PCOS, or polycystic ovary syndrome, is the most common endocrine disorders in females, affecting 5 to 10 percent of them. It is characterized by irregular periods, cysts on the ovaries, acne, weight gain or inability to lose weight, excessive facial and body hair and infertility. There is no cure for this hormonal disorder, but a proper diet and regular physical activity can greatly help reducing the severity of the symptoms it causes.
Insulin Resistance
PCOS can develop in all stages of life, from the age of 8 years old up to later in life. The cause for this endocrine disorder is still unknown but clues seem to point in the direction of insulin resistance, which may be part of the problem and may contribute to the many symptoms experienced by women with PCOS. Insulin is an hormone produced by the pancreas and its main role is to control your blood sugar levels. However, the cells, tissues and organs of most women with PCOS have become resistant to the action of insulin and the pancreas therefore produces more and more insulin to help this hormone accomplish its role. These consistantly high levels of insulin may contribute to the hormonal imbalance in PCOS.
Low-Fat Diets Do Not Work
The majority of women with PCOS are overweight and about 50 to 60 percent are obese. However, despite many attempts at losing weight, most women with PCOS are unable to successfully reduce their body weight by following traditional low-fat diets. Low-fat diets are usually high in carbohydrates and because carbohydrates trigger the release of insulin, these diets therefore contribute to perpetuating the insulin resistance problem in PCOS. Consistently elevated insulin levels puts your body into fat storage mode and a large portion of the carbohydrates you consume is converted into fat and then stored in your fat cells.
Controlling Your Carb Intake
Reducing your carbohydrate consumption results in lower insulin levels, which helps prevent further fat storage and promote fat utilization and weight loss. The standard American diet comprises at least 300 g of carbohydrates, or over 50 percent of the calories, a day. Most women with PCOS benefit from lowering their carb intake below 160 g a day, which corresponds to 40 percent of your calories based on a 1,600-calorie diet. Track your carbohydrate intake and gradually lower your carb intake until your symptoms improve and you start losing weight at a steady pace.
A Healthy Carbohydrate-Controlled Diet
A healthy diet for women with PCOS needs to be carbohydrate controlled. Some women will be able to tolerate 150 g of carbohydrates a day, while other will do better with 80 g, or even 50 g, of carbs a day. Don't go too low however, as dietitian Martha McKittrick advises against consuming less than 40 g of carbohydrates a day. Always combine your carbohydrates with fiber, protein and fat to have a healthy meal. For example, you can get your fiber from non-starchy vegetables such as leafy greens, protein from a chicken breast, healthy fats from a olive oil-based vinaigrette and 15 to 20 g of carbohydrates from 1 cup of strawberries mixed with 1/2 cup of plain yogurt.
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