Opening Up

I haven’t shared this with a lot of people quite yet, so here you go.  I have PCOS (Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome).  Feel free to ask me or search online for more details on what it is, but some side effects that I’m experiencing are: quick and severe weight gain (especially around the stomach), an almost impossibility of losing weight no matter how hard you try, hormone issues, insulin issues and infertility.

Through blood tests, I found out that I have high testosterone and am insulin resistant (this does NOT mean I have DIABETES).  One of the first steps to helping with these issues was going on a medication called Metformin, which is supposed to help women like myself drop weight (in a lot of cases very quickly) by helping process things as they should be.  It also helps with lady problems such as regulating menstruation. 

After taking the pills for about a month, I went back to the doctor to have a check up.  I was so excited during this time to have an actual reason (besides the assumption that I’m lazy and eat a lot) for being the size that I am and the weight that I am, on top of having difficulty getting pregnant, I did what I normally do when I’m happy; I upped my workouts and ate pretty darn well.  I just knew I would go in there and find out that I had lost five or ten pounds already.  I was actually looking forward to stepping on the scale! What actually happened?  I’d gained two pounds since the last time I was in.  

Some super sweet people would tell me that I must have gained muscle from working out more.  The thing is, when you’re the size I am, that doesn’t make sense.  I should be able to lose weight fairly quickly.  Plus, I wasn’t exercising a whole lot more than I was before.  Rather than three days a week, I was doing it four or five.  It was way more fun, thinking that it was going to finally make a difference, which was why I went more often.  Yet here I was, two pounds heavier.

On my way out of the office, I asked my doctor what she’d suggest to help with losing weight since it hadn’t happened yet.  She said that low carb diets have been known to help women with PCOS, or even going gluten free.  I hated hearing that because I had been gluten free for over a year before moving up to Portland and the freedom of not having to read every label of everything I ate was hard to think of giving up.

Something my doctor had mentioned in the same session, when talking about conceiving, was going to an acupuncturist if I felt so inclined.  I’ve gone to a few different naturopathic doctors in the past, so acupuncture wasn’t too “out there.”  I figured I’d give it a try.

Well, it took me about four months to finally set up an appointment, but I am finally seeing an acupuncturist.  We’re working together now specifically on my PCOS and infertility issues. 

While I was leaving my second visit just two weeks ago, my acupuncturist gave me a paper with dietary suggestions for women with PCOS.  I had searched online for hours trying to find something like this but had only come up with people saying to cut out carbs.  I thought there should be something more to it than that...and now I had it in my hand!  

Even though it looks like it’ll be pretty difficult getting used to, I’ve decided I’m going to follow these guidelines not only to lose weight, but to make myself healthier in general.  I’ve had a few health issues so far in my life, including cancer, and it occurs to me that it’s more important to actively do what I can to try and avoid anything else coming up than having the ease of eating something without caring what it is.  So, here’s what I’m going to try to follow.  

PCOS Diet Suggestions

-Eat foods low on the Glycemic Index such as vegetables and whole grains.  It is very important for women with PCOS to completely avoid refined carbohydrates which include:

sugar (pop and candy)

white flour

whole wheat flour and products made from them (pasta, breads, desserts, etc.)

Keep your blood sugar stable by:

-Eating every three to five hours

-Include protein and good fats (nuts and seeds, eggs, humus etc.) with each meal

(protein foods take up to five hours digest while carbs digest within 30 minutes and can spike your blood sugar).

-Eat at least five servings of vegetables including at least two leafy greens (kale, broccoli, collard greens, bok choy, cabbage, rapini, etc.)

(leafy greens contain indole-3 carbinol, which helps to regulate liver function which is 

key in glucose and hormone metabolism)

-Have a regular serving of legumes (black beans, adzuki beans mung beans black-eyed pease etc.)

(Adzuki beans are beneficial in draining “dampness” from the body).

-Eat organic meats only.

You can have up to red meat up to 3 times a week but make sure it is organic and grass 

fed because when meat has been grain fed it changes the fats from healthy omega 3 fats

to omega 6’s.

-Eat at least three daily servings of fruits like berries which are lower on the GI and high in anti-oxidants.

-Include cinnamon into your diet daily as it helps to reduce insulin resistance.

-Include bitter melon and fenugreek to help regulate blood glucose.

-Include complex carbs such as whole grain cereals, quinoa, brown rice, etc.

-Insure adequate fiber intake (should be 30g/day) by eating a lot of fresh veggies and whole grains.

Avoid:

-It is very important for women with PCOS to avoid all refined sugars and simple sugars which include:

refined: white and brown sugars, fructose, sucrose, corn syrup

simple: maple syrup, honey, etc.

(Why avoid simple sugars?  It helps to prevent further impaired glucose metabolism).

-No refined carbs (white bread, pasta, potatoes, white rice, most breakfast cereals, rice cakes, popcorn, or any starchy, low fiber food).

-No artificial sweeteners (they affect insulin levels the same way sugar does)

• No sodas, fruit juice and drinks that raise blood glucose rapidly (energy drinks, Gatorade, etc.)
• Milk and dairy products (cheese and yogurt).

They are considered a “damp’ food and will exacerbate the problem.  Try substituting unsweetened almond milk for regular milk.

Pay attention to:

-Portion sizes in order to moderate glucose loads and minimize insulin resistance.

Opt for smaller and more regular meals than bigger more spaced out meals.

To be honest, one of the hardest parts about being gluten free in the past was how everyone seemed to care so much about what I was eating.  If someone didn’t think there was such a thing as gluten intolerance, they would become irritated at me for being so careful with what I ate. Then on the other side I felt that people were watching, waiting to judge me for what I ate, or to lecture me if I didn’t give up other foods that they thought I should.  

This all came down to me thinking that God would be angry at me for eating something I wasn’t supposed to.  That eating gluten was the biggest sin to commit against God.  Now that’s pretty freaking messed up.  Where in the Bible, even in the Old Testament, does it say, “you shall sacrifice a dove, three sheep and an ox as a sin offering for eating gluten”?!?!?!  I would go around feeling like I was always pissing someone off or disappointing them or God depending on what I ate.  It was absolutely ridiculous.  I’m NOT going to do that this time.

As much as I honestly intend to follow these suggestions, I’ve also made a deal with myself.  If I decide to make an exception and eat something that I shouldn’t, I’m not going to beat myself up about it.  My body will most likely take care of that for me.  Rather, I’m going to do what I can to be healthy and to nourish myself.  I’m going to learn to eat to live, not live to eat.  I’m also going to continue to work on seeing God for who He is rather than projecting my fear of people and what they think of me onto his character.  This is going to take a lot of will power, prayer, and even support from friends and family, even if the “support” is holding back any pressure on what I eat one way or the other.