Text with your questions & comments for future episodes!
This episode features a fusion of personal insight and professional wisdom as I dive headfirst into 40 rapid-fire questions about PCOS, blending the curiosity of my Instagram community with the unpredictable inquiries from AI. We'll unearth the complexities of PCOS symptoms, their varied impacts on fertility, and the deeply personal journey through IVF, all while equipping you with practical strategies for managing this multifaceted condition through diet, lifestyle, and emotional support.
Join me as we unpack the critical emotional aspects of PCOS management. It's not just about what you eat or how often you exercise; it's about the holistic journey through mental health challenges, the consideration of potential dietary triggers like gluten and dairy, and the mindful navigation of life's pleasures without compromising on PCOS-friendly choices. This conversation will also cast a light on the increased risks of diabetes and heart disease with PCOS and arm you with the tools needed to bolster both mental and hormonal health. From key supplements to the underrated power of consistent physical activity, find out how to create a balanced approach to living well with PCOS.
As we wrap up our discussion, I'll share heart-to-heart the personal victories and hurdles on the road to managing PCOS, emphasizing the value of self-compassion and a tailored diet. We'll explore long-term medication management, the pros and cons of intermittent fasting, and the delicate balance of protein—all through the lens of a PCOS journey.
Mentioned in the episode:
Mediterranean PCOS https://amberfischernutrition.com/the-mediterranean-diet-how-to-do-it-how-to-modify-it-things-to-be-careful-of-and-more-episode-59/
Shop PCOS favorites- RX bars, NA
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PCOS Facial Hair Freedom- https://amberfischer.thinkific.com/courses/pcos-facial-hair-freedom
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YouTube video, but I thought itwould make a really good podcast
because it's just so much funand I had a great time recording
it and there's some reallyvaluable information in here, so
I decided to release it as apodcast as well.
Now you will hear me say thanksfor watching the video and blah
(00:23):
, blah, blah, but I just wantedto let you guys know that there
is a video version of this ifyou want to watch it.
Okay, have fun.
Hey guys, welcome back toFunctional PCOS.
Today we're going to be doingsomething really fun.
I'm going to be rapid fireanswering 40 questions about
PCOS.
So this is going to be a mix ofquestions that were pulled from
my Instagram audience, sohopefully you see your question
(00:44):
if you asked one, and I alsoasked AI to generate some
questions for us so that itwould be kind of off the cuff
and I wouldn't exactly know whatwas coming.
Now, full disclosure.
I did go through.
I asked a hundred questions andthen I asked it to be narrowed
down and I threw away some ofthem that are a little bit.
Just wouldn't be interestingfor me to answer, but I think
(01:07):
the list that's left lookspretty good.
I haven't actually read throughall of these questions, so
there might be some that throwme off a little bit, but I kind
of scanned them and they lookgood.
So, anyway, I want it to be asoff the cuff as possible, so I'm
going to put a timer on myphone and give myself 30 seconds
to answer each, which will be achallenge if you guys know how
(01:29):
I like to answer things, andwe'll just go through them and
yeah, let's get to it All right.
First question what is PCOS andhow does it affect women's
health?
So PCOS is a gynecologicalcondition.
It affects your ovaries, but italso is a lifelong condition.
So even after you go throughmenopause, it affects you
because it is a metaboliccondition first and foremost.
(01:50):
So that means that the deeperprocesses in our body are out of
line.
A lot of them have to do withour insulin and blood sugar and
inflammation levels and adrenals, and those things then throw
off our hormones and that'swhere we get the cystic ovaries,
the irregular periods, etcetera.
28 seconds, okay, stop, I didit perfectly at 30 seconds.
Okay, this is going to be hard,wow.
(02:14):
Second question what are themost common symptoms of PCOS and
how do they vary amongstindividuals?
That's a really good question.
So the most common symptoms ofPCOS are going to be irregular
periods, high androgen levels sothis is going to be things like
facial hair, hair loss, likesymptoms related to that, and
then you're also going to seeweight gain or difficulty losing
weight in a large population ofus, irregular blood sugar.
(02:35):
But some of these other thingslike chronic inflammation or
adrenal dysfunction or bloodsugar stuff can vary amongst
individuals and the weight thingcan vary amongst individuals,
and the weight thing can varyamongst individuals as well.
Okay, I didn't answer that oneas well as I wanted to, but the
30 seconds is up, so let's moveon.
