Is there a Diet for PCOS?
I had a friend in college with PCOS tell me that she went on a special diet for her PCOS to get her monthly cycle. I know there is a theory of a link between diabetes and PCOS in women, and I’m curious: is the diet my friend was referring to the Diabetic Exchange Diet?
Polycystic Ovary Syndrome…PCOS is characterized by infrequent or absent menstrual periods; obesity; elevated levels of androgen hormones or symptoms resulting from that, such as ache, excessive hair on the face and body, and hair loss resembling male-pattern baldness; and sometimes skin outgrowths (known as skin tags) or abnormally darkened, thickened skin in skin folds (known as acanthosis nigricans). Because cysts on the ovaries are not always present, some people think polycystic ovary syndrome is not a good term for the condition
A better term for PCOS might be syndrome XX, as some researchers have called it, because only women (with their XX chromosomes) develop it. PCOS is considered a female-specific form of syndrome X, also known as metabolic syndrome, which affects both men and women. Whereas PCOS is marked by a cluster of female reproductive disorders, syndrome X is defined by a cluster of cardiovascular risk factors–including abdominal obesity, unhealthy blood lipid levels (high triglyceride and low HDL cholesterol levels), high blood pressure, and high fasting blood sugar
If you have been diagnosed with PCOS, the following diet strategies can help improve symptoms.
* Restrict refined breads and sugary foods. Women with PCOS tend to eat significantly larger servings of high-glycemic bread products–those that raise blood sugar and insulin levels quickly–than women without PCOS. Eating large amounts of sugar and bread–both have a high glycemic index–also doubles the risk of diabetes, a common complication of PCOS. It’s just another good reason to avoid these foods.
* Eat low glycemic foods. No direct research with PCOS has been done, but diets based on low-glycemic carbohydrates, such as nonstarchy vegetables, legumes, and many fruits, improve insulin sensitivity (or reduce insulin resistance), improve blood triglyceride or good HDL cholesterol levels, and reduce hunger–all important factors for women with PCOS. Many find it easier to lose weight on a lower-glycemic
* Cut back on your total carb intake and increase protein, such as fish and poultry, in the diet. A high-protein, low-carb diet significantly reduces depression and improves self-esteem–factors important in long-term weight management–in obese women with PCOS, according to a new study in Appetite. A low-glycemic, high-protein diet that is also high in fiber works better for PCOS over the long term than a diet high in carbohydrates.
my daughter is on it. an extremely power packed diet – 5 meals a day. all she has to avoid are carbs, fat and sugar.
References :
Polycystic Ovary Syndrome…PCOS is characterized by infrequent or absent menstrual periods; obesity; elevated levels of androgen hormones or symptoms resulting from that, such as ache, excessive hair on the face and body, and hair loss resembling male-pattern baldness; and sometimes skin outgrowths (known as skin tags) or abnormally darkened, thickened skin in skin folds (known as acanthosis nigricans). Because cysts on the ovaries are not always present, some people think polycystic ovary syndrome is not a good term for the condition
A better term for PCOS might be syndrome XX, as some researchers have called it, because only women (with their XX chromosomes) develop it. PCOS is considered a female-specific form of syndrome X, also known as metabolic syndrome, which affects both men and women. Whereas PCOS is marked by a cluster of female reproductive disorders, syndrome X is defined by a cluster of cardiovascular risk factors–including abdominal obesity, unhealthy blood lipid levels (high triglyceride and low HDL cholesterol levels), high blood pressure, and high fasting blood sugar
If you have been diagnosed with PCOS, the following diet strategies can help improve symptoms.
* Restrict refined breads and sugary foods. Women with PCOS tend to eat significantly larger servings of high-glycemic bread products–those that raise blood sugar and insulin levels quickly–than women without PCOS. Eating large amounts of sugar and bread–both have a high glycemic index–also doubles the risk of diabetes, a common complication of PCOS. It’s just another good reason to avoid these foods.
* Eat low glycemic foods. No direct research with PCOS has been done, but diets based on low-glycemic carbohydrates, such as nonstarchy vegetables, legumes, and many fruits, improve insulin sensitivity (or reduce insulin resistance), improve blood triglyceride or good HDL cholesterol levels, and reduce hunger–all important factors for women with PCOS. Many find it easier to lose weight on a lower-glycemic
* Cut back on your total carb intake and increase protein, such as fish and poultry, in the diet. A high-protein, low-carb diet significantly reduces depression and improves self-esteem–factors important in long-term weight management–in obese women with PCOS, according to a new study in Appetite. A low-glycemic, high-protein diet that is also high in fiber works better for PCOS over the long term than a diet high in carbohydrates.
References :
If you have diabetes, your doctor may put you on a diabetic exchange diet to help control both your weight and the amount of sugar and cholesterol in your blood. You will need to measure your food while on this diet, and you will probably need to eat 3 meals and 1 to 3 snacks daily. This diet divides the foods you can eat into 6 groups and measures each food by exact serving size. That way you can be sure to eat the right amount from each food group daily.
Those With PCOS Can Benefit from Lo Carb Dieting
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