PCOD (poly cystic ovarian syndrome) as the name suggests is the presence of cysts in the ovary and is caused by imbalance of hormones in the body. Usually women with PCOD have increase levels of insulin and hence a healthy diet and regular physical activity is highly important for them.
Features of PCOD
- Cysts in ovaries
- Problem in ovulation
- High levels of male hormones
If any two of these features are present this is enough to confirm the PCOS.
Symptoms of PCOD
- Excessive hair growth on the face, chest, stomach
- Irregular periods
- Skipped periods
- Hair loss or Thinning of scalp hair
- Acne problem
- Increase weight/weight gain
- Problem in conceiving or Fertility problem
Long term health concerns with PCOD are high levels of fat in the blood, high blood pressure and abdominal obesity.
Dietary modification for PCOD
- Include more of fruits and vegetables in diets
- Include lean meat like fish and avoid red meat
- Include low fat dairy like skimmed or toned milk
- Limit sugary foods and drinks
Avoid saturated fats/ hydrogenated fats
- Include whole grain foods and avoid refined foods
The key for PCOD diet is to follow low GI foods (glycemic index foods),here is the list of foods which will help you in selecting your foods in daily routine:
You can pick and choose following from the following food groups:
Cereals: barley, quinoa, oats, oatmeal, muesli, bran flakes, whole wheat porridge, brown rice, multigrain bread
Pulses: yellow moong, green moong chana dal, beans, whole pulses
PCOD (poly cystic ovarian syndrome) as the name suggests is the presence of cysts in the ovary and is caused by imbalance of hormones in the body. Usually women with PCOD have increase levels of insulin and hence a healthy diet and regular physical activity is highly important for them.
Features of PCOD
- Cysts in ovaries
- Problem in ovulation
- High levels of male hormones
If any two of these features are present this is enough to confirm the PCOS.
Symptoms of PCOD
- Excessive hair growth on the face, chest, stomach
- Irregular periods
- Skipped periods
- Hair loss or Thinning of scalp hair
- Acne problem
- Increase weight/weight gain
- Problem in conceiving or Fertility problem
Long term health concerns with PCOD are high levels of fat in the blood, high blood pressure and abdominal obesity.
Dietary modification for PCOD
- Include more of fruits and vegetables in diets
- Include lean meat like fish and avoid red meat
- Include low fat dairy like skimmed or toned milk
- Limit sugary foods and drinks
Avoid saturated fats/ hydrogenated fats
- Include whole grain foods and avoid refined foods
The key for PCOD diet is to follow low GI foods (glycemic index foods),here is the list of foods which will help you in selecting your foods in daily routine:
You can pick and choose following from the following food groups:
Cereals: barley, quinoa, oats, oatmeal, muesli, bran flakes, whole wheat porridge, brown rice, multigrain bread
Pulses: yellow moong, green moong chana dal, beans, whole pulses
Dairy products: skimmed or toned milk, soy milk, tofu, paneer, yogurt
Fruits: berries, plumps, peaches, oranges, papaya, pears, watermelons, apples
Nuts: walnut, almonds, flaxseeds
Vegetables: carrots, peas, broccoli, lettuce, mushrooms, tomatoes, peppers, onions, cauliflower, celery, spinach
There are some natural herbs which also help in maintaining hormonal levels so along with dietary modification one should include the following herbs for PCOD:
- Meethi dana
- Flaxseeds
- Cinnamon
Along with all the dietary changes one should follow a regular physical activity scheduleo pt for activities like yoga, running, cardio etc and one should do minimum of 30mins of exercise every day.
