Dr. Laura Erlich

So PCOS has officially been renamed PMOS — Polymetabolic Ovarian Syndrome. And honestly? I think this is an important step forward.

For years, the name Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome has caused confusion.

Many women with PCOS don’t actually have ovarian cysts.
And many have been led to believe this condition is only about the ovaries or reproductive system- when in reality, it’s far more complex than that.

The new name, PMOS (Polymetabolic Ovarian Syndrome), reflects something much more accurate:

This is a condition that affects multiple systems in the body, including:
• metabolism
• insulin signalling
• hormones
• inflammation
• ovulation
• nervous system function

And that really matters.

Because language shapes the way conditions are understood, diagnosed, researched, and treated.

When we stop reducing and simplifying this condition to “cysts on the ovaries,”
we create space for more comprehensive care and earlier recognition of the full picture.

From an integrative perspective, this shift also aligns with how many of us already approach women’s health in practice:
As interconnected systems, not isolated symptoms.

In Chinese Medicine, we’ve long understood that cycle irregularities, ovulatory dysfunction, metabolic changes, digestion, stress physiology, inflammation, and emotional wellbeing are deeply connected.

Different framework, same understanding:
the body functions as a whole. Not in isolated parts.

Of course, changing the name alone won’t solve everything.
But it may help move the conversation toward more nuanced, compassionate, and effective care for the millions of women living with this condition.

And that is something worth paying attention to.

For a long time, ovarian ageing has been framed as something fixed - and decline is something we simply have to accept.

But emerging research is beginning to show a more nuanced picture.

Recent studies looking at mitochondrial function and cellular protection within the ovaries suggest that ovarian function is influenced by the internal environment, including energy production, inflammation, and cellular resilience.

This aligns closely with what we see clinically, and with how Chinese Medicine has always approached fertility: as something shaped by the systems that support it.

This doesn’t mean we can override biology.
But it does mean we can influence more than we’ve been told.

✨If you want to understand how to support your body in a way that reflects this, you’re very welcome inside the Fertility Sanctuary- my free online community for women who want to welcome a baby into their life.
➡️ Just comment ‘SANCTUARY’ and I’ll send you the link to join.

✨And if you’re a fellow practitioner with a passion for women’s health and fertility- why not join me for clinical conversations like this inside my professional community, the YINstitute for women’s medicine.
➡️ Comment ‘YIN’ to get access

Omi’s Kitchen is here! 😍

A love letter to the women who taught me that food is medicine, and a record of how that lesson shaped my life and my work. This is my kitchen apothecary digital cookbook — full of recipes and remedies from Berlin to Beijing.

I didn’t plan to launch on Mother’s Day weekend. But the timing feels right. 🩷 This book is dedicated to my grandmother, and to all the grandmothers. By default, also to my mother — who kept the thread of nourishment alive for our family and left me the mantle I gladly took up.

I hold a doctorate in acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine, but my care reaches a tiny fraction of people, and the herbs typically don’t taste good to most Western palates! So, this book is my workaround.

— Healing food, no barrier —

Whether you’re missing your mom, longing to be one, or already spending your days running around after your little ones — this book is for YOU. 💛

A companion guide for women is also available which includes meal plans for cycle phases, pregnancy, and postpartum!

➡️ Just comment ‘OMI’ and I’ll send the link straight to you.

I hope you love this book as much as I do 💕

Dr. Laura x

Maternal mental health is often spoken about in very narrow terms.

But in reality, it’s complex.
Layered.
And often deeply hidden.

After years of working with women through pregnancy, postpartum, and beyond, I’ve seen how many carry this quietly - believing they’re the only one feeling this way.

They’re not.

These experiences don’t mean you’re failing at motherhood, or that there’s something wrong with you.

They mean your system is overwhelmed, your energy is depleted, and you’re in need of support that goes beyond ‘how are you’.

From both a conventional and Traditional East Asian Medicine perspective, this stage of life asks a lot of a woman and her body - hormonally, neurologically, emotionally, and physically.

And recovery isn’t something that happens automatically.
It requires care.

Women were never meant to do motherhood alone- the phrase ‘it takes a village’ is true. women were always supposed to raise their families in a community, with generations of other women by their side. So, please understand that you’re not a failure if you’re struggling. It might seem like there is no one to turn to- but please reach out to a certified health professional.

Alongside appropriate medical and psychological support, many women also find benefit in a more holistic approach. In Chinese Medicine, we look at this period as one of deep depletion — where the nervous system, Blood, and energy reserves all need careful rebuilding. Treatments like acupuncture, herbal medicine, and nourishment-focused care can help support recovery, regulate the nervous system, and gently restore balance over time.

Dr.Laura x