Handling PCOS and insulin issues naturally...

[Dianne-TX]

I'm thinking more and more of my health issues are pointing to insulin issues and are due to my PCOS. I don't think about PCOS most of the time and actually forgot about it until recently while I've been dealing with health issues. Long story short, I've been dealing with swollen feet/ankles/legs all summer, hair thinning and coming out, dizzy episodes, shakiness, skin tags, weight gain/weight stalled, mood issues, etc., etc... Surprisingly, I've not had menstrual cycle issues, which is why I've not thought about PCOS for a long time. I've had all the blood work done which turned up nothing and began thinking I was having thyroid issues (which still may be true, but not in relation to my PCOS). I'm now back to reality and realizing that insulin resistance goes along with PCOS and the symptoms I'm having are issues with my insulin, I think. I started chromium today in addition to my other supplements I take daily. (multi, fish oil, cal/mag, vit c, vit d3, biotin, brevail, probiotic, Bcomplex) What else have you found that acts as an insulin sensitizer/stablizer? I've slowly entered into a grain-free eating lifestyle, but now realize I may need to look for hidden sugars and cut out fruit to see if the swelling will go away. I'm treating myself like a pre-diabetic. I started exercising again, too. I've heard that cinnamon helps. Any experience with that or others? Any other ideas or advice that might help me?

Edited September 23, 2011 by Dianne-TX

[Liz CA]

Don't know much about PCOS but are your swollen ankles due to water accumulation/retaining water or inflammation?

If it's inflammation, you can add turmeric to your daily regimen of supplements.

[Jean in Newcastle]

I've said this in other threads but the biggest thing that has helped me is actually monitoring my blood sugar. I got a free glucometer online (and 10 free test strips) and started to monitor my fasting blood sugar and 2 hours after eating. It took me about a month to figure out how I could eat and keep my blood sugar within normal ranges. In my case, it has been keeping my carbs around 150 g. a day. I cannot have more than 30 g. of carbs per meal. If I do, my sugar goes out of control. Having immediate feedback was invaluable for me. Also - as my blood sugars stabilized, I started to tell when it was out of whack because I wasn't feeling poorly all the time any more. Keeping my blood sugar stabilized has made 14 pounds (so far) melt off. I am not eating less calories per day than before or exercising more. The only difference is that I do not have excess insulin acting as a fat storer. The other change has been that my body, including my ankles are not swollen and retaining water.

[bbsweetpea]

Hopefully this makes since because I am on a high dose of prednisone (day 5 of 12) for asthma issues. My brain is not working great right now. LOL

 

I just started taking this but am not sure how well it works. I did have two periods this summer though after only having one in a year. I take two pills a day. In the past I have had luck with fenugreek but it bothers my stomach. I only use it when trying to track ovulation (past that stage in life).

 

Limiting carbs, exercising daily or at least 4-5 days a week helps with my insulin resistance. Limiting salt and drinking lots of water helps with any water retention for me as well. I do not drink soda's and limit caffeine since I also am hypothyroid. Good Luck! I do not take Metformin because it does not work well with my body.

 

Garden of Life Minami Nutrition PlusEPA Mind Formula

 

| Like 1316760253 false 1 0 0 0 (0)

 

 

 

 

 

 

List Price: $41.21 Price: $37.41 & this item ships for FREE with Super Saver Shipping. Details Deal Price: You Save: $3.80 (9%)

[jennsmile]

Have you heard of Dr. Lee?

 

He wrote, What your Doctor may not tell you about Prememonpause.

 

It talks about how to use natural progesterone to balance your hormones.

 

Great ideas. I used it to help me get pregnant!

[Dianne-TX]

Thank you, everyone. I'm staring this in the face this time. One thing I'm deciding on is whether or not to eat any fruit right now. I love my green smoothies, though. Is fruit off limits if you really want to get the insulin under control?

[Sputterduck]

This http://www.chiralbalance.com/

 

Research the role it plays in PCOS.

[AK_Mom4]

Thank you, everyone. I'm staring this in the face this time. One thing I'm deciding on is whether or not to eat any fruit right now. I love my green smoothies, though. Is fruit off limits if you really want to get the insulin under control?

 

First....not all fruit is created equal. Personally, I find that grapes raise my blood sugar totally out of proportion to other fruits. Melons work better for me and apples are a free-food (don't bother me at all). That's where having the meter and testing your blood comes in handy - find out WHAT you can have and what is a no-no.

 

Same thing with veggies - carrots have carbs, but don't affect me much. Corn on the other hand is right out of the question except in very small portions eaten with a no-carb meal.

 

The answer on your green smoothies is to look at the recipe you are using - some have more veggies and less fruit. There are sites you can get the carb count for various veggies/fruits. I suspect you can have your smoothie and drink it too if you watch what's in it....

[Dianne-TX]

This http://www.chiralbalance.com/

 

Research the role it plays in PCOS.

 

Interesting. Never heard of it or the biological explanation for it either. Thank you for sharing.

[Dianne-TX]

First....not all fruit is created equal. Personally, I find that grapes raise my blood sugar totally out of proportion to other fruits. Melons work better for me and apples are a free-food (don't bother me at all). That's where having the meter and testing your blood comes in handy - find out WHAT you can have and what is a no-no.

 

Same thing with veggies - carrots have carbs, but don't affect me much. Corn on the other hand is right out of the question except in very small portions eaten with a no-carb meal.

 

The answer on your green smoothies is to look at the recipe you are using - some have more veggies and less fruit. There are sites you can get the carb count for various veggies/fruits. I suspect you can have your smoothie and drink it too if you watch what's in it....

 

Is checking insulin different than a glucose test when you get blood work? My glucose came back normal as did my a1c. I don't see anything on my blood work that talks about insulin, though. I know the symptoms I'm having are from blood sugar, insulin and similar to diabetics.

[Jean in Newcastle]

Is checking insulin different than a glucose test when you get blood work? My glucose came back normal as did my a1c. I don't see anything on my blood work that talks about insulin, though. I know the symptoms I'm having are from blood sugar, insulin and similar to diabetics.

 

Yes. Because it is giving your immediate level for each day. A glucose test just tests your level right them (often when you are fasting). And an a1c only shows a pattern. I tested fine for both glucose tests and a1c and was shocked when I got a glucometer and found that contrary to what the doctor told me, I really do have a problem. I think the reason is that those tests do great for finding full blown diabetes that is out of control but not so good for those of us who might have fine blood sugar control some of the time just because of what we happened to eat at the time, and bad blood sugar control at other times when we over indulge. But no matter what the reason, my reality was that a glucometer showed me a problem that blood tests at the doctor's office had not been able to find.

