Symptoms
DIET AND PCOS
Your diet has an impact on how you manage your weight and insulin resistance. People with PCOS are more likely to develop diabetes since a large proportion of those who have been diagnosed with the condition report having high insulin levels.
The only method to control your blood sugar levels is through nutrition. A diet that maintains your weight, regulates your blood sugar levels, and meets your nutritional demands is best for those with PCOS.
Due to their poor metabolic rates, people with PCOS also report having frequent food cravings. Sudden weight gain is a result of a weak metabolism. Therefore, if you don’t maintain a balanced diet, you run a high chance of acquiring diabetes and other medical conditions in addition to the hormonal imbalance.
By lowering the impact of sugar on the blood and slowing down digestion, high fiber diets can help fight insulin resistance. Those who have PCOS may benefit from this.
What to eat
Cruciferous vegetables, like broccoli, cauliflower, and Brussels sprouts, greens, including red leaf lettuce and arugula, green and red peppers, beans and lentils, almonds, berries, sweet potatoes, winter squash, pumpkin are some example of higher fiber food.
Foods that help reduce inflammation may also be beneficial. These foods include tomatoes, kale, spinach, almonds and walnuts, olive oil, fruits, like blueberries and strawberries, fatty fish high in omega-3 fatty acids, like salmon and sardines.
One might experience occasional frustration if they have PCOS. A PCOS-friendly diet and some lifestyle adjustments may help feel better and lessen some of the symptoms of the condition.
Available Treatments
Birth control pills and other drugs can be used to treat PCOS symptoms including hair growth and acne as well as to help regulate the menstrual cycle. Taking progestin daily can restore a normal hormone balance, regulate ovulation, relieve symptoms like excess hair growth, protect against endometrial cancer.
Metformin (Glucophage, Fortamet) is a drug used to treat type 2 diabetes, a common condition that causes the level of sugar (glucose) in the blood to become too high, can be used to treat PCOS by improving insulin levels.
Clomiphene (Clomid) is a fertility drug that can help women with PCOS get pregnant.
Eflornithine (Vaniqa) cream is a prescription drug that slows hair growth. Laser hair removal and electrolysis can get rid of unwanted hair on your face and body.
Surgery can be an option to improve fertility if other treatments don’t work. Ovarian drilling is a procedure that makes tiny holes in the ovary with a laser or thin heated needle to restore normal ovulation.
However, if you’re worried about your periods, having difficulties becoming pregnant, or showing signs of excess androgen, consult your doctor. These could include male-pattern baldness, acne, and new hair growth on your face and body.