PCOD- Causes, Treatment and Diet tips
Polycystic Ovarian Disease (PCOD) affects 4% to 12% of women of reproductive age. Since 2005 we are seeing an increase in PCOD cases. It has created a fear in women of something wrong with their body. Whom should we blame? Simple, the lifestyle which we are living in. Long office hours, sedentary lifestyle, stress, lack of sleep etc. It’s a lifestyle disorder and so many things are in our control.
Girls post the age group of 10-15 might start seeing the symptoms- irregular periods, obesity, insulin insensitivity, a high number of male hormones, irritability, high blood pressure, difficulty in conceiving, oily skin, thinning hair to name a few. Now the problem is, it gets diagnosed when you are trying to get pregnant.
So, PCOD is a hormonal condition. We don’t see the hormones and we can’t control them. But we can look after our body and maintain a healthy lifestyle.
Few events that increase one susceptibility to PCOD:
- Sedentary lifestyle: Exam times, when you sit and study for long hours. Office times where you work in a stretch for 4-5 hours. When you sit for such long hours, you tend to eat chips, fries and hang on to energy drinks. And all this leads to weight gain.
- Unhealthy eating habits: Students stuck with hostel food or working ladies frequently eating outside leading to bodies exposure to bad oil and other toxins.
- Indian marriages/functions: In every 3 months in India, there is always a function or marriage where we go out and indulge blindly in all the delicacies.
What can I do about it?
Nutrition/Diet
Make vegetables, nuts, seeds, legumes, and leafy greens your best buddies. As far as possible, try to cook and eat it fresh, rather than eating and re-heating again n again. This simply destroys all the nutrients in the vegetables. Nutrient-rich foods help the body counter PCOD. That means avoiding processed foods like white flour, corn syrup, processed meats, pasta, and other foods that may contain medium to high levels of sugar. Well, sugar is a major culprit of weight gain.
Exercise
Lack of workout is a reason for Irregular periods, stress, lack of energy, acne etc. Staying active is very important. Get up and walk after every half an hour of sitting. Take stairs instead of lifts. Do activities like walking with your loved ones, dancing, playing a sport, doing yoga. Do something you love not what makes you stress about. Weight training workouts are must to strengthen the organs. Surya Namaskar, along with pelvic-opening exercises, should form the basis of your asana practice. Do a set of squats and see the amount of calories you burn and fit into your LBD.
Eat iron-rich food/Supplements
Eat one vegetable or fruit which is rich in iron- spinach, kale, goji berries, lentils, chickpeas, and more. You can also add supplements to your routine. They help in improving your energy levels, immune system and keep a hormonal balance. Supplementation of cinnamon in your diet can do wonder. Take 1 tablespoon of cinnamon in hot water every morning for few months until you feel better. Flaxseed helps in lower cholesterol levels, reduce inflammation, helps decrease androgen levels. Fenugreek promotes weight loss, lower glucose levels in our body.