The Hemp Connection:
testimonial

We just received another success story. I believe that cyster-to-cyster encouragement goes a whole lot farther than anything we professionals could ever say to motivate, so here is a note from one of our fans.

I know how much you love success stories, so I'm happy to let you know of some progress that I've made in my health. Much of this is a result of implementing ideas from your blog and radio show, so I owe you a debt of gratitude:
- I just received some blood test results. My HDL is 69, my LDL is 67 (!), and my triglycerides are 44 (!!). (Thank you, fish oil!) Also, my glucose is 88, and my HbA1C is 5.2. (Thank you, metformin — hopefully someday I won't need you!)

- Since July 1, 2010, I have lost almost thirty pounds, with very few episodes of binge eating.

- I'm faithfully going to yoga every week, and I'm going to run a 5K series this spring — seven races!

- I started sleeping with a sleep mask, as unfortunately it's not feasible for me to sleep in complete darkness.

- I'm still trying to conceive, but am not without hope. My GYN is pushing me to use injectable gonadotropins, but deep down I strongly feel it's not the right path. Even if it means delaying having a baby at my advanced age (38), I'd rather continue to use natural means to try to improve my health first rather than resort to the extreme quick fix.

Each and every one of these letters is like a shot of adrenaline. Because it's not really how much information we put up here that matters, it's knowing it's being incorporated into lives and making a difference.

Thanks for keeping in touch!

(Hee hee, even though you've reinforced my reputation as the person who thinks fish oil is good for everything, it sounds like in this case it really was good for something!)

Heard from an inCYST fan yesterday, and I thought her words might be inspiring to other fans. Of course, the real reason this success story exists, is because she acted on what she was learning. We were merely there to encourage and support.

Many, many congratulations!

I have been meaning to email you for some time now to give you some positive feedback of your inCYST website and online radio segments. I found out I had PCOS last August and since then it has been a complete whirlwind for me. I found out because I was trying to get pregnant, and I truly believe that I would not have gotten pregnant if it weren't for both the inCYST website and the PCOS Challenge radio show (which is where I first heard about you). I'm due July 20th!: )

I seem to get something out of every post, but recently I especially appreciated the 'Note to physicians on Metformin' as well as the 'Lesson in reaching out for support' segments. On the metformin issue, that was the first time I've ever heard a professional mention that the current standard dosage may be too high for some. I believe this is true for me. I was told to get up to 2000 mg/day, but could never seem to do it. I stayed between 1000 and 1500/day and got regular periods that way (and thus became pregnant).

I also listened to the lesson for support segment. That caller (bless her heart!) could have been me talking. What a wonderful source of support that segment was! My favorite portion of that segment was when you pointed out that it might not always behoove us to listen to our appetite. I totally agree with this. Sometimes my appetite is right on, and sometimes it really deceives me. Before I knew I had PCOS, I remember feeling shameful because the mass media always said that overweight people have emotional problems and just need to deal with that in order to lose weight. Oprah Winfrey always sends this message on her shows. I believe that for many and for me, it is way more of a blood sugar issue.

Monika, I can't stress to you the importance of the work you are doing here. Thank you for dedicating so much of your time and energy into this population. I feel so fortunate to be a part of the inCYST network.

A million thanks!

The voice of one who knows…is far more powerful than any study or statistic we pontificate about here.

This was posted as a comment, but I've pulled it out to make a separate post because of its potential to motivate others who pass through our blog.

Thank you for taking the time to write!

I used to live my life in a perpetual brain fog. I just thought I was a space cadet and that was it.

I was diagnosed with PCOS at 17 and have gone on to do many things I set my mind to (have a masters in music) but the fog was always there.

What fixed the fog for me was what you always preach-NUTRITION!

I switched my diet to a more Paleo approach, cutting out all refined carbohydrates and getting the majority of my carbs from fruit and vegetables. Basing every meal on a good protein source was another huge shift for me. I've been eating this way for two years and the brain fog is gone. I get so much more done in a day and I can make it through late night rehearsals with a focus I never knew I had. When I slip up and have bread or a cookie, I feel the brain fog come on right away. It's not worth it and that makes it easy for me to continue eating clean!