PCOD or Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) occurs not just in women, but in girls as young as 11! Polycystic ovaries are generally larger in size and denser than the normal ovaries. It usually occurs when the sex hormones go out of balance and the body starts producing more male hormones resulting in the onset of several symptoms.

PCOD Symptoms

It is a condition where the ovaries stop working normally and the hormones get out of balance, leading to one or more symptoms:

  • Irregular periods
  • Reduced fertility
  • Abnormal weight gain or obesity
  • Heart (cardiac) complications
  • Acne or skin rashes
  • Abnormal hair growth or hair loss

The cause is not clearly known, but it is thought to be hereditary and hormonal changes are also known to play a significant role. Excess weight complicates the problem. Global studies show that 50% of women with PCOD are overweight.

Diet in PCOD

  • Cutting out on carbohydrates like potatoes, white rice, fried food, junk food
  • Take high fiber vegetables, lean protein and anti-inflammatory food like turmeric, tomatoes.
  • Always prefer brown rice, whole grains-whole wheat pasta, whole wheat bread.
  • Include natural herbs in your diet like flax seeds, methi seeds, coriander, cinnamon.
  • Include millets like barley, ragi, quinoa, and oats as they are high in fibre which helps in controlling sugar level in blood.
  • Whole pulses like skinned green moong dal, chana dal, yellow moong dal, whole pulses to be included in various preparations.
  • One must not skip any meals. Eating at regular intervals helps in balancing hormones.
  • HYDRATION- keep yourself hydrated, try to drink 2-3 litres of water a day.
  • Avoid alcohol, as many alcoholic drinks are high in sugar. Women with PCOD already have high blood sugar levels, thus alcohol is very harmful to them. It can raise oestrogen levels.
  • NO PROCESSED FOOD: Food like breakfast cereals, cheese, frozen food, tinned vegetables and juices are very unhealthy. You can have a small piece of jaggery to satiate your sugar craving.and also one can munch on almond (2 to3 almonds) to control sugar craving.

And at last "prevention is better than cure"