Welcome to Life with PCOS.
My name is Meg and I know what it is like to live with PCOS. Since I remember, I have always known that there was something wrong with my body. Irregular menstrual cycles, hair growing where I did not want it to grow (what made me wearing trousers and long sleeves even on a hot summer day), acne, depression, greasy hair that needed to be washed every day and constant fatigue. No energy, always tired and sleepy. I was quickly gaining on weight accumulating fat around my waist. Sounds familiar?
My GP was not of a great help to me
When my scale showed 15.7 stone (100kg), I got scared. My BMI was 32 what clearly indicated obesity. I went to a GP to consult my symptoms. Diagnosis: 'You have PCOS' I heard. 'What?!' I asked. PCOS did not mean a lot to me at that time but the acronym sounded a bit scary. My GP printed out a few pages from the NHS UK Internet page and handed them in to me saying: 'Please read it and try to lose weight. Try to eat less and do some more exercise' she advised. And that was all I could count on. No further advice. I had so many questions I wanted to ask. How did I get it? Why me? How can it be treated? All of the remained unanswered. I felt lost and alone but decided to follow her advice. I tried out a few diet plans and started doing some more exercise but it did not seem to be working. Instead, I kept on gaining weight what made me feel even worse. I was devastated.
PCOS is manageable
As I did not receive the help I wanted I had nothing to lose than to do some research on PCOS by myself. I wanted to find out as much as possible about this symptoms. A medical journal article after an article, a book by a book, I read everything what I could find on this topic to know exactly 'the enemy I need to fight against'. I started to make changes in my eating and cooking habits applying the knowledge I had gained. I changed the way I eat. I eliminated gluten, wheat, diary and sugar from my diet. I learned what glycemic index and glycemic load are and how to use them properly. As a result, I started preparing meals using so that they have a low glycemic load to be able to manage the level of insulin in my blood- so important when dealing with PCOS when you have insulin resistance. I added diet supplements and started doing some low-intensity exercise such as walking, yoga and pilates.
I quickly started noticing that my body started to change and the PCOS symptoms reduced. I lost almost 4 stones, my periods were back to normal and the condition of my skin improved. That was the moment when I realised that I want to study human nutrition to be able to help other women who suffer from PCOS. To teach them healthy eating habits, prepare meals good for them and help them to manage PCOS symptoms.
Diet is the key when struggling with PCOS
I set up 'Life with PCOS' to share with you my knowledge about PCSO and how to manage its symptoms.
Diet is the key when managing PCOS. Healthy and clean eating will help you to manage your weight, regulate your menstrual cycles and improve your skin and hair condition.
Together with my team of experienced nutritionists, dietitians and diet coaches we will provide you with a meal plans, composed of the products you like and healthy for PCOS women, that will help you to manage your PCOS symptoms. You can access them in our 'Meal plans' section.
In the Recipes section you will find some ideas on how to prepare delicious and healthy recipes for PCOS women. Tips and advice on such problems as weight loss, irregular menstrual cycle, scalp hair loss, hair growth and problems with conceiving can be found in the 'Health & Beauty' section.
I hope you will make yourself comfortable here and you will be my frequent guest. Please remember that you are not the only one struggling with PCOS. There are hundred thousands of women in every country who suffer from this syndrome. It is true that PCOS is not curable (let's how it will change in the very near future!) but it is manageable. Absolutely!
Lots of love,
Meg
PCOS Health & Diet Coach