Are you tired of looking for diets online to help you relieve your PCOS and hypothyroidism symptoms? Well, we hear you!
PCOS and hypothyroidism are two of the most common endocrine disorders that affect women across the globe. 7 out of 10 women in India suffer from PCOS or hypothyroidism or PCOS and hypothyroidism together.
While various treatments are available to treat the disease, the results have not been promising. One of the significant drawbacks of hypothyroidism / PCOS treatment is that it focuses on treating the symptoms rather than the cause.
However, the statistics indicate that a proper holistic plan-- including food, exercise and lifestyle-must be followed to eradicate the disease.
In this article, we will talk about diet for PCOS and thyroid, how to reduce weight with thyroid PCOS and how to cure PCOS and thyroid together. Let’s delve right in!
Why is diet important for PCOS and hypothyroidism?
Have you ever been in a situation when you had a food allergy that you had to rush to the hospital? Or do you know someone cautious about the food they put in? It's because food plays a crucial role in your physical and mental wellbeing.
Research states the diet helps to reduce the impact of PCOS and hypothyroidism. PCOS and thyroid are related to your body's metabolism, so eating the right food can make a difference.
Some food might help you reduce inflammation, while some can trigger an immune response-- worsening your condition. Besides, people with PCOS / hypothyroidism witness undesired weight gain, which comes down to food at the end of the day.
Thyroid weight gain is of significant concern for people and, if not treated right, can lead to severe complications such as heart disease, diabetes, and increased risk of depression.
Besides, losing weight with hypothyroidism or PCOS is a bumpy road, and if proper steps are not taken, it might start affecting your mental health and confidence. So, it would help if you ate healthy to make your life better.
Eating inflammatory food can worsen your symptoms and push you into the loop of never-ending pills and potent drugs. So, prevention is always better than cure.
Another reason why you must follow a proper diet has to be insulin resistance. Around 50% of people with PCOS develop diabetes in the later stages. So, managing insulin levels is one of the best ways to treat PCOS and hypothyroidism.
So, you must be mindful of what you eat, as that makes all the difference.
Foods to eat
Do you know that inflammatory foods can trigger your disease and worsen your symptoms? Well, that is why eating the right food is essential. Some foods also reduce inflammation and supply your body with adequate nutrients for better functioning. So, you must have a clear idea about the food you must eat and food that you must avoid.
That being said, there are several diets for PCOS and hypothyroidism proven to benefit the patients. But, one size does not fit all-what works for one won't work for the other. So, blindly googling and following diet plans online won't give you results. Instead, get a customized diet plan for your disease that suits you and your body.
In simple words, milk-based food won't work for you just how it worked for someone else if you are lactose intolerant. It might be because we cannot adapt to it or are sensitive to a particular food.
Reactive food triggers responses and can cause a significant reduction in the thyroid antibodies too. Not only this, it can lead to several health issues, such as the leaky gut, where the permeability of the intestine is increased.
Leaky gut leads to gut lining damage and eventually impairs the barrier to allow harmful microbes to enter your system and cause an increased risk of other health problems.
But how do you know what does not work for you when we eat what we eat every day? Of course, we eat different types of food every day, preferably from childhood. But our body might not process those, and eating challenging food can make it less specific and intricate to figure out what's not working for us.
So there is only a one-way out- elimination diet to figure out what triggers you. An elimination diet is a short-term process that focuses on identifying the food that your body is sensitive to and avoiding the food. The diet is a three-step process -
- Decide the foods that you wish to eliminate
- Avoid the food you eliminated
- Reintroduce the food one at a time after a period
While Paleo and Elimination diets have helped people get tremendous results, you might try them with your doctor's assistance.
But before that, you must know what exactly you want to achieve? Is hypothyroidism weight loss your prime focus? Or do you want to reduce your inflammation? Or do you want to reduce your symptoms and set off on a healthy journey?
Once you figure that out, your thyroid doctor will curate a meal plan for weight or whatever your preference is-- keeping in mind your food habits, economic status, and food allergies.
Here are some of the food items that you must include in your diet-
- Fish like Salmon
- Fresh and non-seed herbs like basil
- Fermented food
- Herbal teas
- Grains such as Buckwheat,
- Milk substitutes such as coconut milk
- Fats like Coconut oil, ghee
Besides, anti-inflammatory foods such as green leafy vegetables, fatty fish like Tuna, and fruits can help you prevent the inflammatory responses from your immune system.
Probiotics such as kimchi, Sauerkraut, etc., are known to improve your gut microbiome and treat leaky gut. Prebiotics present in Asparagus, onions, etc., helps to improve your gut microbiome and help regulate thyroid hormones.
Foods you must avoid
Just like the food, you must eat, you must be aware of the food you must avoid. Avoid eating inflammatory foods that can alter your hormone levels and eating food that you are sensitive to. We know how thrilling it is to try out foods that work for our friends, but your body is unique, and that's a fact.
Here is a list of food that you must avoid-
- Gluten
- Sugar
- dairy products
- refined oil
- Processed food
Bottom line
You are what you eat --but keeping in mind the incorrect information floating around you, it's essential to take expert help. Please reach out to a functional medicine doctor specializing in PCOS and hypothyroidism and get a custom meal plan.
If you need help with PCOS and hypothyroidism, we are here to help you out.
