PCOS is a quite common condition, and research suggests that even more common among the South Asian women. It is more to do with genetics and then enhanced by environmental factors.

PCOS can’t be cured but its symptoms can be treated.  Every person may suffer from different symptoms.

Symptoms

• Fertility Problems
• Irregular Period
• Excessive hair growth? Hair loss
• Acne
• Weight gain
• Insulin resistance

Symptoms must be treated as the condition may put you at high risk of Type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, heart problems and certain cancers.

Whilst you all will be following your doctor’s advice I would talk about diet and lifestyle. Both medication and diet/lifestyle go hand in hand. So, make sure you do both!!

Follow the following 4 things to get better control on your symptoms.

Weight Control
 There is an ongoing debate on the optimum diet for PCOS. No conclusion yet. My opinion is to follow portion control diet is ideal as your body gets all nutrients and you still are able to lose weight.

Exercise
This is a permanent change you must bring in your life. Even if weight is not an issue for you. exercise is a must. Exercise will improve your insulin resistance hence helping you improve your symptoms. Aerobic exercises are ideal like running, jogging cycling. If you can’t do any, brisk walk will also be sufficient. At least 30 minutes 5 days a week.

Low GI Foods
Certain dietary modifications can help in insulin resistance. One of them is aiming to have high GI foods.

Include brown bread, whole meal chapati/roti, brown/basmati rice, brown pasta, new potatoes with skins in your diet. Include more and more vegetables in your diet and try having both fruit and vegetables with their skins on.

Limit Saturated Fat and Trans Fats
The second dietary modification is to limit saturated and trans fats as much as you can. Research suggests that it may help in improving insulin resistance. Avoid or limit, processed foods, cakes, biscuits etc. Ghee, palm oil and coconut oils are extremely high in saturated fat and to be avoided or limited.

Myth Busting
People avoid dairy, eggs and chicken which makes their body weak and deprives them from most important nutrients. There is no scientific robust evidence to suggest that all these foods need to be avoided.

Dairy should be low fat to limit the intake of saturate fat, and 3 portions a day should be taken.  Chicken and eggs are possibly asked y b doctors to stop because of hormones being injected in them. If you have them in small portions, it shouldn’t be of any concern, or I would ask you to source ‘desi’ eggs and chicken so that you have a nutritionally complete diet .