Eating a specific PCOS Fertility Diet is one of the best things you can do to improve your chances of becoming pregnant.
A big part of the problem with PCOS is the high insulin resistance. Resistance to insulin increases the bodies insulin levels which effects normal ovulation by preventing the body from ovulating or limiting the maturation process of the released egg.
This directly has an affect on your fertility and ability to conceive.
Women who are insulin resistant are also 4-5 times more likely to have a miscarriage. Imbalanced insulin levels due to PCOS make it difficult for the embryo to attach properly to the uterus.
PCOS is also a huge red flag for the beginning of type 2 diabetes.
I do not say all this to scare you, but I do want you to know that this is a serious matter. But there is a lot you can do to turn this all around, naturally. The biggest step you can take is to change your diet to a PCOS diet.
The benefits of following a PCOS Diet are:
Increases the rate of spontaneous ovulation.
Significantly improves the environment of the uterus, preparing it for a healthy conception.
Decreases the potential for miscarriage
Prevents PCOS from turning to diabetes
PCOS Diet Guidelines
1. Balance your daily protein with equal amount carbohydrates
This will help to eliminate the insulin yo-yo. When you eat equal amounts of proteins and carbohydrates this helps to keep your insulin at a balanced level, thus increasing your fertility.
Low-carbohydrate, high-protein diet helped insulin resistance. High-carbohydrate, low-protein diet made insulin resistance worse.
-Medical Journal Metabolism; no. 12: 1481-1487
A diet containing 25% carbohydrates improved insulin resistance, whereas a diet that included 45% carbohydrates did not
-International Journal of Obesity and Related metabolic Disorders 20 no. 12:1067-1072
The types of carbohydrates you choose are also an important factor. Choose whole grain, or sprouted grain products. They contain more protein and fiber (thus balancing insulin better) than the processed counterparts. Avoid white processed carbohydrates which cause a spike in your insulin levels and provide no fiber, or nutrients.
Some examples of whole grain and sprouted grain products are:
Ezekiel breads
Whole spelt- pastas and breads
Quinoa - pastas, flour, grain
Millet- breads, grains, cereal
Brown Rice- cereals, breads, grain
The best place to find these foods are at your local health foods store or Whole Foods Market.
Make sure the proteins you are eating are complete and organic. Organic meats and dairy contain essential fatty acids and will not contribute to any hormonal imbalances.
2. Eat low glycemic index foods
Low glycemic index foods are carbohydrates that break down slowly in the body, and don’t case such a dramatic spike and drop in insulin levels.
Some examples of low glycemic index foods are:
Any vegetables
Whole grains
Unprocessed foods
Fibrous foods
Carbohydrates that break down quickly are likely to make the insulin levels jump dramatically.
Avoid foods that have a high glycemic index such as sugary and starchy foods: pancakes, syrups, sugar, white potatoes, jams, scones, white bread products, pasta.
3. Eat a diet high in fiber
Fiber helps in two ways with PCOS. The first way they help is by slowing down the digestion of sugars in the body, so there is no spike in insulin. The second way they help is by removing excess estrogens from the body, which may also help to reduce fibroids.
Great sources of fiber are: broccoli, celery, whole grains, Ezekiel bread, apples, and dark leafy greens.
4. Eat 5 meals a day
Use supporting herbs and supplements with your PCOS diet for greatest benefits.
Whole Food Multi
Vitex
DIM
Progesterone
Fertilica Omega
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By eating more often, the body will not go into fasting mode. When you look at the way most Americans eat, it is usually three big meals a day. With such a large gap of time between meals the body goes into fasting mode which causes the metabolism to become imbalanced.
The five meals a day should consist of three regular meals and two healthy snacks. The first snack should be eaten in the mid-morning before lunch and the second snack to be eaten less than an hour before bed. Between eating 5 meals a day and eating equal protein and carbohydrates each meal, you will also experience weight loss.
Here is what the 5 meals a day could look like:
Breakfast - right away, when you wake up
Snack
Lunch
Dinner
Snack- less than an hour before bed
You could have your last snack between lunch and dinner, eating your dinner right before bed. Find out what works best with your lifestyle.