[Katy]

Uhm... I developed reactive hypoglycemia, ovarian cyst & thyroid issues when I was in high school after eating a high-soy vegetarian diet for several years. I've come up with natural ways of dealing with all of these, but I'm warning you, none of them are easy. :001_huh: In the long term they are, but in the short term they involve hours of exercise per day and ridiculously strict diets. It's like a jump-start to healthy & then you get to relax a little.

 

These are complicated, so I'm going to split this up into topics:

 

The MOST effective thing for fixing blood sugar/insulin issues (assuming you've already been tested and are definitely NOT diabetic) is EXERCISE and allowing yourself to feel hungry.

 

I became friends with someone from Italy who said Italians stay thin because they walk everywhere... everything is in walking distance so they rarely get in cars. She said they walk like 3 hours a day, and she rarely saw anyone fat there. So I started walking 3 hours a day. Sometimes I split this up into 3 or 4 sessions. On a couple rainy days I did this in the mall, shopping. Slowly at first, then I worked my way up to about 4 miles an hour, so by the end of the day I'd walked an extra 10-12 miles MORE than my normal routine (and at the time it was a summer between college and I was working a waitressing job). My Italian friend also said most people in Europe eat one meal a day. They may snack on fruit or nuts or something but mainly they eat one big meal. I did that too. When I'd get so shaky I couldn't function I'd get a small serving of whatever snack I wanted: even a candy bar or soda. But then once a day I'd have one main meal. I made sure I included protein and vegetables, but otherwise I'd eat whatever I wanted, as much as I wanted.

 

My weight dropped like crazy. I probably dropped from a size 16 to a size 8 in maybe a month. When you think about it, it's difficult to eat more than 1200 calories in a sitting, even if it involves heavy things like cream sauces. Add in a few hundred calories of soda or whatever snack I ate, and I'd bet my daily calorie count ranged from 1000-1600 calories a day, and except for being hungry sometimes and dragging through boring walking, it was extremely easy. I got more sleep, I got more sun, and I've never really had blood sugar issues since. A few times when I felt like I did I'd exercise a little more (going from no exercise to something simple like an hour of walking), and blood sugar issues would be completely gone within maybe 3 days. That's how much exercise and the sensation of being hungry get rid of insulin resistance. Since then I've read some studies that allowing yourself to feel hunger and exercise both drop insulin resistance.

 

Something else I'd tried that worked somewhat, but not as well, was a limited carb diet- carefully tracking carbs to keep levels between 60-100 grams a day, always making sure I was eating more fat and protein than carbs with every single meal, and eating 5 or 6 small meals a day. It was called the HAI diet, and I'm sure I found it online. Honestly, hours of easy exercise and focusing on one meal a day were much more effective.

 

Thyroid/PCOS issues can be a little more complicated to deal with naturally...

 

First thyroid... And it sounds like many of your issues are thyroid to me... ask your doctor for your NUMBERS because the "normal" guidelines actually changed about 5 years ago and many docs don't keep up with research and go by the old numbers. If you're borderline, you can ask for treatment (generics are $4/month at Walmart) OR do something naturally with diet. Natural options would be avoiding things that block iodine: soy, cruciferous vegetables for example. And adding things that include iodine (certain foods, iodized salt, sea vegetables, even supplements from a healthfood store). Also, a vitamin D deficiency can cause thyroid levels to appear normal in bloodwork but the hormones to not function properly... I think I've read some doctors like Dr Mercola reccommend something like 8000 IU of vitamin D3 a day... you might have vitamin D level tested though... I don't know if it gets toxic like vitamin A if you have too much of it, or if it's water soluable.

 

Um, ovarian cyst wise... this is generally an imbalance of estrogen (estrogen is too high compared to other sex hormones). Once in the midst of particularly painful periods I googled & found a PCRM article on painful periods and estrogen imbalance. They recommended an almost zero fat vegan diet. Honestly I could only handle this for about 3 weeks, but that was enough. I haven't had painful periods in the probably 7 years since. Here's the link: http://www.pcrm.org/health/health-topics/using-foods-against-menstrual-pain

 

I probably wouldn't do a diet like that for long even if I did have the discipline to stick to it--soy blocks iodine, and I have a personal theory that in general more natural foods like meats, fish, veggies, and fruit is healthier than things like grains and beans, which contain antinutrients and must be cooked to make them edible anyway. Clear as mud?

 

Hope that helps.

 

Oh, one other thing... you might want to VERY CAREFULLY track your nutrition to make sure you're not deficient in anything. I use a free site called http://cronometer.com/ to track things for a few days whenever I make major diet changes.

[PiCO]

I've said this in other threads but the biggest thing that has helped me is actually monitoring my blood sugar. I got a free glucometer online (and 10 free test strips) and started to monitor my fasting blood sugar and 2 hours after eating. It took me about a month to figure out how I could eat and keep my blood sugar within normal ranges. In my case, it has been keeping my carbs around 150 g. a day.

 

I started monitoring my blood sugar late last summer, after reading one of Jean's posts (thanks, Jean!) The first fasting (morning) blood sugar I took was over 200. CRAP! I thought it was a mistake. I made an appointment with my internist. By the time my appointment rolled around 3 weeks later, my fasting blood sugar was 129 (still not good.) HBa1C wasn't so great either.

 

This morning, my blood sugar was 98. Not great, but no longer a disaster. My blood sugar hasn't been over 120 in weeks. I have done this without medication. I reduced my blood sugar by monitoring my diet and how my body responds to different foods. I only eat about 50 carbs per day, all from green veggies. I feel absolutely fantastic. I dropped 20 lbs right off the bat, without reducing calories at all. I have increased exercise, because that helps use up blood sugar and increase insulin sensitivity... seems to be working.

 

Oh, I'm pretty sure I also have PCOS, but I've never been diagnosed. I know I've had a lot of ovarian cysts.

[Dianne-TX]

Okay, so where do I get a glucometer and how much are they? I doubt I'll go through a dr. because I've been to three, including an internist and chiro., and they ran the gamut of tests and just prescribed a diruetic. The chiro. was helpful, but nothing about blood sugar was mentioned. He just holds to a grain-free lifestyle for pretty much any routine medical problem. But, the md's were not much help. So, I'm sure insurance would pay for one if the dr. wrote me a script for it, but not going to happen. Also, how do I know what to do? Test first thing in the a.m. for a fasting test, then what? Is there a guide somewhere? How have you done it specifically, Jean? After I eat, how long do I wait to test? How do I know if the level is normal or not? So many questions, I know. Thanks for the help, everyone.

[Tigger]

Is checking insulin different than a glucose test when you get blood work? My glucose came back normal as did my a1c. I don't see anything on my blood work that talks about insulin, though. I know the symptoms I'm having are from blood sugar, insulin and similar to diabetics.

