PCOS Nutrition and Health
Foods to Eat & Enjoy/ Work on 80:20 rule (that is eat well the majority of the time)
- Focus on foods that are rich in fibre and are absorbed slowly by the body (porridge for example).
- This will prevent surges of insulin and blood sugar, which can make PCOS more difficult to treat.
- Aim for 10 portions of fruit and veg daily (80 grams one portion)
- RAINBOW COLOUR veg /fruit(green, orange, red, yellow etc)
Do Eat a diet rich in Vegetables,fruit,beans and grains.
- Salads, hummus, stir fry and steamed vegetables.
- Spinach, in salad or cooked (Helps vision, delays cataract)
- Tomatoes, cooked better than raw, – aim for at least one serving a day
- Berries, esp blueberries, raspberries – antioxidants
- Broccoli, mushrooms , garlic – antioxidants + cardio protective
- Drink 2 litres of water, green tea – anti aging
- Daily handful of nuts and seeds, unsalted
- Pomegranates/pomegranate juice better than red wine
- Dark Chocolate 70% at least – a few small squares, rich in iron
- Porridge oats (healthiest and the most filling breakfast)
- Take 4 tablespoons of porridge oats (not easy cook variety but organic unprocessed oats) in 1 cup of soy milk in a deep bowl, microwave for 2 minutes at high power, add hot water or more soy milk as needed, add almonds or pecans, fresh berries, banana or apple, raisins on top. Soya, rice / oat milk, tofu excellent and safe for all ages/ both sexes Soya, rice / oat milk, tofu excellent and safe for all ages/ both sexes
- Eat cheat meats – Turkey, bacon, sausages etc from soya, available in health food shops, taste the same without the sat fats
- Eat – brown pasta, brown rice, seeded bread, salads, beans
- Eat all beans which are a very rich source of fibre and good protein (Chickpeas, kidney beans, butter beans etc)
Avoid
- Saturated and Trans Fats – crisps, biscuits, cakes
- Red Meat
- Try and avoid dairy – too many hormones, implicated in breast and ovarian and prostate cancer
- Avoid fruit juices, increases blood sugar rapidly
Exercise
- Exercise regularly (4-5 times a week) – combine aerobics and weights 30 min of walking daily,
- Park as far as possible
- Avoid the lift, do housework cheerfully Gardening and DIY Sport - swimming, tennis, anything that you enjoy
Nitu Bajekal, Consultant, Barnet Hospital, March 2014