Getting Rid of PCOS the Natural Way by Joan Kent, PhD

Recently, someone asked if I think nutrition for polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) will be as important in the next few years as it is today.

I answered that it will actually become more important — unless some major changes happen.

Why is that?

The obesity epidemic is likely to lead to more women with insulin resistance. Insulin resistance underlies PCOS (and other metabolic conditions, like diabetes and hypertension).

What we eat matters, too. Insulin resistance isn’t just the result of overweight, as some people say. Poor diet and lack of exercise can actually help cause it. Without changes in those factors, the American diet can easily result in more cases of insulin resistance.

Regarding insulin dysfunction, it doesn’t matter which comes first — obesity, bad diet, or bad genetics regarding insulin and PCOS. The metabolic consequences are the same.

So it’s fair to say that PCOS may become more common.

Eating to Reverse PCOS

Here are several tips that women with PCOS can use to help reverse it.

Do cardiovascular (aerobic) exercise.

This isn’t about food, but it’s so important, it’s first.

Cardio will make your muscles more responsive to insulin — meaning less insulin resistant — so less insulin is needed and the body may secrete less of it. Less insulin resistance is always a good thing.

Do cardio 4 or more days a week for at least 30 minutes each day.
Make 1 or 2 of those workouts HIIT (high-intensity interval training).
If you can find a gym with Krankcycles® – seriously, nag your gym to get a few! – start adding Kranking workouts 2 times a week. The Krankcycle is NOT an upper body ergometer (UBE); that’s a rehab machine. Kranking is serious cardio. It will help make your upper body muscles more responsive to insulin. (Same benefits as above.)

Decrease starches and sugars.

Starches are the foods most people call “carbs.” But vegetables and fruits are also carbs, so I call starches what they are – starches. Limit them. And definitely limit sugar.

Eat vegetables with each meal.

The primary benefit here is the increase in fiber, which can also help to lower insulin resistance.

Drink at least 8-10 glasses of water a day.

It aids digestion and will help prevent bloating. Drink even more if you’ve been sweating a lot.

Consume whole flaxseeds.

2.5 tablespoons a day of these high-fiber seeds have been shown to help with weight loss. Weight loss has been shown to help with PCOS.

These tips will get you started, but there are so many more ways I can help you. I have many years of experience with it. Just visit www.LastResortNutrition.com and grab your free Empower Me Consult. Find out how easy it is to make small changes that can potentially bring big results in your health.

Brought to you by Dr. Joan Kent, best-selling author of Stronger Than Sugar: 7 Simple Steps to Defeat Sugar Addiction, Lift Your Mood, and Transform Your Health.