PCOS

  • Fertility, Nutrition, PCOS

    Top Tips for Using Flax Seeds to Improve PCOS Symptoms

    Flax Seeds for PCOS

    Struggling with your PCOS symptoms? Irregular menstrual cycle, weight gain, low energy, and unwanted hair growth? Well, here are my top tips for using flax seeds to improve your PCOS symptoms.

    Why flax seeds you ask? Well, they’re one of the leading functional foods for hormone health! They’ve been shown to help people with PCOS, and are helpful for those with PMS and PMDD (premenstrual dysphoric disorder) due to low progesterone, and those experiencing infertility.

    Flax seeds can help your PCOS symptoms by:

    • •Help weight management
    • •Reducing fasting insulin
    • •Reducing androgens such as testosterone
    • •Reducing C-reactive protein, marker of inflammation
    • •Increasing progesterone which helps to support moods and pregnancy

    This is because flax seeds are a combination of:

    1. •Short chain omega 3’s – Alpha-linolenic acid (ALA)
    2. •High quality protein
    3. •Phytoestrogens
    4. •Dietary fibre

     

    Here’s what you need to do:

    1. 1. Buy whole flax or linseeds from the supermarket
    2. 2. Using a Vitamix or nutribullet to slowly grind one to two cups of whole flax seeds into a meal
    3. 3. Take it slow as don’t you want to heat up the oils in the flax seeds as they can go rancid quickly. You may need to shake the contain every 30 seconds to redistribute the meal to grind evenly
    4. 4. Once you’ve made a flax meal transfer to a glass container and store in the freezer
    5. 5. Consume 30g (2-3 heaping tablespoons) each day to improve your hormone health

    How to incorporate flax seeds into your diet:

    • •Top yogurt and fruit with 2-3 tablespoons of ground flax seeds
    • •Make these Healthy Flax Seed Peanut Butter Energy Bars or these Super Seedy Granola Bars
    • •Incorporate ground flax seeds into salad dressings 
    • •Mix one tablespoon ground flax and one tablespoon nutritional yeast and add as a topper to salads, pasta, and omelettes.
    • •Mix one to two tablespoon of ground flax through soups just before eating

    Common questions:

    • Do I need to toast the flax seeds prior to grinding? No, I don’t recommend heating flax seeds due to the omega 3 content.

    • Why store them in the freezer? Because the omega 3 content once ground, can go rancid very quickly. This means that when exposed to air the delicate omega 3 content can spoil quickly and isn’t helpful to your hormone health.

    • What does flax meal taste like? Flax meal had a nutty taste and therefore it’s a great attention to both sweet and savoury foods!

    If you’re experiencing PCOS, PMS, PMDD, or infertility then add flax seeds on your shopping list and see how many ways you can add them to your diet this coming week!

    If you need help with your PCOS symptoms, my new The Well Woman Package is perfect for you! We meet 3 times to help you get your cycle last, have more energy, and lose weight. You can read more about it here.

    Need help choosing the best Naturopath prenatal Supplement for PCOS?

    Download my 20 page guide that gives the 3 key ingredients that I look for in a prenatal for those with PCOS! I also give you step by-step instructions to ensure you know how much folate your prenatal contains.

    Download today!

    How to Choose the Best Prenatal for PCOS
    Lesley O'Connor Fertility Naturopath Blog
  • Fertility, PCOS

    How To Ask Your Doctor for Hormone Tests

    Fertility Blood Test

    Let’s talk about how to ask your doctor for hormone tests

    You want your doctor to help you with your cycle, but you’re not sure how to ask your doctor for hormone tests? A lot of women have trouble communicating with their doctor because they’re not sure what to ask! Sometimes you go in with expectations that they’re going to check your hormones, yet you can leave feeling rather deflated that you’ve only been offered the pill or even gaslighted out of the medical office.

    Effective communication is key. So I’m going to share with you my top tips on how to ask your doctor for hormone blood tests. First I want to address that I can never promise that your doctor will actually run all the required tests. But these tips will give you a better chance!

