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Pcos SOS: A Gynecologist's Lifeline To Naturally Restore Your Rhythms, Hormones, and Happiness
A breakthrough program to heal Polycystic Ovary Syndrome naturally
10% of all women have PCOS, making it the most common female endocrine disorder and cause of female infertility in the world. Women with PCOS may suffer from acne, menstrual irregularity, infertility, obesity, autoimmune disease, diabetes, and heart disease. Traditionally, doctors treat symptoms one at a time, often with a new regime of pills for each symptom. This approach never addresses the underlying causes of PCOS so women and medicated but never healed.
With decades of experience as a board-certified OB-GYN and Integrative Medicine doctor and with the knowledge gained from her personal PCOS journey, Dr. Felice Gersh has helped thousands of women lose weight, heal their acne, reverse their chronic diseases, and reclaim their fertility.
In seven simple but revolutionary steps, PCOS SOS shows women how to beat PCOS naturally, replacing pills with powerful and scientifically-backed lifestyle interventions that harness the body's capacity to heal. Practical, easy-to-understand, and even easier to follow, PCOS SS is the guide that will help each woman with PCOS chart her personal journey to true health and wellness.
- GenresHealthNonfiction
406 pages, Paperback
Published May 15, 2019
137 people are currently reading
377 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
September 23, 2020
I bought this book because I was looking for a doctor's take on PCOS in 2019. I'm not sure if that's what I got. I'ved been living with PCOS for about 20 years and followed the active research as much as possible in hopes that eventually there would be a breakthrough.
While Dr. Gersh does include substantial citations and an index, I don't feel confident that all of this research is actually quality enough to support her conclusions. Some of the bigger claims she makes are not actually backed by citations at all, which concerned me. Those which are cited don't always cite quality studies, or human studies. I actually felt more confident reading Laura Briden's book (Period Repair Manual) than this one, which is awkward given she is an ND not an MD.
I do think she has the right general idea about broken circadian rhythms being a huge causal factor for metabolic-reproductive syndrome. I'm not convinced by her arguments though that the things she's recommending are actually a solution for fixing them. Some of the reasons why: She recommends light therapy at certain times of the day, but doesn't talk about the fact that the day length changes year round, and says it is okay to take Vitamin D whenever you get around to it. One of the few for-sure things we know about sunlight is that it produces Vitamin D in your body. It would seem to me if we are making an effort to buy a light therapy lamp and use it at certain times, we should also take Vitamin D at very specific times, in the same way we do melatonin. But also: she recommends getting light in the morning while eating by a window: but you can't get Vitamin D through a window because the glass blocks the wavelengths that do that. Dr. Gersh talks a lot about blue light preventing melatonin from being produced in the evening, but what is it about light therapy in the morning that actually fixes this? Is it just an induced withdrawal? I don't feel convinced enough to shell out for new equipment. I do feel convinced to go outside: EXCEPT at my latitude I would never get enough sunlight. This makes me wonder too...If it is the case that a certain amount of sun exposure on the body is required for healthy living, how is it that communities that have lived for thousands of years at higher latitudes (where it is cold and they are usually covered!) could have survived and been healthy? If it is indeed the case that we require more sunlight exposure than we are getting with our modern lives then it would indicate no one should live at these latitudes except farmers.
On to supplements: Dr. Gersh recommends many supplements in this book. I believe she actually believes in all of them. Some of them have extremely solid research behind them, such as inositol and melatonin. (Quick note: myo-inositol should not be delivered alone, but in a 40:1 ratio with d-chiro inositol. She does not mention this but should.) Others less. I'm not convinced on buying any of the other supplements at this time due to lack of quality research supporting their use. In addition, Briden's book has some better advice on taking supplements in a more cautious manner. Some of these supplements can be very strong and should only be taken for a while. (I was not convinced by Briden's book to purchase and use these supplements either, but I did feel more comfortable with her expertise in prescribing them.)
