What are the Successful PCOS Treatments?
Polycystic ovarian syndrome,also known as PCOS,is a condition that occurs in roughly 10% of women and is a very common cause of female infertility. The condition is associated with small cysts on the patient’s ovaries and may cause other symptoms as well. Diagnosis of PCOS is not limited to identifying cysts on the ovaries,however,as this may be due to a number of reasons. The condition is often diagnosed when abnormal menstrual periods are noticed,as well as higher levels of androgen,a male hormone. Menstrual abnormalities may include delayed periods,fewer periods or absent periods.
There are various other signs and symptoms of PCOS such as acne,excessive body hair and male-pattern hair loss,as well as obesity,high insulin levels and insulin resistance,as well as many others. So once a doctor has diagnosed you with PCOS,how can you treat it? And what have been proven to be successful treatments for the condition?
The birth control pill is a possible treatment for women who are not trying to get pregnant and who have few side effects associated with androgen. Progesterone therapy is also a possibility for women with PCOS,although this is not a birth control. It may help to induce menstrual periods and,like the birth control pill,may lower the risk of uterine cancer.
If you are trying to get pregnant,clomiphene is a medication that may be helpful in inducing ovulation. Losing weight may also be effective in achieving normal menstrual cycles and may even be helpful in improving the chance of pregnancy. If these methods do not work,women may turn to injections of gonadotropin hormones. Assisted reproductive technologies such as in vitro fertilization (IVF) may also prove effective in achieving pregnancy despite PCOS.
In short,the treatment for PCOS will often depend on your goals and your symptoms. If you are experiencing acne,obesity or have type 2 diabetes,other treatment options may be recommended. What’s more,whether or not you hope to get pregnant or are interested in birth control will influence your treatment.
There is also the possibility that a surgical procedure called ovarian drilling may be effective. This is intended to induce ovulation for women who have found other PCOS treatments unsuccessful. A needle is inserted through the ovary to deliver an electric current to destroy a small part of the ovarian tissue in this procedure.
About the Author
Justin recommends for those having difficulty with getting pregnant to visit a successful PCOS Clinic or fertility doctor who is well versed in endocrinology,if you have polycystic ovarian syndrome. A fertility clinic that can provide that high acclaim and diagnose with certainty is NewLIFE at http://www.FertilityLeaders.com
ACRM Male Factor (Part 1) with Dr. Jim Toner
Chronic Fatigue,Anxiety,Mood Changes &Can’t Lose Weight? It Could Be Your Thyroid
Chronic Fatigue,tiredness,mood changes and weight gain can be caused by hormones. If your hormones are not ‘in balance’then you can find yourself experiencing symptoms such depression,headaches,insomnia,chronic fatigue,weight gain and you may struggle to lose weight naturally. Thyroid disease is one of the most common hormonal disorders,after insulin resistance and diabetes. The majority of women with thyroid imbalance have hypothyroidism (under-active thyroid). A small minority has hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid). The problem is that symptoms of low thyroid function are often mistaken for depression,signs of ageing,or are not identified as in the case with Carolyn,Bev and Val. Click Here to read their journey with fatigue.
Common thyroid Condition linked to chronic fatigue:
- Systemic Lupus Erythematosus
- Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis
- Post partum Thyroiditis
- Thyroid Nodules &Cysts
What does your thyroid do and how does it cause chronic fatigue?
Your thyroid –a small butterfly-shaped gland located in the front of your neck –controls the functioning of every cell,organ and gland in your body. In addition,your thyroid regulates these functions:
- The use of oxygen in all tissues,
- The rate of repair of damaged of diseased tissues,
- Your blood sugar levels by controlling the release of glucose (sugar) from the liver to the bloodstream,
- Electrolyte and water balance in the cells and body,
- Your circulatory system,
- The energy and strength of the muscles,
- The speed of the impulse going to nerves
- Your libido
- Your fat metabolism
- Weight loss
Four main hormones produced by your thyroid gland directly affect your metabolism and body fat. They are thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH),triiodothyronine (T3),thyroxine/levo-thyroxin (T4),and calcitonin (used in calcium metabolism).
