PCOS as a Full-Body Condition: Celine Vignal on Integrated Care, Wearable Tech, and Women’s Health Innovation
Author(s): Scott Douglas Jacobsen
Publication (Outlet/Website): A Further Inquiry
Publication Date (yyyy/mm/dd): 2025/09/30
Celine Vignal is the founder of Seesaw Health, a pioneering health technology brand dedicated to transforming women’s health through science-based innovation. Inspired by her personal battle with chronic migraines and the discovery of cyclical inflammation as a root cause, Celine assembled leading experts to create a patented digital biomarker and app for daily inflammation management. Honored as one of the 50 most influential French in the U.S. and featured in the Forbes Next 1000, she continues to champion women’s wellness. Seesaw Health integrates biosensor technology and neuroscience-informed breathwork to deliver empowering, personalized solutions across all stages of women’s lives.
Scott Douglas Jacobsen: Why is PCOS underrecognized as a full-body condition?
Celine Vignal: PCOS is underrecognized because it’s been primarily viewed through a narrow reproductive lens. Its name, “polycystic ovary syndrome,” places the focus on the ovaries and ignores the systemic nature of the condition. Unlike the cyclical hormonal shifts tied to the menstrual cycle, PCOS involves a persistent state of elevated androgens, insulin resistance, and chronic inflammation. This leads to unpredictable flare-ups affecting both physical and mental health. To truly address PCOS, we need to move beyond just period regulation and treat these underlying systemic issues. Women often feel dismissed or told to “just lose weight,” while the systemic nature of the condition is overlooked.
Jacobsen: How can integrated approaches better address the metabolic aspects of PCOS?
Vignal: Integrated approaches address the metabolic aspects of PCOS by recognizing the connection between metabolic, hormonal, and mental health. Insulin resistance, a key metabolic issue, drives excess androgen production, which then impacts ovulation and can cause mood swings. To manage this, an integrated approach focuses on managing inflammation patterns through targeted lifestyle interventions. For example, a PCOS-friendly, anti-inflammatory diet rich in fiber and omega-3s can reduce insulin spikes, while tools for nervous system regulation helps reduce flare-ups and makes medical treatment more effective.
Jacobsen: What about hormonal and mental health facets?
Vignal: Hormonal fluctuations and elevated androgens don’t just affect cycles, they also fuel mood swings, anxiety, fatigue, and even depression. Mental health support is often missing in PCOS care. By addressing nervous system imbalance and cortisol dysregulation, women can feel more resilient and less controlled by unpredictable symptoms. A powerful tool for addressing this is activating the vagus nerve through practices like breathwork. Vagus nerve stimulation helps to reduce systemic inflammation and balance the stress response, which is crucial for women with PCOS who often experience heightened cortisol levels and a low vagal tone. Even a few minutes of deep, slow breathing a day can improve vagal tone and ease the emotional burden of the condition.
Jacobsen: What are some emerging treatment options showing some of the most promise in managing PCOS?
Vignal: Beyond traditional medications like metformin and hormonal contraceptives, we’re seeing promising research in anti-inflammatory interventions, and targeted supplements (such as inositol). But the most promising emerging treatments are not single medications but rather a combination of targeted lifestyle changes and new technologies. These include: • Targeted Nutrition and Exercise: A personalized, anti-inflammatory diet and consistent, moderate exercise like walking or yoga are proving highly effective in managing insulin sensitivity and inflammatory load. • Data-Backed Self-Care: Emerging technologies, like the biosensor and app developed by Seesaw Health, help women track and visualize their body’s response to stressors. This data allows for personalized interventions, such as guided breathwork routines, that proactively manage inflammation and nervous system imbalance.
Jacobsen: How can wearable health tech and digital biomarkers support women with this?
Vignal: Women with PCOS often feel like their symptoms come “out of nowhere.” Wearables and biosensors can help reveal hidden stress and inflammation patterns before flare-ups hit. Wearable health tech and digital biomarkers can support women with PCOS by providing objective data on their body’s response to stress and inflammation. For instance, wearables can track metrics like heart rate variability (HRV), which is a key indicator of nervous system health. By collecting this data, women can identify specific triggers for their symptoms and see the impact of lifestyle changes, empowering them to take a proactive approach to their health. This moves beyond simple symptom tracking to understanding the underlying physiological patterns.
Jacobsen: Do nutrition, exercise, and stress regulation show impact on symptom reduction?
Vignal: Yes, absolutely. Nutrition, exercise, and stress regulation are fundamental pillars for reducing PCOS symptoms. An anti-inflammatory diet helps stabilize blood sugar and reduces inflammatory load. Moderate, consistent exercise improves insulin sensitivity and lowers stress. Stress regulation, particularly through practices like breathwork, helps to calm the nervous system and reduce inflammation by stimulating the parasympathetic branch. Stress regulation, particularly through vagus nerve stimulation and deep breathing can shift the body out of chronic fight-or-flight mode, reducing fatigue, anxiety, and flare-ups.
Jacobsen: What systemic barriers delay or miss PCOS diagnoses?
Vignal: Systemic barriers that delay or miss PCOS diagnoses include a lack of a standardized diagnostic protocol and an overemphasis on reproductive symptoms. Many women are simply put on birth control without a comprehensive evaluation of their metabolic and inflammatory health. The name “polycystic ovary syndrome” itself is a barrier, as providers may focus solely on ovarian cysts and irregular periods, overlooking other critical symptoms like chronic inflammation, insulin resistance, and fatigue.
Jacobsen: How can healthcare systems empower women to self-advocate?
Vignal: Healthcare systems can empower women to self-advocate by encouraging them to collect and present their own health data. Women can use simple symptom trackers or health apps to document their patterns, which provides tangible evidence to share with their providers. Furthermore, healthcare systems should promote education on the full-body nature of PCOS and encourage women to seek out healthcare professionals who specialize in hormonal and metabolic health. By doing so, they can shift the dynamic from a passive patient to an active partner in their care.
Jacobsen: Thank you for the opportunity and your time, Celine.
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