Transcript
Speaker: Welcome to The Bean Talk with me, Rhiannon, your fertility fairy godmother, joined by my trusted partner in life and in the mission of Mungbean Health, Jeremy. Here at Mungbean Health, we're on a mission to unlock the secrets of fertility and natural well-being one episode at a time.
Speaker: Hi guys, and welcome back to another episode of the Bean Talk with Rhiannon and Jeremy. We're excited to have you back because going to go over an exciting topic today, which has been huge in the health world over the last month. It's been mainstream media, which is so good. PCOS has changed names. so It's been renamed. It has. Let's do our little bean, big bean first. Yeah. Okay. What have you got for me today? How you been going? How's the week been? I've been good. I've been doubling down on my supplements. I've been... There's so much going around at the moment. A lot of sickness. I've been doubling down on my immune stuff. Love. Which is so good.
Speaker: Yes. I was slack for the last couple of weeks with my supplements, but I've gotten back on that horse. not about being perfect, about consistency and getting back on, right? That's right, yeah. I actually been making up immune packs for heaps of my clients in clinic and they've been loving them every year. They keep coming back for more because it's so good to just have them in the cupboard. You don't have to use it all winter. If you do keep getting sick and you're prone to sicknesses, then I do recommend it to do them at least every tu every second day even when you're not sick.
Speaker: But for the clients that are just like, oh, I just want to have it in the cupboard ready to go if there's the kids are sick or if I get that tickle, yeahp so good to have there. Absolutely. So, yes, definitely supplements ticking that off.
Speaker: What else? I've been doing some funny ads for Spratling Supplements. So go and check those out on our Instagram.
Speaker: I don't know if you guys have seen Apex. So many people have, right? It's a funny one. We made a funny reel with the sound. It was a bit of fun. That was fun. So go check that out. So we've just been trying to get a little bit more creative with the ads over there, with the posts and the reels and everything. So if you have any ideas for us, you want us to do, send it our way. yeah But today, yes, big world. We've been, the name has changed.
Speaker: Big month in the media. PCOS is now PMOS. Say with me. PMOS. One more time. P-M-O-S. Yes. Got the hang of it now? yep So we are going to be referring throughout this as PMOS. So stay with us, even though it is the old PCOS. And what does it stand for? p So PCOS is polycystic ovarian syndrome, which now is called PMOS, which is polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome.
Speaker: Say that 10 times fast. It's a mouse mouthful. So yes, amazing. It has been changed. it means that women's health is in the highlights again, which I am all for.
Speaker: And also, instead of it, which we'll talk a little bit more about this, but instead of it being just polycystic ovarian syndrome, you need polycystic ovaries for you to have this, which is not true. It's taking the whole body into account, the endocrine system, metabolic It's a whole body condition. However, I do stand by what I have said for years and years, that it is reversible.
Speaker: Although it is the number one leading cause of infertility, it's reversible. It's not a life sentence. You can do so much about it, so let's talk about it.
Speaker: If you've been diagnosed yourself with PCOS or now PMOS, it's likely that you've walked away with a prescription for metformin You might have been told that you have to live with the PCOS symptoms such as weight gain, facial hair growth or acne. And that you're likely to have difficulty conceiving.
Speaker: Chances are you would have left feeling super overwhelmed and like, oh, oh crap. Yeah. I'm going to have fertility issues later on, especially if you're a young girl, because they're saying this to young girls. Today, we're going to cover exactly what PMOS is, the symptoms that PMOS can cause and the four different types of PMOS. I don't know if that's changed at all from a medical standpoint, but I'm going from a naturopathic standpoint, that I'm sure that there's still going to be like the four different types because there was the four different types of PCOS. We'll cover essentially exactly what to get tested if you suspect you have PMOS. So listen for that coming up later on in the episode. And always know that we're here for you.
Speaker: We treat our clients one-on-one in an appointment. if you And that's very important because everybody's different because there are the four different types, but everyone can present differently. So testing is going to be different. Also, treatment is going to be different. If you've had some hormone testing and want to want a practitioner to go over it for you with those PMOS symptoms, then make sure you book in any of our amazing advanced clinical naturopaths at Mungbean. We'll be able to treat you and support the PMOS symptoms and help you to live a healthy and fertile life.
Speaker: So let's get into it. Let's talk about more about what PMOS is. Okay. So Paula, so the name has changed and I'm still getting my head around it too, but it is polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome.
Speaker: which is a very common hormonal disorder that affects people with ovaries. Typically, you'll notice it during your reproductive years, and it is characterized by a combination of symptoms related to hormonal imbalance, irregular menstrual cycles, and the growth of small cysts on the ovaries.
Speaker: PMOS is the most common female reproductive endocrine disorder affecting up to 20% of women and is one of the most leading causes of female subfertility.
Speaker: I feel like it's more than 20%. Yeah, I feel like it is too. I feel like that needs to be updated and hopefully will. But again, it's like sometimes these numbers...