Third question Can PCOS affectfertility and, if so, what are
(02:57):
the recommended treatmentoptions?
Yes, pcos can affect fertility,primarily because it alters how
often we ovulate.
So usually with PCOS, theirregular periods are because
we're not ovulating regularly,which means that your chances of
conception are much lowerbecause you just don't have as
many months to actually conceive.
Now there's also an egg qualityissue.
That sometimes happens withPCOS because of the high levels
(03:18):
of inflammation.
So the biggest things areanti-inflammatory diet and
regulating your blood sugar.
That will help you withovulating, which will help you
get pregnant faster.
Fourth question how is PCOSdiagnosed and what tests are
typically involved?
So most doctors are going to beusing something called the
Rotterdam criteria.
You have to meet two of thethree.
The criteria are irregularperiods, signs of
hyperandrogenism, like facialhair, and polycystic ovaries on
(03:41):
ultrasound.
So typically they will runblood work to check your
androgen levels, they will do atransvaginal ultrasound to check
and see if there's cysts on theovaries and then they'll ask
for a health history so thatthey can tell if you have
irregular periods usually andthings like that.
Number five are there specificlifestyle changes that help
manage PCOS symptoms?
Yes, there are.
There's food and diet-basedchanges.
So following a moreanti-inflammatory, higher
(04:04):
protein diet seems to workreally well.
It's something that's kind ofsimilar to the Mediterranean
diet.
I tend to modify it a bit and Ihave some content on that and
then also stress reductiontechniques.
So mindfulness, yoga andexercise.
So those three things are thebiggest things for PCOS
management.
Number six how has your personaljourney with pcos influenced
(04:26):
your approach to nutritioncounseling for others with the
condition?
So it's influenced it a lot,because I'm coming from a place
of having lived with pcos andactually having had some of the
most severe complications ofpcos, I'm like endometrial
cancer survivor, so I know howdifficult it is to manage pcos.
I know how um, how it canaffect your mood, how it can
affect your mood, how it canaffect your energy, and so my
(04:48):
nutrition recommendations alwayscome from a place of empathy
and respect for how it actuallyis living with this condition.
I don't expect you to do thingsthat I don't think I could do
myself.
Number seven do you find thatcertain lifestyle changes are
more effective than others inmanaging your own PCOS symptoms?
Yes, eating more protein ismore important and more
(05:08):
effective for me than eatingfewer carbs for my blood sugar
balance.
And working on stress reductionparticularly going to therapy
and working on unresolvedtraumas and things like that has
actually probably been moreeffective for me than a lot of
things nutrition-wise.
Pelvic floor therapy as well,because my central nervous
(05:30):
system was so out of whack.
I have a lot of adrenal stuffwith my PCOS, so working on that
has actually helped more than alot of these little minute
changes with diet.
I took a little longer withthat one, but I'll let it slide.
Number eight what are some quickand easy meal or snack ideas
that you personally rely on tokeep your PCOS symptoms in check
.
Lately I've been eating a lotof Chomps sticks with some fruit
(05:55):
as a snack, and I really likethe Be Well by Kelly protein
powder.
I'll link that.
That's the one that I thinktastes the best and I think it
has the best texture and ithelps me get protein in the one
that I think tastes the best andI think it has the best texture
and it helps me get protein inthe morning when I'm just not
interested in eating much.
And I'm a big fan of RX bars.
I think they're great, goodsource of protein, some good
(06:16):
antioxidants with the fruit inthere and that's good fiber.
So, number nine can you shareany insights into how stress
management techniques havehelped you personally manage
your PCOS?
Well, we already kind ofcovered this, but I think
working on pelvic floor therapy,maybe I'll go into that this
time.
The pelvic floor is actuallyreally highly connected to our
(06:36):
nervous system and so I had alot of issues in my pelvic floor
from medical trauma over theyears, from having to have a lot
of DNCs and just you know, withPCOS we get kind of we have to
go to the doctor a lot and beexamined, so actually going to
pelvic floor therapy andlearning how to relax my nervous
system in that way has made mecalmer all of the time, which
(06:57):
then has actually helped myhormones a lot, so I highly
recommend it.
As an aside, I do have contentgoing more in depth about a lot
of these different topics, so ifthere's anything that I know
like I already did a podcast onit or I already have a video on
it I'll try to link it below inthe show notes.
So look down there if you'reinterested.
