Polycystic ovarian syndrome

It is estimated that up to 8-13% of women suffer from polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) and although a specific cause has not been identified, four out of every five women suffer from insulin resistance. Women may be prescribed the oral contraceptive pill to regulate their cycle, however, that suppresses ovulation and often worsens insulin resistance. Natural fertility specialist Aviva Romm claims that “if a patient falls into the categories of being overweight or obese, this therapy (oral contraceptive pill) is relatively contraindicated”.

Nikki Warren, fertility naturopath and founder of NaturoBest, experienced this herself. A battle with polycystic ovarian syndrome, and then an unpleasant experience with morning sickness, fuelled Nikki’s passion towards naturopathy and then on to designing her own prenatal supplement range. Nikki tells us more… My journey began after commencing the contraceptive pill when I was 27. I started piling on the weight and acne appeared on my chin. As a result, I decided to come off it a couple of months later. After coming off the pill, my period didn’t return, I continued to rapidly gain weight to a total of 10 kilograms, and the acne on my chin only compounded the damage to my self-esteem. Over the next 12 months my period still hadn’t returned and I saw specialist after specialist before turning to complementary medicine. I saw a homeopath, an acupuncturist and finally a naturopath. I was feeling pretty despondent by that time. The naturopath formulated a liquid herbal mixture for me and within three weeks my period returned, the acne started to clear and over the next few months I lost several kilograms. I could not believe the outstanding results, it inspired me to study naturopathy myself. That year, while studying and working full time as a flight attendant, I conceived my daughter. In hindsight, my unplanned pregnancy was probably the best thing that could’ve happened to me. Being a single mum was tough, but the fast-paced lifestyle I led as a flight attendant prior to my pregnancy, was certainly not good for my health. Working night shifts on long-haul flights in early pregnancy was a struggle in itself, let alone dealing with morning sickness. I spent many days in hotel rooms hovering over the toilet bowl and none of the natural remedies I tried seemed to help.

Nine years later I was married and ready to prepare for my second pregnancy. By this time I had studied for six years and earned a Diploma in Naturopathy, an Advanced Diploma in Herbal Medicine and a Bachelor of Health Science. As part of the degree course, I undertook extensive research into morning sickness and discovered some insights I had never heard of in my five years of working as a fertility naturopath. With this pregnancy, my husband and I followed a preconception care plan and I fell pregnant with my second child straight away. I designed and had made by a compounding pharmacist, a prenatal vitamin that also reduced morning sickness. It worked so well for me and subsequently my clients, that I knew I had to take it to the market.

Sometimes a woman may suffer from irregular periods for reasons other than PCOS and this can be extremely distressing to her, especially if she is trying to conceive. The herbs contained in our Cycle & Skin Support are not specific to PCOS and may be used by any woman suffering from an irregular cycle. As a fertility naturopath, I’ve helped thousands of couples, over more than a decade in clinical practice, realise their dream of a baby. My top advice: If a brand is selling tablets rather than capsules you know they are putting profit margins ahead of quality. Tablets are cheap to manufacture and contain a lot of excipients including colourings in the film coating. We have chosen vegan-friendly capsules and all our formulas are low in excipients. This makes it more expensive to manufacture but as somebody who suffers from allergies myself, I wanted to make sure the NaturoBest range was as free of nasties and allergens as possible.

“My aim was to help as many other women as possible on a much larger scale than I could in my clinic, so NaturoBest was born.”

Nikki’s top tips for managing PCOS

• Eat a diet with plenty of protein and good fats and low in carbohydrates.

• Eat organically as much as possible, especially meat, dairy, fruit and vegetables.

• Avoid plastic. Drink from a glass or glass water bottle and avoid plastic wrap and containers.

• Drink 2-3 litres of filtered water daily.

• Eliminate soft drinks and other sugary foods such as lollies and biscuits.

• Add cinnamon to smoothies or protein shakes to help stabilise blood sugar.

• Reduce alcohol to an occasional treat or better still, eliminate altogether.

• Quit drinking coffee and switch to tea instead.

• Drink herbal teas instead of caffeinated drinks. Try licorice tea or spearmint tea – both are yummy and beneficial for PCOS.

• Learn all you can about eating low GI foods and lowering the glycaemic index of your meal by food combining.

• Take a high-quality multivitamin such as NaturoBest’s Preconception Multi for Women along with a calcium and magnesium supplement.

• Have blood tests every three months with a fertility naturopath, herbalist, or nutritionist to monitor your progress.

Nikki Warren is a degree qualified Naturopath and Medical Herbalist and the founder of NaturoBest, a prenatal and preconception supplement range that changes as your requirements evolve according to your trimester. naturobest.com