Among every 10 women, one is found to be suffering from polycystic ovary syndrome, a prevalent disorder among women ageing between twelve and fifty-one; it is the average reproductive years of women or the age of childbearing.
Possibilities are there that PCOS may give birth to some serious health problems like cardiovascular problems, diabetes, high risk of uterine cancer, and depression.
Researches reveal that several diet or lifestyle can help to overcome the effect of polycystic ovary syndrome. Some PCOS diet plan is discussed over here.
Diet governs PCOS to a great extent, mainly in two different ways insulin resistance and production and weight management. In this case, Insulin plays an important role, getting hold of insulin levels along with a proper PCOS diet, is the best step one can take towards controlling the condition.
Another significant factor has insulin resistance; it has been seen around 50% and above women develop pre-diabetes or diabetes before crossing 40 years age duration.
Diabetes has a direct connection with how a body develops Insulin. There are many things one can follow like what are the foods that need to be avoided or the best diet for PCOS, lifestyles, or when to visit a doctor.
The Best Diets for PCOS
Nearly 15-20 percent of women come in contact with polycystic ovary syndrome in their reproductive ages. It triggers when there is a hormonal imbalance, which raises the risk of obesity, diabetes, and heart disease.
Unfortunately, until now, the key to curing this syndrome is unknown. However, two current treatment regimens one can rely on; is a change in lifestyle and diet. Human beings possess a hormone called Insulin, responsible for transporting blood sugar to our cells for storage or energy.
Women suffering from PCOS are generally Insulin resistant; in this case, cells don’t consume the entire Insulin, as they are supposed to; this surges sugar level and insulin results in unpleasant syndromes.
A condition which causes metabolism problem and hormonal imbalances are called polycystic ovary syndrome(1). It is a prevalent health disorder faced by one woman out of every ten who are in childbearing age.
In PCOS, excess hair growth in the neck, face, legs, arms and chest, severe acne may happen if you possess excessive androgens. Whereas, insulin resistance may produce some changes in skin like darkened areas and skin tags, which intensifies the symptoms of PCOS and make it even worse.
Some of the polycystic ovary syndrome diet are mentioned in this article.
1. Low-Glycemic Diet
Why to Use
It has many health benefits; decreases inflammatory makers, improves insulin reactivity, and also helps to normalize irregular periods. Study shows, being on low-GI diet progresses menstrual regularity.
How to Use
For breakfast take Low carb keto muffins with Blackberries, Low carb paleo almond flour biscuits, Sugar-free keto New York cheese-cake. In lunch take Almond flour keto tortillas, Keto fried chicken and in dinner Gluten-free, low carb keto fish tacos, Low carb beef stew.
How Much to Use
Go for a diet of low-glycemic Diet. Women with obesity can restore uneven periods by just losing 5 % of their weight; it helps to boosts ovulation as well.
Do’s
Take unprocessed, natural foods
[ Read: Treat PCOS Effectively with These Natural Remedies ]
2. Devour Large Meals
Why to Use
It revamps hormone levels.
How Much to Use
Women having PCOS are advised to take heavy meals on breakfast and comparatively light in dinner; this could beat the hormonal imbalance connected with PCOS.
Do’s
have different leafy greens, spinach, kale, cauliflower and broccoli and High-fibre foods
How to Use
Take Broccoli and cauliflower salad with shrimp, Gluten-free chicken nuggets and Keto meatloaf with eggs.
3. High Protein Foods
Why to Use
Foods with high protein may help to fight some unwanted side effects like excessive facial hair, irregular periods, and a deeper voice.
How to Use
Feel better with these simple PCOS diet plan- Consider taking High-fibred vegetables like broccoli, Lean protein like fish, eggs, beans, Anti-inflammatory spices and diets like tomatoes and turmeric, Spinach, Kale and Tomatoes. Sweet potatoes, Fish, chicken, and tofu are good sources of lean protein, they do not contain fibre but are filling and very healthy diet option for those suffering from PCOS.
How Much to Use
Chuck lean protein in plenty like lean meat, eggs, fish, beans, and few dairy products, it imparts in lowering androgen levels in women.
Dos & Don’ts
Consume Healthy fats like coconuts, avocados, and pine nuts.
[ Read: How to Cure Pcos with Keto Diet? ]
4. Healthy Fat Diet
Why to Use
Researches reveal that genes play an active role in inheriting the possibilities of PCOS. Though there is no particular gene associated with it, a large variety of mechanisms and genes seems to act, which end up showing symptoms of PCOS among women of different ages.
Few genetic studies related to PCOS pinpoint genes which affect insulin resistance and hormone levels. It can minimize testosterone(2) and insulin levels.
How to Use
Consume Fish enriched with omega-3 fatty acids like sardines and salmon, walnuts and almonds, Olive oil and Almonds
How Much to Use
Supply of adequate healthy fats such as omega-3 reduces testosterone and insulin levels and augments the insulin resistance among women.
Dos and Don’ts
consume nuts including almonds, walnuts, pistachios, and nuts
5. Tearing Down Carb Intake
Why to Use
It can improve hormonal imbalance and augment weight loss among women.
How to Use
Start your day with the best diet for PCOS.
How Much to Use
Lower down your curb intake as carbs get converted to glucose, from where Insulin is generated in our body.
Dos and Don’ts
Have Legumes, lentils and dried beans, Spices like cinnamon and turmeric. Take Cruciferous vegetables like cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, Greens including
Arugula and Red leaf lettuce, Red and green peppers, Lentils, Beans, Berries, Winter squash and Pumpkin. Fruits like strawberries and blueberries.
