The purpose of an elimination diet is to isolate or remove foods that have negative effects on your health. Doctors frequently recommend elimination diets if you have allergies to certain foods or if you have a condition such as polycystic ovarian syndrome that becomes exacerbated when you eat certain foods. Because every person has a different genetic makeup, what benefits one person might hurt another. A POCS elimination diet can help you discover the individual food items that adversely effect your POCS condition. Consult a medical professional prior to starting any elimination diet.
About PCOS
PCOS is also known by the names Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome, Polycystic Ovarian Disease, Polycystic Ovary Disease, and Stein-Leventhal syndrome. PCOS is a hormonal disorder that causes infertility in women of childbearing age. Some women diagnosed with PCOS have cysts on their ovaries. Other symptoms of PCOS include infrequent, absent or irregular menstrual periods, increased hair growth on the chest, face, back, thumbs, stomach or toes, acne, oily skin, dandruff, pelvic pain, skin tags, male pattern baldness or thinning hair and weight gain. PCOS is a serious medical condition so consult a medical professional for treatment of this condition.
Elimination or Allergy Diets
A food allergy occurs when your immune system has a response to a specific food item. The foods that make your PCOS condition worse are foods you cannot tolerate because of your disorder, not because of an allergy. A PCOS elimination diet should start by getting rid of all known foods that adversely affect your PCOS. Start a journal documenting everything you eat and any reactions you experience as a result of the foods you eat.
Basic Elimination Plan
To begin the diet, eliminate any problematic foods that you have discussed with your doctor for a period of one month. If you have PCOS, avoid sweets, soft drinks, white bread and white rice. You have to control your insulin levels when you have PCOS. Therefore, an effective PCOS diet avoids simple sugars and processed foods during the initial elimination phase. During this elimination period you should also adopt a low glycemic index diet to control your insulin level.
Withdrawal Symptoms
When you suddenly stop eating certain foods you may experience withdrawal symptoms. If your previous diet was high in sugar, caffeine and alcohol you may experience headaches, pain and sleeplessness. These symptoms should dissipate within several days. If your withdrawal symptoms persist for more than a week, you should contact a medical professional.
References
- "The PCOS Diet Book: How You Can Use the Nutritional Approach to Deal with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome"; Colette Harris; 2002
- "The PCOS Diet Plan: A Natural Approach to Health for Women with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome"; Hillary Wright; 2010
- "The Ultimate PCOS Handbook: Lose Weight, Boost Fertility, Clear Skin and Restore Self-Esteem"; Colette Harris and Theresa Cheung; 2008
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