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While we still have a long way to go, good things are happening due to the diligence of PCOS activists and healthcare providers who continue to seek answers and demand better options. Here are three things that are changing for the better in the world of PCOS.
<h1>What’s in a Name? (PCOS May be Getting a New One)</h1>
http://www.hormonesoup.com/whats-in-a-name-theres-more-to-pcos-than-cysts-a-lot-more/  PCOS may soon be getting a new name. While nothing has yet been set in stone, it seems that the most likely option is Anovulatory Androgen Excess (AAE). While some experts feel that a name change would only cause confusion, those in favor of the change feel strongly that the current name causes confusion and is highly inaccurate. Ovarian cysts are not always present, and the list of symptoms is much more extensive. In fact, the disorder is so complex that no precise diagnostic criteria have ever been set. Instead, the disorder encompasses a wide umbrella of symptoms which vary from one woman to the next. Excessive androgen and suppressed ovulation are two factors that accurately and simply sum up a large part of what happens to the body to cause these myriad symptoms. By changing the name to AAE, doctors who are not experts on the subject would be more likely to make diagnosis and referrals for patients in need of specialized treatment, and those without ovarian cysts would be less likely to be overlooked. It’s a topic worth watching.
<h1>Growing Acceptance of Bioidentical Hormone Treatment</h1>
There have been proponents of bioidentical hormone treatment for PCOS for quite some time, but it is still rejected or unheard of by many care providers. As more research is being conducted, the treatment is gaining wider mainstream acceptance; and this could mean that more women will be hearing about it as an option. While the treatment has a big name, it’s actually quite simple in practice. Instead of using birth control pills to regulate hormones, patients are prescribed a naturally base progesterone cream. This has many advantages for PCOS sufferers over taking birth control pills. Instead of masking symptoms and adding a potential slew of new ones to mix in the form of side effects, the use of a natural progesterone cream acts to reset the hormonal cycles that naturally occur in healthy women, allowing for ovulation and menstruation, and with it, a return of fertility. If you are interested in using bioidentical hormone replacement treatment, ask your physician about their level of knowledge and experience with it. If your current healthcare provider isn’t open to the treatment, or has little experience with it, don’t be afraid to find a new one who is willing to explore the possibility with you.
<h1>Holistic Lifestyle and Dietary Changes</h1>
Hormones are affected by every aspect of your lifestyle. This includes diet, exercise, stress levels, and the amount of sleep we get. As we gain more understanding about why this is so, more information is becoming available to women about making choices that support their optimum health while living with PCOS. There are a lot of great resources available, but one of the most comprehensive that I’ve found is <a href="http://www.pcosdiva.com/">http://www.pcosdiva.com/</a>. The site covers stress management techniques, diet and exercise, natural help to combat hair loss, treatment options and more. The website and blog are easy to navigate to find just what you’re looking for, and everything is written in a way that is easy to understand and implement. If you’ve wondered about things like implementing a low-glycemic diet while leading a busy life or which exercises are most beneficial for PCOS, you’ll find a lot of great information compiled here to help you make healthy changes.   With increasing visibility and understanding of PCOS, symptom management becomes safer and easier, and quality of life improves dramatically. If you’ve ever doubted that activism is worthwhile, rest assured that your efforts are not for nothing. Each woman who stands up for her right to adequate information, research, and choices is causing a ripple effect that will be felt for generations to come.