PCOS Review Newsletter #61

A free health newsletter for women with polycystic ovary syndrome or polycystic ovaries.

Issue #061      July 8, 2008
Nancy Dunne, N.D., Naturopathic Physician
Bill Slater, Research Associate

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

1) Could the PCOS Diet Extend Your Life?

2) Reduce Homocysteine for a Healthier Pregnancy

3) Don't Beat Yourself Up

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1) Could the PCOS Diet Extend Your Life?

The Natural Diet Solution for PCOS and Infertility contains a diet specifically for relieving polycystic ovarian syndrome and its associated symptoms. And frankly, it should also improve your overall health and lengthen your life.

In terms of carbohydrates in your diet, the book recommends that you

• reduce the total amount of carbohydrate calories in your diet, and
• change the type of carbohydrate, by replacing refined carbohydrates with whole, unprocessed carbohydrate foods.

A large body of research evidence shows that these dietary modifications will relieve symptoms, reduce chronic disease and improve your health.

But will it also increase your lifespan?

It's well established that reducing the total calories consumed can lengthen the lifespan of animals and humans.

But what if you don't reduce total calories? Is it still possible to increase your lifespan?

We came across a very interesting study conducted at the University of California (Davis) that suggests this may be possible. This was a study of rats that were allowed to eat as much as they wanted. One group had sucrose (sugar) in as their carbohydrate source while another group had corn starch as their carbohydrate. The total food intake and the total carbohydrate caloric intake was nearly the same in both groups.

So you might assume that both groups of rats lived the same amount of time, right?

That's not what happened. The cornstarch-fed rats lived an average of 720 days while the sugar-fed rats only lived 659 days. In other words, the only thing different between the two groups was the type of carbohydrate.

That is why we place such emphasis on the type of carbohydrate you should eat with the PCOS diet. For example, 500 calories of vegetables is going to be a lot better for you than 500 calories of bread.

If this rat study is any indication, improvement in the type of carbohydrate and the quality of carbohydrate should lengthen your lifespan, even if the total carbohydrate calories you consume is unchanged.

Source:
Murtagh-Mark CM et al Source of dietary carbohydrate affects life span of Fischer 344 rats independent of caloric restriction, J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci. 1995 May;50(3):B148-54

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2) Reduce Homocysteine for a Healthier Pregnancy

In our last issue, we talked about homocysteine and how it may shrink your brain. In this issue we'll review the connection between homocysteine and pregnancy problems.

Homocysteine is a chemical compound that is part of your normal metabolic processes. If your metabolism is healthy, it is converted into other compounds. However, if homocysteine accumulates, it becomes toxic to the body. It is a known risk factor for heart disease and other health conditions.

The problem is that women with polycystic ovary syndrome tend to have higher levels of homocysteine than healthier women.

We also pointed out in our last newsletter that metformin (Glucophage) could cause your homocysteine to go up.

So what about trying to conceive and have a successful pregnancy? Does a high level of homocysteine present a risk? The answer is clearly "yes".

• Homocysteine appears to interfere with folate (a B vitamin) metabolism during embryonic development. Folate (also called folic acid) is necessary to prevent birth deformities such as neural tube defects, congenital heart defects and cleft palate.
• High homocysteine is a predictor of lower birth weight.
• Too much homocysteine appears to reduce the effectiveness of IVF (in vitro fertilization).
• Women with high homocysteine levels tend to have higher blood pressure during pregnancy. This condition can develop into "preeclampsia", which is a toxic condition accompanied by severe swelling and/or a high concentration of protein in the urine.

What can you do to prevent these problems?

• Don’t bury your head in the sand. You don't necessarily have a clean bill of health just because your doctor hasn't gone to the trouble to test your homocysteine. If you are taking metformin or eat a low-quality diet, and if you have PCOS, you could be at risk.
• Eat a nutrient-rich diet of whole, unprocessed foods.
• Take a high quality prenatal multi-vitamin with extra levels of the B-vitamin folic acid and other essential nutrients such as DHA (a compund available in fish oil and necessary for fetal development).

If you are trying to conceive or are already pregnant, Wellness Essentials for Pregnancy is a good choice. Not only does it have vital nutrients for your developing baby, but it has a good supply of B-complex vitamins to help you control homocysteine.

What's nice about Wellness Essentials for Pregnancy is it comes in convenient packets. You only have to take one packet of pills a day to get everything you need for you and your baby.

Sources:
Sahin M et al Effects of metformin or rosiglitazone on serum concentrations of homocysteine, folate, and vitamin B12 in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus, J Diabetes Complications. 2007 Mar-Apr;21(2):118-23
Taparia S et al Importance of folate-homocysteine homeostasis during early embryonic development, Clin Chem Lab Med. 2007;45(12):1717-27
Takimoto H et al Relationship between dietary folate intakes, maternal plasma total homocysteine and B-vitamins during pregnancy and fetal growth in Japan, Eur J Nutr. 2007 Aug;46(5):300-6 2007;45(12):1717-27
Pacchiarotti A et al The possible role of hyperhomocysteinemia on IVF outcome, J Assist Reprod Genet. 2007 Oct;24(10):459-62
Hasanzadeh M et al Elevated plasma total homocysteine in preeclampsia, Saudi Med J. 2008 Jun;29(6):875-8

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3) Don't Beat Yourself Up

As you well know, PCOS can present some very challenging emotional and psychological issues.

Sometimes it's hard to think of yourself as feminine, lovable, attractive and fertile. Sometimes it's hard to accept the rejection or lack of understanding from others.

A natural result of this dynamic is to blame yourself, or to have feelings of self-loathing. You develop a pattern of defeatist, negative self-talk.

These feelings, as real as they are, do not serve you. They only take you further away from what you want in life. A lack of self-acceptance is a sure way to sabotage what you desire.

What you think and how you feel about yourself will also deeply influence your physical health. There is no separation between your physical self and your emotional/mental self. You are one whole being. If one part is dysfunctional, your whole being is affected.

So what can you do to improve this situation? Here are a few suggestions:

Be patient with yourself.

Patience is an aspect of self-love. PCOS is a long-term situation that can be effectively managed. Taking a pill will not make it disappear overnight. Develop a long term perspective. It takes time to learn and master the techniques for keeping polycystic ovary syndrome under control. Give yourself time.

Ask for help and guidance.

Your inclination may be to go it alone during the most challenging of times. However, isolation is not a good idea. It only makes you feel alone and seldom solves any problems. Depression is a major part of PCOS. So be alert to any tendency to isolate and be emotionally "stuck".

Reach out and give someone an opportunity to help you. They'll get to experience the pleasure that comes from being a generous person. Find other women who have PCOS and form your own support group. And, there are many health professionals who have experience, wisdom and knowledge that can help you.

If you fall, pick yourself up and move on.

Embrace inevitable disappointments and begin again. You will have disappointments when you allow yourself to want more from life. As you work your way through these situations, you'll develop a deep inner knowing that you can handle anything that comes your way.

Speak kindly to yourself.

We all have an "Inner Critic", a little voice in our head that finds something wrong with everything we do -- or don't do.

When you hear the Inner Critic scolding you, gently ask it to take a "time out". Have it suspend its criticisms for just a moment.

In that moment, be quiet and listen for other Inner Voices that love and support you. Ask the Loving Voices to speak. Listen to what they have to say. There is truth and wisdom in what they have to say.

Be very kind and gentle with yourself. As you do so, you'll find that insight and wisdom will appear to guide you in the right direction.

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Thought for Today: "Self-command is the main elegance." -- Ralph Waldo Emerson