I feel really intimidated by all the natural remedies and diets that people talk about on here. I mean, I'm interested in alternative remedies (anything I can find really), but there's so much! All the vitamins and herbs- some helping and others doing more harm. And then there are the diets! Low carb, gluten-free, organic, no dairy, etc. I can't keep up with all of them and some seem really hard to follow.
I know I should be willing to do anything to get better, but I want balance too. Even if I knew an all-organic, gluten-free, non-dairy diet would restore my periods and clear my face once and for all, would I be willing to never step foot in a fast food restaurant again? I don't know... And I have a husband and son. DH will barely eat wheat bread, let alone some of the stuff I would have to start serving if I followed one of these diets religiously.
I'm just worried because I want to be healthy, but I need to enjoy life too. I don't want to never have anything I love. So I need help! First of all, how can I get out of the tangled vitamin/herb maze? And second, how can I make sense of all these diets? Are there ways to incorporate some of this stuff into my life without spending all my time grinding organic rice flour and stuff? Is this all or nothing?
Hey there, I think the word is moderation. You are not alone my friend! It is work, but moreso it is finding out what works for you. But it takes trial and error and time.
I made a commitment to the IR diet, and to milk thistle, and it's helping and it's working for me.
Anyway, it is very easy to get overwhelmd with change, and that's the keyword - change, it is hard but necessary for growth. (just my opinion)
If I were you, and I'm not, just a suggestion, how about writing down what yor health is like, your goals, your likes and dislikes re; food, your individual symptoms, then find the corresponding info you're asking about getting so overwhelmed over. That may help you feel less overwhelmed - that's the goal. For example, I don't take Met b/c my liver is shot, I don't do weight watchers b/c it never worked for me, I can't eat much wheat b/c I get ill if I do. I cut out caffeine b/c I am a very anxious person already, don't need the boost with heart palp depending on the situation.
Do you see what I mean?? BTW, El Pollo Loco and Taco Bell are do-able meals girl. The healthy choices yes, so I don't think those places are off limits for life. It's all about choices and moderation, imho.
Let your Dh eat whatever bread he wants and you eat what you want.
A good multi is a start, as far as the 'diets' go, are you IR? If not, then most likely you don't need that diet. Are you into working out? Curves may work for you. Do you need structure? The SBD or NutriSystem may work for you. You dont have to be a hunter and gatherer either. If you go into a health food store, there are many foods that are fabulous already packaged, bland maybe, but healthy, so no grinding.
Let us know how it goes.
HTH
Thank you for the response. I feel that I am healthy... I'm 5'8"/133 lbs. I was 126 before I had my son (he's 6 months old). So weight really isn't an issue for me. Although I do crave sweets, and would like to stop eating so much sugar. I know it's bad for me all around. I also work out a litttle- run 20 minutes a few times a week, lift weight at the gym 2 hours a week.
I don't really know if I'm IR; I can't remember being tested for it. But my RE says all cysters have some sort of underlying insulin problem, which is why most respond to Met. I have taken that before- I took it the month before I got PG and for the first trimester. I did great on it; lost 5 lbs and had no s/e.
I'm still BF right now, but am looking around at my options for after that. I really don't know what will happen with my cycles. So far I've had no AF. I want to regulate my cycles without using BCP if at all possible, since I feel that they triggered my problems in the first place (I know, I know, BCP don't cause PCOS).
Anyway, so my main concerns are staying regular and keeping acne at bay. And of course preventing the onset of more symptoms like hirsutism, diabetes, etc. I want to keep my hormones in check. There are so many things out there... I've thought about trying Bcomplex, zinc, saw palmetto when I'm done BF. But I don't want to aggravate anything by taking stuff I don't need. For example, I don't know that my testosterone is too high, so would saw palmetto mess me up?
About the IR diet- is that very difficult and restrictive? I'd like to find something balanced enough so that I don't have to make seperate meals for DH and myself.
It sounds as though you're on the right track, but I understand the concern with the sugar.
Zinc helps acne, I do know that, a dermo recommended that to me when I had it pretty bad. It helped a lot.
You said it, keep on top of your hormones.
Imo, the B's are excellent for anyone. Not sure about the saw palmetto, I've heard of it. Did you take a prenatal? All you can do is have your testosterone levels checked. Have you? Then go from there, see what your physician says about it.
The IR diet is fantastic, imho, not restricted at all, for me anyway.
Maybe talk to your DH and see what the two of you can agree on in terms of meals?
Just remember, it is a process....
HTH
How much zinc do you take for acne? I already take a prenatal, EPO, B-complex (50 mg), and fish oil capsules.
