 Is it just me, or are people talking about keto everywhere you turn? Everybody wants to know: Is keto the best diet for PCOS? As a PCOS health & wellness coach I have spent a long time not only researching PCOS, but adopting a healthy diet and lifestyle to manage my own PCOS symptoms. Since there are so many questions out there, I thought I would share my opinion on this hot issue. Is keto the best diet for PCOS? My short answer is maybe. Now let's get into the details. While the medical community does not know what causes PCOS, we do know that it is an endocrine disorder. We also know the endocrine system is easily impacted by a number of things, including what we eat. When we eat carbohydrates it kicks our system into high gear and throws off the endocrine system, which throws off our hormones, which results in most PCOS symptoms. Therefore, the fewer carbohydrates we eat, the less our endocrine system is disrupted, the fewer PCOS symptoms. Now let's look at the keto diet. In summary, the ketogenic diet is "high in fat, moderate in protein, and very low in carbs. Your nutrient intake should be something around 70% fats, 25% protein, and 5% carbohydrate. Typically, anywhere between 20-30g of net carbs is recommended for everyday dieting." (Source) If you look at the nutrition label of a box of crackers you'll quickly learn those 20 grams of carbs are nothing. To sustain a keto diet you need to eat whole, nutrient dense foods.  Source: www.ruled.me/guide-keto-diet I agree that eating a diet of whole, nutrient dense foods is the cornerstone of health, especially for PCOS. I also agree that adding healthy fat to your diet is key for weight loss. So, in many ways I support the foundations of a keto diet, however, I disagree with the structure of the diet. Personally I feel like restricting carbs and tracking your macros is extremely difficult to maintain long term. I did some research and came across an interesting study facilitated by Duke University. A group of women were instructed to limit their carbohydrate intake to 20 grams or less per day for 24 weeks. The good news is the participants who completed the study saw great results. The bad news is less than 50% of the participants completed the study! Keto is challenging diet to follow and can easily lead to an "all or nothing" mentality. It can also lead to an unhealthy relationship with food. I know many women have adopted a keto diet with great success and I'm so glad it worked for them. However, the high level of restriction and tracking make it nearly impossible for others. When people ask for my opinion I suggest a less intense approach that is sustainable. Since there is no "cure" for PCOS it is important to adopt healthy habits that are sustainable long term. So what are healthy habits for PCOS? + A balanced diet the includes plenty of vegetables, protein, and healthy fat. Download your free PCOS Shopping List: What to Eat to Lose Weight & Feel Great + Reduce your sugar intake. Learn the connection between sugar & PCOS and how to kick your sugar habit + Learn how to take care of yourself & the 8 key steps to managing your symptoms + Find support! I encourage you to join the Mending Together Facebook group for daily PCOS conversation, recipe ideas, and education. We hang out on Facebook Live every Friday at noon. So grab a cup of coffee and join the conversation!  Emily Hawkes is a certified Health & Wellness coach specializing in women with PCOS. She lives in Southern California with her husband and son. When she's not working with clients one on one or blogging you can find her out for a walk or watching BBC nature documentaries.
 I don't know about you, but the past few weeks I've been running from one thing to the next. Thankfully a lot of it has been fun [shopping date with my mom!] but it can leave me feeling just plain exhausted.
After a long day of work & cooking & all the things taking a bath is one of my absolute FAVORITE ways to relax. This detox bath is not only the perfect way to wrap up a busy weekend, but it keeps my PCOS in check 💚 Who's ready for some relaxing goodness? What is your go way to unwind? ---------------------------------------------- Detox Bath 🛀 🌺 1 cup epsom bath salt [fragrance free] 🌼 1/2 cup baking soda 🌸 3-5 drops lavender essential oil [optional] Add all ingredients to the tub as you fill it with warm water. NOTE: it is critical to avoid all synthetic fragrances, which are commonly added to bath products. Check out THIS video in the Mending Together Facebook group to learn all about the dangers of added fragrance. ---------------------------------------------- Why you need more magnesium in your life: Women with PCOS are 19 TIMES more likely to have a magnesium deficiency. In water, epsom salt breaks down into magnesium and sulfate which is then easily absorbed into skin. The biggest benefits of magnesium for women with PCOS are its ability to alleviate anxiety and reduce blood pressure and insulin. For more information about PCOS and magnesium check out:https://www.verywellhealth.com/pcos-and-magnesium-4145000 
I don't know about you, but when I was first diagnosed with polycystic ovary syndrome [PCOS] it felt like a punch to the gut. But at the same time it was also relieving to have an explanation as to why my body felt out of balance. My menstrual cycles were irregular, my face would break out, my digestion was inconsistent, and I sweat...a lot. Unfortunately my doctor did not provide much guidance and simply put me on birth control to “solve” the problem.
