PCOS in women can be a downright struggle because of the many frustrating symptoms we have to deal with. Not to mention, the pile of medications your doctor says you must take. 

Nowadays, many women are actually taking matters in their own hands and considering treating PCOS naturally to avoid side effects of conventional medicine plus the extra burden it puts on the body. 

Thankfully, we can turn to natural remedies for PCOS as an alternative way of managing symptoms, improve fertility and helping keep PCOS at bay! 

Without wasting any more time, let us jump into this article of 20 natural remedies for PCOS:

Top 20 Effective Natural Remedies for PCOS 

1.    Drink More Water 

I can’t stress this enough – water is purifying, balancing and healing. Keep drinking water throughout the day and never let yourself get dehydrated. Ensure to drink good quality water that is free from fluoride. 

Drinking more water will help regulate your body’s pH from acidic to alkaline, which balances hormones, prevents inflammation & allows your body to function optimally. It also helps regulate the menstrual cycle and improve fertility! 

 2.    Exercise Regularly 

If you were diagnosed with PCOS, you must have been advised to reduce unwanted weight gain. Exercising regularly also improves insulin sensitivity, which is a symptom of PCOS. Start with gentle exercises like yoga and walking on the treadmill for 20 minutes then gradually increase to brisk walking, swimming, Zumba and long distance running. 

Most women who lose their unwanted weight automatically have improved symptoms and high chances of getting pregnant. 

 3.    Eat these Superfoods 

Diet is a big thing when it comes to healing PCOS. The right diet can make your PCOS symptoms practically disappear! If you’re suffering from insulin sensitivity, take ground ½ tsp of cinnamon and 1 tsp of apple cider vinegar in a glass of warm water a few minutes before meals. 

Superfoods such as chlorella, maca root powder, goji berries and avocado, among others are good for balancing hormones, regulating ovulation and promoting fertility. [Must Read: My Top 10 Best Superfoods for PCOS]

 4.    Sip on Healing Teas 

PCOS is caused by an excess of male hormones or androgens in the body. The main culprit behind PCOS symptoms such as growth of hair in unwanted parts of the body, is this free-flowing testosterone. 

Good thing is, herbal teas such as spearmint tea has been shown to have an anti-androgenic effect on the body. It also increases reproductive hormones such as the luteinizing and follicle stimulating hormones. This makes it a good remedy for regulating proper hormonal function in ladies with PCOS. 

Take 1-2 cups of spearmint tea daily to see good results. Other teas good for PCOS are chamomile, lavender and green teas. [Must Read: Top 5 Herbal Teas for PCOS]

 5.    Take Medicinal Herbs 

Herbal remedies are effective for treating PCOS naturally. The key is adaptogen herbs that aid in balancing hormones – and in the case of PCOS, excess male hormones. Many women with PCOS also suffer from insulin sensitivity that is a build-up of insulin in the blood because the body can’t regulate it. 

Adaptogen herbs also help regulate irregular periods and ovulatory infertility. These herbs include maca root powder (which also helps beat PCOS depression), ashwagandha (Indian ginseng), licorice root, chasteberry (good for reproductive conditions) and also holy basil. 

These powdered herbs can be added to smoothies – that’s a good way to take them easily without tasting it. However, purchasing the capsules is also a no-hassle way of consuming them.  

 6.    Apple Cider Vinegar Morning Drink

Taking apple cider vinegar is something I have incorporated into my daily morning routine. It is amazing for managing insulin sensitivity, weight gain, food cravings and balancing your body’s pH. Apple cider vinegar also fights inflammation in the body and boosts your immunity. [Must Read: Can Apple Cider Vinegar Treat PCOS?]

Ensure you buy organic and raw apple cider vinegar with the ‘mother.’ Braggs apple cider vinegar is the brand I like and recommend to you. 

Here’s my ACV recipe: In a warm glass of water, add 1 tsp apple cider vinegar, 1 tsp raw honey and ½ to 1 tsp cinnamon powder. Mix well and sip 30 minutes before having your breakfast. 

