PCOS: A Woman's Guide to Dealing with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome - Softcover

Colette Harris; Adam Carey

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0722539754 ISBN 13: 9780722539750

Publisher: Thorsons, 2000

Synopsis

The bestselling guide to this increasingly common womens’ health concern.

Although one in ten women in the UK suffer from polycistic ovary syndrome (PCOS), with a myriad of symptoms and the problem that many doctors do not recognise this condition – sufferers often experience an uphill battle for diagnosis and help.

This is the first book to tackle the issue of PCOS. Written by a sufferer, this book offers essential advice on dealing with this gynaecological disorder which can effect everything from weight to infertility and therefore impacts on a woman’s sense of self.

The book will look at how PCOS effects the body, but above all it will offer an essential self help plan for dealing with the condition. PCOS will include a 4-point wellness plan, an A–Z of symptoms and associated remedies and a section on self esteem and rebuilding your life.

As well as the common symptoms of weight gain, excess body hair, acne, breast pain, dizziness, chronic fatigue and hair loss, sufferers from PCOS can experience associated health risks including a higher risk of miscarriage, heart disease, diabetes but infertility is still their largest worry.

Colette Harris has put together a valuable self help regime – which looks at both conventional and complementary medicine. The 4 step plan will focus on diet, exercise, supplementation and relaxation.

About this title

Review:

Given that polycystic ovary syndrome is still shrouded in much uncertainty, it's a real shame that PCOS: A Woman's Guide to Polycystic Ovary Syndrome is not a better book.

Coauthor Colette Harris, a British health magazine writer, was moved to write this book after her own successful battle with PCOS, a genetic hormonal imbalance that produces small ovarian cysts, acne, excess body hair, weight gain, mood swings, and infertility and raises the risk for miscarriage, diabetes, and heart disease. Her briefly told story is inspiring--how one woman surprised her doctor by managing this incurable disease using a combination of a vegan diet, herbs and nutritional supplements, filtered water, and exercise.

Unfortunately, even with the tales of other women dealing with PCOS woven throughout, Harris's insider perspective is not enough to carry the book. For women confused about their seemingly unrelated symptoms, PCOS may provide some comfort in relaying that their collection of symptoms not only has a name but a supportive patient community. Even so, apart from the theoretical discussions of what causes PCOS--the medical community is still debating this issue since not every woman with polycystic ovaries exhibits symptoms or even the same collection of symptoms--there's little here that couldn't be gleaned from dozens of other better-written wellness books. Indeed, most of Harris's recommendations for managing PCOS are so general--eat a healthy diet, manage your weight, try homeopathy, exercise, reduce stress--they could be (and in many cases are) the foundation for any number of wellness programs. Plus, authors Harris and gynecologist-nutritionist Adam Carey are given to straying so far off topic in some sections--note the discussion of why conventional farming practices deplete foods of nutrients--one wonders how (and when) they'll find their way back. In the end, this book just feels like a magazine article that's been stretched far beyond its scope to meet a publisher's page quota. --Norine Dworkin

About the Author:

Colette Harris is a freelance journalist and is the features editor at Here’s Health. She discovered she had polycistic ovary syndrome two years ago.

Dr Adam Carey works at the Natural Health Clinic in Harley Street.

About this edition

• Publisher: Thorsons
• Publication date: 2000
• ISBN 10: 0722539754
• ISBN 13: 9780722539750
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 192