PCOD & DIET MANAGEMENT
Dt Ruma Saha
PCOD is a hormonal disorder that affects women in their reproductive age. It is a common health condition that affects teen and young women, it is mostly seen in 1 out of 10 in their childbearing age.
How To Control PCOS: Consuming a well-balanced PCOS diet will help keep your body in a neutral, homeostatic state. A balanced PCOS diet allows insulin to work correctly in the glucose in your cells for energy.
This process results in less insulin in your bloodstream, ultimately lowering the production of androgens and reducing your PCOS symptoms.
The very common symptoms of PCOD/PCOS are no ovulation or infertility, irregular or prolonged mensuration, acne, headaches, mental health issue, etc. If you are suffering from PCOD/PCOS then do not ignore it because if you ignore it, it will be very dangerous for your health.
Symptoms you must not ignore:-
1) Acne- Male hormones can make your skin oilier than usual and cause breakouts on areas like the face, chest, and upper back.
2) Weight gain and trouble losing weight.
3) Hair growth- women with PCOD face various problems like extra hair on the face and body.
4) Male-pattern baldness-Thinner hair on the scalp fall down. Hair loss begins at the temples or the crown of the head.
5) Darkening of the skin. Dark patches of skin can form in body creases like those on the neck and under the breasts.
6) Irregular Menstruation-Menstrual disorders.
7) Heavy bleeding.
Polymenorrhoea- It is one form of abnormal uterine bleeding.
Consequences of untreated PCOS/PCOD?
1)Fertility & Pregnancy Complication
2) Metabolic syndrome
3) Sleep Apnea
4) Psychiatric Complication
5) Endometrial cancer
THINK NOW!! Start your journey for a healthy life without PCOD/PCOS.
Foods to Include in a PCOS Diet Menu
To manage PCOS o PCOD in a more effective manner, include the following food groups in your regular diet. It will not only control insulin levels, but also help you lose weight naturally.
1.Green Leafy Vegetables
All green leafy veggies are low in calories and high in nutrients such as Calcium, Iron, Potassium, Magnesium and several vitamins like K, C, B group and E.
Most importantly, they contain B vitamins such as B2, B3, B5 and B6, which help with sugar and fat metabolism, thus improving the hormonal balance and also can help with infertility caused due to PCOS.
2.Bright Colored Vegetables
These are loaded with powerful antioxidants that help in normalizing the oxidative stress in women with PCOS.
The best veggies you can include in your everyday diet are Sweet potatoes, Red and yellow bell peppers, tomatoes, carrots, eggplant, bitter gourd etc…
3.Fruits
Fruit are good, especially if you’ve a sweet tooth. But, make sure to include those fruits with low Glycemic Index such as Limes, apricot, grapefruit, strawberries, cantaloupe, guava, pear, watermelon, lemon, blueberries, apples, nectarines, kiwi fruit etc…
Also, include handful of nuts and seeds along with fruits to get the protein boost, which also helps in controlling the sudden spike in your sugar levels.
4.Healthy Fats
It is myth that fats are unhealthy and not good for weight loss. In fact, there are good fats and bad fats.
Including the good fats promote hormonal balance and help with weight management.
You can include all kinds of seeds, nuts, avocado, olive oil, tuna and salmon.
They not only contain healthy fats, but also B vitamins and Vitamin D, both are recommended for treating PCOS.
5.Organic Meat
Protein helps with weight management as it creates satiety and you’ll feel fuller for longer periods.
And, what more good than meat, to get the right amounts of protein without increasing the calories?
Yes, you can opt for lean cut organic meat in your PCOS diet to lose weight naturally.
6.Carbs with Low Glycemic Index
Not all carbs are bad for weight loss. You should choose the complex carbs over simple carbs for weight loss.
Foods with low glycemic index such as legumes, beans, lentils and non-starchy vegetables need longer periods to get digested and thus do not cause sudden spike in the blood glucose levels.
These foods also keep you stomach full for more hours.
Foods to Avoid If you’ve PCOS/PCOD
If you’ve PCOS or PCOD, you should definitely avoid these food groups as they increase the insulin resistance and makes your PCOS/PCOD symptoms worse.
1.High Glycemic Foods:
Avoid biscuits, while bread, white rice, white pasta, cakes, cereals, dried fruits, candy, pies, sodas, ice creams, fruit juices and packaged foods.
2.Dairy Products:
Regular consumption of milk increase the male hormone levels (testosterone), which makes the PCOS symptoms worse. So, try to stay away from the dairy products such as milk, yogurt, cheese, butter and all other products that are made using milk as a by-product.
3.Soy Products:
Researchers found that Soy is linked to delayed ovulation in some women and hence it is advised not to consume soy based products if you’ve PCOS, especially if you’ve trying to conceive.
4.Bad Fats:
As we mentioned earlier, it is highly suggested to consume good fats and avoid bad fats at all costs as they’d dampen your PCOS weight loss diet.
Try to stay away from foods that contain saturated fats, trans fats and hydrogenated fats.
5.Caffeine:
If consumed in limits (once or twice per day) without sugar or milk, then Coffee is extremely good for weight loss. But, overconsumption (3 or more cups a day) might interfere with fertility in women.
It increases estradiol, a hormone that affects ovulation and menstrual cycle of a women.
6.Alcohol: Avoid alcohol. That’s it.
7.Processed or Packaged Foods
Finally, avoid foods that are packed or processed as they contain lots of chemicals, flavors, additives and preservatives, which cause hormonal imbalance and also increase insulin resistance in the body.
Other Useful Tips to Control PCOS Naturally
As of now, there is permanent or particular cure for PCOS/PCOD. However, you can follow a healthy lifestyle and good eating habits to minimize the PCOS symptoms naturally. The only thing you should do is to improve your insulin sensitivity by making the lifestyle changes to suit the problem.
Here are some helpful health tips that improve insulin sensitivity and to manage PCOS/PCOD.
· Avoid refined foods and replace them with whole grains.
· Avoid fruit juices and replace them with whole fruits.
· Avoid sugar completely and replace it with Stevia or natural honey.
· Eat foods with good carbs that are low in glycemic value, as they will not suddenly raise the blood sugar levels.
· Eat fiber rich foods like legumes and vegetables
· Get your protein right by including Lentils, Meat, Eggs etc…
· Eat just 2 to 3 times per day. Don’t eat too frequently. It gives your body enough time to digest the meal that you’ve already eaten.
· Limit salt intake and instead make use of lemon juice, vinegar, spices etc…
· Say no to processed and packaged foods
· Munch on healthy snacks like nuts and seeds
· Include healthy fats like Tuna, Salmon, Avocado in your diet
· Get enough sleep for at least 6 to 8 hours
· Regualr Exercise for atleat 30 Minute
· Track your menstrual cycle regularly using a mobile app and consult the doctor in case if the gap is more than 40 days.
That’s all friends! Follow this healthy PCOS Indian diet plan to lose weight naturally and also to manage your PCOS/PCOD symptoms naturally.
