The PCOS Nutritionist Podcast: Recent Episodes
Clare Goodwin
It can be ridiculously confusing living with PCOS, you're constantly reading conflicting advice. Each week, I, Clare Goodwin, will be helping to simplify this for you by sharing with you some actionable steps to take and breaking down the latest research so you can actually understand it. I'll also share some real life stories of women who've improved their PCOS symptoms to give you that weekly boost to just keep putting one foot in front of another. If you have PCOS and you want some real talk about what to do, hit that subscribe button now.
When it comes to managing our health, we're often told that doing more is better. However, in the realm of PCOS, this isn't always the case. Overdoing it with numerous changes, supplements, and intense exercise might actually be counterproductive. Sometimes, doing less can be the key to better results.
In today’s episode, Clare and Emma explore why more is not always better in managing PCOS. They discuss the pitfalls of overloading on changes, supplements, and exercise, and introduce the bell curve theory of health, which highlights the importance of balance and avoiding extremes.
Through their personal experiences and clinical insights, they emphasise the effectiveness of concentrating on a few core habits and making them sustainable over time. The episode also covers the psychological aspects of behaviour change, the significance of manageable lifestyle adjustments, and the misconception of perfectionism in health.
Join Clare and Emma for practical advice on achieving sustainable PCOS management by focusing on balanced and consistent lifestyle changes.
Take the Ovie questionnaire and figure out the best PCOS management plan for you.
Have you already completed the questionnaire? Are you ready to sign up and take control of your PCOS? Sign up HERE.
TW: mentions of miscarries and struggles with infertility
In today’s episode, host Clare, the founder of Ovie and PCOS Explained, sits down with Ovie community member, Belinda Jarvis, to explore her remarkable journey with PCOS.
Belinda's journey with PCOS began when she was just 19 years old. Despite seeking help from doctors, she was often told to return only when she wanted to conceive. This early dismissal left her to navigate years of irregular periods and the emotional and physical toll of fertility treatments largely on her own. Her path included undergoing five rounds of IVF, experiencing miscarriages, and facing a diagnosis of Graves' disease postpartum.
The turning point in Belinda's story came during the pandemic lockdown. As traditional medical advice failed to provide relief, Belinda began exploring alternative approaches to managing her PCOS. This is when she committed her journey with Ovie (previously the PCOS Protocol). Through a combination of nutritional changes and addressing insulin resistance, she discovered new ways to manage her condition that significantly impacted her well-being.
Belinda’s story highlights the importance of advocating for oneself in the face of conflicting medical advice and exploring all possible treatment avenues. We are sure her journey will leave you feeling inspired and empowered about facing similar challenges.
Take the Ovie questionnaire and figure out the best PCOS management plan for you.
Have you already completed the questionnaire? Are you ready to sign up and take control of your PCOS? Sign up HERE.
When we talk about bloating, we’re not just referring to the occasional fullness after a meal. We’re delving into the intense pressure and pain that can accompany bloating and disrupt daily life.
In this episode, Clare and Emma tackle the complexities of bloating, a prevalent symptom often associated with conditions like IBS and PCOS. They discuss the various underlying causes of bloating, including SIBO, food sensitivities, parasites, and inflammation. They also explore how lifestyle factors, stress, and even childhood habits can impact gut health.
Emma opens up about her personal journey with bloating, sharing her struggles and the strategies she used to find relief after years of challenges. The conversation emphasises the importance of identifying and addressing the root causes of bloating rather than relying solely on elimination diets that offer only temporary relief.
This episode is a must-listen for anyone who suffers from bloating and is looking for a comprehensive, holistic approach to treatment.
Take the Ovie questionnaire and figure out the best PCOS management plan for you.
Have you already completed the questionnaire? Are you ready to sign up and take control of your PCOS? Sign up HERE.
After sharing her personal breastfeeding journey, Clare received numerous messages from women concerned about facing similar challenges. Inspired by these conversations, Clare is dedicating this week’s episode to exploring the diverse experiences of breastfeeding.
In this episode, PCOS Explained host and Ovie Founder, Clare, presents a collection of stories from different women, each sharing their unique breastfeeding journeys. Drawing from her own experience of breastfeeding her daughter and navigating a low milk supply, Clare aims to challenge common misconceptions and provide a broad spectrum of perspectives.
We’ll delve into the realities of breastfeeding, discuss various risk factors, and emphasize the importance of being prepared for different outcomes. This episode offers valuable insights and support to women preparing for breastfeeding.
A special thank you to our guests: Steph Wrathall, Lucy Duncan, Isabel Moratiel, and Fannie Cai, for sharing their stories with us.
Take the Ovie questionnaire and figure out the best PCOS management plan for you.
Have you already completed the questionnaire? Are you ready to sign up and take control of your PCOS? Sign up HERE.
In this episode, Ovie’s Senior Nutritionist, Emma sits down with PCOS Explained Host and Ovie Founder, Clare to discuss the challenges and realities of breastfeeding, especially for those with PCOS.
Societal pressures around breastfeeding can be overwhelming, and starting this journey often comes with a lot of stress and confusion. While breastfeeding is a wonderful option for many, it's not the right fit for everyone. Clare opens up about her personal experiences with low milk supply and how her PCOS influenced her breastfeeding journey.
The conversation dives into the latest research on PCOS and breastfeeding, exploring the impact of hormonal imbalances, and identifying potential red flags during pregnancy. Clare offers valuable insights for mothers facing similar challenges and emphasises the importance of support, regardless of your feeding choices.
Tune in for an honest and supportive discussion that highlights the need for compassion and understanding in the diverse experiences of motherhood.
Take the Ovie questionnaire and figure out the best PCOS management plan for you.
Have you already completed the questionnaire? Are you ready to sign up and take control of your PCOS? Sign up HERE.
Welcome to this week’s episode of PCOS Explained! In today’s conversation, Clare and Emma take a deep dive into one of the most commonly misunderstood aspects of PCOS—testosterone. They aim to clarify what testosterone is, how it impacts women with PCOS, and to debunk some of the most persistent myths surrounding this hormone.
In this episode, we explore:
- Understanding Testosterone: Explore the role of testosterone in both male and female bodies.
- Common Misconceptions: Discover and debunk widespread myths about testosterone and its effects.
- Diagnosing PCOS: Learn how testosterone levels are linked to PCOS diagnosis.
- Impact of Imbalance: Understand how an imbalance in testosterone can contribute to PCOS symptoms.
- Blood Test Accuracy: Find out why blood tests may not always accurately reflect testosterone's activity.
- Age and Hormonal Contraception: Examine how age and hormonal contraception affect testosterone levels.
- Physiological Differences: Highlight the differences in androgen response between males and females.
- Treatment Options: Get insights into various treatment options for managing high testosterone levels.
Whether you're newly diagnosed or have been managing PCOS for years, tune in to gain a clearer understanding of testosterone’s role and its impact on PCOS.
Take the Ovie questionnaire and figure out the best PCOS management plan for you.
Have you already completed the questionnaire? Are you ready to sign up and take control of your PCOS? Sign up HERE.
Linked podcasts:
- Understanding ovulation
- Breaking down what's driving your PCOS
One person says this, and another person says that… sometimes it feels overwhelming trying to wrap your head around all the contraception options! Join Clare and Emma in this week’s PCOS Explained episode as they provide a comprehensive guide to your contraception options.
In this episode, we delve into various contraception methods, including hormonal, non-hormonal, barrier methods, and emergency contraception, to help you make informed decisions based on your needs.
We discuss:
- How Contraceptives Function: Learn how different methods work and their effectiveness.
- Options Available: From oral pills and injections to implants, IUDs, and the fertility awareness method.
- Side Effects: Understand potential side effects and their implications on your physiology.
- Emergency Contraception: What you need to know about handling urgent situations.
- Contraception and PCOS: Special considerations for those with PCOS.
- Myths and Misconceptions: We debunk common myths and clarify misconceptions surrounding contraception.
- Mental Health Considerations: Highlighting how some methods may affect mental health.
This episode emphasizes the importance of listening to your own body and understanding its signals to find the contraception that suits you best.
Take the Ovie questionnaire and figure out the best PCOS management plan for you.
Have you already completed the questionnaire? Are you ready to sign up and take control of your PCOS? Sign up HERE.
In today's episode, Clare and Emma delve deep into the topic of ovulation, exploring the importance of understanding when you are ovulating, regardless of whether you are trying to conceive, avoid pregnancy, or become more in tune with your body.
Ovulation is something we should’ve been taught at school, but weren’t! And as a result, there are many common misconceptions, such as the assumption that all women ovulate on day 14 of their cycle. In today’s episode, Clare and Emma unpack these common misconceptions and reveal why methods like ovulation predictor kits and certain apps may not be reliable, especially for women with PCOS.
The episode emphasises the significance of being in tune with one’s body and highlights how identifying ovulation accurately can provide valuable insights into your health and fertility.
In this podcast we'll be diving into:
- The phases of the menstrual cycle and explaining hormone fluctuations
- The importance of ovulation
- Challenges with PCOS and ovulation
- Common misconceptions and tracking methods
Take the Ovie questionnaire and figure out the best PCOS management plan for you.
Have you already completed the questionnaire? Are you ready to sign up and take control of your PCOS? Sign up HERE.
Have you ever felt frustrated when your blood tests come back normal, despite experiencing a range of troubling symptoms? You’re not alone.
In this week’s episode of PCOS Explained, Clare and Emma dive into the disconnect between feeling unwell and receiving 'normal' test results from medical labs. They unpack the limitations of standard blood tests and explain why many of us end up with 'normal' results.
The discussion also covers:
- The problem with broad reference ranges
- Difference between normal and optimal health
- The importance of timing when getting tests done
- Challenges in getting access to the right tests
- Listening to your body and trusting your symptoms
If you’re struggling to find answers for your health concerns, this episode will offer valuable insights on how to advocate for your health and navigate the complexities of medical testing. Tune in and empower yourself with knowledge to better understand and manage your health journey.
Take the Ovie questionnaire and figure out the best PCOS management plan for you.
Have you already completed the questionnaire? Are you ready to sign up and take control of your PCOS? Sign up HERE.
Do you find yourself thinking about food all day long, believing it's just the norm? Isabel thought so too until she learned more about her PCOS.
Isabel took part in our programme to improve her relationship with food, manage her weight, and understand why all her exercising was pushing her in the wrong direction.
She found inner peace through the programme and felt so free after letting go of many things that had been taking over her life.
*TW (miscarriage): After just a few months of the changes, Isabel started getting her regular periods, and shortly after, she became pregnant. However, it wasn't all that straightforward due to low progesterone levels during her first pregnancy.
This in-depth conversation with Isabel about her pregnancy and breastfeeding experiences delves into the raw and real details that many people go through but don't talk about enough! We thank Isabel for being so open with us during this conversation and simply love her positive attitude and energy. We're taking notes on this one, and we hope you can take something from it too.
*Trigger warning - please be aware this episode contains conversation about miscarriages.
Take the Ovie questionnaire and figure out the best PCOS management plan for you.
Have you already completed the questionnaire? Are you ready to sign up and take control of your PCOS? Sign up HERE.
When it comes to staying healthy, we're often told it's all about diet and exercise. But here's the scoop: sleep plays a huge role too, especially for those dealing with PCOS.
In this week’s episode of PCOS Explained, Clare and Emma sit down to delve into the topic of sleep, particularly focusing on sleep disruption in individuals with PCOS. Their conversation highlights the power of a good night’s sleep.
The discussion stems from an article Clare wrote for Stylist Magazine and explores different manifestations of sleep disturbances including difficulty falling asleep, waking up in the middle of the night, and that frustrating feeling of not being rested even after a full night's sleep.
The episode addresses potential causes such as circadian rhythm disruptions, high stress hormones, low blood sugar levels, and sleep-disordered breathing like sleep apnea. It also delves into the interplay between insulin resistance, hormone imbalances, and their effects on sleep quality.
Take the Ovie questionnaire and figure out the best PCOS management plan for you.
Have you already completed the questionnaire? Are you ready to sign up and take control of your PCOS? Sign up HERE.
In today's episode of PCOS Explained, host Clare is joined by Dr. Praveen De Silva, a respected gynaecologist and expert in endometriosis surgery. Praveen delves into the complexities surrounding the diagnosis and treatment of endometriosis.
Endometriosis affects about 10% of individuals assigned female at birth, significantly impacting their quality of life. Dr. De Silva shares invaluable insights into this condition, covering various aspects ranging from surgical treatments to the critical importance of timely diagnosis and effective management options.
Key points discussed:
- Understanding Endometriosis surgery
- Endometriosis symptoms and diagnosis
- Treatment options and challenges
- Patient guidance, support and finding specialist help
- Links to PCOS and fertility
This episode is an essential resource for anyone affected by or interested in learning about endometriosis. His insights not only educate but also empower listeners to navigate their healthcare journey with greater understanding and confidence.
Take the Ovie questionnaire and figure out the best PCOS management plan for you.
Have you already completed the questionnaire? Are you ready to sign up and take control of your PCOS? Sign up HERE.
In this week’s episode of PCOS Explained, host Clare sits down with Aimee, a member of the Ovie community, as she candidly shares her journey with PCOS.
Aimee’s story began in her early 20s and is a testament to resilience, strength, and acceptance. Like many navigating PCOS, Aimee has encountered a spectrum of symptoms—from weight gain to hair growth and reactive hypoglycemia—which she refers to as her different PCOS ‘eras’. Throughout these eras, Aimee has demonstrated remarkable adaptability and resilience, embracing each era with a mindset of befriending her PCOS.
In her conversation, Aimee delves into her experiences with medications such as Metformin, Zoloft, and Ozempic, discussing both their benefits and side effects. She also reflects on the life challenges she’s confronted along the way and their impact on her overall health and wellness.
Today, Aimee focuses on cultivating a balanced lifestyle by focusing on the way her habits and actions make her feel. She emphasises the importance of body neutrality, prioritising mental health, and finding joy in daily activities. Aimee’s approach to her PCOS journey is not only refreshing but also deeply inspiring.
Take the Ovie questionnaire and figure out the best PCOS management plan for you.
Have you already completed the questionnaire? Are you ready to sign up and take control of your PCOS? Sign up HERE.
In this episode, Dr. Lara Briden returns to discuss her new book, 'The Metabolism Reset'.
Host Clare sits down with Dr. Briden to dive into the conversation of metabolic dysfunction. They discuss the significant impact of insulin resistance on women's health, exploring how environmental changes and epigenetics contribute to the rising prevalence.
They also explore the controversial topic of food addiction, differentiating it from eating disorders and examining how ultra-processed foods affect the brain's reward system. The discussion highlights how changes in diet, particularly focusing on whole foods and protein, can lead to significant improvements in hunger management and overall health.
The conversation emphasizes that weight gain and metabolic issues are not moral failings but consequences of broader environmental and genetic factors. Tune in for a new perspective on metabolic health.
Take the Ovie questionnaire and figure out the best PCOS management plan for you.
Have you already completed the questionnaire? Are you ready to sign up and take control of your PCOS? Sign up HERE.
Have you ever been made to believe a meal plan is the only answer to achieving all your health goals?
In this week’s episode, Clare and Emma sit down to discuss why meal plans may not be all they are made out to be. Many women with PCOS attempt to stick to meal plans but are left feeling disappointed and unempowered when they don’t work out the way they hoped.
Clare and Emma share why they believe meal plans are not always effective for managing PCOS and why learning to make flexible dietary choices is more sustainable. They share personal experiences and insights on how rigid meal plans fail to accommodate the variability of daily life.
**Instead, they discuss the power of building habits that are flexible and adaptable, which highlights the importance of developing long-term habits over short-term strict adherence.
Take the Ovie questionnaire and figure out the best PCOS management plan for you.**
Have you already completed the questionnaire? Are you ready to sign up and take control of your PCOS? Sign up HERE.
In this week’s episode, Steph shares her remarkable journey with PCOS, from early diagnosis to motherhood.
Steph’s journey began during her athletic career in javelin. She shares how her athletic lifestyle initially masked many of her PCOS symptoms, which were eventually uncovered after experiencing a cyst burst.
Steph explores the challenges of insulin resistance, brain fog, intense sugar cravings and how cortisol impacted her sleep and energy. She highlights how she began to overcome these symptoms - through the power of individualised and evidence-based nutrition, training and lifestyle advice.
Steph also delves into her experiences with pregnancy, breastfeeding, and postpartum life, stressing the importance of sleep, nutrition, and mental well-being.
Steph’s journey showcases the importance of developing sustainable health routines that will stick, even when our priorities change throughout life. Steph inspires those listening to empower themselves by confronting their health issues early and taking control of their journey’s.
Take the Ovie questionnaire and figure out the best PCOS management plan for you.
Have you already completed the questionnaire? Are you ready to sign up and take control of your PCOS? Sign up HERE.
In this episode, Clare and Emma sit down to delve into the world of popular weight loss drugs.
Despite their high demand and celebrity endorsements, it's important to weigh up both the pros and cons of these trending weight loss drugs.
We discuss their effectiveness in achieving significant weight loss, especially for people with conditions like PCOS. We also highlight the controversy surrounding their use by individuals with minimal weight to lose, the risk of severe side effects, and the realistic possibility of weight regain after stopping the medication.
**Tune in as we unpack the benefits, risks, and considerations linked to these trendy medications in weight management and overall health improvement.
Take the Ovie questionnaire and figure out the best PCOS management plan for you.**
Have you already completed the questionnaire? Are you ready to sign up and take control of your PCOS? Sign up HERE.
It’s time to break free from diet culture and the chatter in your head that influences your food choices. This is what is explored in today’s episode with PCOS Explained host and Ovie Founder, Clare Goodwin, alongside Ovie Senior Nutritionist, Emma Wylie.
This episode discusses the common struggles people with PCOS experience with dieting, food choices, restriction and maintaining a balanced lifestyle. Clare and Emma discuss the factors that influence your relationship with food, inspiring you to gain back control and feel more empowered in your journey. They explore the path to food freedom and embodying a balanced lifestyle.
By addressing physiological needs and adopting an 80/20 lifestyle, individuals can improve their relationship with food, overcome restrictive eating habits, and manage their PCOS symptoms without falling into the trap of fad diets.
Take the Ovie questionnaire and figure out the best PCOS management plan for you.
Have you already completed the questionnaire? Are you ready to sign up and take control of your PCOS? Sign up HERE.
In this episode Clare sits down to speak with Elfie about her PCOS journey, from her early twenties, through struggles with fertility, undergoing IVF, and later natural conception leading to three children.
Clare and Elfie discuss how her PCOS symptoms worsened with perimenopause, and how a partial hysterectomy did nothing to alter her worsening symptoms.
Elfie details her battle with binge eating, exacerbated by perimenopause and PCOS, and how discovering a link between the two led her to seek help and make dietary and lifestyle changes. She dives into the challenges of insulin resistance, the effectiveness of a high-protein breakfast, and the importance of understanding one's body and hormone cycles.
The episode also delves into the negative impact of stress and high-intensity exercise on her PCOS, and how adjusting her approach to fitness and diet helped manage her symptoms and overall health.
In this podcast we’ll be diving into:
- PCOS and perimenopause and menopause
- Feeling out of control around food
- Over-exercising and how to adjust this
- Pregnancy difficulties and changing severities of PCOS symptoms
Take the Ovie questionnaire and figure out the best PCOS management plan for you.
Have you already completed the questionnaire? Are you ready to sign up and take control of your PCOS? Sign up HERE.
In this week’s podcast episode,PCOS Explained host and Ovie Founder, Clare Goodwin, sits down to talk with Ovie Senior Nutritionist, Emma Wylie, to unpack how the right kind of support in your PCOS journey can be critical to your long term symptom management.
Too often we meet patients who feel completely unsupported.
Failed by their healthcare providers, misunderstood by dieticians, not heard by their doctors, broken down by diet after diet only to still feel at square one with their symptom management.
In this discussion real life case studies are explored from patients Clare and Emma have worked with, to offer insights and strategies to help and empower you on your PCOS journey.
Topics discussed in this episode:
- Understanding your path to successful weight loss
- Acne and hirsutism medication guidance
- Balancing the goals of fertility and weight loss
Take the Ovie questionnaire and figure out the best PCOS management plan for you.
Have you already completed the questionnaire? Are you ready to sign up and take control of your PCOS? Sign up HERE.
In this gritty conversation, Clare interviews Dr Stephanie, a physician who shares her personal and professional journey dealing with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS).
Stephanie shares incredible advice around how we should view our doctors or primary care providers' advice on our own health journey, and how it ultimately is our own decision about the steps we move forward with.
Stephanie also shares with us great tips for how to advocate for ourselves with a diagnosis, or how to feel confident seeking multiple perspectives from different physicians.
Stephanie shares her journey of as she puts it - sciencing the sh*t out of her PCOS - to help her make informed decisions when it came to her health.
Regular bleeds but irregular cycles are discussed (yes, there is a difference!), as well as dealing with unexplained weight gain and difficulties losing weight and POTS (Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome) are just some of the juicy topics covered in this podcast.
Take the Ovie questionnaire and figure out the best PCOS management plan for you.
Have you already completed the questionnaire? Are you ready to sign up and take control of your PCOS? Sign up HERE.
When we are first diagnosed with PCOS we are often lead to believe that 'you will struggle to get pregnant', and we hear this time and time again. But, is this really the case?
We spoke with our patient, Cindy about her experience with getting diagnosed in her late 20's, struggling to conceive then proceeding to fall pregnant naturally (a month before she was due to start fertility treatment!).
Cindy is a doer and knew she had to take charge as soon as she got diagnosed which lead her to find the programme. She started learning immediately what was going on with her body and everything became so much clearer and she started seeing results within the first few days!
In this podcast we cover:
- Understanding how to deal with PCOS and fertility struggles
- How lifestyle adjustments, and tailored interventions can lead to conception
- The value of specialized care and what to look for in a doctor
We understand that too much information at once can be overwhelming which is why we created Ovie, to take you through step-by-step exactly what is right for you and your PCOS. Sign up to Ovie, receive your personalized PCOS management plan, start working on yourself and see results within days.
