Polycystic ovary disease, otherwise known as PCOD, impacts some women during their reproductive years and the bad news for sufferers is that there is currently no cure for the condition.
However, if you are someone who suffers from PCOD, there is some cause for optimism when it comes to coping with the various symptoms associated with this hormonal disorder, as you can minimize the impact it has on your life if you are careful with your diet.
You can manage the main symptoms of PCOD with targeted pain relief products that help with cramping and heavy flow pads will make periods more manageable, plus you can also make some adjustments to your diet in order to make living with the disease more tolerable.
Here are some pointers on how to adjust your diet to improve how you manage to live your life while coping with PCOD.
Watch your red meat intake
A good starting point would be to mindful of the impact of too much red meat in your diet, especially when beef has been linked with an increase in infertility rates amongst PCOD sufferers.
Although it is a good source of protein and can be consumed in moderation, limiting your intake of red meat can help reduce inflammation and improve your ability to manage the symptoms associated with PCOD.
Variety is the spice of life
A key point to consider when talking about your diet and PCOD is that it often pays to take a rainbow approach to what is on your plate and try to fill it with a range of colours.
If your plate is a riot of different shades, such as green vegetables, red berries, yellow plant sources such as lentils, for instance, this will boost your chances of ensuring that you are consuming enough nutrients and antioxidants to fight back against PCOD.
Be wary of fats in your diet
It is fair to say that you need a certain amount of fats in your diet, especially the good ones such as polyunsaturated fats found in foods such as salmon and olive oils, which are associated with improving your heart health, but it’s a different story with regard to saturated and trans fats as these can raise inflammation levels.
You should be wary of these types of fats in your diet as they are loaded with high levels of cholesterol, causing potential weight gain, which is already an issue attached to the symptoms of PCOD.
If you can manage to steer clear of processed fats you will be helping your body in a number of positive ways.
A similar story with carbs
Carbohydrates do a great job of giving your body energy but if you overload on carbs you run the risk of experiencing weight gain, which is not a good scenario anyway, but worse when you suffer from PCOD.
Focus on replacing refined carbohydrates with more whole grains and cereals in your diet instead so that you get the energy boost your body needs without the unwanted consequences.
A fundamental point to remember if you are someone who has to contend with PCOD is that you are likely to be insulin resistant, and that means you would do well to follow a typical diabetic diet.
Eat sensibly and make the right choices and your prudence should be rewarded with more manageable symptoms.
Elena Deeley did her degree in psychology at the University of Edinburgh. She has an ongoing interest in mental health and well-being.