6. Stay Healthy and Active, and Exercise Regularly
Why to Use
It will help to burn your body fat. PCOS may result in some alarming health challenges like cardiovascular problems, diabetes, endometrial cancer, and depression. Women suffering from polycystic ovary syndrome experiences excess weight. Insulin resistance confers overweight and obesity.
Insulin governs the sugar level present in our body; our body cells stop responding to Insulin with the advent of insulin resistance. This extra Insulin puts negative impact like higher secretion of male hormones (androgens) together with testosterone.
This is likely to interrupt regular ovulation in women. It also leads to chances of irregular periods or no menstrual cycles (amenorrhea), infertility, the evolution of cysts in the ovary.
How to Use
Most helpful polycystic ovary syndrome diet recipes. In Breakfast take Low Carb keto chocolate mug cake, Keto paleo cloud bread and Low carb sugar-free carrot cake.
In lunch, one can have Gluten-free corn dogs and in dinner have Keto paleo gluten-free potstickers, Gluten-free corn dogs, Low carb keto cauliflower stuffing, Keto fried chicken.
How Much to Use
Take supplements like chromium and vitamin D supplements, it aids in improving PCOS symptoms among women.
Dos and Don’ts
Restrain yourselves from these foods if you are a victim of PCOS:
- High Carbohydrate content foods such as muffins and white bread
- Sugary drinks and snacks
- Inflammatory foods like red and processed meats.
- White bread
- Breakfast pastries
- Muffins
- White potatoes
- Foods made out of white flour
Refined carbohydrates and highly-processed foods initiate inflammation worsen insulin resistance; this should be limited or avoided significantly.
Sugar comes under carbohydrate and should be removed strictly from your every day’s diet. While buying foods, make sure going through the food labels and look for different sugar’s names, which includes:
- Fructose
- Dextrose
- Sucrose
Sugar may remain hidden in your drinks like juice and soda. It an excellent idea to remove or reduce foods causing inflammation such as margarine, processed or red meats, and fries.
Women suffering from PCOS tend to develop multiple ovarian cysts, caused by an overproduction of androgen hormones. Around 50% of women with this disorder are obese or overweight.
Some of the common symptoms are hirsutism, acne, baldness of the male pattern. They are also prone to a higher risk of endometrial cancer, hypertension, diabetes, and heart diseases.
But women can control these symptoms and can reduce the chances of diseases by following basic polycystic ovarian syndrome diet. Proper diet can affect this syndrome to a great extent.
Women with this syndrome are found to possess abnormal insulin levels. In our body, Insulin occurs in the pancreas, which helps cells to produce energy from sugar. Being an Insulin resistant body is incapable of using the insulin content, which the body produces naturally.
High insulin level can prompt ovaries to generate more androgens like testosterone. A diet rich in carbohydrates such as sugary and starchy foods can cause insulin resistance, and therefore, it becomes more critical to control weight loss.
Women with more body mass index than normal discharges insulin resistance, this makes it tough to lose body-weight; for this reason, women having PCOS seldom faces this issue.
Study shows that women following a high-protein diet have much lower androgen levels as compared to ones with a low-protein diet. High-protein foods prevent a surge of insulin level, unlike high-carb foods.
Foods rich in protein also suppress a particular hunger hormone called ghrelin, for a more extended period than carbohydrates.
In short, a protein-rich diet is much healthier and helps in reducing insulin levels; both of them are a positive sign for women having PCOS symptoms.
FAQs
1. When to Visit a Doctor?
Some of the common symptoms of PCOS include
- Oily skin
- Excessive hair growth
- Weight gain particular around the belly
- Irregular periods
- Feeling discomfort in the pelvic area
- Facing problems in getting pregnant
People suffering from these symptoms take it lightly in the first place, but it is recommended to visit a doctor and undergo a thorough medical check-up.
People don’t feel the urge to seek medical care until they find serious trouble in conceiving. The sooner you share your concern with any doctor, the faster your treatment therapy begins, which will make you feel even better.
2. What is PCOS Diet?
Two important segments of controlling PCOS include exercise and diet. Young women suffering from PCOS possess higher insulin levels and often find it difficult to maintain healthy body weight.
Understanding the right foods to have and the foods to avoid can change the unpleasant feeling. It may help you in losing body-weight and staying active, maintaining a beneficial regime, and eating a nutritious diet and improve the symptoms of PCOS.
3. How Can a Change in Lifestyle Improve the Condition?
Bringing changes in lifestyle helps people to cope up with the condition. Researches show an excellent combination of PCOS diet along with physical exercise bestows one with the following advantages-
- Regular periods
- Weight loss
- Reduces cholesterol levels
- Improves insulin metabolism
- Decreases male-pattern hair over-growth and male hormone levels
Studies suggest that some behavioural changes can help women to achieve the goals of weight management, which in return contributes to managing symptoms of PCOS. Some of these practices include-
- Techniques of self-monitoring
- Setting a goal
- Self-caring
- Looking after psychological well-being
One of the crucial key points is hypertension, trying to reduce stress through various self-care practices helps a person to deal with the situation of the polycystic ovarian syndrome.
There is no path to the exact cure for this syndrome, but choosing the right diet and nutrition will give a healthy and happy living. Records show, Women with overweight if undergoes as lower as a 5% weight reduction, it greatly improves the symptoms of PCOS.
Choosing foods of low-GI, moderately try to reduce curd consumption, stay away from sugary foods and having a right amount of lean protein and healthy fats can kick start to a good life along with regular exercises. Pull the strings of unpleasant PCOS symptoms by making good choices.
