose oil), during the two different parts of the cycle (Days 1-14 and Days 15-28). This was recommended by my previous Naturopath and I think that it did help to promote regulation of my cycle. Here is an article on what seed cycling is all about.
B vitamins, especially B6- The B vitamins are important for hormone balancing, especially B6. This is a good supplement for anyone with hormonal imbalance, and also helps in early pregnancy as well.
Essential Fatty Acids- At first, I took Flax Oil, because that is what I had heard and read the most about. Over the years, I have come to believe that Cod Liver Oil can be an even better choice, although I think that both are beneficial for their Omega-3 fatty acids, which are important for hormone balance and which most of us are lacking in.
Vitex or Chasteberry (same herb, different names)- This is a herb which can be taken as a capsule, a tincture or a tea. I have taken it in capsules to be cheaper at times, and also in tincture form, which is more expensive but also more effective. This herb is commonly used to support hormone balance and regular cycles. It takes about 1-3 months to begin to be effective, but after that time, I found it to be one of the most helpful things that I took, as far as seeing obvious effects in a more regular cycle and ovulation.
Homeopathics- I will have to try to research exactly what these were, but my Naturopath had me on a series of homeopathics, which I took on Days 1, 7, 14 and 21 (each one was different).
Rhea's Herbs Female Correction- I didn't actually get to take this, as I had bought it to begin right before I found out I was pregnant. Obviously, I can't vouch for it's effectiveness, but it is a high quality herbal tincture, using herbs that have traditionally been used for female hormone balancing.

2) If not, do you just follow the Nourishing Traditions book?

Although I've tried the above-listed things, the most important thing that I have done (in my opinion) is to make huge dietary changes. I have spent the past 6-7 years slowly making these changes, such as decreasing and cutting out refined sugars and grains, increasing my fruit and vegetable intake (and moving towards organic to avoid pesticides), dropping all conventional meat, dairy, and eggs (replacing them with grass-fed, free range and organic), and moving to completely un-processed and un-packaged foods.

Though I have only been using Nourishing Traditions for the last couple of years, I have seen the most change during this time. I really believe that my body especially needed the high-quality proteins and fats that this book encouraged me to make a bigger part of my diet (through grass-fed meats, free-range eggs, wild fish and fish oil, grass-fed and raw dairy, coconut oil, etc.), and that they have played a role in improving my hormone balance.

There were two more questions asked, which I will answer later this week. I'm sure these topics bring up some questions, so please, fire away!

And for any others who have been dealing with PCOS naturally, I'd love to hear some of the natural things that you have tried and the dietary changes that you have made!

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