Along with medication, following a healthy diet along with regular exercise can help you fight the hormonal disorder, advises gynecologist, obstetrician and IVF expert Dr Amit Patil.
PCOD, also known as Polycystic Ovarian Disorder/Syndrome is a disorder caused because of hormonal disorder in the body of a woman.
A very common symptom of PCOD is irregularity in menstrual cycle.
Globally, 1 in every 5 women is diagnosed with this hormonal imbalance disorder but are still unaware how to deal with it.
The condition majorly affects the ovaries and leads to the development of small cysts around them.
The increase in production of male hormones androgen and testosterone causes PCOD.
Although, the major cause of PCOD is yet not known, experts have reason to believe that genetics and an unhealthy lifestyle are responsible.
While medication is important, changes in lifestyle and diet will help you fight the condition and become fitter.
It is a disorder that cannot be completely removed from the body, however, it can be controlled with proper medication followed by healthy diet and exercise.
If not treated on time, it can also lead to disorders like sleep apnea, endometrial cancer and depression.
Symptoms
Some of the most common symptoms of PCOD are as follows:
- Weight loss
- Acne/ pimples on the face
- Loss of hair
- Irregular menstrual cycle
- Migraine
- Depression
- Thick hair growth on the body
Treatment options
- Lifestyle modification
- Exercise
- Regularising of periods
- Fertility management
- Medical management (Hormonal)
- Surgical management (Laparoscopic)
Here are some healthy tips that women suffering from PCOD can follow to lead a healthy lifestyle.
1. Include cereals and pulses in your diet
Beans, lentils and legumes are important for the body because of less fat content and high iron and potassium content.
It is very important to include cereals and pulses in your everyday diet. They being a good source of vitamins and minerals are required by the body.
All the right sources of carbs and fibres are a must and should be included in the diet.
Processed food should be avoided completely. Instead, include ghee, sesame in your diet.
2. Fruits
Fruits like red grapes, berries help in preventing damage of the cells.
All these fruits are rich in antioxidants and therefore should be part of your diet.
Fruits should be your ideal breakfast and should form an important part of your most important meal of the day.
Eat dark green and leafy vegetables. Include vegetables like lettuce, broccoli that are highly rich in antioxidants.
Consumption of carbohydrates should be reduced and your diet should focus majorly on fruits and vegetables.
Foods that are rich in Omega-3 should form an important part of your daily diet.
3. Exercise
Although, we recommend making dietary changes to your diet, one should never forget to exercise.
Exercising for at least 30 to 60 minutes in a day with help in maintaining the body weight and also maintain insulin level in the body.
If a woman is suffering from PCOD, it becomes important to maintain the insulin level of the body as high insulin is responsible for weight gain.
High insulin level also leads to the darkening of the skin and also leads to increase in release of the hormone called testosterone.
If you sit for too long or you have a desk job, make sure you walk and stretch your body every 30 minutes.
PCOD is triggered by obesity, hence, one should focus towards losing weight. However, crash dieting should not be followed as it can make the situation even worse.
4. Red meat should not be eaten
According to experts, eating meat if you are suffering from PCOD will lead to loss of fertility.
It is best to not include it in your diet. Along with this, even processed meats should also be avoided like hot dogs and sausages.
5. Get quality sleep
Make sure that you get good quality sleep.
You should sleep for at least 6 to 8 hours everyday in order to maintain optimum hormonal balance level.
6. Eat small meals
All the women suffering from PCOD also experience water retention.
The best way to avoid this it to keep having water regularly and also have meals frequently.
Having meals on time and not starving will also help in maintaining the level of insulin in the body.
7. Consume seeds
Seeds like flaxseeds can really work wonders for your body if consumed in right form and amount.
Consume flaxseeds and sesame seeds, but make sure that you do not consume more than 20 grams in a day.
Along with seeds, herbs like methi dana and cinnamon can also be consumed to maintain the level of hormones in the body.
8. Go for a diabetic diet
Women who suffer from PCOD are resistant to insulin. Hence, they should focus on following a diabetic diet.
They should follow a diet such that is rich in fibre and low in carbohydrates.
You can include foods like brown rice, poha, whole grains, whole wheat that are known to have low- glycemic index.
9. Reduce intake of sugar and refined products
In no case, one should include these products in their diet.
Food like pastries, white bread and biscuits, tend to have high calories and should not be a part of your diet.
10. Fatty fish
As already mentioned that including food rich in Omega-3 is beneficial for the body, fatty fishes are one of them. They are a very important source of Omega-3.
Fish like tuna, sardines, salmon should be included in your diet as they have presence of good fat which ultimately helps in reduction of cardiovascular diseases and also helps in weight loss.
Dr Amit Patil is consultant-IVF, obstetrics and gynecology, Aditya Birla Memorial Hospital, Pune.
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