[article]Do you know that 1 in 5 women in India and 1 in 10 women of child bearing age worldwide have Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome? It has become an urban epidemic and one of the main reasons for infertility in women of reproductive age, and many women feel lost & lonely because it affects their fertility or period cycle, ability to conceive, their appearance and weight. 

&Me wants every woman suffering from PCOS to move on from feeling helpless to taking control of it. We have developed a unique tea to balance hormones and alleviate a woman of her PCOS symptoms. 

Before we learn more about this unique product. Let us learn more about PCOS and understand parts of the female reproductive system and their functions.

The reproductive system is made up of:

1.Two Ovaries: oval shaped sacs that produce the eggs. 

2.Two Fallopian tubes: pipes which carry the egg from the ovaries to a bag called the uterus

3 Uterus: where the egg fuses with the sperm and eventually houses the baby in a pregnant woman

4.Vagina: it is the tube through which the sperms flow to the uterus to merge with the egg.

This system needs 4 hormones to function smoothly:

FSH and LH are produced in the brain. FSH is a hormone that tells the ovaries to produce the egg. The newly produced egg is contained in a sac called the corpus luteum. And LH tells the ovaries to release the eggs into the uterus.

Progesterone and Estrogen are the two hormones made by the ovaries. They prepare your uterus for pregnancy by making the uterus lining thick like a soft cushion/ shock proof surface to receive the egg from the ovaries. 

What is the cause of PCOS?

The top one among the issues is Hormone imbalance.-Androgen hormones- Women with high levels of Androgens in the body are at a great risk of getting PCOS. This causes excess facial hair growth.
Insulin Resistance (IR): When the body cannot use a hormone called insulin to lower blood sugar quantity. This can lead to diabetes.

High level of LH, low levels of FSH and low level of progesterone: The egg is not produced, and the uterus is not cushioned enough for the egg or pregnancy.In some people, small compartments of fluids called Cysts can grow in the ovaries and make them produce less eggs. This causes irregular periods.It is genetic for some women, if women in the previous generations in the family have PCOS.  

What does PCOS do to the body?

A woman with PCOS can experience below listed symtoms-

1.Abnormal period cycle (excess, irregular or missed periods), weight gain, acne, oily skin, excess facial hair growth, hair thinning on the head, dark patches on the skin, depression, anxiety, mood swings and irritability.

2.Women struggle to get pregnant because it affects their fertility. Women can also develop diabetes and obesity in extreme cases.

How can PCOS be treated?

Many women are prescribed synthetic hormones/ medicines to treat the hormonal imbalances or diabetes associated with PCOS. These are only temporary measures with many negative side effects. 

There is a call for a safe and holistic approach to manage PCOS. &Me’s PCOS tea is a synergistic combination of herbs and nutrients can:

1. Regulate cycles

2.Manage weight 

3.Reduce facial hair and acne

Ingredients that help Regulate cycles

In case of PCOS your period cycles are irregular or absent due to hormonal imbalance. Specific ingredients can balance hormone quantities. They ultimately make sure you ovulate to have regular period cycles.

Lodhra

It is an Ayurvedic herb. It balances FSH and LH in the body. It tells your ovaries to produce eggs and helps in the making of corpus luteum which produces progesterone to prepare the uterus for pregnancy. 

Vitamin B6

This also helps balance hormones in the body.It is required for making the corpus luteum for progesterone. It also prevents progesterone deficiency. 

Zinc

Zinc tells the pituitary gland (a part of the brain) to produce FSH. FSH tells the ovaries to produce eggs and make progesterone for pregnancy. 

Ingredients that help Manage Weight 

Women with PCOS have Insulin Resistance (high insulin level in blood) and as a result have high blood sugar levels. High insulin level other hormone changes in the body to increase appetite and decrease fat burning, which leads to weight gain. There are some ingredients which help lose or manage weight:

Chromium

It is known to reduce insulin resistance and reduce blood sugar levels in the body, and suppress appetite thus make you eat less food. Consuming less food or calories leads to weight loss.

Garcinia Cambogia

Also known as Malabar Tamarind. The outer skin of this fruit contains Hydroxy  Citric Acid (HCA). It tells the intestine to make a hormone called Serotonin which curbs cravings and reduces appetite.  HCA can also burn fat and decrease the fat stored in the body. This helps lose and manage weight.

Green tea

Green tea helps deal with multiple symptoms of PCOS. Also, it can help lose weight by burning fat and modulating hormone levels in the body to reduce IR. It contains components which can reduce ovarian cysts.

Ingredients that reduce acne

Reduce facial acne

The hormonal imbalance during PCOS/PCOD leads to production of more Androgens or male hormones in the body. This makes the skin produce more oil/ sebum which can clog pores in the skin to cause acne. Here are some ingredients which can help fight the acne.

Zinc

It is known to reduce the production of androgens. This makes the skin produce less sebum to reduce acne.

Lodhra

It helps lower the levels of androgens in the body to restore the levels of female hormones in the body thus reducing acne. It is also known for its antibacterial properties that help fight acne.Vitamin B6 is a nutrient known to reduce acne. 

OTHER INGREDIENTS

Shatavari 

Shatavari contains special components called steroidal saponins that control estrogen quantity in the body. This in turn helps to regulate menstrual cycles, manage PMS symptoms, alleviate menstrual cramps, and control the amount of blood lost.

Ashoka 

It makes the ovaries function properly and control heavy period flow. 

Prebiotic fiber

It controls the appetite, reducing the amount of food you eat resulting in weight loss. It allows more good or beneficial bacteria to grow in your gut and also reduces constipation.  

Kashmiri Kahwa

It is a blend of whole spices, nuts and saffron which helps soothe senses, restore hormonal balance for menstrual cycles. It is also known for its anti- acne properties.

Chamomile 

Helps soothe one’s nerves and keep clam. 

Check out &Me’s PCOS tea that is made of a unique blend that contains Green tea that  balances hormones from within. &Me PCOS drink has 14 essential micronutrients that nourish the hormones and 5 Ayurvedic herbs that provide the right environment for the effective functioning of the hormones.

Herbs like Ashwagandha help to reduce stress and Shatavari (Queen of herbs) balances hormones and micronutrients and Vitamin C boosts immunity.It is available in Kashmiri Kahwa and Lavender Chamomile flavours,

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