Y 2017HEALTHY FOOD GUIDE 51“My periods are irregular and
my hormones are crazy!”Insulin resistance
can makeit difficult
for you to lose weightPOSSIBLE REASON:
Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS)
Many women experience irregular periods, but
they often accept this is ‘normal’ and don’t think
much more of it. What you may not know is the
most common cause of irregular periods is
Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS).
PCOS affects one in eight women of child-bearing
age and, unfortunately, almost 70 per cent of cases
go undiagnosed. If your periods are less frequent
than every 35 days or you have more than five
weeksbetween periods, then they’re considered
irregular and it’s a good idea to speak to your GP.
PCOS is a hormonal imbalance, where the male
sex hormone (testosterone) is higher than it should
be, and/or insulin (the hormone that helps us use
energy from carbohydrates) is also too high. This
imbalance results in symptoms including acne,
excess facial hair, weight gain (or difficulty losing
weight), anxiety, diabetes and infertility.
At least two-thirds of women with
PCOS also have insulin resistance, which
causes your body to store excess energy
as fat, making it difficult to maintain a
healthy weight in the long term
HOW DIET CAN HELP
ÅEat low-GI whole grains
Oats, barley, quinoa, wholemeal
pasta and grainy bread
require less insulin than
high-GI choices such as
white bread and croissants.
Cutting back on high-carb
foods like cakes, biscuits
and sugary treats can also help
manage insulin resistance.
ÅSnack smarterHealthy
snacks can prevent large rises in
your blood sugar levels. Go for a
200g tub of reduced-fat yoghurt,
a small handful (30g) of nuts, a
piece of fresh fruit or wholegrain
crackers with avocado.
ÅSwap to healthy fats
Olive oil, nuts, oily fi sh (salmon,
tuna and sardines) and avocado
all contain healthy unsaturated
fats that slow the digestion of
carbohydrates, hence reducing
a sharp rise in insulin.Foods rich in
healthy fats can
help to reduce
insulin spikesIrregular
periods may
be caused
by PCOSLosing just 5–10 per cent
of your weight can provide
significant benefits to your
health and help manage
symptoms of PCOS.