The Hemp Connection [Search results for research] 

It keeps happening. I keep getting inquiries that are pretty clearly indicative of how little attention is focused on a huge issue, PCOS, and how much ground inCYST has gained in the progress of trying to change that.

--Several months ago, a noted researcher with an interest in PCOS wrote and told me he was interested in being considered to join my"board". I had to tell him I didn't have one!

--A reporter recently asked me for a photo of our"institute". I had to tell her that right now we're just virtual.

--Twice in the last week, I've been asked where someone might donate money to support PCOS research.

The second inquiry, yesterday, was my inspirational moment. It came through one of our network members, who had inspired one of her support group members enough to start exercising. This woman decided she wanted to run her first 5K race to celebrate her commitment to wellness. And she wanted to use her race running as a means to raise money to donate to PCOS research.

Only everywhere she turned and tried to give money…she was turned away. Someone actually told her the cause wasn't"sexy enough" to be worth raising money for.

I was appalled. I've spent years at this point listening to women with PCOS share their stories, their frustration, their heartache, their desire to just know what they need to do. I've seen, time after time, the benefits of simple lifestyle changes. And I've also personally witnessed the battle these women have to fight to be taken seriously. They deserve better than to be told their illness is not sexy enough for researchers to care about.

My emotional response was probably fueled by the story WVEC reporter Lucy Bustamante recently put together, in which a physician treating PCOS admitted that women don't often get the right diagnosis because the tests it would take to do so"are just too expensive."

Over the summer, someone in the reproductive medicine department of Bristol Myers Squibb spent about 7 hours of time reading 378 pages of inCYST content. I remembered that during my conversation yesterday, and thought two things.
--Apparently these women are sexy enough to keep making medications for and taking their money for.
Even though these women are too expensive to thoughtfully treat, given the fact that they comprise 10%
of the female population, they are a great revenue source to target in research projects.
--If we got that much attention from the people doing the"real" research, it seems to me that on our own
inCYST has what it takes to be a rockin' research institute.: )

I decided, the moment I heard the words"not sexy enough", that it was time to stop turning all these inquiries away and start pulling together all of those resources to do something different.

So, thanks to the small but profound and genuine gesture of the exact kind of person inCYST was created for, a woman who simply wants answers, I'm going to start the procedure for pulling together a not-for-profit arm of inCYST, devoted to research. Only our research will be different in nature. We want to encourage the kind of research that has a hard time getting funded, because it does not involve drug research. We want to balance the message that is out there and add credibility to the message we want you all to hear. And we want to be sure the supplements you all spend money on…are actually worth spending money on.

I have a lot of work to do, but I'm willing to do it if you're willing to help make it happen. My first step is the paperwork, and because that involves an attorney's work, it will cost money. I do not have an avenue for collecting donations right now, but I am posting this announcement so that anyone who might be interested in making a donation in the future might be able to write me and let me know where to find them when we're ready to take the plunge. It's not really all that much to get started, about $1000, so I think it's entirely doable.

If you are interested, please send me an email at marika@google.com.

Remember, it was a small gesture that prompted me to act. A lot of small gestures, pooled together, can make a huge difference.

Let's get this research party started!

OK, I've been thinking long and hard about how to make this work, so that everyone involved has a place at the table. I've developed a scale of membership options that allows anyone who supports the philosophies driving our model to participate.

When it comes time to decide where the research money is going to go, this is how it will be divided up.

1. 1/3 will be decided upon by a vote of the institute members. Each membership, no matter how big or how small, constitutes one vote. The power to decide this share of the decision making will be divided equally among those with hormone disorders, those who treat them, and companies who serve them with products and services. Degrees, donation size…don't matter. Only participation does.

2. 1/3 will be decided upon by a vote of our soon to be formed board of directors. I will be intentionally choosing a group of people who are critical thinkers and who challenge ME to think in new and different ways, who may have access to experiences and educations I do not have and that the general membership does not have, but that may benefit the mission of the organization.

3. 1/3 will be decided upon by me. I am in this place in life because of the way I see things, and rather than fear that, I'm stepping up and doing something with it. Please know, I consider this a huge responsibility, as how I conduct myself in this decision making will reflect in how our membership survives or nosedives. You have my word I'll do my best to do this work with integrity.

OK! Now here are the levels of membership I am opening up. They are annual fees, which starting in 2012 will run from January — December. This year only, since we're new, whatever months you sign up for now will be rolled into your 2012 membership. Good time to get your toes wet and try us out!

BASIC MEMBERSHIP — $25
1 research vote
1 free webinar per year
Access to our upcoming members-only website section, where you will be able to ask questions of our experts and attend chats.

SUPPORTING PROFESSIONAL — $50
1 research vote
1 free webinar per year (and if you are an RD you will receive CPEU credit)
1 free group supervision session with one of our trained network professionals
Access to our members — only website section as described above

PARTICIPATING PROFESSIONAL — $100 (only available to those who have completed the inCYST Professional Training)
1 research vote
1 free webinar per year (if you are an RD you will receive CPEU credit)
Access to the members only section of the website
1 free group supervision session
1 recorded Blogtalk radio interview which you can post on your website or use for your own PR as you wish
1 marketing profile page
Promotion through inCYST on Facebook/Twitter/monthly Mailchimp newsletter

SMALL BUSINESS (<25 employees) $150

1 research vote
1 free webinar per year (if you are an RD you will receive CPEU credit)
Access to the members only section of the website
1 free group supervision session
1 recorded Blogtalk radio interview which you can post on your website or use for your own PR as you wish
1 marketing profile page
Promotion through inCYST on Facebook/Twitter/monthly Mailchimp newsletter
300 sample handouts at inCYST events or 3 sample/tasting tables at inCYST events

MEDIUM BUSINESS (26-50 employees) $250

1 research vote
1 free webinar per year (if you are an RD you will receive CPEU credit)
Access to the members only section of the website
1 free group supervision session
1 recorded Blogtalk radio interview which you can post on your website or use for your own PR as you wish
Promotion through inCYST on Facebook/Twitter/monthly Mailchimp newsletter
1 marketing profile page on our website
500 sample handouts at inCYST events or 5 sample/tasting tables at inCYST events
Set up of Twitter account and Facebook fan page
Name as supporting sponsor on one inCYST event

MEDIUM BUSINESS (>50 employees) $500

1 research vote
1 free webinar per year (if you are an RD you will receive CPEU credit)
Access to the members only section of the website
1 free group supervision session
1 recorded Blogtalk radio interview which you can post on your website or use for your own PR as you wish
Promotion through inCYST on Facebook/Twitter/monthly Mailchimp newsletter
1 marketing profile page on our website
1000 sample handouts at inCYST events or 10 sample/tasting tables at inCYST events
Set up of Twitter account and Facebook fan page
Name as title sponsor on one inCYST event

If you'd like to register, click this link. We're excited to open up this portion of inCYST. It is one more way we intend to take your inspiration and turn it into productive answers for those who support us!

Yesterday I introduced you to Nightly Beauty by Beauty Foods, a nutricosmetic primarily designed for improving skin health and appearance. I shared my own experience with this product while investigating its potential for PCOS. Hopefully my photos got your attention enough to want to read more! Today I'd like to share some of the science behind my thoughts.

