in partnership with Metformin to produce better, more long-term results,’ says Dr Conway.
EAT WELL AND PROSPER
What this book and the majority of PCOS experts believe is that diet and exercise are essential in managing PCOS regardless of which medicines, herbs, complements or fertility treatments you use on top of that.19 Eating a healthy, well-balanced diet of fresh, whole foods in combination with moderate exercise is, in the words of Helen Mason, Senior Lecturer in Reproductive Endocrinology at St George’s Hospital Medical School, London, ‘the first-line treatment for women with PCOS’.
Living with PCOS is a major challenge. But as with any challenge, you can win and emerge from it looking and feeling great. Changing your eating habits may seem daunting right now, but the changes you need to make aren’t complicated or unappetizing. All you need to do to improve the quality of your life right now, and in the years to come, is start making healthy food choices. It really is as simple as that.
Every food is a mix of different nutrients; the secret of a healthy diet for PCOS is to get the balance right. It also helps to know the reasons why you should be eating more of certain foods and less of others, so you can feel motivated to eat the right foods. This chapter will show you why you should eat the best foods for PCOS, and how you can go about doing this with a healthy eating plan.
Healthy eating can restore your blood-sugar and hormone balance, improve your energy levels, help you lose weight (if you need to) and address many PCOS symptoms. When the going gets tough, never lose sight of this.
YOUR DAILY FOOD BREAKDOWN
You are probably used to thinking of food in terms of calories, carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins and minerals. Let’s take a look at each of these in more detail.
A calorie is a unit of energy that is given off by a certain amount of food when it is burned or used for energy by your body.
Carbohydrates fuel your body with the energy it needs throughout the day and night. Next to fats, carbs are the most misunderstood part of our diet.
You need to understand their function in order to use them efficiently. Carbohydrates are divided into two groups: starches and sugars. Starches provide the complex carbohydrates which release a steady source of energy into your system. They satisfy your hunger far longer than the simple sugars found in sweets, cakes, cookies and so on. Potatoes, brown pasta and wholewheat breads are typical sources of complex carbohydrates.
Proteins, found in meat, dairy products, legumes (peas, beans) and vegetables are important tissue-builders. While your body can use protein as an energy source, its prime function is to rebuild tissues and cells.
Fats, such as butter, margarine and oils, are another important energy source. Your body stores fat as an emergency supply for those times when you have used up your carbohydrate fuel.
Vitamins and minerals are essential to life. They contribute to good health by regulating the metabolism (energy you release from food) and working with enzymes – essential chemicals that are the foundation of all human bodily functions – to allow the activities that occur within your body to be carried out. They are called micronutrients because the body needs them in relatively small amounts compared with other nutrients like carbohydrates, proteins and fats. You can get all the vitamins and minerals you need for survival from fresh, healthful foods and sunlight, but you may need to boost with supplements to stay in the best of health for the long term.
IO STEPS TO A HEALTHIER YOU
In 1992 the US Department of Agriculture suggested that:
This is generally held to be a good model. Our diets would be far healthier if we stuck to these guidelines, but the truth is that the average Western diet consists of 37 per cent fat and 50 per cent refined carbohydrates and refined sugars. This diet is not healthy for most people, and can actually make the symptoms of PCOS worse.
The PCOS healthy eating plan has no gimmicks or secrets. You’ve seen that there is a link between nutrition and PCOS, and that changing the way you eat can ease symptoms now and protect your health in the future. Food is fuel. It helps your body function more smoothly. Scrimp on the quality and quantity of fuel and your body pays the price. That’s true for everyone, but especially true if you have PCOS, because what you eat, when you eat and how much you eat directly affect your blood-sugar levels and hormone function.
So how do you eat right for PCOS? The principles are basically the same as for any healthy diet – sufficient complex carbohydrates, moderate amounts of protein, sufficient essential fats, a minimum of saturated fats and plenty of water. Each of the 10 easy-to-follow steps that follow focuses on one aspect of your diet.
1) Drink More Water
Drink plenty of water each day. Try to drink at least 11/2 litres/23/4 pints (6 to 8 glasses) of fresh water each day.
Why?
We can exist without food for almost five weeks, but without water we can’t last more than five days. Water gives us life and keeps us alive, yet we hardly give it a thought. Water is an essential – but often forgotten – nutrient. It’s also absolutely crucial if you have PCOS.
Your body is made up of two-thirds water, so water intake and distribution is vital for hormonal function. You need to drink lots of water to keep your hormone systems working at their best. Water also helps to lubricate dehydrated and parched tissues, as well as aiding the body to eliminate waste by making fibre in your food swell and perform its function. It keeps your skin glowing and your cells working, and it delivers vitamins, minerals and other nutrients to your organs. For your liver to break down and excrete toxins and for your glands to secrete the correct balance of hormones, you need to drink plenty of pure water.
How?
