In recent years there has been a spike in the number of PCOS patients. But does this mean that every woman gets herself diagnosed? NO! There are plenty of women who are still not aware about what PCOS is! What changes it causes to the body, what changes we need to make in our lifestyle. Such cases that go undiagnosed create a hiatus in research and development.
PCOS is basically a hormonal disorder in which the natural ovulation is disturbed. The body does not release eggs every month and thus it causes the formation of fluid filled sacs – cysts. Thus it is important to know about the hormones which create this imbalance and how we can manage it.
How to manage PCOS with a healthy diet?
There are quite a lot of ways in which PCOS can be managed. Most of the common way is to take medications. But it is the most unreliable form of management. Relying completely on medicines and exercising 4 to 5 times a week is considered the best combination to manage PCOS. Depending on the severity of the condition, its symptoms vary from excessive weight gain, hirsutism, acne, to diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular diseases, infertility etc.
But here arises the question: how can PCOS symptoms be managed by a proper diet? What we eat affects our whole body in one way or another. It can either improve or worsen one’s health. If we eat food that are full of carbohydrates, sugar and fat then there is a chance of blood sugar level spike in our body which in one way or the other causes PCOS symptoms to worsen. After a time the body’s ability to absorb insulin decreases and hence creates the problem of insulin resistance.
Therefore it is very much necessary to consume a balanced diet along with regular exercise.
What should a balanced diet include?
We mostly focus on eating things we like and skip vegetables or dishes that don’t seem tasty. And because of this we forget to focus on consuming a balanced diet. A balanced meal should include proteins, carbohydrates, fiber, vitamins and minerals.
Let’s see some foods that will help you to constitute a balanced diet:
1. Proteins: Legumes, pulses, paneer, curd, cereals (wheat, brown rice, oats) , eggs, fish, makhana
- Fats: Dry fruits, peanut, whole egg
- Carbohydrates: Bananas, chickpea, brown rice, porridge, green vegetables
- Fiber: Fruits(berries, oranges, apple, pineapple), dry fruits, salad.
- Vitamins: Citrus fruits, green leafy vegetables
Start by taking meals that constitute some portions of these above mentioned foods. Make sure that you balance carbohydrates and fats with protein and vitamins. Since weight gain is a major issue, carbohydrates and fats should be consumed wisely.They should not be completely avoided as they are a vital part of our diet.
Example of balanced meals:
For breakfast: Poha + milk/juice
For lunch: Mix vegetables + chapati + dahi + brown rice
Snacks: Fruits, makhana, roasted dry fruits, green tea/blue tea/spearmint tea
Dinner: Porridge + vegetable soup + salad + dark chocolate (optional)
What are the food products that should be avoided?
Food products that have high fats and carbohydrates should be strictly avoided. Such food items can worsen PCOS symptoms and therefore their consumption should be limited.
Canned food, packaged products like juices, chips etc., sugary foods like sweet dishes, cakes etc., food products containing maida like pizza, burger, momos etc., oily food items, fried foods, alcohol, caffeine, cigarettes etc.
These food products are of no good for our body. They will add up to the calories and unhealthy fats. Which will ultimately lead to weight gain. Therefore it is advised to limit junk food consumption.
Switching to a healthy diet is definitely a difficult task but as long as you are dedicated to improve your condition and reverse your symptoms it will seem easy. There is no need to force yourself to take a balanced and healthy diet all at once. Start with making small changes, and move to the next step.
PCOS is a lifetime condition therefore it is better to start as early as possible because the symptoms will start worsening and will reach out of control if not treated as early as possible.