Episode #175: Whole-Body Healing: A Holistic PCOS Approach

Hi, and welcome back to the PCOS Repair Podcast. Today, we’re going to take a step back and look at the bigger picture. We’ve been talking a lot about the intricate workings of repairing our cycle, healing our hormones, and addressing our root causes. But if you’re feeling like you’re doing everything right and still not getting the results you think you should, it might be because you’re hyper-focused on one piece of the puzzle. That’s really easy to do—especially when you’re learning something new and suddenly something clicks and you get really into it.

So today, we’re going to take a step back and look at what a holistic approach to PCOS healing looks like—one that leads to long-term success. We’re not just talking about food or supplements or lab work. We’re thinking about the whole picture—your mind, your body, your environment—and how they all work together to create an atmosphere where your body can thrive. That’s what we’re going to explore in this episode. So, let’s get started.

The word “holistic” gets thrown around a lot, but it really just means looking at the full picture. We’re not just going down one path—not just the natural route, not just the supplement route, not just diving deep into nutrition. We’re talking about a well-rounded approach to our health and, specifically, to our PCOS hormone recovery.

This is important because if we only focus on one area, we might see some improvement, but it’s like having a chair with missing or uneven legs—it’s wobbly. You can be doing great with exercise, but if your nutrition is off, it’s hard to see progress. Or maybe you’re doing all the right things but are deficient in certain nutrients, and need some supplements to help bring those levels up.

So let’s look at the pillars of whole-body healing for PCOS.

1. Root Cause Identification

You can’t move forward clearly if you don’t know what you’re dealing with. We’ve talked a lot about root causes on the podcast. The Root Cause Quiz is a great place to start, and inside the PCOS Root Cause Bootcamp, we go even deeper with a full assessment. The quiz gives you a good sense of your symptoms and what to consider. Just remember to answer based on what you’re currently experiencing—not what was happening three months ago—for the most accurate result.

2. Nutrition

Next, take a realistic look at your nutrition. Where are you on the spectrum from just eating to survive, to eating for nourishment? There’s no judgment—just evaluate where you are.

3. Movement

How are you moving your body? Are you exercising as punishment for eating “too much”? Are you tracking calories in and out? Are you using movement for stress relief? Or as a tool to support your hormonal balance? How you approach movement matters.

4. Stress and Nervous System Regulation

What’s going on with your nervous system? Are you stressed or calm? Stress is a major driver of hormone imbalance, from elevated cortisol to disrupted ovulation. And stress isn’t just emotional—it could be from lack of sleep, nutrient deficiencies, under-eating, or over-exercising. Some stress you’re aware of, but your body also experiences hidden stress. A holistic approach looks at both.

5. Emotional and Mindset Wellness

This ties into everything. How we approach sleep, nutrition, movement—all of it—can be a source of stress in itself. So we need to step back and ask: What does my body need right now? What milestones am I working toward? When we have a clear path, even small steps lead to results. But when we bounce around from thing to thing, we spiral in chaos instead of making progress.

Maybe you’re great at exercising but struggling with sleep. Or maybe you’re doing well in several areas but sacrificing rest to keep up. A holistic view lets us evaluate, adjust, and improve gradually without judgment.

You don’t have to have everything perfect to start seeing results. Just like with weight loss—you might lose the first 5 pounds, but to keep going, you have to keep progressing. Same with PCOS. You’ll see improvements like a more regular cycle, but to continue improving and maintain it, you’ll need to keep supporting your body. Eventually, you’ll reach a point where you shift from healing to maintenance.

6. Remedies and Medical Interventions

Once you’ve addressed the lifestyle foundations, you can add in things like supplements or medical therapies. You don’t have to have everything perfected—but you should have a clear plan. Maybe you start by focusing on snacks, making sure you have healthy options. That’s your starting point, and once you’re making progress, that’s a great time to add in other supports like supplements or medications.

Jumping straight to supplements or medications without addressing sleep, movement, nutrition, or stress is like trying to bail water out of a boat with a hole in it—it won’t get you very far. Supplements and medications can help, but they’re most effective when used to support a solid foundation.

For example, birth control might give you a monthly bleed, which makes it seem like your symptoms are better. But under the surface, insulin resistance and high testosterone can still be worsening—leading to acne, hair loss, and ovulation issues. That’s why it’s important to build an environment where your body can thrive first, then use things like supplements as a supportive boost.

We’ve discussed supplements like saw palmetto and inositol here on the podcast. We’ve also talked about birth control and when it might be a helpful tool. Lifestyle work helps mitigate some of its side effects and prepares you for transitioning off of it.

7. Fertility Interventions

When it comes to fertility, some women want to start medical treatments right away. Others prefer to wait or avoid them altogether. All of those choices are valid. But if you haven’t started yet, I highly recommend addressing your lifestyle first—it makes medical interventions more successful. If you’ve already started treatments, it’s still not too late. Lifestyle adjustments still make a big difference, but they take time to work. Ideally, start making changes a little bit before treatments like Clomid, Letrozole, IUI, or IVF to give your body the best chance of success.

8. Avoiding a Fragmented Approach

Lastly, avoid the fragmented approach. In today’s world of overwhelming information, it’s easy to ping-pong between tips, tricks, and trends. My best advice? Don’t listen to too many sources. Pick someone whose approach you trust and who gives you a full picture—not just one miracle trick. That supplement or low-carb diet you saw on Instagram may be part of the picture, but it’s not the whole story.

Following multiple strategies at once without a unified plan can make things more chaotic. Even with practitioners—make sure everyone on your health team fits into your holistic approach. Otherwise, their advice might contradict each other. For example, if two professionals suggest different nutrition plans, pick one to follow consistently so your body isn’t caught in the crossfire.

Wrapping Up

So, to recap, creating a holistic approach involves:

• Identifying your root cause
• Supporting your body with appropriate nutrition
• Moving in a way that helps your metabolic and hormonal health
• Managing stress and creating a calm, healing environment
• Nurturing your emotional health and mindset
• Adding in supplements or therapies as supportive tools—not band-aids
• Staying focused and avoiding fragmented strategies

If all of that sounds overwhelming, take a breath. This episode was meant to give you a bird’s-eye view—not a to-do list for today. There are lots of episodes that go into each of these areas in depth, and the PCOS Root Cause Bootcamp walks you through them step-by-step with actions tailored to your unique root cause.

Whole-body healing takes time, but it’s what creates lasting results. I want you to move beyond symptom management and into a life where you feel vibrant, fertile, energized, and at peace in your body.

If you found this episode helpful, make sure to subscribe so you don’t miss the next one. And if there’s a topic you’d love to learn more about, come find me on Instagram @nourishedtohealthy.

Until next time, bye for now.