    My Top 5 Tips for asking your doctors for hormone tests:

    🌸 Leading up to your appointment I suggest you make a list of all your concerns and symptoms like your irregular cycle and symptoms such as breakthrough bleeding.

    🌸 Write down any past medical history that your doctor will need to take into account

    🌸 Ask your close relatives about any conditions that run in the family and make a note*

    🌸 Educate yourself, as best as you can, about your condition (if known), so you can advocate for yourself

    🌸 Don’t let your doctor gaslight you, and seek a second opinion if you feel like you’re being discounted

    Here are some examples of what you can say:

    Irregular cycle: I’ve been missing my period for the last 4 months which isn’t normal for me. Can you run a blood test for my hormones including lutenizing hormone (LH), follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), oestrogen, calculated free testosterone, sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG), and prolactin. 

    How to advocate for yourself with an irregular cycle: I’m not wanting to go on the pill as I know that doesn’t help to fix my cycle, and it’s not a true period like I want. Can you please test my hormones so I know the cause of my irregular cycle.

    PCOS: I have several symptoms of PCOS such as acne, irregular cycles, thinning hair, and unwanted hair growth for the past 12 months. I’d like to get my hormones and identify what’s causing my PCOS. Can you test my hormones including: lutenizing hormone (LH), follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), oestrogen, calculated free testosterone, sex hormone binding globulin, prolactin, and fasting insulin. I know that testosterone and insulin are normally the biggest contributing factors to PCOS symptoms, and I want to check my levels.

    How to advocate for yourself with PCOS: I’d like to find the cause of my PCOS symptoms and I know that PCOS cannot be diagnosed from an ovary ultrasound alone. Will you test my hormones for me?

    *Family history can include certain conditions like Hashimoto’s, high cholesterol, coeliac disease, cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, hormone conditions like PCOS, endometriosis, missing cycle, and infertility.

    Sharing this information with your doctor means they have more justification to run associated tests according to Medicare’s rules.

    Fertility Blood Test

    Things you need to know about Medicare

    – Doctors are accountable for every single test they order through Medicare. If they order too many tests they need to do into ‘pathology rehab’. Medicare will often send doctors letters saying they are ordering too many tests.

    – Certain tests are highly unlikely to be covered under Medicare. As an example of this is getting a full thyroid panel, including TSH, T4, T4, rT3, and thyroid antibodies. All of these run together are very important for identifying thyroid dysfunction. As a fertility naturopath it’s important to understand if the thyroid is a cause or contributing factor of various signs and symptoms. These include heavy and irregular cycles, endometriosis, PCOS, infertility, miscarriage, weight gain or weight loss, hair loss, and low energy.

    It’s a fine line between knowing that your doctor can’t run every test (in accordance with Medicare rules) and not getting gaslighted (like your doctor says there’s no point in testing your hormones). 

    Hopefully these tips have helped so you can communicate more effectively with your doctor!

    Need more help?

    If you need help with your blood tests once you get your results, I suggest booking in for a Naturopathic Appointment where I can help you get your cycle back.

    Lesley O'Connor Fertility Naturopath Blog
  • Fertility, Herbal Medicine, Nutrition, PCOS, Women's Health

    Your Guide on How to Increase Progesterone Naturally

    Lesley O'Connor Fertility Naturopath

    Your Guide on How to Increase Progesterone Naturally

    As a woman, you know the importance of progesterone. It’s often called the “pregnancy hormone” because it’s required for optimal fertility and helps to maintain a healthy pregnancy. What you may not know is that low levels of progesterone can also cause symptoms like irregular and heavy periods, PMS, PMDD, androgen excess, and migraines. Luckily, there are some simple ways to increase your progesterone naturally.

    What is progesterone?

    Progesterone is a hormone that prepares the uterus for pregnancy, allowing an embryo to implant after it’s been fertilised. Progesterone is produced after ovulation, that is once the egg has been released from the ovary. This is then known as the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle. About 36 hours after ovulation progesterone will increase basal body temperature. If you are not pregnant, progesterone levels will drop 12-14 days after ovulation and cause your bleed to begin. 