Ready to start your journey? Take the Ovie questionnaire and figure out the best PCOS management plan for you.
Have you already completed the questionnaire? Are you ready to sign up and take control of your PCOS? Sign up HERE.
We can often get caught up trying so hard to do everything perfectly, giving 100%, but as soon as we're not hitting that mark, we feel like we've failed, or as our PCOS patient Lily puts it, 'fallen off the wagon'.
After struggling with the healthcare system, Lily took matters into her own hands and started our program. Lily followed the Ovie approach, a holistic lifestyle intervention that, within the space of a few months, helped her lose the stubborn weight she'd been trying so hard to address, reduced her acne and hirsutism, and overall benefited her life in ways she couldn't have imagined.
In this episode, we'll discuss:
- The challenges of getting diagnosed
- Finding the right doctor to support you on your journey
- The complexity of PCOS and how to navigate it with a personalized plan
- The importance of a supportive community
... and much more!
We're inspired by Lily's determination throughout the program and the progress she continues to make today.
If you're ready to make your move and start your journey, take the Ovie questionnaireto figure out the best PCOS management plan for you.
Have you already completed the questionnaire? Are you ready to sign up and take control of your PCOS? Sign up HERE.
In this episode, we're going deep on PCOS. PCOS affects about 1 in 8 women, but there's a lot of confusion out there about it.
We discuss how genetics and lifestyle play a role, and we also touch on the common misconceptions with PCOS, and discuss it’s not just about what's happening in your ovaries; things like insulin resistance, stress, inflammation, and thyroid problems are all key drivers of this syndrome. We also highlight why what works for one person, might not work for another.
But here's the good news: we've got options. We're all about personalized plans here, whether that means changing up your lifestyle or maybe adding in some meds if that's what you need. We're all about empowering you to take control and manage those symptoms.
This is a great episode for anyone new on their PCOS journey, or anyone who wants to learn more about what’s going on in their body, and wants to start to see improvements in their symptoms.
So, join us as we break down PCOS, demystify the whole thing, and show you how you can turn things around with the right approach.
Take the Ovie questionnaire and figure out the best PCOS management plan for you.
Have you already completed the questionnaire? Are you ready to sign up and take control of your PCOS? Sign up HERE.
In this episode Clare sits down with Fannie to discuss her PCOS journey, starting from her teenage years dealing with irregular periods and uncertain diagnoses.
She shares the impact of PCOS on her life, including symptoms like weight gain, sugar cravings, and insulin resistance. The conversation also delves into the significant role of understanding her blood work, particularly iron levels and their relation to insulin resistance and fertility.
Her journey underscores the importance of self-advocacy, and the realization that managing PCOS is an ongoing process that involves more than just addressing symptoms but understanding her drivers.
In this podcast we’ll be diving into:
- Fannie's fertility journey with PCOS
- Diagnosis and care differences between different countries
- Why the 'perfect' keto diet isn't sustainable . . and what is!
- The importance of knowing your iron status
- And more!
Take the Ovie questionnaire and figure out the best PCOS management plan for you.
Have you already completed the questionnaire? Are you ready to sign up and take control of your PCOS? Sign up HERE.
Each year when January comes about some may think that we need to create all these New Year's resolutions so that this year is going to be our best, only to run out of steam before January is even over (we've been there too).
Instead we believe in setting sustainable intentions and goals that you can work towards gradually so you don't feel totally overwhelmed.
Today, The Ovie team discuss how we're approaching the New Year and what kind of person we want to be not just for 2024 but for life.
If you want to be curious and ask yourself the important questions that will make that long-term change, this is the podcast for you.
P.S. If you want to grab a plan that does exactly that, our Ovie 2024 Focus Challenge is now live in Ovie. Sign up today to get access to the tools, resources and intention setting plan that will help you improve in the 4 areas of your life: connection, nourishment, movement and rest.
Take the questionnaire here.
We're diving into why New Year's resolutions are setting you up to fail and how you can actually make lasting changes by building habits that embody the person you want to be.
We've got Sophia Dawson, our resident licensed psychologist here at Ovie, as our special guest. She's sharing her expertise on how to set yourself up for success and build habits that will help you achieve your goals.
She also provides practical tips and strategies for building habits that last and discusses the importance of aligning your actions with your values and goals.
Something things we cover in this episode:
- Why do most NY resolutions fail?
- What to do instead of setting typical NY resolutions?
- Choosing stuff that matters to you (values).
- Adopt the identify of the person you want to be.
- Making towards moves.
Want to learn more and have a plan in place to help your habits stick? Sign up to Ovie here and receive the tools and resources you need to make positive changes for life.
Moriah describes herself as a 'stressaholic.' Working in a fast-paced, demanding job, she thought this was just part of her life and who she is. She had a tumultuous year with the writer strikes in 2023 and suddenly found herself with a lot of time to spare.
Instead of worrying, she decided to put her time off to good use and signed up for our PCOS program. In the past, Moriah has struggled with binge eating disorder, making diets and calorie counting extremely triggering for her. However, after listening to one of our previous podcasts, she realized she was not alone, and our PCOS management program had that in mind.
Throughout the program, Moriah made changes that didn't solely focus on weight loss but gave her the tools to manage things she had control over, such as stress management, sleep, joyful movement, and self-awareness. From that, weight loss started to happen.
A huge thank you to Moriah for being so open and sharing your story with us. We hope that listening to Moriah's story shows you that you can overcome your PCOS issues and set goals not only for 2024 but for life.
If you're looking to take control of your PCOS like Moriah did, take the Ovie questionnaire, find your drivers and start your journey today.
Do you find yourself thinking about food all day long, believing it's just the norm? Isabel thought so too until she learned more about her PCOS.
Isabel took part in our program to improve her relationship with food, manage her weight, and understand why all her exercising was pushing her in the wrong direction.
She found inner peace through the program and felt so free after letting go of many things that had been taking over her life.
*TW (miscarriage): After just a few months of the changes, Isabel started getting her regular periods, and shortly after, she became pregnant. However, it wasn't all that straightforward due to low progesterone levels during her first pregnancy.
This in-depth conversation with Isabel about her pregnancy and breastfeeding experiences delves into the raw and real details that many people go through but don't talk about enough! We thank Isabel for being so open with us during this conversation and simply love her positive attitude and energy. We're taking notes on this one, and we hope you can take something from it too.
*Trigger warning - please be aware this episode contains conversation about miscarriages.
If you're looking to take control of your PCOS like Isabel did, take the Ovie questionnaire, find your drivers and start your journey today.
If you've felt your PCOS symptoms spiralling out of control, and no matter what you do, you just can't seem to get a hold of them, or maybe you didn't even realise all of these things were related to PCOS, this is the podcast for you.
Rachel took part in our PCOS management programme after trying multiple diets over 20+ years to control her weight gain and understand her limits with food. On top of that, she experienced extreme fatigue and sleepless nights from her insulin resistance and stress PCOS combination.
Embracing the Ovie 80:20 method changed Rachel's life, and approaching her PCOS in a more holistic way helped her gain self-compassion and see results she had never seen before! Discovering her 'why' and picturing her long-term goal of wanting to be there for her kids, and not solely wanting to lose weight, meant she could stick with these lifestyle changes long-term and keep going up and up.
It was a pleasure to chat with Rachel about her experience and how she now feels like her cheerful self. We can't wait to see how she continues to flourish.
If you listened to Rachel's story and are thinking 'this is me,' try out the Ovie programme today, get the tools that you need specifically for your PCOS, and start your journey to better health and vitality.
Take the Ovie questionnaire to find your PCOS drivers.
If you've got PCOS and you're worried about it affecting your training, or even your training affecting your PCOS - this is the podcast for you.
At Ovie HQ, we're quite an active bunch with a history in high-intensity sports. Over the years, we've been listening to our bodies and figuring out what works for us and how certain types of training affect our bodies.
Rest assured, you can have PCOS and train competitively; it's just about working out what your priorities are at this point in life.
So tune in for our tips and advice on how to train effectively with PCOS, so you can get the most out of your training.
The Ovie app can help you along the way with your training so you can implement positive lifestyle habits to help you manage your drivers and symptoms. Take our questionnaire today and sign up today.
In this episode we discuss and explain the main drivers of PCOS, including insulin resistance, stress, inflammation, and thyroid health, and why we can experience the symptoms we do.
If you have PCOS, you've probably wondered what's truly driving this condition. With so much information available online, it can be overwhelming to figure out what applies to you. PCOS isn't one-size-fits-all, and understanding your unique goals and drivers is essential.
Discover how a personalised approach can save you time and money by focusing on the most important aspects first. Nail the basics, and you'll watch everything else fall into place. This is why we created "Ovie."
Gain a better understanding of PCOS and discover the next steps you can take to see positive improvements in your symptoms.
Want to find out your drivers? Take our questionnaire today for FREE.
Something we have all of our Ovie users do is to start their journey by discovering their 'why,' which we refer to as their North Star. It's the driving force that keeps you going through tough times and provides a vision of where you want to be in life.
While you can't control your symptoms, you can control the steps you take. Within Ovie, we take gradual steps toward helping you become the best version of yourself and manage it for life.
In this podcast, we will cover:
- How to discover your 'why'
- Some examples of past patients' 'whys'
- How to avoid letting life's challenges derail you from your 'why'
This podcast is for you if:
- You're feeling a bit lost on your PCOS journey and need some help.
- You're struggling to stick to your habits or goals and want to make that long-term change.
Take our FREE questionnaire today to learn more about your body and start your journey to reversing your PCOS.
We went to our Instagram to hear what burning questions you have about everything and anything.
In this episode, we cover:
- How to afford PCOS-friendly foods during inflation
- Is intermittent fasting good for PCOS?
- Favorite protein bars
- What to do at the start of your PCOS journey
- And much more!
Thank you to everyone who sent in their questions. We managed to get through many questions and love hearing what's going on for you, providing our tips, tricks, advice, and suggestions.
Want to learn more about your PCOS? Take our FREE questionnaire here to discover your drivers. When you sign up, you'll receive your personalised PCOS program tailored specifically for you.
What defines a heavy period? Do heavy periods have to be long periods? When should I seek medical advice regarding my periods?
Periods with PCOS can manifest in various ways. The great thing about them is that they can provide valuable insights into your hormonal health, which can help explain how you're feeling.
If you're questioning whether your period is normal or if you simply want to educate yourself on how to better manage it, especially if you're experiencing heavy periods, this podcast is for you.
Want to start managing your periods to make them lighter or more regular? Through Ovie, we create a personalised program specifically tailored to your PCOS condition and goals, allowing you to take control today.
Click here to take the questionnaire for FREE.
This podcast is sponsored by The Organic Initiative. The Organic Initiative (Oi) is here to remove plastics, synthetics, toxins, and toxic chemicals from your world, starting with feminine hygiene and adult care products, so you can feel proud and protected.
I've been using Oi's products for several years now, which have saved me so much money and worry. I can rest easy, knowing that I'm doing good for the planet and my body. If you're looking to purchase some of the amazing Oi products, head over to their website (US & NZ) and you can receive 20% off with the code OVIE, which is a significant discount if you're buying a few cups. I just know you're going to love them as much as I do!
Do you have a burning question about your health or lifestyle in regards to your PCOS? Is it super specific, and you just don't know how or where to look for the information?
We are all so different when it comes to our PCOS, and while navigating life with this condition is already overwhelming, having a personal issue can often leave us feeling unsure about where we stand, what's right, and what's wrong!
That's why we offer our 'Deep Dive in 5' service, so expert advice is accessible for everyone within the Ovie app.
In this podcast, we cover questions on:
- Fertility and ovulation with PCOS
- Specific dietary requirements
- Weight-loss drugs and how to manage weight when coming off them
- Supplementation
- Coming off the OCP (oral contraceptive pill)
Don't be left guessing about your PCOS; let our team, with 10+ years of experience specialising in PCOS, do the figuring out for you!
Click here to take the Ovie questionnaire today and get control over your PCOS. *Select a 3-month membership, insert the code: ASKAQ and receive a FREE 'Deep Dive in 5' question upon sign up.
*ASKAQ offer expired.
Anti-androgens for PCOS - What are they? Why might we take them? Are they necessary? What are our options?
If you're experiencing acne, hirsutism, or hair loss as symptoms of your PCOS, listen in for an in-depth analysis and description of your options when it comes to managing these challenging symptoms.
Sometimes, drugs may feel necessary, especially for our mental health when managing these symptoms, and that is perfectly fine. How you manage your PCOS symptoms is your choice. We aim to provide you with the tools and resources you need to make an informed decision so that you feel comfortable discussing and questioning your healthcare professional when seeking help.
In addition to medications, lifestyle changes play a significant role in improving our symptoms, as stated in the 2023 Monash PCOS Guidelines. This is where Ovie comes into play. We can assist you in creating a long-term plan so you can effectively manage these symptoms sustainably for life.
Interested in learning more about Ovie and yourself? Take our FREE questionnaire here to discover your drivers. When you sign up, you'll receive your personalised PCOS program tailored specifically for you.
In this episode, we cover:
- What are anti-androgens and why would we need to take them
- The different types of anti-androgens and their effects
- Your other options if you don't want to take medication
This episode is for you if:
- Your experiencing acne, hirsutism or hair loss as a PCOS symptom
- You want to feel comfortable discussing solutions with your health and medical practitioner about anti-androgens and other options
- You want to know how Ovie could help you in this journey
Podcast episode: Hormonal Birth Control & Weight Gain, we finally have the proof!
We caught up with Dr. Samina to discuss postpartum experiences and how to navigate life with PCOS after having a baby. It's a life changing experience which can also be a nerve-wracking time for many reasons, on top of that you may wonder what your PCOS symptoms will be like in this new phase of life.
During our conversation, we address realistic expectations and the steps you can take to manage your PCOS, such as ensuring you provide your body with the right nutrients in case you experience a resurgence of symptoms.
In this episode, we cover:
- Clare's & Dr. Samina's postpartum experiences and what they've learnt
- How we can get close to that 80:20 lifestyle to get you feeling your best
This episode is for you if:
- You're struggling with managing your PCOS postpartum
- You feel alone in your postpartum journey and can't navigate your way through
Exclusive Ovie member content: How and when to use progesterone postpartum - Sign up to Ovie to get access to more professional advice and tips.
Take the Ovie questionnaire to find out your drivers.
"You need to eat more in order to lose weight" – it goes against everything you've been told about weight loss, right?
Well, we're here to tell you that it's TRUE! If you've been living on an extremely restrictive diet for way too long, there are adaptations your body will make to ensure that you survive, including slowing down your metabolism. Therefore, you won't burn fat because your body is holding onto it for dear life, literally!
We totally get that this can be daunting and scary. We've heard it from many of our clients, and we've been through it ourselves. But once you give it a try, you'll understand that nourishing your body with the nutrients it needs equals a happier, better-functioning body.
So, if you want to hear the reason behind why eating more means you can start losing weight, then listen in!
In this episode, we cover:
- The mindset shift you need in order to trust the process
- What happens to your body's metabolism when you don't eat enough
- How to eat freely and enjoy food
- How to know if you're overdoing it with exercise and why that might not work
This episode is for you if:
- You feel like it is impossible to lose weight no matter how little you eat
- You feel mentally exhausted with restrictive diets
- You want to change your relationship with food
Listen to Jaimee's Story on how she lost 30kg after joining our programme here.
Want to sign up to the Ovie programme to find out how you can do this too? Take the questionnaire today, find your drivers and get control over of your PCOS here.
Ever felt like you couldn't discuss something with a health or medical professional regarding your PCOS? Maybe you didn't have the tools or information to back yourself up. Well, the newly released PCOS guidelines can help you with that.
In this podcast, we touch on some of the main points from the evidence-backed research and hope we can provide you with the knowledge and confidence to advocate for yourself while navigating your way through PCOS.
So, if you don't feel like you're getting the support you need, this one's for you.
And if you're interested in reading the guidelines for yourself, click here to have a read.
In this episode, we cover:
- Several crucial points from the newly released PCOS guidelines
- How to make the healthcare system work for you
This episode is for you if:
- You need confidence to discuss PCOS management or concerns with your healthcare provider
- You want to learn more about PCOS research as a whole
Want to find out your PCOS drivers and take control of your PCOS? Take the Ovie questionnaire for FREE.
Ever been to the gym or out for a run and just felt totally bleugh, but you don't know why, especially when you hit a personal best last week and felt amazing? That could be because of the different phases of our cycle that affect our energy levels due to changes in our hormones.
Technically, we have two phases of our cycle, however when it comes to training, we can break this down into five phases to train appropriately for each one.
If you have PCOS, you might be wondering, 'How can I figure out what's right for me with my cycle?' We hear you. Once you have a regular cycle that you can track, you can start tuning into how you feel throughout that period. And rest assured, those of us with longer periods actually experience our mid-follicular phase (a.k.a our 'SEND IT' phase) for even longer, allowing us to give it our all. Pretty cool, huh?
In this episode, we cover:
- The different phases of your cycle and how to work with them
- How to adapt this for PCOS and understand how long you will be in certain stages
- Training-specific program ideas, such as weight training, running, and exercises for enjoyment
This episode is for you if:
- You want to know what's right for you in your training
- You want to learn more about your body and cycles
If you're struggling to have regular cycles, we can help with that at Ovie. Take the Ovie questionnaire here and set your goals. You'll receive your personalised programme to help you take control of your PCOS and regulate your periods.
So, you're making these lifestyle changes and may be wondering, "When will I start to see the results?" The answer to that depends on your symptoms and the severity of their drivers.
The more important question is how do I know I'm on track? Depending on what is causing these symptoms, you're likely to start feeling better internally before you see some physical results. This means sleeping better, having more energy, feeling less bloated, and losing the brain fog!
We view PCOS as a continuum, and you may be somewhere along this spectrum. Therefore, to see results, we need to start making "towards" moves – steps that have a positive impact on your body and mind.
In this episode, we cover:
- How long it can take for each symptom or driver to start changing
- Why it's important to be consistent and not lose motivation if you don't see immediate results
- When you can expect to see changes in periods, fertility, weight, acne, hirsutism, hair loss energy levels, and sleep
This episode is for you if:
- You've tried diets or strict plans without seeing long-term results
- You want a better understanding of the underlying reasons for your symptoms
- You're interested in signing up for Ovie and want to learn more about how it can work for your PCOS
Podcast references:
- Lily Kate's Testimonial: More lifestyle changes doesn’t always mean better results for your PCOS — and figuring out what your ‘high impact’ PCOS changes are
- Jaimee's Testimonial: How she lost 30kg!
- Daisy's Testimonial: How a food blogger successfully managers her insulin resistance PCOS and habit changes without restriction
- Kelly's Testimonial: Natural fertility with PCOS - YES, it's possible
Have you ever tried to make several lifestyle changes all at once, only for it to become so intense that you end up getting burnt out within the first week? We've been there too.
At Ovie, our focus is on developing long-term, sustainable habits that genuinely impact your lifestyle. We guide you to make 'towards' moves, leading to a better life in an attainable and achievable manner. This approach prevents you from becoming overwhelmed and feeling like you've failed when making multiple changes at once. We provide you with the tools to make these changes while also teaching you the psychology behind them, so you understand exactly what you're doing even when life throws you curveballs.
In this episode we cover:
- How to manage your feelings around habits and challenges
- Compounding habits over time
- How long it may take for you to see results with Ovie when creating new habits and why
- and much more!
This episode is for you if:
- You need some help to get back on track and want to know how you can start implementing some habits into your life
- You want know how we work in Ovie and how we can make long-term changes to your life
Referenced episodes:
Jaimee's Story: Losing 30 kg - Her Incredible Journey!
Trends, you can't avoid them nowadays. They're often started via social media and can go viral within hours. This week, we are discussing current popular trends such as "Girl Plate Dinner" and "What I Eat in a Day" through a critical lens. We will uncover the positives, such as displaying creativity and forming good habits. However, we also emphasize that they can have adverse effects, setting unrealistic expectations that lead to comparison anxiety, and even promote dangerous habits.
We encourage listeners to approach these trends with a balanced perspective and remind you that what you see on social media is merely a snapshot of someone's life, often cherry-picked to present an idealized version.
In this episode we cover:
- The latest trends we've seen on social media
- The positives and negatives of such trends and how some can be great for inspiration whilst others lead to comparison anxiety
- The psychology of creating long-lasting, sustainable habits over quick fixes
This episode is for you if:
- You've experienced being sucked into a trend and felt guilty about your lifestyle
- You want to listen to a balanced debate about the latest trends and how you can positively interpret some and what not to follow
Want to find out what is driving your PCOS? Click here to take the Ovie questionnaire.
It’s an exciting week at The PCOS Nutritionist as we launch our new PCOS management app, Ovie!
Ovie helps people with PCOS improve their symptoms and prevent the long-term complications of PCOS by providing them with hyper-personalized health advice based on their specific symptoms.
Today, we chat about how Ovie can help you discover those main drivers and have a better understanding about your PCOS. Everyone is different, what works for you might not work for someone else, and that is probably down to your drivers.
In this episode, we cover:
- What could be driving your PCOS
- How the Ovie questionnaire can help you understand your PCOS
- How the Ovie app works in creating long-lasting results
- Setting your specific goals for what you want to achieve from Ovie
- ...and so much more!
This episode is for you if:
- You know you have PCOS but need support in managing it
- You want to learn more about what could be driving your PCOS
- You feel overwhelmed with all the different messages online and want to know what changes you can make specifically for you.
Click here to take the Ovie questionnaire.
You've probably come across numerous discussions about Ozempic, Mounjaro and Wegovy lately, whether on TikTok, in the news, or even on the latest reality TV shows. The popularity of these weight-loss drugs has soared, making them a topic of significant interest.
This week, Clare and our senior nutritionist, Emma, delve deeply into the world of these drugs and similar medications. We explore everything from the latest celebrity crazes to addressing weight-related issues in pursuit of a healthier and more fulfilling life.