Supplements may not be your typical FDA-regulated prescription-required medicine, but they are medicine. They need to be treated as such, especially in the quantities given.
Dieting. I was ecstatic reading the first few chapters of this book, where she says she doesn't recommend dieting for health. Good! Dieting is generally unsafe, and even when it is safe, it's not something you can do long-term, so it doesn't make sense to me to lose weight with fad diets. Then I got to her chapter on nutrition. It's a diet. She recommends periodic fasting and veganism, along with no added sugars and no dairy, gluten, etc. The general gist: eat more plants! I think is great. The rest? Ugh. I don't think it's really inline with modern nutritional expertise, which admittedly changes every time someone sneezes. While I'm convinced by her arguments that fasting overnight for 12-14 is a good practice for your liver, the rest of her fasting advice is probably going to go in the bin for me.
Estrogen deficiency as a root cause of PCOS. This is actually the biggest surprise for me. Most research that I've read previously talked about estrogen being too *high* (e.g., estrogen-dominant PCOS). They usually associated the symptoms of PCOS instead to progesterone deficiency because of lack of ovulation. She doesn't mention this at all. Dr. Gersh says that PCOS problems are caused by our aromatization of testosterone into estrogen being inefficient compared to non-PCOS women. I'm baffled by this claim as when she does get around to mentioning Letrozole, it's just a short footnote in the conception chapter. Letrozole is an aromatase inhibitor that is used off-label for induction of ovulation, and is known to be better than Clomid for high-BMI women with PCOS. She knows this as it's basically what she says, but doesn't then address the bigger question of why suppressing estrogen actually works so well. In her own studies, she's more interested in supplementing bio-identical estrogen.
Inflammation. Okay, inflammation is a hot word for everyone. I wasn't convinced by any of her suggestions about how to manage it, like aromatherapy, supplements like turmeric, or hot baths. Do what makes you calm to reduce unnecessary stress-induced cortisol, exercise, and eat lots of plants. That I can get behind.
Microbiome. I am not convinced to buy any probiotic supplements, but I agree with her recommendations to eat more fiber and exercise for your microbiome health. That's actually a novel way to think about it! I also liked that she addressed the -occasional- need for antibiotics. I do think the microbiome should have some interesting help for us in the future.
After I finished this book, I have to admit I'm pretty surprised that an MD would have such holistic recommendations. Most of what she's talking about would have been considered quackery 10-20 years ago. Some of it still is. At the same time, I'm encouraged by the fact that we're beginning to bridge the gap between western and traditional medicine. I think there's a lot more we can learn from traditional medicine than we have really admitted to ourselves.
While Dr. Gersh does include substantial citations and an index, I don't feel confident that all of this research is actually quality enough to support her conclusions. Some of the bigger claims she makes are not actually backed by citations at all, which concerned me. Those which are cited don't always cite quality studies, or human studies. I actually felt more confident reading Laura Briden's book (Period Repair Manual) than this one, which is awkward given she is an ND not an MD.
I do think she has the right general idea about broken circadian rhythms being a huge causal factor for metabolic-reproductive syndrome. I'm not convinced by her arguments though that the things she's recommending are actually a solution for fixing them. Some of the reasons why: She recommends light therapy at certain times of the day, but doesn't talk about the fact that the day length changes year round, and says it is okay to take Vitamin D whenever you get around to it. One of the few for-sure things we know about sunlight is that it produces Vitamin D in your body. It would seem to me if we are making an effort to buy a light therapy lamp and use it at certain times, we should also take Vitamin D at very specific times, in the same way we do melatonin. But also: she recommends getting light in the morning while eating by a window: but you can't get Vitamin D through a window because the glass blocks the wavelengths that do that. Dr. Gersh talks a lot about blue light preventing melatonin from being produced in the evening, but what is it about light therapy in the morning that actually fixes this? Is it just an induced withdrawal? I don't feel convinced enough to shell out for new equipment. I do feel convinced to go outside: EXCEPT at my latitude I would never get enough sunlight. This makes me wonder too...If it is the case that a certain amount of sun exposure on the body is required for healthy living, how is it that communities that have lived for thousands of years at higher latitudes (where it is cold and they are usually covered!) could have survived and been healthy? If it is indeed the case that we require more sunlight exposure than we are getting with our modern lives then it would indicate no one should live at these latitudes except farmers.