    Progesterone really helps to regulate the menstrual cycle. That’s why women with PCOS have an irregular cycle, because they do not ovulate regularly. Progesterone also has other important functions, it helps support healthy bones, muscles, and heart and brain function. 

    What are symptoms of low progesterone levels?

    If you don’t ovulate regularly or have low progesterone, it can cause:

    • – Irregular periods or no period at all
    • – Spotting before your period
    • – Infertility
    • – Miscarriage
    • – PMS
    • – PMDD
    • – Depression
    • – Anxiety
    • – Brain fog (a lack of mental clarity)
    • – Weight gain
    • – Carbohydrate cravings
    • – Breast tenderness

    Looking for other causes of infertility? Check out my 4 causes of infertility article. 

    Increase Progesterone Naturally

    What is an optimal level of progesterone?

    If you want to know how do I increase my progesterone levels? First we need to know what an optimal level of progesterone is. The optimal amount of progesterone varies from person to person but in clinical practice I look at ranges above >4 nmol/L to confirm that you have ovulated that cycle. With regards to fertility, I’m looking for a minimum of 30 nmol/L of progesterone to be able to support a pregnancy. If you have low levels then there are things you can do to increase them naturally. Click here to read more about hormone test results.

    How do I increase my progesterone naturally?

    If you have low progesterone levels and want to increase them naturally, there are a few things you can do.

    First off, Vitex, otherwise known as Chaste Tree Berry, is one of my go-to herbs when increasing progesterone, BUT it is not for everyone. Once I have tested my clients hormones I will know if vitex is the right herb for them. This is because in addition to increasing progesterone, vitex can also increase oestrogen. This is an issue if you already have high oestrogen. 

    Second: Flax seeds are an amazing dietary strategy that that help increase your progesterone levels. Flax seeds contain lignans, lignans have been associated with improvement in increased progesterone and luteal phase length. Aim to consume 30 grams a day of freshly ground flax seeds for best results. 

    Thirdly: Implement stress management techniques weekly. This can include techniques like exercise, journalling, breath works, meditation, gardening, crocheting, or anything that relaxes your nervous system and centres your thoughts. This is because stress negatively impacts your progesterone levels in several ways. Through increasing cortisol and prolactin, and decreased lutenizing hormone.

    Lastly: Add some omega 3’s to your diet! Long chain omega 3’s (EPA and DHA) from either fish or algae supplementation can have beneficial affects on your hormones and progesterone levels. Research shows that omega 3’s decrease the risk of not ovulating and are also associated with higher concentrations of progesterone. Many people don’t eat enough fish, if this is something that doesn’t appeal to you, then I suggest taking a good quality supplement.

    Now you know how to increase your progesterone naturally!

    Progesterone also plays an important role in regulating menstrual cycles, fertility, and pregnancy. If you have low progesterone levels then this can cause symptoms such as PMS, PMDD, infertility, and  miscarriage. If you’re looking for help with how to understand your hormone levels then book in for a 1:1 consultation so you can start improving your hormone health today. 

    Need help choosing the best Naturopath prenatal Supplement for PCOS?

    Download my 20 page guide that gives the 3 key ingredients that I look for in a prenatal for those with PCOS! I also give you step by-step instructions to ensure you know how much folate your prenatal contains.

    Download today!

    How to Choose the Best Prenatal for PCOS
    Lesley O'Connor Fertility Naturopath Blog
  • Fertility, Nutrition, PCOS, Women's Health

    The Top 5 Pillars of Hormone Health

    Lesley O'Connor Fertility Naturopath

    What are the Top 5 Pillars of Hormone Health?

    With the increasing number of hormone imbalances such as PCOS, hypothalamic Amenorrhea, Premature Ovarian insufficiency, and PMS and PMDD, It’s important to understand what influences your hormone health. Today, I’m going to tell you about 5 pillars of hormone health, which will ultimately give you to tools to be able to change your hormone health in a positive way. 

