Polycystic Ovary Syndrome(PCOS) is a metabolic condition when proportion of hormones called androgens in women increases beyond a desired level. It causes multiple cysts in the ovary. PCOS causes many problems such as irregular periods, or no periods at all, acne, oily skin, excess of facial hair, obesity etc.
If not treated in time, it may lead to type 2 diabetes, depression or even cancer of the endometrium.
Around every 1 in 10 women across the world is suffering from PCOS. The ratio is increasing with changing modern lifestyle and lack of awareness. Women with PCOS tend to be obese or overweight.
A healthy and controlled diet plays the most important role while fighting with PCOS. All the doctors in the world, along with the treatment, emphasise the most upon the diet plan for women suffering from PCOS.
There are many things to consider while following the diet plan for PCOS. Ayurveda has clear rules for dos and donts of PCOS diet. Following are some of the PCOS diet tips to follow –
1] Include more of fruits and vegetables in your diet and avoid dairy-based products.Many health experts believe that dairy-based products can increase insulin levels which can aggravate acne and other symptoms of PCOS.
2] PCOS Diet needs to be rich in fibre with no or limited carbohydrates and processed foods. Pick foods with low glycemic index such as that made from whole wheat, wheat flour and whole grain. Some other foods that have a low glycemic index are brown rice, brown rice poha and wheat pasta.
3] The ideal breakfast for a PCOD patient is fruits and multi grain bread with tomato and cucumber. For lunch, they should have oats or bran roti instead of regular roti.
4] PCOD patients might experience water retention and the best way to beat that would be to eat small frequent meals and a lot of water through the day.
5] There are some natural herbs you can take to help keep your hormones in control, such as meethi dana, flaxseeds and cinnamon.
6] Include lean meat like fish and avoid red meat. A 2013 Harvard study found that eating meat ups the risk of infertility and replacing animal sources of protein with plant sources may reduce infertility risk.
7] Avoid saturated or hydrogenated fats. Make sure you check the label. Saturated fats are certain kind of fat molecules that are found naturally in many foods but mostly animal or dairy-based products.
8] Green Leafy Vegetables have maximum nutrients per calories compared to other foods and also rich in calcium, iron, potassium, magnesium along with vitamins K, C and E and most importantly essential B vitamins which plays an imperative role in managing the symptoms of PCOS.
9] It is suggested to opt for healthy carbohydrates with low Glycemic Index that takes longer to break down and digest, causing slow and consistent release of blood glucose in the body. Low GI foods also aid to keep you satiated for longer and prevent cravings. Most legumes, beans, and lentils and non-starchy vegetables have low GI rating.
10] Increase fibre:
Eating more fibre can help maintain blood sugar levels and lower your cholesterol. Plus, fibre helps make you feel full, so you tend to eat less.This can help with weight control. Aim for 21 to 25 grams per day.
11] Colourful vegetables are loaded with powerful antioxidants and neutralize the harmful effects of oxidative stress in women suffering from PCOD. Red and yellow bell peppers, sweet potatoes,tomatoes, carrots and eggplant are helpful.
12] Refined grains like white flour, white bread and pasta, white rice and sugar cereals should be avoided and whole grains, whole wheat pasta, brown rice, oats and whole wheat breads should be consumed.
13] Not all fats are harmful, healthy fats and essential fatty acids are indispensable for maintaining cells and removing toxins from the body and promoting hormonal balance. Including seeds, nuts, avocado, olive oil and oily fishes like tuna and salmon is a good idea.
14] Soy has been implicated in delayed ovulation. It is not recommended to women with PCOS, especially those trying to conceive.
15] Opt for organic lean cuts of meat that contains fewer hormones and pesticides and are not genetically modified.
16] Try picking high fibre foods and combine them with proteins- try an apple or celery with peanut butter, whole wheat crackers and cheese, whole wheat pita or carrots and hummus, or yogurt and nuts.
Following this PCOS diet seems to be a hard task, but it is most essential in fighting PCOS. Studies have shown that PCOS patients who followed the diet strictly, had the best chances of recovering from it completely.
PCOS Treatment in Pune:
Here at SMV Ayurveda Research Center which is based in Pune, our aim is to provide best treatment to cure Polycystic Ovary Syndrome i.e PCOS with the help of specialised treatments of Ayurveda. Here, Basic research for the treatment of PCOS is carried out since last 13 years by Vaidya Vinesh Nagare who is a Gynaecologist.