If you have been diagnosed with PCOS or are already following a treatment plan – you must’ve wondered, can PCOS be cured permanently? If you relate to this, you’re not alone.
PCOS has no cure per se, but its symptoms can be managed. Although it can feel overwhelming to have been diagnosed with a chronic condition like PCOS, it can be encouraging to know that with proper medical treatment, you can manage all your symptoms and live life to the fullest.
Although there is no guide to ‘how to cure PCOS permanently’ – here are some ways how you can balance your hormones and improve all your symptoms:
- Diet: When you hear about the PCOS diet, do you imagine boring foods like only salads or vegetable juices in your diet. Well, the PCOS diet is all about sustainability. Fad diets, crash diets or any restrictive diet are not sustainable ways. So regardless of what you have heard you don’t need to cut out carbs or fats or do intermittent fasting – it is all about maintaining balance and making the right choices. Follow a healthy and nutritious diet which is made of whole foods instead of processed items. Include plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, proteins, healthy fats and dietary fibre. However, a generic weight loss diet for PCOS never works. You need a diet plan customised to your symptoms. This means a diet that helps meet nutritional gaps in your diet, helps manage insulin resistance and balances your hormones. Speak to a nutritionist who can help structure a customised diet.
- Exercise: Being physically active is one of the best things you can do to improve your symptoms and maintain overall health. However, you need not do intense physical activities to see results. Even simple changes such as going for a walk or taking the stairs can make a difference. 30 minutes of exercise, five days a week is all it takes to get started. However, if you have been physically inactive for a while, sitting less and moving more through the day is a good place to start. So if you find it overwhelming to keep aside 30 minutes of your time to work out, you can start by incorporating physical activity into your routine. This means walking to the store instead of driving down, performing desk-friendly exercises at work, or doing household chores. For PCOS, it is recommended to combine cardio and strength training to aid in weight loss and increase muscle mass.
- Sleep: The benefits of getting sound sleep go much beyond simply improving PCOS symptoms. Sleep helps improve immune function, protect against inflammation and helps you concentrate and stay productive throughout the day.Aim to get 7 to 8 hours of quality sleep each night. You can make small changes to your routine such as keeping aside your electronic device an hour before going to bed, maintaining a cool and dark environment in your bedroom and practising relaxation techniques to help your body ease into sleeping
- Stress: Cortisol, which is a stress hormone promotes weight gain and is counterproductive to your PCOS treatment. Although it is said enough, managing stress is an important part of making lifestyle modifications. You can try meditation, mindfulness or any other relaxation technique that helps you unwind. If you are struggling with mood disorders, seek help when required. Some women benefit from a few sessions of counselling, while others can benefit from on-going counselling.
