PCOS! trying to cure it!

[kidkid]

Hey! I noticed some talk of PCOS on this forum, and I'm happy to see strong women taking their health into their own hands! PCOS is confusing, mysterious, and often depressing, but i think it's an opportunity to reevaluate and celebrate our health and our bodies.

My intuition is telling me to give raw a chance. I haven't started a raw diet yet. I've been worried about FRUIT INTAKE! -- how eating a lot of fruit, juice, etc might mess up my insulin levels. I have this naturopath who advised me to eat meat, vegetables, eggs and dairy, but no grains, no sugar, no root vegetables, and limit sweet fruits to two a day. This is to help with the weight, the no periods, the excess hair, the mood swings, and with the hidradenitis suppurativa (nasty, awful, painful boils SUCK)

It's hard for me to stick to and I tend to overdo the dairy. I still succumb to my sweet tooth on an almost daily basis. I try to be gentle on myself, but I know I'd feel better if i didn't do these things. It sort of dawned on me that I'm so scared to try a raw diet because I'm afraid of fruit, but here I am in denial that I'm eating refined sugar and carbohydrates EVERY DAY. Surely some fruit aint gonna kill me!

SO HERE'S THE PLAN:
I'm gonna try to eat both low glycemic AND raw. I think this means lots and lots of green leafy vegetables, lots of unsweet fruits, nuts and seeds, and still stick to my doctor's suggestion of two sweet fruits a day. Oh! And I'm a really big fan of hempmilk! I drink it all the time, and I like that it gives me some non-meat protein. Might try some of that Living Harvest hemp powder. that's raw, i believe.

I start tomorrow with my new experiment!

Has anyone else out there with PCOS done anything similar or worried about their fruit intake?

much love and thank you to all you strong courageous PCOS women out there!

[rawstrength]

Hemp mylk is a delicious and wonderful source of protein indeed. But I would be wary of it if you are having any sort of hormonal/menstrual difficulties. Hemp is notoriously estrogenic, which would help or hurt your situation, I'm not sure which because I don't know much about PCOS. Everything in moderation (especially moderation) I always say. Hemp does have a lot of natural plant estrogens in it.

I praying for your healing! I know you can do it!!!! I cured myself of debilitating menstrual cramps through a raw vegan diet . . . and I feel really great now!

Leafy greens, avocadoes, cucumber, coconut and olives are all wonderful low glycemic foods. Don't beat yourself up (love yourself always) and take it day by day. You can do it!

[rawstrength]

Oh! I almost forgot! Here's the inspiring testimony of RFT's very own Tanisha, who overcame PCOS through a raw vegan lifestyle.
http://www.veggieblogs.com/forums/vbtube_show.php?do=tube&tubeid=48&t=2046

[kidkid]

oh interesting! I didn't know that about hemp mylk. Estrogen content was the reason I stopped eating soy, because high estrogen foods do tend to mess with PCOS. Thanks for that information! I'll look more into it.

I'll admit, I'm a little sad that my favorite source of raw protein is potentially not as perfect as I thought.

I guess I need to start brainstorming about other raw proteins that are low glycemic. I suppose nuts, sprouts, avacados, dark greens? If you mix and match things like this, will you get complete proteins? what else is out there?

thank you for your prayers, they are deeply felt!

[rawstrength]

Green juices and algaes are excellent for proteins, as are nuts, seeds and sprouts. You really don't need as much protein on raw . . . because raw proteins are so much better assimilated by the body than cooked proteins. Your balanced raw diet should provide complete protein, easily.

Flax seeds are also very estrogenic, like soy and hemp. That's all the estrogenic foods I can think of right now. I think grapefruit might also be slightly estrogenic, but not so much as hemp soy and flax (which are fine in moderation . . . but not if you are having hormonal problems).

[Colorawdo girl]

Sorry you guys....what does PCOS stand for?

Sometimes when a post starts, it might be good to spell out the whole word so peeps can understand. Otherwise they are off on a search for what it means. Grateful me

I just went on a search and found out.


Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS

[Katie P]

kidkid....congrats on trying raw! I myself had PCOS....I don't like to say I have it anymore b/c my body has made quite a comeback & I know your's will too :) But yes I was afraid of eating too much fruit. I explained it to my dr (he's a homeopathic chiropractor) & he was all for it b/c my body will utilize all the nutrients eating fruit whether it will be sweet or not. I haven't taken my metformin since last yr---- I have been raw since the first of the year & my blood sugar seems to be fine.

I found that when I take out fats that my body doesn't function as well so I encourage you to still eat healthy fats. Alot of people say take them out b/c they are dense & higher in calories but b/c your hormones need fat to function....taking it out will only cause problems.

You will do just fine eating raw. I'm right here with ya & still hope the extra weight falls off but it may be a process b/c like you our bodies have to heal first of hormone issues & that can take a bit so don't be discouraged if that doesn't happen right away. The most important thing is you are gonna give your body nutrients it needs to heal & you will feel sooooo good I promise!!!!!

Honestly I eat alot of fruit & my body does just fine.

Keep me posted :)

[kidkid]

thanks for the words of encouragement katie p. How wonderful that your body has made a comeback! That's makes me so happy to hear.:) I myself have never been on metformin, and I hope I never have to be.

Yeah, weight shmeight. I don't like to put too much thought energy on how much I weigh. Usually I don't mind being a little heavy. I think thick women are sexy. If my body tightened up a bit I'm sure I'd be pleased, but there are other things that are so much more important to me. Like stable moods and energy and the peace of mind that comes from not eating animals.

By the way, my first day raw went deliciously well! Haha the only hard part was trying to turn down the cooked food I was offered by my friends. I don't really know how to tell them about my new experiment. I have a feeling they'll think it's a little extreme. They already think that a life without refined carbs is insane!

[kidkid]

Oh! And i wanted to ask you Katie P...

How exactly did your healing manifest? Like, what PCOS symptoms did you overcome, if you don't mind talking about it. I'm always curious to hear people's stories.

[Katie P]

kidkid----I didn't have a period for 2yrs & I gained 60#. I also had the extreme fatigue no matter how much I slept, major constipation, brown spots all over my back & chest & stomach, & a little depression. I didn't get the facial hair or the acne but just about everything else. I worked out like a freak to try & stop the weight gain but it didn't help. I slept all the time & it still wasn't enough. Eventually I stopped working out for like 6mths to let my body completely rest & heal. This was a couple yrs ago but since then I had thyroid problems & some other issues that kind of go with hormone imbalance. I've been raw since 1/1/09 & truley truley believe it is the best thing for everyone but for me especially so that means you too :) I don't worry about poisoning my body with tainted food b/c everything I eat will only help my hormones. It was a long journey that I wouldn't trade but it's nice to finally be past it.

[rkk]

Hi there. I am not for sure if I had PCOS, though I did have many of the symptoms: a large complex ovarian cyst, excess hair growth, horrible menstrual cramps, depression, etc.

A few years ago (2006) I went raw for a few months. I actually went raw for 6 months (with 4 months being 100% raw, and 2 months being semi-raw). I ate a good deal of fruit, and some nuts and hemp (not too much, but some), and plenty of greens. Within a few months, my period went from 7 days bleeding to 4 days, and the cramps were almost entirely gone. I lost 38 pounds (went from size 18/20 to size 14), and my depression significantly lifted. I was a walking ball of energy, and had incredible self-esteem.

These are just my experiences, so my impression is that going raw would help with some of the PCOS symptoms.