 

If you have PCO, your insulin is going to be driving your hormone levels (testosterone, LH, etc.) into skewed directions, which will cause many of the symptoms and also push you toward weight gain. It isn't your glucose levels that are necessarily the problem, but your insulin response (too much) and habitually higher than normal insulin levels.

 

Stabilizing both carbohydrate and protein intake is important. You need quality protein (PCO's tend to be protein averse) and limited carbs to stabilize your blood sugars and insulin levels.

 

As someone else noted, not all fruit is created equal and much of what we class vegetable is in fact fruit (think cucumbers, tomatoes, peppers, etc.). So limited your "typical fruit" selections does not necessarily mean you're literally eliminating fruits, you're likely not, you're just not eating the sweeter varieties.

 

Low glycemic load fruits include all berries, canteloupe and honeydew. I'd personally suggest not including those for a while though, keep carbs low to stablize your blood glucose levels and insulin and lose some weight.

 

If you lower carbs, you'll likely experience a period within a month of good eating because your insulin will stop pounding on your ovaries and your hormone levels will stabilize some (you'll often become fertile, so if you're not using BC and do not want to get pregnant, use caution - I have a PCO friend who lowered carbs dramatically and wound up at the doc because she was TTC, started the diet, and still hadn't gotten her period and was concerned since each time she did the diet her ovulation started again - turned out she was pregnant and it was with twins!).

 

Your protein is important - eat meats, chicken, eggs, etc. to get in enough protein each day, but not too much. Protein also stimulates insulin, so you don't want to over-do it, but you do need to make sure you're eating enough to meet your needs. Basically a pretty good easy to follow guideline is each meal (3 a day) is a protein and two non-starchy vegetables with each meal.

[Jean in Newcastle]

Okay, so where do I get a glucometer and how much are they? I doubt I'll go through a dr. because I've been to three, including an internist and chiro., and they ran the gamut of tests and just prescribed a diruetic. The chiro. was helpful, but nothing about blood sugar was mentioned. He just holds to a grain-free lifestyle for pretty much any routine medical problem. But, the md's were not much help. So, I'm sure insurance would pay for one if the dr. wrote me a script for it, but not going to happen. Also, how do I know what to do? Test first thing in the a.m. for a fasting test, then what? Is there a guide somewhere? How have you done it specifically, Jean? After I eat, how long do I wait to test? How do I know if the level is normal or not? So many questions, I know. Thanks for the help, everyone.

 

I got a free glucometer online. (The one I got was the freestyle but there are tons of offers out there.) It came with 10 free test strips. Since using those up I have bought at full price (around $60) another bottle of 50 test strips. You can find test strips cheaper online through Amazon and the like. If I went through my doctor and got a prescription, which I have not done, I would just pay the co-pay and insurance would pick up the rest of the tab. I have chosen not to go that route right now because I do not want a diagnosis of diabetes for insurance reasons. If I could not manage my blood sugar by myself, I would of course take the diagnosis and insurance help with meds.

 

I've heard that you can get inexpensive glucometers at Walmart that come with cheaper test strips. I don't live near a Walmart and chose not to go that route.

 

If you google blood sugar levels you will get basic advice online. This is what I shoot for:

 

Fasting lower than 100 (as PICO mentioned, it's better to be lower than in the 90's but like her, I'm happy with that for now. As I continue to exercise, watch my sugars and lose weight, I hope that my fasting sugars will be in the 70's, which would be perfect.)

 

Test 2 hours after eating - You want this number to be lower than 120. I kept a food diary at first and it was extremely helpful for finding out how many carbs I could tolerate, what kind of carbs (veggies have carbs too) etc. (BTW - these numbers are considered "normal". It is a continuum and doctors often don't consider you diabetic until your blood sugars are over 200, even though the numbers between 120 and 200 are still above normal.)

 

Exercise is good, but realize that the stress of intense exercise can make your blood sugar rise at first.

[Katy]

You can get a glucometer at any drugstore or discount store like Walmart in the pharmacy section. Some of them (newer ones with the most expensive strips) are free. But I'd recommend going with one that has cheap strips, even if it costs much more money. You also need lancets to poke your finger, and alcohol swabs to clean your finger before you poke it. The blood in your fingertips has a more accurate blood sugar reading, so there's really no reason to get the expensive ones where you test your arm.

 

Fasting blood sugar means after having gone at least 8 hours without calories- so it's generally done first thing in the morning.

 

To learn how food affects you, test before you eat, 20-30 minutes after you're done eating, and 2 hours after eating. Some people find low carb works best. Others find that too much fat in their diet has a negative affect too. After a few weeks you'll get a good feel for which foods keep your blood sugar down.

[Guest LMG462]

Tigger is right on. Glucose testing is not the same as having your insulin tested. You are more likely to get that test ran and interpreted correctly if you see a reproductive endocrinologist. I am 33 and have delt with pcos since my teens. By far, with or with out meds, my body responds the best to carb restricted diets. I find south beach to be a good one and also paleo which I am doing now. It is amazing how quickly my body responds to the dietary changes. You mentioned you are taking biotin. That is a great supplement for hair loss, just make sure you are taking high levels. It is water soluble so you don't have to worry about toxicity however hair will grow everywhere unfortunately.

[Dianne-TX]

Uhm... I developed reactive hypoglycemia, ovarian cyst & thyroid issues when I was in high school after eating a high-soy vegetarian diet for several years. I've come up with natural ways of dealing with all of these, but I'm warning you, none of them are easy. :001_huh: In the long term they are, but in the short term they involve hours of exercise per day and ridiculously strict diets. It's like a jump-start to healthy & then you get to relax a little.

 

These are complicated, so I'm going to split this up into topics:

 

The MOST effective thing for fixing blood sugar/insulin issues (assuming you've already been tested and are definitely NOT diabetic) is EXERCISE and allowing yourself to feel hungry.

 

I became friends with someone from Italy who said Italians stay thin because they walk everywhere... everything is in walking distance so they rarely get in cars. She said they walk like 3 hours a day, and she rarely saw anyone fat there. So I started walking 3 hours a day. Sometimes I split this up into 3 or 4 sessions. On a couple rainy days I did this in the mall, shopping. Slowly at first, then I worked my way up to about 4 miles an hour, so by the end of the day I'd walked an extra 10-12 miles MORE than my normal routine (and at the time it was a summer between college and I was working a waitressing job). My Italian friend also said most people in Europe eat one meal a day. They may snack on fruit or nuts or something but mainly they eat one big meal. I did that too. When I'd get so shaky I couldn't function I'd get a small serving of whatever snack I wanted: even a candy bar or soda. But then once a day I'd have one main meal. I made sure I included protein and vegetables, but otherwise I'd eat whatever I wanted, as much as I wanted.

