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PCOS: The Integralife Story

Why Integralife?

We carefully selected Integralife as a way to define our mission of practicing with Integrity, utilizing an Integrative approach to care and ensuring that we are playing an Integral part in your healthcare. For our female clients struggling with weight, we wanted to ensure that Integralife is a safe space for you to open up about your struggles with PCOS, weight loss resistance, mental health wellness, etc. We want you to know that the Integralife team will always treat you with respect, provide holistic and integrative care and ensure that your concerns are heard. We work with men, women, and children of all ages no matter the race or socioeconomic status. But, for all of you beautiful ladies out there, each and every one of you, if you are struggling with PCOS please continue to read this blog in its entirety. This is for you!


What is PCOS?

Let's first define PCOS, or polycystic ovary syndrome. This is a common condition amongst women of reproductive age which can cause an imbalance in hormones and is quite misunderstood and undiagnosed.  According to the World Health Organization, 8-13% of reproductive-aged women are affected by PCOS BUT up to 70% of women remain undiagnosed worldwide.  PCOS is the most common cause of anovulation and a leading cause of infertility. Women suffering from PCOS may observe the formation of cysts, which can also lead to complications in pregnancy.  However, please understand that you do NOT have to have cysts to have PCOS. 


Some of the common symptoms of PCOS include the following:

  • Irregular periods or no periods at all

  • Difficulty getting pregnant (possibly due to irregular ovulation or no ovulation)

  • Excess hair growth (hirsutism) – face, chest, back, or other areas

  • Hair thinning on the head (male patterned baldness)

  • Weight gain and abdominal obesity

  • Oily skin or Acne

PCOS isn’t just about cysts on the ovaries.  PCOS happens because of inflammation, adrenal function, and metabolic health.


Let me tell you my PCOS story. First of all, as for many women, I have struggled with my weight since around puberty. But as a young child with straight blond hair, carefree, not a worry in the world, weight and other issues weren't even on my radar. Around the time I hit puberty, I started noticing that I was gaining weight and without even realizing it, I started comparing my body to others and wondering why I looked different. I was in a larger body than most of my friends, not obese but always wore larger size around size 14/16 as a teen versus my friends that were size 10 or smaller. I was about age 14 when I started really taking exercise to the next level. I joined a gym on my own and started weight lifting and stair climbing at the football field and doing workout videos most days. I liked working out but as I think back, I know it wasn't 100% for healthy reasons. Even as early as the late 80's, early 90's, I was already struggling with low self esteem and body

confidence and just couldn't understand why my body was so different. In the mid-90's, I got married, still felt like I was doing well with managing my weight or at least maintaining my weight. At the young age of 20, I had my first child, Sean Anthony. He was such a gift that God gave to me; the first human aside from my husband that defined us as a family. Even at the age of 19, I was told that I would likely be unable to have kids but without any explanation. PCOS wasn't even discussed at that time. So when I became pregnant less than a year later, I felt blessed that my body was working although I didn't really know what "not working" would have looked like besides maybe not being able

to become pregnant. Within the first year of Sean's life, I decided to start school, interestingly, I started taking classes to become a CPA. I did good, got straight A's and probably would have been a good CPA, but God had a different plan for my life. Two years into school and working and raising our little family, without planning, we were expecting our second child, Alyssa Nicole. (Side note, I had not had a period in 8 months, and was only found to be six weeks pregnant via vaginal ultrasound. Which was done because they were about to give me medication to force a period but could cause birth defects. Praise the Lord, we did the ultrasound.) I stopped school to ensure that I was taking care of my body to have a healthy pregnancy. Here is where things started to take a turn and I was about to have PCOS punch me in the face and nudge its way more prominently into my life. About six weeks post-partum, I was taking care of my beautiful baby girl and so happy to have my two kiddos to complete our little family and all of a sudden, my body decided to revolt, and my hormones began to alter.  I was having difficulty taking off my pregnancy weight, the hirsutism started to rear its ugly head and looking back at pictures, I was definitely dealing with inflammation. "Boy I wish, I could tell 23 year old me what I know today. Although not understanding at the time, I would spend the next decade battling yo-yo dieting with weight loss followed by regain including over-exercising and undereating, the typical PCOS story.   

Around age 31, I started researching my symptoms because at that time it was even less understood than it is now.  I went to multiple endocrinologists who put me on Metformin and Spironolactone which are still often used today for PCOS but still felt very lost for answers.  There was no rhyme or reason for why my hormones decided to revolt.  I finally wrote down all of my symptoms and made an appointment with my gynecologist who reviewed my symptoms and said, “It does sound like PCOS but let’s get an ultrasound and see what’s going on with your ovaries”.  During the ultrasound it was found that although I did not have cysts, I did have enlarged ovaries.  But even with validation that I was right, I was told, just keep taking your Metformin and Spironolactone.  No specific diet, exercise regimen, or a "let me send you to a dietitian".  In 2007, this is about the year that I decided

enough is enough.  I changed my degree track and moved to a major in nutrition.  I thought "If I am struggling this much to find an answer and help, then there must be other women that are also struggling."  Throughout my education and career, it has become very apparent that PCOS is becoming more than just a syndrome, a mild hormone issue in “some” women.  The more garbage that women and their fetuses are exposed to in this world and our present environment, the more we are going to see an increase in PCOS.  This is the background on why I am so passionate about working with those with insulin resistance including PCOS and diabetes. 

There was an interview that was done between wholesome story and Dr. Melanie Cree, a pediatric endocrinologist who specializes in diabetes, prediabetes, PCOS, adolescent obesity, integrative physiology and general endocrinology.  I am not going to copy the entire interview over because it is all very pertinent information so I will share the link HERE if you would like to read her interview.  But what I will quote is the following PSA from Dr. Cree, “Cysts are not associated with PCOS. It’s [PCOS] the most confusing name ever.” She wants you to know that if you are diagnosed with ovarian cyst(s) or ovarian torsion, that doesn't mean you have PCOS. These kinds of cysts are almost never associated with PCOS. Whew!”

That being said, whether you have cystic ovaries or not, if you have these common symptoms, talk about them with your gynecologist and work with a dietitian that specializes in PCOS or hormonal dysfunction.  It does take a specific and precise regimen for each woman depending on your type and where you are in life.  We take every woman each, individually, and come up with a slow and steady plan to get you on track whether it is weight loss resistance or infertility.  We have a plan to assist you in your journey toward body transformation, body acceptance and hormonal health making you the healthiest version of YOU! 

Just to complete the story, this is one of our most recent pictures of the wonderful family God has blessed me with. I thank him everyday for giving me the ability to carry not only one, but two children, to be their mother, and to have patience through life's journey. Now as they build their own stories, I get to carry that love for guidance and support to my clients and help them. I love what I do and each story I hear about a life that has been changed puts a smile on my face and in my heart. Any current or future client that reads my story know that I may not know everything about everything but if I don't, I will find out. I have and continue to build a wonderful network of smart clinicians from therapists, nurse practitioners, endocrinologists, dietitians, gynecologists, as well as others to help continue to grow our team's knowledge to support you through your journey, whatever that may be.




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