Guest blog by Joanna Coggins, a digital strategist at Womens Healthcare.
Are you struggling with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome and looking for a diet plan to help manage your symptoms? You’re not alone.
PCOS affects many women worldwide. This medical situation can cause hormonal imbalances, weight gain, insulin resistance, and other health issues. It can also keep you from prepping for pregnancy. But the good news is that changing your diet can help you manage PCOS symptoms.
We will provide a comprehensive PCOS diet plan highlighting the foods you should eat and avoid while tackling this condition.
What To Include In Your PCOS Diet Plan?
First of all, let’s make it clear that there is no specific diet that is good for managing your PCOS. But you can always count on some foods and include them in your diet plan.
Low Glycemic Index Diet
A low glycemic index diet is a great way to manage your PCOS. Consuming foods with a low GI does not cause your body’s insulin levels to rise fast. However, if you consume sugary and carb-rich foods, your body might react by producing high levels of insulin.
The following foods are low in GI, and you can include them in your diet.
- Whole grains
- Nuts
- Seeds
- Legumes
- Fruits
- Starchy vegetables
Anti-Inflammatory Diet
An anti-inflammatory diet checks your blood sugar level and body composition. Anti-inflammatory foods can also improve your hormonal balance and reduce cardiovascular diseases.
Here are some foods that you can try to manage your PCOS.
- Berries
- Leafy vegetables
- Fish
- Olive oil
- Tomato
- Almonds and Walnuts
- Strawberries
DASH Diet Plan
Dietary Approaches To Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet is becoming increasingly popular for people struggling with PCOS. Doctors recommend it to improve your heart health. This diet will help you lessen the chances of heart disease. The foods included in this diet plan also help manage PCOS.
DASH diet contains:
- Fish
- Whole grains
- Poultry
- Fruits
- Low-fat dairy produce
- Vegetables
Foods To Avoid
Those struggling with PCOS must be careful with what they put into their body. There are certain foods whose consumption can leave adverse impacts on your body. Such foods can make you obese and affect your heart health and can also interfere if you are trying to conceive with PCOS.
These foods include:
- Refined carbohydrates
- Fried foods
- Sugary and processed foods
- A high quantity of red meat.
- Foods with excess salt and sugar
- Solid Fats
- Soda
- Steaks
- Hamburgers
- Pork
- Luncheon meats
- Other highly processed foods
Consider Lifestyle Changes To Manage PCOS
Apart from considering a change in diet, you must also try to bring about some lifestyle changes to manage PCOS. Try to get into more physical activity. Exercise more often as it will help you in managing weight.
Moving for at least 30 minutes daily will also help you improve your metabolism and lower your cholesterol levels.
It’s A Wrap!
Dealing with PCOS can be stressful as there is no medical cure for the same at the moment. But making a few changes to your diet and lifestyle can help you stay healthy in the long run.
You can fix a lot of things in your body just by consuming a good and balanced diet. The foods mentioned above might not be able to make your PCOS go away, but they can surely help you manage other issues that come with PCOS.
Joanna Coggins is a Digital Strategist at Womens Healthcare. She not only creates engaging content for the website, but also handles SEO, social media, and digital PR. She specialises in writing healthcare-related content, including but not limited to food & nutrition, exercise, mental health, among others. She has years of experience in the healthcare niche, which helps her to create effective digital strategies that drive measurable returns. In her words, ‘My goal is to inspire people to get healthier through practical and simple tips that help make a positive impact on their life.’ Outside work, she loves traveling and meeting new people.
Leave a Reply