PCOS Diet: Best Foods to Eat and What to Avoid

Understanding PCOS

PCOS is a common health condition that is not actually a disease but a set of symptoms. Usually, symptoms vary from person to person. It is a heterogeneous disorder, with most of the cases associated with obesity.

PCOS can stop your periods or make them irregular, causing acne and unwanted body and facial hair. It raises your risk for other health problems, including diabetes.

PCOS is one of the most common causes of infertility. PCOS signs and symptoms are typically more severe in people with obesity.

What are the Symptoms of PCOS?

As mentioned earlier, PCOS is not a disease, but it is a set of symptoms, and the symptoms can vary from person to person. That is why it is called a syndrome. The most common symptoms are missed, irregular, infrequent, or too-long periods. 

• Symptoms of PCOS usually begin during the first menstrual cycle, and can also begin after some time after you start your period.

In some cases, PCOS may cause no noticeable symptoms because they’re minor. 

However, if there are any, here are some common symptoms of PCOS.

• Irregular Periods: Missed, irregular, infrequent, or too-long periods are common in PCOS.
• Hair Loss: PCOS can cause thinning of scalp hair.
• Excessive Hair Growth (Hirsutism): You may notice unwanted hair growth on your face, chest, stomach, and arms.
• Oily Skin: The skin can become oily due to the influence of high levels of male hormones.
• Acne: Appearance of acne on your face, chest, and back.
• Darkening of the Skin: The skin under your breasts, arms, and neck can become darker than the skin in the surrounding area.
• Skin Tags: your neck or armpits.
• Weight Gain: About 50% of PCOS patients experience weight gain, especially in the abdominal area. Appearance of skin tags on
• Ovarian Cysts: USG(Ultrasound Scan) can detect the presence of multiple cysts.
• Mood Changes: Hormonal changes in PCOS and the stress of dealing with its symptoms can increase mood swings, depression and anxiety.
• Infertility: PCOS is a common cause of infertility in women. Irregular ovulation makes women unable to conceive.

What Can Cause PCOS?

The exact cause of PCOS isn’t known. But things that are thought to be involved include:

• Excess Androgen: Due to higher levels of androgens or male hormones, ovaries fail to release eggs, which leads to irregular menstruation. Irregular ovulation can cause the formation of small, fluid-filled sacs on your ovaries.
• Insulin Resistance: If your body cells become resistant to insulin, blood sugar levels can rise. This can cause your body to produce more insulin in order to bring down the blood sugar level. This increased insulin level can lead to the release of too much of the male hormone androgen. This can cause trouble with ovulation, the process of egg release from the ovary.
• Low-grade Inflammation: People with PCOS have long-term, low-grade inflammation, which leads to polycystic ovaries.
• Heredity: You are more likely to develop PCOS if your close relatives also have it. According to research, certain genes might be linked to PCOS. Genes involved in many body processes might play a role in the development of PCOS. Family history of PCOS may play a role in PCOS manifestation.
• Excess Weight: The connection between weight and PCOS is a complex thing. Weight gain plays a role in the development of the condition. At the same time, PCOS can also lead to weight gain.

How is PCOS Diagnosed?

There is no specific test that can diagnose PCOS. 

• By asking about your symptoms and medical history and by doing a physical examination to look for symptoms such as acne, facial and body hair, and the size of the ovary by doing a pelvic exam, your doctor can conclude.
• The healthcare may also advise you to undergo an ultrasound or an imaging test to see whether you have cysts. 
• A blood test can also help detect the levels of androgens and other hormones.

If you have PCOS, you may not have periods very often. Or you may have periods that last many days. You may also have too much of a hormone called androgen in your body.

Early diagnosis and treatment, along with weight loss, may lower the risk of long-term complications such as type 2 diabetes and heart disease.

What are the Possible PCOS Risk Factors?

• Family history of PCOS: You are likely to develop PCOS if your close relatives also have it.
• Lifestyle: Irregular eating habits, unhealthy food consumption, lack of exercise, and sleep disturbances can also contribute to the development of PCOS.
• Type 2 diabetes: Insulin resistance in diabetes can lead to the release of androgens, which can worsen PCOS symptoms.

Being overweight or obese: Excessive body weight can lead to insulin resistance and can cause hormonal imbalance.

