Polycystic Ovary Syndrome
PCOS is the most common hormonal disorder seen in women, and it can have a profound impact on a woman’s health, both physical and mental. It’s little wonder that so many women with PCOS feel like they’re on a dieting merry-go-round.
For years, the prevailing medical advice has been to lose weight in order to ‘treat’ the condition. But as any woman who has ever been on a diet knows, losing weight is no easy feat – and it’s even harder when you’re dealing with hormonal issues. Not to mention the fact that most diets are ineffective in the long term. In fact, some women find that their weight actually increases after starting a diet, due to the way that restrictive eating can trigger disordered eating patterns and yo-yo dieting.
The root cause of PCOS is still not fully understood, but it is thought to be linked to hormonal imbalance and low-level chronic inflammation. While there is no cure for PCOS, the condition and the associated symptoms can be managed through lifestyle changes.
It is a complex condition that presents differently in every woman. It can cause a range of symptoms, from irregular periods and weight gain to fertility problems and excessive hair growth. There is no one-size-fits-all approach to managing PCOS. I will work with you to design a personalised plan that meets your unique needs and helps you achieve your desired results.
Let's work together to:
- Reduce mood swings, tiredness and ‘brain fog’
- Prevent weight gain or achieve weight loss, especially around your abdomen
- Reduce carbohydrate cravings and comfort-eating
- Regulate your periods and increase chances of ovulation (important for fertility)
- Improve digestive symptoms
- Increase your confidence in nourishing yourself well.
Managing PCOS is a uniquely personal journey, and there's no one-size-fits-all solution. I'm here to tailor our consultations to your strengths and challenges. Here's a glimpse into some of the common themes we often explore:
- Understanding your unique PCOS type and its related symptoms
- Personalised nutrition advice to alleviate your specific symptoms by getting to the root causes
- Examining your lifestyle choices, from sleep and stress management to physical activity, alcohol intake, and exposure to environmental toxins, and how they influence your hormones
- Identifying supplements backed by evidence to improve your individual PCOS symptoms
- Assessing your risk of developing complications related to PCOS and providing personalised recommendations to mitigate these risks.
Additional options:
- Blood test to look at abnormalities common in PCOS (£120)
- Flash blood glucose monitoring if pre-diabetes/ insulin resistance (£100)
Monika is sharp, attentive, and uniquely supportive. I worked with her for six solid months and have seen real breakthroughs in my body image perception and relationship with food. I feel capable of trusting myself and less driven by shame or anxiety. There IS freedom and joy when it comes to eating and nourishing our bodies, and Monika is an excellent guide to getting there. I truly could not recommend her more.
Working with Monika has been the best decision I made this year! I have PCOS and an underactive thyroid and had been struggling to lose weight for nearly a decade. I had two early miscarriages in late 2021 and early 2022 and had not been able to fall pregnant since. Since working with Monika, I now have a deeper understanding of how to support my body, my cycles are getting more regular and I'm losing weight more consistently. I am so much confident in my body too and I know what to focus on going forwards! The support and accountability Monika provides is incredible and I highly recommend her services.
Working with Monika is one of the best investments I could made in myself. I contacted her because I was experiencing stomach pains and was feeling low and desperate. After years of yo-yo dieting and binge eating Monika has helped me to understand how to nourish my body and eat healthily. I feel so much happier and in control now and have the knowledge I need to maintain a healthy way of eating. Thank you so much Monika!
I decided to go ahead with Monikas PCOS programme after lots of consideration and I'm glad I did! Monika has been great to work with and has approached everything with the sensitivity I haven't been able to get from GPs, whose only solution for me was to "lose weight". With the onslaught of info found online, it's hard to stay motivated to do anything, especially when it all seems like it's unachievable unless I flip my whole life around, but right from the beginning, Monika set achievable goals and took things step by step, so I didn't feel overwhelmed. Towards the end of the programme, I noticed that my period had come 10 days early than usual which it hasn't done for many years, and I even managed to lose 2 kgs and stay there! Monika really helped me take a closer look at my eating habits and how my stress was also affecting things, but I know that even though I may momentarily have a couple bad weeks, I know exactly what I need to do to get back on track and since I've already done it once, I know I can do it again!
