PCOS: Nutrition

Did you know that even a 5% weight loss can improve many symptoms of PCOS?

But, even without weight loss, your diet can also help improve many symptoms of PCOS. (ACOG.,2009; reaffirmed 2015). Some supplements can also be really beneficial for women with PCOS when taken for a minimum of 3 months.

Remember to talk to your doctor prior to starting any supplements.

• Omega-3 fatty acids

• Folic acid

• Selenium

• Vitamin E

• Catechin

• Glycyrrhizin

• Co-enzyme Q10

In this study, researchers found that supplementing ^these micronutrients can be beneficial for those with PCOS*.

However...

Many of those micronutrients can be found in food!

Some of which we discussed in our previous blog post. Check it out!

So, what else can be beneficial?

Changing your diet. "A diet high in refined carbohydrates, such as starchy and sugary foods, can make insulin resistance, and therefore weight loss, more difficult to control. (PCOS)"

By eliminating starchy and sugary foods, you can lower your blood sugar, lose weight, and improve your PCOS symptoms. The recommended diets below can have similar results.

Anti-inflammatory diet: is an eating plan designed to prevent or reduce low-grade chronic inflammation. The typical anti-inflammatory diet emphasizes fruits, vegetables, lean protein, nuts, seeds, and healthy fats.

The North American Journal of Medical Sciences published a 2015 study in which people with PCOS who followed an anti-inflammatory diet for three months:

• Lost 7% of their body weight

• Showed significant improvements in cholesterol, blood pressure, and inflammatory markers

“There also seemed to be reproductive health benefits: 63% of patients in the study returned to having normal menstrual cycles and 12% conceived while following the diet.”

DASH diet: is rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and low-fat dairy products and low in saturated fats, cholesterol, refined grains, and sweets. The sodium content of the DASH diet was designed to be less than 2 400 mg/day."

Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH)

• Reduces salt intake and focuses on heart-healthy foods.

• Reduces heart disease risk (another concern for people with PCOS)

The Journal of Hormone and Metabolic Research published a 2015 study in which it was found that overweight patients with PCOS following the DASH diet...

• Lost more abdominal fat

• Showed significant improvements in insulin resistance and inflammatory markers compared to patients following a standard diet.

“The basic guidelines for a PCOS diet are to focus on whole grains, fresh produce, and plant-based proteins while limiting sugar, processed food, and trans fat.” (PCOS Diet)

Another great diet to follow is the Plant-based diet! Check out our blog post: Plant-based vs Vegan

What foods to avoid?

• Dairy

• Starch

• Saturated fats

• Cholesterol

• Refined grains

• Sugar

• High sodium content

A recent NICHD-funded study found that by avoiding dairy and starch women with PCOS were able to lose weight, reduce their excess testosterone, and improve their insulin sensitivity. (Treatments to Relieve Symptoms of PCOS).

"Research shows that dairy products and starches elicit greater postprandial insulin secretion than non-starchy vegetables and fruits."

What does that mean?

Dairy products and starches will affect your blood sugar levels.

Here’s a list of starchy foods that may affect your blood sugar levels:

• White rice

• All-purpose flour

• Potatoes

• Potato chips

• Oats

• Cookies

• Corn flakes

• Whole wheat flour

• Cakes

• Pasta

• Instant noodles

• Grains like quinoa, amaranth

• White bread

• Bread products

• Beans

• Popcorn

• Corn

• Sweet biscuits

Credit: www.ndtv.com/food/

The research goes on to state that non-starchy vegetables and fruits did not have the same adverse reaction.

Non-starchy vegetables include:

• Amaranth or Chinese spinach

• Artichoke

• Artichoke hearts

• Asparagus        

• Baby corn

• Bamboo shoots

• Beans (green, wax, Italian)

• Bean sprouts

• Beets

• Brussels sprouts

• Broccoli

• Cabbage (green, bok choy, Chinese)

• Carrots

• Cauliflower

• Celery

• Chayote

• Coleslaw (packaged, no dressing)

• Cucumber

• Daikon

• Eggplant

• Greens (collard, kale, mustard, turnip)

• Hearts of palm

• Jicama

• Kohlrabi

• Leeks

• Mushrooms

• Okra

• Onions

• Peapods

• Peppers

• Radishes

• Rutabaga

• Salad greens (chicory, endive, escarole, lettuce, romaine, spinach, arugula, radicchio, watercress)

