GI Diet for PCOS

PCOS, or polycystic ovary disease or polycystic ovarian syndrome, is a condition characterized by the development of cysts within a woman's ovaries. If left untreated, this condition can eventually cause fertility problems along with other symptoms such as abnormal periods, acne, a decrease in breast size or an increase in body hair growth. According to information from ObGyn.net, PCOS also places a woman at a higher risk of developing diabetes, making a GI diet an effective tool for preventing this outcome.

GI DIet Theory

• Understand the concept behind a low GI diet to better understand how it can be used to avert diabetes in women with PCOS. Type II diabetes develops where the body becomes unable to produce or utilize the hormone insulin, a storage hormone produced by the pancreas to regulate blood sugar levels. This can occur where the demands on the pancreas are too great, as in the case of an individual with chronically elevated blood sugar levels. Fortunately, this can be controlled through dietary means, as blood sugar is most drastically affected by the intake of carbohydrates that are quickly digested by the body, such as refined flour and sugars. The speed at which a carb is digested is measured by the glycemic index, with the crux of a GI diet being to consume only low-GI foods to keep blood sugar in check, avoiding diabetes as a complication of PCOS.

GI Diet

• Consume a diet that is rich in low-GI carbohydrates along with moderate amounts of protein and fat to avoid diabetes for individuals with PCOS. This means limiting your carbohydrate consumption to slow-digesting items like fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Generally speaking, stick to carbs that are served in or close to their natural state. The aforementioned carbs are served with minimal processing, unlike fast-digesting carbs like sugars and white flour. Couple this with consumption of lean protein sources such as low-fat dairy products, low-fat red meat, chicken, turkey and seafood, along with consumption of natural fats from fruits like avocados and coconuts, nuts, seeds and oils. Each meal you eat should contain a low-GI carb source, a protein source and a healthy fat source. Avoid eating carbs on their own, as the inclusion of other macronutrients will help to slow digestion time, improving the effect of the meal on your blood sugar levels.