Number 10, have you experiencedany challenges in finding the
(07:18):
right balance between dietaryrestrictions and enjoying food
while managing your PCOS?
Wow, that's a loaded question.
Yes, absolutely.
One of the things thatconsistently kind of gets me
down is realizing that I doactually have to put effort into
my food for the rest of my life.
That's something that I thinkwe all have to go through a
grieving process on, and thereason for it is because the
(07:40):
world that we live in is justreally not set up for our
personal health as women withPCOS.
So there is a lot more effortthat has to go into it, and
sometimes you just kind of wantto throw in the towel.
So I have my ups and downs aswell and, yeah, it's definitely
hard to find the balance betweenthose things, and I do try to
strike a balance, though, andnot restrict anything.
(08:04):
Okay, number 11, shouldindividuals with PCOS consider
going gluten and dairy-free,based on your personal
experience and professionalexpertise?
Well, based on my personalexperience and professional
expertise, the answer to thatquestion is maybe.
So I don't think as a blanketstatement that it's effective
and helpful for PCOS.
However, a lot of women withPCOS are dealing with chronic
inflammation, and a lot ofchronic inflammation is
(08:25):
connected to food sensitivitiesand gut health issues, and if
you have food sensitivities, themost common foods to be
sensitive to are things likedairy, gluten, eggs, soy, the
common allergens.
So if you know you've gotdigestive stuff going on or
you've autoimmune conditionsgoing on along with your PCOS,
yeah, you might benefit fromgoing gluten and dairy free, or
at least trying it for a while.
Let's see where am I?
(08:51):
Um?
Number 12, how do you navigatesocial situations or dining out
while adhering to your PCOSfriendly diet?
This is really where balancecomes in.
So, um, if it's a specialoccasion or I haven't gone out
in a while I'm kind of eatingwhat I want, like I'm not really
worried about um avoidingcertain things.
(09:12):
Every time I go to restaurantsI like to enjoy myself.
I love the Cheesecake Factory.
However, I am careful andcautious about portioning, just
because I know that if I eat toomuch of certain things like
especially if I eat too muchpasta or eat too much bread I
don't feel good and I feelreally tired and I can't enjoy
myself.
So I tend to avoid alcohol forthat reason.
(09:33):
And then if I'm getting pasta,I'm just careful about how much
I'm eating.
I'm not necessarily eating thechild-sized portion, but I'm
also careful about how much Ieat.
Number 13, can PCOS increase therisk of developing other health
conditions, such as diabetesand heart disease?
Yes, it can, particularly.
Later in life we tend tostruggle more with these things
(09:55):
in the population at large, andthat's largely due to the
underlying metabolic stuff goingon with PCOS, which is why you
have to recognize that PCOS isnot just about your hormones and
it's not something that goesaway once you go through
menopause or have a hysterectomy.
Trust me, I'm living proof ofthat.
Number 14, what are thepotential effects of PCOS on
mental health and how can theybe addressed?
(10:16):
What are the potential effectsof PCOS on mental health and how
can they be addressed?
Those with PCOS do tend to moreoften have depression, anxiety,
even bipolar and ADHD are morecommon, and so, yeah, it
definitely affects us.
I talked recently about howI've dealt with depression for
quite a while now and it hasbeen a struggle, and the things
that address mental healthconcerns in PCOS tend to be the
(10:37):
things that also help ourhormones, which is like
lifestyle changes eating ahealthy, nutritious diet, making
sure that we're getting enoughexercise that's been huge for me
and stress reduction techniques.
I know it's boring, but that'sthe truth.
Number 15, are there any naturalsupplements or alternative
therapies that may help tomanage PCOS symptoms?
Yes, there are.
My favorite supplement for PCOSis N-acetylcysteine, which is a
(11:02):
precursor to a really powerfulantioxidant, and it's the best
way for us to actually absorb itif we're taking it as a
supplement.
So I love NAC.
I'll link my favorite NAC below.
There are a lot of others and Iwill link to a blog article I
did on that so that you can lookinto that more.
But yeah, there are a lot ofsupplements that help because
they help bring up certainnutrients that we tend to be
(11:23):
deficient in.
Okay, number 16, how does PCOSimpact menstrual cycles and what
treatments are available forirregular periods?
I mean, this is the differencebetween if we're talking
conventional treatments or likefunctional nutrition treatments,
which is what I do, but theconventional thing would be to
put somebody on birth control,which really just masks the
underlying problem.