Listen in for a comprehensive analysis of the pros and cons, as well as an outline of the reasons why some individuals may choose to use them while others might prefer alternative approaches. It's essential to emphasize that we are continuously learning about these drugs, and we're eager to share our knowledge with you so that you can make the most informed decision for your own lifestyle.
In this episode, we cover:
- Ozempic, Mounjaro and Wegovy's purpose, and how they work.
- A balanced discussion of the reasons both for and against considering these drugs as a weight-loss option.
- The misuse of weight-loss drugs amongst celebrities.
- What to expect when starting to use weight-loss drugs and what happens when discontinuing its use.
This episode is for you if:
- You are contemplating the use of Ozempic, Mounjaro or Wegovy for weight loss and want to make an informed decision.
- You have been tirelessly searching for information about these drugs but still can't find a clear answer.
- You are curious to learn more about these drug, their effects, and potential benefits for your health journey.
Links to our programs:
- The PCOS Protocol
- Book a 1:1 Consultations with Clare
- Book a 1:1 Consultation with Emma
This week, we asked our Instagram audience to send in their questions to be answered.
In this episode we cover:
- What to do when you come off hormonal birth control.
- Cysts on your ovaries and PCOS - do you need to have them to be diagnosed?
- Knowing what to do when you have low energy levels and long periods.
- Eating more and getting better results - how it works!
- Finding your balance as a new parent and tips on how to better manage your sleep.
Thank you to everyone who sent in their questions. We really wanted to deep dive into these questions and provide you with valuable advice that you can start implementing in your life today. Unfortunately, we couldn't get around to answering them all, but we will be doing more of these in the future, so keep an eye out and stay tuned!
Links to our programs:
- The PCOS Protocol
- Book a 1:1 Consultations with Clare
- Book a 1:1 Consultation with Emma
References:
- Jaimee's Story: Losing 30kg – Her Incredible Journey!
On this week's podcast, we spoke to Tess. Tess dove into the Protocol, giving it her all. She was seeking a more sustainable way to handle her diet after becoming a 'slave to sugar' and experiencing serious hangry attacks, as well as unexplainably gaining weight.
After her doctors told her to just halve her quantities for all the foods she ate, as an active sportswoman, this left her constantly hungry and having little to no energy. She thought there had to be a better way, and she was right.
Tess began to realise at university that she wasn't the only one experiencing these symptoms and started connecting the dots between her drivers and symptoms. While following the Protocol, Tess noticed considerable differences in her mood, cravings, acne, and so much more. Now she can live freely and be aware of what causes these symptoms to flare up and understands them on a much deeper level.
In this episode, we cover:
- Tess's personal experience of being diagnosed at such a young age and how the Protocol helped manage her PCOS
- How to sustainably maintain your eating habits and exercise
- Acknowledging stress and managing it with PCOS
This episode is for you if:
- You're thinking about signing up for the PCOS Protocol and want to hear a Protocoler's experience
- You believe stress is one of your drivers and want to manage it better
- You're struggling with unexplainable weight gain
- You want to have more control over cravings and your diet.
Links to our programs:
- The PCOS Protocol
- Book a 1:1 Consultations with Clare
- Book a 1:1 Consultation with Emma
Have you ever been in a situation where your doctor insisted that the pill is the only solution for managing PCOS? Or have you felt hesitant about trying it due to scary stories you've heard on social media? It can often feel like you're stuck between two extremes, but we're here to let you know that there are other options available.
The truth is, different forms of contraception can have significant benefits for some people, while others may prefer a more natural approach. Whatever path you choose, it's important to remember that there's no need to feel ashamed or embarrassed about how you decide to manage your hormones.
In this week's episode, we're going to break down the pros and cons of both hormonal and non-hormonal birth control methods, specifically in the context of PCOS. We'll dive into some real-life cases and share insights on why certain options might work better than others. We want you to feel confident and supported throughout your PCOS journey so you know what is the right option for you. In this episode we cover:
- What is hormonal birth control?
- The different birth control available: hormonal and non-hormonal options
- The benefits and downfalls of hormonal birth control (PCOS specific and general)
- Risk factors and positives relating to cancer with birth control
- Emergency contraception options
This episode is for you if:
- You’re wondering if you’re birth control is suited to you
- You’re on birth control and want to understand more about how it works
- You have PCOS and weighing up your birth control options
Links to our programs:
- The PCOS Protocol
- Book a 1:1 Consultations with Clare
- Book a 1:1 Consultation with Emma
Does the contraceptive pill alter mate choice in humans?
Bariatric surgery is still a taboo topic in most circles. Weight gain and obesity is still portrayed as something that we should have control over and therefore if you need bariatric surgery, you are a failure. Or you’re taking the easy way out.
But this isn’t the case at all. Weight gain and obesity is a really complex condition, especially in PCOS. Our body's email system, our hormones, are sending messages to our body to store more fat. And make it much harder for us to burn fat. This then leads into a spiral - we might become less active because it’s harder or more painful to move. We might start severely restricting what we eat, which leads to binge eating and a host of other factors that lead to spiralling weight gain. Most of us are doing the best we can, but our body is just sending the wrong emails.
For most people, bariatric surgery is no more your fault or quality of life improving, than needing a hip replacement!
So I wanted to break down the taboo of bariatric surgery and open up this discussion. Because contrary to popular belief, this isn’t taking the easy way out. Bariatric surgery requires a lot of hard work, not just in the initial weight loss phase, but as my guest today, Aimee, speaks about, 3 years post surgery.
This is the time that the surgeons and the patients know, is when they are at greatest risk of weight regain.
In this episode we cover:
- Breaking down the taboo of bariatric surgery
- The challenges of living in a bigger body
- The before and after work
- How bariatric surgery actually works (spoiler- it’s not just weight loss!)
- The different types of surgery and what’s best for PCOS (and long term weight loss)
- The psychological side of bariatric surgery
- Maintaining weight loss 3 years post surgery
This episode is for you if:
- You’re thinking about bariatric surgery, or just interested to know actually how it works
- You’ve recently had bariatric surgery- you need this wonder woman’s wisdom!
- You’ve had a lap-band and are wondering why it might not have worked for you
- Or for those who think that weight loss surgery is people taking the easy way out!
Links to our programs:
- The PCOS Protocol
- Book a 1:1 Consultations with Clare
- Book a 1:1 Consultation with Emma
Do you hear me bleat on in the podcast about eating vegetables (or even growing my own), and think “all very well for you Clare, but I personally hate vegetables”?
I get it. I was recently speaking to one of our PCOS Protocolers in our weekly group consult and she said to me, “I grew up in mid-west America in the 80s and 90s, vegetables just weren’t a big thing on the menu in my family. Especially where there were so many more convenient and tasty foods. So now, I just find vegetables really tasteless or bitter.” and she is dead right!
Vegetables can be really bitter and/or flavourless, and the textures can also be really off putting, especially if you’ve grown up eating hyper-palatable pop-tarts and packet mac n cheese. No matter where you grew up, if vegetables weren’t on the menu in your childhood, or they were but always cooked terribly, then you’re probably not going to like them much now.
So what do we do about it? That is exactly what this podcast explores.
In this episode we cover:
- Do you really need to eat vegetables?
- How to prepare and cook vegetables so they taste GREAT (or so you can’t taste them at all)
- And more!
This episode is for you if:
- If you don’t like or consume many vegetables
- You want to increase your vegetable intake
- You want to learn some new ways to cook and prepare your veg
- You’ve grown up not eating many (or any!) vegetables
Links to our programs:
- The PCOS Protocol
- Book a 1:1 Consultations with Clare
- Book a 1:1 Consultation with Emma or Charlie
Have you ever complained to your medical practitioner that your hormonal birth control is causing weight gain (only to be told that this couldn’t be true!)?
Me too.
Hormonal birth control was created in the 1950s, and ever since, many of us have been complaining that it causes weight gain. In fact, it’s one of the most commonly cited reasons for stopping hormonal birth control.
But until very recently we haven’t had any proof. A large study published in 2021, tested different forms of birth control against a control and found that some forms did indeed lead to weight gain.
Now not all hormonal birth control is made equal. In this episode, I’ll explain the types of birth control that have been found to cause weight gain, and the nitty-gritty mechanisms behind how they can mess with your weight.
But don't worry, we're not here to just scare you and leave you hanging. There are other hormonal birth control options that don’t increase weight, and of course non hormonal contraception and ways of managing your PCOS too.
I'll also chat about alternative birth control options and ways to manage the potential side effects of hormonal birth control so you can make informed decisions about your reproductive health.
So, buckle up and get ready to hear the good oil on birth control and weight gain.
In this episode we'll cover:
- New research showing the link between certain hormonal birth controls and weight gain
- How to manage the potential side effects of hormonal birth control
- Hormonal birth control options that don’t increase weight
- Non-hormonal contraception and ways of managing your PCOS
- and more!
This episode is for you if:
- You have experienced weight gain while on hormonal birth control
- You aren’t sure if your birth control is linked to your weight gain
- You want to explore other birth control options
- You want to learn to manage your weight while on birth control and other PCOS symptoms
Links to our programs:
- The PCOS Protocol
- Book a 1:1 Consultations with Clare
- Book a 1:1 Consultation with Emma or Charlie
I remember sitting in St. Davids lecture theatre at Otago university (IYKYK), eating my Vogel's sandwich (packed lunch from the hall of residence of course), trying to concentrate on the lecture but having the most intense bloating pain.
My stomach was so hard and bloated that I had to undo the top button of my jeans and was almost doubled over in the lecture theatre, crippled with pain.
This was my first vivid memory with bloating and luckily for me, I was able to resolve this in a few years.
But for many of you that's not the case and you're still suffering from crippling bloating that affects every part of your life. In a study of over 400,000 women with PCOS globally, they found that over 70% of people with PCOS reported bloating that is not attributed to their cycle or what they’ve eaten. This was the most common symptom by far!
In this podcast, I am interviewing one of my colleagues, Charlie, who has had a long history of bloating that has taken her many years to resolve. When it comes to bloating - she has seriously tried it ALL.
I ask her all the nitty gritty about what bloating really is, what causes it and what we can do about it, today!
If you’ve been told, “You’ve got IBS, sorry, there isn’t much we can do for you”, then you need to listen to this. You’ll learn that there are many causes of bloating and IBS, and many ways to treat your root cause.
In this podcast we’ll be diving into:
- What actually is bloating
- The most common causes
- Practical tips you can use to help manage and prevent bloating, today!
- Further testing, if needed
- And much more!
This episode is for you if:
- You are so bloated that by the end of the day, you can no longer fit in your jeans
- You want to learn simple and easy tips to help with bloating
- You feel like your doctor isn’t listening to you or is being dismissive about your IBS or gut symptoms
- You want to know about what can cause bloating and see if this helps to determine your root cause
- You feel like you have to plan every day around what you’re eating because you’re always bloating or reacting to your meals
Links to our programs:
- The PCOS Protocol
- Book a 1:1 Consultations with Clare
- Book a 1:1 Consultation with Emma or Charlie
Are you struggling to conceive because of PCOS? If so, you are not alone.
This podcast episode is all about Kelly's natural fertility journey, how she approached the challenges of irregular periods, mental health struggles, and more.
We dive into the specifics of her journey, including:
- Fertility specialists
- Cycle tracking to help with ovulation
- Making bad food decisions to raise blood sugar
- The importance of quality sleep
- Stress management
- And more!
We also discuss the importance of taking things one step at a time, and that doing more is not always better.
Above all, we emphasize that you are entitled to optimal health. Join us and take away valuable insight from Kelly's story!
This episode is for you if:
- You’re trying to conceive and struggling
- You don’t want to wait for a whole year of trying to conceive
- You don’t really want to do fertility treatment
- You have insulin resistance or think you might
- Your cycles are irregular
- You don’t sleep well and you’re always tired
- You want a happy and healthy pregnancy where you feel great!
Resources and References:
- Iron Bisglycinate supplement
- Prenatal recommendation WITH iron
- Prenatal recommendation WITHOUT iron
- **Note: before supplementing with iron, we recommend getting your Iron levels tested. Iron can often be high in PCOS so supplementing with additional iron can be unnecessary and also contribute to insulin resistance.
- My Book: Getting Pregnant with PCOS
Links to our programs:
- The PCOS Protocol
- Book a 1:1 Consultations with Clare
- Book a 1:1 Consultation with Emma or Charlie
So apparently, post pill PCOS is not a thing (according to the research anyway!).
However, this is very different to what I see clinically.
Post pill PCOS is when you didn’t have any PCOS symptoms before going on hormonal birth control and now after coming off it, you’ve suddenly got all these symptoms!
It’s been a frequently requested topic on the podcast, but one I’ve shied away from because there isn’t any research.
Unfortunately, research can sometimes be slow to catch up with what’s happening in real life and it requires researchers to ask the right questions i.e. could hormonal birth control be a trigger for PCOS?
Instead, I'm going to tell you about what I'm seeing clinically and that is that post hormonal birth control PCOS symptoms are a real thing. It's not as common as many people think, but it is still happening.
In this podcast we’ll be diving into:
- What is it, and is it even a thing?
- Is there any research on it?
- What I see clinically
- What the treatment options are
- And more!
This episode is for you if:
- Think you may have post pill PCOS
- Noticed new symptoms that only started once you came off hormonal birth control
- Are interested in whether post pill PCOS is a real thing
- You want to know if its not post pill PCOS, what else could be at play?
Additional information:
- See Stephanie's Story hereto hear a real life case study. Stephanie is a perfect example of post pill PCOS! I know Stephanie personally and I knew her before she went on hormonal birth control. I knew that she did not exhibit any signs or symptoms of PCOS. Perfect periods. No hirsutism, acne, weight gain or any other symptoms of PCOS! However, after being on hormonal birth control (for less than 5 years), when she came off she had really irregular cycles and fertility challenges that led her to be diagnosed with PCOS.
Resources and References:
- My Book: Getting Pregnant with PCOS
Links to our programs:
- The PCOS Protocol
- Book a 1:1 Consultations with Clare
- Book a 1:1 Consultation with Emma or Charlie
Want to have your own flourishing vegetable garden but not sure where to begin? This episode is for you!
We speak with the best vegetable gardener in the southern hemisphere (nominated by me), my mum!
I used to think I didn't have green fingers. After killing multiple indoor plants and failing to grow a vegetable garden, I gave up on gardening.
But thank goodness I tried again because over the last four years, I have become the very proud owner of a very prolific vegetable garden that has not only brought me so much joy but also saves me a lot of money and is now helping me teach my 1 year old where her food comes from.
Hopefully by hearing my story about how I have failed in this in the past, you will see that there is no such thing as being born with the natural knowledge of how to grow food.
You just need to know a few fundamentals, and when you know these, growing your own food can be really easy.
I'm excited to spread the veggie-growing love by helping you start your own vegetable garden!
Mum has a wealth of knowledge with over 40 years of gardening experience and a vegetable garden bigger than my house section!
We'll cover everything you need to know to get started this weekend!
In this episode you’ll learn:
- How to choose a good place to grow (and this could be a pot on your balcony or windowsill)
- How to know if you have good soil, and how to fix it if you don’t
- How to choose seeds vs little plants
- What grows at different times of the year
- How much time you need to dedicate to growing food (spoiler- I disagreed with Mum over this!)
- And how to troubleshoot problems.
Links, resources and additional information:
- For those based in the Northern Hemisphere, April is a great time to plant your warm season crops, such as leafy greens, tomatoes, strawberries, carrots, squashes, zucchini, cucumber, peppers, eggplant, almost all herbs and more.
- If you live in the southern hemisphere, April a great time to plant crops that like cooler weather such as leafy greens, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, kale and many herbs.
- I recommend looking online for a growing guide for what to plant when in your city/state/area. I use this one for Auckland, NZ.
This episode is for you if:
- You have attempted and failed a veggie garden in the past (trust me, you can make it work)
- You are new to gardening and want to learn where to start
- You are looking for a refresh, or tip and tricks from a garden pro (my mum!), on how to sustain a thriving vegetable garden
- You want to save money growing your own produce
Are you pregnant, planning to get pregnant or have you been diagnosed with gestational diabetes?
Then you need to give our latest podcast episode, featuring special guest Lily Nichols - a Registered Dietitian/Nutritionist, Certified Diabetes Educator and Author of "Real Food For Pregnancy" and "Real Food For Gestational Diabetes".
We had Lily on the podcast a couple of weeks ago, talking to us about Vitamin A and the benefits it provides so give that episode a listen if you'd like to know more.
Today, we are so excited to have Lily back, to chat about the really important topic of gestational diabetes! Lily, has done a lot of work with patients with gestational diabetes and has found that the standard dietary guidelines made things worse for them.
In this episode, we learn about the various meal plans advised for pregnant women with gestational diabetes and why they aren’t actually helpful for them, how to manage blood glucose through food, and how to get good nutrient levels.
Lily also shares a little insight into her, "Real Food For Gestational Diabetes", discussing ketosis during pregnancy, and so much more.
Join us as we explore the ins and outs of gestational diabetes. Trust me, It's packed with amazing content that you won't want to miss.
Something we cover in this episode:
- Gestational Diabetes.
- Dietary guidelines for gestational diabetes.
- Lily’s book: Real Food for Pregnancy.
- Ways to manage your blood glucose through food.
- Pre diabetes for women with PCOS.
- 20-50% of people with PCOS test positive for gestational diabetes.
- Removing highly processed foods.
- Ketosis during pregnancy.
- Working with a clinician who has worked with a wide range of patients.
Resources and References:
- Lily's book: Real Food for Pregnancy
- The PCOS Nutritionist Instagram
- The PCOS Nutritionist Tiktok
- My Book: Getting Pregnant with PCOS
Links to our programs:
- The PCOS Protocol
- The DIY PCOS Protocol
- 1:1 Consultations
Are you suffering from migraines?
This week on The PCOS Nutritionist, we have a special guest, Diane Ducarme, the Founder & CEO of Nector Health, to discuss how migraines can be hormonally driven, particularly for people with disrupted progesterone and oestrogen.
Join us as Diane shares her tragic accident and journey with western medicine, how traditional Chinese medicine helped her, and how she was able to lose weight by adding foods rather than cutting them.
We’ll talk about giving your body the nutrients and energy it needs, thinking of migraines like a fire alarm, and exploring the root causes for women with migraines.
Plus, we’ll discuss liver and kidney function, symptoms and triggers for PCOS patients with migraines, and common medications for migraines.
Don’t miss this episode and the chance to learn how to add foods to help manage migraines.
Something things we cover in this episode:
- Why people are after a quick fix?
- Weight loss and weight gain.
- Traditional Chinese medicine.
- The root causes for women with migraines.
- Liver and Kidney function.
- PCOS patients with migraines.
- Migraine symptoms and triggers.
- Common medications for migraines.
- Adding foods to help with migraines.
Resources and References:
- Take the migraine test
- Ovie Instagram
- The PCOS Nutritionist Instagram
- The PCOS Nutritionist TikTok
- My Book: Getting Pregnant with PCOS
Links to our programs:
- The PCOS Protocol
- The DIY PCOS Protocol
- 1:1 Consultations
In this weeks episode, we talk about life with ADHD and PCOS with an incredible past Protocoler Anna.
Anna has experienced it all. She was told all the usual things most of us have heard from our doctors, tried Paleo but it didn't help with her PCOS. Eventually, Anna found The PCOS Protocol and loved the level of detail provided so she knew what was driving her PCOS. She didn’t want to feel like a failure this time.
So in this episode, we'll discuss how to think of ADHD and PCOS as a spectrum and how to adapt things to make dealing with PCOS and ADHD a bit easier. We'll also talk about how living with ADHD means you may struggle with being a perfectionist, how sugar cravings give a dopamine hit, how women present ADHD differently to men, and the increasing number of adult diagnoses of ADHD.
So, if you're looking for some tips and advice on how to manage the symptoms of ADHD and PCOS, then make sure to listen to this week's episode!
Something things we cover in this episode:
- The PCOS Protocol and the level of detail provided
- ADHD and PCOS on a spectrum, how it varies for everyone
- Adapting things to make dealing with PCOS and ADHD a bit easier
- Feeling like a failure
- What people would assume ADHD is like
- Tips if you have ADHD and PCOS
- PCOS symptoms and ADHD symptoms overlap
- Sugar cravings
- How women present ADHD differently to men
Resources and References:
- Ovie Instagram
- The PCOS Nutritionist Instagram
- The PCOS Nutritionist Tiktok
- My Book: Getting Pregnant with PCOS
Links to our programs:
- The PCOS Protocol
- 1:1 Consultations
- The DIY PCOS Protocol
Join me and Emma, our Senior Nutritionist at The PCOS Nutritionist, as we chat about what we were wrong about, how our beliefs about nutrition have evolved since we graduated University, and especially since working with PCOS patients.
We’re going to be open and vulnerable about the things we got wrong, our personal experiences and beliefs, why we got it wrong, and how we are learning and adapting as new research comes out, to really help patients.
We will also talk about cholesterol not causing high cholesterol in the body, the importance of individualised care, the fallacy of 'calories in, calories out', why eggs are not the devil, the priority of sleep over exercise, and how we have changed our stances in order to better help our PCOS clients.
So don't miss out on this fascinating episode - tune in now!
Something things we cover in this episode:
- Why people are after a quick fix?
- Creating a healthy relationship with food.
- What we learnt at University vs what we know now.
- How science is evolving, always gaining more knowledge and information.
- Eggs are not the devil
- Cheating on sleep for the gym
- Not everyone with PCOS can do the same thing to see success
Resources and References:
- Ovie Instagram
- The PCOS Nutritionist Instagram
- The PCOS Nutritionist Tiktok
- My Book: Getting Pregnant with PCOS
Links to our programs:
- The PCOS Protocol
- 1:1 Consultations
- The DIY PCOS Protocol
I am so excited to have special guest, Lily Nichols on our latest podcast episode!
