2021 PCOS Diva Holiday Wish List

 

Be sure to put yourself on the wish list this holiday season. Share this list with the gift-givers in your life. A little hint goes a long way (at my house, at least). These are a dozen of my favorite things that help me stay on track with my PCOS Diva lifestyle.

Dawn Simulator

A dawn simulator is a must-have device for women with PCOS to help set the biological clock and jumpstart circadian rhythm. With 300 lux of light and 20 stages of illumination from red to blue, this dawn simulation feels completely natural. A dawn simulator lights emit light that mimics the sun’s rays in the early dawn.

During dawn, your eyes are closed and you are sleeping, but your retinas still absorb some light through the closed eyelids. As the sensors inside the retina detect light, melatonin is suppressed in the body, and you begin to feel more awake. As the color cast becomes bluer in temperature, more melatonin is suppressed, and you wake up.

My pick: Phillips SmartSleep Wake Up Light 

Superfood Bee Pollen

I recently came across emerging research showing that bee pollen is actually a promising therapy for PCOS.

My favorite source for bee pollen is this medicinal-grade, immune-supporting honey made with a rich blend of royal jelly, bee pollen, propolis, and raw honey. Each serving contains 532 mg of bee pollen and the jar contains approximately 46 teaspoon servings, which is a month and a half supply if enjoyed regularly.

My pick: Beekeepers Naturals SuperPower Honey

Glucose Monitor

Regulation of blood sugar levels is a critical factor in managing PCOS. I have long advocated for glucose monitoring, but new technology like this continuous glucose monitoring is making it easier, faster, and more revealing.

Listen in to my podcast with NutriSense CEO to get a better understanding of how this device can help you manage your PCOS by analyzing in real-time how your blood glucose levels respond to food, exercise, stress, and sleep.

My pick: NutriSense Continuous Glucose Monitor

Hair Removal | Skin Care

This summer I tested out this 3-in-1 IPL from the UK.  I was able to purchase it on Amazon and it came quickly!  It works for hair removal, acne, and skin rejuvenation.  I mainly use it for hair removal and works as well and if not better than the Tria which I had previously used for years.

I don’t struggle with acne but love that it can potentially help with 2 difficult to treat PCOS symptoms.

My pick: Faustina IPL 3-in-1

Essential Oils | Sleep-Inducing

I love the entire line of Vibrant Blue Oils and dedicated a podcast to how they can help PCOS symptoms.

With so many women with PCOS having issues with sleep and circadian cycles, this is a wonderful oil to put on your Christmas list.

By using this sleep-inducing blend before bed, you’ll support healthy pineal gland function, trigger the natural release of melatonin, turn down the production of cortisol at night, and slip into a deep, restful sleep night after night.

My pick: Vibrant Blue Oils Circadian Rhythm Blend

Natural Toothpaste

I switched to natural toothpaste and have been using a tongue cleaner for years (btw using one is a great way to help manage cravings)

This gift set includes the Dirt’s all-natural toothpaste that combines the purifying properties of MCT oil (fractionated coconut oil) with the natural detoxifying and cleansing benefits of bentonite clay—an ingredient that’s firm enough to remove plaque from your teeth without damaging your enamel. It is combined with a copper tongue scraper and lip balm.

My pick: The Dirt Toothpaste Happy Mouth Gift Set

Cookware

This amazing piece of cookware makes roasting a chicken so easy.  Just put the center through the chicken and the juices collect in the tray.  The chicken cooks quickly, and clean-up is super-easy. I use this every week in the fall/winter.

My pick: Staub Cast Iron Vertical Chicken Roaster

Olive Oil | Vinegar

I use flavored vinegars and olive oils from Monadnock almost daily.

These delicious oils and vinegars create amazing salad dressings and are a wonderful way to brighten up roasted and steamed veggies.

My favorites at this time of year are the Cranberry-Pear White Balsamic and Pumpkin Pie Spice White Balsamic.  The Lemon flavored Olive Oil goes with everything!

My pick: Monadnock Flavored Olive Oils and Vinegars

Rebounder

My birthday is right after Christmas. This Belicon rebounder was a combo-gift a few years ago. I don’t use it all year round, but I love it in the winter (and my kids do too) when I’m housebound due to cold and snow. It is fun and so easy on joints.

For more info on the health benefits of rebounding read my blog post.

My pick: Belicon Rebounder

Chocolate

If you have been a follower of PCOS Diva for a while, then you’ve probably heard me say that when a PCOS Diva craves chocolate, a supermarket checkout candy bar just won’t do. A PCOS Diva doesn’t stuff a Snickers bar in her mouth while driving home from the grocery store and then hide the wrapper under the seat and pretend it didn’t happen.

Instead, she finds the most beautiful chocolate available and purchases a piece or two and takes the elegantly wrapped box home, and mindfully savors it.

Lake Champlain has some of the most beautiful and delicious chocolate around!

My pick: Lake Champlain Chocolate 

Herbal Tea

These organic tea crystals are my perennial favorite.

They mix instantly in hot or cold water and are triple screened for toxins and impurities. I drink several cups of this tea a day – I love it! No tea bags and no steeping is required. Simply tear, mix, and drink.

My pick: Pique Tea

Hair Growth

One of my first PCOS symptoms was hair loss – my hair on my head, lashes, and brows all thinned.  Over the years and by living a PCOS Diva lifestyle my hair has improved.

But I’m always looking for new products to test to help other Divas.

I have been very impressed with the Nulastin line of products.  I started using them this summer and my lashes are thicker and longer, brows are fuller and I can see some baby hairs sprouting but not sure I can contribute to their hair serum just yet.

My pick: Nulastin Lash Brow & Hair Serums

 

Amy Medling, the best-selling author of Healing PCOS and certified health coach, specializes in working with women with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS), who are frustrated and have lost all hope when the only solution their doctors offer is to lose weight, take a pill, and live with their symptoms. In response, Amy founded PCOS Diva and developed a proven protocol of supplements, diet, and lifestyle programs that offer women tools to help them gain control of their PCOS and regain their fertility, femininity, health, and happiness.