Speaker: Like in clinic, we would see so much more than 20% with it. yeah But then there's also endometriosis and POI and all those other things. But some of the symptoms of pm os No menstrual cycle, irregular or infrequent menstrual cycles? Yeah, so they could be really long, like 40-plus days. They could skip altogether and you not have it.
Speaker: Ovulation's not happening happening. Or shorter cycles? Shorter cycles is usually higher estrogen, which is different conditions. So endometriosis more. They'll be shorter and heavier. but So you'll be getting them every two to three weeks, whereas this with PMOS – It can be like 40 days and longer, 60 days, 50 days not at all or none at all. It can just stop. I've had clients that have been like, hey, when they started with me, I haven't had my cycle for...
Speaker: two years let's look into that and i'm like yes let's look into that and see what's going on here and ovulatory cycles which is when you're not ovulating at all it's a big one hair growth on the upper lip and chin and jawline as well that's usually when we have those androgens or testosterone driving the pmos acne body fat around the waistline yeah that's a big one Dark skin under the armpits, neck, groin or breasts. Yeah, those dark areas, which you'll notice on some people. yeah Obviously not everyone because you don't see it everyone's armpits or groin, but maybe sometimes around that neck and breast region, all those womanly areas. PMOS is a very common condition that we see in clinic. As I was saying, it's very common for people to come to us. Sometimes they have a diagnosis. Sometimes they don't. they're just like, hey, I've got all these symptoms help, which we could definitely help with. A good thing to note here is that you can't get diagnosed with PCOS or PMOS without blood testing. If you've been diagnosed by ultrasound alone, you may just have polycystic ovaries, not PCOS or PMOS, although it's different now with the taking into account the whole body. Before, at one point, everyone was classed as PCOS, but sometimes they did actually separate it. this is This would be years ago, where they changed it to just polycystic ovaries, which didn't mean you actually had the full
Speaker: blown PCOS, the syndrome. But now being it's a polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome, it's the whole whole deal. It's a broader picture, Yeah, we're taking into account the endocrine system as well.
Speaker: So diagnosis of PMOS, this was the PCOS diagnosis. I actually don't know if this has changed slightly now, but in clinic, this is the way that we would still look at it and medical would still look at it, is that they would look at having two out of the three patients. of the following so polycystic ovaries on ultrasound which is more small and multiple cysts high androgens confirmed via blood test irregular periods and ovulation which is usually indicated by the irregular menstrual cycle or lack of cycle however i do feel like it was very loose where it was like oh you've got cysts pcos but it's like no you might just have the cysts without the actual syndrome
Speaker: But here are the tests that we recommend if you suspect you might have PMOS, and this is what we would do for our clients in clinic. So we would look at fasting insulin, which is usually the reason you're walking away with metformin from the GP.
Speaker: Fasting glucose, don't forget glucose and insulin, you need to look at both. Sex hormone binding globulin or SHBG. We would also look at DHEAs. We would look at LH and FSH. So luteinizing hormone and follicular stimulating hormone or follicle stimulating hormone, sorry.
Speaker: So that, in addition to an ultrasound, will tell you more about what's going on because going look at hormones. We're looking at some drivers. Although one of the testing that I'd also be looking at is definitely CPR.
Speaker: cps CRP, not CPR. I'm thinking CPR because we have to do our CPR. Our first aid course. Our first aid course again. C-reactive protein, CRP, which is picking up that inflammation in the body.
Speaker: Forgive me, I am only 10 weeks postpartum. Let's jump into four different types of PMOS. Yes. So we've got insulin resistant PMOS, which is the most common PMOS. So if you have insulin resistance, PMOS, you will have high levels of insulin in the body. This can be tested through a fasted blood test. High insulin upregulates the production of testosterone and and androgens, causing that excessive facial hair. The hair loss on the head, the acne, especially on the jawline, the neck, the chin, and the back as well. Weight gains.
Speaker: excessive weight gain, especially around that abdomen, that midsection, common for insulin resistant PMOS, which is like those tires. They call it like the spare tires around the midsection. It's not a very pleasant way to think about it, but it helps with the visual where it's like you've got that extra fat around there.
Speaker: So treatment in clinic, we would work on lowering the insulin. through diet, lifestyle, herbs, nutrients, and supporting those healthy insulin levels to reduce androgen production and testosterone levels.
Speaker: We would be regulating insulin not only supporting your hormonal imbalances, but also reducing your risk of developing diabetes. or other metabolic conditions due to unregulated high insulin levels that people can live with for a long time. Post-pill PMOS. Yeah, so that's the second one. So this is when...
Speaker: It's usually after three to six months when you stop the pill, the oral contraceptive pill. Because unfortunately, so many young gals, myself included, get put on it at a young age and then stay on it for a long time. I'm lucky that I didn't stay on it or was more educated to not stay on it. But some women are put on it as young girls at maybe 16 and then they stay on it for 10 plus years.