Lily is an amazing Registered Dietitian/Nutritionist, Certified Diabetes Educator and Author of "Real Food For Pregnancy" and "Real Food For Gestational Diabetes", whose approach to nutrition embraces real food, integrative medicine, and mindful eating.
I know, many of you are curious about Vitamin A, and whether it is safe to take during pregnancy, so in this episode, Lily will share her expertise on the topic and provide evidence-based information to help answer your questions.
We will cover what Vitamin A is, the different forms it comes in, where we get it from and why health professionals have been telling us not to take Vitamin A during pregnancy? Lily will also share the important benefits of Vitamin A and how to introduce it into your diet.
So if you're curious about Vitamin A and its role in pregnancy, you need to give this episode a listen and hear Lily's expert advice on this important topic.
Something things we cover in this episode:
- What is Vitamin A?
- Different forms of Vitamin A
- Should I be taking Vitamin A during pregnancy?
- Does Vitamin A cause birth defects?
- Research on Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia (CDH)
- What do doctors tell us about Vitamin A?
- Foods that contain Vitamin A
- How to introduce Vitamin A into your diet
- The benefits of Vitamin A
Resources and References:
- My Book: Getting Pregnant with PCOS
- My free Prenatal supplement guide
- Lily's books: Real Food for Pregnancy
- Lily's blog post: Liver and organ meat: Nutritional benefits and how to make it palatable
- Cod Liver oil - Amazon (3 daily (300mg DHA daily)
- Cod Liver oil - iHerb (3 daily (300mg DHA daily)
- Ovie Instagram
- The PCOS Nutritionist Instagram
- The PCOS Nutritionist Tiktok
Links to our programs:
- The PCOS Protocol
- 1:1 Consultations
- The DIY PCOS Protocol
Last week I was talking to Jamie on the podcast, and she said something profound. “I was scared to commit to making changes because I’ve failed at so many diets in the past”. Why do I deserve to spend money to get advice when I have no self control and can’t stick to anything. I too have been in that exact position and almost said that same thing to myself word for word.
Join me, and resident psychologist Sophia Dawson, this week on the podcast and find out why some say that 95% of diets fail and how to finally make lasting changes. Find out why you’ve been set up to fail and what to do to succeed with habit change. If this is your first time tuning in with our special guest Sophia, she is a registered psychologist who specialises in helping people, like us, make actual change. Meeting us where we are, and providing tools and techniques to help us to get to where we want to go.
We'll explore holistic psychological health and how what you eat, how you move, sleep, and your vitamin and mineral intake all contribute to your physical and mental health.
Sophia and I will help you see that really, it’s not you, it’s the diet. And that you can still achieve your goals, don’t worry about that, but you really need to set your mindset up in the right way to succeed long term. Just like Jamie did.
Exciting news - our brand new service: If you want to work 1:1 with our qualified team of Nutritionists, Emma and Charlie specialize in PCOS and are ready to support you on your PCOS journey. Book a 1:1 consultation today!
Something things we cover in this episode:
- Why people are after a quick fix?
- Weight loss and weight gain.
- It's not you, it's the diet
- Creating a healthy relationship with food.
- Being kind and compassionate to ourselves.
- Decision fatigue
- Reframing your mind to succeed
- Making towards moves
Resources and References:
- Ovie Instagram
- The PCOS Nutritionist Instagram
- The PCOS Nutritionist TikTok
- My Book: Getting Pregnant with PCOS
Links to our programs:
- The PCOS Protocol
- The DIY PCOS Protocol
- 1:1 Consultations
We've got one of our amazing clients, Jaimee who shares all the details about her weight loss journey. This woman is a total bad-ass and her story will blow your mind.
Jaime lost 30 kg after joining our program, but the real magic happened when she started eating twice the amount she used to without any weight gain. How did she do it? By making some lifestyle changes through our program that helped her balance her hormones and ditch those pesky food cravings and binge eating habits for good.
Jaimee's story is so relatable and inspiring, especially for anyone with PCOS who may struggle with willpower and food cravings.
Her journey will definitely motivate you to take control of your health and make some lasting lifestyle changes that will set you up for success.
Something we cover in this episode:
- Why people are after a quick fix?
- Weight loss and weight gain.
- Creating a healthy relationship with food.
- Learning to love your body.
- Learning to say no without saying no in social settings.
- Doing what is right for your PCOS symptoms
Resources and References:
- Ovie Instagram
- The PCOS Nutritionist Instagram
- The PCOS Nutritionist Tiktok
- My Book: Getting Pregnant with PCOS
Links to our programs:
- The PCOS Protocol
- The DIY PCOS Protocol
- 1:1 Consultations
We're diving into why New Year's resolutions are setting you up to fail and how you can actually make lasting changes by building habits that embody the person you want to be.
We've got Sophia Dawson, our resident licensed psychologist, as our special guest. She's sharing her expertise on how to set yourself up for success and build habits that will help you achieve your goals.
She also provides practical tips and strategies for building habits that last and discusses the importance of aligning your actions with your values and goals.
Something things we cover in this episode:
- Why do most NY resolutions fail?
- What to do instead of setting typical NY resolutions?
- Choosing stuff that matters to you (values).
- Adopt the identify of the person you want to be.
- Making towards moves.
Resources and References:
- Ovie Instagram
- The PCOS Nutritionist Instagram
- The PCOS Nutritionist Tiktok
- My Book: Getting Pregnant with PCOS
Links to our programs:
- The PCOS Protocol
- The DIY PCOS Protocol
Are you tired of feeling guilty about every single food choice you make over the holidays? Are you sick of getting grilled by your family or friends about your body and food choices? 63% of us do and we don't have to. It's time to put an end to that- life is too precious to waste your mental energy on that.
In this latest podcast episode, we're talking about how to apply the 80/20 principle to your health over the holidays, so you can enjoy yourself without feeling guilty about every little indulgence. Plus, we're sharing tips on how to handle those pesky family members who always seem to have an opinion on your food choices, and how to set boundaries around what you're comfortable with.
It's time to take control of your own food choices and stop feeling guilty about every little thing. Tune in to our latest episode and learn how to enjoy the holiday season without all the unnecessary guilt and judgement.
2022 has been the year of the weight loss drug. Drugs such as Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro and Saxenda have exploded in popularity this year, much of this due to their own merits, they can be really really successful for weight loss (and improving insulin resistance) for many people.
However, as we're seeing with our PCOS Protocolers it isn't plain sailing. So this episode dives into the good, the bad and the ugly so that you can go in with eyes wide open!
Here are a few links mentioned for you:
The PCOS Protocol
Cyber week sale Promo code: CYBERMONDAY100
Medications Mini Module $24
LMNT Electrolytes ( I love the Raspberry Salt flavour)
With the cost of living going through the roof, we’ve got to be smart about where we can save on everything from food to supplements to skincare. We’re coming to you with all the tips on where to save big while living your best life with PCOS.
We also talk about what’s really worth splurging on, and what better time to stock up on the more expensive items, than Black Friday!
On that note, this our Black Friday Promo, $100 Off The PCOS Protocol
Code: BLACKFRIDAY100
Link: https://thepcosnutritionist.com/thepcosprotocol/
In this episode we cover:
- How to splurge wisely on supplements and what are a a complete waste of money
- How to actually use frozen vegetables well
- Where to shop for the best deals on fresh food
- What to bulk buy for the best savings
- Weekly routines to save on food
- How to use near to expiry products safely
- How to use sales like Black Friday for yearly savings on skincare and supplements
Resources and References:
- Ovie Instagram
- The PCOS Nutritionist Tiktok
- The PCOS Nutritionist Instagram
- Daisy’s Food Blogger Instagram
- My Book: Getting Pregnant with PCOS
Links to our programs:
- The PCOS Protocol
- The DIY PCOS Protocol
- Eggducated
Ok, let's rewind the clock a few years and take you back to 2005. At this time I was at university studying to become a nutritionist and racing in triathlons competitively.
You’d think from reading that one sentence that I would have nutrition down pat - and I thought I did! But the reality was that I was really struggling with a plan for my nutrition. I was eating ‘all the right things’ yet I was getting this INSANE sugar cravings I couldn’t seem to get on top of.
I would find myself ploughing through pastries, chocolate and crisps and then thinking “what the heck am I doing?!” then go back to trying to eat less and those classic food pyramid recommendations, all for this cycle to happen all over again.
I thought I needed a better meal plan. If I could just have a good meal plan I'd stick to it.
But what I actually needed was better blood sugar and stress management.
This is the same as Jamie, one of our patients, who sent us this email the other day:
“I first thought the protocol was going to be another impersonal programme where you are just emailed diets and information and are told what to eat.
I was also concerned that I wouldn't have the willpower to stick with the changes.
After years of trying and failing different diets and dealing with crazy hormones, I was very worried I would sign up and not be able to stick to the lifestyle changes
Never in a million years did I think I would ever be able to have a relationship with food like I have now. I have found it so easy to maintain my weight and periods for the first time in my life.”
For the majority of patients we see, it’s not that they don’t know how to live a healthy lifestyle or that they need a meal plan to stick to - in fact, I rarely see it being helpful.
What most PCOS patients need is to understand their root cause that’s driving those symptoms. Once they’ve figured that out, they’re able to eat in a way that’s not only sustainable but also INTUITIVE!
If you’re feeling like I’ve just read your mind (and you’re struggling with your nutrition), have another listen to this podcast we did with Stephanie.
This episode is for you if:
- Have insatiable sugar cravings
- Feel tired and hungry pretty much all the time
- Have tried sugar cleanses or cutting sugar completely but haven’t been able to maintain it
- Feel like you have no willpower when it comes to avoiding snacks and sweet treats
- Hangry attacks feel like a regular occurrence to you
- You want to feel more in control of your food, instead of it controlling you
Some things we cover in this episode:
- Insulin’s relationship with sugar
- How Stephanie overcame her sugar addiction
- Lack of sleep and its effects on insulin and sugar cravings
- Stephanie’s story with PCOS
- Methods that Stephanie tried for curbing cravings – what works and what doesn’t
- Sugar ‘cleanses’ and ‘detoxing’
- The difference between PCOS and ovarian cysts
- Negative self talk when it comes to food
Resources and References:
- Ovie Instagram
- The PCOS Nutritionist Instagram
- The PCOS Nutritionist Tiktok
- My Book: Getting Pregnant with PCOS
Links to our programs:
- The PCOS Protocol
Did you go searching the internet ‘abyss’ for information and try to piece together a list of lifestyle changes that can help your PCOS symptoms after being diagnosed?
And end up with a list SO freakin’ long it’s hard to keep up with and you didn’t even know where to start?
Lifestyle changes can make a massive, positive impact on your symptoms - that’s pretty undeniable and we can all agree on that.
But it doesn’t mean that loading up on as many lifestyle changes as possible is the best idea. Figuring out what those few ‘high impact’ changes are for you that you can maintain long term is what’ll really make the difference.
Learning that more isn’t always better can be kinda tough and it’s something that I know a lot of you struggle with or have struggled with. You’re not alone - both myself and the protocoler you’ll be listening to today on the pod have been there. In today’s episode we talk all about this and more with Lily, one of our lovely PCOS protocolers. Like me — and probably a lot of you — Lily is a perfectionist, type A kinda gal. So when she finally got a diagnosis after years of trying and suspecting, she jumped straight into ‘ok now give me the steps to fix this and I’ll follow it to a tee’ mode.
And yes, as suspected this of course left her feeling frustrated when she got only tiny, unhelpful crumbs of information from her doctors. There’s so much information out there, so she ended up with an extremely long, unsustainable list of changes to made life feel really restrictive.
She dealt with aggressive cystic acne (like the accutane type, not a couple of measly spots), uncontrollable weight gain, some hirsutism and unexplained fatigue. Not only did we help her drastically improve those symptoms (5.5 inches of her waist, 6 inches of her hips, no need to sleep in the day, cleared up acne and no more hirsutism!) but she’s also come out the other side (and into our Lifers program) equipped with knowledge about her body and with some really solid, fantastic mindset shifts that enable her to continue keeping on top of her PCOS symptoms.
We wanted to bring back this podcast because it’s something that a lot of you struggle with and something that we VERY often see in the clinic with our patients.
If you’re feeling like you’ve tried everything, you’re feeling like a failure and it feels like the list of things you need to do to get on top of things is miles long, then you’re going to get so much out of this chat.
Plus, there were plenty of laughs and relatable ‘that’s so me’ moments along the way — it’s a hoot of a pod!
This episode is for you if:
- You’re struggling with uncontrollable weight gain
- Acne is a major symptom for you
- You find that you’re always tired for no logical reason
- You feel like your doctors aren’t really giving you any options beyond the Pill, IVF and eating less moving more
- You have a type A / perfectionist personality
- You’ve been looking all over the internet for answers and stitching together different recommendations but you can’t seem to get on top of your symptoms
- You think you may have or know you have thyroid issues
- You want to know how to make changes for your PCOS sustainable
- You think you may have or know you have autoimmune issues
- You’re doing so much for your PCOS so you’re confused about why nothing seems to be working
- Talking to your family and friends about PCOS usually ends up in them asking why you can’t eat certain foods and what someone they know did to help their symptoms
- Your tests have come back ‘normal’ but you don’t feel normal
Some things we cover in this episode:
- Weight gain
- Aggressive acne
- Why making more and more changes isn’t always better
- Why conversations with loved ones about P
When you were diagnosed with PCOS, was one of the first things you did go and search up changes to make to help your symptoms? And found that there were about 10,000 different diets out there that were supposedly ‘the’ way to improve all of those frustrating AF symptoms you’ve been dealing with?
If you said no, lucky! But if you said yes, girl - we’ve all been there. It’s a bit of a dumpster fire on the internet trying to find solutions to PCOS these days. You don’t want to be consumed by difficult lifestyle changes, you just want to find something sustainable that allows us variety and flexibility - and works - so you can actually get on with the rest of your life! We don’t want it to compromise the things we love.
For today’s guest Daisy, figuring out how to do this and manage her PCOS successfully while still running her beloved foodie blog was the dilemma. She was finding it difficult to find a sustainable, healthy medium between restrictive diet culture fuelled pattern and the ‘f*** it, who cares’ mentality. It’s a pretty darn tough balancing act — Daisy, like us, is a perfectionist so finding balance was the goal - and to get on top of her acne, weight gain and missing periods.
In today’s episode we speak all about her PCOS journey — where it all started, her core ‘why’ behind wanting to improve her symptoms, how she manages a food blog (which means she’s given burgers, fries, cakes, drinks, brunches, elaborate dinners) while still managing her insulin, how she got on top of that perfectionist mindset to lead a more 80/20 approach to her PCOS, listening to your body, managing your PCOS while travelling (she’s on her honeymoon!) and her key advice for anyone struggling with their PCOS.
If you feel like you’re struggling with this balancing act between getting on top of your PCOS, enjoying yourself still and quieting that perfectionist voice in your head, you’re going to luuurve this episode.
This episode is for you if:
- You’re struggling with symptoms like acne, weight gain, irregular/missing periods and gut issues
- You don’t want to give up your favourite foods and you’re wanting a way to balance your PCOS and the things you enjoy
- Travelling and managing your PCOS seems like an impossible task and you need advice
- You are a foodie, so the thought of nutrition changes stresses you out
- You have perfectionist tendencies and/or you’re a Type A kind of person
- You want to improve your relationship with food
Some things we cover in this episode:
- PCOS nutrition while travelling
- Non-negotiables
- Making habit changes for your PCOS that are actually sustainable
- Getting on top of severe acne, constant weight gain and missing periods
- Running a food blog and eating out when you have insulin resistant PCOS
- How long it takes to see changes
- What your ‘why’ is and why having a ‘why’ is so important
- IBS and PCOS
Resources and References:
- Ovie Instagram
- The PCOS Nutritionist Tiktok
- The PCOS Nutritionist Instagram
- Daisy’s Food Blogger Instagram
- My Book: Getting Pregnant with PCOS
Links to our programs:
- The PCOS Protocol
- The DIY PCOS Protocol
- Eggducated
Eating disorders and a poor relationship with food are unfortunately very common in the PCOS community. Which isn’t surprising given that we can feel out of control of our bodies and we have health professionals, PTs and the general public telling us we’re not trying hard enough.
Binge Eating Disorder (BED) is the most common eating disorder in the PCOS community, which is understandable when we’re thrown so many different diets and lifestyle changes to ‘improve’ our symptoms.
So how do you know what a normal relationship with food looks like and whether or not you’re experiencing BED?
Following on from our previous podcast, Clare, Emma and Charlie chat all about what a normal relationship with food looks like and we take a deep dive into BED - what it is, how it’s diagnosed and what feeds into it.
As always, if you think you’re experiencing an eating disorder or poor relationship with food, please seek professional help. Going alone isn’t the way and you are ALWAYS worthy of help - even if it feels scary. We are now trained in eating disorders but this journey takes a team, so definitely speak to your GP and a specialised psychologist or psychiatrist if you feel as though any of this resonates.
This episode is for you if:
- You feel out of control in your body
- You often find yourself blowing out on foods and then following it with restriction out of guilt
- Lack of planning of food causes you immense amount of stress for you
- You feel out of control around food
- You often find yourself secretly eating foods you know aren’t great for you (ie. in the car, in your room alone)
- You have a history of yo-yo dieting
- You’ve tried a lot of diets
Some things we cover in this episode:
- What does a normal relationship with food look like?
- What does disordered eating look like?
- Types of ED
- What is Binge Eating Disorder (BED)?
- What feeds into BED?
- Stats on disordered eating in females
- Self esteem, self control and body image
- Why BED and other disordered eating is so common in PCOS
Resources and References:
- My Book: Getting Pregnant with PCOS
Links to our programs:
- The PCOS Protocol
- The DIY PCOS Protocol
- Eggducated
Do you ever feel like no matter how hard you try to avoid foods you know don’t work for you, you just cave?
Do you find yourself thinking about food a lot of the time?
You see your coworker with a chocolate bar sitting on her desk and think “how the f is she not demolishing that right now?! How does she have that kind of willpower*, I couldn’t control myself around that chocolate even though I want to.”
If you’ve thought this or something similar, the good news is that you’re NOT alone. It is so freakin’ common - especially among the PCOS community.
In fact, disordered eating patterns and full blown clinical EDs are very common in PCOS. And it’s no wonder - a lot of us are told to lose weight and no matter how hard we try, we struggle. We have lots of diet culture products marketed towards our vulnerabilities and of course the media in general is supercharged with diet culture rhetoric - it’s very hard to avoid.
Because this is such a pertinent topic in the PCOS community, in today’s episode of the PCOS Nutritionist Podcast, Clare, Emma and Charlie (and little Florence!) are on the podcast chatting about all things disordered eating and BED (otherwise known as binge eating disorder).
This is definitely one to tune into if you’ve struggled or are struggling with your relationship with food. But as always, if you think you or someone you know is dealing with issues, please seek professional help! We can help with disordered eating patterns in the PCOS Protocol but we encourage you to also look into a specific ED dietitian for help.
You don’t have to suffer in silence, you’re worthy of help and it is not your fault that you’re struggling.
This episode is for you if:
- You feel like you can’t control yourself around food
- All you can think about is food
- It seems like everyone around you has more self control than you yet you’re trying the hardest
- You feel like no matter how much you try, you don’t have the willpower to avoid those foods you know are bad for you or not helping your PCOS
Some things we cover in this episode:
- The science of hunger
- Our training in eating disorders
- What does a normal relationship with food actually look like
- What does a disordered eating relationship look like?
- Types of EDs and the most prevalent type in PCOS
- The science behind BED
- How does BED present?
- How ultra-processed food has been designed to mess with our hunger cues
Resources and References:
- My Book: Getting Pregnant with PCOS
Links to our programs:
- The PCOS Protocol
- Eggducated
Not sure if any of you know, but it's not just me behind the PCOS Nutritionist! Back in the day, I started it just me, myself and I but of course 5 or so years later it’s grown dramatically and is definitely no one man band anymore 😂 I have a wonderful team around me helping me run parts of the company and also on some awesome projects we have coming up 👀😉
All our staff have dealt with their own health journey's and come from a range of backgrounds so while they don't all have pcos, they do know the struggles of medical gaslighting, feeling confused, going around in circles and all other things that those dealing with chronic health issues know all too well!
In this episode we chat about chronic health issues, thyroid, pcos, lifestyle changes, thriving > surviving, backing yourself and advocating for yourself in a healthcare setting, questions from our gram fam/patients and how Emma and Charlie came to work at The PCOS Nutritionist.
Advocating for your health is SO important - this is something me and the team are so passionate about and something we talk about a lot in this episode. Emma and Charlie are faces you’ll see all the time if you’re working with us all in The PCOS Protocol. So if you’re wondering more about who’s going to be helping you (alongside me) in the protocol, tune into this episode!
This episode is for you if:
- you’ve struggled with your health and chronic health issues
- you have thyroid issues
- Stress is a big issue for you
- You’re looking into working with us but want to know more about who you’ll be working with alongside Clare
- You deal with hypothalamic amenorrhea
- Bloating is something you struggle with
Some things we cover in this episode:
- Hypothalamic Amenorrhea
- Struggles with talking with your healthcare professional and disagreeing with them
- Thyroid Issues - Hypothyroidism, Hashimoto’s, Thyroidectomies
- PCOS and other conditions that come alongside that
- Supplements
- Bloating and gut issues
- Charlie’s health journey and healthcare background
- Emma’s health journey and healthcare background
Resources and References:
- My Book: Getting Pregnant with PCOS
- Prekure Courses
Links to our programs:
- The PCOS Protocol
- Eggducated
Ok so you’ve been trying everything for your PCOS and nothing is working. So, you start to think about what medications might be available to you to help you with your PCOS symptoms, like that frustrating weight gain you can’t seem to get on top of or those crazy sugar cravings that never seem to be satiated.
It’s overwhelming when you delve into it all. You’ve heard about Metformin, but the feedback is torn - then you hear people in PCOS forums talking about Ozempic and Saxenda, which seem to be similar but are they better? What’s the difference between them all? How do they actually work? What kind of results will they give me, will it actually be worth taking it? Side effects? Which ones will ACTUALLY help the problem rather than bandaiding it?
