Diet in PCO

 

An ideal diet plan for the PCOS  not only comprises food; the timing of meals, frequency and duration of the meals and  the cooking methods are also equally important.

Ideally, within thirty minutes of waking  up, we  need to take some form of food to kick start our metabolism. A good balanced breakfast is a must, skipping that would be a big NO NO.

 

 It is better to eat every 3 to 4 hours, rather than taking infrequent big meals. Sounds good doesn’t it, one need to eat more often if she wants to lose weight and control her PCOS.

 

Eating should not be a hasty affair, take plenty of time, enjoying every bite to savor the goodness and flavor of the delicious food that nature has kindly provided us (we do not know how long we are going to get this!). To a great extent, digestion should happen in the mouth itself, so make it a point to chew the food properly. Brain takes about twenty minutes to register that stomach is full, hence if one  eat quickly one is  at the risk of consuming more food than  is needed. Even though her stomach is full she will go on eating, so one has to go slow.

 

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Glycemic index (GI)  indicates the  level of sugar in blood after food intake. The rate at which blood sugar level shoot up is different, depending on the type of carbohydrates that one eats. PCOS women need low glycemic index foods, as the sugar will spurt up only little and that too slowly.

This will help to keep the insulin level low. The insulin levels are way too high in PCOS, which is the main reason for insulin resistance and  high androgens .

Reduce calorie intake if your weight is on higher side, around 60 % of women with PCOS are overweight and it has been proven that a significant number of women benefitted from losing weight.

 

Tips

 

1.     Food should be fresh – “eat like Chinese, they always take it boiling”.

 

2.     To take varieties of food, so that you get all the nutrients that the body needs. Increase the fiber intake, which means lots of roughage in diet. Eat whole fruits  and not in the form of  juice, take whole wheat and avoid refined flour. Whole wheat, Barley,Pasta,

Brown rice ,Rolled Oats (oatmeal), Sweet Corn, Whole wheat kernals, Bulgar, Linseed

Rye

 

 

3.   To take natural foods, avoid processed food, limit sugar and sweet intake. WE know   that sugar undergoes lots of chemical treatment before it looks bright white? Choose whole grains  like boiled rice, whole wheat flour, millets (Ragi), oats etc. To reduce salt intake, this will help reduce the risk of hypertension and other cardiovascular diseases.

 

4.    To choose unsaturated fats. Boil, grill, steam, bake and avoid microwaving and frying. Make sure that one is consuming  enough protein with every meal  for controlling PCOS.

 

Varieties of food

 

1.     Green leafy vegetables are good, so when one  go shopping put a green only glasses 

2.     Pulses are very good sources of protein, hence a good low calorie alternative to the non vegetarian food.

3.     Whole grains must occupy a smaller portion of ones  meal plate, rather than bulk.

4.     Fish, chicken, lean meat and lean cuts of red meat can be taken in moderation, but they should not be fried in oil.

5.     Being a vegan  will  not only make her  kind towards animals, but also kinder to your own self, as ones body is struggling hard to tackle  all the fat that is being loaded into it.

6.     Oils can be olive oil or other plant source oil, essential fatty acids are as important to health as vitamins.

7.     Fruits are again good when taken in raw and whole form, eat plenty of berries, cherries,  grapefruit, pears, plums and other seasonally available fruits.

8.     Nuts are good for PCOS, take just 4 to 5 numbers of either almonds or Walnuts,  Flax seeds, sunflower and pumpkin seeds are also beneficial.

 

 

For reducing insulin resistance, there are natural remedies  advised in ayurveda, like neem, tulsi, fenugreek, basil etc.

 

Foods to avoid

 

Sweets and candies are neither good for her  nor for the kids. (people act as if candies and chocolates are ok to be given as gift to others kids, as if they are resistant to the bad effects. Please understand that they are bad for everyone, so

please stop buying them for  kids.  

 

Instead of ice creams, choose fruit platter at theaters. Skip the bakery section in super markets, so that you are not tempted to  buy  cakes, pastries, biscuits or other sweets. Everyone knows that soft drinks and energy drinks are bad for health, but still we cannot stop. Sweet yogurt drinks  or milk shakes at home to reduce the brisk rise of blood glucose

·        To conclude : natural, unprocessed foods.

·        high-fiber foods.

·        fatty fish, including salmon, tuna, sardines, and mackerel.

·        kale, spinach, and other dark, leafy greens.

·        dark red fruits, such as red grapes, blueberries, blackberries, and cherries.

·        broccoli and cauliflower.

Ack:DRAnita Mani , ART specialists  

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