PCOS diet questions!

Posted , 3 users are following.

Hi everyone. I was hoping to hear from fellow PCOS sufferers regarding their diet. I was diagnosed about 9 years ago and went onto the pill. I have been off it now about a year and a half and my periods have started to become quite regular. I would say that I have quite a good diet as however I do eat carbohydrates (white bread, pasta, white rice etc) however doing some research I realise that I should not be eating these foods! I am slim so I do not have a problem with my weight however I do have some chin hairs that I need to pluck every other day. I have heard that spearmint tea is good for this and I have ordered some omega 3 supplements also. Does anyone follow a strict diet with only wholegrain carbs, no sugar etc or would it still be ok to have some white pasta twice a week? I'm looking forward to hopefully hearing back from some of you ladies x

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4 Replies

  • Posted

    So the recommended PCOS diet is low gi, so ideally wholegrain rather than white, out of the 3 you listed bread is the most important to change so have something like granary or harvest grain over white. I have heard that rice isn't that important to change though. If you are not overweight I don't think it is too much of an issue if you eat normal portion sizes. The more important things to avoid are things like refined sugar and lots of alcohol particularly sweet drinks so stick to things like wine over cocktails. Certain medications can make you put on weight like ssris. I was never overweight until I went on seroxat for 5 months and I put on 2 and a half stone, so be careful of medication that can alter your insulin levels. As you get older you may find your weight is harder to control, but not necessarily, if you stay active and have a healthy diet you should be ok.

    • Posted

      Thanks for the reply! I am definitely going to swap the bread and try to eat more veg but wondering if I will also need to switch the likes of potatoes, pasta and rice. I dont tend to each much sweet things however another thing I do eat is dairy. I have seen conflicting reports about dairy which is what makes trying to find a right diet hard. Although I have my weight under control I do worry about the risk of diabetes and think I might contact a doctor to go for a test. Do you keep track of your blood sugars etc?

    • Posted

      pasta rice and potatoes should be fine as long as you don't have normal portions. Dairy contains hormones and can cause acne which is what a lot of people with PCOS have so if it is something you suffer with it can help acne if you give it up. As long as you keep your weight under control, eat healthy and exercise you shouldn't worry too much about diabetes. I get blood tests every now and then because I worry as it runs in my family and I am overweight. But I always check the sugar content in everything because it can be hidden in certain pasta sauces, ready meals, soups etc. B vitamins are very good for you particularly around your period and when you ovulate. I regularly take a vitamin b complex tablet and vitamin d. They are supposed to regulate your periods and help with PMS symptoms and cramps. Oily fish are supposed to be good as well.

    • Posted

      I wouldn't say I suffer from acne but I definitely would always have a few spots like at the minute. I don't eat too much dairy every day but there will be times I would eat alot of cheese and I think that does affect my skin. I used to have porridge for breakfast with milk but swapped that to two eggs each morning instead. Do you find changing your diet has helped with the symptoms? I take a multi vitamin every day and I have ordered omega3 supplements. I have also started to drink 2 cups of peppermint tea a day (waiting on the spearmint tea to arrive) and hoping in the long run it can help with symptoms too.

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