There’s so many things to think about when tossing up your options - especially if, like me, you went on metformin and you needed a loo present pretty much at all times 😂
So today on The PCOS Nutritionist Podcast, I wanted to give you a bit of an overview of some of the most common insulin medications for PCOS to help cut through the noise and give you some more clarity on what your options are, the difference between them all, what to ask for and of course, the research behind each.
Now this podcast is slightly different because it’s actually a snippet from our NEW mini module all about medications and PCOS! So if you’re listening along and thinking “interesting! I’d love to hear more about this” then go ahead and jump into that mini module! It’s only $24, so it’s a great option if you aren’t financially in a position to do the PCOS Protocol OR you just want help with little snippets of your PCOS journey rather than everything.
This episode is for you if:
- Your weight loss is really getting the better of you and you’re over it
- You’ve been told about medication options for PCOS but you’re still confused about what they actually do
- Your weight loss has stagnated and you’re wondering what your options are
- You want to know which are the best in terms of helping that PCOS root cause
- The difference between the medications is confusing you
- You’ve heard your doctor and/or friends and/or people on forums with PCOS talk about a medication and you want more info
Some things we cover in this episode:
- The most common medications for improving PCOS weight loss
- How they work
- What I’ve seen with these medications clinically
- Which medications actually improve your PCOS root cause, insulin and symptoms
- Who these drugs are prescribed for and what the requirements are
- How long do you need to stay on one of these medications for it to be effective
- What are the side effects of these medications?
- How much do these medications cost?
- Contraindications of these medications
Resources and References:
- NEW Medications and PCOS mini module
- NEW Breastfeeding and PCOS mini module
- My Book: Getting Pregnant with PCOS
Links to our programs:
- The PCOS Protocol
- Eggdu
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As I’m sure you can imagine having been pregnant with PCOS, I’ve had a raft of questions from other expecting mothers with PCOS and enquiring minds on how I’m preparing for birth and what the heck happens to PCOS postpartum.
As you’re listening to this podcast, I’m actually right in the thick of the newborn stage. I’m sure I’ll reflect back on this podcast with some things I wish I’d known, but hey hindsight is a wonderful thing!
As I’m recording this episode though, I’m a few weeks away from giving birth and I’ve been thinking a lot about how drastically life will change. While I help women and birthing people day-in-day-out with understanding their PCOS (and for some trying to conceive), I haven’t lived that postpartum experience in the first person yet — only through a more scientific lens.
Because I know it can be such a whirlwind and an unpredictable time, I wanted to take a moment to pause and touch on what I’m doing to prepare for birth and postpartum PCOS in these final moments of this pregnancy.
There are so many unknowns in the fourth trimester and what I always say to my patients and protocolers is to ‘focus on what’s within your control’. So that’s exactly what I plan to do in today’s episode — share with you what’s in my control right now that will help future Clare not run around like a headless, sleep deprived chicken (or new mother hen should I say)!
While my journey will likely be a bit different to some of yours — hello leading and running a business meaning no traditional maternity leave, I know you’ll probably think I’m crazy. I think that having this honest, open conversation about how I’m preparing for birth, postpartum life and my PCOS postpartum will have so much value to so many of you, whether you’re planning to have children or not.
This episode is for you if:
- You’re currently pregnant with PCOS
- You are curious as to how PCOS changes postpartum
- The fourth trimester is worrying you
- You want to know how I’m managing PCOS, a new baby and a business all at the same time
Some things we cover in this episode:
- My support systems: it takes a village to raise a child (they’re not wrong!)
- What I’m doing to prepare for and after birth
- My approach when it comes to medicated / unmedicated
- Understanding all the options
- Birth plans — do I have one? What does it look like?
- Birthing courses
- The mental pressure of being a new mum — how I’m preparing
- Antenatal classes
- Building a community of other mothers with similar aged babies
- The things that’ll be harder to do postpartum and how I’m navigating that
- Nursery plans
- My postpartum survival kit
- What to expect in the first few hours, weeks and months
- Lactation consultants and breastfeeding with PCOS
- How I’m managing the judgements from other people on how you look after / raise your baby
Resources and References:
- Postpartum course
- My Book: Getting Pregnant with PCOS
Links to our programs:
- The PCOS Protocol
- Eggducated
PCOS is a syndrome — meaning there’s no one single way it presents, it’s a constellation of symptoms. And everyone’s constellation of PCOS symptoms looks slightly different.
Because of this, it can be so hard to understand what symptoms are ‘normal’, what symptoms are not and whether something you’re experiencing is due to your PCOS or something else entirely.
As you’ll know too well (and as I know all too well), sometimes symptoms can get so freakin’ bad that you don’t even want to entertain leaving the house because PCOS can completely consume you sometimes and absolutely destroy your self confidence.
If you’re feeling really lost with understanding your symptoms, I hear you — I’ve been exactly where you are and it is so awful. You feel like your body is so out of control and there’s so many different symptoms you’re trying (and struggling) to stay on top of, it’s exhausting.
If you’re feeling like this, I really think this episode of the podcast will speak to you. Today we're talking to the lovely Lauren, who I met through The PCOS Protocol. Now, as Lauren will tell you in her story, she had been suffering from a range of PCOS symptoms (which she didn’t realise were PCOS symptoms at the time) for many years and had just been put on the hormonal contraceptive pill, like many of us do, to deal with these symptoms. After deciding to come off, her symptoms kicked off and that's when she flagged multiple times to her doctor that this wasn’t working for her — hello PCOS diagnosis!
That's when all of the other symptoms started to make sense to her. But until we worked together, there were so many question marks with all of her symptoms — were these just something she had to deal with? Were they a symptom of PCOS? Are these symptoms that she could improve? Is it common in PCOS for lots of other people to have some of these symptoms?
We'll go into today a bit about Lauren's story, how she's connected the dots with symptoms she didn’t even realise were PCOS symptoms, how she’s resolved many of these symptoms and what she's still working on as well.
If you’re really feeling like you have a complex case of PCOS and you have unanswered questions about whether some symptoms are actually due to PCOS or not, you’ll find this episode really insightful.
This episode is for you if:
- You’re struggling with hair loss
- All your doctor has told you to do is go on the pull and come back when you want to conceive
- You find that your weight is hard to manage no matter how strict you are with nutrition and exercise
- Some symptoms are confusing you and you don’t know whether they’re PCOS related or not
- Your periods are really irregular and unpredictable
- All your doctor has told you is that calories-in-calories-out is king for managing weight gain — but it’s not working for you
- You’ve found you have what looks like ingrown hairs that can really inflamed and you don’t know what they are — or what to do about them
- Habit change is something you find quite hard or want more guidance on
Some things we cover in this episode:
- Extreme gut issues with PCOS (terrible IBS, couldn’t even eat out with friends)
- Understanding and dealing with hirsutism
- How hormonal birth control affects your PCOS
- Amenorrhea (missing periods) after coming off contraception
- Understanding and dealing with hair loss and hair thinning
- Why your weight keeps going up no matter how much you diet and exercise
Resources and References:
- 1: Treating the root cause
- 14: The big 3 of hair loss
- 15: Does hair ever grow back after hair loss?
Recurrent miscarriages?
Sore boobs?
Long periods?
Anovulatory cycles?
Spotting for more than two days before your period?
Mood all over the place?
Getting PMS in the week before your period?
Struggling with weight gain?
Libido on the floor? Feel like you’re retaining a heap of water?
Struggling with hirsutism?
Noticed you struggle with getting a good sleep in the lead up to your period?
There’s something in common with all of these — progesterone. Specifically, not enough of it.
A symptom of PCOS that’s rarely talked about is low progesterone and as you can see from me asking all of those symptom questions, it’s intertwined with a lot of frustrating symptoms that many people with PCOS experience.
You MUST ovulate in order to produce progesterone. Your doctor may have tested you on Day 21 of your cycle and said you don’t have anything to worry about or they’ve given you some progestin medication to use – but there are some major pitfalls here, especially when it comes to PCOS
Because I’ve had SO many questions about progesterone since Samina and I recorded our original episode waaaay back in January 2021, I thought what better way to answer all of your juicy questions than bring back the progesterone queen herself! In this episode we dive deep into the world of progesterone and talk specifically about it as well in relation to PCOS — an area that we both work in and a condition that we know well, because we both have it!
If you resonate with any of the symptoms I listed, this is an episode you’re definitely going to want to tune in for!
This episode is for you if:
- You know or think your progesterone is low via a blood tests or symptoms
- You’re struggling to ovulate or don’t think you are ovulating
- You want to know how you can improve your progesterone naturally
- You’ve come off hormonal birth control recently
- Your doctor has suggested or prescribed you provera
- You’ve been having recurrent miscarriages
Some things we cover in this episode:
- Why progesterone is often low in people with PCOS
- Do you ovulate later if you have low progesterone?
- Progesterone and pregnancy
- Progestin vs Bioidentical progesterone
- Bleeding when taking progesterone — is it a withdrawal bleed or a true period? How can you tell?
- How to use progesterone if you have had no period post pill
- Symptoms of low progesterone
- Can progesterone worsen acne?
- Can you have too much progesterone?
- Ways to support progesterone production with nutrition
- How can you improve progesterone naturally
Resources and References:
- The other episode I did with Dr Samina — 68: All about Progesterone: why it may be low, why it’s important and how to improve your levels with Dr. Samina Mitha
- Dr. Samina’s website
- Dr. Samina’s Instagram
- Cyclical Progesterone Therapy
- Dr Jerrilyn Prior
- My Book: Getting Pregnant with PCOS
Links to our programs:
- The PCOS Protocol
- Eggducated
Links to our social media:
Since the birth of my sweet baby girl Flossie last month, I’ve been pretty vocal about my low milk supply and struggles with breastfeeding — not only because of my PCOS but also due to the fact that I had two failed inductions and a c-section.
You’re told by your doctor, midwife and antenatal teachers that “breast is best”. I know I had this absolutely drilled into me!
But is it really?
Well, the short answer is yes — we know that “breast is best”.
But what do you do when breastfeeding is not an option?
Will your PCOS affect your chances of being able to breastfeed? Can your lifestyle affect your breastfeeding abilities? How can you improve your chances of being able to breastfeed with PCOS and what should you look out for? What are some practical changes and additions you can make to help you if you have low supply?
For all of you who are currently pregnant or are planning to get pregnant, these may be questions you’re asking yourself. Unfortunately, your midwife, antenatal teacher or GP may not have the answers.
If you don’t know where to turn to for answers or even what to look out for that may affect your chances of being able to breastfeed - this week’s episode of The PCOS Nutritionist Podcast is one you’re going to want to tune in to.
In this week’s episode of The PCOS Nutritionist, I talk about all things breastfeeding and PCOS - what you need to look out for before and during pregnancy that may affect your ability, what you should do to get an idea of whether you’ll be able to breastfeed or not, how to tell if your baby is getting the adequate nutrients they need from your breastmilk, and lifestyle factors all women should think about that may affect milk production.
I know this podcast isn’t relevant for everyone, but if this sounds like you, you’re planning to get pregnant in the future or you’re thinking back about your breastfeeding experience(s) after hearing about mine — it’s for you!
This episode is for you if:
- You’re trying to conceive, currently pregnant or recently postpartum
- My breastfeeding experience so far with Flossie has made you curious to understand more about PCOS and breastfeeding
- You want to know if PCOS will stop you from being able to breastfeed
- GPs / midwifes / antenatal educators / Obstetricians have told you that ‘breast is best’ and you shouldn’t be using formula
- You can’t / weren’t able to breastfeed and you want to hear more about the science behind why that might be
- Preparation for breastfeeding or not being able to breastfeed is something that you want to sort before baby arrives
- You have insulin resistance
- You had issues with ovulation during puberty
- Your GP / midwife / antenatal educator doesn’t seem to be able to answer your questions
Some things we cover in this episode:
- The top three things that are likely to impair your chances of being able to breastfeed
- What insulin resistance has to do with breast growth, milk production and breastfeeding in general
- Drugs to help breastmilk production
- Things outside of PCOS that may be affecting your ability to breastfeed
- What breastpump I use and how much I’m pumping vs. what I’m trying to do breastfeeding wise
- How to know if your baby isn’t getting the nutrients they need from your breastmilk
- The best way to eat for breastfeeding
- Are lactation cookies actually all they’re cracked up to be?
- Getting back to your pre-baby weight – is it possible to do it and breastfeed at the same time?
- Herbs to help breastmilk production
- What I’m doing to help my low supply
Resources and References:
Hair loss is an extremely common symptom that comes along with PCOS and it is quite honestly one of the toughest ones to deal with.
Hair loss isn’t a symptom that I’ve had to endure, but I have complete and utter empathy for anyone that has. It’s devastating and in my experience has a similar impact on a woman’s life as those struggling to conceive.
Of course the symptoms that affect how you feel internally are awful but when a symptom is so out in the open for people to see and can be really hard to address, I can understand why this can really severely impact the quality of life of someone with PCOS.
It’s one of those symptoms that can take a while to address but there are absolutely changes you can make to help improve PCOS hair loss. “Does hair ever grow back?” and “Do you have any good-news stories for hair loss?” are two questions I SO often get and because I haven’t experienced PCOS hair loss myself, I thought who better to come on that one of my PCOS Protocol patients, Erica — who has experienced hair loss alongside other PCOS frustrating symptoms — to share her story.
Erica, like many of us, had been suffering from some of those classic, common PCOS symptoms — think irregular cycles, unexplained weight gain that did not fit with her lifestyle and many other things that she identified later that no one had ever really connected to her PCOS. Now she’s not only made progress with her symptoms and delved deeper into understanding the PCOS hair loss she’s experienced but she also knows why she’s getting these symptoms — and that we’re playing the long game with improving these symptoms, because it’s those sustainable changes that stick. When you know the rationale behind why you’re changing habits, you can stick with them, even when the results aren’t immediate!
I know that so many of you are struggling with PCOS hair loss and hair thinning, so I hope that this episode with Erica resonates with you and helps you feel a little less alone in getting on top of this devastating symptom, among the others you’re dealing with.
This episode is for you if:
- You struggle with PCOS hair loss
- No matter how much you exercise and diet, your weight just keeps going up and up
- You think or know that you’re insulin resistant
- You want to know if there are any topical treatments you can use to help improve your PCOS hair loss
- Doctors haven’t been helpful in getting on top of your PCOS symptoms
- Iron deficiency and/or low iron is something you struggle with
Some things we cover in this episode:
- Erica’s hair loss and the devastating effect this had on her confidence and life.
- Erica’s struggle with her weight and how this was also likely linked to the root cause of her hair loss, her insulin.
- Topical treatments and shampoos — are they worth it?
- Which supplements help PCOS hair loss?
- Why hair can take such a long time to grow back
Resources and References:
- 14: The big 3 of hair loss
- 15: Does hair ever grow back after hair loss?
- My Book: Getting Pregnant with PCOS
Links to our programs:
- The PCOS Protocol
- Eggducated
When you first find out you have PCOS, one of the first things you usually hear is “you’re likely going to struggle to conceive”. This is obviously extremely disconcerting — especially given that most of us are or have been diagnosed in our teens or twenties, when children are not even on our radar.
The dynamic of our lifestyles now are so different from how they’ve been historically, the considerations we as women (and as couples) have to weigh up are really complex. The combination of this and the pressure to try to conceive from doctors because of our PCOS (even when some of us aren’t even wanting children) causes a lot of distress.
One of the biggest concerns I hear off the back of this theme is that many people with PCOS are worried about their ability to conceive later, further into their thirties and beyond — which of course I resonate with as I’ve had my first at age 36. It’s funny, in maternal terms I’m actually considered a “geriatric mother” 😂
Because we’re told we’ll struggle to conceive, I think a lot of us who do want children feel like we ‘don’t have the time’ and we need to get to it or we never will have a family. Research actually is starting to suggest that the opposite might be true.
Because I so often get these questions from women and especially given I’ve been through this personally, in this podcast I’ll be unpacking conceiving with PCOS in relation to age and talking about the concerns of conceiving late.
This episode is for you if:
- You’ve been told that you’ll have trouble conceiving due to your PCOS
- You have considered freezing your eggs
- You think you might do IVF or IUI
- You’ve been told that your AMH is low
- As someone in her thirties or forties, you want to know if there’s still a possibility of you being able to conceive
Some things we cover in this episode:
- The complexities and considerations of deciding to have children in our generation compared to those of the past
- Is fertility extended in PCOS?
- Egg freezing
- Testing and how accurate it is
- We may not actually be born with all the egg we’ll ever have:
- Egg freezing in relation in IVF
Resources and References:
- My Book: Getting Pregnant with PCOS
- Fertility MoT tests 'a waste of money'
- Association Between Biomarkers of Ovarian Reserve and Infertility Among Older Women of Reproductive Age
- Anti-Müllerian Hormone and Ovarian Reserve: Update on Assessing Ovarian Function
- Egg-freezing: What's the success rate?
- Evidence suggests women's ovaries can grow new eggs
Links to our programs:
- The PCOS Protocol
- Eggducated
One of the main recommendations in conventional medicine aside from the Pill for PCOS is to maintain a healthy lifestyle and manage your caloric intake.
I can hear you all laughing already because we all do this! Improving our lifestyle is one of those things we can work on ourselves to improve our symptoms. But because our symptoms can get so bad, we put SO many changes on our plates and can quite often fall into overdoing it. I can confidently say that about 99% of the people that I work with struggle with this.
I think a lot of this comes down to the type of personality we have, we are just “go getter” women. We want to do everything. But when it comes to our health, that's not always the best way. This is something that I really had to work on myself — because I thought that if something wasn't working, I needed to do more of it to make it work. For example, when I was training a huge amount and running wasn't helping to control my weight, I thought I had to do more of it to lose weight (hint: that didn’t help either).
But when the symptoms you’re getting don’t make sense for the lifestyle that you are leading, that's a red flag for me to go "hold on, there's something here that the body is telling us, that it's not working optimally." If we can actually work out what that is, then we can also improve the other symptoms that you might be struggling with — like hangry attacks, severe sugar cravings, missing/irregular periods, hirsutism, acne, hair growth, hair loss and other symptoms as well.
So I really want you to understand that if what you are doing now is not working, then doing more of that or doing it more like 100% is certainly going to work either. One of my patients who I met in the PCOS Protocol, Natalie, is absolutely one of these people. Not only does she have PCOS, but she also has endometriosis, which about 10% of people with PCOS also have. Because of this, she felt like there was so much that she had to do to try to get on top of her symptoms for both. But like I said, more isn’t always better.
So hearing it from someone else — what they're doing to try and address both PCOS and endo — can be really helpful. In this episode we talk all about how she got her periods back by addressing her root cause, working to start not overdoing it and other little parts of the health puzzle that she hadn't identified previously.
This episode is for you if:
- You have endometriosis or think you might have endometriosis
- Irregular periods are one of your main symptoms
- You’re a Type A kind of person with a tendency to go ‘all or nothing’
- Trying to conceive is on your radar or you’re already trying
Some things we cover in this episode:
- Doing more isn’t always better
- The connection between endometriosis and PCOS
- Struggling with a perfectionist mindset
- How to find balance and practical tips for an 80/20 approach to your lifestyle
Resources and References:
- 10: Part 1: Why period pain is not a symptom of PCOS and all things Endometriosis with Dr. Lara Briden
- 11: Part 2: PCOS and Endometriosis with Dr Lara Briden
- 107: How to manage PCOS, autoimmune conditions and changing habits successfully
- My Book: Getting Pregnant with PCOS
Links to our programs:
- The PCOS Protocol
The term ‘eat in moderation’ is thrown around SO much. I absolutely agree that enjoying a variety of foods in moderation is key to optimal health and feeling great but I think quite often, especially in the PCOS community, we’re told to do this and it makes our symptoms worse.
I’ve talked a fair bit about being really 80/20 with your approach to lifestyle changes for your PCOS but it can be so so hard when you’re struggling with PCOS weight gain. I totally empathise when many of you say this isn’t working for you!
That was exactly the position I was in when I was in the thick of struggling with my PCOS. I was told by doctors and those around me to just ‘eat in moderation’ but whenever I did this, I’d end up 2-5kg heavier after a month!
It’s frustrating because you feel like there’s something wrong with your body, nothing works and this whole intuitive eating thing that’s preached will make your symptoms go haywire — but you don’t want to be overly restricted either.
How do you find that balance without your weight absolutely skyrocketing and your other symptoms kicking off?
It’s such a fine line to dance but I want to talk to you about this in a bit more detail so that you can understand why this whole 80/20 intuitive eating may be doing the opposite of what you’ve intended — but without swinging completely the other way and becoming super rigid and restrictive. So in this episode of the podcast, I’ll be unpacking why ‘eating in moderation’ might not be working for you and how to create balance without it causing your PCOS weight gain to wreak havoc!
This episode is for you if:
- PCOS weight gain is one of the main symptoms you struggle with
- You’re told by your doctors to eat less, move more and eat everything in moderation but it seems to make your symptoms worse
- You want to improve your PCOS symptoms but still maintain balance in your lifestyle changes
- You’re not losing any weight no matter how low calorie you go
Some things we cover in this episode:
- The calorie equation
- Insulin vs calories — what’s the relationship in PCOS and how does this affect weight?
- Low calorie diets for PCOS weight loss — good or bad?
- Macros and tracking calories
Resources and References:
- My Book: Getting Pregnant with PCOS
Links to our programs:
- The PCOS Protocol
- Eggducated
How have we made it to my third trimester learnings podcast already?! When I first found out I was pregnant I thought “well, this is going to be a looooong road” and sure it has been 9 months almost but quite honestly, I think it’s gone so quickly.
And as you’re listening to this, I’d have already given birth and be with my lovely little girl — crazy!
