Category : Gynecology
By: Department of Nutrition & Dietetics
Introduction:
Polycystic ovary syndrome, commonly known as PCOS, is an endocrine problem of women of reproductive age. While the cause for PCOS is unknown, the symptoms include menstrual irregularity, infertility, pregnancy complications, hirsutism (facial hair), acne, acanthosis nigricans (darkening of skin on nape of neck, under arms, inner thigh) and an increased prevalence of obesity and abdominal obesity.
PCOS and associated risk:
PCOS predisposes to various metabolic problems including impaired glucose tolerance (pre-diabetes), diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular disease, dyslipidemia (decreased plasma high- density lipoprotein cholesterol {HDL -C} and increased plasma triglycerides), hypertension, inflammation (increased CRP level ).
Treatment of PCOS
First line of treatment for PCOS is life style modification. Life style modification includes eating right, exercising regularly and psychological counseling. It is often found that girls and women with PCOS have a lot of body image issues due to weight, acne, facial hair and hence are more prone to depression and eating disorders.
Exercise in PCOS
Exercise should be an integral part of everybody’s life, but for girls / women with PCOS it holds more importance. Exercise improves muscle mass, decreased the fat mass and hence improves insulin sensitivity. It helps release endorphins (feel good hormones). Exercise like walking, cycling, swimming or weight training, done at least 5 days a week, can help to control the associated metabolic problems and weight gain.
Dietary Modification and PCOS
Weight loss or fat loss is the cornerstone of management of the syndrome. Hence dietary modifications are mandatory.
Some simple mantras to modify the diet are:
- Consume whole grains instead of processed and refined foods and whole fruits instead of fruit juices in order to maintain blood glucose and insulin levels.
- Eating foods rich in fiber also lead to a slower, consistent and controlled rise in blood sugar and insulin levels.
- Some healthy fiber rich foods are legumes and vegetables that also provide necessary nutrients for the body.
- Combine proteins and carbohydrates together because proteins help to regulate the blood glucose spike caused by carbohydrates consumption.
- Eat regularly but not too frequently. Divide your foods into 3 to 4 meals and eat them every 4 to 5 hours in order to improve insulin sensitivity and prevent cravings for unhealthy snacks. Also, never ever skip breakfast.
- Limit salt intake to less than 2400 milligrams per day. Use other seasonings such as lemon juice, vinegar, pepper, herbs, mustard and spices instead.
- Limit the intake of processed foods such as cured meats, smoked meats, salted nuts, canned vegetables, sauces, chips and soft drinks.
- Give up regular cooking oil and choose unsaturated oils such as olive oil and corn oil.
- Snack on healthy nuts and seeds such as almonds, walnuts, pecans, sunflower seeds and flax seeds that are rich in monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats.
- Eat 2 to 3 servings of fish every week in order to load up on essential fatty acids that are beneficial for controlling PCOS symptoms.
- Choose healthy cooking options such as baking, grilling, broiling, boiling and steaming instead of deep frying.
- Eat protein with every meal because proteins have a stabilizing effect on sugar that is released by the carbohydrates.
- Avoid sugar in all forms – refined sugar, high fructose corn syrup and even artificial sweeteners.
- Drink 2-3 litres of water every day. You can add some tasty twist to your water by adding fresh cucumber, mint, berries or lemons to it.
- In order to promote healthy weight loss of 1 pound (0.5 kg) per week you can reduce 500 calories from your present maintenance calorie level and in order to reduce 2 pounds (1 kg) per week reduce 1000 calories from your daily maintenance calorie level.
- Women with PCOS are at much higher risk of heart diseases and diabetes, so it is best not to aggravate the risk further by smoking.
- Have enough sleep every night because a lack of sleep can affect hormones and worsen the symptoms and problems.
- Stay physically active and make exercise a part of your healthy lifestyle. Just like diet, exercise also plays a vital role in improving PCOS symptoms because it is a great way to enhance insulin sensitivity and restore the balance of the reproductive hormones. In addition, exercises also help in weight management and promoting weight loss. A combination of aerobic exercises for 30 minutes.
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