Although your thyroid gland secretes and regulates these hormones,about 80% of the body’s T3 is produced outside the thyroid gland,in the liver,by chemical modification of thyroxine or T4.
Hypothyroid women gain weight and find it difficult to lose weight because (i) their T4 is not being converted by the liver to the metabolically active form of T3 or (ii) the converted T3 hormones is not getting to the cellular level of the body –meaning that they are producing it,but their body can’t use it.
Although most conventional practitioners only test for the inactive T4 hormone level,it is important to remember that active T3 thyroid hormone works inside every cell of the body –not only in the blood. If T3 isn’t available at the cellular level,then those cells can’t function properly. The T4 blood test does not test for this,but taking your body temperature does! I personally believe that your body temperature is the single best test of your thyroid function.
Symptoms of low thyroid function causing chronic fatigue
Every cell and tissue in your body is affected by hypothyroidism and deficient levels of the active T3 thyroid hormone can produce one or more of the following symptoms:weight gain,chronic fatigue,weakness,constipation,shortness of breath,depression,irritability,poor memory,difficulty concentrating,intolerance to cold,low body temperature,dry coarse hair/dry skin,hair loss,muscle or joint pain and stiffness,headaches,decreased libido,slow weight loss and elevated cholesterol or triglycerides.
Sadly,many hypothyroid symptoms are frequently dismissed by physicians as being a normal part of ageing,psychological problem,overwork,or some other condition. As a result,thyroid tests are never performed and the patient never receives the proper medical treatment they require.
What interferes with thyroid function causing chronic fatigue?
- Insulin resistance/metabolic syndrome
- Chronic stress/adrenal depletion –there is a strong interplay between the thyroid and the adrenals. One is usually weak first and then weakens the other.
- Prescription drugs including Dilantin,Lithium,beta blockers,Premarin,birth control pills and some anti-depressants.
- Frequent X-rays –from dental or medical exams or radiation treatment to the head,neck or chest
- Thyroid inhibiting foods –Over-consumption of soy and raw thyroid-inhibiting foods,such as Brussels sprouts,broccoli,cauliflower,cabbage and kale.
- Environmental,synthetic and genetically engineered hormones (oestrogen and other hormones) in meat,dairy,poultry and eggs. Also conditions such as poly cystic ovarian disorder,fibroids,IVF treatment and menopause.
- Exercise –The receptors for the thyroid hormones are found deep within the cells,and exercise stimulates the thyroid by increasing oxygen to the cells. When you exercise and breathe more oxygen into your body,you speed up your metabolism and the heat in your body rises. So,to pump up your metabolism,you need to pump some iron to heat up your cell’s ‘fat burners’by giving them more oxygen.
- Dieting –During a restrictive diet that is either too low calorie or deficient in essential nutrients,the body produces less of the liver enzymes,thus converting less T4 and producing less T3. Perhaps the biggest problem with diets is that most leave you with less muscle and more fat than when you started. Researchers have found that low calorie and low carbohydrate diets eventually suppress T3 hormone levels in the body by providing insufficient fuel for the thyroid and body to function properly.
- Heavy metal exposure –mercury is a toxic heavy metal,which comprises over 50% of ‘silver’dental fillings and is found in cigarettes. Mercury interferes with the liver’s production of 5-deodinase,an enzyme that is critical in converting thyroid hormones.
- Chlorine –added to most municipal water supplies as a disinfectant.
- Fluoride –primary sources include toothpaste,dental products,municipal water supplies,pesticide,and residues on commercially grown foods.
Tests for thyroid function linked with chronic fatigue
If you are doing everything right and still felling unwell and suffering from chronic fatigue,there is definitely something going on that needs to be addressed. Perhaps you are suffering from hypothyroidism (an under-active thyroid) or sub-clinical hypothyroidism (you have symptoms but the blood tests are normal).
