It is important that a broad approach be used to treat and manage PCOS.
|
Lifestyle changes
|
The good news is that PCOS can generally be treated with lifestyle changes that lead to good health. Studies show, that improving food and eating patterns, increasing exercise and losing some weight if necessary, can reduce insulin resistance, improve PCOS symptoms, help prevent long-term problems and reduce the use of medications.
|
The main aims are to reduce both insulin resistance and insulin secretion and avoid excessive energy intake where weight is a concern.
|
Healthy eating
|
Food is an important part of culture, lifestyle and celebrations. Healthy eating is an essential part of PCOS management but this doesn’t mean following strict diets. Instead try small, sustainable changes that become a part of a normal lifestyle.
|
What you can do
|
1. Eat regular meals
|
Spreading food more evenly over the day helps to prevent large swings in blood sugar, insulin and hunger levels. Eat regular meals and snacks when you need them over the day and avoid overeating later in the day. Eating more often doesn’t mean eating too much though.
|
2. Have a healthy variety of foods each day. This includes:
|
| Eat plenty of fruits, salads and vegetables
| These foods are high in fibre and vitamins and not too high in kilojoules. They should make up about half your plate at a main meal and be one of the first choices for snacks. Be careful with juices though as they can be high in sugar and kilojoules.
|
| | Wholegrain cereals
| Choose wholegrain breads and breakfast cereals and keep serving sizes of rice and pasta to about one cup cooked at a time. Avoid too many extra biscuits, muffins and cakes so your intake of energy from starch and sugars (carbohydrate) is not too high
|
|  | The glycaemic index (G.I.) is a ranking of foods with carbohydrate (sugar and starch) based on their effect on blood sugar (glucose) levels. Low G.I. foods have a number of benefits for PCOS. To find out more consult a dietitian.
|
| | Note ~ avoid large quantities of carbohydrate at any one meal, even from low GI foods (e.g. large serves of pasta or rice) – moderation is the key!
|
| | Include a moderate protein intake
| Lean protein choices include meat, chicken, fish, eggs, dairy, nuts, legumes or soy foods and are an important part of the day’s nutrition as they contain minerals like iron, zinc and calcium. Protein also adds to the feeling of fullness when eating which may help with weight loss.
|
| | ‘Healthy’ fats in small amounts
| The type of fat eaten is important so choose monounsaturated fats and omega 3 essential fatty acids in moderation and avoid saturated fats. To do this, use small amounts of olive oil or canola oil in cooking and monounsaturated spreads instead of butter, use low fat dairy foods and include fish regularly. Check the labels on food for saturated fat levels.
|
|
|
3. Limit high fat, high sugar foods
|
Foods containing a lot of fat and sugar produce excess kilojoules (calories), contribute to weight gain and higher insulin levels and often don’t contain much nutrition. However, low fat, low sugar does not mean no fat, no sugar! The best approach is commonsense moderation and avoiding extremes in intake of any foods.
|
4. Pay attention to eating habits, not just food
|
People eat for many reasons such as pleasure, boredom, loneliness, stress or simply out of habit. This eating can be a concern if it leads to a less healthy food intake or a higher kilojoule intake than needed. Rather than dieting, reducing this ‘non hungry’ eating is the best way to maintain a healthy weight.
Serving sizes of food have also generally increased in recent years leading to many people becoming used to eating too much at a time. In this case experiment with smaller serving sizes and be careful not to overeat when eating out socially.
|
Physical activity and PCOS
|
Exercise is an essential part of managing PCOS. Regular physical activity can reduce insulin levels, increase the metabolic rate of the body, improve mood and energy levels and help maintain a healthy weight. Research has shown that people who exercise regularly, even if they are overweight or have a family history of diabetes, have less risk of developing diabetes or cardiovascular disease.
|
This means exercise is a first line therapy for PCOS.
|
How much and what type?
|
Be active every day and then at least three to four times a week aim for 30 to 45 minutes of more vigorous exercise. A balanced mix of activities that include aerobic, resistance and flexibility/stretching exercises will give the best results. Variety is also important – if you are getting bored, it is time to try something new!
|
Easy suggestions:
|
- Try a pedometer that measures your ‘steps a day’. Studies have shown that aiming for about 10,000 steps a day is an easy way to measure and assess general physical activity.
|
- Put a limit to time watching television or in front of a computer. If you have a job where you sit for much of the day, get up and move around regularly.
|
- Keep walking faster or further so your fitness keeps improving
|
- Use the stairs instead of taking the lift, or park the car a bit further from the shops rather than the closest spot
|
- Make time to take up a sport again you have enjoyed in the past
|
- Make sure you have the right shoes and clothes
|
|
Becoming more active means thinking about exercise or movement as an opportunity and pleasure, not an inconvenience or chore.
|
For women who are not overweight, healthy eating and regular exercise are also important in maintaining optimal general and reproductive health, but weight loss is not desirable.
|
|
|
|
Disclaimer
|
The Royal Women’s Hospital does not accept any liability to any person for the information or advice (or use of such information or advice) which is provided in this booklet or incorporated into it by reference.
We provide this information on the understanding that all persons accessing it take responsibility for assessing its relevance and accuracy.
Women are encouraged to discuss their health needs with a health practitioner.
If you have concerns about your health, you should seek advice from your health care provider or if you require urgent care you should go to the nearest Emergency Dept.
|
Published June 2008
|
