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PCOS Diet
WLR's dietitian gives advice on how women with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome
(PCOS) can adapt their diet for healthy weight loss.
PCOS and Diet
By WLR Dietitian
Q: I have Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS), which makes
losing weight really difficult. My doctor has advised me to
limit carbs. Do you have any other tips on how I can boost my
weight loss healthily?
A: PCOS is caused by an imbalance in several sex hormones
and as you’ve discovered, weight gain and difficulty in losing
it are common symptoms, as are irregular or no periods, facial
hair, acne and infertility.
Many women with PCOS also
suffer with insulin resistance, where the body resists the
effects of insulin and so produces more to compensate. These
continuously high insulin levels keep blood sugar levels low,
which in turn often prompts cravings for sugary carbs.
Unfortunately, this means it’s easier to put on weight – and
harder to lose it.
Insulin resistance also increases the risk
of longer-term health problems. Women with PCOS, for
example, are seven times more likely to develop
type 2
diabetes or have a heart attack. However, with proper
treatment and weight loss, the risk of developing problems
like this can be slashed. In fact, losing between just five
and 10 percent of excess body weight is enough to reduce the
risk of getting diabetes and heart disease, improve fertility
and can make a big difference to symptoms.
It’s likely your doctor has advised you to take more notice
of the carbs in your diet in an effort to combat the effects of
insulin resistance. In particular, to help keep blood sugar
levels stable so you feel fuller for longer, you should limit
sugary carbs and replace them with wholegrain carbs such as
wholemeal breads and wholewheat pasta. There’s also evidence
that eating protein-rich foods such as fish, lean meat and
tofu, together with carbs can help to minimise rises in
insulin. And of course, filling up on five fruit and veg a day
will help to satisfy your appetite without breaking the
calorie bank.
I suggest you stick with the
calorie allowance recommended
by WLR and make sure that most of the carbs in your diet come
from unprocessed sources. You might find you lose weight more
slowly than you’d like, but you should still see those pounds
gradually drop off.
Finally, you might also like to read The PCOS Diet Book by
Colette Harris and Theresa Francis-Cheung (Thorsons, £12.99)
or log on to Verity, a self-help organisation for women with
Polycystic Ovary Syndrome,
www.verity-pcos.org.uk |
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