    Nutrition

    The first pillar of hormone health is nutrition. It’s important to eat a balanced diet and make sure you’re getting enough fruits and vegetables, as well as healthy fats and protein. Aim for whole foods rather than processed foods, which are often high in added sugar or artificial ingredients that can adversely affect your hormones.

    I frequently see women with hormone imbalances who don’t get enough fibre in their diets, and fibre is important for oestrogen detoxification! If you aren’t eating enough fibre (25 grams per day), this could cause an imbalance with oestrogen because it is not being detoxified correctly. Rather, it is being reabsorbed from the intestines and goes back into the body’s oestrogen pool. This can lead to symptoms like bloating, carbohydrate cravings, breast tenderness and more serious things like endometriosis if left untreated over time.

    Sleep

    Sleep is a critical pillar of hormone health. If you’re not getting enough sleep, it can have a negative impact on your hormones. Women with low quality sleep have lower rates of fertility than those getting adequate rest. This is because not getting enough sleep disrupts ovulation from occurring. 

    When you don’t get enough sleep long-term this can start to impact different hormones such as oestrogen, progesterone, lutenizing hormone (FSH), follicle stimulating hormone (LH) and prolactin. When all of these hormones are out of balance symptoms such as an irregular cycle, heavy or light bleeding, spotting, mood changes, PMS, and infertility can occur. 

    I suggest you aim for 7-9 hours of sleep as many nights as possible and to have a sleep hygiene routine. If you’re looking to read more about how a Fertility Naturopath can help you get pregnant then click here.

    Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS)

    Stress Management

    Stress is the third pillar from the 5 pillars of hormone health. We know stress is a normal part of life, but chronic stress can lead to hormonal imbalances. Stressors include things like work related difficulties, financial stress, and it can also include the way we think and feel about ourself too.

    When you’re feeling stressed out, your body releases cortisol. While cortisol is an important hormone for helping us adapt to stressful situations, too much can create problems with your hormones. This is because stress can disrupt the hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian (HPO) axis that controls the regulations of oestrogen and progesterone. When these hormones are out of balance it can impact our fertility.

    It can also impact our sleep, food choices, energy, and how we show up for ourselves. You can start to see how these 5 pillars of hormone relate to and affect to each other.

    Positive self talk

    You might not necessarily identify Positive self talk as an important pillar of hormone health. Yet the way we talk to ourselves can impact our hormone health, and our hormones can impact the way we feel about ourselves.

    If you’re constantly telling yourself that “you’ll never be able to do that” or “you’re not good enough” or “I can’t believe you failed again” then your mind will follow those thoughts and actions by default. This can then impact the way you feel about yourself which can alter our stress hormones, food choices, energy, and confidence. These are all critical elements you need to create positive change in your life when creating new habits that support our hormones. 

    If this sounds familiar, don’t worry! You can change it by practicing positive self talk on a daily basis until it becomes habituated in the same way negative thinking has become over time (it may take longer than a week). 

    Environmental health

    Environmental health is another important pillar of the 5 pillars of hormone health. The environment around us plays a huge role in how well our bodies function. The air we breathe, the water and food we consume, and even our homes all affect how well our hormonal systems work. If you come into contact with lots of plastic and man-made chemicals (like pesticides and fragrances), this will have an impact on your hormones as well as your fertility. It’s important to be aware of what types of things are going into our environment so that we can make informed decisions about what products we use at home (for example: cleaning products).

    I was recently interviewed on a podcast about endocrine disrupting chemicals. You can listen to it here.

    Being aware of the 5 pillars of hormone health will help you maintain your hormones and fertility

    Nutrition, sleep, stress management, positive self talk and environmental health all influence your hormones. I hope you’ve found this article helpful in understanding the importance of hormone health and some tips on how you can help improve your hormones and fertility. If you are looking for more information on optimal hormones, you can check out my optimal hormone guide here.

    Lesley O'Connor Fertility Naturopath Blog
  • Fertility, PCOS, Women's Health

    Case Study: Is It Really Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS)?

    Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS)

    Is it really Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS)?

    Last week, I hosted a complex hormone workshop for some students that I mentor. We discussed a complex ‘Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS)’ case study where no one could find the rot cause of the client’s symptoms (irregular cycles, acne, and weight gain). Things weren’t adding up.

    That is, until I helped the students to break down

    • The tests we had from her doctor
    • Tests we needed to complete the picture
    • Standard vs optimal blood results
    • How to interpret blood test results correctly

    From this it was clear that the cause of irregular cycles, acne, weight gain was not caused by polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS). But rather, high prolactin.

    This is just one example, I frequently have women in my clinic who tell me they’ve been diagnosed with PCOS, but when we really unpack the case 50% of the time they leave knowing they don’t have polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) and know exactly what is driving their hormone imbalances!

    Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS)

    Why is this happening?

    From this, it’s becoming clear that PCOS is becoming a ‘catch all’ for complex hormonal conditions when really doctors such be saying – “I’m not really sure” or “we need to investigate this further”. But instead it’s easier to give a PCOS label and move on!

    So why is this happening?

    • Medicare constrains limit what tests doctors can run without being questioned
    • Short consultation times doesn’t allow for proper analysis or education
    • Inadequate education at a tertiary level means some doctor don’t understand complex hormone conditions
    • Different diagnostic criteria that isn’t very clear and can make other similar conditions seem like PCOS

    This is why a Fertility Naturopath is your hormones best friend! I know exactly what tests to run, I have more time to analyse pathology, and I have a better understanding of the complexities of how hormones affect each other! This means I can offer a lot of education to help you understand your body and get to the root cause of your symptoms: have less acne, regular cycles, and loose weight.

    If you’re feeling like you’re not getting answers from your Doctor, if you’re feeling like you don’t understand why certain things are happening and want to re-establish a regular cycle then reach out today!

    If you want to share your story, comment below!

    Lesley O'Connor Naturopath Blog

  • PCOS, Women's Health

    How A PCOS Naturopath in Brisbane Can Help You

    PCOS Naturopath Brisbane

    How A PCOS Naturopath in Brisbane Can Help You.

    Wondering how a PCOS Naturopath in Brisbane can help you? Sound this found familiar? You’ve had these symptoms for awhile, but never been able to get any answers, or maybe no one took you seriously and told you they were all in your head:

    • – Irregular cycles
    • – Persistent Acne
    • – Intense cravings
    • – Easily gain weight and near impossible to lose weight
    • – Low energy and constant fatigue
    • – Crippling anxiety and depression
    • – Trouble sleeping

    Then FINALLY you got a PCOS diagnosis, and you thought you this solved your problem. But really all you got were given was a script for the oral contraceptive pill, or metformin. Or maybe you were told to lose 10% of your body weight and come back. In reality, you’ve been told next to nothing and are leaving with no understand of what’s causing your PCOS or what you can do about it.  

    This is a story I hear all too often in my clinic. Did you know that seeing a PCOS naturopath is one of the best ways to help manage your symptoms? If you’re anything like my other clients then you want help with the following:

    • – To have a regular symptom-free menstrual cycles
    • – Start ovulating again
    • – Feel more vibrant and have more energy
    • – Have more restorative sleep
    • – Reduce cravings
    • – See clear glowing skin and healthy hair
    • – Stable moods
    • – Lose weight for good
    • – Improve fertility
    PCOS Naturopath Brisbane

    Here is how I help women just like you. The first thing I do to help you with your PCOS is to see what the root cause of your PCOS is by testing!

    Testing for PCOS

    We need to run the right tests to figure out what’s driving your PCOS, from this we can create a plan to reduce your symptoms such as irregular cycles, acne, unwanted hair growth, thinning hair, fatigue, anxiety, depression, and poor sleep.

