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Following a PCOS Diet Can Improve the Symptoms of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome

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A PCOS DietMany women with polycystic ovary syndrome, PCOS, visit the doctors at Dallas IVF. PCOS is associated with insulin resistance and is a cause of infertility. It can also lead to troubling side effects like acne and unwanted hair growth. The symptoms are frustrating, but you can manage them. Each PCOS specialist at Dallas IVF recommends adopting a PCOS diet.

A PCOS diet promotes healthy weight loss for patients

If you have PCOS and struggle with your weight, you aren’t alone. About 80% of women with PCOS are overweight or obese. However, losing just 5% of your body weight can improve insulin resistance, lower male hormone levels, regulate your menstrual cycle and reduce cholesterol.

Since some women with PCOS have trouble losing weight, each DFW PCOS specialist at Dallas IVF recommends finding a PCOS diet that works for you. A balanced diet involves eating lean proteins, healthy fats and carbohydrates with a low glycemic index.

  • Lean proteins include beans, egg whites, fish, nuts and skinless poultry.
  • Healthy fats include canola, corn, flaxseed, olive, peanut, soybean and sunflower oils, as well as fats from fish, nuts and seeds.
  • Carbohydrates with a low glycemic index include brown rice, steel-cut oats and whole-grain breads. Barley, beans, couscous, fruit and quinoa are other excellent options. The glycemic index measures how fast and how much a food increases blood sugar and insulin levels. Foods with a low glycemic index have less of an impact on these levels.

It’s also important to exercise and take vitamin supplements

While not everyone loves it, exercise is also an important component of weight loss. For most women with PCOS, a change in diet won’t be enough to achieve their weight loss goals. The American Heart Association recommends at least 150 minutes of moderate exercise per week, which is the same as exercising 30 minutes a day, five days a week.

In addition to eating healthy and exercising, your PCOS specialist may also suggest that you take a vitamin supplement. If you’re planning to get pregnant, this supplement should include folic acid. Without folic acid, babies are at a higher risk of being born with birth defects like spina bifida.

If you are interested in learning more about how Dallas IVF treats PCOS, please contact us today to schedule an appointment. Our physicians can help you manage the symptoms of PCOS, even if you don’t want to get pregnant.