Why Allopathic Approaches Fail Hormonal Health

Why Fertility Is Health: The Need for a Holistic Approach Beyond Conventional Medicine

This morning, I saw someone post in my local Facebook group looking for a good OB-GYN who could help with her PMDD, but she specifically didn’t want a doctor who would simply prescribe birth control or antidepressants. It’s a sentiment I see all too often. Many women are searching for better answers, ones that go beyond just masking symptoms. And that’s exactly where the problem lies. The standard approach in conventional medicine—prescribing birth control or medications—can offer temporary relief, but it doesn’t address the root causes of hormonal imbalances. In fact, it often ends up masking the real issues that could lead to fertility challenges later on.

It honestly makes me sad to see so many women resort to conventional treatments for these issues. While birth control and antidepressants may help manage symptoms, they don’t get to the heart of the problem. Hormonal imbalances like PCOS or PMDD are not isolated conditions—they are signals from the body that something is out of balance. Yet, many times, conventional treatments fail to address what’s truly going wrong inside the body, and when women start trying to conceive, they may face fertility issues that could have been avoided or mitigated with earlier, more holistic intervention.

Our culture often places Western medicine on a pedestal, treating it as the go-to solution for all health-related problems. While doctors do an incredible job of treating disease and symptoms, their ability to truly improve health and address chronic issues isn’t their core modality. The truth is, fertility is health, and it should be treated as such. If you’re dealing with fertility struggles—whether it’s infertility, PMDD, PCOS, or another hormonal imbalance—it’s a sign that something is functioning incorrectly in your body. These aren’t just isolated issues that can be fixed with a pill; they are signals that the body needs attention and care in a much more personalized way.

This is where I come in. What I do is different from the conventional approach because I don’t just look at symptoms—I look at the whole picture. Through cycle charting, I track key physiological signs throughout the menstrual cycle to help you understand how your lifestyle, diet, exercise, and emotional well-being are impacting your hormonal health. Hormonal imbalances don’t happen in isolation; they are a direct result of how we treat and take care of our bodies.

Let’s take PCOS as an example. The standard practice for treating PCOS in conventional medicine often involves prescribing birth control or metformin to help manage symptoms like irregular periods and insulin resistance. In conventional dietetics, you may be given low-calorie or low-carb diets to manage weight gain. However, these treatments don’t address the root causes of PCOS—they treat the symptoms, leaving the metabolic imbalances and insulin resistance largely unaddressed.

I see PCOS as a metabolic syndrome, and the first priority is improving insulin sensitivity. This foundational approach helps manage many of the symptoms associated with PCOS. We also need to focus on supporting ovulation, as many women with PCOS struggle with anovulation, which can lead to fertility challenges. Additionally, we must work to support the body’s estrogen detox pathways, since women with PCOS often have an overload of estrogen, which can cause weight gain, acne, and other symptoms. Supporting the liver and encouraging healthy estrogen metabolism can help rebalance hormone levels.

Instead of masking symptoms with medication, my approach works to address the root causes of PCOS and other hormonal imbalances. Through personalized care, we focus on strategies to optimize blood sugar regulation, support ovulation, and detox excess estrogen, ultimately leading to more sustainable health improvements.

I have a deep respect for the expertise that allopathic doctors offer, but I also know that they often lack the training and tools to understand the idiosyncrasies of the menstrual cycle. As someone who’s been trained to view the cycle as a vital sign, I take a much more personalized, holistic approach to women’s health. When we track the menstrual cycle and how it responds to changes in diet, lifestyle, and emotional well-being, we gain crucial insight into what’s truly going on in the body. And from there, we can make real, lasting changes that go beyond symptom management.