Women with PCOS are struggling with inflammation. It hits everywhere, not just the ovaries. It causes diabetes, heart disease, depression. That much you know. It also ages skin more quickly than it should be aging. So other body tissues break down and aren't readily replaced. Your most important strategy, of course, is to reduce the inflammatory process with the kinds of choices we encourage here on this blog.

Nightly Beauty enhances that process with a few additional ingredients, BioCollagen and hyaluronic acid that aren't easy to correct with simple dietary changes.

Collagen

Collagen is one of the major components of skin. It's only been recently that it's been confirmed through research that supplementing the diet with collagen actually helps skin collagen. Right as we were preparing to post these blog entries, BioCell Technology, maker of the collagen in Nightly Beauty, distributed a press release announcing that the first human study of their collagen supplement confirmed that it actually does increase collagen levels in skin (types I and III). In their words,"results of the study showed that a majority of the participants experienced a remarkable improvement in skin texture, together with hydration, reduced scaling, and improved blood microcirculation".

Of course, since I've had the opportunity to experience this myself as I reported yesterday, I love this! However, this is just the wonderful side effect. There's something even more important for PCOS. Another inflammatory disorder many of you struggle with is arthritis. And when your joints hurt, you can't exercise. BioCell Collagen supplementation has also been proven to increase collagen type II, which is the type of collagen found in joints. They report that joint discomfort and stiffness in research subjects reduced by as much as 40% in 8 weeks.

Your faces are precious, but your quality of life matters more to me. If you can move, you can help your PCOS. If you can help your PCOS, you're more likely to feel better about yourself. This is the main reason I picked up the phone and called Jacque in the first place, I saw its potential for all of you writing and telling me that your joints hurt and no one was connecting it to your primary problem — inflammation.

Hyaluronic Acid

Hyaluronic acid, or HA, is known in the beauty world as the plumper. Many women take HA supplements to plump their lips. It also pulls water into skin, helping to plump and hydrate.

But did you know, HA is also a major component of the gelatinous fluid in your eyes? It's what helps to hold fluid in the eyeball. I didn't, until I started researching Nightly Beauty. Several months prior, I'd noticed my eyes were feeling dry, despite my faithful use of fish oils and upping my fluid intake. It didn't hit me until I started reading about HA and eyes that not long after I started taking this product my dry eyes started improving. Considerably. So I started reading more. Women with PCOS actually do experience more dry eye syndrome than women who don't.

There is considerable research into ways to deliver more hyaluronic acid to eyes, including eye drops and even controlled-release contact lenses. I'm having trouble finding any research either supporting or negating hyaluronic acid supplementation as a potential route of administration…but I'm not surprised. Nutrition is often an afterthought in research problem solving.

This product has not been researched specifically for dry eyes or for PCOS, but for women who are interested in trying something that has documented benefit for other PCOS-related symptoms and who also have dry eyes, it couldn't hurt to try it. I must state that Beauty Foods is NOT making health claims about this product. I am, in this blog post, reporting my personal experience and connecting research relevant to the product for my specific intended audience, independently of them.

If you do choose to try it, and you experience benefits, please let me know. I'd like to keep a running total of results and perhaps…include it as something we research at our new institute.

If you'd like to try Nightly Beauty for yourself, it's on sale this week at http://www.jpselects.com/. It's also available at http://www.beautyfoods.com/.

Let us know what you think!

Collagen-containing nutricosmetic shown to combat aging. http://www.cosmeticsdesign-europe.com/ http://www.cosmeticsdesign-europe.com/Formulation-Science/Collagen-containing-nutricosmetic-shown-to-combat-aging

Bonini S, Mantelli F, Moretti C, Lambiase A, Bonini S, Micera A. Itchy-dry eye associated with polycystic ovary syndrome. Am J Ophthalmol. 2007 May;143(5):763-771. Epub 2007 Mar 23.

Coksuer H, Ozcura F, Oghan F, Haliloglu B, Karatas S. Effects of hyperandrogenism on tear function and tear drainage in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome. J Reprod Med. 2011 Jan-Feb;56(1-2):65-70.

Ali M, Byrne ME. Controlled release of high molecular weight hyaluronic Acid from molecularly imprinted hydrogel contact lenses. Pharm Res. 2009 Mar;26(3):714-26. Epub 2009 Jan 21.

Liu L, Tiffany J, Dang Z, Dart JK, Watson SL, Daniels JT, Geerling G. Nourish and nurture: development of a nutrient ocular lubricant. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2009 Jun;50(6):2932-9. Epub 2008 Dec 13.

For those of you who are not on our Facebook fan page, here is an update about our progress! And a recent photo of me if you've ever wondered what I look like.

With all the positive energy and support surrounding this effort, we've got some great and exciting things to blog about coming up!

All these years I've been studying hormones, it's always seemed to me that one of the main reasons their disorders are so hard to figure out and help…is that the research that needs to be done to find the answers is not highly likely to be funded by pharmaceutical or food corporations. Sure there are are other grants, but a bottleneck is created when everyone wanting to do research about foods, herbs, sleep, acupuncture, etc…, is forced into competing heavily for the other money that is available. The politics and competition for that money become pretty incredible.

That leaves people with hormone disorders to their own devices and what they find on the Internet, which is often presented by one person based on their personal experience, or someone trying to sell supplements and capitalize on another person's fears. Not always smart, not always safe, not always successful.

I kept thinking there had to be a better way.

Then, a few months ago, twice in 36 hours, I was asked where money could be devoted to MY research institute. And a reporter who was following my blog asked me if I had a picture of my institute (I didn't think my dining room table piled with papers and a sleeping kitty would provide much credibility…so I declined at the time.)

However…I did realize that it was time to stop thinking someone else was going to do this and that life was surrounding me with people and circumstances that made it possible for ME to get it going.

I was finally pushed into action when a woman with PCOS, (who happens to be organizing one of our fundraisers) could not get anyone to accept money for PCOS research, and who was actually told the disorder"was not sexy enough to merit that kind of fundraising". Really? One in ten women? Leading cause of infertility? Most common endocrine disorder in women? You have GOT to be kidding!?!?!

So I've been doing the legwork to get the inCYST Institute for Hormone Health up and running. We're opening up headquarters, to be housed in the new Blank Spaces coworking community in Santa Monica, CA next month. (Lucy, #1 on my list after signing the lease and writing the check…is getting you that picture.)

And while I'm sticking my neck out and willing to be the face, mouth, and typing fingers behind this organization, it's really designed to be user driven. I really want this to be as volunteer-oriented as we can be. Thus far, we've got two fundraisers planned:

1. (Late summer, date TBD, Los Angeles) Bootcamp with celebrity fitness trainer Craig Ramsay.

2. (September 17, rain date 18, Nashua, NH) 5k walk. The organizers of this fundraiser are also working to figure out a way for walkers to participate if they are not geographically near this location.

All it took was for me to say I would do this for people to begin volunteering their time. It's simultaneously humbling and inspiring! There's a lot to do in order to live up to these expectations, and I'm doing all that I can. I'm sending you this announcement so you know we're out there and to share with you a few ways you can help us out.

1. Tell your friends! The more people we have on our fan page, the easier it is for us to publicize events. Here is also where we'll be providing updates on our official activities in the research arena.

2. Volunteer! If you'd like to help out with either of these events, or have an idea for a fundraiser of your own, please let me know what you would like to offer in terms of time and talent.