 7.    Ensure to De-Stress 

Stress triggers PCOS symptoms and makes them worse. It’s always good to keep your mind, body and soul free from worries and stress when you’re trying to heal from any health condition. 

Do your hobbies and things you love often, to help combat stress – whether it’s walking in the park, playing with your pet, talking to a friend, dancing to your favorite beats, dressing up and going out, etc. Have fun and don’t let PCOS make you feel low, ever! Remember you are trying your best to manage it as best as you can! 

 8.    Have a Good Night’s Sleep

Rest is very important to keep your hormones balanced. A good night’s rest is required for your body to function optimally, renew its cells and repair itself. Some women with PCOS, including me suffer from insomnia and sleep apnea. 

Good habits to help you sleep faster include: trying to finish all your tasks before 9 pm, take a warm shower/bath, sip on relaxing organic chamomile tea and diffusing 6 drops of lavender essential oil at the time you want to fall asleep. Most of all, try to sleep early and wake up early.

 9.    Consume Probiotics

Probiotics are good bacteria that are found within our bodies, especially the gut. These friendly bacteria are essential for keeping your whole body – including immunity and hormones in check. 

Probiotic-rich foods include yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut, kimchi, bananas, chlorella and others. [Must Read: Top Probiotic Superfoods You Should be Eating]

 10. Limit Sugar Consumption 

Women suffering from PCOS are a high risk of developing type II diabetes. Most women develop insulin resistance, which has to be controlled properly to prevent diabetes. Limiting your sugar consumption helps a ton when it comes to reducing insulin sensitivity.

Remove artificial sweeteners and refined white sugar from your diet. This includes cookies, sweets, pastries, confectionery, and packaged sugary items. 

Try to consume as little sugar as you possibly can. Also avoid eating too many sweet fruits and opt for natural sweeteners such as raw honey in case you want to add a hint of sweetness. 

Trust me, your taste buds actually adjust surprisingly well and soon you’ll be able to taste the natural sugars in foods such as smoothies, teas, etc. 

 11. Aloe Vera Acne Remedy 

Okay, so not many women with PCOS are affected by acne but it is a frustrating problem because PCOS acne can show up in clusters or huge isolated pimples. It mostly shows up on the jawline. PCOS acne is due to unbalanced hormones. 

One of the best remedies to manage PCOS acne and the scarring it causes is by applying fresh aloe vera gel (buy here) on your clean face, after washing it. 

 12. Eat Healthy Fats 

Healthy fats are important in your PCOS diet! These include avocados, nuts such as walnuts & almonds, coconut oil and others. Foods like these promote ovulation and fertility. They also fight inflammation in the reproductive system and overall body. 

Have guacamole, eggs fried in coconut oil and trail mixes with almonds & walnuts to incorporate these healthy fats in your daily diet to help manage PCOS better! 

13. Restrict Meat Products 

Red meat is one of the top foods that you should avoid when you have reproductive conditions such as fibroids, ovarian cysts and also PCOS. 

This is because red meat, which includes beef, lamb and pork, when eaten in high amounts disrupt your hormones. They contain added hormones and fat which cause hormonal imbalance and unwanted weight gain. Eating too much red meat also causes inflammation in the body which aggravates PCOS symptoms.

This Harvard study even showed that women who got their protein from plant sources had higher chances of fertility than those who relied on animal sources. 

14. Say No to Caffeine

Caffeine is not only dehydrating but it can turn your internal system into an acidic environment. We saw above that an acidic pH in the body can host a whole lot of problems such as inflammation, irregular periods, and ovulatory infertility.  

It is also said to deplete B-vitamins in the body, which are so necessary for healthy hormone balance and ovulation. 

 15. Take Vitamin B12 

According to this study, women with PCOS and insulin resistance were shown to have lower vitamin b12 levels than in women with PCOS without insulin resistance.  Also, women with PCOS who were overweight had lower vitamin B12 levels compared with women who were obese but did not suffer from PCOS.  

