Treatment of PCOS includes diet and lifestyle approaches

While there is no cure for PCOS, the treatment usually involves a mix of medications and lifestyle changes. Due to the hormonal imbalance, we often see women developing insulin resistance. This means that their body finds it more difficult to use insulin to break down and move glucose in our body. Insulin resistance increases your risk of type 2 diabetes, and research has shown that indeed women with PCOS are more at risk of developing type 2 diabetes and other chronic conditions such as heart disease.

Reviewing your diet is a must for all women with PCOS

Thankfully, diet changes are shown to both help improve the symptoms of PCOS and manage some of the consequences of weight gain and insulin resistance. And while many women with PCOS look to improve their diet to help manage fertility concerns, To be honest, all women with PCOS would benefit from making some changes in their diet due to the increased risk for heart disease and type 2 diabetes.

Here are some of the key diet and lifestyle changes that research has shown may help us to manage PCOS symptoms.

Weight loss and PCOS

Studies show that if you are overweight, then even a small amount of weight loss can help to regulate blood sugar levels, normalise menstrual cycles and improve fertility. Gradual weight loss of 5 to 10% of your body weight is shown to have benefits, and normally we suggest aiming for 1-2 pounds (or 0.5-1 kg) a week.

In all fairness, it is unclear exactly WHAT the best way is to lose weight. This is a very individual journey, and it is incredibly important that you find a way that suits your tastes and lifestyle. We do know that increasing your physical activity levels, and making changes to your diet that reduce your energy intake (while including all key nutrients) can help improve both your PCOS symptoms and help with weight loss.

Low Glycaemic Index foods

The glycaemic index, also known as GI, is a way to rank foods by how quickly your blood sugar levels rise after eating them. Low GI foods result in a slower rise in blood sugars than high GI foods. Studies show that choosing to eat more low GI foods can be helpful to manage PCOS symptoms, because it can help to improve your body’s ability to regulate insulin.

Low GI foods include most wholegrain carbohydrates such as brown bread/pasta/rice, dairy, fruits and veg. High GI foods include the more refined carbohydrates such as white bread, sugar and other processed sweet foods. Just to be clear, a low GI diet does not mean low carb. It simply means swapping some of the higher GI foods for lower GI foods – which tends to be a healthy eating recommendation for most of our population! And while it may sound odd, but studies show that a lower GI diet (so eating LESS sugar) may even help to curb sugar craving in women with PCOS!

Eat regularly

Eating regular meals may again help to regulate insulin levels. Eat regularly throughout the day, and try to plan your meals and snacks in advance to avoid getting caught out. Honouring your hunger or fullness levels is another important aspect of this. Becoming more aware of your satiety cues can reduce your risk of overeating or binge eating. And one study has also shown that breakfast is a meal that is best not to skip. Women with PCOS who ate a big breakfast showed a decrease in insulin resistance!

Eat a balanced diet

Including foods from all the key shelves of the food pyramid is useful when both trying to lose weight, and making sure you get a balance of your nutrients. Include plenty of fruit and veg, whole grain carbs, some low fat dairy and lean meats/fish or veggie proteins. And aim to reduce your intake of some of the processed high fat and sugar foods. Including a balance of nutrients is especially important if you are trying to conceive!

Watch your fats

While fats are an essential component of your diet, we do recommend that you choose foods lower in fat – especially saturated fat. This is because the risk of developing heart disease is higher in women with PCOS. Reduce your intake of foods containing animal fats such as processed meats, pastries, cakes and full fat dairy. And increase some foods higher in unsaturated fats such as oily fish, nuts and seeds.

Anti-inflammatory diets and PCOS

Women with PCOS are shown to have higher levels of inflammatory markers than women without PCOS. While commercial “anti-inflammatory diets” make it look incredibly complex to reduce inflammation levels (and often quote the need for expensive teas and shakes), studies have shown that inflammatory diets do not have to be all that complicated. In one study, 100 overweight women with PCOS were encouraged to eat a diet that included plenty of fibre-rich foods (such as vegetables, fruits and legumes), fish, wholegrains and low-fat dairy, and were asked to reduce their intake of meat, poultry and added sugars. The study showed a reduction in inflammation markers of up to 35%!

The DASH diet (which stands for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension), is a diet often used to help manage high blood pressure. Interestingly this diet also showed positive effects on inflammation markers in women with PCOS.

Supplements and Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome

There is ongoing research into various nutrition supplements that may improve fertility, general health and symptom management for women with PCOS. Some of the supplements that have shown some potentially beneficial results include N-acetylcysteine, inositol, fish oils, vitamin B12, cinnamon, Alpha-lipoic acid and Vitamin D. As I’m really trying to keep this video short and snappy, I cannot go into the details of each of these, but definitely let me know in the comments below if you’re interested in a video with more detail! Oh and BTW, as these supplements may not be suitable for all women, and may interact with certain medications, do get in touch with your GP and dietitian before you start them.

Other lifestyle factors

And lastly, research also shows the benefits of other lifestyle factors on PCOS. These include: Increasing your physical activity levels, keeping an eye on your stress levels and quiting smoking.

So to summarise my PCOS snapshot recommendations:

1. Weight loss may improve symptoms for women with PCOS who are overweight.
2. Focus on eating more Low GI foods.
3. Aim to eat regularly to help regulate your insulin levels.
4. Eat a balance of nutrients to keep your body well nourished.
5. Keep an eye on what fats you are eating for a healthy heart.
6. Increase your fibre-rich foods and low fat dairy, and decrease your meat and sugar intake to improve the potential anti-inflammatory effects of your diet.
7. Check with your doctor and dietitian if any nutritional supplements may be worth considering.
8. And lastly, alongside your diet changes, keep an eye on your physical activity, stress and smoking habits.

Making lifestyle and diet changes can be challenging. Improving your knowledge on where to begin and where to focus your attention is a great first start! But if you’d like to learn more about exactly how these tips fit into your lifestyle, and how you can maintain motivation to power through the challenging first weeks and months, then seeing a dietitian can be hugely valuable for any woman with PCOS! If you have PCOS, and you would like to see how your diet can improve your symptoms, then get in touch with me via email. I have several slots still available in my virtual 1:1 clinic, and I would love to help empower you to make the diet changes that are shown to improve your PCOS symptoms!