On to supplements: Dr. Gersh recommends many supplements in this book. I believe she actually believes in all of them. Some of them have extremely solid research behind them, such as inositol and melatonin. (Quick note: myo-inositol should not be delivered alone, but in a 40:1 ratio with d-chiro inositol. She does not mention this but should.) Others less. I'm not convinced on buying any of the other supplements at this time due to lack of quality research supporting their use. In addition, Briden's book has some better advice on taking supplements in a more cautious manner. Some of these supplements can be very strong and should only be taken for a while. (I was not convinced by Briden's book to purchase and use these supplements either, but I did feel more comfortable with her expertise in prescribing them.)
Supplements may not be your typical FDA-regulated prescription-required medicine, but they are medicine. They need to be treated as such, especially in the quantities given.
Dieting. I was ecstatic reading the first few chapters of this book, where she says she doesn't recommend dieting for health. Good! Dieting is generally unsafe, and even when it is safe, it's not something you can do long-term, so it doesn't make sense to me to lose weight with fad diets. Then I got to her chapter on nutrition. It's a diet. She recommends periodic fasting and veganism, along with no added sugars and no dairy, gluten, etc. The general gist: eat more plants! I think is great. The rest? Ugh. I don't think it's really inline with modern nutritional expertise, which admittedly changes every time someone sneezes. While I'm convinced by her arguments that fasting overnight for 12-14 is a good practice for your liver, the rest of her fasting advice is probably going to go in the bin for me.
Estrogen deficiency as a root cause of PCOS. This is actually the biggest surprise for me. Most research that I've read previously talked about estrogen being too *high* (e.g., estrogen-dominant PCOS). They usually associated the symptoms of PCOS instead to progesterone deficiency because of lack of ovulation. She doesn't mention this at all. Dr. Gersh says that PCOS problems are caused by our aromatization of testosterone into estrogen being inefficient compared to non-PCOS women. I'm baffled by this claim as when she does get around to mentioning Letrozole, it's just a short footnote in the conception chapter. Letrozole is an aromatase inhibitor that is used off-label for induction of ovulation, and is known to be better than Clomid for high-BMI women with PCOS. She knows this as it's basically what she says, but doesn't then address the bigger question of why suppressing estrogen actually works so well. In her own studies, she's more interested in supplementing bio-identical estrogen.
Inflammation. Okay, inflammation is a hot word for everyone. I wasn't convinced by any of her suggestions about how to manage it, like aromatherapy, supplements like turmeric, or hot baths. Do what makes you calm to reduce unnecessary stress-induced cortisol, exercise, and eat lots of plants. That I can get behind.
Microbiome. I am not convinced to buy any probiotic supplements, but I agree with her recommendations to eat more fiber and exercise for your microbiome health. That's actually a novel way to think about it! I also liked that she addressed the -occasional- need for antibiotics. I do think the microbiome should have some interesting help for us in the future.
After I finished this book, I have to admit I'm pretty surprised that an MD would have such holistic recommendations. Most of what she's talking about would have been considered quackery 10-20 years ago. Some of it still is. At the same time, I'm encouraged by the fact that we're beginning to bridge the gap between western and traditional medicine. I think there's a lot more we can learn from traditional medicine than we have really admitted to ourselves.
December 31, 2025
DNF. Pseudoscience alert! Started strong and I was even taking notes, planning my new healthy PCOS life. Then I checked one of the studies she cited (for "it's proven that women with PCOS should never touch a drop of alcohol") — and it didnt support her claim at all. So I checked some more, and some more.... this woman is MAKING STUFF UP and making it sound scientifically supported. Its not. This book is not just highly likely to be ineffective, it could have serious negative impacts (e.g. if you give up gluten and dairy and sugar and 40 other things and now have to structure your life around your insanely restrictive diet)! DO NOT READ.