• Sprouts

• Squash (cushaw, summer, crookneck, spaghetti, zucchini)

• Sugar snap peas

• Swiss chard

• Tomato

• Turnips

• Water chestnuts

• Yard-long beans

Credit: American Diabetes Association

Non-starchy fruits:

• Melons

• Berries like strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, blueberries

• Citrus fruits like oranges, tangerines, grapefruit, and lemons

• Peaches

• Plums

• Apricots

• Cherries

• Pears

Credit: www.ndtv.com/food/

Whichever diet you decide is best (and most realistic) for you to do we will support you. Here at the Health and Fitness Collective, we are nutritionally agnostic. We do not prescribe to any-one dietary philosophy. All dietary protocols have their pros and cons. Our job is to help each of our clients find the approach that works best for them, whether it be paleo or vegan, high carb or low carb, tight budget, or unlimited funds. It just takes a little know-how and a system for using the best practices across all diets.

Are you ready to relieve your symptoms, lose weight, and feel better?

PCOS CHALLENGE!!

We are offering a PCOS 60 Day Challenge at a HUGE discounted rate for the last week of April!

April 22nd-30th!

During the 60 days you will receive:

Customized workout program with options for:

• Gym workouts

• Quick workouts

• At-home workout

or

Guided Walking Meditations

• Start getting into a better headspace and get moving!

AND!

• Daily nutrition lessons and nutrition habits

• Weekly 30-minute Phone/FaceTime/Skype consultations with Taylor! ($500 value)

• iPhone app to keep track of your progress, habits, and lessons

• PCOS specific recipes

• Optional Daily/Weekly reminder text messages

• AND MUCH MORE!

Interested? Click here to learn more!

**Disclaimer: PCOS is a serious illness that may require medical attention and treatment. Please consult with your physician before starting a nutrition and fitness program.**

References

A;, A. Z. E. (n.d.). DASH Diet, Insulin Resistance, and Serum hs-CRP in Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: A Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial. Retrieved from https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24956415/

ACOG. (2009; reaffirmed 2015). Polycystic ovary syndrome. Practice Bulletin 108. Washington, DC: ACOG

DASH Eating Plan. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health-topics/dash-eating-plan

Dietary Composition in the Treatment of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: A Systematic Review to Inform Evidence-Based Guidelines

Moran, Lisa J. et al.

Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, Volume 113, Issue 4, 520 - 545

Douglas, C. C., Gower, B. A., Darnell, B. E., Ovalle, F., Oster, R. A., & Azziz, R. (2006, March). Role of diet in the treatment of polycystic ovary syndrome. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3752890/

Grassi, Angela. “The Best Diet for Managing PCOS Symptoms.” Verywell Health, Verywell Health, 24 Nov. 2019, www.verywellhealth.com/what-is-the-best-diet-for-pcos-2616314

Hager, M., Nouri, K., Imhof, M., Egarter, C., & Ott, J. (2019, August). The impact of a standardized micronutrient supplementation on PCOS-typical parameters: a randomized controlled trial. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31101977

Lee, J. E., Yoon, S. H., Kim, H. O., & Min, E. G. (2015, March). Correlation between the serum luteinizing hormone to folliclestimulating hormone ratio and the anti-Müllerian hormone levels in normo-ovulatory women. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4330485/

Panidis D;Katsikis I;Karkanaki A;Piouka A;Armeni AK;Georgopoulos NA; (n.d.). Serum anti-Müllerian Hormone (AMH) Levels Are Differentially Modulated by Both Serum Gonadotropins and Not Only by Serum Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH) Levels. Retrieved from https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21807466/

Phy, J. L., Pohlmeier, A. M., Cooper, J. A., Watkins, P., Spallholz, J., Harris, K. S., et al. (2015). Low starch/low dairy diet results in successful treatment of obesity and co-morbidities linked to polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Journal of Obesity and Weight Loss Therapy, 5(2), 259.

Total Testosterone. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.urmc.rochester.edu/encyclopedia/content.aspx?contenttypeid=167&contentid=testosterone_total

Treatments to Relieve Symptoms of PCOS. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.nichd.nih.gov/health/topics/pcos/conditioninfo/treatments/relieve#f7

Wong, C. (2019, November 15). What Should You Eat for an Anti-Inflammatory Diet? Retrieved from https://www.verywellhealth.com/anti-inflammatory-diet-88752