November 30th, 2010
Women can suffer from PCOS whether they’re overweight, of healthy weight or even lean. If you have been diagnosed with this insidious disease, or think you may have the disorder, it’s never too early or too late to fight your way back to better health.
A first step towards better management of the symptoms of PCOS is to get regular exercise, like walking and swimming, to build strength for more strenuous activity like aerobics. Just as vital is eating a healthy, low-carbohydrate diet to help balance your hormones.
Most women with PCOS can benefit from losing weight. If you are overweight, losing just 10lbs can help regulate your menstrual cycle or help you feel better if you’re post-menopausal.
Quitting smoking is also essential. Female smokers have higher levels of potentially harmful male androgen hormones than women who don’t smoke. These androgens can exacerbate multiple symptoms of PCOS. The risk of PCOS-linked heart disease, not to mention lung cancer, is also greatly increased by smoking.
November 29th, 2010
If you have a weight problem in spite of adopting a healthy diet and regular exercise, it could be due to an under-active thyroid gland – a condition also called hypothyroidism, which affects many women with PCOS.
This disorder may lead to an increase in free testosterone, the latter being one of the factors contributing to PCOS symptoms such as infertility, polycystic ovaries, excess facial and body hair, male pattern hair loss and acne. Women with hypothyroidism are also more likely to have the classic PCOS symptom of velvety, hyper-pigmented skin folds called acanthosis nigrans.
The thyroid gland is located at the base of the neck in front of the windpipe. It makes, stores and releases two hormones – T4 (thyroxine) and T3 (triiodothyronine) Thyroid hormones set your metabolic “thermostat.” If hypothyroidism has switched that thermostat to “low”, it can be very difficult to lose or control weight for better management of PCOS.
Symptoms of hypothyroidism can include fatigue or weakness, weight gain, menstrual problems, lower body temperature, cold hands and feet, inability to focus, constipation, depression, muscle aches, brittle nails, dry skin and hair loss.
Thyroid disease is usually diagnosed by a combination of symptoms, laboratory tests and a doctor’s exam to screen thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), though TSH doesn’t always respond correctly to low thyroid hormone levels. Consult your doctor if you think you may have undiagnosed hypothyroidism because it could be complicating your PCOS problems.
November 26th, 2010
Yesterday we reported that metabolic syndrome, which is closely associated with PCOS, may be an indicator of breast cancer risk in post-menopausal women, according to new research.
A study analyzed 777 patients and found a higher prevalence of metabolic syndrome symptoms among post-menopausal women with breast cancer (33%) when compared to post-menopausal women without breast cancer (19%).
In the age range of 55 to 65 years, 40% of the breast cancer cases had more than three metabolic syndrome features, which can range from insulin resistance and high blood pressure to excess weight gain and high levels LDL “bad” cholesterol and triglyceride body fats.
The study showed that while none of the individual features of metabolic syndrome was strong enough to be considered responsible for the onset of breast cancer, researchers hypothesized that the unsettling of the hormonal arrangement in postmenopausal women, along with an increase in weight gain, particularly around the central portion of the body, may favor hormone-dependent cell proliferation. The latter drives the inception of tumors.
“These findings might have important clinical implications because they could be the basis for a breast cancer prevention strategy based on adjustments in lifestyle with physical activity intensification and a healthy diet,” said the study, which was based primarily on research by an Italian cancer center.
November 25th, 2010
Metabolic syndrome, which is closely associated with PCOS, may be an indicator of breast cancer risk in post-menopausal women, according to new research.
A study, prepared by multiple organizations including the CROM cancer research center in Mercogliano, Italy, analyzed 777 patients and found a higher prevalence of metabolic syndrome symptoms among post-menopausal women with breast cancer (33%) when compared to post-menopausal women without breast cancer (19%).
In the age range of 55 to 65 years, 40% of the breast cancer cases had more than three metabolic syndrome features, which can range from insulin resistance and high blood pressure to excess weight gain and high levels LDL “bad” cholesterol and triglyceride body fats.
Post-menopausal women show the highest incidence of breast cancer in the general female population.
More on the apparent link between metabolic syndrome and breast cancer tomorrow.