3. Of course, donate. I just spent a day at a nonprofit summit learning about the nuts and bolts of efficient nonprofit management. I intend to make our foundation very lean and mean so that the bulk of the money earned goes directly to our cause. It's too important to not prioritize that. I've got a Paypal address where you can send money, germandesertgirl@yahoo.com, or until the foundation's California mailing address is set up, you can send checks to inCYST Institute for Hormone Health, 4201 East Camelback, Unit 16, Phoenix, AZ 85018.

BTW, I am teased by my family for being more than a little driven and nerdy. Once my mom wanted to spank me for something I had done and she found me sitting cross-legged on the floor reading a book. I obliged her by standing up, letting her punish me, and immediately sitting down. Never stopped reading the entire time. When she tells this story she always pauses and says,"That is when I knew you were not the average child." That drive and passion I commit to everyone who supports the Institute. Thank heavens we're about healthy living as it will give me an excuse to put the books down, get out, move around, and meet some of you amazing people from time to time.

I may be overly nerdy and driven, but I work hard to also be human and compassionate. Please know that any thoughts you have to share are more than welcome.

If you ever wish to contact me my email is marika@google.com, and my phone number is 623.486.0737.

Here's to learning great things about hormones!

Monika M. Woolsey, MS, RD

Founder and CEO

inCYST Institute for Hormone Health

I'm passing this along since the coexistence of depression and pregnancy is so very high amongst the readers of this blog. Findings like these are a huge reason I am so adamant about finding ways that nutrition and nonpharmacological treatments can keep both mother and baby healthy all the way through conception and pregnancy.

To see this story with its related links on the guardian.co. uk site, click here

Antidepressants linked to premature birth risk

Tuesday October 6 2009
BMJ Group

Mothers-to-be risk having a premature birth if they take commonly used antidepressants during pregnancy, a new study has found. Antidepressants called SSRIs (the group of drugs that includes Prozac) were also linked to a higher risk of babies needing treatment in intensive care soon after birth.What do we know already?

More than 1 in 10 women become depressed during pregnancy. In cases where doctors recommend drug treatment, the first choice is often a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI).

Doctors are advised that pregnant women should take SSRIs"only if potential benefit outweighs risk". Unfortunately, there's little research on how safe these drugs are during pregnancy. We do know that SSRIs get into the unborn baby's bloodstream, and that some babies get withdrawal symptoms soon after birth. Some research also suggests that babies may be more at risk of heart defects if their mother takes an SSRI called paroxetine in the first three months of pregnancy, although this problem is not common.

A new study has looked at 329 women who were taking SSRIs while pregnant. The health of their babies was compared with the health of babies born to women not taking antidepressants. Some of the women in this latter group had mental health problems, while others did not.What does the new study say?

Women taking an SSRI had twice the risk of a premature birth. On average, women gave birth four or five days sooner if they took an SSRI while pregnant. But the results don't tell us the actual numbers of women in each group who gave birth prematurely, so we can't say what the actual risk is.

About 16 in 100 babies needed treatment in an intensive care unit if their mother had taken an SSRI, compared with 7 in 100 babies whose mothers were healthy, and 9 in 100 babies whose mothers had a mental health problem but who weren't taking an SSRI.

Babies also appeared less healthy overall if their mother had taken an SSRI. This was measured looking at their skin colour, how much they moved about, their pulse rate and breathing, and how much they responded to stimulation.

SSRIs didn't increase the risk of having an underweight baby. The study only looked at what happened around birth, so we don't know whether or not SSRIs have longer-term consequences. How reliable are the findings?

This is a fairly good study. Since it also included a group of women who had mental health problems but who were not taking an SSRI, we can partly rule out the possibility that mental health issues affected the baby's health rather than antidepressants. However, it could still be that women taking SSRIs were more seriously depressed than the women they were compared with, or that they had worse overall health. This factor might have affected the health of the babies, and it makes the study less reliable.Where does the study come from?

The women who took part in the research all had antenatal care at a hospital in Aarhus, Denmark. The study appeared in a journal called Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, published by the American Medical Association. Some of the funding came from the Danish Medical Research Council.What does this mean for me?

The study suggests that, in the short term at least, there could be some negative consequences to taking SSRIs while pregnant. What the research doesn't tell us is how the risks of SSRIs in pregnancy compare with the dangers of untreated depression.

Depression itself can affect how babies grow. It can also cause unpleasant symptoms for the mother. There's a high chance of becoming depressed again when women stop taking antidepressants when they're pregnant. So, we can't simply say that pregnant women should completely avoid SSRIs.What should I do now?

If you're pregnant and taking an antidepressant, don't stop treatment suddenly. You could put yourself at risk of unpleasant withdrawal symptoms, and your depression could come back. Your doctor can help you weigh up the risks and benefits of treatment. If you and your doctor decide it's the right thing to do, you'll need to come off your medicine gradually. You could also ask about other types of treatment, such as talking therapy.

If you're taking antidepressants and you want to get pregnant, talk to your doctor. Depending on how severe your depression is, your doctor might suggest slowly coming off your medicine, or continuing to take it.From:

Lund N, Pedersen LH, Henriksen TB. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor exposure in utero and pregnancy outcomes. Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine. 2009; 163: 949-954.
BMJ Publishing Group Limited ("BMJ Group") 2009

This is a guest post by a new member of the inCYST network, registered dietitian Christie Wheeler, MS, RD. Her bio and contact information are located at the end of her article.
Medicinal vinegar dates back to Hippocrates with uses ranging from hand washing to treating stomachaches. Most recently, a surge in research on vinegar and its effect on blood sugar has emerged. Dr. Carol Johnston, the Director of the Nutrition Program at Arizona State University, has thoroughly investigated this topic for over 10 years. I happily sat down with her to discuss the conclusions of her research and extrapolate on what it means for women with PCOS.

What are some of the health benefits of vinegar?

Conclusive research shows that when diabetics consumed 1-2 tablespoons of vinegar with a starchy meal, the rise in blood sugar was significantly less compared to people that consumed a placebo with the same meal. Diabetics who regularly consumed vinegar with meals saw a reduction in their hemoglobin A1-C levels, which measures the three month average of blood sugar. Additionally, consistent vinegar consumers saw a lower fasting blood sugar level.

How does vinegar decrease blood sugar levels?

The mechanism by which vinegar prevents a rise in blood sugar after a meal is not yet understood. Acetic acid is the primary acid found in vinegar and is thought to prevent enzymes from digesting starches. Vinegar does not have the same effect of lowering blood sugar after a meal with simple carbohydrates from fruits or refined sugar, as it does a meal including complex carbohydrates from grains, legumes or dairy. It may work by preventing the breakdown of complex carbohydrates, allowing them to pass through the digestive tract without being absorbed or raising blood sugar. A current trial at ASU is testing this theory by measuring nitrogen excreted through the breath, which will show if fermentation of undigested starches is happening in the intestines.

Are the benefits the same for everyone, or is vinegar consumption more important for people with certain conditions?

Since high blood sugar is a risk factor for heart disease and vinegar consumption also lowers blood pressure, research suggests that regular vinegar consumption may protect against, as well as help treat, symptoms related to diabetes and heart disease. One to two tablespoons of vinegar with meals will certainly not harm anyone while the potential benefits make it worthwhile to try.

Are there other foods or beverages high in acetic acid?