(11:44):
So, to get periods regular withPCOS, it all goes back in
nutrition, to working on thosefundamentals, to making sure
that the blood sugar is balanced, that the inflammation is
reduced and that the adrenalsand stress responses are
balanced out.
Those things are what impactthe hormone levels, and so once
the hormone levels are moreregular, you will start to have
(12:05):
more regular periods.
Number 17, are there anyspecific exercises or physical
activities recommended for womenwith PCOS?
Yes, any exercise, anythingthat you can make yourself do.
I'm about to do a podcast onthis, but people tend to kind of
get really lost in the weedswith exercise and they're like,
(12:27):
oh, what's best?
What should I do?
What should I not do?
By and large, those of us withPCOS struggle with two things
either over-exercising if we'vegot adrenal stuff going on and
you know if you're anover-exerciser or
under-exercising we just don'tmove enough.
Most of us are dealing withthat.
So if you can just get out anddo something with consistency,
(12:47):
it really doesn't matter what itis, it's going to be helpful.
Once we get into this adrenalterritory, there are some rules
that I follow, but we won't getinto that right now.
Number 18, is there a connectionbetween PCOS and weight gain
and, if so, what strategies canhelp with weight management?
There's absolutely a connection.
Typically it's the insulinresistance, since high insulin
(13:08):
levels kind of make our bodyprefer to store fat.
But it can also be highcortisol levels that cause a lot
of belly fat.
It can be inflammation causingweight loss resistance.
Usually it's a combination ofall three.
What helps is working on thosethings.
So blood sugar balance is likestep number one if you're having
issues with weight gain,because if we can get your
insulin levels lower, then yourbody will probably respond
(13:30):
better to all the hard work thatyou're doing with like managing
calories and all that stuff.
Number 19, can PCOS cause hairloss or unwanted hair growth,
and what treatment options areavailable?
Yes, it can, and it's usuallybecause of high levels of
something calleddihydrotestosterone or DHT.
That is the hormone thattriggers hair growth on the face
(13:51):
and body and can also be partof the trigger for hair loss,
although that gets a little bitmore complicated.
Treatment options that areavailable there are some foods
and things that can help tolower DHT 5-alpha reductase
inhibiting foods and a lot ofpeople will undergo laser and
things like that but there's notreally a lot of great solutions
for PCOS facial hair.
So I'm going to go over my timehere to tell you that I did put
(14:14):
out a course on this last year,so it's called Facial Hair
Freedom and I'm kind of likeknown in a couple of different
social media platforms as likethe facial hair girl.
So I thought, well, why notcapitalize on that and actually
make a course and put all theknowledge together in one place?
So I did that and it'savailable if you're interested
in learning more.
But it's like a deep dive onPCOS facial hair and the
solutions and strategies,supplements, foods and ways of
(14:39):
eating and things like that thatcan help to reduce the facial
hair growth and to help youunderstand where it goes, I'll
link that below Number 20,.
Can PCOS lead to complicationsduring fertility treatments such
as IVF?
It can, although those withPCOS do tend to have better
results with IVF than otherreasons why people might seek
out IVF.
So you have a good chance ofhaving a successful pregnancy.
(15:01):
I actually had my son throughIVF.
However, with PCOS we'relooking at, sometimes we will
over-respond to the medicationsand create too many eggs, which
can be painful or a little bitdangerous.
Doctors tend to monitor that,of course.
And then also with IVF we'relooking at slightly lower egg
quality and so we need to kindof support that Number 21,.
(15:26):
Can PCOS be effectively managedwithout medication, through
lifestyle changes alone?
I'm going to say yes most ofthe time.
So I think about 80% of thetime, like those with PCOS can
get their periods regulated.
They can get pregnant naturallyif they want to, as long as
they kind of know what to do andthey have the right support and
(15:47):
they're consistent.
And those are three big things,but it is possible and I see it
all the time, so I know thatthat's true.
Now there is a subset of folkswith PCOS myself being one of
them who have more severeexpressions of PCOS or who maybe
have a lot of metabolic damage,sort of built up from years and
years of not being able to takecare of themselves.
(16:07):
In those cases it's a littleharder to kind of do everything
without any support or help fromconventional treatment.
So there may need to be IUDs orbirth control or cyclical
progesterone or fertilitytreatments or things like that
involved, and there's no shamein that, there's nothing wrong
with that.