 

My weight dropped like crazy. I probably dropped from a size 16 to a size 8 in maybe a month. When you think about it, it's difficult to eat more than 1200 calories in a sitting, even if it involves heavy things like cream sauces. Add in a few hundred calories of soda or whatever snack I ate, and I'd bet my daily calorie count ranged from 1000-1600 calories a day, and except for being hungry sometimes and dragging through boring walking, it was extremely easy. I got more sleep, I got more sun, and I've never really had blood sugar issues since. A few times when I felt like I did I'd exercise a little more (going from no exercise to something simple like an hour of walking), and blood sugar issues would be completely gone within maybe 3 days. That's how much exercise and the sensation of being hungry get rid of insulin resistance. Since then I've read some studies that allowing yourself to feel hunger and exercise both drop insulin resistance.

 

Something else I'd tried that worked somewhat, but not as well, was a limited carb diet- carefully tracking carbs to keep levels between 60-100 grams a day, always making sure I was eating more fat and protein than carbs with every single meal, and eating 5 or 6 small meals a day. It was called the HAI diet, and I'm sure I found it online. Honestly, hours of easy exercise and focusing on one meal a day were much more effective.

 

Thyroid/PCOS issues can be a little more complicated to deal with naturally...

 

First thyroid... And it sounds like many of your issues are thyroid to me... ask your doctor for your NUMBERS because the "normal" guidelines actually changed about 5 years ago and many docs don't keep up with research and go by the old numbers. If you're borderline, you can ask for treatment (generics are $4/month at Walmart) OR do something naturally with diet. Natural options would be avoiding things that block iodine: soy, cruciferous vegetables for example. And adding things that include iodine (certain foods, iodized salt, sea vegetables, even supplements from a healthfood store). Also, a vitamin D deficiency can cause thyroid levels to appear normal in bloodwork but the hormones to not function properly... I think I've read some doctors like Dr Mercola reccommend something like 8000 IU of vitamin D3 a day... you might have vitamin D level tested though... I don't know if it gets toxic like vitamin A if you have too much of it, or if it's water soluable.

 

Um, ovarian cyst wise... this is generally an imbalance of estrogen (estrogen is too high compared to other sex hormones). Once in the midst of particularly painful periods I googled & found a PCRM article on painful periods and estrogen imbalance. They recommended an almost zero fat vegan diet. Honestly I could only handle this for about 3 weeks, but that was enough. I haven't had painful periods in the probably 7 years since. Here's the link: http://www.pcrm.org/health/health-topics/using-foods-against-menstrual-pain

 

I probably wouldn't do a diet like that for long even if I did have the discipline to stick to it--soy blocks iodine, and I have a personal theory that in general more natural foods like meats, fish, veggies, and fruit is healthier than things like grains and beans, which contain antinutrients and must be cooked to make them edible anyway. Clear as mud?

 

Hope that helps.

 

Oh, one other thing... you might want to VERY CAREFULLY track your nutrition to make sure you're not deficient in anything. I use a free site called http://cronometer.com/ to track things for a few days whenever I make major diet changes.

 

This is good info. Thanks.

[Dianne-TX]

Okay, I'm understanding what to do. In addition to getting a glucometer and testing in the morning and then 2 hours after I eat each time, I am doing the following:

 

-exercise (just walking 2 miles/30 min. or so. that's what I've done this week.)

 

-adopted a "committed" low carb/no carb diet

(I've done this slowly and inconsistently up to this point, but now it's a committment. No bread/grains of any kind, no sugar, just lots of protein, veggies, nuts, good fats/oils and I'm still not sure about fruit. I might get off fruit for a few days and see what happens.) I'm nervous about this because any eating changes I've ever made do.not.last.ugh.

 

-continue taking my supplements and seeing which ones give me results that are suppose to help insulin issues. I just started taking Chromium and I think I'm going to add cinnamon, too.

 

Now, what foods do you guys eat? I have ideas (how hard can it be to just eat meat and veggies all the time!), but it would help to hear others, too.

[Momof3littles]

If you have PCO, your insulin is going to be driving your hormone levels (testosterone, LH, etc.) into skewed directions, which will cause many of the symptoms and also push you toward weight gain. It isn't your glucose levels that are necessarily the problem, but your insulin response (too much) and habitually higher than normal insulin levels.

 

Stabilizing both carbohydrate and protein intake is important. You need quality protein (PCO's tend to be protein averse) and limited carbs to stabilize your blood sugars and insulin levels.

 

As someone else noted, not all fruit is created equal and much of what we class vegetable is in fact fruit (think cucumbers, tomatoes, peppers, etc.). So limited your "typical fruit" selections does not necessarily mean you're literally eliminating fruits, you're likely not, you're just not eating the sweeter varieties.

 

Low glycemic load fruits include all berries, canteloupe and honeydew. I'd personally suggest not including those for a while though, keep carbs low to stablize your blood glucose levels and insulin and lose some weight.

 

If you lower carbs, you'll likely experience a period within a month of good eating because your insulin will stop pounding on your ovaries and your hormone levels will stabilize some (you'll often become fertile, so if you're not using BC and do not want to get pregnant, use caution - I have a PCO friend who lowered carbs dramatically and wound up at the doc because she was TTC, started the diet, and still hadn't gotten her period and was concerned since each time she did the diet her ovulation started again - turned out she was pregnant and it was with twins!).

 

Your protein is important - eat meats, chicken, eggs, etc. to get in enough protein each day, but not too much. Protein also stimulates insulin, so you don't want to over-do it, but you do need to make sure you're eating enough to meet your needs. Basically a pretty good easy to follow guideline is each meal (3 a day) is a protein and two non-starchy vegetables with each meal.

:iagree:

 

I do use metformin for my PCOS. I have low D and supplement w/ d3. Check into magnesium (commonly deficient in those who are IR) and calcium and D and their interplay. Reduce your exposure to BPA (canned goods, polycarbonate, store register receipts, etc) and plastics. BPA has been tied to central adiposity and IR in men.

 

I don't do this, but plan to use intermittent fasting to improve insulin sensitivity in the future. I'm currently BFing and don't want to fast while nursing.

 

Read Gary Taubes' articles in the NYT: Is Sugar Toxic? and What If It Is All A Big Fat Lie? Check out his books: Why We Get Fat and What To Do About It is less science-intense than Good Calories, Bad Calories (I have read GCBC and loved it, but it isn't for anyone not pretty comfy reading science stuff).

[kitten18]

-adopted a "committed" low carb/no carb diet

(I've done this slowly and inconsistently up to this point, but now it's a committment. No bread/grains of any kind, no sugar, just lots of protein, veggies, nuts, good fats/oils and I'm still not sure about fruit. I might get off fruit for a few days and see what happens.) I'm nervous about this because any eating changes I've ever made do.not.last.ugh.

