The Ideal Diet for Battling PCOS: A Guide

Nov 17, 2023 By Madison Evans

Women of reproductive age may have a hormonal disease known as polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS). Symptoms may fluctuate and often begin in the stage of adolescence. PCOS can further cause hormonal imbalances, putting on extra weight and disturbing the menstruation cycle. Infertility may occur in women with irregular menstrual cycles because of a lack of ovulation. The primary cause of women's infertility is PCOS.

Unfortunately, PCOS is an incurable chronic disease. However, adjustments in lifestyle, medicine, and fertility treatments may alleviate specific symptoms.

Symptoms of PCOS

The following symptoms may occur if you have been diagnosed with PCOS:

  • Periodic fluctuations
  • Gaining weight
  • Problems with weight loss
  • Hair growth in unwanted places, including the face, back, breast, and buttocks.
  • Hair loss on the head, especially in a male-typical pattern
  • Challenges in conceiving a child

More often, people with PCOS also suffer from

  • High blood pressure with type 2 diabetes,
  • Cholesterol-related cardiovascular illness
  • cancer of the uterine lining
  • endometrial cancer.
  • Anxiety
  • Poor sense of one's physical self
  • Stigmatization
  • Infertility
  • Obesity

PCOS is a chronic condition, and we cannot cure it with one medicine or a treatment. However, we can improve some symptoms through lifestyle changes, medications, and hormonal treatments.

Hormonal Treatment

Hormonal treatment is an artificial best way to reduce the symptoms of PCOS from the root. Drugs like Metformin or Spironolactone are often used to treat PCOS. However, not being the natural way of treating PCOS, hormonal treatment can cause:

  • Nausea.
  • Mood changes.
  • Breast tenderness.
  • Headache.
  • Spotting.
  • Bloating.
  • Abnormal uterine bleeding.
  • Possible weight gain or loss.

We can deal with PCOS in more effective and natural ways. We can improve PCOS symptoms through lifestyle changes, medications, and fertility treatments. Improving diet and exercising can significantly impact the treatment path positively.

Here is detailed information on how incorporating certain things in your diet can help you naturally recover these symptoms.

Be Sure to Eat All Meals

Maintaining consistent mealtimes may help lower insulin resistance and maintain healthy blood sugar levels. If you want to eat healthier, eating meals and snacks on a regular, diverse, and balanced schedule is an excellent place to start. Add these natural elements to your diet.

Eating High-fiber Meals

If you suffer from PCOS, you can benefit from high-fiber meals with proper timing and intake. Because this habit can reduce inflammation, maintain insulin level in the body, and helps your gut to work correctly.

High-fiber foods to eat when you have PCOS include:

  • Seeds including chia, flax, and sunflower
  • Legume crops include chickpeas, black beans, and lentils.

Whole Grain Products

Products made from 100% whole wheat grain rice, oats, corn, barley, and quinoa are included in the "whole grain." You may choose anything from these options while you're making dinner plans. Kamut, Amaranth, quinoa, millet, and teff are some of the whole grains you may try.

Lean Protein

Taking lean protein instead of meats instead of red meat can help you maintain your weight and also help you with PCOS. Regarding protein sources, you should consume two to three servings of fish per week (avoid fish high in mercury), grilled or baked chicken, and plant-based protein sources.

Examples of lean protein-rich foods for a PCOS diet include:

  • Salmon, shrimp, tuna, and cod are types of fish.
  • Lean poultry (chicken and turkey without skin)
  • Sources of plant-based protein (beans, lentils, tofu, tempeh)

Soy Protein

Those who suffer from PCOS should increase their soy protein intake because it positively affects metabolic and cardiovascular health. You should at least add 25 grams of soy protein to your diet. Excellent soy protein sources include:

  • Vanilla
  • Soy butter
  • Soy milk.
  • Silken tofu
  • Nut butter.

Antioxidant-rich Food

Women with PCOS have low-grade inflammation; elevated signals from inflammation can cause insulin levels to rise, thereby increasing PCOS symptoms. The most significant sources of anti-inflammatory antioxidants are fruits, vegetables, whole cereals, and unsaturated lipids.

Antioxidant-rich substances for a PCOS diet include the following:

  • Raspberries, blueberries, and strawberries.
  • Veggies
  • Whole Grains
  • Nuts like hazelnuts
  • Avocados
  • Olive oil.

Non-starchy Food

Non-starchy foods like mushrooms, tomatoes, leafy greens, broccoli, and green vegetables can help your gut work effectively and can help you avoid PCOS.

Stay Hydrated

The importance of drinking enough water is something we can not write in a sentence. There are many drink options, but water is safe for you. Do you want a change of taste? You can try carbonated water and squeeze lemon or add mind s per your taste. Drinking milk can also help women treat PCOS, but sugary drinks like soda, lime water, food juice, and energy drinks must be avoided. In this case, you can have diet soda because it is less sugary and helpful for you to deal with other health conditions.

Foods To Avoid In PCOS

Avoid trans and hydrogenated fats.

Consumption of trans and hydrogenated fats can cause you trouble. You can learn a lot about the nutritional value of a product by reading the label and looking at the ingredients.

Restrict Sodium Intake

If you want to treat PCOS, then follow these instructions:

  1. Stay under 2300 mg of sodium in your meals. You may aid this effort by consuming fewer ready-made meals and fewer goods from cans and cartons.
  2. If you must buy a processed food item, try to find ones that claim reduced levels of sodium and unsalted.
  3. Remember that just because you're trying to cut down on salt doesn't mean you must eat bland meals.
  4. Use onion, fresh lemon, flavored vinegar, garlic, spices, and herbs.

Other things that may cause you trouble are:

  • Meals high in refined carbs
  • White bread
  • Fried foods like fast food
  • Sugary drinks like soda and energy drinks
  • Hot dogs, sausages, and luncheon meats
  • Margarine, shortening, and lard are all examples of solid fats.
  • Foods with high quantities of added salt or sugar, other highly processed foods
  • A diet heavy in red meat, such as steaks, burgers, and pork.