Here at Red Cricket, we have a passion for improving women's health, especially when it comes to boosting fertility. One of the most common issues I have seen women come into my office with is Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS). Women with PCOS often have a very hard time trying to conceive. I have found one book in particular to be very helpful in my practice in helping my clients overcome their PCOS. The book is called The Infertility Cure, by Randine Lewis. I will summarize her main points about PCOS here (and add a few tid bits of my own), but definitely check out her book if you or anyone you know has any issues with PCOS or anything else related to fertility. She writes in a very easy to understand manner, and gives some great tips!
Very often, PCOS is due to what we call "dampness" in Chinese medicine. Signs and symptoms of this can include: feeling tired and bloated after eating, mucous in the menstrual blood, sticky stools, recurrent yeast infections, being overweight, and cystic acne, among others. In Western medicine, this can show up as insulin resistance. Therefore, it is imperative to improve the diet so that blood sugar is balanced better, allowing dampness to decrease in the body. Acupuncture and Chinese herbs are great for regulating a woman's cycle and managing the PCOS, but if diet is changed too, the results will be even better and faster!
The main dietary change is to cut out all refined sugar and carbohydrates. Also avoid other sugar sources like sodas and fruit juices, or high glycemic index fruits. When you do eat fruits, aim for berries, which have the added bonus of building up blood for a healthy pregnancy. It is also good to eliminate greasy food, alcohol, and dairy products from the diet too, as they increase dampness in the body. If you must have dairy, at least avoid anything with cow's milk, as it is the most common offender for lactose intolerance. Cutting down diary will also have the added benefit of helping to clear out your sinuses if you are dealing with congestion from allergies or a cold. Be sure to add back in lots of lean protein like chicken and wild caught fish. You can have as many good green veggies as you can eat too- just be sure to cook them, as raw veggies and salads make the body and digestion work harder which can add to dampness! Soups and stews would be a great choice. Also, try have more frequent, but smaller meals instead of 3 large meals a day. Overall, focus on a high protein and veggie diet with minimal carbohydrates. In addition, try cooking with the following spices: ginger, orange peel, nutmeg, cardamom, fennel, and cloves.
One last tip is to make sure you are getting regular exercise, as this too helps regulate blood sugar and metabolism, and reduce dampness in the body. Good luck!!!
~Stephanie
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