 

 

It will be easier for you to control cravings and eat low carb if you eliminate all fruit for a couple weeks. When you add some fruit back in, I would start with berries. They generally have the least impact on blood sugar. It's also good to mix the fruit with fat and/or protein (berries and cream, 1/2 small apple with some cheese, etc.).

[Jean in Newcastle]

 

Now, what foods do you guys eat? I have ideas (how hard can it be to just eat meat and veggies all the time!), but it would help to hear others, too.

 

The thing I like about testing my blood sugar is that I get immediate feedback - or at least feedback two hours after the fact. I've found that I can eat a little bit more carbs at breakfast and it doesn't affect my blood sugar. Sometimes I can eat fruit then. I've found that lunch is an especially hard time for my blood sugar to stay stable so I have a salad with protein then. I've found that I can eat 1 sq. of dark chocolate after lunch and my blood sugar is still fine. It allows me to have some indulgences (like the dark chocolate) without fear and yet monitor those times or those foods that cause problems for me. This is important to me because it allows me to continue eating this way.

[Katy]

If you're committed to the low carb thing- there's a diet book called the Ultimate New York Body Plan by David Kirsch that was pretty popular a few years back. He's got some amazingly yummy recipes. It's cooking intense because it's a different recipe for 5 meals a day, but he does allow you to swap a handful of almonds for one (yum!) and a protein shake for another (yuck!) to limit the cooking somewhat. See if your library has it, or other books in the series with his recipes. So amazingly good.

[AK_Mom4]

Now, what foods do you guys eat? I have ideas (how hard can it be to just eat meat and veggies all the time!), but it would help to hear others, too.

 

What do I eat? Breakfast is oatmeal or eggs. I eat my oatmeal plain or with a banana chopped up in it if my am blood sugar reading is low. Scrambled eggs, omelets, and hard boiled eggs are my favs. When I burnout on those, I have a bowl of Special K with low-fat milk (watch the portion size though with boxed cereals).

 

Lunch is my toughest meal, oddly enough. I have leftovers, soup (read the can as some are lower carb than others), salad, grilled chicken breast, egg salad or tuna salad in a bowl (YUM!).

 

Dinner - I eat low carb, everyone else in the family is not. So that means generally meat dishes with a mix of low carb/high carb sides. Night before last was hamburgers (no bun for me), salad, cantaloupe, and mac/cheese for everyone else. DH grills extras so I have leftover patties for lunch. On spaghetti night, I eat the sauce and salad with no pasta. Taco salad one night with the chips on the side so everyone else could add them, but I could skip. Pizza with everything - I scrape the toppings off and don't eat the crust. Fajitas - excellent, I just don't eat the tortilla.

 

Snacks - almonds, celery plain and with cream cheese, peppers, some carrots, cheese sticks, raw broccoli/cauliflower pieces, peanut butter on veggies or apple slices.

 

Avoiding potatos, breads, and most rice takes low-carb a long way....

[Jean in Newcastle]

What do I eat? Breakfast is oatmeal or eggs. I eat my oatmeal plain or with a banana chopped up in it if my am blood sugar reading is low. Scrambled eggs, omelets, and hard boiled eggs are my favs. When I burnout on those, I have a bowl of Special K with low-fat milk (watch the portion size though with boxed cereals).

 

Lunch is my toughest meal, oddly enough. I have leftovers, soup (read the can as some are lower carb than others), salad, grilled chicken breast, egg salad or tuna salad in a bowl (YUM!).

 

Dinner - I eat low carb, everyone else in the family is not. So that means generally meat dishes with a mix of low carb/high carb sides. Night before last was hamburgers (no bun for me), salad, cantaloupe, and mac/cheese for everyone else. DH grills extras so I have leftover patties for lunch. On spaghetti night, I eat the sauce and salad with no pasta. Taco salad one night with the chips on the side so everyone else could add them, but I could skip. Pizza with everything - I scrape the toppings off and don't eat the crust. Fajitas - excellent, I just don't eat the tortilla.

 

Snacks - almonds, celery plain and with cream cheese, peppers, some carrots, cheese sticks, raw broccoli/cauliflower pieces, peanut butter on veggies or apple slices.

 

Avoiding potatos, breads, and most rice takes low-carb a long way....

 

I wanted to say that testing has allowed me to tailor my carb intake to what works for me. In my case, I can have have a lower carb diet without going all the way low carb. When I do have carbs I make sure that they are whole grain. The fiber means that they are not converted to sugar as fast as refined carbs. I do agree with what AK Mom and others have said about making sure that you have protein with each meal. It makes a huge difference.

[Momof3littles]

My breakfasts: Eggs, mock danish using erythritol (basically a sweetened omelet w/ cream cheese. Can google for a recipe), greek yogurt (full fat, unsweetened). Sometimes I add a teensy bit of stevia to the yogurt. Cottage cheese (full fat) with or without a tomato added (if I add tomato I like salt and pepper on it. I find oatmeal makes my blood sugars all too wonky (I don't test but I can *feel* it). Ditto cereal. I would advise skipping those. I sometimes have an almond flour muffin or slice of quickbread made of almond or coconut flour. On weekends I occasionally have coconut flour waffles. I like peeling and cubing delicata squash (remove seeds) and then sauteeing that with bacon and some onion this time of the year. Add some sea salt and garlic powder and it is a great sub for hash browns. Yum. Smoothies made w/ unsweetened almond milk and Jay Robb protein powder. Sometimes I add a few berries. Quiche and egg bake dishes (no crust or bread) that I cook and then eat for the next 2-3 days.

 

Lunch: dinner leftovers, sometimes a better brand of deli meat (watch for hidden sugars) rolled around a slice of cream cheese or rolled up with some cheese. Sometimes w/ a pickle in the middle. Cottage cheese, unsweetened yogurt. Salads. Chicken salad, greek salad (feta, olives, pepperocini, tomatoes, cucumbers. Reheat crustless quiche and have that with a salad. Soup (I make chicken rice soup using hearts of palm shredded in the food processor in lieu of rice), chili, etc. are good if you make up a huge batch and then freeze in freezer jars-just defrost and you have an easy lunch ready to go.

 

Dinner-protein and 2 veggies is pretty standard for us. I like casseroles here: http://www.genaw.com/lowcarb/recipes.html

 

eta: In my experience, once you get into a groove with substitutions that work for your family, it really isn't that difficult. I have a sub for pretty much everything by now, and that keeps me happy. Just knowing I have options makes me not really "miss" most things. I think that's a key for me. If I know there is some sub I *could* have, I feel less "woe is me" about my way of eating.

