By Mahak Arora
July 12, 2018
Last Updated on May 28, 2020

Ayurveda is much more than consuming herbal medicines. It is about living a healthy life by preventing or overcoming various medical conditions one may come across due to an unhealthy diet or environment. One of the conditions on a rise in women is PCOS (Polycystic Ovary Syndrome). Those who are looking for natural ways to get some relief from PCOS can go for Ayurvedic treatment, which includes a combination of herbs, therapies, and a healthy lifestyle to improve the condition.

Can Ayurveda Help Treat PCOS?

Ayurveda is quite effective for PCOS treatment. Ayurvedic treatment of PCOS involves the use of herbs to boost fertility and maintain a balance of hormones. It also requires you to go through various types of therapies and maintain a balanced diet. All these play a vital role in overcoming PCOS-related problems.

What Causes Polycystic Ovary Syndrome According to Ayurveda?

Ayurveda claims that the human body has three types of forces (doshas) in it, namely, vatta, pitta, and kapha. They are the three principal doshas which circulate within the body and aid in performing vital bodily functions. An interruption in the harmony of these forces (doshas) of energy become the cause of diseases.

According to Ayurveda, both men and women, have Shukra Dhatu (semen), which is essential to keep the reproductive health in check. It consists of androgen (male) and estrogen (female) hormones. Any imbalance in the levels of these hormones may cause infertility.

PCOS has multifaceted etiopathogenesis. It can be a result of stress, disturbance in HPO axis, hyperandrogenaemia, or some genetic causes. Usually, an imbalance of hormones in women causes excessive secretion of androgens, causing the formation of cysts in the ovaries, which is medically known as Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS).

Dos and Don’ts for PCOS Patients According to Ayurveda

Just like in the case of any other treatment, Ayurvedic treatments require you to follow certain parameters for an effective treatment. Given below are some dos and don’ts for PCOS patients.

- It is recommended that you cut down on the intake of milk and milk products with the exception of buttermilk.

- It’s better to opt for low-fat milk. Ensure that you boil the milk before consuming it. You may want to add a pinch of ginger or turmeric before boiling it to decrease the Kapha increasing quality of milk.

- Follow a natural sleep pattern, and refrain from sleeping in the afternoon as it may interrupt your sleep cycle in the night.

- Say goodbye to all sorts of junk food.

- It’s advisable to restrict the consumption of red meat, deep-fried food. However, you may feast on fish

- Sugar-based products are considered unhealthy, as sugar increases Kapha. You may want to opt for honey instead, which is believed to reduce Kapha. Women with PCOS must limit their sweet consumption, but balance the excess calorie intake with workouts and yoga.

- You must consume flax seeds, almond, pine nuts, chilgoza, hazelnuts walnut pistachios are good. one should consume.

- Consuming potatoes or sweet potatoes in low to moderate quantities. Excessive consumption can cause weight gain and affect the blood sugar levels.

- It is recommended that you avoid undertaking any physical or mental work that can cause undue stress.

- Restrict your use of oral or hormonal contraceptives.

- It’s recommended that you have a balanced, high fibre diet with low glycemic index (GI). Also include natural and unprocessed foods. whole grains, legumes sprouts, low carbohydrate foods, fish, green leafy vegetables, healthy fats like coconut oil, extra virgin olive oil, and berries like grapes, blueberry, and blackberries.