You can still have a healthyexpression of your genetics and
your hormones in that way.
(16:28):
You just may need a little bitmore support.
Number 22, can PCOS cause hairloss or hair thinning?
Yes, it can.
Usually it comes from too muchdihydrotestosterone, like we
talked about earlier, and it'ssomething called androgenic hair
loss.
But there are other factorsthat can play a role in hair
loss and PCOS, and some of theminclude nutrient deficiencies
(16:52):
and high levels of inflammation,and there's also
autoimmune-based stuff and thenthyroid things.
So a lot of those things willoverlap with PCOS sometimes, and
that can be part of what'sgoing on with hair loss.
Number 23, can PCOS lead touterine fibroids?
Yes, so those with PCOS do tendto struggle more with something
that I kind of colloquiallycall estrogen dominance, because
(17:16):
we make our estrogens from ourandrogens.
When we have high androgens,some of us like to kind of
convert to estrogens a lot toorapidly, and so we end up having
too much estrogen too and thatcan lead to some of those
symptoms like clotting or reallyheavy periods, really painful
periods, breast tenderness, butalso eventually to things like
fibroids, polyps and then, onthe very far end of the spectrum
(17:38):
, endometrial cancer.
We have a higher risk of thatas well.
Number 24, can PCOS affect yourthyroid function?
It absolutely can.
There's a lot of overlaps thereand I actually just interviewed
somebody who wrote a book onthat, and so if that podcast is
live by the time this goes up, Iwill link to it.
Otherwise, go look at mypodcast page and you will find
that she's more of an expert onthat than me.
(17:59):
But yes, there's an overlapthere.
They tend to go hand in hand ina lot of people.
So definitely look into yourthyroid if you're struggling
with PCOS.
Number 25, can PCOS affectinsulin production?
Yes, so it's kind of a chickenor an egg situation with that,
but usually what's going on isthat there's a genetic
predisposition towards insulinresistance and high levels of
(18:22):
insulin over time affect thehormones, thus kind of
triggering this sort of PCOScascade.
So high levels of insulin.
It's usually not the PCOSthat's causing the high levels
of insulin, it's the high levelsof insulin kind of causing the
PCOS symptoms.
But it gets a little murky whenwe get into like genetics and
how PCOS actually comes about inthe first place.
But for your symptoms sake,it's the insulin causing the
(18:44):
PCOS symptoms.
Number 26, can PCOS affectjoint pain?
Yes, those with PCOS are moreat risk for autoimmune
conditions, and one of thoseautoimmune conditions is
rheumatoid arthritis.
But other types of chronic painfibromyalgia, joint pain,
stiffness those are more commonin PCOS as well, even if they're
not connected necessarily to anactual diagnosis.
(19:04):
This is usually due to theinfluence of chronic
inflammation and so if you dealwith that a lot, you may want to
look at your gut health, youmay want to look at potential
food sensitivities and justreducing overall inflammation in
your diet.
Number 27, what role doescommunity or peer support play
in managing your PCOS andstaying motivated on your health
journey?
You know, honestly, being aPCOS nutritionist is a really
(19:28):
helpful tool for me, because Ifeel like beholden to all of you
who watch me and you guys careabout what I'm doing, and so
sometimes it feels like a lot ofpressure.
But it's also really good foraccountability and I like to be
a vessel for helping peoplelearn more about themselves and
guide them through that process.
So I consider that peer support.
(19:49):
But I also have friends whohave PCOS and we talk about how
it's a struggle.
I talk with my clients abouthow it's a struggle.
So we're all struggling throughit together and it does help to
have other people to go throughit with Number 28,.
What challenges and triumphshave you experienced in managing
your PCOS symptoms and youroverall wellbeing?
Wow, that could be a wholeepisode in and of itself.
(20:09):
There's a lot of challenges.
Obviously, I'm a cancersurvivor.
I've I had to go through IVF toconceive.
Like there were survivor.
I had to go through IVF toconceive.
There was a lot of pain.
That happened in my 20s andearly 30s over PCOS.
So there's definitely somestuff with that.
But then there's also been alot of triumphs, especially in
the last several years, justovercoming nervous system
(20:29):
dysfunctions and trauma andlearning how to be more
intuitive with what I eat andhow to put less pressure on
myself and having morecompassion for myself and for
others.
So there's a lot of things.
I don't think I can go intothat in 30 seconds, but, yes, a
lot of things.