5. Eat essential fatty acids daily
Eating essential fatty acids (EFA’s) helps you to lose weight, produce balanced hormones, and creates a healthy environment for conception.
The best source of EFA’s is Fish Oils, and Evening Primrose oil.
Fertilica Omega- Take 1-3 Fertilica Omega capsule daily with your snack. I like this oil the best because it contains EFA’s including DHA which is essential for the baby’s healthy brain. You can take this daily and during pregnancy.
Evening Primrose Oil- Take 1500mg of this oil from day one of your cycle (menstruation) till ovulation. Evening Primrose Oil helps to increase cervical mucous and metabolic function. Use in addition to the flax or cod liver oils.
6. Exercise 30 min. 5 days a week
Exercise helps PCOS by improving your insulin sensitivity, increasing your metabolism and helping to shed any excess weight. Both aerobic and resistance exercises are good. Researchers found that participants of resistance exercises showed better improvement in insulin sensitivity than with aerobic exercise alone.
You could walk and lift weights or take a Pilates class and run on the treadmill. Discover what you enjoy doing and do this 5 days a week for at least thirty minutes.
7. Eat Organic
You will be eating a high protein diet, so it is essential that any animal proteins (meats and dairy) you are eating are organic. In commercial meats there are large amounts of added hormones (estrogens) that make the animals grow bigger, faster, and produce more milk. With PCOS there is usually a progesterone deficiency and adding more estrogens can make it even worse.
Studies have shown that organic foods contain more vitamins, minerals and healthier proteins.
8. Quit Coffee
Caffeine increases estrogen levels. A study from Fertility and Sterility shows that drinking just two cups of coffee a day boosts levels of estradiol, a natural estrogen. Women who drink 4-5 cups of coffee a day produce 70% more estrogen in the follicular phase of the menstrual cycle (when the body is trying to produce a viable follicle for ovulation, which is already and issue in women with PCOS.)
If you need help getting off the bean, check out Teccino. It is a coffee alternative that tastes great and is alkalizing for the body.
PCOS Herbs and Supplements
In addition to eating the PCOS diet, supplements have shown to be effective in helping those with PCOS boost there fertility and give birth to healthy babies.
Supplements that are beneficial for PCOS…
Fertilica Whole Food Multi
A major part of decreasing the effects of PCOS and preparing the uterine lining is to take a prenatal multivitamin. Making sure your body has all of the nutrients necessary is a lot easier when you are taking a multivitamin. Synthetic multivitamins won’t have the same effect.
Vitex
Vitex Extract (Chaste Tree Berry) is one of the most powerful herbs for women’s fertility and menstrual health. There are numerous studies and testimonials of Vitex and it’s effects on the body. One of the reasons Vitex is so effective for women who are not ovulating due to PCOS, is because of its ability to balance hormones while not containing hormones itself. Vitex supports hormonal balance in the body by having an effect on the hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian axis (hormonal feedback loop), correcting the problem at the source.
Progesterone
If you have PCOS use 15 to 20 mg of progesterone cream daily for the last two weeks of your cycle.
DIM
DIM balances the hormones and aids in the breakdown of estrogen. Estrogen is a major culprit to many of the fertility issues women face today including PCOS.
Fertilica Omega
Eating essential fatty acids (EFA’s) helps you to lose weight, produce balanced hormones, and creates a healthy environment for conception. EFA’s have been shown to support hormonal balance and production.
Buy the PCOS Fertility Kit
To help you on your journey to a healthy pregnancy despite PCOS, I created the PCOS Fertility Kit.
The PCOS Fertility Kit contains herbs and supplements that helps the body to balance the hormonal imbalanced caused from PCOS, and reverse the negative effects on your fertility.
Buy PCOS Fertility Kit
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List Price: $148.91
Your Price: $127.42
You Save: $24.49 (15%)
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Included in this kit: One month supply of Women’s Whole Food Multi, Fertilica Omega, Progesterone cream, DIM, and Vitex