Edited September 23, 2011 by Momof3littles

[Sputterduck]

Interesting. Never heard of it or the biological explanation for it either. Thank you for sharing.

 

You can read about people's experience with it at this large pcos forum http://www.soulcysters.net/

[YLVD]

First....not all fruit is created equal. Personally, I find that grapes raise my blood sugar totally out of proportion to other fruits. Melons work better for me and apples are a free-food (don't bother me at all). That's where having the meter and testing your blood comes in handy - find out WHAT you can have and what is a no-no.

 

Same thing with veggies - carrots have carbs, but don't affect me much. Corn on the other hand is right out of the question except in very small portions eaten with a no-carb meal.

 

The answer on your green smoothies is to look at the recipe you are using - some have more veggies and less fruit. There are sites you can get the carb count for various veggies/fruits. I suspect you can have your smoothie and drink it too if you watch what's in it....

 

:iagree:

 

Sadly, my DD was diagnosed with PCOS at age 13. She too had normal periods but all of the other symptoms.

 

She did take Metformin for a while and it helps jump start a bit of weight loss but not a dramatic amount. The doctor is considering whether to put her back on it.

 

I agree with the fact that not all fruits are created the same. I've made my DD fruit smoothies and used blueberries and half a banana and it was fine. I just also added protein powder and lots of greens to balance it out.

 

Honestly, what has really helped my DD is the diet change and exercise. She has seen a juvenile endocrinologist and she echoes all of that. As soon as we dropped out most of the grains and she amped up her exercise, the neck darkening went away mostly and other stuff got better.

 

What we were told is that the workout needs to be very regular and quite intense to really make a difference. Good luck

[PiCO]

Okay, so where do I get a glucometer and how much are they? I doubt I'll go through a dr. because I've been to three, including an internist and chiro., and they ran the gamut of tests and just prescribed a diruetic. The chiro. was helpful, but nothing about blood sugar was mentioned. He just holds to a grain-free lifestyle for pretty much any routine medical problem. But, the md's were not much help. So, I'm sure insurance would pay for one if the dr. wrote me a script for it, but not going to happen. Also, how do I know what to do? Test first thing in the a.m. for a fasting test, then what? Is there a guide somewhere? How have you done it specifically, Jean? After I eat, how long do I wait to test? How do I know if the level is normal or not? So many questions, I know. Thanks for the help, everyone.

 

I got a really inexpensive glucose meter at Walgreens. When I was researching them, I discovered that most glucose meters are pretty equal as far as acuracy goes, so I just go the one that has the cheapest test strips.

 

Here's a website that helped me out a lot when I was starting this: Blood Sugar 101

 

I tested fasting, before eating, 1 hour after eating, and 2 hours after eating. ("Eating" seems to be defined as when you start your meal.) Now I test that much if I'm trying a new food, but usually I test in the AM, 2 hrs after breakfast, and one other time during the day.

[Tigger]

It will be easier for you to control cravings and eat low carb if you eliminate all fruit for a couple weeks. When you add some fruit back in, I would start with berries. They generally have the least impact on blood sugar. It's also good to mix the fruit with fat and/or protein (berries and cream, 1/2 small apple with some cheese, etc.).

 

:iagree:

 

Commit to at least two weeks time, that's a small goal and doable if you set your mind to it because you know there is an end in sight. As noted above, when you do reintroduce what's typical considered fruit, do berries - they're great tossed in salads (think baby spinach, feta, some blueberries or strawberries and EVOO and splash of balsamic, or red leaf lettuce, walnuts, raspberries, and sharp cheddar with a creamy full-fat ranch dressing) - and go well with good cheese (you should pair fruit with protein and fat when possible).

 

A typical menu might be:

 

Breakfast

 

Two or three eggs, omelet style with spinach & feta

Two or three eggs, omelet style with bacon, sausage and cheese

Any other type omelet (veggies, cheese, meats, imagination rules)

 

OR

 

Splenda sweetened Protein Shake (whey protein based) with a touch of heavy cream added (to boost calories and slow digestion to keep satiety up) made with 2T cream + 1/4 cup plain full-fat yogurt + water to consistency desired

 

OR

 

BLT Wraps (use large lettuce leaves for your "wrapper" and stuff with bacon, tomatoes and shredded cheese and mayo)

 

OR

 

Any leftovers from dinner - you don't have to eat breakfast foods for breakfast!

 

Lunch

 

Large salad with mixed greens, up to 4 cherry tomatoes, and any things like mushrooms, chopped red onion, shredded red cabbage, shredded carrots (you'll use less and it won't be enough to trigger glucose rises), seeds, small amount of nuts, shredded cheese, meats, full-fat dressing (3g or less carbs per 2T)

 

OR

 

Any meat, fish or fowl with one or two sides of non-starchy veggies (small salad, green beans, broccoli, etc.)

 

OR

 

Any sandwich rolled up in lettuce instead of on bread, pita or wrap.

 

Dinner

 

Any meat, fish or fowl with two sides of non-starchy veggies (small salad, green beans, broccoli, etc.)

 

Snacks

 

Cheese (limit to no more than 4-ounce total a day due to calorie load)

Nuts/Seeds (limit to no more than 2-ounce a day due to calorie load)

Cucumber rounds with full-fat ranch to dip

Sliced peppers dipped in full-fat ranch

Cauliflower (or broccoli) florets dipped in mayo with balsamic

Cream cheese on celery

 

If you're eating enough at meals, honestly, snacks are not likely needed, you can be sated for up to six hours if you're eating enough protein.

 

Beverages

 

Water

Coffee or tea (with or without half & half and/or splenda or splenda based flavor syrup)

Iced tea (or coffee) with lots of fresh lemon

Diet Soda (limit to one or two cans per day and NONE with aspartame as it DOES stimulate an insulin response)

Club Soda (with lemon, lime, etc.)

Flavored seltzer (unsweetened or sweetened with splenda)

Arizona Iced Tea ZERO half-half

ICE Beverages

Vitamin Water ZERO

Fuze that are zero carbs

[Just Another Jen]

:iagree:

 

Diet Soda (limit to one or two cans per day and NONE with aspartame as it DOES stimulate an insulin response)

 

Which diet sodas do not have aspertame?

[Stayseeliz]

The South Beach diet is PERFECT for those with PCOS. Two weeks of super low carb then adding good carbs back in limited amounts. I've lost a ton of weight after two pregnancies doing this. I recently lost ten lbs doing this again in May. I've had PCOS for 8 years and it's frustrating but manageable. I do take a small dose of metformin until I get the weight off then I am able to wean off of it.

[wapiti]

Personally, I do well when I make sure to eat significant amounts of protein and fat with any carbs (pretty much an even balance), and I have to really limit carbs at breakfast regardless.

