Diet and Exercise

Diet and Exercise are important parts of managing PCOS. This is because as women with PCOS often have higher levels of insulin in their blood, and many have trouble maintaining a healthy weight. This nutrition guide will help you to understand how your body uses the food you eat, and what foods to eat to keep your insulin levels down.

Instead of:
Sweetened juice, canned fruit in heavy syrup or sweetened applesauce
Choose:
Fresh/frozen fruits, canned fruit without added sugar, or unsweetened applesauce
Instead of:
Starchy vegetables such as potatoes, corn, and peas
Choose:
broccoli, spinach, and carrots
Instead of:
Refines grains made with white flour such as white bread, pasta, bagels, and white rice
Choose:
whole grains such as whole wheat pasta, brown rice, and whole wheat bread
Instead of:
Sugary cereals
Choose:
High fiber cereals, like Kashi shredded wheat, or All Bran. Try to have a cereal that has at least 5 grams of fiber per serving
Instead of:
Sugary drinks like soda, and juice
Choose:
Sugar free or low sugar drinks such as water, diet soda, crystal light, powerade zero, vitamin water, etc

Just some tips when thinking about foods to choose from. You should eat a balance of high fiber carbohydrates and lean proteins. Proteins such as beans, hummus, nuts, peanut butter, tofu, eggs, fish, chicken, and meat. Fats such as canola oils, avocados, are also a healthy part of a PCOS diet.

That is all for today! More to come!