If you're dealing with the symptoms of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), it's easy to feel like you're all alone. But in fact, PCOS is the most common hormonal disorder affecting women during their child-bearing years, affecting about 5 million women in the United States.
Of course, knowing you have plenty of company might ease some anxiety, but it doesn't do anything to help you feel better. Fortunately, medical treatments can help, and so can a few simple lifestyle changes.
At Desert Star Institute for Family Planning, DeShawn Taylor, MD, MSc, FACOG, helps women find workable solutions for their PCOS symptoms, combining medical treatments, like medication, with lifestyle habits to promote optimal wellness. Here are four changes you can start incorporating today.
As many as 75% of women with PCOS also have insulin resistance, a condition that makes it hard for your body to use insulin. Insulin is a hormone that helps regulate blood sugar (glucose), and when your body doesn't use insulin properly, your glucose levels can rise, increasing your risks of serious health problems.
Foods high in refined carbohydrates, like processed sugary foods, white bread, white pasta, and rice, trigger insulin production. If you have PCOS, it's important to limit those foods and focus on other macronutrients instead.
Construct your eating plan around lean proteins and fiber-rich foods, such as vegetables, fruits, beans, legumes, and seeds. Whole-grain complex carbs, like whole wheat pasta, oatmeal, and quinoa, are also good options.
Regular exercise also helps keep glucose levels within a healthy range. Staying active can help reduce or prevent insulin resistance so your body uses blood sugar more effectively.
You don't have to join a gym to get the exercise you need for better health. Taking a 30-minute brisk walk daily gives your body the movement it needs to burn calories and stay healthy.
Yoga, HIIT (high-intensity interval training), and tai chi are good options, too, and none require a gym membership or special equipment. Another bonus: Regular exercise can help reduce stress and anxiety that can accompany bothersome PCOS symptoms.
Managing your weight is another good way to balance glucose and insulin. It also helps stabilize your hormone levels, a major benefit for women with PCOS. Better still, the two earlier tips—diet and exercise—make this third lifestyle change a no-brainer.
You don't need dramatic changes like exercise to see the beneficial effects. Even a modest weight loss of 5-10% of body weight can help. Maintaining a healthy and stable body weight can also ensure PCOS medications work better.
Chronic stress isn't just unpleasant—it can have a direct effect on hormone production, increasing levels of hormones that make PCOS harder to manage. Getting daily exercise is a great way to reduce stress, but there are other ways to reduce stress, too.
Practicing breathing exercises helps you reduce stress wherever you are — at home, work, and even in traffic. Tai chi, yoga, and meditation are good options, too. Many women reduce stress simply by carving out some "me" time daily to enjoy relaxing activities like calming music or reading.
Another way to reduce stress is to ensure you get plenty of sleep. Ideally, you should aim for 7-9 hours of sleep every night. If you have trouble catching your Zs, check out these sleep tips from the CDC.
Don't let PCOS affect your health and wellness. We can help you find a solution that works. To learn more, request an appointment online or over the phone with Dr. Taylor and the Desert Star Family Planning team in Phoenix, Arizona, today.