Speaker: and it's really just not doing good things for your body or your hormones. So symptoms of this are usually bad acne, excessive hair growth, irregular periods as well. There's a huge surge in androgens that cause the PMOS symptoms. Usually there aren't any insulin issues with this post-pill one.
Speaker: So in clinic, we help to prevent post-pill PMOS by utilizing herbs that downregulate androgen production to avoid a high surge that can cause the post-pill PMOS symptoms. So usually we like to talk to our clients before they come off the pill so we can help them get off it. Although we sometimes don't get to see them before they come off it and then they just come to us and they're like oh my God, this has all happened since I've got off the pill. And we can also treat you then as well.
Speaker: Adrenal PMOS. Yeah, so that's another one. So that's our third one. This is due to an abnormal stress response, essentially. So it affects around 10% of PMOS cases. DHEAS, a type of androgen, will be elevated alone.
Speaker: So DHEAs are your building blocks of estrogen and testosterone. Often no issues with insulin or testosterone in this though, in the adrenal PMOS. For this type of PMOS, we utilize adrenal and nervous system herbs and supplements to support a healthy adrenal function and therefore DHEAS production, which will then reduce PMOS symptoms and support balanced hormones. Inflammatory PMOS? Yeah. PMOS. PMOS. So our last one, inflammatory PMOS.
Speaker: Chronic inflammation causes the ovaries to make excessive testosterone. causing physical symptoms and inflammation. So bowel issues like IBS is very common in this one, headaches, joint pain, skin issues like eczema, chronic fatigue can all be indicators of chronic inflammation.
Speaker: For this type of PMOS, we will look at inflammatory markers, like I mentioned before, like c rp not CPR, and also ESR. Or depending on symptoms, suggests comprehensive gut microbiome testing for the client. So we might look at gut microbiome testing to find the cause of the underlying inflammation and why that is present there. So they are the four different types and they are a really quick overview of how we would essentially treat them. But there's also a lot more that comes into it because someone won't come to us with just, hey, I've got high or hey, I've got a bit of acne on my face.
Speaker: Can you support my hormones? It's like, hey, I'm stressed. I've got acne on my face and on my back and my gut's in shambles and I'm feeling really sore and my cycle's irregular. So we take the whole body into account. It's never as easy as just one shoe fits all. That's why individualized medicine is key.
Speaker: to treatment and to health, especially for our hormones, because as women, we are complex beings. We have a lot going on. Our reproductive system is absolutely insanely beautiful in what it does, but it is crazy in the things that are happening that, yeah, you don't even know about throughout the month. It's complex, right? Yeah, there's a lot going on. So many different pathways and brain hormones and ovaries doing their thing and we need to support our gal as best as she as best as we can so it's a really nice gentle and easy cycle every month what i like to say to my clients is your cycle should be uneventful so you when your period comes it should be uneventful it comes we go hey
Speaker: It's here. It's here. We shouldn't be like wanting to kill our husband. Even though that does sound nice. Even though throughout the month sometimes it happens. No, but throughout your cycle, it shouldn't be like every month, like clock clockwork. You want to, you know, kill your husband and you're feeling really irritable and your boobs are really sore and you've got acne you're like, oh, I just hate this.
Speaker: And that can be a long time in that luteal phase, even from ovulation for some people. So it's two weeks. And then the bleed comes and it's, oh God, now I feel absolutely horrible. Bleeding, heavy, I'm tired, I'm lethargic. No, it should just come. It shouldn't be like your you're like changing your life around it. It's like you...
Speaker: It comes, it's uneventful and you can just get on with your day. Cool. Yep. You have to wear a pad or a menstrual cup or a tampon or whatever. It's like, okay, you just wear that. Cool. You get on with your day. Maybe you slow down a little bit because you're listening to your body. So you're not going to be like, oh, I'm going at the gym really hard, but you're just like, okay, I'm going to have to do some stretching today, but it's still just uneventful. Just get on with your day. and then have it for five days and then it just goes away and then it comes back next month. Not painful ovulation and all those other symptoms we've spoken about today.
Speaker: So if you you want to reach out. Yeah, if you want support, if this sounds like you or if you have other hormonal complaints or you're not falling pregnant, please reach out. We'd love to help you. You can reach out via our website. At www.mungbeanhealth.com. Yes.
Speaker: Or you can reach out to us if you have any questions via DM as well on Instagram, which is at mungbean underscore health, M-U-N-G-B-E-A-N underscore health. We also share lots of information. i share lots of information on TikTok. You'll see my face a lot on there, which ours is the same. It's at mungbean underscore health.
Speaker: And then we've also got Spratling Supplements that if you want to check out, you can do that on our website. www.spratlingsupplements.com.au And we can't wait to help. Thanks.
Speaker: And that's a wrap on today's dose of wellness. I'm Rhiannon, your fertility fairy godmother. Thank you for joining us. Stay connected with us on Instagram at mungbin underscore health.
