Lifestyle changes I made for PCOS

All women diagnosed with PCOS knows the fact that there is no cure for this illness. But fret not, because there are many women who successfully managed their symptoms with medications, vitamins/supplements, treatments and lifestyle change.

As most of you know, I was diagnosed back in 2012 but it was only this year that I decided to get off the pill and start trying other ways to heal my body.

So I’m a total newbie in this game! Right now I’m still researching, asking and learning from fellow PCOS women on what works for them so I can try it myself.

NOTE: This post is based on my personal experience and must not be considered as medical advice.

Here are the few changes that I found very helpful on making my hormones happy

1.      I changed my diet

I believe the first thing your OB will tell you after being diagnosed with PCOS is to lose weight (if overweight) or to maintain your current weight. But losing weight is never easy for us!

Well, I’ve had my ups and downs when it comes to this. I remember back in 2014, I was so obsessed with dieting to the point that I became so alarmingly thin!

This is me being underweight because of crash dieting.

During that time, I would always get comments like, “Anong nangyari sayo, may sakit ka ba!? Mukha ka ng kalansay!”

Obviously I don’t look healthy and happy. My only intention was to NOT gain weight but I didn’t notice that I was already starving myself to death.

But now I’m back to sensible eating. 

My goal now is to maintain my weight in a HEALTHY way. Now, I don’t let myself get hungry! (YAY!!!)

I’m eating regular meals (calorie counted) with snacks pa during the day! But I eat lighter meals at night. I also try my best to stay away from processed foods and refined carbs. What I do is, I look for healthier alternatives (wheat bread, brown rice pasta, sugar-free snacks, etc). I don’t like vegetables but now I try my best to eat them more often. I like broccoli, cauliflower and sitaw (my ultimate fave).

But to be honest, I still have those days when I can’t focus on my PCOS diet. ANG SARAP KAYA KUMAIN!!! But whenever I overeat, I make sure I drink my ACV. What is ACV? Find out next…

2.      Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) became my go to drink!

You’ve probably seen this on the internet because of it’s health-promoting benefits. I must say, this became my life saver!!! I drink this every morning and night, and before and after I indulge in foods (sweets, junk foods, fatty and processed meals) that will make me feel sorry later. ACV simply helps you with anything! Indigestion, bloating, it reduces cholesterol, aids weight loss, helps control blood sugar, and many other amazing benefits!

How I take it

A glass of water

2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar ( I use Bragg’s because it’s raw, organic, and unpasteurized)

3.       I’m TRYING to cut down my sugar intake

I love sweets! Who doesn’t!???

CHOCOLATES, ICECREAM, DONUTS, COOKIES, FRUIT SALAD!!! NAME IT! I LOVE THEM ALL!!!

Sadly, sugar is harmful for us simply because PCOS = insulin resistance.

Insulin is a fat-storing hormone. A person with insulin resistance doesn’t convert sugar into fuel/energy rather it is stored as fat. We are storing more fat because insulin increases our hunger and cravings. That’s why it’s tougher for us to lose weight. If not watched, high insulin levels lead to diabetes and imbalance hormones.

But there is a medication for this! If you’re really struggling with weight gain and insulin resistance, your OB will give you Metformin.

This medication was not prescribed for me though. Because according to my OB, I’m not overweight and my glucose level is normal. Thank God for that!

BUT, I still need to watch my sugar intake. What I do now is I TRY to avoid them as much as I can. I don’t drink sugary drinks anymore (soda, juice, iced tea) and whenever I crave for sweets, I only eat the ones that I truly love or I eat fruits instead. I choose healthier alternatives (Dark Chocolate, AVOCADO and other diabetes-friendly treats) Also, when I do grocery shopping, I don’t go to sweets section! Para di na ako ma-tempt!!! HAHA! Of course, you know my secret, I drink ACV before and after eating them.

4.       I quit caffeine

I’ve read an article that says caffeine increases the tendency of tissue to produce cysts and it also disrupts our hormones. Also, according to the article, coffee can immediately make our bodies insulin resistant upon consumption.

Who would have thought that our go to “survival” drink could be dangerous for us?

Well, I’m not really a coffee lover. I drink it mostly if I’m outside meeting with people, because you know Starbucks is the usual meeting place.

For my morning drink, instead of coffee, I drink a glass of warm honey lemon water everyday. It boosts my energy, detoxifies my system, and somehow aids weight loss.