Number 29, can you share anypersonal anecdotes or success
stories from your own PCOSmanagement journey that might
(20:50):
resonate with others facing asimilar challenge.
The first thing that pops intomy head honestly is my journey
with PCOS facial hair.
I struggled with it a lotgrowing up.
It was really reallydebilitating for me.
Obviously, as you can tell, I'mvery pale and I have very dark
hair, so it was like superobvious and, yeah, it was a big
struggle.
But over the years I learned alot about it and so balancing my
(21:13):
blood sugar and getting my kindof like underlying hormones in
balance and then alsoincorporating like matcha and
five alpha reductase inhibitingfoods and supplements like zinc
helped me a lot so that I wasable to actually go get laser
and it was actually effectivefor me.
So I think that journey is wasreally interesting and I'm glad
I was able to kind of put allthe pieces together with that.
(21:36):
That was more than a minute,that was more than 30 seconds,
but so, forgive me, number 30,what are the potential risks and
challenges of managing PCOSduring pregnancy?
With PCOS, we actually tend tomore commonly have preterm
babies.
So I would recommend, if youare pregnant with PCOS, just to
be watching out.
Don't just assume things areBraxton Hicks Contractions.
(22:00):
I actually went into laborearly.
I had son at 30 weeks and Ilike called and they were like,
oh, it's Braxton Hicks, no, itwas preterm labor.
So trust your body.
Gestational diabetes we're moreat risk for that Preeclampsia.
So make sure you know,especially as you get towards
the end of your pregnancy, thatyou're taking care of yourself
and that you're still stickingto a good quality diet most of
the time, getting your protein,et cetera.
(22:21):
Getting your protein, et cetera.
Number 31, can PCOS lead tocomplications during fertility
treatments such as IVF?
So I think we talked about thisearlier, but there is something
called I'm blanking on the nameof it, but it's ovarian
hyperstimulation syndrome.
(22:42):
Yeah, I think OHSS Anyway.
So this is something thathappens more frequently with
PCOS, because we already kind ofhave this tendency to have a
lot of follicles and so whenthey start stimulating our
bodies to make more eggs, likewe can do too much.
So with PCOS they tend to likeus to do IVF slowly, like one
embryo at a time.
(23:02):
They kind of take it slow withpumping us with the hormones for
the egg retrievals and thingslike that, just to kind of keep
us safe, and I had a littletouch of that OHSS when I was
going through IVF.
It was not fun, so definitelyit's better to take it slow with
that kind of thing.
Number 32, are there anypotential long-term effects of
PCOS medication, and what shouldpatients be aware of?
(23:25):
So the one that springs to mymind first is that metformin
over time can affect yourability to absorb vitamin B12.
So if you've been on metforminfor like several years and
you're starting to struggle withlike your energy levels and
things like that starting to beto struggle with like your
energy levels and things likethat you might want to look into
(23:47):
getting your B12 levels testedand also taking a B vitamin
complex.
If you with methylated Bvitamins, if you are on
metformin, I think is is alwayswise because it can help to
offset some of those effects.
Number 33, can PCOS beeffectively managed through
intermittent fasting or otherdietary restrictions?
Yes and no.
(24:07):
So I prefer to think more aboutthings that we add to our PCOS
lifestyle rather than thingsthat we're constantly taking
away.
That's just semantics, but itdoes help with the mindset of
this.
Intermittent fasting, if youhave a lot of insulin resistance
could potentially be helpful,but I tend to not recommend it
if you're still in yourpremenopausal years, because I
think it's hard on your adrenals.
However, a 12-hour fastovernight is great for everybody
(24:30):
and everyone should try to dothat.
Number 34, can certain cookingoils or fats worsen inflammation
associated with PCOS?
So there's a lot offear-mongering about oils and
fats right now and I don't wantto contribute to that too much.
However, the omega-6 kind offatty acids that we would get
from your typical vegetable oil,soy oil, corn oil, even canola
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oil and sunflower oil, are notthe best.
At least in the American diet.
We tend to have a really warped, a really imbalanced ratio
between our omega-3 fatty acidsand our omega-6 fatty acids.
So it serves us a lot more tocook with more anti-inflammatory
fats.
So olive oil, extra virginolive oil, avocado oil and then
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eating a lot of fish for theomega-3 fatty acids will help
assist us in balancing that out.
