Living PCOS Free

PCOS is far more than a fertility issue

Shefali Saxena Friday 15th April 2022 08:08 EDT
 
 

Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) is the most common endocrine disorder worldwide, affecting at least 1 in 10 women and people assigned female at birth (AFAB). It is the number one cause of infertility. Alarmingly, 3 in 4 of those with PCOS remain undiagnosed because of the complex nature of the condition. 

 

This practical guide will show you how to successfully manage your condition using proven lifestyle approaches alongside western medicine. With over 35 years' of clinical experience, Dr Nitu Bajekal, AKA 'the 'Plant-Based Gynae,' breaks through misinformation, providing clarity and support to help you tackle your symptoms - from irregular periods to acne and anxiety. The book features an easy-to-follow 21-day plan for hormonal health by Nutritionist Rohini Bajekal along with plant-based recipes and illuminating case histories.

 

In an exclusive interview with Asian Voice, Dr Nitu and her daughter Rohini spoke about their book.

 

When you conceived the idea of your book, how many more books were already there on the market, especially those written by South Asian medical experts?

 

We had a very clear vision for the book and did not spend too much time doing a literature review. However, when we did investigate this, we could not find a single book on PCOS written by qualified health professionals that highlighted proven lifestyle approaches alongside western medicine. We also were not able to find any books with this approach written by South Asian medical experts, especially female South Asian experts. Nitu had wished to write a book for years but it took a pandemic and several lockdowns to be able to carve out the time to sit down and write. The initial idea was to write a general women's health book but Rohini felt that since Nitu is an ObGyn, a general book would not do justice to the complex nature of these conditions as we would only be able to dedicate a few pages to conditions such as fibroids, endometriosis etc. and that would not achieve our desired aim of helping people. 

What do you wish your book to do in terms of changing the mindset about PCOS?

 

Firstly, we hope to raise awareness of what a normal menstrual cycle is. So many women struggle with irregular, painful, or heavy periods, not realising that these are not normal because of societal conditioning. Their concerns may have been dismissed by healthcare professionals too for a variety of reasons. We wish to empower people with the knowledge around this as well as PCOS, the most common endocrine condition to affect women worldwide (at least 1 in 10). Furthermore, we want to raise awareness that PCOS is far more than a fertility issue as it is often presented in the media. For many reasons, PCOS is stigmatised and people struggle with symptoms such as irregular periods, acne, anxiety, sleep disturbances, excess weight gain and insulin resistance, which have a negative impact on quality of life. We draw attention to these lesser-known symptoms in our book through real-life case studies (all names and details changed) to highlight the diversity of experiences in PCOS and the way it manifests.  

How much time did it take for you to finish the book?

 

We decided to focus on PCOS last March and secured a book deal with our publisher Hammersmith Health Books. It took around six weeks to write the first drafts and then many discussions with our wonderful publisher Georgina to refine it. We spend countless hours editing and re-editing the chapters, painstakingly ensuring the scientific references were accurate and linked to the correct studies. We took care to use inclusive and compassionate language, especially when discussing sensitive topics such as eating disorders or fertility. We hugely enjoyed the process and loved working together. However, as first-time authors without any knowledge of the publishing industry, it was a steep learning curve to understand the editing process, legal aspects, distribution and timelines. It has definitely been the most exciting project we have ever worked on. 

Who is your target audience for the book? Will it help more parents and families to learn about PCOS?

 

First and foremost, we hope to reach anyone living with PCOS, a complex condition that does not receive the attention it deserves. We especially want to reach anyone from marginalised communities, including people of colour who are not always able to access the best care and support. Within this, we have tried to use inclusive language so that trans men and non-binary people (or anyone assigned female at birth) pick up the book. We also hope that family members, partners and friends of those living with PCOS read this book to better understand it and to support the person they care about. Since a staggering 75% of people with PCOS remain undiagnosed, we also hope to reach those struggling with the symptoms of PCOS such as fertility issues, irregular periods or excess hair growth, but for whom the dots have not yet been joined. Advocating for PCOS is political and we hope this book is a stepping stone for greater change and awareness around reproductive health and lifestyle medicine. 

The pre-order link, either Amazon or Bookshop org. It is being released here on 28th April 2022. 


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