If you have a similar story, you've come to the right place. I've significantly improved my own PCOS symptoms and am going to share the 8 key steps that set me up for success. Let's dive in! 1.) Find an OBGYN As you learn about your diagnosis it is important to connect with an OBGYN if you haven't already. Even more so, it is important that you have an OBGYN that you like. They will be your advocate as you navigate the health care system, so it is important you feel comfortable with them and they listen to your concerns. If you have an OBGYN you don't care for, it is okay to change to a new practitioner. 2.) Learn About PCOS As you've probably figured out by now, PCOS can be complex and confusing. Not to mention it can look different from woman to woman. It is important to understand the root symptoms of PCOS and how they play out in your life. Some women experience infertility, others experience facial hair, while others still experience both AND anxiety. This is not a "one size fits all" type diagnosis. I found THIS article to be helpful in understanding PCOS. 3.) Get Support PCOS can be isolating, but it doesn't need to be that way. I run Mending Together, a free online support group, and we'd love to have you! Connect with real women who are experiencing similar roadblocks as you. We hang out on Facebook Live every Friday at noon. Grab a cup of coffee and join the conversation! 4.) Track Your Cycles For many women, PCOS causes irregular cycles. Download an app to track when you are spotting, on your period, or have anything out of the ordinary. This data will become incredibly helpful as you connect with your OBGYN. There are tons of apps out there, but I personally use Clue. It not only tracks mensuration, but digestion, breast tenderness, cold symptoms, and loads of other things that can help piece together your PCOS journey. Knowledge is power! 5.) Cut Down on Processed Food Nutrient rich whole foods are the cornerstone of a balanced PCOS friendly diet. Many packaged foods, such as crackers, frozen pizzas, and granola bars, lack quality nutrition and have additives that help maintain their freshness. Unfortunately these additives can be harmful to our health and difficult for our bodies to digest. Curious what foods are ideal for PCOS? I put together a list of my everyday, go-to, PCOS friendly pantry staples. Grab your free copy at www.MendingPCOS.com. 6.) Decrease Your Sugar Intake After I began my PCOS journey to health I was relieved to learn it wasn't fat in my diet that was causing weight gain, it was SUGAR! Once I cut down my sugar consumption and incorporated healthy fats into my diet not only did the bloating go away, but I lost weight and significantly reduced my PCOS symptoms. Feel intimidated by decreasing your sugar intake? Check out the post How to Kick Your Sugar Habit: The Key to Improving Your PCOS And Losing Stubborn Weight. 7.) Stay Hydrated Many women ask me what they can take to help clear their skin, remove toxins from their body, aid with digestion, and help with weight loss. Well, there is something out there and it is great for women with PCOS! Plus it's all natural AND it's free! Ladies, we're talking about WATER! I know I know, that was a bit cheesy, but how easy is it to forget about water?! I'm guessing we all learned about the benefits of water in elementary school so I'm not going to dive into the science of it all. But it is important to remember that drinking water helps moisturize skin, promote weight loss, flush out toxins, boosts the immune system, and increases energy. It is essential in managing PCOS symptoms and overall health. 8.) Sign Up for a Free Discovery Call If you're ready to take another step in your PCOS journey I've got something exciting to share with you. As a certified Health & Wellness coach I help women with PCOS lose weight and increase their fertility with simple diet and lifestyle changes. I’ve been in your shoes and am happy tell you that positive change is absolutely within your reach. Sign up for a free discovery call to learn more about PCOS and how we can tackle your stuck points together. Working with a health coach was an absolutely pivotal experience for me when I began my own PCOS journey. In working with a coach I began to understand myself better and learned how to make the best food choices that fit my lifestyle. Not only did I lose weight, but I became comfortable in my own skin. It was absolutely priceless!! I was so energized by my own transformation I began to lead other women along the way. Are you ready to shed that stubborn muffin top? Prepare to have a baby? I would love to get to know you and be your guide as you set your goals and reach them. Click HERE to begin. 