 

I also found, oddly enough, that when I'm testing with the glucometer two hours after every meal, it forces me to space out the snacks better (I can't eat the snack until after I've tested at the two-hour mark). It's a better eating schedule for me, to not have that constant eating (= constant need for more insulin).

 

I need to get back into testing again.

[Jean in Newcastle]

Personally, I do well when I make sure to eat significant amounts of protein and fat with any carbs (pretty much an even balance), and I have to really limit carbs at breakfast regardless.

 

I also found, oddly enough, that when I'm testing with the glucometer two hours after every meal, it forces me to space out the snacks better (I can't eat the snack until after I've tested at the two-hour mark). It's a better eating schedule for me, to not have that constant eating (= constant need for more insulin).

 

I need to get back into testing again.

 

I also do better with smaller portions at breakfast, lunch, dinner and then small snacks than with having bigger portions at breakfast, lunch and dinner. It keeps my blood sugar more even that way and I don't have spikes up or down. I think the key is finding out what works best for your body.

[Stayseeliz]

What are some good easy HIGH protein staples? I feel like I eat eggs ALL.THE.TIME because they are quick and easy. I've found that I need BIG sources of protein when I'm nursing. Peanut butter or cheese just don't cut it all the time.

[Tigger]

Which diet sodas do not have aspertame?

 

Diet Coke in cans has a variety that is splenda sweetened; ICE soda is with splenda; Waist Watchers and RC is splenda; and I think Diet Mountain Dew has splenda.

[Dianne-TX]

We've found the Zevia drinks that use stevia and they aren't too bad in taste. I do not like stevia, but I like these drinks. Some flavors are better than others. Ginger root beer is our favorite. Orange is good, grape is good. Cola isn't. You just can't substitute the real Coke. (sigh) There are a few other flavors, too. They are good when you want something different or you want soda.

[Dianne-TX]

As I'm googling and researching, I'm getting anxious about my feet swelling. It's been three months since they've been swollen. Will diet and exercise help or should I go see my ob/gyn now that I'm thinking it's related to my PCOS? I'm tired of dr.'s, but I haven't been to her and since she's the one that diagnosed me with PCOS it might be a good idea? She could also prescribe something to help it stabilize while I'm getting my diet and exercise going? WWYD? Am I overreacting? Surely all I'm doing will help eventually.

[Katy]

It's never going to hurt to get a checkup. Chances are you're just having a little salt imbalance- either you have way too much of it or not enough, but swollen feet can be a sign of some other things too. If you're worried, get a checkup. It's never a bad thing to follow your instincts.

[Negin]

Dianne, here's my info on PCOS.

 

PCOS is a disorder marked by elevations in “male†hormones – Menstrual irregularities

Increased Waist size

Raised Testosterone Levels

 

Pinnitol restores ovulation and decreases testosterone levels.

 

Acupuncture eases symptoms of PCOS. It soothes overactivity of the sympathetic nervous system, which can spur unhealthy hormone production.

 

IODINE

More than 90% of us are low in iodine and PCOS is often linked to an iodine deficiency.

Today's environment makes it almost impossible to get the amount of iodine you need.

1. There's very little iodine in the soil. So unless you're eating a ton of iodine-rich foods like kelp, seaweed and shellfish, you're not going to get much iodine from your diet.

2. Many salt companies have stopped adding iodine to table salt.

3. Food manufacturers have stopped using iodine in baked goods and are using bromine instead. Bromine (a halogen) competes with iodine to get into your cells. So the more bromine you consume, the less iodine you get. Unfortunately, many foods today (primarily baked goods) are loaded with bromine.

4. Our water supply contains chlorine and fluoride, both of which are halogens. Again, halogens compete with iodine to get into your cells.

And you can't avoid chlorine and fluoride simply by drinking filtered water. That's because you get a hefty dose any time you bathe, shower, soak in a hot tub, or swim in a swimming pool.

5. Most conventional doctors never test for iodine deficiency. They figure there's no need to test iodine levels when they can just test your thyroid function instead. The problem with this is that the most widely used thyroid test, the TSH, is wildly inaccurate. Reason: While the TSH measures thyroid hormone, it can't tell the difference between active thyroid hormone with iodine and de-activated thyroid hormone with bromine or chlorine or fluorine. So the test shows you have plenty of thyroid hormone. But most of the thyroid hormone isn't doing its job!

 

CORRECTING AN IODINE DEFICIENCY:

I think it was Dr. Nan Fuchs who wrote: “I've had women come into my office who look like the poster child for underactive thyroid. They're overweight, they're losing their hair and eyebrows, their skin is dry, and they tell me they feel cold all the time. Yet when their doctor gave them a thyroid test, it came back normal!

When I put these women on iodine supplementation, their conditions improve dramatically. Their skin improves, they stop losing their hair, and they finally lose that excess weight — and keep it off.â€

 

The RDA for iodine is 150 mcg. This amount was set based on the amount needed to prevent goiter. This amount will prevent goiter but it will not prevent breast cancer or its precurser fibrocystic breast disease or other serious diseases and symptoms listed above.

Breast tissue and other reproductive organs require much more iodine than the thyroid gland. Many researchers now believe that you may need 100 to 400 times the RDI.

The average consumption of iodine from seaweed by the mainland Japanese is nearly 14 mg. They have some of the lowest incidence of iodine-deficiency diseases like goiter, hypothyroidism, and cancers of the reproductive system (breast, ovaries, and uterus).

 

Increase your intake with mineral-rich sea vegetables (agar, hijiki, kombu, nori, and wakame) at least twice a week. You can eat as much seaweed as you want. Brown seaweeds are highest in iodine. They include all forms of kelp. Fucus, also known as Bladderwrack, is considered to be the best for underactive thyroids. Hijiki and Sargassum are two other forms of brown seaweeds. Red seaweeds include dulse, nori, Irish moss, and Gracillaria.

Since toasting doesn’t affect seaweed’s iodine content, you can eat it dried or dried and toasted. Toast some in the oven or in a dry frying pan to see if you prefer that taste. You can also powdered seaweed to your food or add larger pieces of seaweed to soups, grains, or vegetables. Seaweed should be an enjoyable addition to your diet, not an unpleasant experience. If you simply don’t like its taste, you can get it in capsules.

Use 5-10 grams of mixed brown and red seaweed for thyroid problems. This is about 1 ½ teaspoons per day. If you’ve been told that your thyroid is borderline-low, eating seaweed makes sense. But remember, you need to eat seaweed every day or take iodine in a different form.

Not all seaweeds are safe to eat. Some come from polluted waters.

Be more cautious and talk to a naturopath if you’re on thyroid meds and want to try seaweed.

