PCOS | transforming my health from the inside out naturally

Key Wellness Strategies & Self-Care / Productivity Tips Discussed

1) Understand your PCOS / “PMOS” diagnosis (and advocate for yourself)

• PCOS was renamed to PMOS (polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome) to better reflect insulin/metabolic impacts—not just ovarian cysts.
• She emphasizes the importance of education and asking doctors the right questions, particularly about treatment options.

2) Use a “natural, no band-aid” approach (with transparency)

• She personally avoided:
  • GLP-1s (e.g., Ozempic)
  • peptides
  • metformin
  • birth control
• She still supports that medication can be valid—her key point is choosing an educated, personalized plan.
• Her “natural” approach took longer, and she values consistency over quick fixes.

3) Early symptom recognition (when to seek help)

Red flags she listed from her experience:

• Lost period / no cycle
• Rapid weight gain (about 30 lb in ~3 months)
• Acne
• Hair loss
• Fatigue
• Chronic bloating/swelling and discomfort after eating
• Mood/mental health changes

Action guidance:

• If symptoms aren’t “normal,” she recommends booking with a functional/integrative medicine doctor and getting the right testing.

4) Diet strategy for hormonal healing (individualize + test first)

Core approach:

• Get food sensitivity testing/lab testing (she used an MRT test).
• Remove sensitivities that may drive inflammation or poor digestion.
• Initially remove common triggers:
  • gluten and dairy
  • refined sugar
  • alcohol
  • caffeine
• Choose whole foods over “healthy” processed snacks:
  • She warns that “gluten-free/dairy-free” packaged snacks can still contain problematic ingredients.
• Reduce bloating triggers she noticed:
  • Too many raw vegetables early on
  • Too many fermented foods
  • prebiotic sodas / carbonation
  • When bloating is an issue, she switches to tea and water

She also mentions a hormone-friendly recipe ebook (gluten-/dairy-free, refined-sugar-free).

5) Insulin resistance & weight loss: “blood sugar balancing meals”

Meal-building template (repeatable):

• Each meal should include:
  • Protein
  • Fiber
  • Healthy fats
• Rotate your favorites by food group (examples):
  • Protein: e.g., ground beef
  • Fiber/carbs: e.g., sweet potato (or quinoa / low-glycemic grains)
  • Fat: e.g., avocado
• She often pairs fruit with meat and uses sweet potato frequently.

6) Hair loss support: protein + stress/sleep + targeted supplements

• She found protein helped thicken hair.
• Later, she used Nutrafol.
• Biggest “foundation” levers:
  • Stress management
  • Sleep
  • Continued dietary improvements

7) Gut health for candida / leaky gut: test-driven “kill/repair”

She frames gut work as addressing:

• Candida overgrowth
• leaky gut

Supplement approach (doctor-recommended, not self-prescribed):

• Liquid Biocidin
• Candibactin AR
• Candibactin BR

Nutrition guidance:

• Avoid “feeding” candida:
  • yeast
  • alcohol
  • sugar
• She emphasizes that gut health is an umbrella and that self-diagnosing without data makes progress harder.
• Testing she recommends/used:
  • Stool tests (and sometimes blood tests)

Gut-lining support mentioned:

• Bone broth (proline/glycine rich)
• L-glutamine powder

8) Practical bloating “reset” checklist (2–3 day improvements)

When bloating starts, she uses:

• Hydrate with water only (temporarily skip carbonation)
• Warm, nourishing meals
  • reduce raw veggies / big salads if they irritate your stomach
• Avoid processed snacks
  • pause items like protein bars / heavy protein powders
• Reduce caffeine
• Relaxation + lymph support:
  • sauna
  • legs-up-the-wall
  • lymphatic stomach massage
• Mindful eating:
  • slow down
  • chew thoroughly
  • be present during meals

9) Belly fat + PCOS: address insulin resistance and cortisol rhythms

Her main explanation:

• PCOS can affect how the body stores fat, especially when insulin resistance is involved.

Weight-loss tips:

• Prioritize blood sugar balancing meals
• Use low-impact workouts:
  • walking
  • hot yoga
• Support natural cortisol patterns:
  • aim for natural morning elevation
  • and a natural dip before bed
• She emphasizes that stress and sleep regulation are part of weight outcomes.

10) Progress tracking beyond the scale (mindset shift)

She recommends tracking hormone-health progress using non-scale indicators:

• Skin glow
• Better sleep
• Less stress
• Thicker hair
• More regular cycle

Timeline she reported:

• After correcting habits with her integrative doctor, she noticed weight changes in 3–6 months
• Lost about 30 lb and maintained for over 6 years

Consistency over speed:

• Natural approaches took longer but were maintainable and less likely to lead to relapse.

11) Cycle syncing + workout adjustments

• Education resource: In the Flow by Alyssa Vitti

Workout strategy by cycle phase (what she does):

• Menstrual + luteal phases: focus on low-impact
  • walking, gentle strength
  • avoid running/HIIT
• Follicular/ovulatory: higher intensity is more acceptable
  • can include HIIT/run if desired

She also highlights:

• Red raspberry leaf tea
• Reducing caffeine/alcohol
• Foods rich in iron, omega-3, magnesium
• Cycle syncing helped reduce painful periods

12) Anxiety + mental health: nervous system regulation and validation

• She reports anxiety tied to hormonal changes and to feeling dismissed/isolated.
• Anxiety, in her framing, isn’t “in your head”—PCOS can impact:
  • progesterone, androgens, cortisol, estrogen, insulin
• Early physical anxiety symptoms included:
  • chest tightness
  • overstimulation in social situations
• She uses a holistic approach, including nervous system regulation through lifestyle changes.

13) Supplements she took (and no overdoing)

She warns supplements can become confusing and counterproductive without testing.

Supplements listed:

• Myo & D-chiro inositol
• Magnesium (still taking nightly)
• Omega-3 fish oil (still taking daily)
• Candibactin AR/BR (for candida; not currently taking)
• Liquid Biocidin (for candida overgrowth)
• L-glutamine powder
• MCT oil

14) Non-negotiables to avoid (her “keep you feeling good” list)

Top avoid/limit items:

• Alcohol (especially during healing)
• Sugar (she credits improvements in skin, digestion, sleep, and mood)
• Stress (as much as possible)
• Bad sleep

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Presenters / Sources Mentioned

• Gracie (video creator/presenter)
• Alyssa Vitti (author of In the Flow; referenced as her cycling education resource and podcast guest)
• Integrated/functional medicine doctors (as sources for guidance/testing; no specific names given)
• Candibactin AR / Candibactin BR
• Liquid Biocidin
• Nutrafol
• MRT test / MRT testing (testing methodology referenced)