Diets and Diagnoses (?)

Where to begin...my Ob/Gyn (Brenner) diagnosed me with PCOS using the ultrasound and my irregular cycles. My bloodwork came back from the endocrinologist (Verma) and my androgen levels are normal...but my prolactin is still very high. They've started medication to prevent the (further?) growth of a tumor, but now Brenner is hesitant to write PCOS as the official diagnosis. Brenner has not been clear on informed consent and has not been able to succinctly advise on issues such as risk factors, treatment options, or what I should expect and why. WebMD has been my friend. I started the medication a week and a half ago. I'm supposed to get labs done again in 5 weeks and follow up in 6 weeks. My last MRI came out clean, but Verma says that it could be that the tumor is too small or in the process of forming. Let's hope this works.


I've switched my diet around as well. Originally I was gluten and dairy free, and now it's been suggested that I may not need to be, but it could be beneficial if I feel better on this diet. Which I do...but I can't do without cheese. So I'm gluten free, mostly dairy free, and I'm trying to stick to lower glycemic foods. Gluten free has been fairly easy- many restaurants are catching on, the options in grocery stores are varied, and there are healthy/tasty alternatives abound (Three Bakers Bread and King Arthur Flour are the best tasting!). Dairy free has been harder, but once I made the switch it wasn't so bad. Cow Milk I've replaced with Unsweetened Almond Milk- 30 calories a serving, nutritious, and a good substitute for baking. I started with Soy Milk and the texture is thicker, the taste isn't too bad...but it wasn't the most nutritious option, lower fat/calorie, and I eat soy in other places in my diet so I didn't want to load up on soy. Daiya's cheeses are good, but not good enough to make me want to eat them. I'm going to try raw milk cheeses to see if less processed cheese will be a good option. Daiya alternative cream cheese on the other hand is good enough for me not to want the real thing. I've tried Sour Supreme alternative sour cream, which is pretty good. I'm big on tacos! SoDelicious has mastered dairy-free ice cream and yogurt...but they are not low sugar. The yogurt could be a dessert in and of itself. I usually get 1/4 cup of the plain Cashew ice cream and mix with 1 or 2 gluten free/dairy free oreos, a spoonful of honey or strawberry jam, etc.


I try to stay away from the alternatives, but it's not totally realistic for me. Mostly, I try to eat my fair share of low GI fruits, nuts, eggs, sautéed or raw veggies, baked fish and chicken, rice and beans, squash and sweet potato. Examples:

Breakfast - 2 eggs, sautéed veggies, a glass of water OR cut fruit, walnuts, and a glass of Naked juice (not green machine!), OR 1/3 cup oatmeal, 1/3 cup frozen blueberries, 1/4 cup almonds, a touch of honey (Black Locust Honey and Stevia are low GI!)

Lunch - I keep my Three Baker's bread frozen, but I make my sandwiches on the frozen bread in the morning and by lunch it's fresh! I make PB&J, chicken and spinach with sriracha mayo, or hummus, tomato, and sprout sandwiches. I'll eat leftovers, grab a bowl of cereal (Nature's Path Sunrise Crunchy Maple with some chex mixed in is my favorite tasting/texture...but it's mostly corn, so not something that can be done every day). I work full time, so lunch is a meal on the run.

Dinner - 1/3 cup brown rice, 1/3 cup cooked sweet potato, 1/2 cup spinach, 8 oz protein choice (no red meat), and additives (hot sauce, light dressing, avocado, fresh herbs, chopped egg/nut/dried fruit). Eat half and pack the rest for lunch! If I don't have time to put all of this together, I will cook 4 oz of protein, load up on veggies like cauliflower or green beans. Zucchini noodles are a snap and pair great with tomato sauce (Turkey meatballs are for special occasions!).

I'm doing more research on carbs (grains and sugars, primarily) to learn more about where I can find nutrient dense, complex, low-GI options. Low glycemic index was suggested to me because women with PCOS can benefit from this type of diet, as they can be insulin sensitive. I'm not saying that I'm insulin sensitive...but I have family members with diabetes, family members with PCOS, and I'd rather take care of my health now.


I found a gluten free recipe for Ezekiel Bread offered up by the Prairie Homestead. I'm going to try it out at some point and see if that's a more viable and nutritious option for bread. It might be too difficult for me to make bread consistently, or it might not have the calories and nutrients I'm looking for.


The main thing has been to eat whole and organic foods whenever possible. Cut out simple carbs, unhealthy fats, dressings and sauces, and processed foods. It's not easy. I miss real pizza and brownies. I miss being able to go to a restaurant and choose anything I want. But I don't miss how I feel after I eat those foods...I feel cleaner and stronger eating these foods.


I'm getting there.