5.      I exercise regularly

Exercise is important and beneficial to everyone especially if you have PCOS. Regular exercise helps us achieve and maintain a healthy weight and it also improves insulin resistance.

I love working out!!! I exercise 3-5 days a week but I make I sure I have 1-2 rest days. Whenever I exercise, I feel happier and stronger. I feel more confident about myself and it really helps me in lowering my stress levels.

I like doing HIIT (High-Intensity Interval Training), core strength and cardio workouts at home. I rarely go to the gym nowadays because it’s far from our place and gym membership is too expensive.

Now, if you’re still trying to look for motivation to start exercising, here’s my advice,

The most important thing is to make sure you move and sweat everyday! Take it slow and stay away from the scale. Do not pressure yourself to see immediate weight loss because that’s impossible! Better if you set short term goals so you’ll be motivated. Look for friends who wants to work out as well so you have a support system. Do stuff that you like (maybe Zumba, spin classes, yoga, boxing, etc) Buy cute training outfits and take pictures of yourself so you can see progress every month.

On top of all that, we all know the saying “you can’t out train a poor diet.” So please incorporate healthy eating habits to your exercise routine.

6.      I added supplements

Okay, I admit, I’m one of the many people who questions the need of taking supplements. But after I was diagnosed with PCOS, I learned the importance of it.  We need supplements because it gives our body nutrition that it needs to function optimally.

There’s a wide variety of choices out there but these are the ones I personally use

-Folart

This is a pregnancy supplement prescribed by my OB. When you’re TTC (trying to conceive), folic acid may help treat ovulatory infertility. It also prevents birth defects. I take this once a day, usually in the morning.

-Conzace

This multivitamin supplement was prescribed by my OB. I take this morning and evening.

-USANA Essentials

Okay, first and foremost let me tell you that this is NOT a paid ad. I’ve been a USANA user since college. Our pastor recommended this to me when he found out that I have hormonal problems.

USANA Essentials is a two-bottled supplement. The first bottle contains antioxidants while the other contains chelated minerals. These helped me with my bowel movement, energy level and immune system. I drink both tablets from chelated and antioxidant after lunch.

Recent addition

These products were highly recommended by my fellow PCOS women

-Vitex

Vitex, also know as Chasteberry, is an herbal supplement popular in the PCOS community. I’ve heard a lot of success stories about women having regular periods and getting pregnant because of this. I bought this only last week so I can’t really tell you what it does for me yet. Praying for good results after weeks of using this.

-Fish oil

Fish oil contains Omega-3 fatty acids that offer many health benefits to PCOS women. According to articles, fish oil can reduce insulin resistance, ease period pain, reduce cholesterol, and prevent miscarriage. Also studies have shown taking fish oil can reduce hormonal acne!!! Kaya OMG napabili ako agad kasi I really want to eliminate my acne. Again, no major changes yet since 2 days ago ko lang siya binili. I will share my acne journey soon!

-Glutathione

 Aside for being known as a whitening product, glutathione is actually a master antioxidant. It is used to eliminate oxidative stress. I've actually  read many pregnancy success stories from PCOS women who uses glutathione. So I decided to try it too. I recently bought an oral glutathione called Ishigaki.

Please take note that our bodies are unique. What worked for me, might not work for you. Better if you talk to your doctor to determine if supplementing is right for you.

7.      I keep strengthening my faith through daily devotions

PCOS sucks. 

The physical changes and treatments are not easy to deal with and there are days when we just want to give up.

I remember, one morning, I couldn't handle my depression anymore. I wanted to hurt myself because I don't understand why all these are happening to me. Then for some reason my Bible app sent a notification on my phone. It was an alert I scheduled every morning. I opened my Bible App and I cried so much after reading His message that day

    

That moment I know that I am not alone because God is with me. He knows what I'm going through and He wants to help me every step of the way. He is my strength through this whole process and I thank Him everyday!

That's why I encourage you to download the Bible App and find peace and comfort in reading His message daily. Our PCOS stories should be our testimony of God's amazing grace and goodness!

I truly hope this article will serve as your motivation to start your own health and dietary decisions. I just want to remind you that finding the "right" ways to manage the symptoms require a bit of a trial and error so be patient and always ask your doctor about your plans. 

Stay strong, ladies! Let's continue this conversation in the facebook support group! I hope you can share your routine, too! 

Love and prayers, 

Judy