PCOS is a hormonal imbalance that affects 5 to 10 per cent of women of reproductive age across the world, and results in irregular or absent periods, acne, excess body hair and weight gain. It is also a major cause of infertility and yet is frequently misdiagnosed and often missed completely.
PCOS gets its name because under an ultrasound scan, the ovaries can look like a bunch of grapes, each one covered in what looks like multiple cysts. In fact, these aren’t cysts at all, but are small, undeveloped follicles.
Unfortunately, it creates a vicious cycle of hormone imbalances, which has knock-on effects throughout the rest of your body. With PCOS, the problem often starts with the ovaries, which are unable to produce the hormones they should, and in the correct proportions. But linked to this is the very common problem of insulin resistance. Women with PCOS very often have difficulties with blood sugar levels which can cause weight gain and the excess insulin can stimulate your ovaries to produce yet more testosterone. Half of all women with PCOS do not have any problems with their weight, yet they can still have higher insulin levels than normal.
Do I have PCOS?
Symptoms can vary widely and some women with PCOS have no symptoms at all. However if you have more than one of the symptoms below it may be worth following up with your GP
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Irregular or no period
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Acne, particularly on the chin, cheeks, back or chest
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Excess hair growth e.g. above lip, on chin, thighs or belly
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Weight gain or difficulty losing weight
The Seven Nutritional Steps to beat PCOS
Good nutrition is the foundation of your health and you should never underestimate how powerful it can be. It is the fuel that provides you with energy and gives your body the nutrients it needs to produce your hormones in the correct balance. The better the supply of those nutrients, the more healthily your body will function.
The fundamental aim of a nutritional approach to PCOS is to target a number of areas simultaneously so that you get the maximum effect in the minimum amount of time.
Here’s how:
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Switch to unrefined carbohydrates (eaten with protein) and never go more than 3 hours without food to keep your blood sugar levels balanced.
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Eat oily fish and foods rich in Omega 3s to help your body to become more sensitive to insulin.
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Cut out all dairy products for 3 months to help bring levels of hormones into balance. Switch to good quality soya, coconut or almond milk.
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Eat more vegetables and pulses, which help control excess hormones. Pulses include hummus, chickpeas, lentils and all other beans.
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Cut right back on or cut out alcohol for 12 weeks to allow your liver function to improve.
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Cut down on caffeine to give your adrenal glands a rest. Blood sugar is impacted by the release of stress hormones.
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Cut down on saturated fats and eliminate trans-fats to help control the potentially damaging inflammatory processes PCOS causes in the body. Switch to good fats in olive oil, nuts, seeds and oily fish.
Having a good diet, regular exercise, controlling stress and taking key nutrients will help in getting your hormones back in balance and reducing the negative symptoms associated with PCOS.
For more ideas and recipes on how to manage PCOS, visit our website on www.glenvillenutrition.ie.
