3 mainstream diet advice that Are making your PCOS worse
Oh the diet trends… it would be one thing if they were totally harmless, but it’s a whole other thing when they are causing serious damage to your hormones.
Unfortunately, the majority of diets are often seen through rose-colored glasses. Whether it be weight loss, improved energy, or a reduction of hormonal symptoms, it can be easy to get caught up in the short-term outcomes. However, in the long run, most diets will only exacerbate symptoms, driving:
An all-or-nothing approach to food
Binge-like tendencies and strong cravings
High stress and adrenal dysfunction
Nutrient depletion
Weight cycling and metabolic adaptation
Here are 3 of the most popular diet advice and how they affect your PCOS.
Low Carb:
Whether it be keto, paleo, Optavia, or any other low-carb diet out there, cutting carbs is probably the #1 go-to diet out there for weight loss. Carbs have gotten a bad rap which has created a whole subculture around feeling guilty, shameful, or “bad” whenever it is consumed.
The truth is our bodies require carbohydrates to function. In fact, glucose is our bodies’ main energy source. Without it, all our physiological systems (i.e. digestion, adrenal function, thyroid function, cell regeneration, live function, etc.) will all be negatively impacted. Carbohydrate-rich foods such as fruits and starchy vegetables also contain high quantities of essential vitamins and minerals such as vitamin C, potassium, and B vitamins. Without these nutrients, the body can actually struggle with metabolizing carbohydrates appropriately, which is why so many women initially feel good cutting carbs but continue to struggle long-term. This means that if you’ve been eating low carb on and off for a while, building back your tolerance for carbs over time is key to feeling good while getting the nutrients you need to thrive.
Intermittent Fasting:
Although the internet preaches the benefits of fasting, almost all studies on fasting are done on men, with none completed on cycling women. In fact, fasting has been shown to increase cortisol, lower insulin sensitivity, and drive binge-like behaviors in women. This is particularly important to note for women with PCOS who are more vulnerable to these hormone imbalances.
I find that IF is especially harmful to women who are already struggling with disconnection from their bodies due to chronic dieting. IF teaches you to ignore your appetite cues, have coffee on an empty stomach, and potentially undereat which drives blood sugar roller coasters and adds stress to the body through an increase in cortisol production.
When I help women restore their hormone health while healing their relationship with food, often the first step is to re-establish rhythmic eating patterns that help regulate appetite and create safety in the body.
Vegan Diets:
There has been a huge influx of fear-mongering around animal-based foods. “Eggs are as bad as cigarettes!” “Beef is inflammatory!” “Dairy is full of hormones!” And although I would agree that our food quality may not be the same as it was a few decades ago, that doesn’t mean that going vegan is the answer.
Vegan diets lack essential nutrients that support insulin sensitivity, liver detoxification, and thyroid function. Even if you’ve committed to getting enough protein through plant-based forms, studies have shown that the body is only able to absorb ~75% of proteins from plants whereas 98%+ of animal-based proteins are readily absorbed.
If you find that you are unable to digest animal proteins well, you may need to take baby steps with optimizing digestion. This can look like chewing your food thoroughly, reducing stressors and distractions at meal times, as well as incorporating non-muscle meats l(i.e. eggs, dairy, organ meats, bone broth) which are easier to break down.
So the takeaway? Improving your symptoms of PCOS isn’t going to come in the form of a crash diet. Instead, it’s going to look like learning how to consistently nourish your body with a diversity of foods through the ebbs and flows of life. When you prioritize an approach that is enjoyable, doable, and sustainable, you will begin to see improvement in your PCOS symptoms and start feeling better sooner rather than later.
