How To Fight PCOS With Diet And Nutrition?

If you’re having PCOS or facing some of its symptoms, it might be tempting to consider whether there is a way to make it go away. Well, improvements in diet, exercise, and lifestyle are the most effective methods of dealing with PCOS. Moreover, research suggests that having a proper diet is the FIRST line of treatment for women dealing with PCOS. 

A Look into PCOS

In Polycystic Ovary Syndrome(PCOS), multiple cysts form on the ovaries and the ovaries stop functioning properly, resulting in an inability to produce eggs. As per a report, PCOS affects around 6% to 12% of women who are of reproductive age.

Women with PCOS may experience menstrual cycles that are irregular or prolonged. Insulin resistance and high levels of the male hormone androgen are also common in these individuals. Other symptoms may include acne, abnormal hair growth, headaches, increased appetite, weight gain, and difficulty losing weight.

PCOS Nutrition

A healthy nutrition and diet takes commitment, determination, and persistence. As a result, PCOS nutrition will ask much of you. You will be asked to completely revamp your nutrition, diet, and eating habits. 

Women with PCOS should aim to eat as healthy as possible. Eating healthy here means that food should not be processed or altered by human hands. You can replace processed foods with vegetables, fish, poultry, meat, fruit, nuts, and seeds. These foods provide all the dietary nutrition you need. Simply have a variety of these foods, and if you are starving at a particular meal, have extra vegetables. Processed foods generally have little or no nutrient value, so consuming them will only provide ’empty’ calories. 

Foods to Add

1) High fiber foods: Helps to combat insulin resistance by slowing down digestion and reducing the effect of sugar on the blood. So, it is beneficial for women with PCOS. Some high fiber foods:

• Cruciferous vegetables, like broccoli, cauliflower, and Brussels sprouts
• Greens, including red leaf lettuce and arugula
• Green and red peppers
• Beans and lentils
• Almonds
• Berries
• Sweet potatoes
• Winter squash
• Pumpkin

2) Lean protein sources like tofu, chicken, and fish don’t provide fiber but are a very filling and nutritious dietary option for people with PCOS.

3) Including anti-inflammatory foods is also beneficial for women with PCOS. Some of the foods are:

• Tomatoes
• Kale
• Spinach
• Almonds and walnuts
• Olive oil
• Fruits, like blueberries and strawberries
• Fatty fish high in omega-3 fatty acids, like salmon and sardines

Foods to Limit

1) Foods high in refined carbohydrates cause inflammation, exacerbate insulin resistance, and should be avoided or limited significantly. These include highly processed foods like:

• White bread
• Muffins
• Breakfast pastries
• Sugary desserts
• Anything made with white flour

2) Sugar is a carbohydrate and should be limited on a PCOS diet. When reading food labels, be sure to look for sugar’s various names, including:

• Sucrose
• High fructose corn syrup
• Dextrose

3) Reduce consumption of beverages like soda and juice, which can be high in sugar, as well as inflammation-causing foods, like fries, and red or processed meats.

Role of Supplements

Food is always the first approach to meet the needs for PCOS nutrition. However, some nutrients can be challenging to get enough of through diet alone on a consistent basis. In the early days, humans hunted, gathered, picked, and dug up many different foods, each with its own unique nutrient profile, to piece together enough nutrition for survival. As a result, their diet was probably a lot more nutritionally diverse than ours is today. The modern diet tends to be much less varied, with some people eating many of the same foods every day. Because of this, certain dietary supplements can help bring our intakes up to more desirable levels for the nutrients we should be getting more of but often aren’t.

Also, there are PCOS supplements, and supplements for PCOS weight loss that help you with the condition of PCOS. They can also reduce ovarian cysts, and improve your chances of becoming pregnant. Well, the supplements for PCOS weight loss can help you with weight management. The type, dosage, and duration of nutritional supplementation depend on your unique health history, present health status, and body size. I have been personally PCOS supplement which keeps me healthy and running day in and day out! 

PCOS is Unique!

Women who have PCOS are not a homogeneous population with a single problem. Some are highly obese, while some are very lean, and many are somewhere in between. You can find some have insulin resistance, while others do not. Some have serious hormonal disorders, but others have a less disordered profile. Some can eat a lot of food and not gain weight, while others gain a pound even if they look sideways at food. 

It has been seen that while some women benefit from a very high-protein diet, others will not get any results. Some don’t have the enzymes to digest milk sugar, while others do. Some are on medications that alter dietary needs, but not all are. The types of metabolic problems will vary among PCOS women. So, the diet you follow or the PCOS supplement which contains Inositol should be taken according to your body’s needs.

A good diet can go a long way in helping women with PCOS lead a healthier life. Hope you found the article useful. Please leave your thoughts in the comments!