PCOS and Sex Hormones

Jen Knutson
adenomyosis, amenorrhea, endometriosis, fibroids, hormone health, hormones, PCOS, The Healthy Hormone Method
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The PC in PCOS stands for polycystic, which simply means many cysts.

These cysts are actually follicles that contain immature eggs.

The problem is that they never mature enough to trigger ovulation to occur….and this means that progesterone and oestrogen levels are going to decrease.

But, it is progesterone that suffers big time! You have to ovulate to produce progesterone!!

Progesterone is pro-gestation. You have to have enough of it to fall pregnant & sustain the pregnancy. This is one reason infertility is such a big issue with PCOS.

I still remember when I was given my PCOS diagnosis. The doctor literally said that I had PCOS and that I was infertile, would never have children and that IVF wouldn't be an option for me. I was 28.

And while I have never been particularly maternal, I always wanted to be the one to make that choice, not have it taken away from me! Great news is that I have healed to where I can now have children should I choose...and I believe you can too!

Now, some women with PCOS can also have oestrogen dominance occurring because their progesterone levels are so low. I did!

There has to be a balance between progesterone and oestrogen. If progesterone is too low, even if oestrogen is at the right level, the body perceives it to be oestrogen dominant.

Oestrogen dominant symptoms include:

Bloating and/or Oedema
Painful and/or Heavy Periods
Mittelschmerz (ovulation pain)
Headaches or Migraines
Weight Gain
- Difficult to shift
- Prominent around the lower abdomen, hips, bum & thighs
Irritability
Anxiety
Depression
Dysphoria (general dissatisfaction with life)
Low Libido
Hair Loss
Memory Problems

I, personally, had oestrogen dominance with my PCOS and also have an oestrogen dominant condition, adenomyosis. Thankfully my recent tests show everything is in balance, my PCOS is in remission and my adenomyosis is naturally managed.

Other oestrogen dominant conditions include:

Endometriosis
Uterine Fibroids
And in some cases PCOS

While it is very common, oestrogen dominance doesn't always occur with PCOS.

In some women, their oestrogen levels are low as well because aromatisation isn’t happening!

This is where some testosterone pushes through and converts to oestrogen. If that doesn't happen, then oestrogen can be low, but testosterone is high.

This is one of the factors behind women with PCOS having high testosterone.

The only way to know if this is happening is through testing. It is one of the big reasons I recommend & use saliva hormone testing with my clients.

If you are in Australia or NZ and want a saliva test done, just shoot me a DM.

**Remember, if you are one of the first 3 to enrol in my online program, The Healthy Hormone Method, I am going to pay for your cortisol and sex hormone testing! That's $225 worth of testing FREE!!

Not only that, but by entering the code HHWJ, you also get 20% off the program!

This offer is first in best dressed and ends of Oct 10th, 2021 as we are getting started on The Healthy Hormone Method Oct 11th!

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MEET JEN

Hello! Thank you popping by! I’m Jen. I'm a wife, a furmama to two gorgeous dogs, a Naturopath, Nutritionist, and an advocate for natural ways to support physical and emotional wellbeing. Oh, and I’m a CEO!

My journey originally started in Psychology. You see, when I was 16 my father took his own life after suffering years of a debilitating gambling addiction. I did a Bachelor’s in Psych as I wanted to understand why he made the choices that he did. I also wanted to ensure that I never went down that path and also help those suffering as he did. I loved it so much I went on to do a Masters.

It was during that time I got sick. I’m talking woke up one morning and couldn’t get out of bed, sick. For many years I felt helpless and frustrated!

Let me back up for a second. Prior to this life consisted of pain and fatigue. I had digestive issues and IBS from childhood. Through my teens and early 20's I was getting 2-3 migraines a month around my cycle and headaches more than half the month. My periods we very painful – I had to miss work or school the first 1-2 days. I would literally lie on the floor or the bed curled in the foetal position and cry from the pain. I could easily talk a full packet of Ibuprofen and still not get much relief.

Then, at 26, my period stopped altogether and things went downhill fast! For the first time in my life I was feeling apathetic and overwhelmed. Over the course of the next two years I was diagnosed with a host of conditions – are you ready for the laundry list? The first diagnosis was PCOS. I was told that I was infertile, that I would never have children, and that IVF wasn’t an option for me. I was also told that I was pre-diabetic, that my liver was worse than an alcoholic’s (and I don’t drink), that I had migraine disorder, vertigo, and adrenal fatigue. The cherry on the cake was a diagnosis of Hashimoto’s at 28.

I was in complete and utter shock. I couldn’t fathom that a 28-year-old Personal Trainer, who looked fit and healthy on the outside, could be in such disarray on the inside.

Over the two years I saw five doctors and a Naturopath and nothing improved.

And then one day a friend and I got in touch. She told me to change my diet and take specific supplements. I figured I had nothing to lose, and so I did! I went onto a low-carb diet and was taking upward of 30-40 pills a day…and guess what?! Three months later my period started!! How incredible is that?!

Over the next two years all of my health ailments rectified! Well, all except my Hashi’s – more on that in a minute. My cycles became clockwork, they were manageable, the migraines and vertigo disappeared and my liver and blood sugar levels returned to the normal range! How exciting is that?! The best part, I can now have children should I choose! Having that option is incredible!

Of course I was so excited and inspired that I had to go to school and study Nutritional Medicine and Naturopathy.

Now, let’s talk about my Hashi’s. That only went into remission when my toxic load was decreased. That was a lightbulb moment for me and the moment I got fired up to share with others the importance of leading a low-tox life. I love educating people where toxins are found, what impact they have on physical and emotional wellbeing, and what products to replace them with to support your wellbeing.

I sincerely believe that many of my health issues would not have presented if I were living a low-tox life. My Hashi’s has been in remission since I was 31 and I am so proud to say that! Praise God!

Life is so different to what it was 10 years ago. I have the energy and the mental capacity to engage in life! I am present and am thriving. Oh, and I laugh! I actually laugh out loud, something that eluded me for many years.

I am happy and healthy and it is my mission to help YOU be the happy, healthy person you are meant to be!

I would love for you to join our exclusive community and learn how you too can find freedom from physical and emotional barriers. I look forward to seeing you there!

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PCOS and Sex Hormones

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