Today life has become much more complicated. This leads to hormonal imbalance in women. This inturn leads to many health complications One of the most common condition that affects women today is Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS). It is more common than we think. Surveys have shown that 1 out of 5 women suffer from PCOS.

What is Polycystic Ovary Syndrome?

It is also known as PCOS. It is caused by hormonal imbalance.  PCOS happens when estrogen and progesteron in your body are out of control. The imbalance causes growth of benign masses in the ovaries. These masses are also called cysts. PCOS affects the fertility in women. It can also affects your menstrual cycle.

You are more likely to have PCOS if your mother or sister also has been diagnosed with it. Over production of hormones is yet another reason. Weight gain is typical in women with PCOS.

What are the home remedies for treating PCOS?

You can treat PCOS, even though there is no known cure till now. Consult a doctor for proper treatment. He or she can prescribe you medication to help you treat this condition. Along with the medication you can also try the below home remedies:

Home Remedies to Treat Polycystic Ovary Syndrome

Cinnamon

Cinnamon has great healing properties. It has been seen to be beneficial in regulate menstrual cycle in women. This has also been indicated to help women with PCOS to reduce resistance to insulin.

• Make a drink with one teaspoon of cinnamon and one glass of hot water.
• Drink this mixture daily for a few months till you are satisfied with the results
• Another way to take cinnamon is via supplements. However, consult your doctor before you start
• It can also be included in your diet by using as a spice. Sprinkling some cinnamon powder on your food is a good idea.

Consult your doctor before taking cinnamon supplements. This is because it can affect your blood sugar level.

Spearmint Tea

Spearmint tea is helpful in treating PCOS. It has anti-androgenic properties. Spearmint tea has also been seen to help reduce excess body hair or hirsutism. It helps reduce the free radicals. It also lowers the overall testosterone level in your body. This is done by increasing follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH) levels in the body.

• Bring 1 cup water to boil
• Add 1 teaspoon full of dry spearmint leaves to the water
• Simmer for about 5 to 10 minutes
• Strain the tea
• Drink this herbal tea for relief from symptoms of PCOS. Drink twice daily. Continue for a couple of weeks to see results

Flaxseed

This is yet another home remedy ingredient for treating symptoms of PCOS. It is helpful in decreasing androgen levels in the body. Flaxseeds contain lignans. This is helpful in increasing the production of sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG). This helps bind the testosterone in your blood. This in turn prevents testosterone from causing problems in your body.

It is also high in dietary fiber. This helps lower cholesterol levels. It is also useful in lowing down glucose metabolism. Flaxseed is also helpful in treating inflammations.

• Ground some flaxseed
• Mix this freshly grounded powder with 1 glass of drinking water.
• Drink this mixture daily. Continue for a few months till you see the results.

Flaxseed is a superfood that can be easily incorporated into your diet. You can include it in your daily shakes and smoothies. It can also be added to salads and soups. Just find a recipe that suits your tastes and use this superfood to help relieve the symptoms of PCOS naturally.

Fenugreek

This is used as a spice in many countries. It is very helpful in promoting glucose metabolism in the body. Fenugreek is effective in improving insulin resistance. This process is helpful in balancing your hormones.

• Soak 3 teaspoons fenugreek seeds in water. Soak for six to eight hours or leave overnight.
• Take 1 teaspoon of the soaked seeds and add with a little honey
• Consume this mixture first thing in the morning. Make sure you are on an empty stomach when you have this.
• Consume another teaspoon of soaked fenugreek seeds mixed with honey 10 minutes before lunch
• Take the remaining teaspoon full with honey prior to having dinner
• Continue this routine daily for a few weeks

Fenugreek seeds can also be added to your daily diet. You can also try cooking the leaves. You can find numerous recipes for this.

Saw Palmetto

This is yet another home remedy ingredient you can use safely to treat PCOS. It has anti-androgen properties. It is helpful in blocking 5-alpha-reductase activity. This helps reduce the conversion of testosterone into its more active form. This process is helpful in preventing excessive hairiness in women with PCOS.

It can also be used to help grow back thinning hair resulting from PCOS. This herbal remedy is suggested by many herbalists for treating PCOS. It is due to its ability to treat hormonal imbalance. However, you need to consult a reputed naturopath before you start using saw palmetto.

Generally the below is the home remedy suggested by naturopaths:

• 320 mg of standardized extract of saw palmetto daily
• Take this extract daily for a few months

In case you have been advised to take liquid saw plametto extract, you should take 1 teaspoon daily. However, consult your doctor before you start taking the extract.

Apple Cider Vinegar

It is also a common home remedy in treating PCOS. Apple Cider Vinegar helps control your blood sugar. It also stops your bosy from producing too much insulin. By doing this it lowers the level of testosterone produced.

It is also good in helping women suffering from PCOS lose weight. Apple cider vinegar is also great at boosting your overall health.

