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PCOS Diet
A PCOS diet is the first step in the right direction addressing the symptoms of PCOS
PCOS Diet and Weight Loss
Women suffering from PCOS seem to lose weight with difficulty as a result of high insulin levels due to insulin resistance, also called syndrome x, associated with PCOS. Insulin levels, when high stimulate the storage of fat. This is a metabolic disorder that can be corrected by following a healthy diet. Be very cautious of all the different diets for this and that. You need a specific diet for your body constitution and for your specific metabolic type. My advice is to seek advice from a holistic nutritional consultant that can help you develop a dietary schedule that is right for you.
Here you will find general guidelines that you can easily implement and that will certainly give you a great benefit. For some of you, they may be very effective, for others, may be more individualized attention will be necessary.
PCOS Diet With Low Gycemic Index Foods
It has been recently discovered that the low fat, high carbohydrates weight loss diet is not suited for those who have PCOS. In fact, this type of diet may even worsen your symptoms. High carbohydrates intake, are not recommended, especially if these are refined carbohydrates like white pasta, white rice and corn, because the body transforms them quickly into glucose, which in turn stimulates high levels of insulin to be produced. This spike in insulin stimulates fat cells to uptake glucose and store it into fat. A low glycemic index diet is the best because it is based on the selection of foods that do not cause a rapid increase of blood glucose.
Here is a short list of low glycemic foods:
1.All legumes
2. Barley
3. Kamut
PCOS Diet Low in Saturated Fats
Also, a diet that is high in animal protein is not recommended because it can worsen PCOS symptoms due to the high saturated fats content and animal hormones of meats. Organic lean meats can be consumed occasionally. Dairy products should also be avoided or minimized for the same reasons. Organic cheeses and milk should be consumed very rarely because they do contain naturally occurring estrogen. Female cows do produce hormones that naturally is present in their milk. Women suffering from PCOS may have too much estrogen and thus do not need to introduce more of it through their diet. Make sure you use a small amount of unsaturated fatty acids instead. These are fats coming from the vegetal world like flax seed oil, oil of olive, hemp oil etc.
PCOS Diet that is High in Fibre
Your diet should be high in fiber with an adequate intake of protein that should come mostly from vegetable source like legumes. Fibers in your diet may help to reduce the risk of weight gain, heart disease and diabetes, which are typical symptoms of PCOS. Make sure you get at least 25 to 30 g of fiber a day.
Make sure to select high fiber foods.
Click here to find a great list on fiber content in certain foods.
High fiber intake is important because fibers slow the absorption rate of blood sugar. Your body needs to break down the high content fiber food in order to extract the sugar present in it.
This process occurs slowly. Fibers make your intestinal tract more efficient in eliminating fecal matter, thus preventing constipation. They also move faster from your stomach to your intestine signalling your brain that you are full. Fiber help your body detoxify and eliminate cellular waste faster. This is important in eliminating excess estrogen from your body.
There are two types of fiber: soluble and insoluble fibers.
Soluble fibers dissolve in water, while the insoluble fibers do not. Your body needs both, but too much of insoluble fibers is not as good as previously thought.
Insoluble fiber absorb water as they move through your intestines and also contribute to increase the size of your stool. Waste materials are eliminated faster and less toxicity is present in the body. Too much insoluble fiber that comes from grain fiber is not as good for you because it may interfere with the absorption of important minerals like calcium, magnesium zinc and iron. Soluble fiber is the type of fiber you want to have more in your diet. This type of fiber is high in pectins and gums.
Soluble fibers are particularly good for insulin resistant cases or diabetes because they slow the absorption of carbohydrates. This is why the old saying "An apple a day keeps the doctor away," is so true!. Apples are loaded with pectins!
The secret to PCOS diet is to eat low glycemic soluble fiber with every meal to lower insulin." Choose apples, raw carrots, oatmeal, flax, oatbran, buckwheat, etc.
Low Gluten in PCOS Diet
Studies have shown how women who suffered from PCOS had also a gluten sensitivity and when treated with an gluten-free diet, their symptoms related to high cholesterol, obesity, thyroid dysfunction, etc. improved. So, try to see if you are sensitive to gluten by eliminating all products containing gluten from your diet (substitute wheat with kamut for example) for 2 weeks. See how you feel after this trial period and then reintroduce gluten loaded foods and see how they affect you. Many women with PCOS find that stay away from gluten helps them greatly.
Lectins in Your Food Are Insulin Mimickers
Lectins are present in many foods and mimic the action of insulin and can aggravate those with insulin resistance related problems like PCOS. They are present in most foods but especially in grains like wheat, many seeds, most beans, and nuts. They are present in fruits, vegetables and dairy products.
Lectins are proteins that bind to sugar and are called glycoproteins. They bind to sugars on the surface of intestinal cells destroying them and causing the symptoms of leaky gut syndrome, celiac disease, IBS, etc.
The immune systems detects them in the blood and tries to attack them by synthesizing antibodies. In some rare cases this process can lead to auto-immune conditions but in most cases they cause toxicity.
They also cross the food-brain barrier causing mental imbalances like depression, inability to concentrate and mood swings. They also bind to insulin receptors on the surface of fat cells and mimic its action stimulating the uptake of glucose, which is then stored as fat. This causes weight gain and inability to lose weight typical of insulin resistance cases. They are present in many foods and many people are sensitive to them to some degree. Since, they are present in a lot of foods, trying to avoid them is virtually impossible.
The solution is to protect yourself from their possible negative influences by taking certain types of sea vegetables like Okra and fucus versicolosus, which bind to lectins make them inactive and help their elimination from the body. They also help regulate the thyroid gland. Taking N-acetylglucosamine (NAG) and D-mannose supplementation can be another way to counter act the effects of lectins.
PCOS Diet Conclusions
1. Remember to eliminate all the bad carbohydrates, which are those that are refined and starchy like white pasta, white rice, white bread, etc. Avoid starchy fruits and vegetables like potatoes, sweat potatoes, corn, bananas, etc.
2. Whole grains can be consumed in small amounts but they should be gluten free. For example Kamut pasta is a good substitute for white pasta.
3. Drink more water because being well hydrated helps your body to maintain a good hormonal balance. You should drink lots of water if you are following a high fiber diet especially if you decide to supplement your PCOS diet with dietary fibers. If you have excess hormones in your system, by drinking plenty of water daily, you assist your body in eliminating these surplus hormones.
4. Eliminate all artificial sweeteners and do not drink pops and colas.
5. No dried fruits, only fresh fruits that should be eaten with protein. Berries are excellent.
6. Non starchy vegetable are also great and they should be eaten raw or slightly steamed.
7. Add spices like cinnamon and tumeric to your food to improve taste and to help control insulin.
PCOS Diet Resources
Read more about this topic because it can be so important. The following book and topics may help you:
1.Eat right for your type: http://www.dadamo.com
2. Insulin resistant diet: http://www.irdiet.com
3. The South Beach Diet: http://www.southbeachdiet.com
4. The Paleo Diet: http://www.thepaleodiet.com
5.Natural Diet Solutions for PCOS: http://www.ovarian-cysts-pcos.com
Learn More:
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