Vinegar is used in many recipes and condiments, like mustard and Kombucha (a fermented beverage). These options open for more variety in increasing acetic acid in the diet. While you can opt to buy commercial products that contain vinegar, you can easily make your own as well. Consider adding 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar to 16 ounces of water with an ounce of 100% fruit juice or honey. More information about Kombucha may be found here: http://www.wonderdrink.com/news/kombucha-raw-vs-pasteurized/

Being that vinegar is an acid, is there a concern of consuming too much at one time (or in the long-term) that may lead to harmful side-effects?

Current research suggests that vinegar is only helpful for reducing blood sugar levels after a starchy meal. It does not seem to help diets that are already low-glycemic or where the sugars consumed are simple (monosaccharides) versus complex (disaccharides). Therefore, daily ingestion may not be necessary for everyone. It may still be beneficial though, since the American diet tends to be low in fruits and vegetables, high-glycemic, and acidic.

What dose do you recommend? Does it matter what type of vinegar (red wine, balsamic, apple cider, etc.)?

The recommended dose of vinegar is one to two tablespoons at meal-time. Any vinegar works because acetic acid (the defining component of ‘vinegar’) is the active ingredient. Use the vinegar to make dressings (2 parts vinegar + plus 1 part olive oil). Use the dressing on salads, vegetables, sandwiches, or simply for dipping bread.

Any tips for increasing intake?

Make like a Brit and keep vinegar on the dining table!

Vinegar may not be something you need to add into every meal, but beneficial health properties make it a condiment worth enjoying with a heavy hand.

Additional Resources:

Vinegar: Medicinal Uses and Antiglycemic Effect. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1785201/

Vinegar Improves Insulin Sensitivity to a High-Carbohydrate Meal in Subjects With Insulin Resistance or Type 2 Diabetes

http://care.diabetesjournals.org/content/27/1/281.full

Christi Wheeler, MS, RD, works in the nutritional management of special health needs for children, freelance nutrition writing and private nutrition counseling for children and adults. While she enjoys counseling individuals to pursue weight loss goals, her focus has shifted to provide nutrition information in way that is understandable and applicable to all age groups, genders and fitness levels. Christi practices in Phoenix, Arizona. For more information, please visit her website, www.superiorsustenance.com.

I've been presented with information recently from quite a few places, that has been the basis for making decisions about nutrition choices. And I've been asked for my opinion about these references. Unfortunately, not all of it is valid. Everyone reading this blog has the right to decide for themselves if they wish to believe what they read. I thought I would share how I decide for myself if information is valid when I research my blog posts.

1. Is it referenced? I don't base any important judgment calls on hearsay. With our audience this is especially important. First of all, many of you are in high-risk situations where even a small change in your nutrition status could affect your ability to achieve your goal. If someone cannot tell me where they heard that information, I don't share it.

2. Is that reference peer-reviewed? A peer-reviewed reference is an article, in a scientific journal, that had to go through a rigorous review process in order to even be published. Typically, a committee of experts reads an article, provides critique and feedback to the author, who then either rewrites the article or even goes back to the lab to collect information it was felt was deficient.

3. In a peer-reviewed reference, who funded the study? Unfortunately, the peer-review process is not perfect. Research studies are expensive, and a high percentage of them are funded by pharmaceutical companies and food conglomerates with much to gain if their product can be proven to have a certain desired effect. If the majority of information about a subject is funded by one corporate entity, without any pieces available to balance that finding, it may still be science, but it may exist because no one has paid for studies that might put this"promising" information into perspective.

(Just because something doesn't exist in a journal doesn't mean it's not true. It may just mean that it hasn't been studied yet. Filling in some of those holes is what we are excited about doing with our new research institute.)

I'm not a big fan of basing my decisions on published books, no matter how well-respected a person's book may be. Books are a collection of thoughts and opinions of a certain author, and they do not report individual research. There is a profit motive behind books, and in many cases less of a review process to balance the presented information. For example, I do love the book The Omega-3 Connection. However, it is important to know that the author of this book, despite his credentials, owns a company that sells omega-3 supplements. His recommendations are higher than what is commonly seen to be effective, which benefits him in an obvious way. And I've never seen him do any subsequent studies to fine tune or even lower recommended doses with updated information. So while I learned much from what he wrote, I did walk away from that time recognizing that there were limits to the claims the book made.

Book authors also need to do press and booksigning tours in order to recover the money invested in creating their product, and in order to get media coverage, their titles are often more sensational, their claims more promising than what may be seen in peer-reviewed publications. I'm more inclined to pick up a book written by someone who does have their own peer-reviewed publications than I am someone who is a clinical professional who decided to improve their own bottom line with a media blitz. But I never quote or base my own clinical recommendations on anything that comes from a book published by a mainstream publisher. I stick with the science.

Websites are pure tossup. Most of them have some kind of profit motive attached, and you must decide if that motive is consistent with your own value system. We even have our own profit motive at inCYST. We do our best to steer away from associations that would reduce our credibility, however. It is the well-being of the reader that we value first and foremost and refuse to compromise, no matter how comfortable our own lives would be from saying"yes" to a few more business offers than we actually do.

And there you have it.

Beth Wolf is heading up the PCOS Walk-a-Thon in Nashua, NH, and the PCOS Virtual Walk-a-Thon which is anywhere (on planet Earth, at least for now) where you happen to be with a desire to walk for PCOS. Here is her story.

Blessed to have PCOS

By Beth Wolf

One day, after being un-diagnosed for years, I was told I had PCOS. I spent the next few years sitting on my behind feeling sorry for myself. I felt like I was the only one out there and I had no hope of a better life. Then all of a sudden, I figured out what could motivate me to get off the couch. I would start a walk-a-thon to raise money for PCOS research and awareness. I didn't care if I was the only one out there walking. I told all my friends and family as well as posted it everywhere before I could change my mind. Then I went in search of somewhere to give my money to. I could find nothing. I was turned down by several places including a hospital. I gave up. A few months later, I received an e-mail asking me if I was still doing the walk and if I could give them a pledge form because they wanted to walk with me. I felt re-newed knowing there is someone else out there that wanted this. During my crazy moment of trying to figure out how to tell them I couldn't do it, my dear husband went in search of places to donate for PCOS. He found an article about a research foundation that was started because of my contacting all these places when I had originally decided to walk. I was amazed, overwhelmed and a wreck (in a good way). I couldn't believe that just little old me could spark something like that to happen. The article was by Monika Woosley and she started the InCyst Institute for Hormone Health. She created it to helps fund research about hormone disorders with a focus on alternative/nutritional/complementary treatments that are difficult to find funding for. I contacted her right away and she put me in touch with other people in my area that could be of help for my walk. Before long, we even had a hospital telling us they would sponsor us. I was amazed at all this happening so quickly.
Now we have a website http://www.PowerUpforPCOS.com and we use it for information about our upcoming walk-a-thon and virtual walk-a-thon as well as sponsor information. Our site also has a calendar to view upcoming PCOS events in your area and useful links about PCOS. We are currently working on a place where women can submit reviews on professionals who have treated them for PCOS. Professionals will be able to submit their listings as well. And finally, we are gathering a network of women in each state so they may understand they are not alone in this and get together for support and different PCOS eventsOn to our walk-a-thon events:

Join us for the Power Up for PCOS Walk-a-thon to raise funds for the inCYST Institute of Hormone Health. The InCyst Institute for Hormone Health helps fund research about hormone disorders with a focus on alternative/nutritional/complementary treatments that are difficult to find funding for.
We have 2 different walks going on. First we have the Walk-a-thon in Nashua, NH on September 17th. Then we have the Virtual Walk-a-thon on September 18th which you can choose your own location for. To become a walker, simply visit http://www.powerupforpcos.com/ and choose which walk you would like to attend. Download the pledge forms and start raising some money for a great cause.