Everyone says that the “honeymoon period” is the second trimester and then you start to feel like very big, slow, flaming hot trash from there on out. But I can pretty confidently say that I’ve felt even better in my third trimester (thankfully). I feel almost completely normal, just with a basketball shoved up my top!
The main thing I found was I had a lot of people (who weren’t my OB, GP and midwife) telling me what I can and can’t do and what I should and shouldn’t be doing. I’m sure they all meant well (even the strangers who came up to me to tell me I shouldn’t be eating my poké bowl 😂 — listen to my ‘pregnancy rules I’m breaking episode for more on that!).
But at the end of the day, I know my body best and it made me realise, everyone has different experiences. Who knows, if I’m lucky enough to have another baby in the future, I could spend my next pregnancy. I'll be on the couch with my head over the loo for several months!
I got so much wonderful feedback from those expecting and enquiring minds of those that aren’t (or aren’t planning to have children) on my first and second trimester learning episodes so of course I couldn’t leave out the third trimester! And for those of you who are curious — yes I will be releasing a podcast all about preparing for birth and postpartum, so keep your eyes peeled for that!
This episode is for you if:
- You’re currently pregnant or trying to conceive with PCOS
- You have insulin resistance
- The term “eat for two” has been thrown around and you’re wondering if there’s any truth in that
- You want to know how PCOS can affect pregnancy and breastfeeding
- You’re curious as to whether PCOS gets better postpartum
- “Mom brain” is getting to you!
- You’re wondering if you should still be worried about managing your insulin after passing your gestational diabetes test
- You want to know how pregnancy affects insulin resistance and nutrient levels
Some things we cover in this episode:
- Sugar cravings and insulin in the third trimester
- Why you shouldn’t stop being vigilant about keeping your insulin under control after you’ve passed your gestational diabetes test
- Omega 3s and pregnancy
- Do we need to “eat for two”?
- Nutrient levels in your third trimester — and what’s different in PCOS
- Protein and pregnancy
- What my exercise regime is looking like in my third trimester
- How I’m feeling about birth, postpartum and breastfeeding
- How PCOS affects breastfeeding
- Swelling and stretchmarks
- “Mom brain”
Resources and References:
- My Book: Getting Pregnant with PCOS
Links to our programs:
- The PCOS Protocol
- Eggducated
While it doesn’t ring true for every single doctor and specialist on the planet, I know there’s a fair share who have told patients that the symptoms they’re experiencing are ‘psychosomatic’ or as it’s more commonly known — all in your head.
I’ve been there myself and so have so many of my patients — and even some of my staff! I think it’s just so damaging for so many of us to be told that. We turn to doctors for help and to be told all we can do is ‘stress less’ — which we’re doing anyway, although it’s pretty tough when we have all of these uncontrollable awful symptoms — being told this is a massive slap in the face.
That’s why I think it’s so important to discuss this topic, so you don’t feel alone in these feelings. That’s why in today’s podcast, we’re speaking to the lovely Isabel, who I worked with in The PCOS Protocol, which she found out about via my book. After coming off the Pill in September 2020, she felt like a crazy different person — and not in a good way.
On top of that, she was also really struggling with gaining weight (which didn't make sense based on her lifestyle), irregular cycles, hirsutism, crazy hangry attacks, uncontrollable insatiable hunger and really just not feeling in control of her body or what was happening to her.
Unfortunately like many of us, she was told by medical specialists that it was all in her head and it must be stress related and for a while thought that it was just the way she was, that there was nothing that could be done. If you’ve listened to my podcast for a while, you’ll know this is absolute BS!
I’ve brought her on to share her story because I know so many of you will identify with this, identify with coming off the pill and just having crazy symptoms or being dismissed by your doctor. I want you to know that you thinking “no, you know what? It's not all in my head, this is actually really happening" is completely rational and there is so much you can do about all of these symptoms you’re struggling with.
This episode is for you if:
- You’ve been dealing with irregular cycles
- It feels like you’re constantly binging and restricting and you don’t know how to stop
- You’ve been dealing with weight gain
- The hangry attacks you get are insatiable and uncontrollable when they hit
- You’ve been dealing with hair loss and/or hirsutism
- It feels like you’re always thinking about food
- You have insulin resistance (or think you might do)
- You think your hormones are out of whack
- You’ve experienced miscarriages
- Your doctor has dismissed your symptoms or told you it’s all ‘in your head’
- You’ve experienced or are experiencing gut issues
Some things we cover in this episode:
- Dealing with insulin resistance and out of control stress hormones
- Coming off the Pill / hormonal birth control
- Overexercising and undereating — why it’s not working and what it’s doing to your body
- Being dismissed by doctors
- Managing crazy hangry attacks (like 2 large dominos pizzas and a 2 boxes of cookies binges)
- Dealing with hair loss and hirsutism
- Getting back ovulating after consistently missing, irregular cycles
- Cycles, pregnancy and miscarriages
- IBS, SIBO and PCOS
Resources and References:
- My Book: Getting Pregnant with PCOS
Links to our programs:
- The PCOS Protocol
- Eggducated
If you tuned into The PCOS Nutritionist Podcast last week, you’d have heard me talk about the 5 pregnancy rules I’m breaking — it’s been interesting to see the responses to that episode!
You were probably thinking “okay Clare so what general pregnancy rules ARE you following then?!”. Well, luckily for you, that’s exactly what this podcast episode is about!
There are some key things that I’ve been ensuring I do during this pregnancy to help me feel great and keep me in really good health.
Thankfully I’ve managed to feel pretty decent for my whole pregnancy - no gestational diabetes, virtually no nausea or morning sickness and minimal cravings (although I did have a bout of awful headaches and a weird texture aversion in my first trimester which meant I ate my body weight and more in celery, carrots and hummus because nothing else really interested me 😂).
So if you want to know about some of the key things I’ve been focusing on doing during my pregnancy and some of those pregnancy rules I am following, pop in your headphones and tune in! I won’t give too much away here 😉
This episode is for you if:
- You’re currently pregnant or trying to conceive
- Trying to understand what to supplement during pregnancy makes you quite stressed and/or confused
- You’re insulin resistant or think you might be
- You want to know some ways that I’m ensuring optimal health during my pregnancy
- Exercising during pregnancy (and knowing what’s okay) is something you find quite confusing
- You want my thoughts on the Covid-19 vaccine in pregnancy
Some things we cover in this episode:
- General nutrition guidelines I agree with in pregnancy
- What I’m doing to best support my PCOS nutritionally during pregnancy
- What supplements I’m taking
- Covid vaccine and pregnancy — my thoughts
- The exercise rules I am following for pregnancy
- What additional things I’m doing to help me prepare for labour/birth
Resources and References:
- My Book: Getting Pregnant with PCOS
- 64: What you need to know about pelvic floor health (and no it’s not just for those that are postpartum) with Caitlin Day (The Vagina Physio)
Links to our programs:
- The PCOS Protocol
- Eggducated
Holy hecka — it feels like my pregnancy has flown by. I’m mere weeks away from meeting my baby girl! Postpartum will be a whoooole different ball game.
But in the meantime while I wait for her, I thought it’d be a great idea to unpack with you the 5 pregnancy rules I’m breaking. Sure there are some recommendations we’re given that are genuinely really important but there are some that are extremely scientifically outdated and aren’t based on a great amount of decent evidence.
So if you’re curious to know more about how pregnancy with PCOS has been for me, what I’m doing and what I’m not, then buckle up and listen in! I won’t give too much away here 😉
I want you to remember though, that this is my choice based on my expertise. As an experienced registered nutritionist, exercise scientist and natural fertility expert, I’m well versed in the latest research as well as having the scientific understanding and rationale to weigh up these risks. I’m absolutely not saying you should go do the same (especially if you don’t have a background in this like I do), everyone’s situation is different. Make sure to chat to your OB, midwife/CNM and GP about what’s best for you.
This episode is for you if:
- You’re currently trying to conceive
- You are pregnant — and are curious about other people’s PCOS pregnancy journeys
- You’ve heard all of these pregnancy recommendations but you wonder how much truth there is to them
- You’re insulin resistant or think you might be
Some things we cover in this episode:
- Unpacking the nutrition guidelines for pregnancy and how they relate to PCOS
- Supplementation recommendations in pregnancy (and the ones I’m not following)
- What my exercise looks like while pregnant and which exercise rules I’m breaking
- ‘Eating for two’
Resources and References:
- My Book: Getting Pregnant with PCOS
Links to our programs:
- The PCOS Protocol
- Eggducated
As if PCOS isn’t enough to manage in and of itself, many people with PCOS tend to be more prone to autoimmune conditions (like thyroid issues or endometriosis) — which come with a whole raft of frustrating symptoms as well.
Quite often when you’re dealing with a chronic condition (or multiple), you find yourself thinking “ugh… why me?”. It feels like your body just hates you and you can’t win. When you make a change something else crops up and it feels like a never ending cycle of trying things — sometimes they work but then they stop working after a while and you wonder how you’ll ever get on top of it all. Talk about playing ‘whack-a-mole’ with your symptoms!
But as much as it feels like it sometimes, you’re not actually alone. I would say the majority of my patients don’t just come in with PCOS alone (even if initially that’s all they know about). Many have another condition alongside their PCOS that they know about or find out about through testing and investigation we get them to push for via The PCOS Protocol — often it’s things like coeliac, hashimoto’s thyroiditis, hypothyroidism, POTS, endometriosis or adenomyosis (or a combo of a couple of these), and there is often some overlap between symptoms.
Initially it may seem overwhelming, like you have to do 3x the work to get on top of these conditions alongside your PCOS but often when we work on that PCOS root cause, with a couple of slight additional tweaks, we can actually make some massive strides in improving a range of symptoms.
On this episode of the podcast, we speak to Siobhan, who has not only been dealing with PCOS but has also been diagnosed with endometriosis and hashimoto’s thyroiditis. While she got all of these diagnoses in the past 3 years, she’s been dealing with the constellation of symptoms for all of these for many years prior.
Awful jawline acne, hirsutism, hangry attacks, always thinking about food, irregular cycles, extreme fatigue, PMS, pelvic pain, digestive issues. All things that fall into the symptoms that fit into one of or multiple of the profiles of someone who has PCOS, endo or hashimoto’s.
As someone who considers herself quite highly strung, Siobhan could easily have found herself being overwhelmed with all of the potential changes she may have to make. But what she found was key for her was understanding that root cause, understanding WHY she’s making the changes she’s making, focusing on only those ‘high impact changes’ and starting small.
Quite often we overwhelm ourselves with a million changes that we’ve stitched together but honestly, so much of it is a waste of our energy. When we focus on a few key changes and doing those consistently with an 80/20 approach, we do FAR better than when we try to do a million changes perfectly all the time.
F U diet culture for making us think we have to do everything all the time and do it perfectly to get anywhere!!!
In this episode, Siobhan and I talk about her health journey — covering all things PCOS, endometriosis, thyroid conditions and the practical tips she has after more than a year of working on these conditions. We also delve deep into the habit changes that really made a difference in her being able to stick to this new lifestyle.
This episode is for you if:
- You struggle with androgen symptoms like acne and hirsutism
- Birth control has helped your symptoms but now it’s making them worse
- You think you might have a thyroid condition
- You gain weight really easily even if you’re living a healthy lifestyle and eating in a deficit
- You have a very all or nothing approach to changing your lifestyle
- You’ve lost your period and you’re not sure how to get it back
- You think you might have or know you have insulin resistance as [part of] your root cause
- You’r
Something I hear thrown around a lot in the PCOS community is that people with PCOS have a lower metabolic rate. But is that actually the case?
I think there’s a lot of confusion about this. Given that for many with PCOS ‘unexplained’ weight gain is a problem, there are a lot of assumptions made that this is due to the fact that we must naturally have lower metabolic rates.
Our metabolisms are extremely adaptive because for our body, the goal is always to survive — no matter what. In my time in this field, I have done a lot of work with people on their metabolic rates and seen a range. One patient I worked with had a resting metabolic rate of 900. Meaning she had to eat under 900 calories to even entertain the idea of weight loss. Sustainable? Abso-fucking-lutely NOT! The thing is, we aren’t BORN with metabolic rates this low. I don’t want anyone to feel like they’re doomed to eating 1200 (or worse, 800!) calories a day to not gain weight — because you’re absolutely not!
Understanding about metabolic rates, PCOS and weight is not something that can be simply condensed down into a few hundred words on instagram, hence me not really posting much about it! But I think it’s something I really need to touch on as there’s so much misinformation out there around this topic. So in today’s episode of The PCOS Nutritionist Podcast, I’m debunking all of the myths and misconceptions around PCOS and metabolic rates.
Struggling with your weight no matter how low calorie you go? Wondering if your metabolism is wrecked from dieting? Repairing your metabolic rate is no easy feat and is definitely something you want to work with someone on. But firstly, we want to determine that root cause. That way we can help you solidify those habits before we go gungho into meddling with calories!
I can help you with all of these things in The PCOS Protocol. You don’t have to do this all alone and you don’t have to be restrictive in order to get on top of these symptoms you’re experiencing.
This episode is for you if:
- You struggle to lose weight, no matter how low calorie you go
- Chronic dieting has been a part of your PCOS journey
- You have (or think you have) insulin resistance
- You’ve heard that metabolic rates are lower because of PCOS
Some things we cover in this episode:
- What is metabolic rate?
- How do we measure metabolic rate?
- What influences metabolic rate?
- Non-exercise activity thermogenesis (NEAT)
- FFM and Metabolic Rate
- Is it decreased in PCOS?
- How to bring metabolic rate back up
Resources and References:
- Relationship between resting metabolic rate and the composition of the fat-free mass
- My Book: Getting Pregnant with PCOS
Links to our programs:
- The PCOS Protocol
- Eggducated
You’ve heard me say it before because I think we’ve all been there. You get diagnosed with PCOS and you think “yes! finally a reason behind why I’ve got these symptoms going on. Now I can just figure out what to do about it.” You figure that you’ll see your doctor, get a specialist referral and you’ll be on your merry way.
Ugh, as if! As one of our protocolers Lily put so perfectly: “it feels like they’re waiting for you to fall off a cliff before they want to help you.” So of course you go searching the internet ‘abyss’ for information and try to piece together a list of lifestyle changes that can help your PCOS symptoms. Usually that list ends up being so freakin’ long it’s hard to keep up with.
Lifestyle changes can make a massive, positive impact on your symptoms. But it doesn’t mean that loading up on as many lifestyle changes as possible is the best idea. Figuring out what those few ‘high impact’ changes are for you that you can maintain long term is what’ll really make the difference.
In today’s episode we talk all about this and more with Lily, one of our lovely PCOS protocolers. Like me — and probably a lot of you — Lily is a perfectionist, type A kinda gal. So when she finally got a diagnosis after years of trying and suspecting, she jumped straight into ‘ok now give me the steps to fix this and I’ll follow it to a tee’ mode. Which of course left her feeling disappointed and frustrated when she got only tiny, unhelpful crumbs of information from her doctors. There’s so much information out there, so she ended up with an extremely long, unsustainable list of changes to made life feel really restrictive. She dealt with aggressive cystic acne (like the accutane type, not a couple of measly spots), uncontrollable weight gain, some hirsutism and unexplained fatigue. Not only did we help her drastically improve those symptoms (5.5 inches of her waist, 6 inches of her hips, no need to sleep in the day, cleared up acne and no more hirsutism!) but she’s also come out the other side (and into our Lifers program) equipped with knowledge about her body and with some really solid, fantastic mindset shifts that enable her to continue keeping on top of her PCOS symptoms.
If you’re feeling like you’ve tried everything, you’re feeling like a failure and it feels like the list of things you need to do to get on top of things is miles long, then you’re going to get so much out of this chat. Plus, there were plenty of laughs and relatable ‘that’s so me’ moments along the way — it’s a hoot of a pod!
This episode is for you if:
- You’re struggling with uncontrollable weight gain
- Acne is a major symptom for you
- You find that you’re always tired for no logical reason
- You feel like your doctors aren’t really giving you any options beyond the Pill, IVF and eating less moving more
- You have a type A / perfectionist personality
- You’ve been looking all over the internet for answers and stitching together different recommendations but you can’t seem to get on top of your symptoms
- You think you may have or know you have thyroid issues
- You want to know how to make changes for your PCOS sustainable
- You think you may have or know you have autoimmune issues
- You’re doing so much for your PCOS so you’re confused about why nothing seems to be working
- Talking to your family and friends about PCOS usually ends up in them asking why you can’t eat certain foods and what someone they know did to help their symptoms
- Your tests have come back ‘normal’ but you don’t feel normal
Some things we cover in this episode:
- Weight gain
- Aggressive acne
- Why making more and more changes isn’t always better
- Why conversations with loved ones about PCOS can be difficult and how to approach these situations
- Why your blood tests may show as normal when
It’s really common for people who have PCOS to feel like ‘everything’ makes their symptoms flare up and that they have to do keto or intermittent fasting or go vegan or do some other diet to help get on top of those symptoms.
If those work for you — fab! But I think we can all agree that for most of us, going really gungho into a specific diet doesn’t work. We feel restricted, confused on if it’s even working, we find it harder to be in situations where we can’t control our nutrition and it’s just a lot of thinking about food. All. The. Time.
No one wants to feel so consumed by what to eat and what habit changes will help their PCOS symptoms right? We want to have an idea of what works for us, have some sustainable habits that allow us variety while still being on top of the nasty symptoms PCOS brings and just kinda get on with it — without it compromising the things we love doing. For today’s guest Daisy, figuring out how to do this and manage her PCOS successfully while still running her beloved foodie blog was the dilemma.
We don’t want to be forced into a restrictive diet culture fuelled pattern but we also don’t want to just say F it and let our PCOS symptoms wreck havoc (like her acne, weight gain and missing periods were). It’s a pretty darn tough balancing act — Daisy, like me, is a perfectionist so finding the happy medium between the two was the goal.
In today’s episode we speak all about her PCOS journey — where it all started, her core ‘why’ behind wanting to improve her symptoms, how she manages a food blog (which means she’s given burgers, fries, cakes, drinks, brunches, elaborate dinners) while still managing her insulin, how she got on top of that perfectionist mindset to lead a more 80/20 approach to her PCOS, listening to your body, managing your PCOS while travelling (she’s on her honeymoon!) and her key advice for anyone struggling with their PCOS.
If you feel like you’re struggling with this balancing act between getting on top of your PCOS, enjoying yourself still and quieting that perfectionist voice in your head, you’re going to luuurve this episode.
This episode is for you if:
- You’re struggling with symptoms like acne, weight gain, irregular/missing periods and gut issues
- You don’t want to give up your favourite foods and you’re wanting a way to balance your PCOS and the things you enjoy
- Travelling and managing your PCOS seems like an impossible task and you need advice
- You are a foodie, so the thought of nutrition changes stresses you out
- You have perfectionist tendencies and/or you’re a Type A kind of person
- You want to improve your relationship with food
Some things we cover in this episode:
- PCOS nutrition while travelling
- Non-negotiables
- Making habit changes for your PCOS that are actually sustainable
- Getting on top of severe acne, constant weight gain and missing periods
- Running a food blog and eating out when you have insulin resistant PCOS
- How long it takes to see changes
- What your ‘why’ is and why having a ‘why’ is so important
- IBS and PCOS
Resources and References:
- Daisy’s Food Blogger Instagram
- My Book: Getting Pregnant with PCOS
Links to our programs:
- The PCOS Protocol
- Eggducated
Ah yes, it’s that time of year again. Christmas was a few days ago and you splashed out on all of the delicious food and drink that covered the table this year. You probably also spent half the day snoozing on the couch due to the food coma that quickly follows Christmas lunch (we’ve all been there). And now that all of the Christmas festivities are over, you’re thinking about the fact that the new year is literally around the corner and what you can do to improve your PCOS in the coming year.
“What goals am I setting for myself this year?”
“I need to get into it come January 1st, so I start this new year on the right foot”
“This will be the year I finally get on top of XYZ”
“I’m not going to fall off the wagon after January”
While the intentions are absolutely spot on with these statements — improve yourself and your health, make positive change, wanting to be consistent — the approach isn’t actually the best for sustainable habit change.
So before the whole ‘New Year, New Me’ hoopla starts up again, Emma and I have jumped on the (podcasting) tools to chat all things New Year's resolutions in the context of improving your PCOS and making lifestyle changes. We talk all about the main problems people face with setting goals for improving their PCOS and solutions to these problems so you can make an impactful, sustainable change this year to your PCOS — without the restriction and berating yourself for ‘falling off the wagon’.
This episode is for you if:
- You’re wanting to get on top of your PCOS but you’re not sure where to start
- You are currently setting your goals and intentions for the new year
- You’re after sustainable changes that aren’t too difficult to implement
- New Year’s resolutions never seem to work for you
- Actually implementing changes and habits is the hardest part for you
Some things we cover in this episode:
- Trying to change everything at once (and why it’s not the smartest option)
- Starting with a habit that’s too big
- Seeking a result, not a ritual
- Setting an “avoidance” goal
- Assuming small changes don’t add up
- Not choosing the right action to get the outcome you want
- Celebrating small victories
Resources and References:
- 99: How to set boundaries, actually stick to habits and be kind to yourself with Clinical Psychologist Dr. Rebecca Ray
- 100: How to actually enjoy the holiday season while still staying on top of your PCOS
- My Book: Getting Pregnant with PCOS
Links to our programs:
- The PCOS Protocol
- Eggducated
Having spent the majority of my pregnancy in lockdown (106 days to be exact), I’ve had lots of time to think about how the journey has been for me so far. Pregnancy can be incredibly daunting and isolating, let alone adding PCOS into the mix!
Obviously the first trimester is nerve wracking but the second trimester can feel like just as much of a rollercoaster.
You’re getting used to your body changing quite drastically, most people actually know you’re pregnant, you’re figuring out what exercise looks like for you, you’re hoping you’re out of the woods with nausea and food aversions, you’re realising you’re getting closer to actually meeting your baby, you’ve got the dreaded pregnancy glucose challenge to face, you’ve got more energy but you’re not feeling too massive and slow just yet. Phew — there’s a lot that happens in the second trimester. It’s getting real real now!