Let’s assume you are overweight and think you have hypothyroidism. You’ve been to the doctor with complaints of weight gain,slow weight loss,chronic fatigue,cold hands and feet,and ‘brain fog’. The doctor examines you and performs some blood tests,including thyroid tests,and all the tests come back normal. However you are sure you must have an under-active thyroid as you have all the symptoms,including a low body temperature,but the doctor decides to not prescribe any treatment. You go home,sentenced to a life of weight gain,chronic fatigue and feeling plain unwell. This scenario is played out again and again until one day you finally fall below the ‘reference’ranges.
The Barnes temperature test for thyroid function and chronic fatigue
If you feel that your thyroid is sluggish and you think you may be hypothyroid,testing your thyroid is important. You can take the do-it-yourself Barnes Thyroid Temperature Test,as an inexpensive,yet surprisingly accurate,initial test for chronic fatigue. Before the advent of the blood test,the Barnes basal temperature test and patients symptoms were all physicians had available to them to test thyroid function.
Doing the Barnes self temperature test will give you a starting point to determine if you may have hypothyroidism and need to have further confirmatory tests to establish why you are suffering from chronic fatigue.
How to test your thyroid and find out why you are chronically fatigued.
Place a thermometer (preferably digital) within easy reach on the bedside table. Place the thermometer in your armpit for five minutes. Try to move as little as possible because movement will raise your body temperature.
Record your temperature each morning for five days. (For women,additional consideration is needed during ovulation,since ovulation somewhat elevates temperature. Because of this,women who menstruate should start recording their temperature on the second or third day of menstruation.)
A reading of 36.4 degrees or lower may indicate low thyroid function and be a cause of your chronic fatigue.
Serum (blood) test for hypothyroidism
If your temperature is low,you may want to request further testing. If you want to go the conventional medical test route you need to request that your physician perform the T3,free T3,sensitive TSH,reverse T3,and anti-thyroid antibody tests. Remember that the standard T4 blood test for thyroid function only measures T4 (the inactive form of the hormone) function and is rarely sensitive enough to determine hypothyroidism. That is why I recommend that you ask your doctor to perform the other blood tests to get to the cause of your chronic fatigue.
In my clinical experience,most thyroid blood tests will come back within a ‘normal range’,but the patient still shows signs of (sub-clinical) hypothyroidism such as a low body (basal) temperature,etc. There is research indicating that the reference ranges are too broad and do not cater for the individual –I guess we are not all the same after all!
The good news is that new and more accurate salivary and urine thyroid tests have become available.
The salivary thyroid test
Salivary and urine thyroid testing to the rescue! That’s right. Your saliva and urine now hold the key to determining whether or not you have an under-active thyroid causing your chronic fatigue. This brand new technology promised to change the lives of the millions of individuals suffering with an undiagnosed under-active thyroid. Because it tests thyroid function at the cellular level,the salivary/and or urine thyroid panel has been found to be more accurate than the blood tests in identifying an under-active thyroid. Urine thyroid tests are available from my online dispensary.
The thyroid salivary test measures T3,T4 and free TSH. The salivary or urine thyroid test also measures antibodies against thyroperoxidase,an important enzyme involved in the production of thyroid hormone. Positive antibodies are a sign of an autoimmune process (the immune system attacking the body’s own thyroid tissue).
Reviving your thyroid and stopping chronic fatigue in its tracks.
If your thyroid gland is found to be sluggish and the cause of your chronic fatigue,through any of the various tests,you may first try the natural non-drug approach to reviving your thyroid.
- Identify what is causing it to be sluggish –e.g. stress,chemical exposure,etc.
- Check your basal body temperature.
- Consult your GP if necessary and request specific blood tests and discuss any possible need for medication changes.
- Change your diet –different foods do interfere with thyroid function. You may wish to consult a naturopath for help with this.
- Consult a herbalist –herbs such as withania,coleus,rehmania,kelp,etc. ,are helpful if used in the correct dosages.