    Here are some of the tests I run for PCOS:

    • – AMH (Anti-mullerian Hormone)
    • – Free Calculated Testosterone
    • – Androstenedione
    • – SHBG (Sex hormone binding globulin)
    • – Oestradiol
    • – Progesterone
    • – LH (Luteinizing Hormone)
    • – FSH (follicle Stimulating Hormone)
    • – Prolactin
    • – Cortisol
    • – DHEA-s
    • – Fasting Insulin
    • – TSH (Thyroid Stimulating Hormone)
    • – Free T4
    • – Free T3
    •  
    • If you want to know more about these tests then take a look at my new Optimal Hormone Pathology Cheat Sheet. In this cheat sheet you’ll learn about different hormones, what they do, and the optimal ranges that I use in clinical practice!

    Don’t have any recent tests? This is a hormone panel I frequently use in clinical practice. You can also ask your doctor to run some of these test, find out how to ask your doctor for tests here.

    This give me a deep understanding of what is driving your PCOS and then we create an individual treatment plan to address those factors. I frequently use herbs like berberine, nutrients like inositol, and together we can brainstorm lifestyle changes that fit into your routine!

    If you’re looking for a PCOS Naturopath in Brisbane to help you make changes and get on top of your symptoms then book an appointment today! If you to read more on how to get pregnant with help from a Fertility Naturopath read my blog you here, won’t regret it!

    Need help choosing the best Naturopath prenatal Supplement for PCOS?

    Download my 20 page guide that gives the 3 key ingredients that I look for in a prenatal for those with PCOS! I also give you step by-step instructions to ensure you know how much folate your prenatal contains.

    Download today!

    How to Choose the Best Prenatal for PCOS
    Lesley O'Connor Fertility Naturopath Blog
  • Fertility, Nutrition, PCOS

    Top 4 Fertility Benefits of Inositol for PCOS 

    Fertility Benefits of Inositol for PCOS

    Top 4 Fertility Benefits of Inositol for PCOS

    Wondering what the top 4 fertility benefits of inositol for PCOS are? Here I talk about the 4 key benefits and how they can help you improve your fertility, getting pregnant, and staying pregnant with PCOS.

    What is inositol?

    Inositol is found naturally in foods, but it most commonly used as a supplement by women with PCOS.  It is also referred to as vitamin B8, although it is not actually a vitamin. Inositol is a type of ‘sugar’ that influences the way the body uses insulin and hormones released from thyroid and adrenal glands. It is also an antioxidant that can help improve egg quality which is important when you are trying to get pregnant.

    Inositol metabolism has been found to be impaired in women with PCOS. This means that taking an inositol supplement can improve metabolic and hormonal markers of PCOS. Studies confirm inositol’s positive affects on the menstrual cycle because it helps to decreases levels of insulin and androgens (free testosterone), and significantly improves the rate of ovulation, egg quality, and pregnancy!

    So what are the top 4 fertility benefits of inositol for PCOS?

    Inositol helps to establish a regular and predictable cycle

    I have prescribed inositol to many of my PCOS clients who are trying to conceive and to establish a regular and predicable cycle. I’ve seen it work quickly, taking a 60+ day cycle to less than 35 days long! This is because inositol helps to address the two common causes of PCOS. That is insulin resistance and high free testosterone levels. Inositol helps improve both insulin sensitivity and reduce free testosterone levels, and regulate your menstrual cycle!

    Inositol helps to promote ovulation

    Women with PCOS commonly don’t ovulate. You need to ovulate (and have good quality eggs) to get pregnant. One study showed that over 60% of women with PCOS started ovulating again and 37% became pregnant after using 4 grams of inositol each day over 3 months. This happens because inositol helps balance hormones and improves ovarian activity!

    In addition to this, women with PCOS commonly use medications, such as clomid, to induce ovulation. Around 25% of percentage of women don’t response well to clomid and therefore don’t ovulate. This can be really difficult mentally. Using inositol along with ovulation inductions medication increases successful ovulation & pregnancy rates!

    Inositol helps to improve egg quality

    PCOS can negatively impact your egg quality. This is because there tends to be more inflammation within the ovaries where the eggs mature. This compromises the quality of the developing eggs. This can affect hormones like progesterone which is required to sustain a pregnancy, and also mean that the DNA stored within the egg isn’t able to keep replicating which can result in a chemical pregnancy.

