Next month is PCOS Awareness month. We all know that every day should be PCOS Awareness Day especially with PCOS affecting so many lives and families. Even though PCOS affects 10% of women, most people have never heard of it.

We've all gotten those perplexed looks from people whenever we mention the condition. Some of us are in disbelief when even some of our health care providers are confused about PCOS. It can be frustrating and lonely to be afflicted with a relatively unknown condition with potentially devastating effects.

It is critical that we make PCOS a public health priority and bring more research and health care resources to PCOS prevention, management, and a cure.

You can make a BIG difference in the fight against PCOS.

There are easy ways that you can be your own advocate and help to spread awareness about Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome.

Tell your family members, friends and doctors about how PCOS affects you. Share with them your concerns and the risks associated with PCOS. Let them know how they can support you and the things that they can do to learn more about the condition.

Each one of us is critical to
finding a cure for PCOS.

We will not be taken seriously if we passively hope for a cure or for help with PCOS. We can also not expect support from others if we do not show our support for PCOS programs. Therefore, it is imperative that we work together and speak as a united voice.

Advocate for yourself and others by donating to PCOS Challenge or volunteering. These are two of the most direct and effective ways that you can make difference in the fight against Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome today.

Together we will change millions of lives.

In good health,

Sasha Ottey
Executive Director

New Health Reality Series Changes Lives and Perceptions About Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome PCOS Challenge television series addressing Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome wins national award for "Best Informational Feature."

PCOS Challenge was named the professional category winner for programming from over 3,000 public, education and government stations across the country by the Alliance for Community Media.

"This prestigious award represents the high quality and impact of PCOS Challenge," says Debra Rogers, Chairperson for the Alliance National Board of Directors.

"PCOS Challenge puts a new face on Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome," says Sasha Ottey, the television series creator and Executive Director of PCOS Challenge, Inc. "It's often easy for people to ignore a term like PCOS when they hear it, but it's a lot harder to ignore the physical, emotional and psychological effects when you see the real-life struggles women with PCOS face every day."

"There's an enormous health disparity when it comes to women with PCOS," Ottey says. "Millions of women with PCOS are still undiagnosed. This must change. It is imperative that we help women get diagnosed and treated and help them find support to overcome PCOS symptoms and reduce their risk for related life-threatening diseases. This is why PCOS Challenge is such a critical resource for women with PCOS, their supporters and the medical community. We must make PCOS a public health priority!"

 

By Roger Deutsch Food intolerance induces inflammation and the excessive generation of toxic free radicals and immune chemical, increasing the occurrence of metabolic, chronic and degenerative diseases.

In contrast with “True” allergy, whereby a few molecules of peanut may, for example, induce anaphylaxis, the sheer magnitude of exposures to intoleragenic foods, despite its less dramatic flare (pun intended), causes greater morbidity and mortality.

Allergy vs. Intolerance

The etiology of true allergy became known in 1967. It was soon determined that allergens (allergy generators) were taken up by antigen presenting cells and presented to T lymphocytes in a similar fashion as peptide products of pathogenic micro-organisms.

T cell signaling induces B cell transformation and production of allergen specific IgE antibodies, which play a crucial role in the pervasive mast cell production of histamine, causing excessive mucus production, smooth muscle contraction, nerve irritation, and general inflammation. The effect is quite dramatic, and intentionally so, as this pathway represents our natural defense against large parasites. Unlike other pathogens (i.e., viruses, bacterium), parasites are significantly larger than the cells that protect against them. Hence, allergy can be triggered by modest amounts of allergen, produces dramatic symptoms, and has a clearly defined pathway.

You Are Not Alone. You Now Have a Team of Experts to
Help You Overcome PCOS!

As part of our continuing mission to provide women with PCOS the best information and support resources for overcoming Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome, PCOS Challenge has teamed up with five renowned PCOS health and wellness experts to bring you the PCOS Challenge Expert Series™.

PCOS Expert Series Workshops (CDs Now Available)

• Nutrition Essentials for Polycystic Ovary Syndrome
• Eating Disorders and PCOS
• Living Happier and Healthier with PCOS
• Hair Removal Solutions for Hirsute Women with PCOS
• The Natural Solution to Overcoming PCOS

 

PCOS Challenge, Inc. is a non-profit organization that provides support for women with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) through the PCOS Challenge Support and Social Networking Site (PCOSChallenge.com); PCOS Challenge Corporate Site (PCOSChallenge.org); PCOS Challenge Radio Show; local offline support groups; and 13-week fitness, nutrition, and mental wellness challenges.

If you know other women with PCOS, encourage them to join the PCOSChallenge.com site to gain the information and support they need.

Help spread the word and take the PCOS Challenge!