- Improve your liver function.
Avoiding the toxins I mentioned earlier and increasing your intake of iodine-rich foods such as seafood,asparagus,sea vegetables (kelp),garlic,lima beans,sesame seeds,spinach,Swiss chard and sea salt can be helpful.
The bottom line is most of the above symptoms may sound familiar –it’s not unusual for a 30,40,or 50 something woman to feel tired,burnt out,and a little bit overweight and this makes hypothyroidism that much harder to diagnose. However there are few things more frustrating than feeling chronically fatigued and unwell. It can take a while to get the right diagnosis. Remember though,if you are feeling unwell –there is most likely something triggering it. Ignoring the problem won’t make it go away.
Getting a correct diagnosis is crucial when you realise that being treated can be a life-affirming event. So explore your options and strive for a better,healthy life!
About the Author
Narelle Stegehuis,CEO of MassAttack,and BumpFertility is a Naturopath specializing in the treatment of PCOS,Fibroids,Endometriosis &Thyroid imbalance. Uniquely her services are offered online. She is both an accomplished writer and recent recipient of the Australian Naturopathic Excellence Award. www.massattack.com.au
ACRM Male Factor (Part 1) with Dr. Jim Toner
5 Ways to Prevent Miscarriage
According to National Infertility Association and contrary to the common belief,as many as 70% of pregnancies may end in miscarriage! With more than 50% of losses going undetected and mistaken for a period. Formerly it was believed that only 15-20% of pregnancies end in miscarriage. Those figures seems small to the alarmingly high numbers reported today.
The two most common reasons a miscarriage occurs are:
1. The product of pregnancy –the embryo was damaged and could not develop into a healthy baby.
2. The environment –the embryo’s environment did not support its healthy development.
Either way the culprit can be found on the cellular level. Chromosomal abnormalities,immune abnormalities and progesterone deficiency are some of the reasons of miscarriages.
However they don’t exist without a cause.The delicate internal balance between hormones,nutrients and toxins in both partners determines what you will be passing onto the embryo and how your body will react to it.
Be that as may the bottom line is –Healthy Couples are Fertile Couples!
Here are 5 ways you can minimize the risk of miscarriage and maximize your chances of taking home a healthy baby:
1. Could you be zinc deficient?
Zinc is the most important mineral for the reproductive system. Zinc deficiency among many other things impairs body’s ability to properly maintain pregnancy in women and produce healthy sperm in men.Unfortunately zinc competes for absorption with the most of the nutrients from food and is often called the “lonely mineral”. This means it is one of the minerals which is most likely to be deficient. On top of that artificial hormones in the form of oral contraceptives and ovulation drugs significantly reduce its levels further.
Some symptoms of zinc deficiency:
• Frequent colds and infections
• White spots on fingernails
• Mental exhaustion
• Poor appetite
• Dry skin and hair
• Poor sense of taste and smell
How to boost your zinc levels:
• Good sources of zinc are:lean meat,whole grains,egg yolk and oysters.
• Take a zinc supplement last thing at night to ensure its absorption.
2. Boost your progesterone levels
Progesterone aka pregnancy hormone needs to be at the optimal level for pregnancy to be maintained. Progesterone deficiency is characterized by PMS and short cycles and is often referred to as a luteal phase defect.
What to do?
Ensure adequate intake of magnesium and vitamin B6 for production of progesterone. Foods like seeds,nuts and egg yolk are rich in B vitamins and dark green leafy vegetables,legumes and nuts are a good source of magnesium. However you may need to supplement to get optimal therapeutic doses of each. If you eat non organically grown food,the likelihood of nutrient depletion of those foods is high.
3. Increase your vitamin C intake
The strength of the lining of your uterus(womb) is crucial when you are trying to conceive and stay pregnant. More commonly than not,when the connective tissue is weak the embryo will not be able to attach or stay attached. The quality of the connective tissue and blood vessels depends on how much vitamin C and bioflavonoids are present in the body. Bioflavonoids help the body absorb more vitamin C and also contribute to the strength of the connective tissue.
