3 Diet Tips for Managing PCOS

Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) is a condition of insulin resistance and ovulatory dysfunction. This is why diet is the most crucial component of putting PCOS into remission.Women with PCOS must balance their blood sugar in order to heal, which is why many women find success (at a cost) with diabetic medications such as Metformin. However, Metformin depletes B vitamins and has unpleasant gastrointestinal effects so it’s not the ideal option.

Instead, it’s best to adapt our diets first, and most times (in addition to certain supplements) this is all it takes.

3 Diet Tips for PCOS

1. Balance Blood Sugar LevelsIt all starts with blood sugar.

It’s crucial for women with PCOS to keep their blood sugar levels balanced, because high blood sugar leads to insulin resistance, which then prompts the body to pump out more insulin which signals our ovaries to produce excess testosterone. Once we have elevated androgens, the light switch for PCOS is then turned on.

We can flip off this switch by ditching the dairy, gluten, and eating low glycemic foods. 

Women with PCOS must avoid dairy because the protein in dairy spikes our insulin- especially whey protein! Exceptions to this are butter from pasture raised cows, and ghee, but in small amounts.

Gluten should also be avoided 100% of the time, as it not only spikes blood sugar, but it's inflammatory and provides no benefit to the body.

Everyone should avoid artificial sweeteners that contain either saccharin, acesulfame, aspartame, neotame, and sucralose. Studies have linked these to depression and cancer. Studies have also proven them to alter gut bacteria by killing off the good guys and promoting the growth of bad bacteria. This leads to inflammation, which is the root of all disease.Women with PCOS need to use sweeteners with reservations. Stevia, monk fruit, and xylitol are my preferred sweeteners and can be used daily. Raw honey and maple syrup are okay on occasion.Chromium has been shown to reduce sugar cravings, and spearmint tea is also a great option. Mint is also great for lowering testosterone so it’s a win win all around. Also, the less sugar you eat the less you’ll crave. So going on a detox from all sugar for a few weeks will help reset your taste buds. My 20-Day Hormone Reboot Detox is a great option to reset and reboot.Another great option for balancing blood sugar is with Intermittment Fasting

2. Lower Inflammation with Healthy Fats

It's important to keep our inflammation down because staying in an inflammatory response will trigger the symptoms of PCOS by releasing harmful chemicals such as cytokines in the body.  This is why you should eat as many omega 3 fatty acid fats (the Good Guys)  as possible and stay away from the processed, junk oils (the Bad Guys).

The Good Guys:

• Unprocessed organic oils like coconut oil, avocados and avocado oil,
• Organic butter from grass-fed cows, clarified butter, and extra virgin olive oil.
• Raw nuts and seeds like chia seeds, flax seeds, almonds, pumpkin seeds, and walnuts.
• Egg yolks from pastured hens.
• Lean meat from animals that are free range and/or grass fed.
• Coconut oil, which has special medium-chain fatty acids that promote a healthy metabolism, immune system, skin and thyroid.

The Bad Guys:

• Corn oil
• Canola oil
• Soy oil
• Vegetable oil
• Hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated fats
• Margarine and shortening

3. Clean Your Protein 

It’s best to avoid all factory farmed meat because you are what you eat, eats. If you are eating beef from a cow that was fed GMO corn, pumped with hormone and antibiotics, you are not eating steak, you are eating glyphosate ridden corn that looks like steak- it’s an inflammatory cocktail that is best to be avoided.The same goes for farm-raised fish as well. It’s just corn that looks like fish.  This is why it’s crucial to make sure your protein is coming from a clean and humane source.Factory farmed meat is high in xenoestrogens, which means they mimic your hormones and cause your estrogen levels to skyrocket. This is not good! Estrogen dominance is already something women with PCOS struggle with, so we mustn't add fuel to the fire!Signs of estrogen dominance include moodiness, bloating, breast tenderness, acne, annovulation, painful periods, and anxiety.

Game plan: Stick to humanely raised and organic meats to avoid the added hormones, antibiotics, and the inflammatory omega 6 fatty acids. When eating fish opt for Alaskan Salmon.Remember, PCOS is not a curse. No it can't be cured, but with the right diet and lifestyle hacks, along with the correct supplements, you can be symptom free and be a #PCOSTHRIVER just like me!I encourage you to sign up for your 30 minute consultation with me today if you'd like more support.xxxxHealth Coach Jenna