I’m 22 and only recently been diagnosed after years of battling my doctor for tests and dealing with symptoms because he said I was ‘too thin to have PCOS’. I have always been thin my whole life (despite painful bloating) but now I feel as though my world has been turned upside down in terms of diet I’m reading things about cutting out carbs / sugar etc and I have no idea where to begin. I would be extremely grateful if anyone could offer any advice on what sort of diet to use. Thanks 💖
If you have insulin resistant PCOS, then a lower carb diet will be beneficial — the majority of people with PCOS have IR, so it's likely, even if you are slim. A low carb diet may also be beneficial for reducing inflammation, which can alleviate symptoms. Have you had a fasting insulin test done? This will be helpful in knowing more about your condition.
For diet advise, a free app called Span has a nutrition plan to help reduce insulin and heal PCOS.
https://www.smartfertilitychoices.com/free-30-d...
This was a great resource for me. It helped me figure out what worked and what didn't. I dont need to be gluten free but dairy was a trigger. Its a nice lifestyle change with gradual changes rather than an all or nothing diet!
You do not have to be overweight to have PCOS. My daughter is also 22 and was not overweight until she was put on birth control and gained over 20 pounds. She hated it and birth control made her feel awful, so she is now on Metformin, seeing an endocrinologist and going through a bunch of tests to see if this is a pituitary issue causing her hormonal imbalance. Since going off birth control she also lost the weight she gained, so yes you could be a normal weight and still have PCOS, but most patients do struggle with their weight when they do have PCOS.
Thank you Rachellett! That is helpful.
Hey there! I’m 29 and was diagnosed a couple years ago with PCOS and it is a struggle that is real and hard for me sometimes. I just now have been working on my diet. I have had to just do research and really watch what I eat.