PCOD Management Diet: What Foods To Eat And Avoid

Are you suffering from abnormal weight gain, hair loss, and an irregular menstrual cycle? If yes, you might be suffering from PCOD. Polycystic Ovarian Disease (PCOD) is a health condition affecting several females in the reproductive age group worldwide. It makes the ovaries produce several immature or partially matured eggs. Irregular menses, hair fall, and undesirable weight gain are some of the common symptoms of PCOD that affect your quality of life. PCOS, Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome, is a severe form of PCOD that may present with similar symptoms and more severe effects, such as infertility. Fortunately, you can manage these conditions naturally by making certain diet and lifestyle modifications. Diet and nutrition play a crucial role in managing PCOD. The assistance of certified dieticians can help you follow a suitable PCOS and PCOD diet plan. Let’s have a look at what PCOD and PCOS are, which foods for PCOS you should eat, and which foods to avoid with PCOS.

What is PCOD?

Generally, two ovaries of all females in reproductive age groups happen to release an egg alternately every month. They also are responsible for producing androgens, male hormones, in minute quantities. When these ovaries happen to release plenty of partially matured or immature eggs that turn into cysts eventually, you suffer from PCOD i.e. Polycystic Ovarian Disease. Irregular menses, abdominal weight gain, and infertility are some common symptoms of this condition. Poor lifestyle, hormonal imbalance, stress, and obesity are responsible for PCOD.

Also, PCOD causes enlargement of ovaries, thereby resulting in the secretion of androgens (i.e. male hormones) in large quantities that may hamper the fertility in the females and affect their bodies. Alleviating the intensity of these symptoms of PCOD can help. And, PCOD diet plan can help in managing the symptoms effectively, naturally, and safely.

What is PCOS?

Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) is a metabolic disorder that can lead to the condition of anovulation, where the ovaries curb releasing eggs. In females suffering from PCOS, ovaries happen to secrete an excess of androgen that hampers the development and release of the eggs. The high levels of male hormones in females may make them experience abnormal hair growth on the face and body can cause irregular menses. Also, it can lead to health conditions, such as diabetes and heart diseases, over time. Being a serious condition, PCOS needs medical attention and treatment. Precious guidance from certified nutritionists and following their designed PCOS diet plan can help treat PCOS naturally, effectively, and gently.

How Does Diet Affect PCOS?

Even though the exact cause of PCOD in females is yet not clear, certain factors are believed to be contributing to the development condition. Insulin resistance and associated hyperinsulinemia are found to be strong potential factors. So, diet plays a crucial role in causing and aggravating the symptoms of PCOD and PCOS. Females who often savour foods high in saturated fats, sugar, and starch, processed or refined foods and hardly do any exercise or physical activity are at a high risk of developing this condition. The intake of these foods may cause a spike in blood glucose levels and can lead to a reduction in the ability of cells to absorb the sugar in the blood.

PCOS and PCOD diet plans comprising nutritious foods coupled with regular exercise have been proved to be effective in managing the symptoms of PCOD and PCOS. Expert dieticians can help you have the right foods in your diet and avoid unhealthy foods. Check out foods to eat and foods to avoid with PCOS.

What to Eat to Treat PCOD and PCOS?

Check out the healthy foods that you should eat when dealing with PCOS and PCOD.

1. Foods Low in Carbohydrates:

Carbohydrates are known to be an integral part of our regular meals. Since they are made up of glucose, they break into our blood easily and happen to release energy. However, when you suffer from PCOD or PCOS, your body fails to use the glucose effectively; as a result, you suffer from several issues that affect your hair, ovaries, and skin, and finally make the glucose turn into fat. So, you experience weight gain when suffering from PCOD. The intake of foods high in carbohydrates only aggravates the symptoms of PCOD or PCOS. So, it is crucial to eat foods low in carbohydrates to manage the condition. Broccoli, cauliflower, nuts, seeds, leafy greens, and fish are some foods low in carbohydrates that you have.

2. Anti-Inflammatory Foods:

To mitigate inflammation-related symptoms, add anti-inflammatory foods, such as leafy greens, a variety of berries, extra virgin olive oil, and fatty fish, to your PCOD diet plan. The consumption of these foods helps minimize inflammation in your body and reduces symptoms, such as fatigue.

3. Low-Fat Dairy Products:

Medical studies suggest that females with PCOS often suffer from chronic low-grade inflammation. The intake of dairy foods containing lactose and whey may worsen the symptoms of PCOS. Most women with PCOS may not be lactose intolerant but the intake of dairy may aggravate the symptoms. So, it is wise to avoid dairy products when you are suffering from PCOS. There lies a positive connection between low-fat dairy products and PCOS. So, choose to have low-fat dairy products in your diet.

