My Journey with PCOS: 5 Tips That Changed Everything

Jo Sarah
Jul 26
4 min read

By Jo Sarah (CEO of Umaversity)

For most of my life, I thought I was just the “lucky” girl who barely got her period. Once a year? Cool, no cramps, no mess, no stress. Right? Wrong.

Turns out…That wasn’t luck. That was PCOS. And it was silently messing with my body and hormones for over decades.

So What Even Is PCOS?

Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) is a hormonal condition where your ovaries produce too many androgens (male hormones like testosterone). That imbalance leads to everything from irregular periods, excess hair, and acne to emotional distress, sleep issues, and difficulty getting pregnant.

There are 4 types:

Insulin-Resistant PCOS (like mine)
Inflammatory PCOS
Post-Pill PCOS
Adrenal PCOS

Most doctors hand you a pill and send you on your way. But I wanted to know:What does my body need when I stop silencing it with synthetic hormones?

And here’s the wild part? 1 in 10 women+ has it. And most don’t even know. To be honest, I think the numbers are way higher than 1 in 10 women+. So hopefully my story will help you.

My Diagnosis? A 5-Minute Ultrasound & a Flyer.

I was 26. Having a period once a year My hormones were RAGING. I was horny AF for an entire month (no complaints there) and then suddenly bleeding like crazy for two weeks straight. Tampons every 2 hours. Exhausted. In pain.

So I did something I’d never done before…I went to the gynecologist.Spread my legs. Nervous. Vulnerable. And 5 minutes later? She says: “You have PCOS. Here’s a flyer. Take the pill.”

No explanation. No support. No “let’s talk about it. ”Just a small flyer and a prescription for the birth-control pill…

Just. Like. That. No explanation. No context. No real care.

I walked out of her office feeling seen… but also betrayed. Because everything I had been confused or ashamed about—chin hair, missed periods, thinning hair, the rollercoaster moods—was right there in that leaflet. And no one had told me this could happen.

PCOS Runs in Families. And in Silence.

I called my mom immediately. “Mom…did you ever have symptoms like this?”

She said: “Yes, but I didn’t know what it was. No one ever told me.”

And right there, I felt this generational silence.

She didn’t know. I didn’t know. My sister didn’t know (until recently). And it made me realize: this is why Umaversity exists, a place for education, support and healing for women+’s health.

Because we deserve to know our bodies. Not decades later. NOW.

5 Tips That Helped Me Manage My PCOS (Naturally)

I’m not a doctor—but I am a woman+ on a mission. A woman+Just. Like. That. No explanation. No context. No real care. with access to 100+ experts through Umaversity. A woman who decided to take her healing into her own hands. And this is what’s worked for me:

1. Eat for Your Hormones

No more sugar spikes. No more crash-and-burn days. I start my day with:

A savory breakfast eaten in this order: protein → veggies → fats → carbs
Minimal sugar (yes, even chocolate—my ex bestie). And when I do have sugar, I take it after a meal, not before to avoide gluecose large spikes.
I focus on eating as much protein as I can during the day. It give me energy, it's good for my muscles and makes me feel fuller.

I avoid having lot’s of gluten & dairy because they leave me feeling sluggish, bloated, and moody. Not allergic—just intuitive. My body tells me everything. I just had to learn how to listen.

2. Track Your Cycle Love!

I used to have no clue when I ovulated. No idea what phase I was in. Now I track it every month. Because I want to know my body’s rhythm—not be surprised by it. Plus there is so much that you’re body tells you during your cycle. I would like to be able to understand and listen to and care for her.

Apps where you can track your cycle in can give you a whole new level of body literacy (I use Clue myself). You learn your patterns. Your power windows. Your burnout signs. It’s a beautiful form of self-love and it gives me a sense of empowerment.

3. Supplements That Work

These are my go-to's (after lots of trial & error and expert convos):

Inositol (MVP of PCOS support!)
NAC
Berberine
Saw Palmetto
Vitamin D, Zinc, Magnesium, Omega-3
Milk Thistle
Spearmint Tea
Green Tea

All natural. All supportive of hormone health, insulin balance, and that PCOS-related weight struggle.

4. Work Out With Your Body, Not Against It

I used to jump rope and HIIT myself into burnout. 6 days a week.Guess what? No change. Just more cortisol, more stress, more frustration.

Now?

I walk 20 minutes after meals (hello insulin control)
I dance
I do barre, Pilates, yin yoga, and breathwork
I lift weights, but gently

PCOS bodies don’t need punishment.They need regulation, movement, and love.

5. Sleep. Like Your Hormones Depend on It. (They Do.)

I don’t mess around with my bedtime anymore. When I sleep well, I feel like a whole different human. No brain fog or grogginess. No spirals. No meltdowns.

I call it: my sacred 8 hours. Even though PCOS also causes that I have a hard time falling asleep or sleeping through the night, I know that rest is key for everything.

You're Not Lazy. You're Not Failing. You're Just Overloaded.

If your PCOS makes you feel like you're doing everything and still not seeing results… it’s not your fault.It’s the system. The silence. The gaslighting. But we’re not doing that anymore.

We’re building a new story. A new language. A new generation of women+ who KNOW.

Join the Umaversity community. Learn. Ask. Share. Cry. Laugh. Heal.Let’s unlearn, meet ourselves, and activate the future—together.

By Jo Sarah

Founder & CEO of Umaversity and Women+'s Health Advocate & Speaker.

This article is from the solo episode Jo Sarah did on the Umaversity Podcast: