Short Answer: The paleo diet is good for PCOS. Because it has protein, healthy fats, and antioxidants, and avoids grains, legumes, and dairy.
PCOS is a condition that affects your ovaries and hormones.
In PCOS, your body produces too much androgen, a male hormone, and has problems using insulin, a hormone that controls blood sugar levels.
This can lead to various health problems, such as irregular periods, infertility, acne, weight gain, diabetes, and heart disease.
One of the key factors in managing PCOS is diet.
What you consume can affect your blood sugar, insulin, and hormone levels, which can impact your PCOS symptoms and overall health.
To effectively manage PCOS, you should consume fiber-rich foods like fruits, vegetables, and nuts, and avoid refined carbohydrate-rich foods like bread, pasta, and sweets.
Fiber can help lower your blood sugar and insulin levels, while refined carbohydrates can spike them and worsen your PCOS.
Now, the paleo diet is an eating plan based on foods that humans might have eaten during the Paleolithic era, before the advent of agriculture.
People usually follow the paleo diet to lose weight, improve their health, or mimic the diets of their ancestors.
The paleo diet is good for PCOS because it contains protein, healthy fats, and antioxidants, and avoids grains, legumes, and dairy.
Protein and healthy fats, such as those found in lean meats, fish, eggs, nuts, and seeds, can help balance your hormones, reduce inflammation, and promote ovulation.
Antioxidants, such as those found in fruits and vegetables, can help protect your cells from oxidative stress, which can worsen PCOS.
Grains, legumes, and dairy, on the other hand, can increase your blood sugar and insulin levels, trigger inflammation, and interfere with your hormone balance.
About 3 ounces (85 grams) of lean meat can give you 26 grams of protein (52% of your daily needs), 5 grams of fat (8% of your daily needs), and no carbohydrates.
Protein can help you feel full, maintain muscle mass, and regulate your menstrual cycle.
Fat can help you absorb fat-soluble vitamins, produce hormones, and lower your cholesterol.
About 1/4 cup (30 grams) of almonds can give you 6 grams of protein (12% of your daily needs), 14 grams of fat (22% of your daily needs), and 6 grams of carbohydrates (2% of your daily needs), of which 4 grams are fiber.
Fiber can help you lower your blood sugar and insulin levels, improve your digestion, and lower your risk of diabetes and heart disease.
About 1 cup (150 grams) of blueberries can give you 1 gram of protein (2% of your daily needs), 0.5 grams of fat (1% of your daily needs), and 21 grams of carbohydrates (7% of your daily needs), of which 4 grams are fiber.
Blueberries also contain anthocyanins, a type of antioxidant that can help prevent oxidative damage, improve insulin sensitivity, and lower blood pressure.
Furthermore, the paleo diet is a low-carbohydrate diet and low-carbohydrate diets are good for PCOS.
Because, low-carbohydrate diets can help you lose weight, improve your insulin resistance, and restore your ovulation and fertility.
You can eat about 2 to 3 servings of lean meat, 1 to 2 servings of nuts, and 2 to 3 servings of fruits per day safely.
More than that can cause excess protein intake, which can strain your kidneys, increase your uric acid levels, and cause gout.
More than that can also cause excess fat intake, which can increase your calorie intake and cause weight gain.
Also, you shouldn’t eat the paleo diet if you have kidney disease, liver disease, or gout to prevent worsening your condition.
Because the paleo diet is high in protein and purines, which can aggravate these conditions.
You can buy fresh meat, nuts, and fruits in your local market or can order them online.
Always choose organic, grass-fed, and hormone-free meat, raw and unsalted nuts, and fresh and ripe fruits.
Because these are more nutritious, natural, and free of harmful chemicals.
Finally, remember, maintaining a healthy lifestyle, including a balanced diet, regular exercise, stress management, and essential medical care is key to managing PCOS effectively.
I always recommend my PCOS patients to follow a PCOS-friendly diet to improve their overall well-being, and enjoy a longer and healthier life.