After working with patients for years, I’ve seen that simple lifestyle and dietary changes can make a difference in managing PCOS. PCOS is an all too common endocrine disorder among women of reproductive years. It is a complex disorder involving hormonal, metabolic, genetic and emotional factors. Frequent symptoms are menstrual irregularities, infertility, sugar imbalances, excess hair growth, acne, obesity and mood disturbances. An ultrasound may depict several enlarged follicles on the ovaries.
If you’ve just been diagnosed with PCOS, you may be scared and not know what to do, but your condition may be improved or normalized with some simple natural remedies. Here I’m sharing my top 6 simple tips for taking control of your PCOS naturally:
1. Keep blood sugar levels stable. Eat every 2-3 hours, combining each snack with small amounts of vegetable protein. For example, an apple with almond butter or these dark chocolate peanut butter crunch balls.
2. Add Anti-inflammatory Spices. Add 1/2 tsp of turmeric and cinnamon to your diet daily. Turmeric is an anti-inflammatory and promoted liver detox while cinnamon balances blood sugar levels. Turmeric can easily be integrated into salad dressings, or tossed over vegetables and roasted. Here’s a great Turmeric smoothie to try out! Cinnamon is also a great addition to any bowl of breakfast cereals or smoothies.
3. Increase Fiber. Try ground flax seeds, oat bran, psyllium powder, beans, oatmeal or apples. Make sure you are consuming high fiber foods and drinking lots of water!
4. Support the Liver. Drink a glass of lemon water first thing in the morning, eat an apple and/or grapefruit and 1 cup of dark green vegetables per day.
5. Supplements. Talk to a professional about a supplement regime. You might consider a B-complex, with vitamin B6 to start.
6. Relax! Take time to relax and deep breathe. Stress increases cortisol and insulin, which are the root of PCOS. Use this as an excuse to take 20 min to yourself twice daily– it will help tremendously!
Want some inspiration? Read about how one of our Health Hero’s overcame her PCOS
Want more? You might also like:
They Said I’d Never Get Pregnant Naturally with PCOS… Here’s How I Proved Them Wrong
Living with PCOS or Diabetes II? 12 Habits You Should Live By
Just Diagnosed with PCOS? The First 10 Steps You Need to TakeI May Not Have Won Yet, But I’m Still Fighting to Control My PCOS Using Diet
Note: PLEASE consult with your doctor before making any changes to your diet or medications. The material on this site is provided for educational purposes only, and is not to be used for medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.
Thanks for sharing these tips! I will try these to help with my PCOS. You’re right, being diagnosed with PCOS is scary. But it gets easier when there are people like you who are willing to help overcome it. Weight has always been the biggest issue with my PCOS, I even thought that I would not get pregnant but conceiveeasy did it for me. Now, I just need to work on my diet and will take your suggestions to heart.