Cebu City – One of the concerns of women is Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS). This is common to women who is in reproductive age and one of the most frequent causes of female infertility. This is an endocrine disorder that leads to reproductive, hormonal, and metabolic abnormalities. With insulin resistance, PCOS increases the risk of chronic diseases like type 2 diabetes, hypertension, lipid disorders, cardiovascular diseases, and certain malignancies like breast and endometrial cancer. The actual cause of PCOS is unknown but environmental factors such as dietary habits play an important role in prevention and treatment and lifestyle modifications are the most important therapeutic strategies in women with PCOS.
Weight control and insulin production and resistance are two of the most important ways that nutrition impacts PCOS. More than half of people with PCOS acquire diabetes or pre-diabetes before they reach the age of 40. Diabetes is caused by the body's inability to produce insulin which is the key for glucose management.
There is no diet specific for PCOS, however here are dietary tips in managing this endocrine disorder.
1st Tip: Consume foods that are low in glycemic index (GI). Low GI foods do not cause a quick rise of blood sugar level or insulin level. Examples of low GI foods are unprocessed food items, whole grains, nuts, some fruits, and starchy vegetables.
2nd Tip: Ingest low-calorie diet. This type of diet help achieve weight loss or maintaining a healthy weight. Taking in food low in calories such as green salad greens, soup broth, mushrooms, strawberries, vegetable soup, whole grain toast, cod, eggs, and low-fat cottage cheese coupled with moderate exercise like brisk walking, jogging, cycling or swimming are all great activities that can help patients with PCOS. These types of exercise increase your body’s sensitivity to insulin, which reduces your risk of cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes.
3rd Tip: Reduce intake of saturated and trans fatty acids. Saturated fat occurs naturally in red meat and dairy products. It's also found in baked goods and fried foods. Trans fat occurs naturally in small amounts in red meat and dairy products.
4th Tip: Take in food that will reduce inflammation. There are food items that help lessen inflammation such as green leafy vegetables, berries, and extra virgin olive oil that could lessen the feeling of fatigue which is common to women with PCOS.
These are only some tips and information to further understand PCOS. With the modern technology and further studies, doctors are continually studying to manage PCOS. Continue to follow NNC 7 Facebook Page at @National Nutrition Council Region 7 for more nutrition information for women and their families. // NO I Christine April M. Lopez, RND