    Inositol is specific for ovarian response & egg quality in women with PCOS. Moreover, inositol supplementation is also useful for women undergoing assisted reproductive technologies, by improving egg and embryo quality. 

    Inositol Reduces miscarriage rate in women with abnormal glycemic control (ie insulin resistance)

    Around 70% if women with PCOS have insulin resistance. Insulin resistance means that the amount of glucose and insulin in the blood can be higher than normal. This is a big contributing factor to miscarriages. One study found that supplementing with inositol reduced miscarriages by 27% in women with PCOS who were using assisted reproductive technologies such as ovulation induction, IVF with or without sperm injection (ICSI).

    Know to know more about the inositol?

    • – Inositol is more effective than metformin in normal weight women
    • – It can be used as an alternative treatment to metformin with ovulation induction
    • – Typically a dose is between 4 to 12 grams per day.
    • Inositol is safe to consume, but if you take too high dose then it can cause some digestive upset (this is how you know you need to reduce your dose).

    Over all inositol has several fertility benefits for women with PCOS. It helps to address almost every key element of how PCOS can inhibit a women’s fertility. If you’re interested to see if inositol works for you, check out Naturobest’s Cycle and Skin support from my online store.

    If you’re ready to improve your fertility then book in for an appointment today! Not ready for that yet? That’s okay! You can read more about how a Fertility Naturopath can help you get pregnant and purchase my Optimal Hormone Pathology Cheat Sheet so you can learn more about your hormone imbalances.

    Need help choosing the best Naturopath prenatal Supplement for PCOS?

    Download my 20 page guide that gives the 3 key ingredients that I look for in a prenatal for those with PCOS! I also give you step by-step instructions to ensure you know how much folate your prenatal contains.

    Download today!

    How to Choose the Best Prenatal for PCOS
    Lesley O'Connor Fertility Naturopath Blog
  • Fertility, Herbal Medicine, Nutrition, PCOS

    Busting PCOS Myths with Naturopath Lesley O’Connor 

    Fertility Naturopath

    Busting PCOS Myths with Naturopath Lesley O’Connor 

    Today I’m busting 3 PCOS myths. There is a lot of misinformation about PCOS out there that can be so tramatising to so many women! Here are 3 common PCOS myths I frequently hear that are actually not true! It’s harmful that these incorrect stories keep getting peddled around and can impact the mental health of women with PCOS. If you’re feeling confused about PCOS when keep reading and I hope you learn 3 facts about PCOS!

    Busting PCOS Myth 1

    Busting PCOS Myth 1: We don’t know what causes PCOS

    PCOS Fact 1: Research shows that guth health play a significant role in the underlying factors that drive PCOS

    Gut Health plays a central and essential role in regulating metabolism (blood sugar and insulin), nutritional status, hormone balance, appetite, and inflammation. Multiple studies have shown that women with PCOS have significantly lower microbial diversity, an altered composition of microbes and intestinal permeability. 

    Research now also shows that dysbiosis and intestinal permeability play a significant role in the underlying factors that drive PCOS (insulin resistance, high androgen levels, and chronic inflammation).

    In clinical practice, most of the women I help with PCOS have under functioning digestive systems. This can look like burping, bloating, irregular bowel habits, constipation, and stomach pain. Luckily there is plently we can do help improve your gut health.

    Busting PCOS Myth 2

    PCOS Myth 2: There is no treatment for PCOS

    PCOS Fact 2: Nutrition, lifestyle, and herbal medicine can put PCOS into remission. 

    For every underlying factor of PCOS natural medicine has a tool that can help!

