Nutritonist, Belinda Rennie, finishes the series of articles on hormone balance with natural treatment options to help women with polycystic ovarian syndrome.

Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) often starts in the teenage years when young women are eating a diet of primarily sugar, processed foods and fast foods and no longer are exercising regularly. The result can be weight problems, acne, PMS and excessive hair growth. At the hormonal level the body is in chaos - high insulin levels as a result of poor diet and no exercise are affecting the hormones that regulate oestroegens and progesterone stopping ovulation and in turn increasing testosterone levels.

Instead of taking the Pill to regulate hormones or medication to lower insulin levels, this complex hormonal see-saw can be broken by simple lifestyle changes. By cutting back on sugar, eating wholegrains, fruits and vegetables and healthy fats from fish, nuts and organic eggs, women can begin to deal with the serious consequences of POCS including infertility, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and breast cancer.

As high insulin levels are the major factor in PCOS making the cells more resistant to taking up glucose, learning more about glycaemic index is the first step. When you eat a carbohydrate food that has a low glycaemic index (GI<55) the blood sugar levels rise only slowly putting less strain on the body to produce insulin. Check www.glycemicindex.com for a full list of low GI foods.

back to top

Substitute a beige food diet of bread, potatoes, pasta, rice, biscuits, breakfast cereals and sugary processed foods for the following low glycaemic index foods.

• Wholegrain rye/spelt bread
• Brown basmati rice
• Oats/porridge
• All beans and lentils, chickpeas, hommos
• Sweet potatoes and sweetcorn
• Temperate climate fruits (apples, pears, stone fruit, citrus and berries)
• Low fat milk, yoghurt and soy milk

Quality protein such as small fish, low fat dairy, lean meats, pulses and small amounts of raw nuts and seeds not only stabilize energy levels, reduce sugar cravings and improve satiety they can reduce cholesterol and insulin levels. Tofu and other soy products, beans, lentils and flax seeds contain phytoestrogens which are can help balance hormones and make the male hormones less readily available to the body.

Returning to a wholefood diet that is lower in carbohydrate and higher in protein and eating smaller meals more regularly throughout the day keeps your blood sugar stable.

After seeing your health care practitioner you might want to invest in the nutritional supplements chromium, vanadium, magnesium and zinc and omega 3 essential fatty acids which have been shown to help manage insulin resistance. Herbs including wild yam and black cohosh can also be used to treat hormone imbalances but should only be done so with professional help.

Finally, enjoyable exercise needs to be a part of the daily routine – swimming, rollerblading, dance, whatever you can maintain for at least 30-40 minutes. Reducing your weight especially around your middle not only reduces insulin levels but can make your menstrual cycle more regular increasing ovulation rates and fertility.

back to top