Symptoms and cure
Our lifestyle decides our health and how we will be going to carry on with our lives, it was 100 years ago people had a simple lifestyle, no showoff, no stress nothing but today each and everyone has to go through this because of our life, the way we live .its so stressing that it almost feels like we are not living we are constantly competing with other just to be ahead of them, not only our lifestyle has changed one other major thing which is changed is pollution, pollution everywhere nowadays, if you compare it with 100 years back it was clean and green and definitely much less polluted. And one of the main causes of pollution is plastic, it causes air pollution when burnt, water pollution when put in water as it releases harmful chemicals, and soil pollution as it is not biodegradable and also releases harmful chemicals in soil which reduces soils fertility. now you must be thinking other than lifestyle and pollution there are a lot of things that have changed why only talk about lifestyle and pollution? Its because here we are talking about pcod also known as Polycystic Ovarian Disease, it is a medical condition in women in which a woman’s ovaries produce partially mature or immature eggs. And lifestyle change and pollution are the main cause of pcod in women there are few other factors as well which affect it which we will discuss later.
PCOD (Polycystic Ovarian Disease) is a medical condition in which a woman’s ovaries generate partially mature or immature eggs in a large quantity. As ovaries are responsible for the production of progesterone and estrogen. Over time these eggs develop into cysts in the ovaries. And releases a large amount of male hormone also known as androgen as pcod affects the release of androgen which results in abnormal production of male hormone. This causes so many problems in women you can also call them signs of pcod:-
- Irregular periods– Light periods, or no periods at all – This is the most common cause of pcod, irregular ovulation prevents the uterine line to fall at a specific period usually a month.
- Heavy bleeding– Pcod can cause the uterine line to build up for long which heavier periods or heavier bleeding than normal.
- Excess hair growth – Most women suffering from pcod grow excess hair on their body, on their face, belly, back, chest, this condition of excess hair growth is called hirsutism.
- Increase in weight – Most women suffering from pcod gains weight as pcod makes it difficult for the body to use insulin, insulin helps the body to convert sugar and starch from food to energy, which our body needs. this condition is called insulin resistance and it results in an increase in weight which may cause overweight or obesity in women which can cause high blood pressure.
- Acne– Pcod causes acne as pcod causes production of male hormone also known as androgen, which results in the production of excess oil on the skin and causes acne. Women suffering from pcod can have acne on their back, chest, neck, and face.
- Hair Loss – Hair loss in pcod also known as male pattern baldness is very common among women suffering from pcod. It happens because pcod causes the release of male hormone also known as androgen which causes thinning of hair on the scalp and may also fall out.
- Darkening of the skin – Women with pcod may have dark skin patches in the groin area or under the arms or back of the neck, it happens as pcod causes insulin resistance which causes more release of insulin, and this extra causes dark skin patches, this condition is known as acanthosis nigricans.
- Headaches – The hormone that causes pcod can also cause headaches. headaches are common among women suffering from pcod.
- Extreme mood swings – Women suffering from pcod experience extreme mood swings as studies have found out that our body and brain are interconnected and affect each other, so any change in any of them affects the other. In pcod hormonal changes affects the brain and cause extreme mood swings or emotional instability, it results in irritability, makes them angrier, it may also cause anxiety and depression.
10. Depression – Women suffering from pcod are most likely to be depressed among all .its is still unclear what really causes anxiety and depression among women with pcod but it may be associated with hormonal changes or inflammation as prolonged inflammation results in high cortisol levels which increase chances of depression and anxiety. Women with pcod are most likely to suffer from, suicidal thoughts, low self-esteem, and eating disorders.
These were the symptoms of pcod and after reading them all you know it can be a severe problem for women so you should know how to cure it or avoid it or how to reduce its effects but before that, we should know what causes pcod, what are the main factors affecting pcod in women although the exact cause of pcod is still unknown various factors that affect it are:-
- Genetics– Pcod runs in family, and genes affect it. If any family member has pcod such as a mother or sister, then it increases the chance of you suffering from pcod .in past years the specific gene linked with pcod wasn’t found but in recent years scientists have found DENND1A this is the first gene linked with pcod. This gene causes the production of testosterone in ovaries and the production of testosterone ion one reason for pcod.
- Release of androgen – Androgen being a male hormone, prevent ovaries from producing egg if in excess which results in abnormal periods and causes pcod. So higher release of androgen is one the cause of pcod.
- Insulin resistance – An increase of insulin resistance causes more releases of insulin which increases releases of androgen which causes pcod, and it also causes an increase in blood sugar level Insulin resistance can also cause diabetes, and insulin resistance can be triggered by obesity as well.
- Inflammation – This is one of the reasons for pcod, chronic low-grade inflammation causes pcod as it directly affects and increases androgen .pcod is associated with a significant elevation of inflammation including CRP, IL-18, MCP-1, and white blood count.
- Pollution – In recent years it is found that air pollution affects the menstrual cycle of girls aged between 14 to 18, it was believed that air pollution only affects cardiovascular and pulmonary disease, but now it is found that air pollution also affects other systems such as reproductive system. It also causes inflammation, which results in an increase in the production of estrogen which causes pcod.
6. Lifestyle – This is one of the main reasons for pcod, the bad lifestyle of today causes pcod in teens, lack of nutritional food, lack of exercise, overweight, eating an excess of fast food, stress, tension, using a different kind of chemical products all of these affect menstrual cycle in women which causes pcod. Proper care regarding these issues should be taken by teens to avoid pcod.
Now that we know what causes pcod so now let’s discuss how to prevent pcod, tips to help prevent pcod or to cure it:-
- Overweight – If you are overweight you can reduce some weight, which helps in normalizing the menstrual cycle which helps in preventing pcod.
- Diabetes – Diabetes causes you to lose your insulin sensitivity which can be a cause for pcod so preferring your doctor and intake of proper medicines will help you control diabetes which will result in the proper release of insulin hormone and can prevent pcod.
- Diet modification – Intake of proper diet can help a lot in preventing pcod, and proper diet will also help you reduce weight if you are overweight, and will help keep your weight in control.
The food you should include in your diet –
-Natural food or unprocessed food
-Food with high fiber content
-spinach
-Dark and leafy green
-Dark red fruits such as red grapes, berries, blueberries
-broccoli and cauliflower
-legumes, lentils, and beans
-avocados and coconuts
-Nuts such as pine nuts, walnuts, pistachios
-dark chocolate
-Turmeric and other spices
The food you should avoid preventing pcod-
-Refined carbohydrates
-Fast food should be avoided all cause, it is fried and unhealthy, also cause an increase in weight.
-Energy drinks and sodas should be avoided as they contain sugar.
-Hamburgers and beef should also be avoided.
- Exercise – Exercise helps reduce body weight and blood sugar level which can be one of the important causes of pcod. Be active and exercise daily.
To cure PCOD there are many medications methods are also available such as Birth Control Pills which help in decreasing the level of Estrogen, Metformin which reduces insulin resistance, and many more. Though there is no permanent cure to PCOD with medicines and treatments women can at least live normal and healthy lives. TAKE CARE AND STAY SAFE.