If you have PCOS then you probably understand how difficult it is to manage life with it. As if PCOS isn’t a major complication on its own, you have to stay extra aware of your food habits and weight. It is a disorder that affects 70 percent of the female population.
It is characterised by irregular periods, cysts in ovaries, and hormonal imbalances. The cause behind PCOS is not known but excess insulin, genes, low-grade inflammation are considered to be common ones.
The treatment of PCOS includes managing the symptoms as there is no known cure for it. However, healthy lifestyle changes are mandatory. There are many treatment options available for PCOS. Ayurveda is one of the effective treatment options which aid to reduce PCOS symptoms naturally.
Follow these effective diet tips to get maximum benefits from your health regime, and regulate your PCOS symptoms:
1. Increase Fibrous Foods in Your Diet
Including fibers will keep your hunger full for a longer time and help you eat less. Fibers are also known to decrease insulin resistance, weight, and excess fat. It will also help you keep your digestion better.
2. Decrease the Consumption of Carbohydrates
Insulin levels in the body get impacted by the level of carbohydrates in the body. Insulin is required to maintain blood sugar levels in the system. High insulin resistance is observed in women who suffer from PCOS. You should prefer eating food with a low glycemic index and low carbs to maintain healthy insulin levels.
3. Meet the Requirements of Protein
Make sure that you have enough protein to meet your daily requirements. Not only does it make you feel full, but also helps to manage your blood sugar levels. Again if you feel full over a longer period of time, you feel less compelled to eat. That helps you to control the symptoms of PCOS and manage your weight effectively.
4. Don’t Miss Out on Healthy Fats
Fats are generally considered to be evil. However, that is not the complete case. Unhealthy fats are considered bad for your system, and not the healthy ones. You should include healthy fats in your diet as it is an important macronutrient and they make you feel full. That said, they help you to manage your weight effectively.
5. Fermented Foods are Good
They are rich in good bacteria that boosts the digestive system, and they are considered especially good for women with PCOS. Research shows that including fermented foods in your diet will help you lose weight effectively.
6. Meditation
It is considered to be one of the most psychologically healing exercises, and extremely beneficial in multiple ways. It is a great support to identify and dissolve compulsions, and extremely useful to follow your daily health regime. Women who have PCOS are most likely to develop eating disorders, and mindfulness practice is especially beneficial for them.
7. Cut Sugar and Processed Foods
These two should be completely cuff-off from your diet chart, as they are extremely harmful to women with PCOS. Sugar adds to the blood-sugar levels, and processed foods generally have a high amount of them. Also, they have high iodine levels which is unhealthy by all standards.
Also, Sugar and processed foods are considered to be a major cause behind inflammation in the body. And inflammation is considered a general cause of PCOS.
8. Keep Tabs on Inflammation
Inflammation is a cause of PCOS, and it should be checked by adding whole foods in your diet. A whole diet includes fruits, grains, olive oil, nuts, and green leafy vegetables etc. Doing this will regulate and prevent prolonged inflammation.
9. Don’t Eat Less
In your endeavour to lose weight, don’t eat less. Doing so will slow down your metabolism which will lead to weight gain over a period of time anyway. If you want to reduce anything — reduce unhealthy foods instead.
10. Exercise
Last but not the least exercise should be in your health regime, along with a wholesome diet. Now, what you should avoid is heavy weight training, and opt for mild resistance and cardio. It will keep you healthy and safe from injuries.