Yes, I do need to get my hormones checked/rechecked since it's been over 2 years since I was diagnosed, I've had a baby, and I can't really remember what I had done in the first place. My doc doesn't really think it's necessary. She's kinda like, "well, you have PCOS and that's that." But I want to know exactly what is out of balance and by how much, since cysters can be so different. Sometimes I feel she's a little overly simplistic, although she is a reproductive endo and infertility specialist (not just a regular OB). She's also kinda bad about blaming everything that goes on with me on PCOS. Like, when she found out that DS was over 9 lbs at birth, she was like, "yeah, that's common with PCOS." But my family just has big babies and so does DH's family. So I really don't think it's because of PCOS. But anyway, that's sort of a tangent...
The point is, I would like to get it all checked out but insurance won't cover it so I'm not sure that I can afford it. And where can I get more specifics about the IR diet?
How much zinc do you take for acne? I already take a prenatal, EPO, B-complex (50 mg), and fish oil capsules.
Yes, I do need to get my hormones checked/rechecked since it's been over 2 years since I was diagnosed, I've had a baby, and I can't really remember what I had done in the first place. My doc doesn't really think it's necessary. She's kinda like, "well, you have PCOS and that's that." But I want to know exactly what is out of balance and by how much, since cysters can be so different. Sometimes I feel she's a little overly simplistic, although she is a reproductive endo and infertility specialist (not just a regular OB). She's also kinda bad about blaming everything that goes on with me on PCOS. Like, when she found out that DS was over 9 lbs at birth, she was like, "yeah, that's common with PCOS." But my family just has big babies and so does DH's family. So I really don't think it's because of PCOS. But anyway, that's sort of a tangent...
The point is, I would like to get it all checked out but insurance won't cover it so I'm not sure that I can afford it. And where can I get more specifics about the IR diet?
The zinc was a long time ago, and I believe it was 50 - 100mg, they were this gawd aweful green color, but oh did they help. Also, I would watch the EPO, my skin broke out from those and the fish oil capsules, but that's just my experience.
My skin has improved massively since I became determined to have a minimum of my '5 a day' fruit and veg, and 2 litres water a day. Then I switched to organic skin care products.
Making thse small changes, one at a time, is not so confusing or daunting.
First change to a lower fat milk, maybe.
Then to only wholemeal bread. (Forget what your family think! If you were, say, diabetic - would they force you to eat sugar? Of course not! They have to understand that you are changing your ways to be well and they should support you in it. I have 5 kids - one only likes white bread. Tough! He just doesn't get it any more. It's easier with an adult - they're old enough to buy and make their own food if they disagree with your choices!)
Then, introduce a bit more organic food into your diet. (You don't have to grind anything! Just swap ordinary things for organic alternatives - it's easy where I live, but may be harder for you depending on where you are!)
Start ensuring you're getting your 5 a day.
Ditch the soda - and just drink water. Get a 2 litre bottle and fill it, in the fridge. Then you know how much you've had!
Then, factor out a bit of the processed food.
And so on...
This might take months... Just don't worry and go at your own pace. when one new habit becomes 2nd nature - introduce a new one!
As for the supplements, have a look on this forum and elsewhere, then choose something you think will help your symptoms (cinnamon's a good one to start with). Introduce just that. Slowly, add others. That way your body adjusts and you can judge whether something is really helping, or not.
Good luck!
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PollySis- What does cinnamon do? Just curious since I haven't read much about it.
I do a lot of the right things already. I drink a LOT of water ( I got into that habit a year and a half ago or so). I've always been good about fruits and veggies (although I could do better on the veggie side). I enjoy wholewheat bread, etc. I had myself completely weaned off soda and caffeine of any kind when I was TTC, but since the birth of my son 6 months ago, I've gone back (I have my morning coffee). But I still don't drink much soda- maybe a couple times a week.
I have the greatest faith in your PCOS walk... you wanna know why... when the doc said your 9lb baby was due to PCOS and you knew there are other probable factors that contribute to that. Not just taking the docs word for it. YOU know your body and your family history better than any doctor EVER will.
One of the best things I can tell you about this process is to trust your intuition. Clearly, yours is well tuned. It will help you determine what will work for you as the first poster said...by trial and error locating what works best for your body.
Good luck...and try not to get too overwhelmed by this 'elephant'...just take one bite at a time and before you know it, you will turn around and you'll have it eaten.
PCOS/IR IN REMISSION THANKS TO LAPBAND SURGERY!!!!! 9/19/08
On:
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LL- Thanks! I do have a healthy suspicion of doctors, LOL! In fact, my RE would sometimes joke about how informed I was when I came to her office. I'm just not one to sit around and depend on others to figure stuff out for me, I guess
Is seeing a naturopath or dietician an option?
I know that when I saw a dietician she gave me a great eating plan, that took my lifestyle into account. As a result of changing my eating habits, things started looking really good.
If not, I firmly agree with the baby steps/trial and error advice (seeing a professional helps with the trial and error part...)
GL!
__________________ Oshrat 32
DX 09/01
Got symptoms under control with no meds.
Is it all or nothing? I'm so overwhelmed! 
