PCOS Article Directory

1. Control PCOS and Infertility: Ten Essential Tips

A holistic physician's ten essential tips for women who want to naturally control symptoms of PCOS such as infertility, weight gain, hirsutism, hair loss, acne and depression.

2. Why a Vegetarian Diet is not Optimal for PCOS

By Nancy Dunne, ND

Part 1 of 6: Introduction: A Vegetarian Diet Is Ultimately Not a Good Choice If you want to avoid long-term health problems, it's advisable to eat some animal protein, especially if you have polycystic ovary syndrome, polycystic ovaries, metabolic syndrome or a tendency toward diabetes.

Part 2 of 6: Why Do We Have to Eat Meat? Humans are designed to function optimally with animal protein fluctuating between 20% and 60% of total daily calories. A vegetarian diet rich in complex carbohydrates and good quality fats is OK for some people in very special cases. However, as a regular long-term diet, a vegetarian diet will inevitably always lead to nutrient deficiencies.

Part 3 of 6: Are Plant Proteins Enough? Everyone agrees that women with PCOS should consume adequate protein. However, it's a misconception that all protein is the same and has the same effect, regardless of whether is comes from plants or animals.

For example, both chicken and soybeans are popular sources of protein. But take a close look at a chicken and a soybean. They are not at all similar. It's pretty obvious that the basic stuff they are made of is fundamentally different. So don't assume that eating soybean protein is the same thing as eating chicken protein.

Part 4 of 6: The Problem with Grains in Our Diet - Part I A grain-based diet can be a very poor choice for women with PCOS, especially of the grains are in processed food products. If you look at your diet closely, you may notice that you're eating processed grains (such as wheat) for breakfast, lunch and dinner, and in between meals.

Cattle are fed grains to make them fat. Are you letting the food industry make you fat too?

Part 5 of 6: Your PCOS Diet -- How Can Grains Be So Bad? A grain-based, refined high-carbohydrate diet is likely to reduce insulin efficiency and possibly increase insulin levels, which in turn affects certain enzymes in your body. These enzymes are control points for the production of inflammatory chemicals that increase swelling and pain in your soft tissues and joints. They also instruct your liver to produce more cholesterol. They tell your blood cells to form clots and your blood vessels to constrict. This is a recipe for future high blood pressure, heart attacks and stroke.

Part 6 of 6: Your PCOS Diet -- What if You Are a Vegetarian for Spiritual Reasons? Our research indicates that if you are a strict vegetarian, you may have greater difficulty in gaining the upper hand over PCOS. However, we recognize that there may be spiritual issues involved. If you are a strict vegetarian, we propose that you re-examine your views and see if you can find a way to maintain your spirituality while broadening your diet to include some animal foods.

3. Why Fat Weight Loss is Crucial for Controlling PCOS

By Nancy Dunne, ND

Part 1 of 6: Introduction: PCOS and Fat Weight Loss: What You Need to Know to Keep It Off It is clear that carrying too much extra fat will hurt you. Fat cells are not simple sacks of nothing much. In fact they are tiny factories for making chemical trouble in your body - inflammation being the #1 cause of the trouble. Chronic inflammation is a basic characteristic of polycystic ovary syndrome. If you can reduce fat, you will reduce inflammation.

Note: More articles to be added soon!