    Some of the most common tools are:

    • – Herbal Medicine
    • – Lifestyle medicine such as stress reduction, and physical activity
    • – Nutritional Medicine including nutrition interventions and supplementations such as inositol

    Here are a few examples:

    Myo-Inositol

    • – Can improve both insulin sensitivity and free testosterone levels, improves ovarian activity and regulates menstrual cycles
    • – In women with PCOS who weren’t ovulating, over 60% of women started ovulating again and 37% became pregnant after using 4 grams of myo-inositol each day over 3 months.
    • – Myo-inositol increased pregnancy in infertile women using ovulation induction (such as clomid and letrazole)

    Cinnamon:

    • – Has less side affects than metformin with a similar outcome 
    • – 1.5 grams daily taken over 6 months, significantly improved women having a regular cycle and inducing ovulation when compared with placebo.
    • – 1.5 grams of cinnamon showed improved antioxidant status and cholesterol profile which are benefical for women with PCOS
    •  
    Busting PCOS Myths

    Busting PCOS Myth 3

    PCOS Myth 3: You won’t be able to get pregnant with PCOS

    PCOS Fact 3: The path to pregnancy with PCOS can look a little different 

    I hear frequently from women with PCOS that they’ve been told they won’t be able to get pregnant, which is honestly heart breaking to hear. It’s also completely incorrect! Rather, we should acknowledge that the path to pregnancy with PCOS can look a little different that the ‘norm’. 

    Getting pregnant with PCOS is covered in my soon-to-be-released program: The PCOS Preconception Protocol! If you’re someone who needs help and wants to conveieve naturally then this is the program for you! 

    In this program we conduct a proper assessment of the driving factors of your PCOS so you can start ovulating sooner! We also cover how to improve your gut health, have more energy, and less acne all in a safe and supportive space.

    If you’re ready to feel confident in your body’s ability to have a baby then join the waitlist today!

    Thanks for reading this blog! If learnt something new from this blog then let me know in the comments below!

    Lesley O'Connor Fertility Naturopath Blog
  • Fertility, Herbal Medicine, PCOS, Women's Health

    September is PCOS Awareness Month

    Lesley O'Connor Fertility Naturopath

    It’s PCOS Awareness month!

    PCOS Awareness Month aims to improve the lives of women affected by PCOS and to help them to overcome their symptoms. It’s vital to increase awareness of, and education the general public, women, and healthcare professionals, about PCOS.

    PCOS is a leading cause of infertility in women

    Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a genetic, metabolic and reproductive condition that most commonly presents as a hormonal disorder in women. It’s one of the leading causes of female infertility and is also a precursor to other conditions such as obesity, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and endometrial cancer.

    What are the symptoms of PCOS?

    • – Missing or no period
    • – Irregular period, that’s more than 35 days between bleeds
    • – Acne, mainly around the chin and jaw line
    • – Thinning hair on the head
    • – Unwanted hair growth on the face, chest, back
    • – Fatigue and Mood Swings
    • – Trouble getting pregnant
    • – Easily gaining weight
    • – Skin tags
    • – Darkening of the skin
    • – Anxiety and Depression are also very common

    Who can help you with your PCOS?

    A General Practitioner (GP) with an awareness and understanding of PCOS is a great starting point. Also an Endocrinologist or Reproductive Endocrinologist is one of the best specialists to see. Naturopaths are also a great health professional to have in your support team, especially if you’re wanting to get to the root cause of your PCOS and get pregnant naturally. 

    A recent literature review found that herbal medicines are a cost-effective, efficacious, and a highly esteemed source of management and treatment for PCOS than conventional medicines.

    Did you know that Naturopathy has been found to be one of the best ways to help manage PCOS? There is so much that Naturopath Medicine has to offer women with PCOS. That’s because we look at your health as a whole picture. I always want to treat the root cause of your PCOS and that’s going to look a little different for each person.

    PCOS can greatly impact your life in so many ways. Fertility, mood, energy, and confidence! That’s why it’s important to work with someone who understands PCOS. Sometimes Doctors and even some Specialists aren’t up to date with the latest research on PCOS. So make sure you choose your support team careful with those who you feel validated and seen by!

    If you have enjoyed learning about PCOS, please comment below and give me a follow on my Instagram where I share more education and tips on managing your PCOS!

    Lesley O'Connor Fertility Naturopath Blog