March 17, 2019
Three weeks ago, I saw pictures of myself taken on a city trip, and I knew something had to change. I've been unhappy and depleted of energy for a long time, and hopeless about ever getting better. I stumbled over this book after reading a sexuality related article quoting M.D. Gersh. Like her, I have PCOS and Hashimoto's, but I hadn't found a strategy yet to deal with the downward spiral of my health, and my doctors haven't been much help. The lifestyle changes Gersh recommends are a lot, but once you feel you have nothing to lose anymore, trying them out doesn't seem so bad. I've started implementing her recommendations two weeks ago, and already I see changes for the better. One thing not ideal is that she recommends a lot of supplements that aren't easily available for me in Europe. The book is clearly geared towards American readers.
It will take a while until I can say if the lifestyle changes suggested in this book really have a deep impact on my health, but even with minimal changes implemented, I already feel better than two weeks ago. It might sound little, but for me that's huge, and I'm deeply grateful for it.
It will take a while until I can say if the lifestyle changes suggested in this book really have a deep impact on my health, but even with minimal changes implemented, I already feel better than two weeks ago. It might sound little, but for me that's huge, and I'm deeply grateful for it.
January 11, 2025
This was the first book I've read about PCOS that wasn't AI written (wildly, there are a ton of them.) Currently fielding a diagnosis of PCOS, I thought I would explore more through a holistic lens. I feel like the suggestions here are good, despite some shock of the quantity of things, such as supplements, which I'm weary. Otherwise, it was helpful!
July 1, 2021
Os meus olhos? Abertos. 👀 Hora de fazer resumos e começar a tentar ter saúde.
November 12, 2025
Happy almost Pcos awareness month, learned a lot gotta go change my life a little ig
August 13, 2024
I would recommend this book to every girl, regardless of whether she has PCOS or not. Since I had already implemented many of the author’s suggestions before reading the book, my trust in the other advice was quite high, and I began to implement them immediately. For example, everything related to circadian rhythms: I noticed a difference in my body’s function after just two weeks of getting sunlight in my eyes in the morning, and I already have a lamp for the winter from the time I was taking antidepressants.
There are two important things I would like to add for anyone who decides to read the book:
1. The author states that a cause or symptom of PCOS is low estrogen levels and high androgens. However, I want to correct the author and add that PCOS can occur not only with low estrogen but also with high levels (for example, this is my case). This point in the book bothered me, and I researched it again for myself.
2. The author recommends running, HIIT training, cycling, and other intense workouts as a way to reduce PCOS symptoms. However, it is important to note that such workouts can be quite stressful for our bodies and must be done according to the cycle (during the first two phases of the cycle, focusing more on endurance in the second phase, and only if your progesterone and estrogen levels are normal, which you will definitely feel in your body’s energy levels). I recommend using the Wild app and analyzing progesterone levels on the 20th-22nd day of your cycle for this purpose.
There are two important things I would like to add for anyone who decides to read the book:
1. The author states that a cause or symptom of PCOS is low estrogen levels and high androgens. However, I want to correct the author and add that PCOS can occur not only with low estrogen but also with high levels (for example, this is my case). This point in the book bothered me, and I researched it again for myself.
2. The author recommends running, HIIT training, cycling, and other intense workouts as a way to reduce PCOS symptoms. However, it is important to note that such workouts can be quite stressful for our bodies and must be done according to the cycle (during the first two phases of the cycle, focusing more on endurance in the second phase, and only if your progesterone and estrogen levels are normal, which you will definitely feel in your body’s energy levels). I recommend using the Wild app and analyzing progesterone levels on the 20th-22nd day of your cycle for this purpose.