We also want to be careful tonot do too many saturated fats,
even though grass-fed butter canbe a healthy part of your
lifestyle, and coconut oil aswell.
I you know I tend to kind oflike limit those somewhat and
not over-rely on them.
Number 37, can excessive proteinintake lead to adverse effects
(25:35):
in women with PCOS.
I mean excessive, excessiveprotein intake can lead to
issues with anyone, right, butespecially if you have like
family history or underlyinghistory of like kidney issues or
disorders, yeah, you want to becareful.
However, I think by and large,most people don't eat enough
protein, especially to supporttheir insulin balancing and
weight loss goals.
(25:56):
We tend to need to eat morethan we kind of think that we do
.
You can always do the math onthis.
There are different calculatorsonline.
Um, you know, one gram per kiloof body weight is like usually
the one that we go with, but itjust depends on the person and
their goals.
Yes, there are some risks ifyou have underlying health
(26:17):
conditions, but by and large, Ithink you'll be fine bumping up
your protein intake.
Number 38, are there anypotential risks associated with
a long-term adherence to alow-fat diet for PCOS management
?
You know I'm not really a fanof low-fat diets.
That doesn't mean that we needto go high-fat, but I think
low-fat diets we can strugglemore with nutrient deficiencies
because a lot of our vegetablesactually have fat-soluble
(26:39):
vitamins, so there's a lot ofvitamins that need fat to
actually be able to be properlyabsorbed.
So we want to have a balance.
Like I said, good fats likeextra virgin olive oil, avocado
oil, the omega-3 fatty acidsfrom fish those kinds of things
should be pretty liberal in ourdiets and then we should limit
other types of fats.
But going overall totally lowfat usually doesn't work very
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well for PCOS because it's justnot great for hormone health.
Number 39, can you provide tipsfor maintaining a positive
mindset and embracing self-lovewhile navigating the challenges
of living with PCOS?
I think the biggest thing hereis to have some respect and some
grace for yourself.
Just the fact that you watchthis video all the way to the
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end, you probably care aboutyour health, and that's more
than we can say for a lot ofpeople.
So just the fact that you careand that you're putting effort
into it, that's a win rightthere.
So give yourself some props forthat and try to focus more on
the things that you're doingwell for yourself.
I exercised today.
That was great.
(27:44):
Gratitude for the work that youare doing is going to subtly
give you that praise.
That's going to make you wantto keep doing it.
Whenever we come at changes froma place of love rather than a
place of hate or disgust or fear, we tend to be more successful.
So whenever you can notice yourbrain kind of going back on
(28:05):
like, um, you know I'meverything's terrible, I can't
get my PCOS under control, I'mnot doing it right, et cetera,
et cetera.
Try to make a list of all thethings that you have done.
Um, really well that you, thechoices that you made, that were
different than what you wouldhave made if you hadn't known
better, and have gratitude forthat, and I think that's helpful
(28:26):
.
Sorry for that one minute and30.
Second thing, I hope it washelpful.
Number 40, what dietary advicedo you commonly give to
individuals with PCOS and how doyou tailor it to meet their
individual needs?
Well, this is a nice one.
To end on the dietary advicethat I tend to give eat more
(28:47):
protein.
Eat a little less starch.
Make sure you're having proteinwith your starch.
Eat a moderate amount ofhealthy fats.
Try to follow a Mediterraneanstyle diet overall More fish,
more veggies, more antioxidants,all that kind of stuff.
Take a supplement that'shelpful for PCOS, so NAC,
(29:08):
inositols, whatever it is thatis associated most with your
unique root causes.
I would take a supplement tosupport that and get more
exercise.
Go find something that you like,something that you can stick
with.
I like to dance, do somethinglike that and make sure that
you're moving a lot, becauseit's really helpful for your
mood and your motivation, andthere's more, but it's been 55
(29:32):
seconds and I'm going to stop,so thank you, guys, so much for
watching this video.
I hope this was interesting andfun.
Obviously, there are a lot morequestions I could have answered
.
I told this thing to give me ahundred questions at the
beginning.
So if you liked this, if youhave your own questions, things
that you think I should havecovered, things that you would
like me to add, and if you'dlike me to do another video like
this, please comment below, letme know, and if I get enough
(29:55):
questions and enough people areinterested, then I will do
another one like this.
So thank you for being here.
Thank you for watching thisvideo.
I hope this was interesting andhelpful for you.
Have a.