Loads of you who are pregnant with PCOS, have been before and plan to be in the future absolutely loved my first trimester episode. So I’m giving the people what they want of course and releasing my second trimester learnings ASAP!
I’m giving you all the juicy details on all things second trimester of being pregnant with PCOS. Everything from what’s gotten better for me since first trimester and what I’m still struggling with, to what exercise you’re actually okay to do in pregnancy, to still dealing with constipation in the second trimester, to food aversions and their changes in this stage as well as iron levels in PCOS pregnancy, pelvic floor WOFs (I found I was a bit of an overachiever in this area!), sweet cravings, gestational diabetes testing and much more.
This episode is for you if:
- You’re currently pregnant or are trying to conceive
- You are trying to navigate the changes happening in your body at the moment
- Being pregnant with PCOS, you’re quite worried about doing the gestational diabetes glucose test
- Your PCOS symptoms are changing (maybe even getting better) during your pregnancy
- You want to know if pregnancy can ‘undo’ PCOS symptoms
- You don’t know what types of exercise are actually okay in pregnancy
- You want to know more about how you should feel after exercising while pregnant
- Iron levels are an issue for you (either low or high iron)
- You want to know what the heck a pelvic floor WOF is and why it’s important
- You’re still dealing with constipation and some food aversions
- You want to hear other people’s experiences of being pregnant with PCOS
Some things we cover in this episode:
- What’s gotten better for me since first trimester and what I’m still struggling with
- Dealing with that sweet tooth while being pregnant with PCOS
- The dreaded OGTT for gestational diabetes risk
- PCOS symptoms changing in pregnancy
- Spending my entire second trimester in strict lockdown and how I coped
- Keeping active and what that looks like in PCOS pregnancy
- Struggling with focusing on work
- Keeping watch of my iron levels
Resources and References:
- Caitlin Day: The Vagina Physio
- Unity Studios
- 7 question quiz: What does a ‘vagina physio’ do?
- My Book: Getting Pregnant with PCOS
Links to our programs:
- The PCOS Protocol
- Eggducated
It’s no secret now that I’m pregnant. I could only hide that bump for so long... although lockdown definitely helped me keep it a secret for the first trimester 😂
I know that for many of you getting pregnant with PCOS is a goal but I also know that some of you have managed to conceive! So you’ll be very interested in today’s episode of the pod.
No one really tells you what to expect when you actually get pregnant with PCOS, because so much of the focus is on getting you pregnant — but not what happens once you are.
It’s a whole different ball game, let me tell you (as my late second trimester self).
I thought it’d be great to give you a rundown of each trimester and my learnings from them — for those of you who are currently pregnant with PCOS, those of you who are trying to conceive and those of you who aren’t but plan to sometime in the future. And of course anyone else who wants to listen to my ‘being pregnant with pcos’ rambles!
I’ll be talking all things testing in pcos pregnancy, nutrition and navigating food aversions while having insulin resistance (ie. what the heck do I do if all I want is white bread and McDonalds fries?!), training while pregnant, what I wasn’t prepared for, gut symptoms in the first trimester, supplements and much more.
And these are all things that I help patients navigate in The PCOS Protocol too (so if you’re needing help with your PCOS, even if you’re pregnant, jump in there)! It’s for anyone and everyone who has PCOS — I want to save you from wasting 10 years, thousands and thousands of dollars, tears and so much energy on trying to figure this all out on your own.
This episode is for you if:
- You’re trying to conceive and want to know what to expect with PCOS
- You’ve recently found out you’re pregnant
- You have no plans on being pregnant but you’re interested in hearing how my pregnancy is going
- You want to know more about how insulin resistance impacts your PCOS
- You are struggling with carb cravings and food aversions — and you want to know how to manage them while still staying on top of your PCOS symptoms
- You’ve ever heard that you can’t exercise while pregnant
- IBS and SIBO are things you’ve dealt with so you want to know how pregnancy in PCOS may affect your gut
- Testing and what to get tested when pregnant with PCOS is something that interests you
Some things we cover in this episode:
- Blood testing in pcos pregnancy
- Nutrition and navigating food aversions while having insulin resistance
- Training while pregnant
- What I wasn’t prepared for
- Gut symptoms in the first trimester
- Supplements I took in my first trimester
Resources and References:
- My Book: Getting Pregnant with PCOS
Links to our programs:
- The PCOS Protocol
- Eggducated
Holiday season is fast approaching, can you believe it?
Things are getting busy with wrapping up work projects before your christmas break, dinner parties and gatherings (or in our case here in New Zealand, BBQs and boat trips), travelling (hopefully) to see loved ones and checking things off your holiday to-do list.
If you’re anything like I was, you’re probably wondering how the heck you’re going to actually enjoy this time of year while still keeping on top of your PCOS symptoms.
It’s easy to get swept up in the holiday chaos and push setting (and maintaining) habits until January 1st (you know, the whole #newyearnewme carry on)!
But what I’ve seen to be most successful amongst my patients is actually setting those good habits now - just as we’re about to launch into the holiday season.
It may seem counterintuitive, but the holiday season is one of the best times to make changes. Because you’re forced to be really 80/20 about your approach to these lifestyle changes — rather than being really rigid and then blowing out when any slight change to your routine (or habits) appears - ie. Christmas and New Years!
So today on the podcast, I’m chatting with our other Registered Nutritionist, Emma and we’re talking all about how to manage your PCOS effectively over the holiday season.
We share how we approach it personally as well as some really tactical, actionable ways to help you keep up with your PCOS lifestyle changes 80% of the time without interrupting the well deserved (and enjoyable) 20% that inevitably comes with this time of year.
This episode is for you if:
- You have solid habits but you’re worried about how you’re going to stay on track with them during the holiday season
- You take a really perfectionist approach to your lifestyle, so you’re worried about adapting that over the holiday season
- You’re travelling over the holiday season and want some tips on how to manage your PCOS while you’re away
- You have lots of gatherings, BBQs and dinner parties and you’re worried about if there will be anything you can eat there
Some things we cover in this episode:
- Being prepared - and how to do it
- Why sleep is so key over this time
- Keeping hydrated and managing your alcohol intake
- Using ‘dead time’ to plan ahead
- How to approach movement at this time of year (especially when you’re not at home)
- Tackling BBQs, dinner parties and events where you’re not in control of what food will be there
Resources and References:
- 99: How to set boundaries, actually stick to habits and be kind to yourself with Clinical Psychologist Dr. Rebecca Ray
- Ottenlenghi cookbooks
- My Book: Getting Pregnant with PCOS
Links to our programs:
- The PCOS Protocol
- Eggducated
You know what no one talks about with PCOS? The freakin’ mental and emotional strain it puts on you.
There’s information for yonks about how to remove those pesky dark hairs, lose stubborn weight, reduce and remove acne, grow back the hair you’ve lost, get your periods back and regular, trying to conceive but no one talks about the non-tangible problems that come along with it.
The depressive episodes because nothing is working, the negative self talk and self loathing, the overwhelm of trying to make changes, feeling judged others about always making lifestyle changes, trying to be perfect and on top of everything 24/7, getting everything done, feeling like you can’t stop judging yourself and looking at what’s gone wrong, feeling like you do waaaaay more than everyone else and yet they get better results than you, wondering if it’s just you, this is the way it’ll always be and it’s your fault.
Living with PCOS is draining when it’s out of control. Even when you are more on top of the physical symptoms, it can feel like an uphill battle sometimes.
Most times I speak to patients, the hardest thing isn’t knowing what to do, it's actually sticking to habits, maintaining boundaries with themselves and others and not getting bogged down with trying to be perfect all the time.
Enter the fabulous Dr Rebecca — a pilot turned clinical psychologist who has been through her fair share of struggles with self-worth, fear of judgement, feelings of failure, not feeling good enough and ineffective boundaries. Dr. Rebecca has dedicated her career as a psychologist to helping people, especially women, understand their worth and power, building a life with firm but flexible boundaries to help them align with their values and goals.
Judgement, fear, hopelessness, lacking self-worth, body image issues and poor boundaries are all things that can derail the great potential we have to get on top of our PCOS.
And like I said, the actual ‘doing’ bit is really hard so let’s talk about it! In this episode of The PCOS Nutritionist Podcast, Dr. Rebecca and I talk about all things boundaries, effectively setting habits, boundaries, respect, lifestyle change, perfectionism, protecting your peace, kindness, self compassion and judgement.
It’s a must listen — consider this your on-the-go habit and boundary guide!
This episode is for you if:
- You’re feeling overwhelmed on your PCOS journey
- You don’t feel like those around you respect your choices and changes
- You are the person that gives to everyone but you don’t feel like you have anything left to give for yourself
- Judging yourself and self-loathing is a habit you’d like to get out of but you don’t know how to
- You’d consider yourself a Type A person and/or a perfectionist
- You are keen to implement more kindness towards yourself and self compassion but don’t really know how to
- You want to establish better boundaries with yourself and others
- Others are judgemental about the lifestyle changes you’ve made for your PCOS and you’re not sure how to address these without being offensive, rude or causing drama
Some things we cover in this episode:
- Dealing with the opinions or disapproval of those around you on lifestyle changes
- How to set boundaries around what you will and won’t tolerate from others about your PCOS journey
- Setting boundaries with people you live with
- How to identify if self sabotage is a type of inner dialogue we're having and what you can do about it
- Tools you can implement to address the fear of being judged as well as judging yourself
- Why perfectionism happens and why it’s so dang hard to get out of that mindset
- Approaching tasks that feel ‘too hard’ and dealing with feelings of overwhelm
- Self compassion and simple, actionable ways to incorporate more self compassio
Ever seen people in PCOS forums ask something along the lines of... "Is whole wheat pasta okay for people with PCOS?"..."What kind of exercise is okay for us with PCOS?"..."What supplements should I take for PCOS?"
Most of us have been there or are there! All we want is some answers. We got that PCOS diagnosis one way or another and thought "great, now I actually have something to pinpoint some of these symptoms to" but what to do next (apart from lose weight and/or go on hormonal contraception and/or come back when you want to get pregnant) isn't as clear as you'd hope for. So you're just looking for something that works. You're trying everything you hear about on podcasts, PCOS facebook pages, forums and on social media but nothing seems to quite move the needle.
But when we strip it back, while it makes sense to ask the questions "what foods/exercise/supplements are okay for PCOS" we're actually asking the wrong questions! We want to know what that root cause is and reframe that question to ask "is this food/exercise/supplement suitable for my physiology and my root cause?" because otherwise we end up just cutting out every food under the sun, prioritising endless hours in the gym over other important things and spend ridiculous amounts on supplements that may not even work or be useful for our specific situation!
And let's be real, who the HECK wants to cut more things out, spend half their life in the gym and spend hundreds (if not thousands) on supplements? NOT me and I'm sure not you either! So in today's podcast I'm chatting with my team member Sophia all about personalised nutrition and why it's so important — we talk about all the different areas of PCOS and share why there's no one size fits all — as well as how to approach understanding what changes are right for you.
It’s pretty tough to know whether or not something will actually work for you — especially when you feel like you’ve tried literally everything under the sun for your PCOS and nothing has worked so far. So why would this be any different?
Because we focus on sustainability and making these changes personalised to YOUR root cause. But it’s still really helpful to figure out what that could look like, so how can you know if the Protocol is a good fit for you before diving in?
Well, that’s why we’re offering free 15 minute discovery calls! So you can see whether we’re a good fit for you and what we can do to help. Plus, if you get into the Protocol and work through the first 14 days of modules (completing all the coursework and modules) and you don’t get value or feel like you haven’t learned anything new, we’ll promptly refund the money you’ve paid us (minus any transaction fees).
So what do you have to lose? It’s time to figure out your root cause, learn how to make sustainable changes that you can maintain for years (not weeks! there’s no fast fad diets here!) and help you get on top of those frustrating symptoms so you can focus on the more important things! To book a free discovery call with one of our team, click here.
This episode is for you if:
- You’re unsure about the next step to take on your PCOS journey
- You’ve heard lots of different recommendations on what’s “good” or “bad” for PCOS
- After your diagnosis, you tried lots of different lifestyle changes, yet nothing seems to work
- No matter how much you work out, you never seem to be able to get the same results as your friends
- Your specialists haven’t been able to give you lifestyle advice beyond what you already know
- You’ve been let down by other programs and changes before (so it feels like nothing will work for you)
Some things we cover in this episode:
- Why personalised lif
Surprise!
You can obviously tell by the title of this that, yes, I’m pregnant! I’ve finally let the cat out of the bag.
Like many of you though, I was told when I was diagnosed with PCOS that:
- it’d be virtually impossible for me to conceive naturally
- that fertility treatment was my only hope of getting pregnant and
- that I should start trying now if I wanted any chance of getting pregnant
...not what you want to hear as a fresh uni grad in her mid 20s with no desire of having a baby. And yes, back then if I had started trying, I probably would’ve struggled because my hormones were all over the place. But now that I have my root cause under control, we’ve been lucky to get pregnant on my first ovulation of us trying. Not that I did all this work on my root cause just to get pregnant but being able to conceive relatively easily is a bonus of getting things working optimally.
So today's episode of The PCOS Nutritionist Podcast is a very special one, where I'll be sharing my fertility journey, the steps that helped ensure I got pregnant and stayed pregnant, age and pregnancy (because yes, I’m considered a geriatric mother 😂) and how research shows age and ability to conceive may be slightly different in PCOS as well as my advice to you.
I know it’s really hard to understand whether or not something may work for you and you’ve probably been let down many times before when trying to figure out your PCOS or try more holistic approaches to conceiving. You’ve been to all of the fertility consults, tried all of the products and supplements but it all feels like a scam since you’re still not able to conceive.
That’s why we’re offering free discovery calls to chat through whether we’re a good fit for you, what your barriers are with trying something new and what we can do to help. If you get into the protocol and work through the first 14 days of modules (completing all the coursework and modules) and you don’t get value or feel like you haven’t learned anything new, we’ll promptly refund the money you’ve paid us (minus any transaction fees).
So what do you have to lose? It’s time to figure out your root cause, learn how to make sustainable changes that you can maintain for years (not weeks! there’s no fast fad diets here!) and help get your body in the best position to conceive — whether you go with fertility treatments or not.
To book a free discovery call with one of our team, click here.
This episode is for you if:
- You’re trying to conceive but haven’t had any luck
- You want to know how your root cause affects your ability to conceive
- You’re looking for some actionable tips to help your fertility
- You’ve been told that you’ll never conceive naturally
- You know that you’re ovulating but you still can’t seem to conceive
Some things we cover in this episode:
- The 3 fertile ingredients
- Understanding your cycle
- Progesterone and why it’s so important
- Being 35+ (ie geriatric in the maternity world!) and getting pregnant
- Why people with PCOS have a bigger window of opportunity age wise to conceive
- Getting your nutrients in
- Lifestyle changes to help with conception
Resources and References:
- 8: How to Get Pregnant with PCOS
- 9: Treating the root cause of infertility
- 16: The single biggest factor for getting pregnant – and you’re in control of it
- 44: Your Guide to Birth Control (Part 1): Hormonal Birth Control&
Do you notice when PCOS is talked about, often there’s a lot of focus on the physical burdens of PCOS? While these are absolutely awful to deal with (I’ve been there!), there’s also so much that people don’t see. That’s the thing that can make PCOS so isolating.
People can see the weight gain but no one sees the countless doctors appointments where you’re told ‘just lose weight, eat less, move more’ (like it’s that easy!) and coming out of them so frustrated and sitting in your car in tears. People can see the acne but no one sees the times where you’re looking at your skin in the bathroom mirror teary-eyed. No one sees the tests that come back ‘normal’, when your body feels anything but.
People don’t see the breakdowns at yet another negative pregnancy test, the constant appointments with fertility specialists that drain you physically, emotionally and financially, the feelings of being out of control of your body, the devastating feeling of miscarrying and wondering why… the feeling of having to hold a brave face in front of everyone else but feeling so upset and confused by why your body ‘hates you’.
You’re just searching for something that’ll help you get a grasp on why you have these symptoms and why nothing seems to have worked. This podcast is going to delve into that a bit more with Protocoler, Tess.
I know it’s really hard to understand whether or not something may work for you and you’ve probably been let down many times before. That’s why we’re offering free discovery calls to chat through whether we’re a good fit for you, what your barriers are with trying something new and what we can do to help. If you get into the protocol and work through the first 14 days of modules (completing all the coursework and modules) and you don’t get value or feel like you haven’t learned anything new, we’ll promptly refund the money you’ve paid us (minus any transaction fees).
So what’s stopping you? It’s time to figure out your root cause, learn how to make sustainable changes that you can maintain for years (not weeks! there’s no fast fad diets here!) and finally feel in control of your symptoms.
To book a free discovery call with one of our team, click here.
This episode is for you if:
- You struggle with unexplained weight gain
- Your tests keep coming back normal but your symptoms would suggest otherwise
- You are struggling with conceiving
- Your periods are SO irregular
- Acne is a problem for you
- You’ve experienced miscarriages as part of your fertility journey
Some things we cover in this episode:
- Tess’ PCOS journey
- Unexplained weight gain
- Cystic acne
- Fertility challenges — not just for her first, but also second child
- Very low milk supply
- Miscarriage and low progesterone
Resources and References:
- 22: Is breast really best? Breastfeeding and PCOS – the things you need to know
- 64: What you need to know about pelvic floor health (and no it’s not just for those that are postpartum) with Caitlin Day (The Vagina Physio)
- 68: All about Progesterone: why it may be low, why it’s important and how to improve your levels with Dr. Samina Mitha
- The Vagina Physio
- My Book: Getting Pregnant with PCOS
Ever heard someone say the following...
“My PCOS got so bad, a cyst burst! I had to go to the ER”
“PCOS is so painful, when I do get my periods, they’re so bad”
“My doctor/OBGYN/specialist said my ovaries had cysts but I don’t have any PCOS, I guess I just have a mild form?”
… or something similar?
Did you know that PCOS, ovarian cysts and cystic ovaries are all DIFFERENT things?If you said no, don’t worry! I’ll admit, when I was first understanding the world of PCOS, I didn’t know there was a difference either.
You can have all three, a combination of two of them, just one of them or none at all. But time and time again, I hear people confusing them. If we don’t understand the differentiation between them, we can end up down a rabbit warren of doing things that aren’t actually best serving us.
I know they all sound very similar, so you’re probably wondering where the differences lie! Well, I’ve decided it’s about time I sit down and record an actual episode about the difference between PCOS, cystic ovaries and ovarian cysts. So that’s what today’s episode of The PCOS Nutritionist Podcast is all about! I’ll be going through the definition of each of these issues, the differences, the similarities and what to do next.
So the next time you hear someone getting confused, direct them to this episode! Dealing with PCOS alongside ovarian cysts? Confused on whether you have PCOS or just cystic ovaries?
Before going and making any lifestyle changes, you want to be sure you’ve got the right diagnosis. While we can’t do this for you, we can help you understand if what you’re experiencing is in fact likely PCOS — and when you’ve had a proper diagnosis, you can come join us in The PCOS Protocol!
That’s where we help you to determine YOUR root cause and the lifestyle changes that will directly address it, so you can get on top of those nasty symptoms you’re dealing with.
This episode is for you if:
- You haven’t been diagnosed but wonder if you have PCOS
- PCOS ‘gives you pain’
- You’ve had to go to the ER because a cyst burst
- An ultrasound has shown cystic ovaries but you haven’t been diagnosed with PCOS
- You didn’t know there was a difference between PCOS, cystic ovaries and ovarian cysts
- You aren’t sure if you have PCOS, cystic ovaries or ovarian cysts, one of them or a combination of all three
Some things we cover in this episode:
- What PCOS is
- What ovarian cysts are
- What cystic ovaries are
- Why all of these are different — even though they sound very similar
- What the similarities and differences are between PCOS, cystic ovaries and ovarian cysts
Resources and References:
- Period Repair Manual: Every woman’s guide to better periods
- CEMCOR: PCOS should actually be called AAE
- My Book: Getting Pregnant with PCOS
Links to our programs:
- The PCOS Protocol
- Eggducated
Are you trying to get pregnant with PCOS at the moment, but struggling? If so, keep on reading.
You’ve likely been told by your doctor that you ‘just need to lose some weight and try for at least a year to 18 months before coming back’. There’s a lot of emphasis in PCOS on losing weight to get pregnant. Sure, losing a little weight won’t do you any harm if you’re not already on the lower end weight wise but it’s definitely not the magical pill that will help you get pregnant with PCOS.
When it comes to getting pregnant with PCOS, we need to ensure that we have all 3 fertile ingredients - good quality eggs and sperm, timing sex correctly so there is sperm waiting for the egg to be released i.e. pre ovulation and keeping your uterine lining intact for at least the first 12-14 weeks. We also need to make sure you’re ovulating on the regular so you actually can carry out the above steps.
In some cases losing weight can help this but we also need to ensure that your hormones are in check - like your insulin, your thyroid, your progesterone and all of the other wonderful hormones that are so important for conception. It can be a bit of a battle to figure out what’s out of whack, what changes specifically will help and also the less talked about side: getting your partner on board with changes and getting checked out for any potential fertility issues.
Today’s guest Ana, who has been a patient of mine in The PCOS Protocol for a while now, has been going through the struggle of conceiving of PCOS. She was told a similar spiel to what you were: It’s just about losing weight through eating less and moving more when getting pregnant with PCOS. But for most people, it’s not that simple. Ana had other things going on that have played into her fertility struggles.
In today’s episode of The PCOS Nutritionist Podcast, we go through Ana’s story. From being diagnosed with PCOS, to other conditions and health concerns, struggling with getting her partner on board with testing, understanding her root cause, her journey with using medications AND lifestyle changes and her advice to other women struggling with TTC and those doing fertility treatment.
