Fight against PCOS…

health

Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is an endocrine disorder that affects hormones. Hormones are responsible for a lot of bodily processes that impact weight - including when we feel hungry, how our bodies use food for energy, our stress levels, and more.

Unfortunately, there’s a lot we don’t know about PCOS and all of the different ways this condition makes it harder to lose weight. Scientists are still studying the causes of PCOS and the best ways to treat it. However, we do know that losing even a little weight has been shown to improve PCOS symptoms.

How can weight loss amend PCOS?

Due to insulin resistance, women with PCOS face difficulty in weight loss. Insulin resistance causes a slow response against consumed sugar and increases insulin production to metabolise this sugar. So, increasing insulin resistance in our bodies promotes fat storage and weight gain.

Plenty of treatment regimens are available nowadays to manage and treat PCOS.

If you are overweight, then losing some pounds can improve PCOS symptoms. Weight loss can affect PCOS by regulate and restore the normal menstrual cycle; increase response to insulin; starts ovulation and helps in reducing stress and depression. Keeping track of weight and maintaining it through child-bearing age can boost reproductive health and improves symptoms of PCOS.

Be patient with your progress: Losing weight is challenging with PCOS, but not impossible. It may take you longer to lose weight than someone without hormonal imbalances. Even if you don’t lose a significant amount of weight, healthy eating and exercise can help with issues like diabetes and heart disease. In conjunction with medication, a balanced diet and regular activity plan can also help improve some common complaints of PCOS, like heavy periods, acne, excess hair growth, and fertility problems.

Exercise regularly: Physical activity is important for all aspects of your health and wellbeing including weight management. People with PCOS have a tougher time losing weight with exercise than people without PCOS. But, while weight loss may be slower, exercise still has powerful full-body benefits and can relieve many symptoms of PCOS.

Find activities that you enjoy: Exercise doesn’t need to feel like a chore, and there isn’t one single exercise that’s the ‘best’. Instead, focus on activities that are fun to you, whether that’s playing a team sport, jogging with an audiobook, or hiking with friends on the weekend.

Build a routine: Making physical activity a key part of your routine can turn it into a habit rather than a chore. Still, don’t stress about doing the same activity every day for the same length of time - allowing some flexibility into your routine can keep things from getting monotonous.

Remember that even a small step counts: Doing 5 or 10 minutes of activity is better than doing nothing at all. If you can’t get in your daily recommended 30 minutes, a quick walk or yoga break still has benefits over staying sedentary. Always take the opportunity to be active when you can.

Balance your diet: Eat protein and vegetables first. There isn’t one diet that works for everyone. Many PCOS patients struggle with insulin resistance and elevated blood sugar. Eating protein and veggies before carbs can help lower your blood sugar more than eating carbs first. On their own, carbs can cause blood sugar to spike for a while and then crash later on, which can lead to overeating.

Cut back on carbs, but don’t cut them out entirely: During my entire practice of 12 years as a Nutritionist, I have gathered much evidence that eating fewer carbs can help people with PCOS lose more weight and improve their metabolisms. Thankfully, low-carb doesn’t have to mean no-carb at all. In addition to eating protein and veggies first in a meal, switch to whole-wheat pastas and breads, which are good sources of dietary fibre and other nutrients.

Find ways to cope with cravings: Many people with PCOS experience intense food cravings and face issues with binge eating. Cravings can often feel impossible to control, but there are ways to reduce them. As a diet therapist, I work with people on their individual cases to find ways to cope with urges to eat and help figure out what triggers those cravings.

Get enough sleep: If you have PCOS, you may experience sleep disturbances, including excessive daytime sleepiness, sleep apnea, and insomnia. Lack of sleep has been shown to increase the activity of hormones that drive hunger, such as ghrelin and cortisol, which may cause you to eat more throughout the day.

Manage stress through yoga: Stress increases levels of cortisol, a hormone that your adrenal glands produce. Chronically high cortisol levels are linked to insulin resistance and weight gain. Chronic stress also increases your risk of gaining belly fat. In turn, belly fat increases inflammation, which triggers your body to make more cortisol, creating a vicious cycle. To lower your cortisol levels, focus on stress management practices. Techniques such as meditating and practicing yoga, and spending time in nature can help lower cortisol levels.

Minimise sources of inflammation: Always start your treatment by removing the triggers, and then add supportive tools such as turmeric or omega-3 fatty acids to help your body heal and recover. Focus on optimising gut health. Gut imbalances such as bacterial overgrowth, yeast over growth, chronic parasites, low digestive enzymes, and a leaky gut are common sources of inflammation.

Supplements or prescriptions: If necessary, supplements or prescriptions can be very helpful to make you more insulin sensitive, lowering both your blood sugar and insulin. Supplements can be helpful in supporting the adrenal system and sleep. Inositol, magnesium, zinc, iron, B-12 and chromium have proven to have great effects on improving PCOS symptoms.