Do you suffer from polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)?
You might be surprised to learn that you can improve your symptoms and enhance your fertility simply changing your diet! You just need to know what to put on your plate.
As a naturopathic clinician, I see many patients who have been diagnosed with PCOS. More often than not they are always surprised to hear that one of the easiest and most inexpensive ways to address their frustrating symptoms is by making some relatively easy changes to what they’re eating.
So what causes PCOS?
Women with PCOS have many small cysts (follicles) that contain eggs on their ovaries. Normally these eggs would continue to mature and ovulate. However, in PCOS they stop at the follicle stage and begin producing excessive androgens (male hormones). This causes a range of symptoms to develop.
What are the symptoms of PCOS?
Here’s the list of potential symptoms. Some women get them all, others may only notice one or two.
- Excess hair growth (hirsutism), especially around the jaw line.
- Hair loss (male pattern baldness).
- Acne, or oily skin.
- Weight gain.
- Infrequent, absent or irregular periods.
- Fertility issues (due to irregular or absent ovulation).
- Fatigue.
- Anxiety and/or depression.
- Blood sugar imbalances and insulin resistance.
8 steps to eat your hormones happy!
Luckily, improving your symptoms doesn’t have to be rocket science. And just like the food you eat can disrupt your hormones, so it can help balance them out.
1. Say no to sugar.
In all forms, sugar contributes to elevated blood sugar levels, which leads to weight gain and related PCOS symptoms. Keep natural sugars like fruit to a minimum too. Aim for two to three pieces a day.
2. Eat whole foods.
Yep, real food is where it’s at. Make meals from scratch and you will know exactly what’s in them – no nasty little surprises from sugar, preservatives, additives, artificial sweeteners or trans fats.
3. Eat protein with each meal.
Good quality protein (from eggs, fish, free-range chicken, red meat, full-fat dairy, nuts, seeds, legumes and pulses) makes you feel satisfied, stops you reaching for the sugary pick-me-up and helps maintain healthy blood sugar levels.
4. Eat healthy fats each day.
Think oily cold water fish (salmon, trout, tuna and sardines), cold pressed vegetable oils (coconut, olive, avocado and flaxseed), nuts, seeds and avocados. Like protein, these will satiate you. Plus, they’re full of all those wonderfully healthy omega 3 and 6 fatty acids that your body and hormones love.
5. Swap refined carbohydrates for the complex type.
Just as sugar aggravates PCOS by increasing blood sugar levels, so do refined foods such as white bread, white pasta and lollies. Choose unrefined versions to maintain healthy blood sugar levels, such as fruits and vegetables, whole grains, lentils, beans, legumes, nuts and seeds.
6. Keep caffeine to a minimum.
It has a negative affect on the female reproductive system, particularly in PCOS.
7. Eat organic where possible.
Foods I try to buy organic include eggs, dairy and meat. This helps you avoid environmental toxins, such as pesticides, which can significantly impact hormone levels.
8. Exercise your symptoms away.
Along with cleaning up your diet, daily exercise is so important, particularly if you struggle with weight gain as a symptom of PCOS. Losing weight has significant positive effects on improving all your PCOS symptoms. You will feel so much better getting your body moving.
If you need a little more assistance to get those hormones back in order, get in touch with a qualified naturopathic practitioner who can prescribe nutrients and herbal medicines specific to your unique hormone profile.
We originally published this post in October 2016. We updated it in May 2017.
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