Hi there! I am going to visit my PCP tomorrow, and unfortunately she isn't totally knowledgable about PCOS. She knows some, but wouldn't by any means consider herself an expert. I know that she is worried about my lab results, and that she will suggest I go on Metformin and Cholesterol Medication. I am needing some help!
For food:
Besides sugar, what else should I be cutting out? I have heard that some plant estrogens really can reak havoc on PCOS. Anyone have any access to articles about this?
Also, I want some more information on organic eating (espcially meat and dairy). Can you tell me WHY it's important to eat organic food? I know it might have something to do with hormones, but what? Articles?
Alcohol:
I have been reading that alcohol can cut cholesterol LDL levels and raise HDL levels. Do you know what is best to drink? I had my gallbladder out, will I still be able to properly metabolize a small drink per day?
For medicine:
I do not like the way that Metformin/Glucophage makes me feel. I am needing an alternative. Is Chromium Picolinate the supplemental equivalent of Met?
I also really don't want to go on a conventional cholesterol lowering medication. I don't know that they will do much good at raising the HDL and lowering the LDL and VLDL at the same time. I am exploring having a glass of red wine each evening, as well as having niacin. Has anyone had success with niacin regulating your cholesterol (with good eating and exercising, of course)?
Thanks so much! Even if you only know a little bit of what I am asking, please reply. I am going in armed with information to my PCP, and if she won't go the natural route with me then I will be making my appointment for my Naturopath.
Blessings!
Allsmiles
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Amanda(30) To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. Brian(31)
I bought a book called 'The Natural Diet Solution for PCOS and Infertility' by Nancy Dunne. It is all about what you should and should not eat. It's a fairly easy read and I found it extremely helpful. I've yet to totally commit, but will be trying to stick to the diet after the new year (I don't think I'll be able to resist all the Christmas goodies!). This is the website http://www.ovarian-cysts-pcos.com/
You can also sign up for the free e-newsletter. Best of luck. Oh yeah, my naturopath even recommended the book.
This article is really short: Trans Fats and Fertility
By Heather Bauer, RD, CDN | April 2007http://www.nu-train.com/Content/TransFatsandFertility.html
This article has some very good info on finding hidden sources of trans fats in foods:
Cut out Soda, White Bread and White rice, candies, ice cream, processed foods like chips etc
Eat mainly organic foods and NO juice it's to high in sugar as well
Did you get your hormones tested?
If your estrogen is low (some pcos cysters have estrogen dominance so you need get that checked out) and androgens are elevated you can try this hormone balancing diet
For food:
Besides sugar, what else should I be cutting out? I have heard that some plant estrogens really can reak havoc on PCOS. Anyone have any access to articles about this?
You should also be cutting out or limiting sugars, white flour and white 'foods' in general. If you have high estrogen levels you want to cut our or eliminate additional soy from your diet. If you have low estrogen, introduce a little more but don't go overboard. If you're TTC, even if you've got low estrogen, too much soy can cause problems. As far as articles, I did a quick search and came up with this.
Quote:
Also, I want some more information on organic eating (espcially meat and dairy). Can you tell me WHY it's important to eat organic food? I know it might have something to do with hormones, but what? Articles?
The main argument for going organic is to avoid putting excess chemicals in your body. Foods that are not certified as organic, are usually grown and produced with pesticides (in the case of plants) and antibiotics and hormones (in the case of meat). Eliminating even some of these non-organic products (IMO meat, specifically - which I'll explain) could have potential health benefits.
The reason I single out meat is because I've had personal experience with the difference eliminating normally processed meat from your diet can have. When I was 17 I had my first run-in with PCOS which resulted in the removal of a large cyst and a subsequent life-threatening infection which left me on IV antibiotics for over a month. After spending the next 6 months constantly sick, I got frustrated and started doing research after being prompted by a co-worker (who'd grown up vegan). I started looking into the connection between what we eat (specifically meat) and how it effects us.
Now, in general, many studies show that what we eat is perfectly safe for the average American - but what about those who are not? What about the ones who have compromised immune systems or a predisposition to hormone problems? After becoming more informed about how foods are processed, I made the decision to cut out meat from my diet. Now, I'm not suggesting that's the best course of action, but at the time organics were hard to come by and even more expensive than they are now.
What happened in the following year almost seemed like a miracle. After slowly weaning myself off all meat, save fish and switching to only organic dairy products (eggs, milk, cheese, etc) I started having regular 30 day cycles at the age of 19. Not only that, but my weight started to drop and I had energy to actually do things. I'll admit that my vegetables were NOT organic, however at the time I was more focused on antibiotics and growth hormones being pumped into my body than the chemicals in pesticides.
Admittedly, 9 years later I'm dealing with PCOS again - but I'm pretty sure it's because finances didn't allow me to be as strictly organic and vegetarian as I had been in years passed. Currently my diet is far from organic, but being unemployed and scrimping for money makes it much harder to choose the product that costs twice as much for half the amount of the non-organic alternative. Hopefully once I start working again we'll be able to move back in that direct.
Granted, this is all personal experience, however if you go to the library and look for books on the meat industry, antibiotics and hormones in the meat industry, etc. you can find studies for yourself. As I said, many show there's no significant link - but when our bodies are already out of whack, doesn't it make sense not to add anything into them that would make it worse?
Quote:
For medicine:
I do not like the way that Metformin/Glucophage makes me feel. I am needing an alternative. Is Chromium Picolinate the supplemental equivalent of Met?
Actually, the standard 'natural' alternative to Met is Cinnamon. Chromium can be used in conjunction, but I've seen articles that suggest to stay away from the Chromium Piccolinate and instead use GTF (glucose tolerance factor) Chromium, which would have a more beneficial effect in people dealing with insulin abnormalities (IR, diabetes, etc). There've also been studies showing that Hyponid (see the thread on this board) and D-Chiro Inositol (or just Inositol) can also have balance effects on insulin issues in women with PCOS.
Sorry, I don't have much advice regarding the cholesterol questions as I've been lucky enough to dodge that bullet (thus far - may not be the case when I get my most recent blood results...). I apologize for not linking more articles, but in general I've had great luck with typing in the general key words (dangers of chromium, hormones in meat, etc) in google and getting decent results in cases where I've had no personal experience.
Good luck
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Me & DH
Married 1/07
TTC 9/2007
BFP: 8/30/09
Ultrasounds:
9/30/09 - Heart 178bpm
11/3/09 - Heart 144bpm
12/8/09 - Heart 136bpm TEAM BLUE!!
Currently taking: Pre-Natal Vitamins
Metformin ER
Labetalol
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I completely second Organic's reccomendation of 'The Natural Diet Solution for PCOS and Infertility' by Nancy Dunne
It really explains, in easy to read format, the whys and whats of a good foundation diet for PCOS.
It also goes over other diet alternatives.
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Me (27), DBF (37)
Mommy to fur baby Andromeda aka The Duchess
08/26/08-R side Salpingo-oophorectomy
2009 Goal- Find Peace, lose weight
PCOS Diet- Dr.Nancy Dunne MultiVitamin Cinnamon 1000mg 2x day Vitex 500mg Inositol 500mg 2x day Vitamin B12 Vitamin D3 Diovan (BP med) Soon to start: Hyponidd 4x
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Mattie (31) DH( 28) DD (5) Adopted DS (8)
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Besides sugar, what should I cut out??? 