We've been blessed in a wonderful way!

inCYST friend Rebekah Rawlins Rocheleau is working on graduate studies in psychology and has decided to devote her project to a PCOS-related issue. She asked if I'd be involved in reading the project and providing feedback so I guess you can say we've embarked on our very first research endeavor.

So many thanks to Rebekah for helping us get established as a center devoted to PCOS research.

Rebekah's project will be looking at factors that motivate and demotivate women with PCOS when it comes to taking action and changing behavior.

I'm especially excited about this focus because I'm convinced that one of the biggest barriers to women with PCOS pursuing health is not that there is not information available for them to capitalize on. Rather it is about the reasons why they do not utilize this information on a regular basis in order to better their situation and their fate.

We'll be sure to keep you posted!

Thanks again, Rebekah! So excited to be involved!

Aaahhh eggs, the misunderstood member of the nutrition family. Poor guys…when I graduated from college, in the height of the low cholesterol-low fat craze, we were indoctrinated to teach that"egg" was just another word for poison.

My how things have changed!

A couple of months ago I heard Dr. Susan Kleiner (www.goodmooddiet.com) speak at a conference. She shared that not once has there been a research study demonstrating that when you take eggs out of the diet, that this dietary change reduces cholesterol. As well, there has been research demonstrating that adding eggs (plus yolks) to the diet does NOT raise cholesterol. All those yolks I threw down the drain all those years…for nothing.

I figured I'd better find some hard research to back THAT one up, so here's a quick list of interesting titles I found in PubMed:
Dietary cholesterol from eggs increases plasma HDL cholesterol in
overweight men consuming a carbohydrate-restricted diet
Egg yolk improves lipid profile, lipid peroxidation and retinal abnormalities
in a murine model of genetic hypercholesterolemia.
There are many more, but here I just wanted to make my point. Egg yolks are not the ugly stepchild of the protein family anymore.

In fact, there are some great nutrients to be found in eggs.

1. Lutein and xeanthin are two carotenoid compounds that can help maintain visual health. One group of researchers reported that 6 eggs per week can help increase lutein and xeanthin levels in the macula, the part of the eye that degenerates in this country's leading cause of blindness, macular degeneration.

2. Eggs contain choline. This compound is very important for brain function. Choline is the building block for acetylcholine, the neurotransmitter involved in memory, and the one that many Alzheimer's medications seek to increase.

This compound is exceedingly hard to get in the diet. In fact, about the only two places you can find it, are egg yolks, and soy. (Well, also in cooked chicken, beef, veal, and turkey livers, but I didn't think that would have any of you running for your grocery lists so it goes in parentheses.)

If you've got PCOS, you've probably been told to avoid soy. So that leaves egg yolks for getting this very important memory booster.

3. If you hate fish but you need to increase your fish-based omega-3 intake, omega-3 eggs are a very cost-effective option. If you struggle to get enough vegetables in your diet, omelets and frittatas are great ways to get them in. Just be sure you use olive oil when you cook them.

I thought it might be timely to include eggs on this blog, because as food prices rise, they can certainly be much more cost-effective than salmon, as well as other proteins that are now taxing your grocery bill.

Mutungi G, Ratliff J, Puglisi M, Torres-Gonzalez M, Vaishnav U, Leite JO, Quann E, Volek JS, Fernandez ML. Dietary cholesterol from eggs increases plasma HDL cholesterol in overweight men consuming a carbohydrate-restricted diet. J Nutr. 2008 Feb;138(2):272-6.

Fernández-Robredo P, Rodríguez JA, Sádaba LM, Recalde S, García-Layana A.
Egg yolk improves lipid profile, lipid peroxidation and retinal abnormalities in a murine model of genetic hypercholesterolemia. J Nutr Biochem. 2008 Jan;19(1):40-8.

Wenzel AJ, Gerweck C, Barbato D, Nicolosi RJ, Handelman GJ, Curran-Celentano J. A 12-wk egg intervention increases serum zeaxanthin and macular pigment optical density in women. J Nutr. 2006 Oct;136(10):2568-73.

Goodrow EF, Wilson TA, Houde SC, Vishwanathan R, Scollin PA, Handelman G, Nicolosi RJ. Consumption of one egg per day increases serum lutein and zeaxanthin concentrations in older adults without altering serum lipid and lipoprotein cholesterol concentrations. J Nutr. 2006 Oct;136(10):2519-24.

Three different clients in the last two weeks have expressed the same inspiration independently of each other, so I figured I'd let them inspire me on this blog topic.

Each of these women expressed that once they stopped mentally fighting with themselves over their diagnosis, stopped focusing on how badly they're feeling, and started prioritizing their self-care, they began to lose weight and feel better.

Up until the point that they had this moment of inspiration, they were fighting against the disease, feeling sad and angry because of the diagnosis, and much of the time, interfering with their own potential to succeed at feeling better.

Here's the deal.

1. Your PCOS is not going to go away. You can fight with it for the rest of your life. You can draft an encyclopedia's worth of reasons why you shouldn't have to be asked to make different food choices, get out and walk on your lunch break, go to bed a little earlier, set boundaries with your husband. You can even complain about the dozen doctors who don't get it. But the whole time, you'll be stuck in a body that is even more tired, frustrated, and depressed than it already is. Unfortunately, you can't just go jump into a newer, upgraded model. The model you have to learn to work with…is the one that you were given.

2. Accepting that you have PCOS is ABSOLUTELY NOT accepting defeat. I hear in a lot of comments that many of you feel that by accepting your diagnosis, you're failing, that somehow being stubborn and fighting back, and demanding more money be devoted to research and the development of a cure…is the most productive path you can take. Have you considered the psychology of this argument? That until a cure is found, you've committed yourself to not taking care of yourself and unloading choices that make it even harder for you to function normally and enjoy TODAY? It seems to me that now that you've discovered you have PCOS, you have an extra special reason to be treating yourself a little more proactively, so that if and when that day of a cure does arrive, your body is in the absolute best condition it can be in, ready to respond to this new treatment.

Acceptance is actually a stage in the grieving process. If you've ever lost a loved one, you likely know how sometimes you fight to keep the memory of that loved one in your presence out of fear that if you stop fighting, stop feeling sad, stop wrapping your day around the sad thoughts, you've let go and lost the person forever. It's not really that way. When you accept the loss, you just put them in a place in your heart and spirit where they still have your love, but you have room for new and different experiences that they do not share with you.

Accepting that you have PCOS is a lot like learning that if you have curly hair, you need a different kind of hair conditioner than someone with straight hair. Now that you know how your body works, what makes it feel badly, what helps it to feel better, you have an opportunity to make choices that drive you more often toward feeling better.

You can still be a PCOS advocate, you can still fight for more and better research, you can still research your disease. Only you're feeling a whole lot more energetic in the process.