4. Fresh Fruits and Vegetables:

Top your diet with fibre and nutrients. Leafy green vegetables and fruits with high fibre content can be healthy food for PCOS. Replace your favourite carbohydrates abundant snacks with fruits. Green vegetables have abundant nutrients and fewer calories. So, add B vitamins to your diet by increasing leafy greens in your diet. It also helps regulate blood glucose levels in your body.

5. Wholegrain Cereals:

Wholegrain cereals have a low glycaemic index so they are healthy for women suffering from PCOD. Add millets and brown rice to your PCOD diet plan. Jowar, ragi, and bajra are healthy foods for PCOS. Replace white rice with these whole grains as they help alleviate the symptoms of PCOD and promote a healthy weight loss.

6. Foods with a Low Glycaemic Index:

Glycaemic Index (GI) is the measure of your blood glucose that develops in your body after consuming foods. White rice, sugar, carbonated drinks, processed foods, soda, and pasta have a high GI. So, they are the foods to avoid with PCOS. Include foods with a low GI that include legumes, whole grains, and vegetables lacking starch in your PCOD diet plan.

8 Foods to Avoid With PCOS and PCOD:

While you need to add healthy, nutritious foods to your PCOD diet plan, you need to avoid eating unhealthy foods. Refined foods, sugars, foods containing saturated fats, and processed flours you should avoid not only to manage the symptoms of PCOS but also to promote healthy weight loss. Check out some common unhealthy foods to avoid with PCOS.

1. Sugary Foods:

Desserts comprise high-calorie content and have abundant sugars that affect women with PCOD adversely. So, stay away from desserts when following the PCOD diet plan. Also, you should eliminate other sugary foods, such as cookies, cakes, and a variety of sweets packed with sugar.

2. Starchy Vegetables:

You should avoid or limit the intake of starchy vegetables in your PCOD diet plan. These vegetables have abundant carbohydrates which cause a spike in your blood glucose levels and cause hormonal imbalance. So, you can restrict the intake of eating peas, sweet potato, corn, squash, taro, yam, and corn.

3. Canned Fruits and Processed Fruit Concentrates:

You should eliminate processed fruit concentrates, canned fruits, and fruit juices from your PCOS diet plan, as they contain high quantities of added sugar. It is healthy to eat fresh fruits as they contain more nutrients and fibres.

4. Vegetable Oils:

Vegetable oils are not healthy for women with PCOD, as they are highly processed and can be inflammatory due to the high ratio of omega-6 fatty acids. These processed vegetable oils are also linked to heart ailments, obesity, diabetes, and cancer, so they are foods to avoid with PCOS. Opt for healthier substitutes such as avocado oil, ghee, coconut oil, and olive oil.

5. Processed and Refined Foods:

Processed and refined foods, such as instant oatmeal, white bread, rice cakes, white pasta, and white rice, are deprived of fibre and their original nutrient content. Eating processed and refined foods does not supply you with any nutrients except for high quantities of carbohydrates, which are not healthy when dealing with PCOD. So, you should exclude them from your PCOD diet plan.

6. Red Meat:

Avoid or restrict your intake of red meat, such as mutton, when managing PCOD, as it is rich in cholesterol and saturated fats and can worsen the hormonal imbalance. Additionally, processed meats contain high levels of sodium, additives, and preservatives that make them unhealthy foods when dealing with PCOS. So, avoid eating ham, sausages, salami, and other red meat as they are foods to avoid with PCOS.

7. Alcohol and Caffeine:

Both caffeine and alcohol are unhealthy for women suffering from PCOD. The intake of caffeine activates the stress hormones that can cause a spike in levels of insulin. The consumption of alcohol increases your risk of developing liver disease. So, stay away from alcohol and avoid or limit the intake of caffeine.

8. Fried Foods:

Fried foods contain high quantities of hydrogenated and saturated fats. Eating fried foods increases unhealthy fats in your body that cause a rise in the production of estrogen which is not healthy when managing PCOD. So, refrain from eating fried foods.

If you are suffering from PCOD and looking for natural ways to manage the condition, follow a healthy PCOD diet plan comprising nutritious foods and eliminating the unhealthy foods that are listed above. Guidance of certified dieticians, such as health experts at Health Total, can help you add the right foods for PCOS and stay away from foods to avoid when dealing with PCOS with a customised PCOS diet plan. Such a healthy diet not only helps you manage the condition but also promotes a healthy, sustainable weight loss and improves your immunity. So, wait no more, reach out to us online or over a call on 9650684061 and find relief from the condition naturally with our personalized PCOD and PCOS diet plan.