Emily Hawkes is a certified Health & Wellness coach specializing in women with PCOS. She lives in Southern California with her husband and son. When she's not working with clients one on one or blogging you can find her out for a walk or watching BBC nature documentaries.
Do you ever find yourself wishing your clothes fit better? Muffin tops, #amiright?!
I spent years counting my calories and eating low fat foods. And you know what? I was always hungry and bloated. It. Was. The. Worst. Sound familiar? After I began my PCOS journey to health I was relieved to learn it wasn't fat in my diet that was causing weight gain, it was SUGAR! Once I cut down my sugar consumption and incorporated healthy fats into my diet not only did the bloating go away, but I lost weight and significantly reduced my PCOS symptoms. Yup, I became one of those people who had regular cycles, clear skin, and consistent digestion. And it all started once I understood the connection between sugar and PCOS. SUGAR & PCOS "Insulin resistance is one of the root physiological imbalances in most, if not all, PCOS. This is where your pancreas needs to pump out more and more insulin in response to high blood sugar levels." (Cleveland Clinic). When our bodies start producing too much insulin to keep up with all the sugar in our bloodstream, our cells become resistant, meaning they’re not able to effectively convert insulin into energy. This can lead to weight gain, irregular periods, and excess androgen, which can cause facial hair and acne. It's also important to note the more sugar you eat, the more you crave it. I love this diagram that illustrates the sugar cycle. Have you experienced this before? I know I have, especially mid-afternoon. 
Source: www.innerpassacu.com
So let's put this all together: women with PCOS have a difficult time processing sugar, which in turn, leads to weight gain and an imbalance of other hormone controlled functions, such as menstruation and ovulation. Therefore, if women with PCOS decrease their sugar consumption, their body is more aligned and PCOS symptoms decrease. Sounds pretty good, right? A QUICK GUIDE TO KICKING YOUR SUGAR HABIT Now that we know just how bad sugar is impacting our PCOS symptoms, let's walk through some key steps in decreasing sugar consumption. Support It can be difficult to navigate PCOS alone, which is why I created the Mending Together support group. Mending Together is an online community for women with PCOS. Together we learn to nourish our bodies, calm our minds, detox our homes, and support our hearts. Taking care of your body is more than a diet, it is healing from the inside out. I hope you will join us and begin your own journey towards PCOS freedom! Get a baseline If you are anything like me, you know you're eating some sugar here and there. But you're also eating some whole grains, fruit, and maybe even a side salad with dinner. So, it can't be that bad...right?! A few years ago I started to wonder if I was eating more sugar than I realized. I logged my calories for the day and was FLOORED! In just an ordinary day I logged over.... ONE HUNDRED TWENTY TWO GRAMS OF SUGAR ! ! ! For reference, the American Heart Association recommends 25 grams per day for women. Yikes. Get a baseline of your current sugar consumption so you can track your progress. You can use any number of online tools [I've used MyFitnessPal] to log what you eat in a typical day. Look for challenges When thinking about cutting down on sugar what do you think will be the hardest transition? Opting for coffee with cream instead your regular caramel latte? Going for a walk instead of an afternoon treat? Think through your day and identify when you normally crave something sweet. Then identify how you can make other choices. My favorite is sipping a cup of herbal tea. THIS one is my favorite. Look for sneaky sugar Okay, so we know soda has a TON of sugar... but what about salad dressing? Let’s talk about all of the sneaky places sugar likes to hide. Have you ever looked at the back of a BBQ sauce bottle? Did you know that 2 tablespoons has as much sugar as a fun size Snickers?! Start paying attention to the items you have in your home. Read the labels and see if there are any added sugars [alternatives names for sugar are: corn syrup, fructose, & sucrose]. Here are some common places sugar