PCOS stands for polycystic ovary syndrome, a collection of symptoms related to hormonal imbalances in women. Symptoms can arise in girls as young as 11 years old and continue throughout a lifetime. One of the most common symptoms of PCOS is weight gain, particularly around the middle. The syndrome also makes losing weight a challenge. Calorie-dense dairy foods may contribute to continued weight gain.
Symptoms of PCOS
Only a doctor can diagnose PCOS definitively, but you may spot some signs of the hormonal imbalance even before a doctor's visit. In addition to rapid abdominal weight gain, you might notice darkened, velvety patches of skin behind your neck, at your elbows and knees, under your arms or on your inner thighs. Skin tags, small columns of skin loosely attached at their base, are common with PCOS. Pelvic pain, acne and excess body hair growth may also occur with the syndrome. Infertility and insulin resistance are two of the more serious concerns with PCOS.
Weight Gain
Because insulin resistance so often goes hand in hand with PCOS, it's vital to keep your weight under control. Unfortunately, the hormonal imbalance itself makes maintaining a healthy weight challenging. Although losing weight with PCOS is difficult, it is not impossible. The McKinley Health Center at the University of Illinois recommends a PCOS dietary regimen that focuses on decreasing overall calories, carbohydrates and saturated fat while boosting consumption of high-fiber whole grains, fruits and vegetables. Dairy foods such as whole-fat cheese and butter are calorie-dense; cutting down on these high-calorie foods can help you lose weight.
Dairy Concerns
Although the McKinley Center's PCOS diet suggests low-fat or fat-free dairy products in place of full-fat dairy items, a recent study published in "Nutritional Journal" noted that low-fat dairy products may be associated with a higher risk of infertility due to ovulatory dysfunction. While the study did not find that dairy, either low-fat or otherwise, caused infertility, it may exacerbate fertility concerns you have with PCOS.
Dairy Alternatives
Losing weight eating foods you dislike feels less like a diet than like punishment. Giving up dairy foods for the sake of lower calories can help you shed excess pounds, but if the prospect of cereal without milk or a cheeseless sandwich dismays you, you have a number of readily available alternatives. Soy, almond and coconut milks now occupy store shelves alongside dairy milk. Look for unsweetened versions of these vegetable-based products; the sweetened varieties rival whole milk in calorie content. Replace cheese with flavorful spreads like tapenade or pesto. Olive oil with herbs makes a tasty topping for bread, while toast with all-fruit jam is still satisfying without butter.
References
- MayoClinic.com: Polycystic Ovary Syndrome - Lifestyle and Home Remedies
- Harvard School of Public Health: The Best Diet Is the One You'll Follow
- Nutrition Journal: Dietary Intakes in Infertile Women - a Pilot Study
- University of Illinois McKinley Health Center: Nutrition Therapy for Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS)
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