balance with maddie

Understanding PCOS - The Basics

Hello my love!

Welcome to the first email in your PCOS transformation journey! For the next two weeks, you'll receive evidence-based insights to help you take control of your symptoms once and for all. Having navigated PCOS personally, I understand the frustration and uncertainty you're feeling. But I want you to know something important: these symptoms don't have to be your forever reality.

✨I encourage you to read each email in this series, as I'll be sharing the exact strategies that have helped hundreds of my clients reclaim their hormonal health and vitality. These aren't just theories—they're proven approaches that address the root causes of PCOS rather than just masking symptoms.✨

Get ready for practical, actionable advice that can truly change your relationship with PCOS. Your path to healing starts now.🦋

What is PCOS, really?

Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) affects 1 in 10 women of reproductive age, yet it remains one of the most misunderstood conditions in women's health. Today, I want to break down what PCOS really is beyond the simplified "hormone imbalance" you might have heard about.

PCOS is a complex metabolic and endocrine disorder characterized by:

• Insulin resistance in 70-80% of women with PCOS
• Elevated androgens (male hormones)
• Chronic low-grade inflammation
• Irregular ovulation or anovulation

The name itself is misleading - you don't need to have cysts on your ovaries to have PCOS, and the "cysts" aren't true cysts but rather immature follicles.

The Types of PCOS

Did you know there are different phenotypes of PCOS? Understanding your type is crucial for targeted treatment:

1. Insulin-Resistant PCOS - The most common type, characterized by weight gain (especially around the middle), sugar cravings, and fatigue.
2. Inflammatory PCOS - Often marked by chronic stress, gut issues, joint pain, skin problems, and heightened inflammatory markers.
3. Adrenal PCOS - Usually triggered by chronic stress, with milder symptoms but significant impact on energy and mood.
4. Post-Pill PCOS - A temporary hormonal imbalance after stopping hormonal contraception.

Understanding your unique PCOS type is the first step toward creating a personalized approach to management. It's important to understand that most women have a bit of all of them, but your main driver is KEY to figuring out how YOU'RE going to heal....

Have you been chronically stressed out for a long period of time?
Do you have unexplained weight gain?
Are you dealing with skin issues?
Do you have the emotional bandwidth to deal with stressful events?

Asking yourself these questions can give you clues as to which type is responsible for driving most of your symptoms.

Quick Tip: Start tracking your symptoms in relation to your cycle, stress levels, and diet. Patterns often emerge that can help identify your specific PCOS triggers.

Next time, we'll dive deeper into the relationship between insulin resistance and PCOS - even if you're at a healthy weight.

Love, Maddie 💙

​​​