Big congrats to my friend and colleague Amy Medling on the launch of her book this week: “Healing PCOS: A 21-Day Plan for Reclaiming Your Health and Life with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome.” This is a proven 21-day diet and lifestyle plan to help women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) take back control of their health and resolve their symptoms from a certified health coach and founder of the large PCOS Diva online community.
I’m excited to share this book as a PCOS resource for you because anxiety and depression are common symptoms with PCOS – as a result of insulin resistance, low blood sugar and high cortisol:
- In the short term, insulin resistance is at the heart of most PCOS symptoms, including infertility, obesity, hirsutism [male-pattern hair growth in women], hyperandrogenism (elevated androgen levels), chronic fatigue syndrome, immune system defects, eating disorders, hypoglycemia [low blood sugar], gastrointestinal disorders, depression, and anxiety
- many women with PCOS may naturally have higher cortisol levels. Being overweight also increases cortisol production. Raised levels of cortisol change the way your body manages other critical hormones, putting you at risk for insulin resistance, anxiety, depression, and thyroid dysfunction.
Anxiety symptoms can also be due to low progesterone, estrogen dominance, thyroid issues, and overall inflammation.
She shares so many gems: how it’s so important to begin your healing journey by establishing your PCOS Diva mindset and practicing mindfulness; that the best movement for women with PCOS is whatever you enjoy; that the best way to overcome gym anxiety is to think like a PCOS Diva i.e. don’t wait until you have lost weight and then go; the importance of the vagus nerve and improving vagal tone.
The sections on the difficulties of getting a diagnosis, testing and medications are invaluable.
The section describing the different types of inositol when it comes to PCOS is also excellent. She writes that research suggests that women with PCOS may not be able to efficiently convert other inositols to D-chiro-inositol (DCI).
When I shared the new book announcement on Facebook, Katie Moon Bodily posted this:
I love the opening paragraph that defines what a PCOS Diva is. She is full of hope, chooses to thrive, takes charge, advocates for herself, and looks beyond physical management and also cares for her mind and spirit. I love that Amy starts with retraining the mind before she dives in to making physical changes—unless you change the way you think, the changes won’t last. Her words are full of hope and encouragement. She holds your hand through the changes so that you do t get overwhelmed and start to feel like “hey, I CAN do this!” Everything she does impresses me, and it’s so exciting to see it all compiled into one book!
I have to agree! As well as being a fabulous practical PCOS resource, it is a wonderfully hopeful and encouraging book and you can feel her warm support with you throughout the book. I really love the opening pages where Amy says this:
I deserve to be a PCOS Diva. I need to be a PCOS Diva.
A PCOS Diva is a woman with hope. She has taken charge of her health and happiness and takes steps every day to enhance both. She chooses to thrive with PCOS and is empowered by the knowledge she gathers as she educates herself about PCOS.
Here is the official blurb:
“PCOS is one of the most common hormonal disorders, and the most common cause of female infertility, affecting roughly five million American women. Because it’s symptoms are widespread—including stubborn weight gain, acne, mood swings, abnormal hair loss or growth, and irregular menstrual cycles—women suffering from PCOS are often misdiagnosed and treated with “Band-Aid” pharmaceuticals with uncomfortable side effects that only mask PCOS’s root causes. While there is no cure for PCOS, women can learn to control their symptoms naturally. In this welcome guide, Amy Medling shows how to combine an anti-inflammatory and hormone-balancing diet, daily movement, and stress-reducing self-care to successfully treat their PCOS.
Grounded in the latest medical research and filled with the knowledge she’s acquired dealing with PCOS herself and working with thousands of women, Healing PCOS offers women small, manageable steps that help alleviate their symptoms and control the inflammation, hormonal imbalance, and insulin resistance that underlie the condition. Amy’s revolutionary program consists of:
- A 21-day anti-inflammatory, hormone-balancing and gluten-free meal plan, including meal prep and plan-ahead tips to make eating this way simple and fast
- 85 delicious recipes—half fan favorites and half new dishes
- Daily self-care exercises, including meditation and journaling prompts
Amy has helped tens of thousands of women with PCOS take back control of their health and their lives through lasting, healing, and sustainable lifestyle change. Whether you’re newly diagnosed or have struggled with PCOS, her revolutionary program can now work for you.”
Get access to chapter 1 of Healing PCOS here
Grab your copy of Healing PCOS on Amazon (my link)
Feel free to post questions below and do let us know which steps have helped you (or your patients/clients).
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