Dear Kerri,

Thank you for posting to the PCOS support blog.

You are right, not every person will enjoy the sample day that we put in the article. But that is only one of so many options of what would fit into the nutrition guidelines that we recommend. However, what is most important for women with PCOS and insulin resistance is reducing total carbohydrate intake and focusing on a whole food diet.

There are many people to whom this diet will not be as appealing as we are a culture that has come to believe that processed and refined foods are not very unhealthy for us. Many have managed to replace healthier foods such as vegetables for more convenient packaged foods.

If you do have PCOS, you may be one of the women who struggle with weight, whether that is reducing or maintaining weight and if so then simply “dieting” while maintaining a high carbohydrate diet will not go toward optimizing your health. Lean protein, healthy fats and vegetables should be the basis of the diet. Carbohydrates, especially refined and processed, promote insulin resistance, the underlying cause of PCOS.

Also, it is part of my job to help women understand the need to change their diets and how these changes help to address the insulin resistance, reduce the symptoms and to reduce the risks, such as diabetes, heart disease, that are associated with having PCOS and insulin resistance.

It is part of a comprehensive approach and is just one aspect. Exercise is also crucial. Because not every women with PCOS is the same or will have the same symptoms or experience, everyone will benefit differently. But again, when we are sick and struggling to manage a disease or syndrome, it is often helpful to know that you can be part of solution by making changes in your life.

Most people find that they not only feel better, they enjoy eating foods that they thought they never would.

Kerri, again thanks for sharing your thoughts and feel free to write in again.

–
Best Wishes,
Dr. Heather DeLuca, ND
Insulite Laboratories Consulting & Advisory teams

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