Paleo vs PCOS page

[Screamer]

Hi everyone,

So I'm soon going to be starting the paleo diet, but have read conflicting reviews about how it may affect my PCOS - Polycystic ovary syndrome.

It seems that anything that increases certain hormones can increase the symptoms of PCOS, which trust me aren't good ones (excess hair growth, massive weight gain, infertility, irregular periods, erratic hormones to name a few), but that over all eating the low GI and low carb diets will help the symptoms.

They are so conflicting that I just don't know what to do really and would appreciate any help or advice.

Thanks so much,
Jodie

[onalark]

What you should do is give it a try. 60-90 days. And then see if your symptoms improve.

I was casually (i.e., without tests or ultrasounds) diagnosed with PCOS about six years ago by a lazy doctor who was kind of a jerk. That said, I did fit the type (overweight, blood sugar issues, thyroid problems, some black hairs popping up on my chest and neck), so whatever. Anyway, here's the point: I went paleo 1.5 years ago. I did not lose amazing amounts of weight (lowest I got was 153 or so), but I felt better, I look better, and I'm fertile.

That said, I never tried to get pregnant when I was supposedly diagnosed with PCOS, so who knows? But really -- give the diet a try, a real, really-real try, and see if it helps. I also tried the low-GI thing for a while (it's supposed to help hypothyroidism), but it made me hungry and cranky and didn't help. I think there's something to this whole eliminate inflammatory foods things, and paleo will definitely do that.

Good luck.

[Kakes]

I don't have experience with this, but there are a bunch of success stories regarding PCOS on this forum. I also subscribe to this blog: Paleo For Women
You might find some great info there. She has a book about PCOS coming out very shortly!

[bloodorchid]

hello pcos sibling

at the very very least, cutting out grains will help you immensely. when i started primal, i didn't try to low carb or anything, just cut out grains and eat whatever. if it was a bowl full of sweet potatoes i wanted then that's what i had.

all my erroneous body aches went away, my periods normalized, skin tags, darkened armpits and extra hair went away, my hair stopped falling out and began to regrow

i can't say if i can carry a baby to term or not, i haven't tried to get pregnant, but pleeeeeease, at least try it for a while

[meat egg fruit n veg]

I found that for me, dairy got rid of the excess hair when I first went Paleo.
Then I started drinking full fat cream and bam! hair came back full force.

[bloodorchid]

as a butter fan (butter level: paula deen), my sympathies

[Screamer]

as a butter fan (butter level: paula deen), my sympathies

I think that's what i'm worried about is how much of the paleo diet 'good fats' should I not eat because they are going to increase the hormones that mess up my hair growth and weight gain?

I'm just nervous about putting on more weight when i've already got too much on. I've been eating on FODMAP for a while now anyway, so gluten free and minimal dairy, but someone mentioned that trans fats (any fats that you have to melt down) will be a problem... which rules out so many things on this diet....

I know i should try it and see, just wanted to make a few enquiries first, just not sure who too.

I had the ultrasound on my ovaries to confirm i had PCOS a few years ago.

[noodletoy]

but someone mentioned that trans fats (any fats that you have to melt down) will be a problem... which rules out so many things on this diet....

am not sure what you mean here? melted butter or coconut oil pose no dangers as far as trans-fats go. it's the crap hydrogenated fats and seed oils that pose risk and abet inflammation.

[bloodorchid]

I think that's what i'm worried about is how much of the paleo diet 'good fats' should I not eat because they are going to increase the hormones that mess up my hair growth and weight gain?

my personal experience is real fats (butter, coconut oil, good olive oil) did not screw my hormones up. just like every woman with PCOS has different symptoms, no 2 women will react exactly the same, hormonally, to dairy

one thing i have seen is a lot of women, pcos or not, do better without dairy. i just choose to keep it around and buy 'organic'

[Wildrose]

I have PCOS. Since I've gone primal I've lost a lot of weight and my periods have come back. It doesn't seem to do much for the hair growth/hair loss though. :P