may be sneaking into your life: > Instant oatmeal > Pasta sauce > Flavored yogurt > Canned soup > Granola bars > Peanut butter > Crackers The Fruit Debate Although the exact amounts differ by variety, all fruits have a significant amount of sugar. Some people argue that fruit is okay to include in a low sugar diet, because it is naturally occurring and not as bad as added sugar. Other people argue that your body processes all sugars the same, therefore, fruit should be avoided as it contributes to the sugar cycle we reviewed above. I suggest one to two servings of fruit per day. Berries are always a great choice as they have the least amount of sugar per ounce. Mantra Set yourself up for success by creating a mantra that summarizes why you want to change your diet and improve your health. A mantra is simply a word or phrase of encouragement that you repeat to help you remain focused on a goal. Personally I love this: ✨ Every Day is a Brand New Chance to Start Taking Care of Myself ✨ Say that out loud. Doesn't it feel awesome?! Let your positive thinking propel you forward as you seek to make meaningful habit changes. Mindfulness Have you ever grabbed a bag of chips, plopped on the couch, turned on a show ... only to realize 10 minutes later the entire bag is gone?! Mindlessly eating is when we consume food without being present with the process of eating. It can look like eating while working at your desk, scrolling on your phone, watching tv or even driving. Mindful eating will help you enjoy the experience of eating and help you stop when you are full, which will in turn help with weight management. 
Healthy Fat Maybe you've tried cutting down on sugar in the past and it just hasn't worked. The cravings were too strong and you couldn't resist. That was me for years until I did ONE thing that toned down my sugar cravings ten fold... I added healthy fat into my diet. The combination of reducing sugar and adding healthy fat - such as olive oil or coconut oil - helps stabilize your blood sugar and decreases your cravings. This can look like... > Adding avocado to your meal > Using an olive oil based salad dressing > Generously tossing my veggies in olive oil before roasting > Eating nuts and seeds > Dipping veggies in pesto I know we have been told a low fat diet is best, but most low fat foods have added sugar to make up for the removed fat. As we just learned, sugar makes PCOS symptoms much worse. As backwards as it may sound, fat doesn't make you gain weight, it helps you LOSE weight. TAKING ACTION At this point you may be wondering, so what DO I eat? I have put together a list of my favorite PCOS friendly pantry staples. You can download your copy at www.MendingPCOS.com. 
Emily Hawkes is a certified Health & Wellness coach specializing in women with PCOS. She lives in Southern California with her husband and son. When she's not working with clients one on one or blogging you can find her out for a walk or watching BBC nature documentaries.
 I don't know about you, but there is nothing I love more than Summer produce. Vine ripe tomatoes! Berries! Cucumbers! Oh my!
As we enter salad season I wanted to share my super simple, go-to homemade salad dressing recipe. Store bought salad dressings are often filled with hidden sugar and preservatives to maintain freshness, yuck! Not only does that flare up PCOS symptoms, but it is challenging for our body to process. Thankfully, you can whip up a fresh batch of homemade dressing in less than 3 minutes with ingredients you already have on hand! Plus, the olive oil will add healthy fat to your meal and help balance your blood sugar, which is key for managing PCOS. Want to see a tutorial? Join the Mending Together Facebook group and find it in the video section. PCOS Friendly Salad Dressing 🥗 5 tablespoons olive oil 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar 1 teaspoon dijon mustard 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning 1 clove garlic, minced [or 1/2 tsp garlic powder] Salt & Pepper to taste Place all ingredients in a jar and shake! That's it! I told you it was easy. Keep in the fridge, it will keep for 7-10 days. |
AuthorHi! My name is Emily and I'm a certified Health & Wellness coach who helps women with PCOS lose weight and increase their fertility with simple diet & lifestyle changes! 
Categories |
