Medling - Healing PCOS: a 21-day plan for reclaiming your health and life with polycystic ovary syndrome

This book contains advice and information relating to health care. It should be used to supplement rather than replace the advice of your doctor or another trained health professional. If you know or suspect you have a health problem, it is recommended that you seek your physicians advice before embarking on any medical program or treatment. All efforts have been made to assure the accuracy of the information contained in this book as of the date of publication. This publisher and the author disclaim liability for any medical outcomes that may occur as a result of applying the methods suggested in this book.

The names and identifying characteristics of certain individuals discussed in this book have been changed to protect their privacy.

HEALING PCOS. Copyright 2018 by Amy Medling. All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the nonexclusive, nontransferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, downloaded, decompiled, reverse-engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereafter invented, without the express written permission of HarperCollins e-books.

FIRST EDITION

Front cover design: Laura Beers Design

Front cover image: Violet Gin | Shutterstock

The quotation is from A Deep Breath of Life, 1996 by Alan Cohen, used with permission from Hay House, Inc., Carlsbad, CA.

The quotation is from The Book of Awakening, 2000 by Mark Nepo, used with permission from Red Wheel Weiser, LLC, Newburyport, MA, www.redwheelweiser.com.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Names: Medling, Amy, author.

Title: Healing PCOS : a 21-day plan for reclaiming your health and life with polycystic ovary syndrome / Amy Medling.

Description: First edition. | New York, NY : HarperOne, 2018 | Includes bibliographical references and index.

Identifiers: LCCN 2017056609

Subjects: LCSH: Polycystic ovary syndromeTreatmentPopular works.

Classification: LCC RG480.S7 M43 2018 | DDC 618.1/1dc23 LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2017056609

Digital Edition MAY 2018 ISBN: 978-0-06-274818-8

Print ISBN: 978-0-06-274816-4

Version 0402018

I met health coach and PCOS Diva Amy Medling online when she invited me to speak on a PCOS Diva podcast. I had heard wonderful things about her from my patients with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), who praised Amys inspiring website and coaching. I was delighted to finally meet Amy in person in Atlanta at the 2016 PCOS Challenge Conference. Amy is a serene and peaceful woman who radiates love and intelligence.

According to the Androgen Excess and PCOS Society, PCOS affects 5 to 15 percent of women worldwide. PCOS is associated with multiple symptoms ranging from irregularly spaced menstrual periods to hair loss, weight gain, and elevated blood pressure. In spite of the wide array of symptoms, PCOS is commonly regarded as a reproductive disorder, and most women with it are prescribed the birth control pill. However, no birth control pill can prevent metabolic problems or the development of type 2 diabetes. Furthermore, the role of a healthy lifestyle cannot be underestimated. American medicine is not equipped to provide the support for a healthy lifestyle in the broadest sense with regard to nutrition, movement, and spiritual health.

Derived from her own experience, Amys approach to PCOS stems from a health-based point of view rather than the disease-based paradigm of conventional medicine. Where conventional medical treatment is designed to pursue the enemy with a well-aimed bullet, Amy coaches about the fundamentals of self-care and the importance of eating well, moving regularly, and maintaining a positive mindset. This is not to say that medication cant help PCOS, but without self-care the effect of medication is minimal.

Healing PCOS is an informative and inspiring step-by-step guide to learning to cherish yourself. Before you jump into changes in diet and exercise, Amy asks you to be mindful, create goals, and change the way you talk to yourself. With love and acceptance, she reminds readers that powerful women are not victims.

Katherine D. Sherif, MD

Director, Jefferson Womens Primary Care;

Professor and Vice Chair, Department of Medicine, Thomas Jefferson University

Amy Medling and I share the same mission: to help women with PCOS optimize their health and take control of their lives. If you are among them, we want you to feel strong, vibrant, joyful, and self-assured so that you can achieve your personal goals. Im confident that reading Healing PCOS and following the plan Amy outlines in it will help set you on a path to health and healing.

Like Amy, I also have PCOS and had to travel my own path of self-discovery to find my way to health and joy. I experienced many of the same letdowns she did and had to self-diagnose, despite seeing world-class doctors at a major university medical school. Now we both take an integrative and holistic approach to the treatment of PCOS.

As a physician, board certified in both OB/GYN and Integrative Medicine, with a special expertise in PCOS, I order an array of tests to evaluate my patients inflammation, immune, and nutrient status; food allergies and sensitivities; gut microbiome; epigenetics; heavy metals and toxic load; and hormonal levels. But all the fancy tests in the world will have no real value for you if you do not address stress control, adequate and quality sleep, proper nutrition, and regular movement and fitness. In addition, embracing the concepts of living in the moment and having self-love is absolutely crucial for optimal health. The advice contained in Healing PCOS is the very foundation of care for women with PCOS, offering you the tools to take control of your health, your body, and your life.

I wish I could see you a month from now, after you have completed Amys program. I know you will feel better, with renewed joy and optimism. All best wishes on your journey!

Felice L. Gersh, MD

Board Certified in OB/GYN and Integrative Medicine;

Medical Director, Integrative Medical Group of Irvine

One evening about ten years ago, my husband and I were at a steak house for dinner. As I placed my order, I asked our server some questions about the loaded baked potato that came with my meal.

Does it come with butter? I inquired.