How Diet Affects PCOS

Often, PCOS diet advice plays a significant role in the development of PCOS. Improper diet can contribute to the underlying factors of PCOS like obesity, hormonal imbalance, inflammation and insulin resistance. So, it can have a significant role in PCOS.

For example, if you consume foods that are high in sugar and certain carbohydrates, there is a high chance that you will develop obesity or type 1 diabetes. This means that the wrong diet can become a cause of PCOS by contributing to the risk factors.

Best Foods for PCOS

When you look for the best foods to eat for PCOS, you should concentrate on certain points. The food you choose for managing PCOS should always contribute to reducing blood sugar and body weight and correcting hormonal imbalances.

• Consume complex carbohydrates, which will not raise your blood sugar levels quickly. Fruits, vegetables, whole grains, cooked dry beans, and peas contain complex carbohydrates.
• Include more fibre in your diet to combat insulin resistance.‌ Beans, lentils, broccoli, green peas, chia seeds, almonds, and pistachios contain high amounts of fibre.
• Poultry and other lean meats, fish, and whole grains can help to maintain healthy blood sugar levels.
• Food that helps in reducing inflammation is beneficial. This includes tomatoes, green leafy vegetables, fish like salmon, sardine and mackerel, nuts like almonds and walnuts, and fruits like oranges and cherries.
• You should also include green leafy vegetables, buttermilk, tomato, corn, asparagus, avocado, cauliflower, and celery in your diet.

Which Foods Should You Limit or Avoid with PCOS?

Now, let’s see what type of food to avoid in PCOS. You should avoid foods that are high in sugar and also certain carbohydrates.

• Avoid all foods which have a high glycemic index. Limit sugar, white potatoes, white flour, white rice and highly processed foods. These foods can increase your blood sugar level quickly.
• You should limit salt intake as excess salt consumption can cause water retention and cause weight gain.
• Other foods you should avoid are white sugar in all forms, even in coffee or tea, white rice, potatoes, cakes, salted nuts, candy, and soya products. 

Only if you have a clear idea of what food to avoid in PCOS can you effectively plan your diet.

Lifestyle Changes to Consider with PCOS

Lifestyle changes include changes in diet, regular exercise, maintaining a healthy body weight, and stress management.

• Diet: Diet can directly influence the development of PCOS as it affects the underlying factors of PCOS. You should know which foods not to eat if you have PCOS. So, following a healthy diet has a significant role in managing PCOS. Include foods rich in complex carbohydrates, high fibre, and low glycemic index. Avoid intake of junk food, food with too much oily content, and carbonated drinks. Maintain a regular eating etiquette.
• Exercise: Regular exercise helps in weight loss and reduces the testosterone concentration in your blood. As per the research, brisk exercise has an excellent impact on body weight and insulin resistance in PCOS. At least 2 hours of intense exercise per week is advised. Brisk walking, swimming, sit-ups, push-ups, leg squats, and lifting weights are the different types of exercise that are best in PCOS.
• Healthy Weight: Approximately 50% of people with PCOS are overweight or obese. Gaining body weight can affect your hormone levels. If you are obese or overweight, losing weight can bring your hormones back to normalcy. Losing weight can also help restore your fertility and ovulation, improving your insulin resistance. It will reduce the risk of diabetes and other complications of PCOS.
• Stress Management: PCOS is linked with an increased risk for mental issues. Exercises that engage your mind and body can help to overcome this. Along with yoga, breathing exercises and meditation, maintaining sleep hygiene will help you manage your stress level and maintain a healthy mental status.‌

Read more on the management of PCOS in this article - Nutrition Guide to Managing Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS)

Conclusion

PCOS is a common health condition that affects the menstrual cycle. Often, women neglect it as a minor health problem or just a menstrual irregularity. However, neglecting this can cause complications like infertility and other issues. If you have any of the symptoms discussed above, it is time to consult your doctor.

Diagnosing PCOS at an early stage and initiating lifestyle changes and treatment will prevent complications and make the treatment feasible. We at Nirva Health have different protocols to restore your hormonal balance and ease the discomfort of PCOS. Our approach offers you a unique and comprehensive solution with authentic Ayurvedic principles.