Oh, by the way, I'm willling to bet…even if a cure is found, it's not going to be any kind of vaccination that allows you to eat Fritos and Twinkies ad lib without consequence. You're still going to have to prioritize self-care in order to see progress. Just sayin': )

I encourage you to think about whether or not fighting against yourself and pushing away all of the possible choices that could help you to feel better isn't part of why you're not feeling better?

It's ok to accept. A diagnosis. Help. Support.

Thanks for coming and using this blog as a part of your personal PCOS acceptance plan.

It came up in a Facebook conversation yesterday that a woman with PCOS had been prescribed Depakote (valproic acid) and her PCOS became worse.

It is important to know that this medication, commonly administered for the treatment of bipolar disorder and epilepsy, has actually been reported in several research studies to worsen laboratory values and symptoms of PCOS (see references below).

There is speculation that this is partially due to the fact that carnitine levels drop in the presence of Depakote.

The good news is, carnitine is available as an over the counter supplement, and research has suggested that taking acetyl-l-carnitine supplements while on valproic acid is beneficial to help minimize these side effects. The dose that has been reported/suggested is 4 grams per day.

Even though the research isn't as strong for other psych meds that have been correlated with weight gain, it's in my tool box to recommend to anyone who has noticed their symptoms worsen after starting medications in this category (psych and nervous system medications), to use the carnitine supplements.

I have written in other places that I believe it should be standard protocol when prescribing Depakote, to also prescribe carnitine. I hope, at least in practices where women with PCOS are part of the specialty, that this can become part of the treatment plan. It's an easy tool with a lot of potential.

Popovic V, Spremovic S. The effect of sodium valproate on luteinizing hormone secretion in women with polycystic ovary disease. J Endocrinol Invest. 1995 Feb;18(2):104-8.

Stephen LJ, Kwan P, Shapiro D, Dominiczak M, Brodie MJ. Hormone profiles in young adults with epilepsy treated with sodium valproate or lamotrigine monotherapy. Epilepsia. 2001 Aug;42(8):1002-6.

Luef G, Abraham I, Trinka E, Alge A, Windisch J, Daxenbichler G, Unterberger I, Seppi K, Lechleitner M, Krämer G, Bauer G. Hyperandrogenism, postprandial hyperinsulinism and the risk of PCOS in a cross sectional study of women with epilepsy treated with valproate. Epilepsy Res. 2002 Jan;48(1-2):91-102.

McIntyre RS, Mancini DA, McCann S, Srinivasan J, Kennedy SH. Valproate, bipolar disorder and polycystic ovarian syndrome. Bipolar Disord. 2003 Feb;5(1):28-35.

Ribacoba-Montero R, Martínez-Faedo C, Díaz-Díaz C, Salas-Puig J. [Remission of polycystic ovary syndrome associated with valproic acid in an epileptic female] [Article in Spanish] Rev Neurol. 2003 Apr 1-15;36(7):639-42.

Betts T, Yarrow H, Dutton N, Greenhill L, Rolfe T. A study of anticonvulsant medication on ovarian function in a group of women with epilepsy who have only ever taken one anticonvulsant compared with a group of women without epilepsy. Seizure. 2003 Sep;12(6):323-9.

Wood JR, Nelson-Degrave VL, Jansen E, McAllister JM, Mosselman S, Strauss JF 3rd. Valproate-induced alterations in human theca cell gene expression: clues to the association between valproate use and metabolic side effects. Physiol Genomics. 2005 Feb 10;20(3):233-43. Epub 2004 Dec 14.

Flück CE, Yaworsky DC, Miller WL. Effects of anticonvulsants on human p450c17 (17alpha-hydroxylase/17,20 lyase) and 3beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 2. Epilepsia. 2005 Mar;46(3):444-8

Rasgon NL, Altshuler LL, Fairbanks L, Elman S, Bitran J, Labarca R, Saad M, Kupka R, Nolen WA, Frye MA, Suppes T, McElroy SL, Keck PE Jr, Leverich G, Grunze H, Walden J, Post R, Mintz J. Reproductive function and risk for PCOS in women treated for bipolar disorder. Bipolar Disord. 2005 Jun;7(3):246-59.

Morris GL 3rd, Vanderkolk C. Human sexuality, sex hormones, and epilepsy. Epilepsy Behav. 2005 Dec;7 Suppl 2:S22-8. Epub 2005 Oct 20.

Joffe H, Cohen LS, Suppes T, McLaughlin WL, Lavori P, Adams JM, Hwang CH, Hall JE, Sachs GS. Valproate is associated with new-onset oligoamenorrhea with hyperandrogenism in women with bipolar disorder. Biol Psychiatry. 2006 Jun 1;59(11):1078-86. Epub 2006 Jan 31.

Joffe H, Cohen LS, Suppes T, Hwang CH, Molay F, Adams JM, Sachs GS, Hall JE. Longitudinal follow-up of reproductive and metabolic features of valproate-associated polycystic ovarian syndrome features: A preliminary report. Biol Psychiatry. 2006 Dec 15;60(12):1378-81. Epub 2006 Sep 1.

Prabhakar S, Sahota P, Kharbanda PS, Siali R, Jain V, Lal V, Khurana D. Sodium valproate, hyperandrogenism and altered ovarian function in Indian women with epilepsy: a prospective study. Epilepsia. 2007 Jul;48(7):1371-7. Epub 2007 Apr 18.

Reynolds MF, Sisk EC, Rasgon NL. Valproate and neuroendocrine changes in relation to women treated for epilepsy and bipolar disorder: a review. Curr Med Chem. 2007;14(26):2799-812.

Morrell MJ, Hayes FJ, Sluss PM, Adams JM, Bhatt M, Ozkara C, Warnock CR, Isojärvi J. Hyperandrogenism, ovulatory dysfunction, and polycystic ovary syndrome with valproate versus lamotrigine. Ann Neurol. 2008 Aug;64(2):200-11.

Bilo L, Meo R. Polycystic ovary syndrome in women using valproate: a review. Gynecol Endocrinol. 2008 Oct;24(10):562-70.

Gorkemli H, Genc BO, Dogan EA, Genc E, Ozdemir S. Long-term effects of valproic acid on reproductive endocrine functions in Turkish women with epilepsy. Gynecol Obstet Invest. 2009;67(4):223-7. Epub 2009 Feb 24.

I am so excited about this! Over the years I have been meeting great small businesses offering thoughtful, spectacular products with potential to improve health. These companies consistently battle a series of small business woes, most especially how to consistently grow without having to jump from Mom and Pop status to major market presence and not lose their shirts. It frustrates me very much, watching how many searches for these products bring people to our blog, knowing that these people may have stopped searching with us because they got tired of clicking.
I wanted to create a bridge that brought these entrepreneurial types within reach of the enthusiastic customers who can help them grow and succeed.

So I've developed the inCYST eMarket, designed to help the best of the best to promote their products directly through us. You know, if it shows up in our store, it's been evaluated and fits with our mission, to support a lifestyle that is healthy for the planet AND its citizens. Most of the companies are small to medium sized, most were created with promoting better health as part of their mission, many are eventually going to be household names, if given a chance to brand and create a presence within the budget that their small business allows for. Many will be food products, but some will be personal care, others will focus on home and garden.

I envisioned, if I had the ability to bring my favorite business people together at my own market, who would be occupying the stalls. These people are pretty busy in their own worlds, wearing the multiple hats required in a startup endeavor, so this is a way for them to come together without having to leave their local operations.

