insulin resistance

Tools to Increase Success Rates of IVF with PCOS

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the most common cause of infertility in females. The hormonal imbalances experienced by women with PCOS prevent ovulation from occurring at all. Without ovulation, pregnancy cannot occur without the use of fertility treatments. Others experience irregular menstrual cycles, which makes it challenging to know when ovulation is occurring and when the woman is most fertile.

There are a variety of fertility treatment options, but those who struggle with fertility often end up pursuing in vitro fertilization.

20 Quick and Easy Ideas for PCOS-Friendly Snacks

If you have polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), you likely have at least some degree of insulin resistance that is driving your PCOS symptoms. Nutrition and lifestyle changes can be highly effective at improving insulin sensitivity, which will also improve PCOS symptoms like acne, irregular periods, excessive facial and body hair, hair thinning, and weight gain.

Many of the snacks we've often been told are healthy (a piece of fruit, a granola bar, a handful of crackers, or low-fat yogurt with added sugars) are actually not that great for women with PCOS. All of them are "naked carbs," carbs eaten on their own, which will cause blood sugar spikes and worsen insulin resistance. They will also lead to blood sugar crashes a couple of hours later, and this low blood sugar will tell your brain to eat some more to bring your blood sugar levels back up. This blood sugar rollercoaster often leads to eating more food than you actually need.

So let's talk about what makes up a good snack!

The Great Potato Debate - Potatoes and Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS)

When I first launched this Instagram account, a nutrition coach reached out to me for advice for her PCOS clients who were having a hard time losing weight. I told her that managing insulin resistance is usually the most important thing for PCOS.

And she responded, “So, you mean like eating sweet potatoes for carbs?”

Ehh…. It’s a little more nuanced than that.

The Use of the Ketogenic Diet for Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS)

The post is the first in a series that will discuss the peer-reviewed research on the potential of popular diets to address PCOS symptoms.

Due to the prevalence of insulin resistance among women with PCOS, the ketogenic diet is often suggested for women with PCOS. Insulin resistance impairs the body’s ability to regulate blood sugar, and this is particularly problematic when large amounts of carbohydrates are consumed. The body has to pump out large amounts of insulin, and these large amounts of insulin cause increased production of testosterone in women with PCOS. Keeping carbohydrates minimal is one (but not the only!) way to keep blood sugar stable without the need for a large release of insulin, and this can reduce many of the symptoms of PCOS.

Intermittent Fasting/Time-Restricted Eating & PCOS

Last week, I listened to Dr. Aviva Romm’s On Health podcast episode on intermittent fasting and time-restricted eating (which she refers to as time-based eating). On the podcast, she talks about how helpful she has found time-based eating to be for her female clients. Many years ago, I tried time-based eating as part of a “body composition challenge” being offered at my crossfit gym, and I found it to be pretty horrible for me! If I recall correctly, I think I started with 12 hours of fasting with a 12-hour feeding window (this is a VERY liberal feeding window for this kind of fasting) or perhaps it was 14 fasting, 10 eating. I’m not sure! In either case, it was not as long of a fasting period as is generally recommended, and it was pure torture for me. As I was anxiously awaiting the start of my feeding window, I was full-on “hangry” and couldn’t focus on anything.

The Effects of Transcendental Meditation on Metabolic Syndrome

In honor of World Meditation Day, we’ve got a second post on the impacts of meditation on health issues that often plague women with PCOS. The study discussed here (Paul-Labrador et al. 2006) considers transcendental meditation, a very different kind of meditation than the walking meditation discussed in the previous post.

PCOS and Exercise: Which Kind of Exercise Is Best?

Most people who know me know that I love working out. So I’m often asked what the best form of exercise is. I always reply with, “The one you will do consistently.” And I firmly believe this. But if you’re someone who enjoys different kinds of exercise, and in particular, if you’re someone who is troubleshooting a medical issue, some forms of exercise might be better than others, and that is the case for women with PCOS.