|   | For Inquiry : +91 9022594335 | Email: info@gynaecworld.com

Treating PCOS

The treatment for PCOS completely depends on the symptoms and need of the woman suffering from it.

Broadly, treatment can be divided into 2 categories, depending whether or not the woman is keen on conceiving in the near future.

  • Treatment for enhancing fertility
  • Treatment for symptoms other than infertility
  • Whatever may be the symptom, lifestyle changes are the mainstay of treatment for women with PCOS.
  • Weight loss is achieved by eating a healthy diet and regular exercise, may help in alleviating most of the symptoms of PCOS.
  • Diet is an important factor for women with PCOS.

Whether you fall into the group of women with PCOS who are underweight, of average weight or overweight, the diet you follow will have an impact on your body.

Two types of diets have been recommended for women with PCOS. The diet that is best, though, is a process of trial and error for most women.

  • Low-carbohydrate diets are diets that include few carbohydrates. Such diets recommend that protein rich foods make up a large part of what people eat. Protein rich foods include lean meat, chicken and fish. Such foods can be high in fat and may not be suitable for some.
  • Low GI diets have also been popular with PCOS women wanting to lose weight. GI stands for glycemic index. It is a measure of how long a carbohydrate takes to break down in the body. Food items with a low GI value are good, as they generally give people a feeling of fullness, so they are not as hungry from one meal to the next.
  • Food items that contain low to medium GI values include grainy breads and cereals, pasta, legumes, vegetables and fruits.

Counting Calories

Whether you choose low carbohydrates or low GI, or neither, one thing we should all keep an eye on is the number of calories we eat. Care should be taken to ensure that the intake of calories is not in excess of the number of calories burned.

Eating small frequent meals, i.e., 5-6 small meals daily in an effort to keep sugar levels balanced and stop people from getting that hungry feeling throughout the day, has been recommended for women with PCOS.

Exercise

Starting an exercise regime can be a difficult job. A daily 30 minute walk is a great start. You can then gradually increase the duration of exercise. Involving a family member or friend in your exercise schedule can make it more fun.

Other forms of exercise that you can resort to are swimming, jogging, cycling, dancing, playing a sport like badminton, tennis, etc. Besides these forms of exercise, you should attempt to incorporate exercise in your day to day activities.

  • Climb a flight of stairs instead of taking the lift.
  • Get off at an earlier stop, if travelling by bus, and walk the rest of the journey.
  • Dance around the house with some music.
  • Restrict the use of intercoms, emails within the office….walk instead.

Losing weight can be fun, and do wonders to your health and self-esteem.