That is where all of you come in. You're looking for great, healthy products. You're willing to spend money on them. You just don't know where to look. Or, you may know where to look, but aren't sure what you are seeing has validity. So we wanted to take the work out of it for you.

To encourage you to patronize our new store, between Memorial Day and Labor Day, we're going to allocate 100% of the profits earned by this store, to the new inCYST Research Institute. Thereafter, 20% of the profits will be allocated. I'm hoping that this will take care of the burden of the startup costs we're incurring, so that the majority of the money the fundraisers you all are organizing and participating in, can be directly devoted to research.

I love farmer's markets, and I envision this as being somewhat of an e-farmer's Market, specializing in valid hormone-friendly products we hope you are excited to try.

Starting tomorrow, for the rest of the week, we'll be posting information about each of the companies participating in our initial launch. This week we'll be featuring: Zing Bars, Ibitta, Arizona Mesquite Company, and Oila. We'll update you from time to time about new products and how they may be of interest to you.

If you can't wait until Monday for the detailed product information to start posting, feel free to check us out and browse around at this link!

We're excited to be able to involve our hard-working colleagues in the food, personal care, and design industries in our quest to make it easier for all of you to reap the benefits of an eco-hormone-friendly lifestyle.

In this segment on Wednesday, April 15, 2009 at 6pm EDT, Sasha Ottey speaks Dr. Andrea Dunaif, one of the world's most prominent PCOS researchers. She is Director of the Northwestern University NIH-Supported Specialized Center of Research (SCOR) on Sex and Gender Factors Affecting Women’s Health.

Dr. Dunaif’s research focuses on the mechanisms linking reproduction and metabolism. Her studies have led the way in redefining PCOS as a major metabolic disorder that is a leading risk factor for type 2 diabetes. She has translated her findings into novel therapies for PCOS with insulin sensitizing drugs. Most recently, her group has mapped the first major susceptibility gene for the disorder. This spells progress!

Dr. Dunaif will be able to tell us about the latest discoveries, developments, and medical breakthroughs in Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome research.

To listen to Dr. Dunaif, tune in on Wednesday, April 15, 2009 at 6pm EDT to learn more about PCOS the strides the medical community are taking to learn more about treating it.

To listen go to http://www.blogtalkradio.com/pcoschallenge. You can ask questions live via the chat room or call in with a live question during the show at (646) 929-0394. If you would like to send your questions in advance, please leave a comment here and it will be asked during the show.

If you are a registered dietitian, you listen to this program, and you would like to receive credit for your time, you may do so for a small fee. Please contact me at marika@google.com for more information.

As you saw yesterday, I was at an eating disorder conference last week.
It was exciting to see a lot of information coming out about the link between nutrition, the brain, and eating disorders.

Many of you may not be aware that it was my own research into this topic that got me started in PCOS research! My book was originally published in 2000, it was the very first book on eating disorders the American Dietetic Association ever published. It was a really tough book to write because at the time almost no one was even looking at the connection. And it turned out to be a bit of a difficult sell because the idea was new and I don't think the professional community was used to someone with my credentials (as opposed to an MD or PhD) was the one who was writing it.

To this day, people will tell me,"Yes, yours is the book with the picture of the brain on it!" That always feels great, as it took a lot of lobbying to even get that photo on the cover of the book.

The connection turned out to be a crucial one, and spending all that time reading all that research prepared me for creating inCYST. So I'm really glad I took the time to sit through all those library hours!

It is out of print at this point, but still available on on amazon.com for anyone who might be interested.

It felt a little lonely out there when I wrote that book, so it's really nice to hear other colleagues with an interest in the topic and to see it even make the program of a national conference!

Dear blog readers,

I received a comment over the weekend, questioning my lack of enthusiasm for high fructose corn syrup that ended with,"My RD would be proud of me." It sounded like our reader was feeling a little bit caught between two different dietitians with two different ways of interpreting information. No one looking for help with their PCOS should ever feel like they need to choose between one advice giver or another. No one reading this blog has to do anything for us. We're just here to provide information in a way we hope is helpful. As long as we get blog hits, we figure that is exactly what we're doing.

I figured it was best to clarify why I do what I do and how you're best going to benefit from visits to this blog.

1. I am a pretty obsessive reader of research. When I read research, I find a lot of information that either has not been presented to women with PCOS at all, or it's not been presented in a way that benefits women with PCOS. So I compose my conclusions and post them here, in hopes of helping people who haven't had access to that viewpoint. It's my viewpoint, and my viewpoint only. It's not ever going to be anything that makes 100% of people who read this blog happy. I never set out to do that. But what I do provide, when possible, is references from peer-reviewed research that shows you where I got my facts and how I connected the dots.

2. If you've read my writing, and you've also connected dots in a different way, I respect and support that. Like I said, I'm not here to make you think like me or do like me. I'm hoping to encourage you to do your own critical thinking and come to conclusions and choices that work best for YOU. You have enough personal and corporate interests trying to make you think one way or another. I don't want to make you think anything. I want to encourage you to think independently.

3. If you're working with another dietitian, I respect that. Any time anyone has EVER come to an inCYST event who has not been working with an inCYST network member, I make it absolutely clear from the beginning that we aim to enhance the experience with the other professional. We're not out to steal clients or make anyone look bad.

4. If for some reason you've brought any of our information in to your non-inCYST dietitian and the discussion has left you feeling caught in the middle, I don't want you to feel that way. All we're doing is presenting information that we have found to be helpful. And recently, we've grown into a fundraising entity designed to invest in scientific studies that can help add credibility to the paradigm we've been developing. It's super important at inCYST that we don't grow into a place where we just spout off about ideas, but that we pursue the ones we feel are valid, on behalf of women who live a life with less quality than they deserve. Even with that commitment, we know our way of doing things is not the only way of doing things. It's just our way of doing things. We work very hard to make it credible and verifiable. If it works for you, great, please benefit. If it's not consistent with what your dietitian is telling you, my biggest hope is that you would be empowered enough to be able to take the best of both sets of advice and chart your own course. If nothing that we offer here works for you, that's ok too. There are many paths to the same destination. Your best nutrition coach is not us, or anyone else, it is YOU.

5. We can respect the differences in philosophy that exist in the world of health care, but our primary focus with inCYST is to develop the paradigm and provide information to those who DO benefit from our information. It's not to defend ourselves with those who disagree. We respect the disagreement and hope that you achieve success with the information and choices that work best for you.

6. I believe our team does excellent work, but just because someone is not in our network, it doesn't mean we think they don't as well. The purpose of having a network is so that if you come to this blog and you like what you see, we have a team of people in a variety of places that you know you can go to, who will give you the same sort of approach one-on-one as you got here. You guys waste enough money trying do that on your own, and we wanted to stop the unproductive cash flow. We are very good at what we do, but we do not intend to say that others are not. That would be untrue, not to mention completely arrogant.

Thank you for visiting the blog, and I hope that once in awhile, it does provide information and inspiration that's helped you along your PCOS path.

I cannot tell you how taken back (in the most wonderful of ways) I was last week to have so many of you step up and offer donations, services, and support for the research institute idea. Thanks to all of you, you've inspired me to go ahead with the idea.

Here is where we stand as of today.

For a variety of reasons, though I currently live in Phoenix, I will be launching this institute in California, with a physical headquarters in Los Angeles.

