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If you’re struggling with PCOS, it may not be easy to stay positive and patient all the time while making lifestyle and diet changes. At Natural Fertility Info, we understand this challenge.
It’s ok to give yourself a break and take time for quality self-care. In fact, it can actually help your fertility!
I have combined here for you a few of our favorite methods to relieve stress, encourage positive thinking and give yourself extra love while you’re working on a PCOS related fertility challenge.
Journal
I love journaling therapy! You will be amazed by how much you learn about yourself through journaling. Take five minutes each day to write in a journal. You don’t need to worry about spelling, grammar, or sentence structure. You can write in a special fertility journal or just use a simple notebook. The point is simply — to write.
Write about:
- your food choices
- what therapies you’re trying
- how you feel
- AND anything else that’s important
Hard days and setbacks feel daunting for anyone. Journaling regularly allows you to have a record of your hard work, the shifts in your health, and the practices that work the best for you. Journaling puts you on your list of priorities! It gives you a sacred space to express your thoughts and feelings during the process of building your fertility.
Try Relaxation Therapies
Enjoy some relaxation while you’re on your fertility journey. Have a massage treatment, go to the spa, or take a hot tub or sauna- whatever works best for you.
- Massage treatments relax tight muscles, and help normalize stress hormones like cortisol that tend to be imbalanced with PCOS.
- Sitting in a hot tub has been shown to help lower high blood sugar and improve circulation.
- Saunas are also helpful for blood sugar balance, and help your body release toxins that could impact fertility through increased sweating.
Utilize Aromatherapy
On high stress days, consider aromatherapy to relax and lighten your mood. Essential oils like:
- lavender and frankincense work fast to soothe stress
- lemon and ylang ylang can brighten your mood and give you more energy
- vanilla essential oil in a diffuser can help fight cravings (if your struggling with cravings for sweets)
Use essential oils judiciously. You only need a few drops. Add the oils of your choice to a diffuser and run for 15-20 minutes twice a day. You can also dilute essential oils with a carrier oil like jojoba or almond oil, and apply small amounts to your wrists, chest or temples for aromatherapy benefits. You can also enhance the benefits of Castor Oil Therapy with essential oils.
Sip Tea
Preparing and drinking your own relaxing tea blend is an easy way to manage PCOS stress. It doesn’t take much time at all, yet the rewards are great. Herbal nervines in a calming tea support nervous system health and reduce the intensity of high stress moments.
Here’s a PCOS Calming Tea recipe to try:
- 1/4 tsp. Chamomile
- 1/4 tsp. Spearmint
- 1/4 tsp. Catnip
- 1/4 tsp. Skullcap
Place the dried herbs in a tea ball or infuser. Add 8 oz of near boiling water. Let steep for 15 minutes and enjoy. Use a little stevia extract or raw honey if you like your tea sweet. Drinking 1-2 cups of a calming tea daily can soothe stress and improve your mindset.
Develop A Support System
With any challenging fertility health issue, it will be incredibly helpful to create your own PCOS health team with cheerleaders to keep you motivated and encouraged.
Working with a reproductive endocrinologist, medical doctor and fertility herbalist can be extremely helpful when dealing with a PCOS fertility challenge. Reach out to other women or couples addressing PCOS for more support and tips. Social media and fertility boards help you connect with people experiencing similar issues. Another woman with PCOS will benefit from your messages of support and encouragement, too. Here are a few resources we recommend:
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Facebook Youtube PCOS Foundation |
Soul Cysters |
Create & Recite Mantras
The power of positive affirmations cannot be overstated. Mantras have been used for at least 3,000 years, and are a powerful tool for empowerment. When we practice mantras daily, they become part of us and radiate positive energy through our bodies. They become a part of our experience and reality. They build self-confidence and instill faith in the body’s natural healing process.
Here are a few PCOS mantras to practice:
- I trust my ovaries will ovulate.
- The healthy changes I’m making are working.
- My body is supported.
- I am strong, healthy and fertile.
Meditate
Meditation has proven fertility benefits, and is an important tool for women addressing PCOS. Meditation takes the stress out of trying to conceive, giving you the opportunity to completely relax.
One of our favorite techniques is Circle + Bloom. Circle + Bloom is based on scientific research proving that stress has negative effects on fertility. It utilizes a proven method to create a mind-body connection to bring about real changes in the body. Be sure to check out the PCOS specific program that Circle + Bloom has developed.
Look for the Light on Your Path!
While you’re going through a PCOS challenge, know that you’re not alone. Acknowledge your hard work and perseverance. Reach out to your PCOS support system and ask for help when you need it. Set aside time for healthy mind-body therapies. A truly holistic approach to your health, addressing mind, body and spirit, offers the best success and greatest rewards! It’s also ok to take a break from time to time, and have a special meal with your family or friends. Stay encouraged and positive knowing the healthy changes you’re making are really working.
- Doss, A. (2013, May) Top Five Essential Oils for Stress Relief and How To Use Them. Natural News. Retrieved from: http://www.naturalnews.com/040462_essential_oils_stress_relief_Frankincense.html
- Can Soaking in A Hot Tub Help Type Two Diabetes (2016) Swim University. Retrieved from: https://www.swimuniversity.com/hot-tub-help-with-type-2-diabetes/
- Majewski, L. (2015, March) 9 Empowering Mantras To Shift Your Mindset. Retrieved from: http://www.sonima.com/meditation/mantras/
- Rodriguez, H. (2016) Mind and Body Therapies for Fertility. Natural Fertility Info. Retrieved from: http://natural-fertility-info.com/mind-and-body-therapies-for-fertility.html
- Willett, E. (2016) 4 Steps to Creating Affirmations for A Positively Fertile Life. Natural Fertility Info. Retrieved from: http://natural-fertility-info.com/creating-positive-affirmations.html
Sarah has worked in the field of natural foods and herbalism for over 20 years. She’s a published author, Certified Herbalist, and health and wellness consultant. Sarah Graduated from the Professional Herbal Studies from the East West School of Herbology, and holds a Bachelor’s Degree in English. Working with women on their journey to wellness is her passion and she loves to share what she has been blessed to learn from naturopaths and other herbalists over the years.