• Mix two teaspoons of unfiltered and raw apple cider vinegar with 1 glass water
• Drink this mixture daily
• Drink once in the morning and also before meals
• Continue drinking this for several weeks or till you see improvement in the symptoms
• Increase the amount of apple cider vinegar in the mixture slowly. You can increase it up to two tablespoons Drink twice or thrice per day.

In case you find the taste of the apple cider vinegar too strong for you, try mixing it with any kind of fruit juice. This will help dilute the taste.

Fish Oils

Fish oils are abundant in omega-3 fatty acids. This makes them extremely effective in helping reduce androgen. They are also useful in improving insulin sensitivity. Research has shown that omega-3 fatty acids help treat the symptoms of PCOS. This is done by balancing the androgen levels in the body.

You can ensure fish oil in your diet by including fatty fish. Alternately you can also try taking fish oil supplements. These are easily available at drugstores. You can safely take two to three capsules of fish oil supplements per day.

However, it is best to get the dosage directed by your doctor. This will help you avoid any possible complications. In case you find the fishy taste of the supplements to be too strong for your tastes, you can try a flavored variety.

Chaste berry

These are the berries of the vitex herb. They are very beneficial in treating women suffering from infertility. They have been used to boost fertility. Chasteberry is also effective in treating symptoms of PCOS. It is very useful in balancing the hormones in your body.

• Boil a cup of water and add one teaspoon of fresh or dried chaste berries
• Let it steep for about 10 minutes.
• Strain and drink this tea daily for a few weeks or months. You will surely see improvement

Alternately you can also try taking chaste berry supplements. You can get the proper dosage for your specific case from a reputed naturopath.

Licorice

Research has found licorice root to be helpful in reducing serum testosterone. This is very helpful in women who are suffering from PCOS. The glycyrrhizin in this herb inhibits an enzyme that is required for testosterone production.

Licorice can also be effectively used in treating women suffering from excessive hairiness due to PCOS. It also detoxifies the liver. The liver is able to cleanse the toxins. This is beneficial in helping balance your hormones. It also helps with ovulation.

• Add one teaspoon of dried licorice root to a cup of boiling water
• Simmer for about 10 minutes and strain
• Drink this tea two or three times daily for a few weeks.

Alternately you can try a herbal supplement. You can take one-quarter to one-half teaspoon of licorice tincture two or three times a day for a few weeks. Consult your doctor before starting the supplements. This is because licorice is found to be unsuitable in women suffering from:

• High blood pressure
• Heart disease
• Kidney disease
• Liver disease

It can also adversely affect blood glucose levels. So in case you have problems with blood glucose, make sure you consult your doctor before using licorice.

Black Cohosh

It is herbal treatment used for boosting fertility. Black Cohosh can also be effectively used to treat the symptoms of PCOS. It boosts ovulation in the body. Ovulation, fertility, and balnce of hormones is essential in  the treatment of PCOS.

Black Cohosh is a good natural home remedy to try to relieve the symptoms of hormonal imbalance and infertility. You can make a herbal black cohosh tea or try taking the supplement in capsule form.

When taking black cohosh in either a tea or a supplement it is very important to remember to take the correct dosage. Consult your doctor before you begin use of either. There are certain risks associated with the usage of black cohosh.

Some believe that there is a link between breast cancer and black cohosh use. However, research on this is still going on. To be on the safe side, it is best to consult your doctor before using it.

Holy Basil

There are numerous benefits of holy basil. It has anti-androgenic properties. This makes it very effective in treating symptoms of PCOS. It can be used effectively for losig weight. It can also help in managing the insulin levels.

Holy basil is also an antioxidant. It has powerful anti-inflammatory properties. These qualities make it an effective stress reliever.

• You can consume between 8 – 12 leaves of Holy Basil in the morning daily
• You can also prepare an herbal tea containing holy basil. Drink this tea few times everyday for several days.
• Alternately you can also take holy basil supplements

In case you choose to take supplements, make sure to get the proper dosage suitable for you from the doctor. You need to be cautious if you are diabetic and using holy basil. This is because it has a tendency to lower glucose levels in the blood.

You should also be careful while using this particular home remedy if you are on anticoagulant medication. It can cause blood clotting process to slow down.

Conclusion

Using natural home remedies for treating the symptoms of PCOS is a good idea. You can benefit from them without having to worry about the side effects. Medicines can have harmful side effects These are usually absent in the natural home remedy ingredients mentioned above.

However, be sure to consult a good naturopath before you begin using any of the home remedies. It is also a good idea to maintain a healthy diet once you have been diagnosed with PCOS. You should also aim to maintain an ideal body weight.

Increasing dietary fiber is another alternative along with the above home remedies. Fiber in your diet can help regulate insulin. You should also increase your Vitamin B intake. Vitamins B2, B3, B5 and B6 are especially beneficial in treating the symptoms of PCOS.

Maintaining a healthy lifestyle and refraining from smoking have also been seen to be useful. You can benefit greatly from healthy lifestyle changes. Talk to your doctor and ask for dietary recommendations along with maintaining a healthy lifestyle.