January 8, 2024
I was recently (last year) diagnosed with PCOS, and though it is fairly mild for me, I am convinced it affects my daily life -- particularly when it comes to anxiety, insomnia, and PMS.
While I typically eat a wholesome, healthy diet and exercise 5-6 days a week, I found this book to offer far more in-depth information and advice for managing -- and mitigating -- PCOS symptoms. Women who have PCOS are more susceptible to a range of health conditions, so it's extremely important to understand our unique cases and treat them accordingly for a happy, healthy lifestyle.
Ultimately, I'd highly recommend this book to any woman who believes she may have, or has been diagnosed with, PCOS.
While I typically eat a wholesome, healthy diet and exercise 5-6 days a week, I found this book to offer far more in-depth information and advice for managing -- and mitigating -- PCOS symptoms. Women who have PCOS are more susceptible to a range of health conditions, so it's extremely important to understand our unique cases and treat them accordingly for a happy, healthy lifestyle.
Ultimately, I'd highly recommend this book to any woman who believes she may have, or has been diagnosed with, PCOS.
April 1, 2023
Though I think that some of dr. Gersh’s medical recommendations to manage PCOS aren’t necessarily right for everyone, I’m so glad that there is a book like this one that clearly explains the roots, causes and possible solutions for people who live with PCOS like me. Especially because it seems that normally OB Gyns have zero or little knowledge at all about this chronic condition and it leaves us with no hope to actually reverse it and live a healthy life. Thank you dr Felice Gersh!
July 9, 2024
I was recently diagnosed with PCOS, and after reading this book so much of my life makes much more sense. I won't take all her advice (going vegan, or even dairy free, is an absolute no) but I'm planning on making more of my food plant-centric, upping the fiber and losing weight.
Apparently I also have to cut out alcohol. Oh well, sad day.
Apparently I also have to cut out alcohol. Oh well, sad day.
June 7, 2025
The information in this book is truly an eye-opener on what is actually happening inside a woman’s body, which is often overlooked or misunderstood. The author provides great suggestions and actionable strategies that every girl can consider to help reverse hormonal imbalances and other related issues. A must-read for those looking to take charge of their health in an informed and holistic way.
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May 13, 2024cover is cursed but felice was very informative. nice to see a gyn talk about hormonal dysfunction within the context of whole body systems and the implications and connections with other aspects of health.
June 17, 2025
Un ghid esențial pentru echilibru hormonal dacă ești în căutarea unei abordări holistice. Mi-a plăcut că pune accent pe schimbări sustenabile: alimentație, suplimente, somn, mișcare și nu promite soluții magice.
September 22, 2019
Hopefully life-changing! Already integrating Dr Heresh's advice into my life. Thank you!
February 13, 2020
Life changing! Amazing break down of PCOS, all the what’s and how’s, and just overall amazing book!!!
June 13, 2021
Super informative. Would definitely recommend to any person with PCOS who is trying to understand and manage their symptoms
January 2, 2024
Didn't love the emphasis on weight loss that every book on this topic seemed to include- yet still lots of helpful advice!! Been a great help.
August 18, 2023
This book helped me so much to learn more about PCOS after my recent diagnosis. Wow, what a brutal condition. It explains so many things I’ve suffered with throughout my life, including the devastating chronic fatigue. Learning that women with PCOS tend to be night owls that suffer from insomnia was crazy to me, that’s been me since I can remember! Also finding out that women with PCOS are 7x more likely to commit suicide was really sad and made a lot of sense. I was really surprised to find out that majority of women with PCOS also suffer with Sleep Apnea. I really want a sleep study done to see if I have that because it can shorten your life span if not treated unfortunately. It’s crazy all the issues PCOS causes, including increasing your risk of type 2 diabetes, heart attacks, strokes, ect. It’s really important to take care of yourself, especially if you suffer with this condition. This book explains a lot about the condition but also many ways to help with the condition. I started some of the supplements recommended and hope to start feeling a lot better soon! I highly recommend this book!
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews