The prevalence of Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) is on the rise, affecting an estimated 7-10 percent of women of childbearing age. It stands as the most common cause of infertility, with many affected women unaware of their condition. Many clinicians believe it may be the most common hormonal disorder of reproductive age.
Understanding PCOS
PCOS manifests as a hormonal imbalance within the ovaries. The name refers to the possible symptom of fluid filled sacs forming on the ovaries, however not everyone with PCOS presents with cysts. These cysts, containing immature eggs called follicles, can prevent the egg from releasing.
Understanding the Types of PCOS
PCOS manifests in diverse forms, influenced by a combination of symptoms, hormonal imbalances, and metabolic features. Understanding these can illuminate the path to personalized Ayurvedic treatment for PCOS, offering hope for those seeking natural management strategies.
Hyperandrogenic PCOS (Classic PCOS):
- High levels of androgens (male hormones) such as testosterone.
- Symptoms may include hirsutism (excess hair growth on the face, chest, back), acne, and male-pattern baldness (androgenic alopecia).
- Menstrual irregularities, such as oligomenorrhea (infrequent periods) or amenorrhea (absence of menstrual periods), are common.
- Women with hyperandrogenic PCOS may have polycystic ovaries on ultrasound, but this is not always the case.
Hyperandrogenic Anovulatory PCOS:
- Shares characteristics with hyperandrogenic PCOS but is distinguished by anovulation, meaning the ovaries do not regularly release eggs.
- Irregular menstrual cycles are common or there may be extended periods of amenorrhea.
- They may also exhibit symptoms of hyperandrogenism such as hirsutism and acne.
Non-Hyperandrogenic PCOS (Normoandrogenic PCOS):
- The presence of polycystic ovaries and menstrual irregularities without significant hyperandrogenism.
- Women with non-hyperandrogenic PCOS may have fewer symptoms related to excess androgens but still experience irregular periods and ovarian dysfunction.
- Insulin resistance and metabolic abnormalities are often prominent features in this phenotype.
It is important to note that these categories can be insightful, but they are not fixed diagnoses. Individuals often present with symptoms from multiple categories. Individualized treatment plans under the care of professionals is crucial for healing the root cause.
Western medical research currently cannot explain how and why PCOS occurs. As with most Western-designated diseases, Ayurveda does not specifically refer to PCOS but rather it refers to the specific pathology of symptoms related to PCOS. Both western medical research and Ayurvedic texts note that contributing factors include lifestyle choices and environmental toxins and/or stressors. In her book “The Path of Practice: A Woman’s Book of Healing with Food, Breath, and Sound,” Maya Tiwari notes:
“Unbalanced hormonal levels, along with poor nutrition, stress, excessive exercise, and a general disregard for nature’s rhythms, are the key causes of menstrual disorders such as amenorrhea (lack of menstrual period) or menorrhagia (abnormally heavy menstrual bleeding).”
“The Path of Practice: A Woman’s Book of Healing with Food, Breath, and Sound,” Maya Tiwari
This is empowering news as it means everyone experiencing PCOS symptoms has the opportunity to make changes that will mitigate or even eliminate symptoms.
An Ayurvedic Approach To Healing PCOS
Ayurveda views disease as a manifestation of imbalance among the doshas – vata, pitta, and kapha. PCOS, a tridoshic condition, disrupts the harmony of these elements, affecting the reproductive cycle. From the movement of eggs to hormonal balance and tissue nourishment, each dosha’s imbalance contributes to PCOS symptoms. Ayurveda seeks to restore this balance through tailored nutrition, lifestyle practices, and herbal remedies, offering a comprehensive strategy for managing PCOS.
Vata dosha (air-type): Focuses on regularizing menstruation and alleviating pain through a diet of cooked grains and root vegetables, coupled with calming practices like meditation and yoga nidra.
Pitta dosha (fire-type): Aims to address issues like hirsutism and acne through cool, bitter, and sweet foods, complemented by meditative walks and cooling breathing exercises.
Kapha dosha (earth-type): Targets weight management and cyst reduction with light, stimulating foods and activities like cardio exercise and lymphatic massage.
Individualized Treatment by Dosha
Vata: Vata vitiation results in irregular menstruation and pain.
Nutrition: A nourishing diet consisting of cooked whole grains and root vegetables that are well spiced with use of healthy fats.
Lifestyle: slow, calming and still practices such as seated meditation, breathing exercises including nadi shodhana , abhyanga, and yoga nidra, and yellow or gold color therapy.
Herbs: Reproductive tonics such as shatavari and wild yam formulated by a practitioner who can combine with appropriate herbs for an individual’s constitution and imbalance needs.
Pitta: Pitta vitiation can result in hirsutism, acne, an cardiovascular or heart problems.
Nutrition: Cool, bitter, and sweet foods such as avocado, broccoli, cauliflower, cilantro, potatoes, leafy greens.
Lifestyle: Mediative walks in nature, cooling breathing practices such as lunar pranayama and sheetali pranayama, blue color therapy.
Herbs: Alterative herbs to cleanse and cool the blood such as manjistha, ashoka and neem formulated by a practitioner who can combine with appropriate herbs for an individual’s constitution and imbalance needs.
Kapha:Kapha vitiation results in weight gain, the growth of cysts, and depression.
Nutrition: Light, bitter and astringent foods and tastes such as a wide variety of well-spiced legumes, asparagus, green beens, cauliflower, celery, mustard greens and parsley. Heating and stimulating digestive spices include turmeric, cumin, ginger and black pepper.
Lifestyle: Cardio exercise, stimulating and energizing breathing practices such as bhastrika and khapalabati. Garshana or lymphatic massage, sun-bathing, and red color therapy.
Herbs: Channel clearing herbs such as kanchanar, guggulu and guduchi formulated by a practitioner who can combine with appropriate herbs for an individual’s constitution and imbalance needs.
Additional lifestyle tools can be implemented as appropriate and based on specific PCOS condition include:
-Castor oil packs (kapha or vata-types)
-Abhyanga/oil massage (all types)
-Herbal Oil Enemas (vata-type)
-Sun Salutation yoga sequences (kapha-type)
–Herbal waters and hydration (vata or kapha-types)
-Yoga Nidra (all types)
Ayurveda can be implemented to treat all symptoms of Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome. Nutrition, herbs and lifestyle practices foster regular ovulation and fertility, while also reducing or eliminating cysts and accompanying symptoms of PCOS. Individualized treatment plans under the care of Clinical Ayurvedic Specialists is essential as PCOS is a complex tridoshic condition that requires expert care and support.
Article authored by Chloe Chaput, who is dedicated to her role as a Clinical Ayurvedic Specialist to work with women’s health, male and female fertility challenges, parents or caregivers, and children to address a variety of clinical health concerns at the root of their cause. Contact Path Wellbeing today to set up your appointment with Chloe Chaput, CAS.
The information contained within this article is for educational purposes only and should not replace the direct advice of a doctor or other qualified healthcare professional. Always consult a medical or other professional healthcare provider when considering a new health regime.
