College life is as exciting as it is stressful. We learn how to manage time by wasting a great deal of it, how to take on a healthy lifestyle after going through a period of ramen-based diets, and how to balance our social and personal life when both feel unattainable. However, growing into the ideal collegiate can be difficult to manage when our health is on the line.
One out of every ten women, like myself, is diagnosed with a health problem called Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome; PCOS, for short. It is a condition that affects women’s ovaries and ovulation cycle, creating a hormone imbalance. Its most notable symptoms, according to Stephanie Watson’s Healthline article “Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS): Symptoms, Causes, and Treatment” are cysts in the ovaries, a higher production of testosterone, and skipping or irregular menstrual periods.
This hormone irregularity can result in difficulty getting pregnant, the thinning or losing of hair in the scalp area, an excess of unwanted corporal and facial hair growth, and patches of dark, thickened skin on the neck, armpits, or between breasts. Women’s Health informs that studies have found links between PCOS and other health problems such as diabetes, high blood pressure, unhealthy cholesterol, sleep apnea, depression, anxiety, and endometrial cancer. This means it’s important to take care of ourselves as best as we can and consult our doctors to ensure our quality of life, especially if we want to be able to face the academic challenges and opportunities college life offers.
Although there is no cure for Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome, its symptoms can be managed with the help of a specialist and a change, for the better, in our lifestyles. Here are a few pointers that have helped me and millions of young women feel powerful and resilient again:
Step 1: You are what you eat
Academics can take a lot out of us, but it is important we maintain a healthy and constant metabolism, which can be done by eating our six daily meals. These consists of three full meals and three nutritious snacks. Eat an apple on you way to class, some hearty trail mix, or a protein bar.
The following are a few recommendations by the internationally renowned fertility specialist Gabriela Rosa from her website, Natural Fertility Breakthrough:
-
Base your meals on organic vegetables and protein.
-
Avoid all fried foods, trans fats and hydrogenated fats (heated vegetable oil has been shown to reduce ovulation potential in women with PCOS by as much as 73%).
-
Cut out sugary and high glycaemic foods as much as possible.
-
Avoid packaged and processed foods.
-
Drink LOTS of water! Hydration is a key element in the functionality of our systems.
Step 2: Stay Active!
Exercise plays a huge role in metabolic function and in balancing your hormones. It’s also a fantastic outlet for relieving stress, and you’ll feel great when you finish. You could go jogging, go for a swim, take a dance class, or even walk your dog at the park or around campus. Just 30-45 minutes a day creates a huge impact and if you don’t want to do it alone, get a friend to be your workout buddy! Be each others’ moral support.
Step 3: Stick to your Treatment
PCOS is unlikely to go away for good, but correct treatment can help minimize its symptoms. Some of the most common medicines used to treat this irregularity include hormonal birth control, anti-androgen medicines, and Metformin. These help by regulating menstrual cycles, reducing hair loss, lowering insulin and androgen levels, and restarting ovulation.
Step 4: Take care of YOU
It is during times like these that we have to pick up our crowns and keep our heads held high. We are all incredible and unmatched human beings, regardless of what complications or situations we face. It is crucial we stop treating ourselves like punching bags and start being kinder, because no one in this world is quite like us. Take a day for yourself. If not a day, some time. Watch a show you like, give yourself a facial, take a well-deserved nap, read a book, or hang out with friends. College is for sure one of the craziest and most memorable periods of our lives. We have to be okay, both physically and mentally, in order to enjoy this and the rest of life’s gifts to the fullest.