Lifestyle tips for PCOS
In order to talk about lifestyle measures for managing PCOS, it’s important to understand what exactly PCOS is and what the underlying drivers of it can be.
So what is PCOS? PCOS stands for Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome. It has 3 main features:
Absent or irregular ovulation: typically presenting as irregular or absent periods.
Excess androgen hormone: typically seen as acne and excess facial hair.
Polycystic ovaries on an ultrasound scan (1).
It affects around 10% of women and is the leading worldwide cause of infertility. Unfortunately it is underdiagnosed, with an estimated 70% of women with the condition remaining undiagnosed (2).
Fortunately our understanding of PCOS and the importance of getting a diagnosis is increasing. The most major breakthrough in the understanding and treatment of PCOS has been it’s association with insulin resistance. The majority of women with PCOS can make insulin but their bodies are less responsive to it which raises blood sugar levels. If we can address the underlying insulin resistance we can look to treat PCOS at its root cause rather than just the symptoms.
So here are my top tips for managing PCOS:
Track that cycle! The best way to know if you’re suffering with PCOS is to know when and if you’re ovulating. The best way to check for this is to track your cycle using symptothermal monitoring. While it sounds complicated with the right training you can easily identify your own ovulation by tracking your waking temperature. It’s also a great way to check if your PCOS is improving. I’d recommend using the FDA approved app Natural Cycles to this; it takes the pain out of having to make your own calculations and has been proven to be highly effective (4).
Balance your plate! Eating balanced meals of protein, complex carbohydrates and fruit and vegetables helps to increase insulin levels. In particular low GI carbohydrates help to avoid those high spikes in blood sugar that can worsen the insulin resistance seen in PCOS. A helpful evidence based resource is the British Dietetic Association guide linked below (5).
Girls get strong! There is increasing evidence that strength and HITT training are best for treating insulin resistance in PCOS. This in contrast to endurance training which may cause prolonged release of stress hormones increasing your blood sugar levels (6).
Find your community! Getting a diagnosis of PCOS can feel devastating and women often feel isolated and alone in managing it. However there is a growing online community for support. PCOS charity Verity is a great source of information and emerging research (7), while The PCOS Challenge online forum provides a worldwide forum on different aspects of wellbeing impacted by PCOS (8).
Be kind to your mind! PCOS is associated with depression and anxiety, as well as body image issues and disordered eating (9). I’d encourage you if you are suffering with PCOS to be mindful of your mental health and seek help early from a health care professional if you are showing symptoms of low mood, anxiety, binge eating or highly restrictive eating.
PCOS is a difficult diagnosis to swallow but hopefully the above information you will find empowering and you can practice self-compassion as you build these changes into your lifestyle.
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