Re: PCOS Cure?
From: Anne (anonymous@obgyn.net)
Thu, 9 May 2002 15:22:54 -0500 (CDT)
Pat,
Two cheers for you!! Great post.
I was listening to the woman who wrote Food Poltics on the radio last
week, it sounds like a great book.
One thing she said (that you echo below) that was scary was that there
are no vested interests in informing the public to eat well and eat
less. It would certainly benefit the public as a whole in many ways,
but it would hurt the food industry, the drug industry, the health care
industry, the clothes industry, etc.
I keep looking at how houses and furniture and kids keep getting bigger
and bigger. This country doesn't need any foreign enemies, we've got
self interested, irresponsible, unregulated capitalism, and a
representative democracy that only represents special interests (just
look at the recent farm bill) we've either got to change or we'll do
ourselves in.
-- Get on your soap box anytime.
Anne
(applauding)
At Thu, 9 May 2002, Pat wrote:
>
>You raise an excellent point, and now I will get on my soapbox. There
>are a lot of issues involved in health care, and many issues are very
>political. It has just been in the past few years that PCOS has been
>researched well, and recognized as more than just a syndrome. Now that
>we are seeing some long term consequences, someone is paying attention.
>Syndrome X has finally been recognized as a condition, and
>hyperandrogenism can be used as a realible diagnosis.
>
>Insulin resistance has been defined for quite a while, and is a 10 year
>pre-cursor for type 2 diabetes since the 1980s. How many providers know
>about it, and screen for it ? Or even recognize it? In many books,
>articles and web sites abou diabetes the terms insulin resistance isn't
>even mentioned. The USDA food pyramid is constantly referred to as the
>way to eat, yet we are seeing more and more obesity, most probably
>because of the food pyramid, and the recommendation to eat pasta, breads
>and cereals. There frequently is an ecomomic benefit behind these
>condiitons. MOney to be made in diabetes drugs, equipment, and of
>course, the long term costs of dealing with the consequences. So, why
>not more and more focus on prevention ??
>
>As a health care provider who believes in prevention, this is very hard
>for me to take, and makes me very angry. I did my MS research project
>on Insulin REsistance and the Glycemic Index, and proved to myself that
>making careful carbohydrate choices was the way to go.Lots and lots of
>good research on this. The ADA has finally begun to make some
>recognition of The Zone (40-30-30 eating) as an acceptable way to eat,
>and the glycemic index might be a clue, are there, but you need to
>search for them. Gestational Diabetes are encouraged to cut their
>carbohydrate intake more to 40 % than the recommended 50-55%, but some
>nutritionists are not aware of this. I also believe you are the best
>one to take care of yourself, and research yourself, and learn all about
>your condition, and do whatever you can to maintain your health. Yes,
>hard work, no easy options. No majical pill. I have seen the same
>thing with midwifery: good, safe choice for birth, and promote normal,
>yet does not receive the status in our society.
>
>No, I don't feel there is a 'cure' yet for PCOS, but as we unlock the
>mysetery of what PCOS really is, and really means, there will be some
>things that seem to work. Many treatments are bandaids to help with
>side effects. Exercise and weight loss help, and Metformin seems to
>help some. It is harder but it does seem to help. Women are all over
>the map and along a continuum. Things work for some women and not for
>others.
>
>A good book about this very topic (politics of health care) is:
>Food Politics by Marion Nestle (2002). I just found it at the library.
>
>Okay I will get off my soapbox now.
>Pat Sonnenstuhl, ARNP, CNM, MS
>Balanced Eating Support
>http://home.attbi.com/~cnmpat/favlowcarbsites.htm
>http://home.attbi.com/~cnmpat/siteindex.htm
>PCOS Support
>http://www.midwivesofwa.org/pcos.htm
>http://www.midwivesofwa.org//pcosarticles.htm
>
>At Wed, 8 May 2002, Ellyn wrote:
>>
>>Does anyone think there is a cure for PCOS? I think the scientists are
>>sitting on it and buying up stock in Nair and Weight Watchers. I wonder
>>if the drug companies routinely hide cures for diseases so that we have
>>to spend money on doctors and medicines. I am bipolar and borderline
>>schizophrenic, with mpd because of my PCOS, and my meds run into
>>hundreds of dollars a month. If I were cured, the drug companies would
>>lose thousands a year.
>>
>>A friend of mine told me that I will never find a man because of my PCOS
>>symptoms. I disagree with that. I think if we look hard, there are men
>>out there who will love and see the beauty in a woman who is obese,
>>hairy, sweaty, smelly, spotty, bald, and has skin tags. I for one won't
>>give up.
>>
>>I am a stupid, ugly hairball with skin tags and brown spots. Woof. Love and Light, Ellyn
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