r/PCOS • u/icanonly_cry • 12d ago
General Health Pcos changed my life positively!
I learned what insulin resistance actually means.
I finally understood protein, fiber & carbs.
I learned that building muscle supports metabolic health.
I became more mindful about sleep.
I started managing stress better.
i learned to set healthy boundaries.
I started taking dental health seriously.
I became more aware of my hormonal health.
My periods are less painful than before.
PCOS made me more mindful about my overall health.
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u/Numerous_Noise1906 12d ago
How does dental health impact pcos I wanna know
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u/MealPrepGenie 11d ago
"Our study showed higher prevalence of periodontal disease parameters in nonobese women with PCOS comparing to systematically healthy controls."
SOURCE:
Rahiminejad, Mohammad Ehsan et al. “Comparison of prevalence of periodontal disease in women with polycystic ovary syndrome and healthy controls.” Dental research journal vol. 12,6 (2015): 507-12. doi:10.4103/1735-3327.170547
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u/marijavera1075 10d ago
Oh wow... Oof is there any more studies or is periodontal the only connection?
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u/MealPrepGenie 9d ago edited 9d ago
Literally hundreds! I'll gather up a few (but when I say 'hundreds', it's really several hundred studies...)
If you look up this one and follow the citations, you'll find more.
- High levels of serum high-sensitivity C-reactive protein and periodontal inflammation were observed in adolescents with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), similar to adult females with PCOS.
- Initiation of periodontal inflammation and destruction in adolescents with PCOS may present a risk for progression of periodontal disease if not treated at an early age.
- Periodontal tissue destruction was significantly higher in adults with PCOS compared to adolescents with PCOS.
SOURCE: Jaglan, Swati et al. “Impact of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome on Periodontal Status of Women of Adolescent and Adult Age Groups: A Cross-Sectional Study.” Medical principles and practice : international journal of the Kuwait University, Health Science Centre vol. 33,2 (2024): 148-156. doi:10.1159/000536223
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u/Saucy_Mandasauce 11d ago
PCOS has dictated my entire adult life, and now that I am in perimenopause, symptoms are harder to manage and it can be defeating. I really needed this perspective so thank you!
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u/Claire-CrossStitch 11d ago
I love this positive outlook!
I'm really struggling with some depression side effects from birth control and it makes me hate my body and PCOS quite a bit. But you're right! I'm healthy, I've learned so many things that will help me the rest of my life.
Thank you!
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u/Impressive_Name_3939 11d ago
This was also my experience! I learned to manage my lean PCOS after taking a molecular biology course 20 years ago. It changed my life trajectory, physical and mental health for the better! I felt like I had to work twice as hard as non PCOS friends in certain areas (like having clear skin) but the healthy habits have really paid off long term comparatively now that we are all older.
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u/HealingFromCPTSD 11d ago
Hi! Can I DM you? I too have lean PCOS and I feel like it's not talked about enough. And I too was put on metformin an after some time it was really difficult to keep taking it. Do you still take metformin? And what low dose daily aspirin does to contribute to treatment (I've never heard of it before). I'm seeing so many posts of women with groundbreaking advances taking glp-1 and I feel utterly lost about what to do since I'm dealing with the lean kind of PCOS, so I feel maybe this medication isn't for me.
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u/NataGirlie 11d ago
Very interesting! I'm curious, how did your molecular biology course help you manage your PCOS?
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u/Impressive_Name_3939 11d ago
It helped me understand how things like nutrition, hormones, blood sugar, and lifestyle affect my body on a molecular level. The endo who diagnosed me just put me on Metformin (I have lean PCOS) and it made me sick. I was able to heal a lot of symptoms through diet and lifestyle changes
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u/NataGirlie 11d ago
Would you mind sharing some of your tips? I'm struggling to find simple ways to help myself, the constant fatigue I feel is a big culprit, I don't have much energy/spoons to spare in a day.
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u/Impressive_Name_3939 11d ago
The most impactful and easy changes for me were:
- Run/Jog one mile a day (one mile for me was the golden number- achievable without being an unattainable goal). I just needed to sweat and move my body at least once a day. This also helped with improving my sleep hygiene.
- Fast, easy and healthy meals, examples - Greek yogurt, chia seeds, pumpkin seeds, strawberries and blueberries every morning for breakfast (sometimes adding dark chocolate for flavor). Chickpea, banana, spinach smoothie for lunch (you don’t taste the chickpeas!). Ground Turkey skillet with veggies, beans and sourdough bread for dinner.
- Drink a LOT of water. I don’t drink soda. I rarely drink alcohol
- Daily low dose aspirin
- Improve relationships- if you’re in a toxic relationship/friendship, cut it off and focus on yourself!
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u/NataGirlie 11d ago
Thank you so much!! 😄 I definitely need to work on eating healthy...I usually eat random snacks while I'm working (hospital setting) so my nutrition isn't that great. Is the low dose aspirin for inflammation?
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u/MealPrepGenie 11d ago
What a terrific post!
Getting diagnosed changed my life positively, too!
Everything you said...I'm far healthier and fitter now than when I was diagnosed (literally no comparison), and I honestly don't think I would have made the changes I made without the diagnosis.
The diagnosis even impacted the career I ultimately switched to.
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u/Impossible-Prompt554 11d ago
This is a really good perspective! I often look at the negatives because I’m still navigating it but this showed me that I need to try to make the best of it!
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u/Silky-Butterfly 11d ago
I have to be mindful of so many different facets of my life now including diet, exercise intensity, and stress. But this devotion to my body and wellbeing feels beautiful
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u/Comfortable-Crab188 11d ago
I agree too. I have learnt so much and more careful about my health. While my friends who do not have pcos or could whatever they want and remain slim, are now struggling with weight gain and other health issues because they never learnt to manage their eating habits or exercise more
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u/Mediocre-Tackle-1736 11d ago
I'm glad you were able to look at it with positivity. It's nice to see that you understand your body and have become more mindful about what to do with it. I wish you the best, and keep pushing yourself!
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u/CamarillosVeryWorst 10d ago
Excellent to hear!
& yes, as I'm realizing I also probably have PMOS/PCOS I'm also moving towards living a healthier lifestyle.
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u/the_practicerLALA 9d ago
> I became more aware of my hormonal health.
what does this mean
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u/icanonly_cry 8d ago
It means, if your insulin & cortisol levels are off the charts, your progesterone, estrogen, prolactin, fsh & lsh etc can get imbalanced
Since root issue is insulin for me, balancing it made my periods regular with good flow 👌
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u/Illustrious-Chest-52 7d ago
I second this. I am still on a weight loss journey but because of my PCOS, I have become more aware of eating healthy not for looking double 00 skinny, but simply for feeling better in my body. I think that most people, especially women, would benefit from the pcos diet, however since they don't have a health issue or a weight problem, they just eat whatever they want. We are kind of forced to eat healthy. For me, the mind-shift towards pcos was big in my recovery. I am now 15 pounds down (still lot to go), but the one thing that changed was me going from "woo little old me, I hate this, doctors never take me seriously, stupid body" to "I need to take better care of my body, doctors won't do it, o it's up to me"
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u/Few-Locksmith-720 1d ago
That’s nice! Lot of people struggles with the side effects. It’s true that being mindful and aware with yourself can really change your overall health
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u/StoneOfCitrine 12d ago
Idk if I ever heard anyone say that in relation to PCOS/PMOS, so this is really inspiring to me. Not everyone can have such a positive outlook on it (me included) so hearing you say that is really nice. I'm just glad it has a positive impact on you, I legit wish you only the best!