Living with PCOS can feel challenging, but taking steps to manage your periods can make a big difference in how you feel. It is a hormonal condition that affects many women worldwide.
PCOS often causes irregular periods, weight gain, acne, and excess hair growth. Even though it is tough, regulating your menstrual cycle is an essential step to improve your health and well-being.
Get ready to explore effective strategies that effectively manage irregular periods caused by PCOS. So, keep scrolling through the following sections to learn about them in detail.
Why does PCOS cause irregular periods?
PCOS is a condition that cannot be completely cured, and it can affect a woman’s menstrual cycle and promote excessive hair growth. But why this happens? What exactly does polycystic ovarian syndrome do to your body?
PCOS is caused by a hormonal imbalance that affects the ovaries. It prevents the ovaries from releasing eggs regularly and increases the production of androgens, which are male hormones. This imbalance can lead to irregular periods, difficulties with ovulation, and sometimes fertility problems.
However, it doesn’t mean a woman with PCOS cannot get pregnant, still, they may face any difficulties in conceiving a child. So, regulating your menstrual cycle is more important, particularly if a woman is trying to get pregnant.
Importance of regulating periods
In general, a regular menstrual cycle indicates balanced hormone levels and supports optimal conception when trying for a baby. Getting your menstrual period at the right time every month also being an indicator of your overall health.
Because it is associated with cardiovascular health, bone density, and mental well-being. Therefore, trying to regulate your menstrual cycle even after you are diagnosed with PCOS can give you optimal results when trying for conception.
Utilize these simple tips to regulate your overall health with PCOS condition.
Tips to regulate PCOS
Maintaining healthy weight
Typically, maintaining a healthy weight is crucial for reducing the chances of high blood pressure, diabetes, stroke, risk of heart disease. In addition, being underweight can also increase health problems and affect your overall well-being.
In most cases, women with PCOS experience weight gain and following a specific diet plan can effectively help to reduce the weight. Usually, nutritionists and doctors suggest to reduce carb intake, get plenty of fibre, protein, healthy fats, fermented foods, and completely avoid processed and canned foods.
Top 10 foods for regulating menstrual cycle
Foods are actually the energy boosters that effectively help women regulate their menstrual cycle with PCOS. Here is the list of top 10 foods packed with nutrients and properties to help balance hormones, reduce discomfort, and promote regular menstrual cycles.
Apart from regulating the menstrual cycle, these items can enhance overall well-being and support reproductive health.
- Fatty fish
- Pineapples and papaya
- Ginger
- Turmeric
- Whole grains
- Nuts and seeds
- Berries and avocado
- Fennel and fenugreek
- Jaggery and sesame seeds
- Beetroot and carrot
Practice regular exercise
Exercising and including simple yogasanas in your day can help you witness fruitful results. PCOS often leads to stress, hormonal imbalances, and other mental health issues. Holistically approaching this can efficiently help to restore balance and bring peace to your mind. So, yoga and physical activities are great ideas.
Women with PCOS can try these best exercises, including steady-state cardiovascular workouts, strength training, HIIT workouts, and other moderate to intense activity training.
Suggested yoga poses are butterfly pose (Supta Baddhakonasana), Chakravakasana, Setu Bandhasana (Bridge pose), Malasana Garland Pose, and Surya Namaskar (sun salutation).
Sleep cycle is essential
Whether it is PCOS or any other health issue, sufficient sleep is mandatory for anyone who craves optimal mental and physical health. Because it allows your brain and body to recuperate and develop. In the case of PCOS, lack of sleep can increase the obesity and insulin resistance risks.
Sticking to a consistent sleep pattern regulates your body’s biological clock and helps to attain quality sleep. So, maintain a proper sleep schedule, which is to go to sleep and wake up at the same time, regularly.
Get supplements
Supplements can potentially improve the health outcomes in women with PCOS. Folate, iron, vitamin D, B12, B Complex, and E, calcium, zinc, omega 3, and CoQ10 are some of the most essential nutrients that a woman with PCOS condition lacks.
Therefore, consult your fertility doctor to get personalised advice and supplement prescriptions. These are highly recommended supplements for women with PCOS conditions. They are Curcumin, Vitamin D, CoQ10, Inositol, zinc, magnesium, and N-acetyl-Cysteine NAC.
Consult the specialists from the best hospital to get exclusive prescriptions according to the severity of the PCOS condition. Please, don’t try any of these supplements without proper doctor consultation and prescriptions.
Reducing stress is mandatory
Chronic stress causes overproduction of cortisol levels, the stress hormone. Such hormonal imbalances can worsen insulin resistance, which complicates the situation and makes the weight loss journey challenging.
Women with PCOS can rely on common stress-relieving techniques like meditation, yoga, and mindfulness practices. Plus, they can discuss with therapists how to manage their stress effectively. Women can set specific goals for a day because the sense of accomplishment can bring them joy and motivate them that everything is possible.
Consulting the doctor is the best way to regulate periods with PCOS as their guidance can also boost your reproductive health properly.
Final Words
In conclusion, women facing menstrual irregularities must understand that regulating periods needs patience, consistent efforts, and a collaborative approach with their healthcare provider.
Follow these holistic approaches along with your doctor’s advice to regulate your menstrual cycle. You must openly discuss your doubts with specialists to regulate your menstrual cycle. Proper attention and timely care give optimal pregnancy outcomes.
Frequently Asked Questions
An irregular menstrual cycle leads to various health consequences as it is considered an important health indicator of a woman and is linked to several illnesses and medical conditions. So, an irregular menstrual cycle means your body can experience severe issues.
The absence of a menstrual cycle for a long time can result in excessive weight gain.
From small lifestyle changes to serious irreversible conditions like PCOS can be a reason for irregular periods. They are thyroid disease, hormonal imbalances, uterine fibroids, pelvic infections, underweight or overweight, stress, excessive exercise, uncontrolled diabetes, and lifestyle adjustments.
Consulting your healthcare provider helps to identify the exact reason for irregular periods.
Sources suggest irregular periods can be an important reason for infertility. However, it doesn’t mean that a woman can’t get pregnant if she has any irregularities in her menstrual cycle.
