Home Remedies to Regulate Periods if You Have PCOS

Move over pills, tears and therapy! The solution to irregular periods may be closer home.

Indian trains, Indian rains and periods while on PCOS—it is the arrival of these three things that one perhaps has no control on. A little like Bhuvan and his friends waited every summer for the rains in Lagaan, so do us sufferers of the “PCOS problem”, wondering when these uterine clouds will finally burst and a period shall come? *SIGH*

Drama, aside, Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome or PCOS, is a hormonal disorder characterised primarily by three symptoms:

• Elevated testosterone levels that lead to excess and unwanted hair on the face, neck, etc; aka more gaalis from your parlour didi.
• Cysts on your ovaries that may lead to delayed periods or trouble conceiving, aka more “Bachha kab aane wala hai?”-type questions from colony aunties.
• And, irregular periods that, like your kaamwali bai may come on time, or may disappear completely for days at a time.

Now, before you begin to panic—here’s us sliding in to remind you that since PCOS is a lifestyle disorder, PCOS treatment very often involves just a few basic changes in eating and exercise habits. So, what do you need to do to solve your PCOS-caused irregular periods problems?

Here’s a list of DIY PCOS solutions that need nothing more than kitchen ingredients and a little time for yourself:

PCOS SOLUTION #1: Papayas and Pineapple: 

Double-oh-Seven may have had martinis, but what you need to have to shake things with your PCOS problem is the juice of unripe papaya. Fix it up in the blender on all days apart from actual period days and watch papaya help contract uterine muscle fibres.

What you can also do (especially when feeling prickly) is to slice in some pineapple, which has the anti-inflammatory enzyme bromelain, which reportedly helps soften the lining of the uterus inducing periods.

Going tropical also helps boost your fruit intake—important, because it’s recommended you have about 400gm every day.

PCOS SOLUTION #2: Apple Cider Vinegar

We know this isn’t what you think of when we say shots—but 1/8th a cup of bitter-sour apple cider vinegar may help regulate menstruation by acting on your hormonal and metabolic indices. Apple Cider Vinegar helps lose weight, lower blood sugar and insulin levels; and can be a little more palatable when mixed in with water and a tablespoon of honey.

PCOS SOLUTION #3: Vitamins B and D

Next up, we’ve told you about the bitter, now—the pill.

Vitamin D and B, found in milk, chicken and red meat, fish, green leafy vegetables and egg yolks can help regulate your periods.

Vitamin D helps the body absorb calcium effectively and not consuming enough can lead to irregular periods, especially in women suffering from PCOS. Vitamin D also helps prevent diseases, aids weight loss and helps alleviate depression. Vitamin B meanwhile helps regulate the risk of premenstrual symptoms (PMS) and is often prescribed to women trying to conceive.

PCOS SOLUTION #4: Spices!

The British wanted these, and your period does too!

Terrible jokes apart, you may want to bring out the cinnamon to help reduce menstrual pain, heavy bleeding and PMS-caused nausea. A teaspoon of powdered cinnamon mixed in which a glass of milk can both be tasty, soothing and sync up your flow.

Cumin and turmeric—soaked overnight and consumed the next morning, meanwhile can help to balance hormones; relieve mood swings, spasms and inflammation.

Lastly ginger, too, can help regulate cycles, reduce pain and the amount of blood lost during periods. How to have ginger? Boil about a tablespoon for five minutes, add sugar and drink it up thrice a day. In case you’re our type, you could also add it to your chai!

PCOS SOLUTION #5: EXERCISE

And finally, it all boils down to putting on one’s tracks and getting 3 to 5 hours of moderate-intensity exercise every week. Exercising has been known to help improve period irregularities due to PCOS and reduce period pain. Doctors often recommend exercising as a part of one’s PCOS treatment.

What this may also help with it getting those super-hot collarbones!

Okay, so, to conclude, remember that PCOS treatment is more often than not a mixed bag of efforts over one drug or medication. While options 1-4 are based largely on anecdotal evidence, exercising and getting one’s diet right can truly help work wonders!

Best of luck then! Write to us and keep us updated about your progress in these areas. 🙂