Vitamin B12 is a very important mineral needed by women who suffer from PCOS. Not to mention, Metformin, a medication for PCOS significantly lowers serum B12 levels. 

You can take Vitamin B12 supplements (buy here) and also increase your consumption of foods rich in it such as wild oily fish, eggs and lean meats. 

16. Try to Avoid Toxins 

In the world today, there are toxins everywhere we go. In cleaning products, in the air we breathe in, pesticides in food we consume, and in the makeup & hygienic products we use too! Most of these products contain endocrine disruptors that have negative reproductive system effects. 

Endocrine disruptors mess up with our hormones, which makes them go out of whack, leading to hormonal problems such as PCOS. 

Try to avoid toxic products as much as possible and opt for natural organic products instead – from the apples you eat to the shampoo you lather on your hair. 

 17. Practice Intermittent Fasting 

Intermittent fasting is something that I have been practicing and it has shown good results in helping fight unwanted weight gain, reducing insulin sensitivity, decreasing high cholesterol and also keeping cravings at bay! 

What is intermittent fasting? It is basically a pattern where you cycle between periods of eating and not eating. For example, you have your breakfast at noon and have dinner at 8pm. Before noon and after 8pm, you shouldn’t eat a single thing except water, which is okay because it has zero calories.

So basically, your body is in a state of fasting during this period. It is easy to implement since most of the time you will be asleep. You should do intermittent fasting for 14 hours for best results. 

18. Get Magnesium in your Body

Magnesium deficiency is common in women with PCOS. Low levels of magnesium are commonly associated with diabetes, which women with PCOS are at a high risk of developing. This study shows that participants suffering from PCOS who were overweight and had insulin resistance who received 300mg of magnesium at bedtime showed a significant improvement in fasting blood glucose and insulin levels, compared to those who received a placebo.  

Magnesium also helps improve sleep quality and reduces stress levels! Remember magnesium is best absorbed externally, when applied on the body. Soak in Epsom salts (magnesium sulfate) in a warm bath as a relaxing way to get magnesium into your system. Or, spray magnesium oil on your stomach, arms and soles of the feet.

19. Load up on Omega 3’s

Research shows that taking omega 3 supplements (buy here) can decrease androgen levels in women with PCOS. You can take cod liver oil capsules and incorporate wild oily fish such as salmon and mackerel in your regular diet to benefit from this important nutrient! 

20. Powerful Essential Oils for PCOS  

Essential oils are very helpful for managing PCOS symptoms, such as acne, excess hair in unwanted regions, infertility, irregular menstruation, weight gain, low sex drive, depression, thinning hair and unbalanced hormones. Some of the best essential oils for PCOS are clary sage, frankincense, lavender, German chamomile, rose otto and myrtle. 

Here’s a PCOS blend that can be diffused in a high quality diffuser or applied over the ovaries and lower back: 10 drops clary sage, 10 drops myrtle, 7 drops geranium and 2 drops rose otto. When applying on your skin, mix the blend with 2 tablespoons of almond oil or olive oil. When diffusing, add 6 drops of the blend to a cold air diffuser for 15 minutes. 

Other PCOS Info You Must Know

• 3 Fertility Smoothies for PCOS 
• Top 10 Superfoods for PCOS 
• Top 20 Effective Natural Remedies for PCOS]
• What to Eat for Breakfast when you Have PCOS 
• 20 Effective Natural Remedies for PCOS 
• Can Apple Cider Vinegar Treat PCOS?
• How to Treat PCOS Acne Naturally 
• 5 Best Fruits for PCOS Patients 
• 7 Worst Foods to Avoid if you Have PCOS 
• Top 5 Herbal Teas for PCOS 
• 5 Best Supplements for PCOS Fertility 
• My Top 10 Superfoods for PCOS 
• Can Apple Cider Vinegar Treat PCOS?
• How to Treat PCOS Acne without Birth Control 
• What to Eat for Breakfast when You Have PCOS
• 3 Green Smoothies for PCOS
• Best Fertility Smoothies for PCOS