PCOS

Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS)

PCOS is very common in the clinic with more and more females being diagnosed. A common cause is from the contraceptive pill which medical doctors are very quick to prescribe. Painful periods? Pill. Suffering pre-menstrual symptoms? Pill. No periods? Pill. Irregular periods? Pill. Menopausal symptoms? Pill. What hurts me is when the Muslim medical doctors jump on the bandwagon too and start prescribing.

Although apparently, it is permissible from an Islamic perspective, however, Chinese traditions disagree with contraceptives. If I had the power, I would make it forbidden in Islam too due to the detrimental health effects seen in the clinic. The pill is not fit for consumption for the female body and now we have a pill for the male population and I for one am not excited even though I should be as I will end up with a large influx of men coming in with issues. But I also can see the damaging effect on our society. I firmly believe Muslims need to stop following science and follow their own science.

There is a natural method of birth control and generically speaking, avoid intercourse between 13-21 lunar month. I have found the pill to be a major player leading not only to PCOS but other conditions such as “mental health” which is caused by our natural hormones being disrupted, hair loss and so on.

Progestin found in the birth control pill is not the same as progesterone, not even close. Progesterone which occurs naturally in our body when we have ovulated makes us feel calm and chilled out and is a safeguard against anxiety. Progestin is a synthetic hormone that is often molecularly built from a base of testosterone and you will be told the pill has progesterone in it, it so does not. Not only are you not getting progesterone to make you feel good but you’re getting progestin, which due to the testosterone (male hormone) can make people feel flat over time and lead to hair loss.

When a female comes off the pill, her ovaries start overproducing testosterone as the brain and ovaries are trying to adjust to working again for the first time since starting the pill. The second is insulin resistance from the pill as it causes insulin resistance. This type of PCOS may be temporary if you are fortunate, however, it can take 12 months for the natural hormones to self-regulate which if you are trying to conceive can feel way too long.

So, what often happens is patients are scared into thinking they can’t have children without medication so off they go back to the medical doctor who happily prescribes metformin and clomid, which she starts taking making matters worse. Only a minority few stops to think about TICM (Hijama, acupuncture or Chinese herbal medicine). Females who are fortunate enough to hear about me end up in my care usually after one month of coming off the pill as they have tried to conceive but no pregnancy. I do take on the case so I can prevent people from going down the IVF route as I firmly believe IVF is NOT permissible especially with what goes on behind the scenes but that is another topic altogether.

A very large portion of women with PCOS have insulin resistance but not all, so it’s important to do the testing to differentiate. Everyone with suspected PCOS should have fasting insulin and glucose tolerance test with insulin. So, if you need a PCOS test, go to the medical doctor armed with information and do not let them talk rubbish to you.

Signs of PCOS:

- Irregular periods are the most common sign of PCOS. For many females with PCOS, that means infrequent periods. As for adults with the syndrome, periods typically occur at least 35 days apart.

- Ovarian cysts - a transvaginal ultrasound can reveal numerous cysts like growths on the ovaries. A woman’s ovaries contain tiny, fluid-filled sacs known as follicles, which hold the eggs.

- High levels of hormones: The underlying cause of PCOS is an excess of male sex hormones circulating through a woman’s body. Testosterone, DHEA, androstenedione, or DHT are some examples of male sex hormones.

- Excess body hair or hirsutism is one of the most dreaded PCOS symptoms. You may start to notice thick, dark, masculine pattern hair growth on various parts of the body. These parts include the chin, along the jawline, around the mouth, arms, legs, and torso.

- Scalp hair loss along with excess hair on the skin, a common PCOS symptom is a male pattern baldness. Scalp hair loss or Androgenic Alopecia is also caused by excess androgens.

- Acne is a commonly experienced PCOS symptom is cystic acne. PCOS acne is characterised by tender knots under the skin instead of surface bumps. These cysts are concentrated along with the more hormonally sensitive areas of the skin – namely the jawline, cheeks, chin, and upper neck, but can also occur on the chest and back.

- Upper body weight gain, which is unexplained, especially excess fat around the shoulders, neck, and arms. This PCOS symptom is often caused by high levels of androgens coupled with insulin resistance and a reduced BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate).

- Problems losing weight. The biggest problem with PCOS-related weight gain is that it’s rather hard to lose. Usual low fat-low calorie diets simply do not work for such weight gain and diets are not the way forward as recommend by medical doctors. I usually check to ensure that the Spleen and Stomach are functioning properly as if they are the weight will fall off without any effort.

Treatment

Do not go to a medical doctor as they will automatically suggest a birth control pill or other hormone medication. These hormonal medications are not fit for human consumption killing the human spirit and then people wonder why we live in a society full of “mental health” issues.

- Hijama wet cupping for general health eliminating and pulling out cysts checking for spiritual issues. Your TICM doctor will prescribe you Chinese herbal medicine too.

- Get regular acupuncture and your TICM doctor will prescribe your Chinese herbal medicine too.

- Whole foods are free from artificial sugars, hormones, and preservatives. These foods are as close to their natural, unprocessed state as possible.

- Fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes are whole foods that you can add to your diet. Without hormones and preservatives, your endocrine system can better regulate your blood sugar.

- Anti-inflammatory foods: adding anti-inflammatory foods to your diet can help ease your symptoms. Consider the Mediterranean as an option. Olive oil, tomatoes, leafy greens, fatty fish like mackerel and tuna, and tree nuts all fight inflammation. But warm the foods before consumption.

- Magnesium such as almonds, cashews, spinach, and bananas are PCOS friendly foods rich in magnesium.

- Chromium supplements may improve your body mass index, which can help with PCOS. They may also stabilise insulin resistance by helping your body metabolise sugar. Chromium is the partner of magnesium and in Australia, they do not test for chromium levels which is essential.

- Increase iron as some women with PCOS experience heavy bleeding during their period. This can result in iron deficiency or anaemia.

- Kick out coffee. Caffeine consumption may be linked to changes in oestrogen levels and hormone behaviour.

- Inositol is a B vitamin that can help improve insulin resistance. It’s also been found to help with fertility in some cases of PCOS.

- Turmeric. The active ingredient in turmeric is called curcumin. Turmeric is promising for decreasing insulin resistance and as an anti-inflammatory agent.

- Zinc is a trace element that can boost fertility and your immune system. Excessive or unwanted hair growth and alopecia may be improved with zinc supplements.