Diet plays a major role in treating any lifestyle disease. Unfortunately, we don’t pay attention to our daily diet until a doctor suggests us. Only an individual should be responsible for his/her own health not anyone else so try and Listen to Your Body as food is the MOST powerful medicine!
PCOS/PCOD (Poly-cystic Ovary Syndrome/Poly-cystic Ovary Disorder) – It is a very common problem today but not reported until it gets really worse, at times it doesn’t even get diagnosed properly due to multiple complications involved.
Lots of women all over the world suffer from this problem and is also becoming the leading cause of infertility among women. But it’s not all about cysts in the ovaries. Many women without cysts in the ovary may also suffer from this condition.
Pay attention to your Daily Diet
Once you have PCOS, its further negatively affected by diet, lifestyle and from exposure to chemicals. One need to have conscious and healthy eating accompanied by physical exercise as problems like PCOS and endometriosis directly impact fertility. Health risks associated with PCOS are infertility, menstrual cycle irregularities, cardiovascular disease, insulin resistance, and even diabetes.
DIET TIPS TO COMBAT PCOS
Eat Whole Grains
Millet (Specially Siridhanya Millets), Amaranth, Buckwheat. Millet are highly nutritious, non-glutinous and non-acid forming foods. Fortunately I got to listen to a renowned agricultural scientist Dr. Khader (also known as ‘Millet Man of India‘) from Mysore who is treating his patients with lifestyle diseases on ‘Food as Medicine’ theory. His research work on Millets is just awesome. Read more about Dr Khader’s work here.
Include Seeds instead of Oil in your diet
Here are some really good seeds that you can include in your diet – Sesame, Flaxseeds, and Chia seeds, go for locally grown rather than imported versions of these.
Go fruity
Relish on Fruits! Fruits are the best thing you can have without having to worry about calories. Go for whole fruits or make a smoothie (check out our Greeen Smoothie cheat sheet!), that’s better than juices. Timing is also important, and best time to consume fruits is empty stomach so start with a fruity breakfast.
Green Salad
Include two green salads in your daily diet and that’s the key to disease reversal – before lunch and dinner. Mix any 3-4 different vegetables that you can eat raw, mix greens and avoid adding packed dressings and extra salts.
Eat Organic, Local and Seasonal!
One of the main causes of hormonal problems is exposure to chemicals, and pesticides. Try to eat as much as organic as possible and in ‘near to nature’ state, which means fresh and raw. Buy directly from your local organic markets. You may want to check a quick list of other changes you can do to awesome wholesome life!
Early Dinner
This is one of the most ignored fact to good health, try and have your dinner by 7 pm daily, if your work schedule doesn’t allow early dinners, try not to go beyond 8pm. This can do wonders to your health.
FOODS TO AVOID
Overdose of dairy and meat-laden western diet is at the root of the epidemic of obesity, sickness and various lifestyle diseases that harm people young and old. Industry processing, pesticide use, and chemical treatment of food has made it further worse. Unfortunately, diet seems to be the last remedy anyone tries after all the modern day treatments from the medical and pharmaceutical industry would have failed.
Remember, what you NOT eat is as important as what you eat! Here is quick checklist of what to avoid in food –
Animal Products
Meat, Egg, Milk and milk products (must read – Milk is no longer a complete Food). Milk contains steroids, antibiotics, growth hormones that lead to PCOD and early puberty. Milk is not the only source of calcium. Rather calcium absorption from milk is very less. Some of the good sources of calcium are green leaves, beans, legumes, sesame seeds, ragi (Finger Millet) and other siridhanya millet, and almonds.
Refined Oils
One should never use vegetable oils. No amount of it is safe for you. There is no reason to consume it. It all started with Dalda Vanaspati Ghee 40-50 years back that died slowly but only to make way for other variants called “refined oils”, which is nothing but same as Vanaspati Ghee of old days but with added artificial flavors, colors, and other chemicals to make it look light, healthy etc. Check out this news article – “40 years ago…and now: How Dalda built, and lost, its monopoly”
One can use seed/nut oils like coconut oil, mustard oil, flax seed oil, sesame oil but only in moderation. Try cold-pressed seed oils if you really need to use sometimes. But, remember that if you are on your way to reverse PCOD, avoid it altogether, and that will accelerate the healing process.
Refined and Processed Products
Refined white flour, white sugar (have sugar in natural forms or you can relish on dates). Here are some common products we use but should be avoided – fried chips, mayo and other salad dressings, packed condiments, margarine, packaged snacks, baked goods (specially ones that are high in dairy products and oils), chocolates (Chocolate or Cockroach?) and the list is endless… (need more tips….?)
In nutshell, remember these key points….
- Avoid Animal Based Products
- Avoid Refined and Processed Products
- Eat Whole Grains
- At least 30 mins of physical exercise or Yoga every day
- At least 15-30 mins of sunshine daily
- Avoid chemicals in any form as much as possible
Last but not the least, take care and believe in yourself…!
Please do share your feedback, experiences and questions if any.
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???? very nice & informative ! Can one use dates in lieu of white sugar in summers also ?
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Yes, but caution required as many are sold with sugar coated. If adding to desserts/smoothies, soak it for 3-4 hours.