Where do you find vitamin C?
Citrus fruits:preferably lemons,limes and grapefruits as well as berries which are loaded with bioflavonoids.
4. Butt it out for good
Miscarriages more commonly occur when the male partner has low sperm counts and visually abnormal sperm. Smoking severely impacts the quality and quantity of sperm. Scientists discovered that quitting smoking has increased sperm count in men who quit smoking for 5-15 months by 50-800% respectively.
Here is how to give it up for good:
1. Set a date to quit
2. Tell all those close to you that you are quitting
3. If both partners smoke,quit together
4. When the date arrives throw out all the smoking paraphernalia (cigarettes,ashtrays…) from your home,car etc..
5. When you get the urge to light up get up,walk,take a few breaths of fresh air and have some water instead
6. Change your routines to reduce the association with smoking (coffee,drinks and parties)…
And remember:
1. Body’s addiction to nicotine only lasts for 3 days
2. It takes 21 days to get rid of the old habit and to acquire a new habit
3. Nature abhors vacuum! So if you give up something make sure you replace it with something else that’s good for you.
4. Put that drink down and Give up coffee
When trying to conceive it’s best to stay clear from all the alcohol. Alcohol is very harmful to woman’s eggs and men sperm before conception. As little as ONE glass can reduce fertility by 50%! This can further lead to damage of developing embryo and result in a miscarriage.
Are you aware of the scientific fact that drinking coffee before and during pregnancy doubles the risk of miscarriage? Studies have found that drinking as little as one cup of coffee per day increase the risk of non conceiving by 55%. Every additional cup keeps raising the risk even further. There are great coffee substitutes available in health food shops and you might want to give them a try.
5. Optimal preconception care
Optimal preconception care started well before you try to conceive has been found to reduce most of the common causes of miscarriages.
And remember if you want a complete guide with step-by-step instructions on how to boost your fertility naturally with exact therapeutic dosages of nutrients and food sources as well as dozens or more natural fertility strategies,see my “Essential Nutrients for Preconception and Pregnancy Chart” that’s part of my “Natural Fertility Cures Program”.
©2008 Iva Keene and Australian Natural Therapeutics
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You can,as long as you include this complete text with it:Leading Switzerland based internationally recognized naturopathic physician and natural fertility expert Iva Keene publishes the celebrated ‘Boost Your Fertility Naturally’ezine with 1,000+ subscribers. If you want to get pregnant naturally,avoiding miscarriages,double the success rate of IVF if you must use it and have a healthy baby using natural fertility with exceptional success,get your FREE Natural Fertility Advice Now.
About the Author
Iva K. Keene is the founder of Australian Natural Therapeutics,a company devoted to empowering women and men around the world with the tools to live their lives to the fullest potential in vibrant health and wellbeing.
A leading naturopathic physician,fertility and sleep specialist,researcher and author Iva has gained international recognition as an expert in her field. She dedicates herself to educating woman and men in natural health and wellbeing choices to enable them to lead a happy and fulfilled life,as well as managing woman’s and men’s health in her private clinic in Switzerland.
Iva created the successful
Natural Fertility Cures Program. This highly accomplished program is designed for women and men desiring to overcome their
fertility problems,whilst giving them the opportunity to take home a healthy baby.
The program is based on Iva’s H.E.A.L Method a scientifically and empirically validated approach which has been shown to significantly increase chances of overcoming infertility naturally as well as reduce the chances of miscarriages without recourse to drugs and expensive procedures. The Natural Fertility Cures program is only available at www.natural-fertility-cures.com In addition,should you choose IVF,her approach has been shown to nearly double the chances of success from 25% to 47.1%. Iva’s program is also suitable for couples who wish to prevent fertility problems,ensure a healthy pregnancy and have a healthiest baby possible by providing it with optimal health prevention which starts in the womb at the time of conception.
ACRM Male Factor (Part 1) with Dr. Jim Toner