 

Use iodine-rich Seaweed Gomasio to season your food.

 

Instead of using seaweed to boost your iodine levels, you might consider taking an iodine supplement. Iodoral is a very good one. I get mine from amazon. You can read reviews there.

You may need 1 to 4 tablets of Iodoral, a combination of 5 mg of iodine and 7.5 mg of potassium iodide. Additional research finds that vitamin C improves the transport of iodine in the body, so it may be best to take Iodoral with Vitamin C.

Studies show that women who weigh about 110 pounds need at least 5 mg of iodine a day for normal breast function. If you’re heavier, you may need more.

Start off slowly over a 4 week period.

Take 1 pill for 30 days

Then 2 pills for 30 days

Then maybe 3 for 30 days

Then 1 in morning and 1 in evening for 30 days

Can then go back to taking 1 or 2 a day to maintain

Your body will know....listen to it...

One Iodoral tablet provides 12.5 milligrams of iodine/iodide which is about the amount the average Japanese consumed in 1964 in their everyday diet.

Iodoral is the best way to get the recommended amount of iodine.

When we take 50 mg of iodine/iodide a day, it acts as an adaptogen, regulating various body functions.

[Negin]

Substances that interfere with iodine

Chlorine – present in most city water supplies – unless you de-chlorinate your water, you are being exposed to thyroid-lowering gases whenever you bathe, shower, or have a drink of water.

 

Fluorine

 

Bromide or Bromine – found in some pesticides – try to eat organic whenever possible

Bromide is even used in some asthma drugs

Mountain Dew, Fresca, and orange Gatorade all contain bromide in the form of brominated vegetable oils. Drinking beverages with bromide causes low thyroid function in some people.

 

These toxins are in our water, hot tubs, non-organic foods, and some soft drinks.

If you don’t have enough iodine, chances are you have too much fluoride and bromide. Sufficient iodine pulls these toxins out of your body.

 

Aspirin, blood thinner meds, and steroids can result in iodine deficiency thyroid problems. If you’re taking these, ask your doctor to check your thyroid function.

 

This is from Ann Louise Gittleman:

Facial hair can be the bane of women as they grow older—right around the same time, sadly, when their “crowning glory†starts to become thinner and grayer. One recent study shows that 10% of menopausal women complain of facial “fuzz,†but unwanted hair can start sprouting as early as perimenopause.

Women who are younger with facial hair, in their 20s and 30s, may have another—more serious—concern, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), especially if they’re overweight, experience menstrual irregularities, and/or acne. While the direct cause of PCOS is unknown, a new study in Environmental Health Perspectives links neonatal exposure to the endocrine/estrogenic disrupter bisphenol A (BPA)—found in plastic bottles, the lining of food cans, and dental sealants—with hormonal disruption in rats that mimics PCOS in humans.

The most common hormonal disorder among women of reproductive age, PCOS can cause infertility and lead to long-term complications like cardiovascular disease, inflammation, and stroke, insulin resistance and Type 2 diabetes, sleep apnea, male-pattern baldness, ovarian cysts, and (according to recent research at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine) even endometrial cancer.

One cause of thinning hair and/or excess facial hair in women of all ages—including those with PCOS—is a condition known as estrogen dominance. This hormonal imbalance is also associated with abnormal blood sugar levels, fat gain, and low adrenal function.

Simply put, estrogen dominance occurs when there is more estrogen than progesterone in the system. Estrogen-like chemicals in the environment, emotional factors, stress, menstrual changes, and even lack of dietary fiber, which binds to excess estrogen to help move it out of the body, can all lead to this kind of hormone havoc.

Need Progesterone?

Sometimes, a severe lack of natural progesterone—which is the flip side of estrogen dominance—is the primary culprit. Starting in the teens and 20s, a skipped period (indicating the failure to ovulate, which is somewhat similar to what happens when women begin going through the “changeâ€) can cause the adrenal cortex to secrete the steroid androstenedione—instead of progesterone. An alternate chemical precursor to the production of other hormones, this steroid hormone is associated with some male characteristics, one of which is male-pattern baldness.

According to the late John R. Lee, MD, the body normally produces 20 mg of natural progesterone during a menstrual cycle. Besides its role as a precursor to other important hormones, natural progesterone helps balance blood sugar, combat fuzzy thinking and irritability, prevent water retention and fat gain, and even boost your libido.

When you raise your progesterone levels with a bio-identical progesterone cream, which is absorbed transdermally in the fatty layer beneath the skin, your adronstenedione levels will gradually decline. Facial hair will start to diminish, while the hair on your head will begin to grow back normally.

For older women who are no longer menstruating, progesterone deficiency can also result in excessive facial hair. But do beware of synthetic progesterone (progestin), which won’t work the way natural or bio-identical progesterone does. Your body has difficulty breaking down this synthetic form, used in birth control pills and hormone replacement therapy, so this altered form creates a potential for toxic effects. In fact, after progestin was added to HRT, women’s cancer risk increased!

Regardless of age, practically every woman who takes a Salivary Hormone Test has been found to be extremely progesterone deficit. To help restore natural hormonal balance, Ann Louise Gittleman typically recommends applying about ¼ teaspoon or 1 pump (20 mgs) of ProgestaKey, an all-natural progesterone cream, to different areas of the body each day. This helps to avoid saturating the receptors beneath the skin in any one part of the body.

Apply to soft skin, rich in capillaries, on the most suitable areas like your neck, upper chest, breasts, inner arms, abdomen, backs of your hands, and even your face. Not only does ProgestaKey help encourage hair growth in the right place, but it will also burn body fat as fuel and act as a natural diuretic to help control weight.

I formulated this bio-identical hormone cream for my personal use when I was going through perimenopause—but it’s effective for younger women as well. Menstruating, perimenopausal, and menopenopausal women will find the specific protocol for application right on the label.

I’m not at all surprised that researchers are linking PCOS with other endocrine disrupters in today’s increasingly “chemical world.†Environmental sources of hormones include parabens in cosmetics, pesticides, plasticizers, and the estrogen-laden feed given to livestock to fatten them up. The trouble is today’s factory-farmed food fattens us humans up as well!

In addition to organic and grass-fed meats, a low-carb diet has been found effective for both PCOS and women going through the “change.†A University of Alabama at Birmingham study shows that low-carb diets significantly improve insulin and cholesterol levels in women clinically diagnosed with PCOS—without affecting circulating levels of their reproductive hormones.

Cutting out sugar and the reactive and processed carbs in grains will help immensely. Exercise helps normalize insulin and balance hormone levels, too!

[Negin]

This from other WTM posters:

 

A high protein/low carb diet

 

Regular exercise

 

might want to be careful of overdoing the animal protein. That seems to contribute to insulin resistance problems