We're currently in that common dilemma many new nonprofits face, that is, how to raise funds to offset the startup costs when we are not officially started up and legally able to accept donations. We're currently working on the solution that will have us officially in existence by June 2011.

Our focus will be to fund research regarding hormone health, with a focus on nonpharmalogical and nonsurgical options to common issues such as PCOS.

We've got a lot of work ahead of us, I've been told this type of venture is no picnic, but it's definitely an adventure worth pursuing.

I'll keep you posted as we progress.

Thanks for all the support and offers…we're definitely going to need a lot behind us as we put all the pieces together!

We've got some very big research opportunity brewing here. I'm super excited about it, but I'm also concerned, with the low follow through on simple requests we've had here on this page at all price points, in all locations, at all levels of difficulty, that the dropout rate we might experience due to poor motivation will overshadow the real benefits to any treatment we try. That would be a disservice to women who ARE motivated and making healthy choices. Research findings only work on individuals who are motivated to act on that science. It only makes sense that when we study science, we study it on the individuals most likely to make real use of that science.

Therefore, the only women who will be eligible to apply to participate in any inCYST-sponsored studies…will be those who have demonstrated that they are willing to invest in themselves. We'll be recruiting from paid members of the Institute for any studies that we sponsor. Thank you for understanding.

If you'd like to join the Institute and reap the benefits of participating in research, click here for more information. A $25 membership will cost you slightly less than 3 meals at McDonald's, or about 5 packs of cigarettes, 12 2-liter bottles of soda, or a manicure. Only one has potential to better the situation that brought you to this blog in the first place!

A final note--we don't want to be recruiting from a pool of women only interested in a single aspect of PCOS — we are a mind-body organization and that goes against our philosophy. We are looking to create a pool of potential subjects who participate in what we do for our big picture vision. For that reason, please do not ask what the nature of the study will be. That will be disclosed to Institute members when subject recruitment for each study begins.

We do hope you join us. We've got a lot we plan to accomplish and we really do need you on our team.

I just received word from Lori Corbin that the story we shot several months ago about PCOS will be airing this afternoon on Los Angeles' ABC-7. We are so grateful to Lori for giving us time to tell a few stories…Amber's specifically, and the story of PCOS in general.

Most importantly, we are grateful to Amber for putting herself out there on behalf of women everywhere. It took a lot of moxie!

If this is the first time you have ever heard of us, and you were moved enough after Lori's story to come here for a visit, welcome! I hope that the inCYST concept we have been building over the last 15 years has something of value for YOU.

We started out as a small network of health professionals who wanted to be as educated about PCOS as possible, so we could better serve them. Along the way, we have learned a lot:

--There are an awful lot of women suffering silently with PCOS. They often feel very alone…when in fact, 1 in 5 of you on the planet have it!

--There is a lot of bad information out there, and a lot of people waiting to capitalize on your distress.

--Your problems are not always taken seriously.

--The stress of being given this diagnosis is extreme, often to the point of being paralyzing.

--Many of the most effective treatments for this diagnosis do not even appear in research journals because they are natural, not able to be patented, and therefore not likely to be funded by drug companies.

--We do feel a sense of urgency about inspiring all of you. We know we're working against a lot of depression and fear of change, but we also know the many extremely serious consequences of not taking action. So while we are very passionate about our women, we try to present a combination of posts and information that balances between making you feel safe with us, and information that gets your attention enough that your old comfort zone no longer feels so comfortable. We want to keep you around for a long time!

We have seen some great results with our small network, and last year decided to start a research institute to raise money to be sure some of the most important treatments get researched and published. As well as to test some of our own findings to see if they hold up to scientific scrutiny.

We would love to help you personally! Our list of network members is on the right, and many of us Skype if you do not see your location listed. We have a Facebook page, a Twitter account, a radio show, and a monthly newsletter. Please take advantage of all of them!

We could also really use your support of our research foundation! We are brand new, and still getting our name out there. Donations of time, talents, money, no matter what size, are deeply appreciated.

Our sister organization, Power Up for PCOS, has also been very busy organizing local Power Up groups for women who are ready to be proactive about PCOS. Their organizer, Beth Wolf, regularly reminds her group that women with PCOS who are managing that diagnosis with diet, exercise, and stress management, are actually healthier than women without the syndrome. So we like to think that a diagnosis is not a death sentence, but a wakeup call, inviting you to give yourself permission to treat yourself in the way that you deserve.

Power Up has some fun fundraisers, including an annual walk-a-thon, and an online store with items created by women with PCOS. We hope you find something that interests you enough to get involved!

Most importantly, we're glad you found us! Thanks for stopping by!

Please contact me directly if you have any questions. I divide my time between Los Angeles and Phoenix, and also make time for conversations with women around the globe.

Monika M. Woolsey, MS, RD
CEO and Founder
InCYST Institute for Hormone Health
623.486.0737
marika@google.com

Some friends of mine here in Phoenix are working on a unique project, in conjunction with Intel, to promote the viablility of sunflower oil as a biofuel.

Whether your engine is your alternative auto…or your own body, sunflower seeds can be a nice addition to your fuel mix.

I've encouraged that you avoid sunflower OIL, since when you refine the oil out of the seeds, and consume it in disproportionate ratios to other fats, which is what happens when you use it to fry foods, the total composition of your fat intake tends to be pro-inflammatory. However, when consumed unprocessed, as in seeds, there are some great benefits to sunflower seeds in the diet.

One of the most important is vitamin E. It's an incredibly important antioxidant that can help prevent cholesterol buildup, even reduce cholesterol. It's also very important for protecting your brain, which with PCOS is crucial. That is where your hormone control center is located. It's been found to help reduce the magnitude of hot flashes.

Sunflowers are very high in phytosterols (which you'll be hearing more about soon in future blog posts). Sunflower seeds have one of the highest concentrations of phystosterols. They're also high in magnesium, a mineral often deficient in women with PCOS, which means that it may help you with stress and anxiety.

What is fascinating about sunflower research is that most of it has been done on livestock, not humans. It is well known among dairy and poultry farmers that their animals will be healthier and live longer if sunflower seeds or sunflower meal is added to their diet. Economically, they have learned that there is a profit to be made from using this knowledge. We're not quite there yet with humans…we're still biased in thinking the answer to every one of our aches, pains, and diagnoses, is a pill. (If you could see my"research institute projects to consider" list right here, it gets longer and longer as I write about all these great things like vinegar, strawberries, sunflowers, that should be given more attentio and hopefully will.

But don't wait for me to get going on those studies! Sunflower seeds are so easy to add to your diet. They can't hurt and they might help…and they're tasty! I see no reason why you can't be your own research subject as soon as you write your next grocery list.

How do you like your sunflower seeds? Here are some of my favorites.

1. In my oatmeal.
2. In my trail mix.
3. Sprinkled on soup
4. Sprinkled on salad.
5. Added whole to homemade bread, pancakes, etc.
6. Ground and added to flour or breading for meat.

Park CS, Fisher GR, Haugse CN. Effect of dietary protein and sunflower meal on blood serum cholesterol of dairy heifers. J Dairy Sci. 1980 Sep;63(9):1451-61.
Ziaei S, Kazemnejad A, Zareai M. The effect of vitamin E on hot flashes in menopausal women. Gynecol Obstet Invest. 2007;64(4):204-7. Epub 2007 Jul 30.