I also share a similar journey. Diagnosed with PCOS couple of years back. That time we were not actively trying to conceive but also not preventing. Since last 1yr we have been trying actively and also started consulting doctor. I have already tried 5 cycles of Letrozole and ovulated but no pregnancy. This cycle I am doing SO-IUI at kkh. Tomorrow 1st follicular scan on CD6.
May I know how did you discover about the environmental toxins? Can you also share the lifestyle changes you have done?
Good luck!!
I work in the US and therefore had the chance to do some bloodwork (bloodtests) to test for toxin load in my body (chlorine, mercury, heavy metals etc). During that time, I was really frustrated as doctors just kept telling me I am stressed but couldn’t tell me what to do. However, I was really ok at work and wasn’t like exactly stressed. Honestly, you won’t need bloodwork to tell you that you have toxins in your body. It is a fact that we all have... The air we breathe, the water we drink.. The chemicals that is all floating all around. All of these enter through our pores and body. You cannot get rid of it 100% but you can still reduce it very significantly.
These are the major steps I took:
1. Stopped using plastic as much as I can (if it’s takeaway food usually no choice). However, I rarely eat takeaway food. Never ever heat food in plastic.
2. Majority of my meals are home prepared. My diet also consist of more vegetables (I don’t eat raw and hate salad fyi) and fruits. My diet contains more whole grains like quinoa, brown rice, wild rice, red rice, lentils and beans. All can be found in the organic section. Dishes are very simple like lentil soup, lentil curry soup, black bean patties, lentils and tomatoes.. Wild rice chicken soup.. quinoa sweet potatoes curry patties (turmeric is very good in most food). .. Quinoa with like avocados and squeeze of lime (can add tomatoes and red onions). Chinese coriander is very good for detox of heavy metals.. All my food always contain some of it, you only need a few pieces if you hate the taste. Can find all these in the NTUC organic section or iherb. Sunflower seeds (luteal phase) and pumpkin seeds (follicular phase) used for balancing of hormones in different phases. I love dark choc too which is a good thing too. I eat other nuts too like Brazil nuts.. almond nuts, cashew nuts.. walnuts (snacks).
3. I love fish and seafood and that’s the culprit of the high mercury and heavy metals level. Now, I only take wild caught fish (swim in the sea). Those cheap Norwegian salmon you see in the supermarket are farmed.. which is bad. I cut down on other seafood and buy wild caught whenever I can find. Once in a while I’m guilty but rarely.
4. I still take meat but not pork. If I take chicken.. I buy organic in the US and kampung in Singapore. Basically, you just want to avoid antibiotics chicken. As for beef, I only take grass fed (QB food in sg has grass fed).
5. I was diagnosed with pretty bad PCOS then. As a result of this, I cut down a lot on soy. I still eat tofu, but only organic and sprouted tofu. And.. It’s not everyday.. only when I crave for it. You can still get your protein from eggs, chicken and beef. I eat hard boiled eggs or scrambled eggs. I also eat poached eggs if I can get pasteurized eggs (Egg story in NTUC).
6. I make my own veg fruit juice as the ones outside has a lot of sugar. PCOS gave me insulin problems. My green juice has 1 Apple, 1 orange, 1 lemon, 1 cup kale, 1/2 cup spinach and a few pieces of arugula (hate them and it’s bitter). I don’t drink it daily although my doc recommends daily. I do it once every 2 days.. I use air tight glass bottles so I can make a few at one go. Sometimes, if there are cheap pomegranates or cranberries.. I drink apple + pomegranates + cranberries + orange + carrot + grapefruit. There are a lot of combos you can do.
7. Don’t use cooking oil, corn oil, soy oil. Olive oil is not for frying too. I use grape seed oil or avocado oil. You can use ghee too.
8. Cleaning/household stuff - Changed all to plant based cleaners. Most products contain chemicals and the biggest being chlorine (very bad). It doesn’t need to be very expensive and you can diy to save cost. White distilled vinegar works wonders but the smell sucks so I use with essential oils (2-3 drops). I keep simple oils around like lemon or anything citrus.. pine/mint for the toilet. Baking soda (no smell) is a great cleaning agent too and very cheap. You can google recipes. I use baking soda to wash my fruits and vegetables (buy organic if you can).
9. Soaps/Shampoos/Skincare - All changed to plantbased and vegan. For soap I like Dr Bronners. Shampoo I’ve yet to find a totally clean one so I’m just using Burt’s Bees baby mixed with a little dr bronners. Skincare I’m using Osea and Valentia (delivers to sg and affordable). Make up I’m using 100% pure, Naked Poppy and Crunchi. You can’t change all at once, I change them bit by bit.
10. I stopped using non stick pans... all are chemically coated.. including like those diamond ware whatever. I use only stainless steel, corningware, glass, cast iron (le creuset if you can afford it or simply lodge which is cheap in the US). Don’t need a lot, just like a frying pan, small and big pot..
11. I take filtered water. I bought a reverse osmosis filter in the US.. Initial cost is abt 250 usd for a year. Thereafter, cartridges are 100+ usd a year.
12. My vitamins are now from Mary Ruth Organics. I take the daily multivitamin (contains all the vitamins u need including folate) and add the probiotic drops (it’s cheaper than drinking a bottle of yakult daily which contains sugar). I showed a few sg specialists and they all say it’s good. I also have the night one cuz I do not sleep well at times. I also take the turmeric gummy (it tastes super good).
Some changes took time to implement. Basically my entire change took me a year. Thinking back, it’s all worth it. Doctors are now surprised that my PCOS has improved so much.