Exercise for Effective Control PCOS and PMS
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) recommends exercise for PMS, and Endocrine society guidelines on PCOS, or polycystic ovarian condition does recommend exercise.
To often we often focus on the aspects of PCOS that control menstrual cycles, unwanted hair and fertility. Most effective for some of those conditions are medications. But we get questions regarding natural ways to control emotions and hormones, specifically of moods and PMS and the hormonal changes PCOS women have, we like to point out one of the most straight forward ways to improve your health is to exercise.
Up to 10% of US woman have PCOS and many who have PMS have not had appropriate testing are not even aware of their diagnosis, and with out a diagnosis, you may not be treating the whole scope of your specific conditions correctly.
In diagnosing and treating women with PCOS, the endocrine society also points out there are long term skin consequences of PCOS. Patients with PCOS have abnormal hair growth, acne, alopecia or hair loss, acanthosis nigricans which is a skin pigment disorders, and skin tags during physical examination, according to the new guidelines. So adding in these natural solutions have long term effects on many aspects of your health.
In addition to abnormal menstrual periods, and infertility, struggles with weight, diabetes and blood pressure problems all plague women with PCOS. Appropriate evaluation, and then appropriate exercise can help you have the best overall health as well as the best skin.
At Women’s Health Practice we advocate an ongoing assessment for our patients for the hormone concerns, whether it be PMS or PCOS.
Guidelines recommend that natural control of weight, nutrition, and exercise are all the best first step for both PMS and PCOS.
Exercise controls cortisol, stablizes the hormones of the ovaries, and has positive effects on beta endorphins which make us happy.
Small amounts of weight loss significantly can reduce risk and favorable impact on fertility as well as the benefits from exercise alone.
So come in to the gyno to be evaluated, and cleared for gearing up to an advanced exercise program, and yes, attacking the core, with situps or other exercises is going to be part of it!
