Archive for January, 2012

PCOS and Diet

Wednesday, January 25th, 2012

A recent study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (Jan 2012) showed that women with PCOS who followed a higher protein diet (>40% of energy from protein), as opposed to women who consumed the “standard” amount of protein (<15% of energy from protein), were able to lose weight more effectively. The study also showed that the women on a higher protein diet were also able to maintain healthier blood sugar levels, even after adjusting for changes in weight.

This is the type of diet I’ve always emphasized with PCOS patients, and have found this to be one of the most effective means of helping these women lose weight. Clinically, I’ve also found that this diet is the single most important factor when it comes to controlling other PCOS-related symptoms, such as hirsutism and menstrual irregularities. In fact, most women are able to discontinue metformin and related prescription medications upon adhering to a higher protein diet. Other nutritional interventions (chromium, fiber, etc.) can also be incorporated, with the main emphasis being that of blood sugar control.

If you’re currently undergoing treatment with prescription interventions, and not responding well, don’t be discouraged. Seek out a practitioner who can guide you through a high protein diet, and offer some of the many other nutritional options that will be effective in the management of PCOS.

 

 

 

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Dairy Officially Deemed Unhealthy

Thursday, January 5th, 2012

The Harvard School of Public Health sent a strong message to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and nutrition experts everywhere with the recent release of its “Healthy Eating Plate” food guide.  The university was responding to the USDA’s new MyPlate guide for healthy eating, which replaced the outdated and misguided food pyramid.

Harvard’s nutrition experts did not pull punches, declaring that the university’s food guide was based on sound nutrition research. The greatest evidence of its research focus is the absence of dairy products from the “Healthy Eating Plate” based on Harvard’s assessment that “…high intake can increase the risk of prostate cancer and possibly ovarian cancer.”  The Harvard experts also referred to the high levels of saturated fat in most dairy products and suggested that collards, bok choy, fortified soy milk, and baked beans are safer choices than dairy for obtaining calcium, as are high quality supplements.

In my practice, I try to emphasize to people how “duped” we’ve been by the dairy industry, and that dairy products aren’t indeed the most nutritious source of calcium, as we’ve been brainwashed to believe in our society. Of course, this report doesn’t mean that you should avoid dairy entirely, especially when you can acquire local or non-commercial organic sources. Mainly, the take-away message here is that both past and present food recommendations from the government have emphasized dairy as a requirement, and this is clearly not the case!

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