This episode is for you if:
- You’re struggling to conceive
- You don’t know what the fertile ingredients are or what you might be missing for you
- You think or know you have insulin resistance
- You wonder if your thyroid is playing into your PCOS
- You’re tossing up whether or not to use fertility medications and treatments in your journey
Some things we cover in this episode:
- Ana’s PCOS journey
- Struggling with other conditions and health concerns alongside PCOS
- Understanding how your root cause impacts fertility
- Dealing with a partner who doesn’t want to get testing done or is resistant to change
- Understanding the role of your thyroid in getting pregnant
- Using medications and lifestyle changes for improving fertility
- Advice for other couples TTC
Resources and References:
- My Book: Getting Pregnant with PCOS
Links to our programs:
- The PCOS Protocol
- Eggducated
If you’ve been anywhere near the news or social media, you’ve probably heard about what’s going on in with the law changes in Texas (which in my personal opinion is absolutely despicable), making it illegal to get an abortion after 6 weeks. Given this, I thought it was timely to chat about Emergency contraception.
Most people even going through fertility treatment will only find out they are pregnant at 5 weeks, so that leaves you with a grand total of 1 week to find a clinic and go through the process - and that’s in a planned scenario and isn’t realistic.
It’s even worse for those of us with PCOS and irregular cycles, as it isn’t hugely out of the ordinary for many of us would think anything of it if our periods were just a few days late. I just had a patient who didn’t realise she was 12.5 weeks pregnant because she’d had irregular cycles in the past and just thought her cycles had regressed again.
I’m so angry for the people of Texas. Given that 1 in 4 of childbearing people in the US will have had an abortion before the age of 45, this is this is disastrous for their rights in Texas (and potentially other states as a flow on effect). I hope for the health rights of other Americans and other countries’ rights that this isn’t replicated. As someone who works with people with PCOS day in day out and speaks to people all about advocating for their health - there is nothing more infuriating than people not having bodily autonomy.
In New Zealand, the Growing Up in New Zealand, which was a massive longitudinal study found that 40% of childbearing parents reported their pregnancies were unplanned. But regardless of where you live and abortion laws, there are many reasons why we’d need to emergency contraceptive. After many years of using the ECP myself, I was really shocked a few years ago when I learnt how it actually worked! And most importantly, when it wasn’t likely to work and what you could do instead.
So in this episode, I really wanted to give you the 411 on all things emergency contraception, what it is, how it works, what counts as an emergency contraceptive, how PCOS affects this, how weight affects the emergency contraceptive and much more.
If you’ve listened to any of my podcasts, you’ll know how much I love having you informed so you can make the best decision for you. So regardless of whether or not this is relevant for you, I definitely recommend listening to this because you never know when you may be in a situation where an emergency contraceptive is needed OR when someone you know might need some advice on one!
This episode is for you if:
- You’ve been worried about accidentally falling pregnant
- You want to learn more about emergency contraception
- You’re on the copper IUD
- You want to know how weight can affect the use of emergency contraception
- You’ve found out you’re pregnant but you can’t viably continue to this pregnancy for whatever reason and are trying to figure out your options
Some things we cover in this episode:
- What emergency contraception actually is
- What the statistics around emergency contraception use show
- What are the most common types of emergency contraception
- The mechanisms that emergency contraception use to stop pregnancy
- Weight and emergency contraception
Resources and References:
- Mechanism of Action of Ulipristal Acetate for Emergency Contraception: A Systematic Review
- Choosing the right type of emergency contraception
- Mechanism of action of levonorgestrel emergency contraception
Are you one of the 25% of people with PCOS that has a thyroid condition? Thyroid conditions are actually one of the most common ‘hidden’ causes of PCOS - hypothyroidism being the most common, although it often goes undiagnosed. If you struggle with hair loss, a sluggish metabolism, low moods and depression, fatigue, muscle weakness, difficulty regulating your temperature (ie. you’re always cold), constipation, dry, coarse skin or brittle nails, this could be pointing towards your thyroid not working optimally.
Dealing with a thyroid condition like hypothyroidism or hashimoto’s thyroiditis is a handful in itself! Then go and add all of the wonderful (read: awful and frustrating) symptoms that come along with PCOS in there and you’ve got the perfect storm for feeling like hot trash on the regular!
Today’s guest, Laura, - who I met in The PCOS Protocol - has been through this exact journey. Having been diagnosed with hypothyroidism in her early 20s, she struggled with getting on top of symptoms but she was also experiencing things that weren’t as typical of thyroid issues like longer cycles and severe acne. It wasn’t till she by chance went for a fertility check as she entered her 30s, only to find she also had PCOS.
Like many of you, she thought she knew what a healthy lifestyle was and could manage it all on her own. But after countless lifestyle changes and nutrition plans, she still wasn’t getting anywhere with it. Now, a year later, her PCOS and thyroid is the best it’s ever been. And while the journey isn’t over for Laura, she’s now got the tools to better manage both her PCOS and her hypothyroidism.
In this episode of The PCOS Nutritionist Podcast, Laura and I discuss her journey with getting diagnosed with PCOS, her hypothyroidism, what lifestyle changes are best for thyroid conditions and PCOS, what testing to get done if you think you might have a thyroid condition, useful resources and groups for those with thyroid issues and so much more about the incidence of PCOS and the thyroid.
This episode is for you if:
- You have a diagnosed thyroid condition like hypothyroidism, hashimoto’s thyroiditis or hyperthyroidism (graves’ disease)
- Your family has a history of thyroid conditions
- You struggle with hemochromatosis
- You’re experiencing symptoms that match up with those of a thyroid condition
- You have or think you might have insulin resistance
- You feel like you should be able to get on top of your symptoms without help because you know enough about living healthy - yet you’re still struggling with symptoms
Some things we cover in this episode:
- What is the thyroid?
- Thyroid testing
- Other testing in PCOS
- Symptoms of suboptimal thyroid function
- How the thyroid and PCOS are connected
- Managing lifestyle changes for more than one condition
- Feeling like you should know what to do without help
- Insulin Resistance
- Where to start with lifestyle changes
Resources and References:
- My Book: Getting Pregnant with PCOS
Links to our programs:
- The PCOS Protocol
- Eggducated
Are you dealing with PCOS symptoms that you’ve been told are normal? And it’s only recently that you’ve questioned those symptoms after doing your own research?
Maybe your acne was put down to puberty when you saw your doctor in high school about it but all these years later you’re still not getting anywhere. Or maybe you’ve never had a regular period but you’ve been told it’s because of sports so you should ‘go on the Pill to regulate your period’.
When you come off the Pill, you find your period has gone AWOL, your acne has gone batsh*t crazy, you’re exhausted and you kinda just feel like flaming hot trash? You end up being diagnosed with PCOS but aren’t really given much information about what to do next and the complications long-term are really daunting.
Often our symptoms are dismissed by doctors and specialists because we’re not on the floor dying. We’re told it’s not a big deal and to take medications for it (which works for some people but isn’t for everyone) and to go on our merry way. But that doesn’t mean our symptoms are something we have to deal with and that this is just the way we are.
Today’s podcast guest, Maggie, was dealing with all of the above. Her irregular cycles were put down to her being a ballet dancer, she was told to try a whole bunch of topical and oral treatments for her severe acne and was prescribed birth control to help with her symptoms. It wasn’t until 2019 that she ended up coming off birth control and all hell broke loose with her symptoms. Lots of acne, no period, exhausted, hangry attacks, random weight gain, the works.
We started working together earlier this year when she decided she didn’t want to live with these symptoms anymore and didn’t want the long term complications that come with leaving PCOS unmanaged. By the end of the Protocol, her period had started to regulate, her brain fog that she didn’t really know she had had lifted, her sleep was better (as was her gut) and most importantly her mindset around her lifestyle and food had drastically improved.
You may have been reassured that your symptoms are nothing to worry about but if you’re feeling awful, this can feel like such a blow. The great news is that you don’t have to put up with those symptoms - I’ve created The PCOS Protocol to get on top of those nasty symptoms once and for all.
This episode is for you if:
- Your periods are irregular or non-existent
- Acne has been something you’ve been dealing with for years and you haven’t gotten anywhere with it
- You’ve been taking topical and oral treatments for acne but don’t want to have to rely on them anymore
- Sugar cravings happen to you on the daily (sometimes multiple times a day)
- Weight is continuously fluctuating a lot for you
- Even after 8+ hours of sleep, you still wake up feeling like you’ve been hit by a bus
- You know you have or think you might have insulin resistance
Some things we cover in this episode:
- Understanding when your symptoms aren’t normal
- Knowing that it’s not a lack of self-control that’s leading you to these habits, it’s your physiology (and learning what to do about that)
- Hangry attacks, binging and knowing what level of hunger is normal
- Weight gain
- Dealing with angry, consistent acne
- The mental impacts PCOS can have on you
- Low energy - even when you’re getting enough sleep
- Coming off hormonal birth control
Resources and References:
- My Book: Getting Pregnant with PCOS
Links to our programs:
Do you find that some weeks you’re hitting personal bests, smashing your exercise goals and making progress with your fitness and other weeks you struggle to find the motivation, you can’t quite hit those personal bests you set and you fatigue far quicker in your workouts than usual?
If this sounds familiar to you, you’re not alone. We expect ourselves to be able to smash through spin classes, HIIT classes and lifting heavy weights all month long. But that’s actually not the most effective way for us to train as women!
The thing is as women, we aren’t small men, as Dr Stacey Sims puts so fabulously.
So we’re not working with the same stock standard hormone levels day-in day-out. Your husband, partner, friend or brother may be able to lift heavy or cycle really hard on any given day as long as he’s had enough rest. Whereas some days you’re keeping up with him well and others you just don’t know why you’re finding it so hard to push yourself like you usually do.
Cycles and menstruation are usually seen as a disadvantage to our fitness and athletic performance but they’re actually our greatest power!
If we can create an exercise regime that fits around our cycle, we can make waves with our fitness! It’s just about understanding what your hormones are doing and pairing up your exercise to suit. “But Clare, how do I know how to do that?” you ask? Well luckily for you, that’s what today’s episode is all about!
Some of you have been curious about training and exercise with your cycle - and I can understand why!It’s something we’ve not really touched on yet on the podcast but it’s a really interesting (and important) topic.
Regardless of if you’re an athlete or not, plug in your headphones and listen to this episode! If you want to learn more about how to harness the power of your menstrual cycle (in this case in your exercise) to be the healthiest version of yourself as possible, you’ll want to tune in.
This episode is for you if:
- You struggle with training at some times of the month and not others
- Period pain stops you from exercising
- You want to know how hormonal birth control will impact your training
- You train competitively
- Motivation for training fluctuates throughout the month for you
- You’re going into perimenopause or you’re a menopausal woman and want to know the impacts on your exercise
- You wonder why you can’t train as hard as your male counterparts on some days but are fine on others
- Your cycles are regular (23-35 days)
- Your cycles are more than 35 days
- You are on hormonal contraception
Some things we cover in this episode:
- The different phases of your menstrual cycle and the hormones that are present in each
- When your hormones are at their highest and lowest
- Why you get light headed, fatigued and have to stop training at certain points of your cycle
- When in your cycle to do more exercise and when to do less
- Best exercises to relieve period cramps
- Exercise on your period - good or bad?
- How to match your exercise with the different phases of your cycle
- How to schedule your exercise if you’re on hormonal birth control
- If you have long cycles, how to match your training with the phases of your cycle
- How to schedule your exercise if you’re in perimenopause or menopausal
Resources and References:
- ROAR by Stacey Sims
- Rundown? Underperforming? Research Shows You’re Likely Undernourished
- Dr Sim’s website
What do you find the hardest about tweaking your lifestyle to best suit your PCOS?
Maybe keeping the lifestyle changes up when you’re stressed is really difficult for you or you struggle to get back into routine after ‘breaking your changes’. Or maybe you have a hard time with creating balance rather than being all or nothing. Maybe you just feel guilty for the times where you are just allowing yourself to enjoy foods that aren’t the best for your PCOS.
Everyone talks about WHAT to do but no one talks about HOW to actually implement those changes. The good news is you’re not alone.
My lovely colleague Sophia and I put a question box out on instagram the other week about the topic of habits changes. We spent a whole hour answering your questions on the podcast a couple of weeks ago and we still had so many more questions to cover so we wanted to continue the conversation about how to actually make the changes.
It can actually be really tough to implement changes into your lifestyle without feeling this massive weight on your shoulders about being perfect, not slipping up, feeling like you’re the only one doing this and everyone will think you’re being difficult and feeling really awful about yourself when you ‘fall off the wagon’.
The truth is, there is no wagon. We shouldn’t have to feel like we have to be perfect to be successful with our changes and if we aren’t we’re automatically a failure. But it can be pretty damn difficult to not let that little voice in your head tell you otherwise.
I really want to continue this conversation because I don’t think the implementation side of making lifestyle changes is talked about enough.
If you’re struggling with this and feel like you need guidance on not only what to do but also how to implement changes effectively, then come join us in The PCOS Protocol. We have an awesome community of women who get what you’re going through and we help guide you through making lifestyle changes, without that intense all or nothing approach.
This episode is for you if:
- You feel guilty when you eat ‘off plan’ because you feel like it’s ruining your progress
- Tracking macros, portions and food isn’t something you want to do because it’s triggering to you or you have a history of dieting and disordered eating
- You struggle to get ‘back on the wagon’ when you slip up
- Stress makes you slip up with changes
- Your job and lifestyle is quite stressful
- Even though you don’t want to you and you know it’s not great for your root cause, you find yourself getting ubereats or takeaways because it’s ‘easier’
- You struggle to say ‘no’ to some foods
Some things we cover in this episode:
- Feeling guilty for the times where you do enjoy food that’s not the best for your root cause
- Dealing with the blood sugar rollercoaster
- Not wanting to track macros and everything you eat
- Struggling to say no to foods you’d usually say yes to
- What to do if you’re struggling to stick with changes for more than a few days
- Dealing with the convenience of takeaways versus making something that’s good for your root cause
- Getting back ‘on track’ after a planned ‘cheat’
- How to manage your lifestyle changes in periods of stress
- Picking yourself up after slipping up with your lifestyle changes
Resources and References:
- My Book: Getting Pregnant with PCOS
Links to our programs:
- The PCOS Protocol
You’ve likely heard one of the key symptoms of PCOS is weight gain. But what if you don’t have weight gain with your PCOS? I’d be a millionaire if I had a dollar for every time someone with lean PCOS told me their doctor or specialist said they ‘don’t look like they have PCOS’ because they aren’t overweight. The really frustrating thing is that PCOS really is viewed like a ‘fat girl syndrome’ and the approach for Lean PCOS people usually goes something like this:
You don’t look like you have PCOS so don’t worry. There’s nothing you can really do differently since weight isn’t an issue (so these symptoms are kinda just the way you are and you have to deal with them). Take the Pill, come back when you want to get pregnant.
Not only is this not true (there are absolutely changes you can make for your symptoms regardless of weight) but it also really invalidates the symptoms you’re dealing with - which is the whole reason you went to see your doctor in the first place! Being told your symptoms are just ‘the way you are’ because weight gain isn’t an issue and that there’s nothing that can be done is a massive slap in the face.
No one should feel like their symptoms aren’t valid. Period.
This was the case for today’s guest, Rachel, who was having trouble with her symptoms but wasn’t given any advice because she didn’t fit the typical ‘overweight PCOS’ mould that many doctors are used to seeing. If you have a ‘do-er’ get sh*t done attitude like Rachel does, you can understand why she wasn’t satisfied with this answer. But if you have lean PCOS like her, you’ll also understand the struggle of not being able to find reputable information on how to manage lean PCOS because there is a lot of focus on weight. She struggled with not being able to understand why she was getting all of these symptoms because she didn’t resonate with the weight gain that much of the information out there on PCOS focuses on.
After understanding her root cause, Rachel got her first period back in months, had more energy, was sleeping better and felt much less bloated. It’s been so amazing to see the shift in Rachel after helping her understand WHY she’s getting these symptoms and what she could do about them - especially after feeling extremely lost after being diagnosed and not being given any direction.
If you’re struggling with lean PCOS and you feel like this is just the way you are - it isn’t! Have a listen to Rachel’s episode and I guarantee it’ll change your whole perspective on lean PCOS.
This episode is for you if:
- Weight gain isn’t an issue for you
- You’re dealing with hangry attacks, sugar cravings and blood sugar crashes
- Doctors have told you that because you don’t have weight gain, you don’t fit the PCOS mould and there’s nothing you can do for your symptoms
- You have an irregular cycle or have been without a period for months or years
- Low energy, struggling to sleep and fatigue are big symptoms of yours
- You often feel bloated
- Researching online about lean PCOS has gotten you nowhere and you struggle to find information about lean PCOS
- You know you’re insulin resistant or suspect you might be
Some things we cover in this episode:
- How you can have lean PCOS and insulin resistance
- Finding a community of women who ‘get it’
- Why your period is irregular, what that means and what to do about it
- The information landscape for people with lean PCOS
- Fatigue and energy
- Not getting help from your doctors because you’re lean
- Feeling lost with your PCOS diagnosis
Resources and References:
- My Book: Getting Pregnant with PCOS
Links
Struggling with trying to not be a perfectionist when it comes to lifestyle changes? Finding it hard to stick to changes because those around you aren’t living as healthily? Not seeing results and it’s demotivating you?
Change is damn hard. Whether you’ve been working on your PCOS for a couple of months or a few decades, switching up your lifestyle and trying to find out what works for your symptoms can be a mission. It’s hard to find the balance between living a life that’s healthy for you and your PCOS root cause and not being too restrictive.
If you’ve been a part of my community for a while, you’ll know I preach the 80/20 approach when it comes to working on and managing your PCOS symptoms. The reason being is because being 100% all the time doesn’t work (I can tell you from my personal and clinical experience) and because I want you to be able to get away with as much as possible! Because life is for living and we don’t get anywhere when we’re extremely restrictive on ourselves - it does more harm than good.
But how do you allow yourself to only be 80% rather than letting your perfectionist tendencies take over? How do you not feel guilty for that 20% of the time? What about when you feel like a burden when out with family and friends? Or will people judge you or think you’re weird for not changing an aspect of your lifestyle? How do you stay consistent when you’re not seeing any changes physically? What if those around you aren’t living a healthy lifestyle?
I put out a Q&A box on my Instagram a few weeks ago asking you all what you found hardest about lifestyle changes and living that 80/20 approach that I always talk about - and WOW, I had the most responses I think I’ve ever had! There were so many that we’ve decided to split this into two separate episodes.
I also think this part of improving your PCOS - the actual habit change part - isn’t talked about enough. So in today’s episode of The PCOS Nutritionist Podcast, my wonderful colleague, Sophia and I, talk all about 80/20 and give you advice on your questions around habit changes (because we’ve both been through our fair share over the years!).
This episode is for you if:
- You’re a ‘type A’ person and struggle with a perfectionist mindset
- It’s hard for you to define the line between being 80/20 and slipping into old habits
- You struggle with guilt when you let yourself enjoy that 20% of not eating for your root cause
- Maintaining the lifestyle changes while with friends and family is hard for you
- It feels like a science to figure out what foods to eat and not eat
- Your doctor hasn’t been helpful in determining your root cause
- You find it hard to stay consistent with your changes when you aren’t seeing results
- Picking up after ‘breaking’ or taking time off changes is really hard for you
- You feel like an inconvenience to those around you with having a different way of eating and living
- Finding time to prepare food and incorporate practices to help your PCOS amongst a stressful job, family and friends feels like too much to manage
- Those around you don’t have PCOS or a chronic condition they have to manage so it’s hard for you to stay ‘on track’
Some things we cover in this episode:
- Food guilt
- How to manage the feelings of food FOMO
- Differentiating between slipping into old habits and actually allowing yourself to enjoy that 20% of the 80/20 approach
- Managing your lifestyle changes when you have lots of stress
- What to do if you find managing the changes hard when out socialising
- Understanding what foods to eat and what to avoid for your PCOS
- How to manage those around you not having to make the same changes
- Who to turn to if you’re unsure of your root cause
- Consistency with kee
Regardless of when you’ve been diagnosed with PCOS, you’ve likely been dealing with the symptoms for a while. You feel like you’ve tried everything and your hope of getting on top of your symptoms is dwindling because you’ve exhausted all of your options. No one else seems to be dealing with these symptoms (or not to the extent that you are) but nothing you do is working for you. You’ve googled countlessly, commented on and read through PCOS forums and facebook pages and spoken to countless health care professionals to no avail. It’s exhausting!
You stop to think about it all and wonder “is this just the way I am?” and “I’m not getting anywhere regardless of what I do, so is it just the way things will be and I’ll just have to learn to live with it?”
If you’ve ever asked yourself this question, I really encourage you to listen to today’s episode of the podcast with one of my patients, Erin. While she was only diagnosed at 16 with PCOS, she has been dealing with the symptoms like irregular periods and weight gain (that’s hard to lose) since age 10 and only in the last year has she realised: a) that these symptoms are related to her PCOS, b) it’s not ‘just the way she is’ and most importantly c) there is something you can do about your symptoms!
I know you may feel like giving up hope - it’s damn tough to deal with these symptoms, let alone feeling isolated in it all, not getting much help from healthcare professionals and feeling like you’re just stuck feeling like sh*t (excuse my French, but true!).
You don’t have to feel like this. Almost always, when we understand your root cause, we can help reduce and resolve these symptoms. I hope this episode gives you hope that this isn’t just the way you are and empowers you to take the reins of your PCOS so that you can feel well again!
This episode is for you if:
- You are dealing with constant month long bleeding
- Struggling to lose weight is a problem for you (regardless of your activity levels)
- The symptoms you’re experiencing have been happening for so long, that you worry that this is “just the way you are”
- Your periods are irregular and you want to regulate them
- You were told at 16 (or a similar age) that you’ll struggle to get pregnant
- You’ve tried so many diets and programs that you’re not sure there’s any hope left
Some things we cover in this episode:
- Insulin resistant PCOS
- How to regulate your periods
- Supporting weight loss and how to do it in a sustainable way
- Hirsutism
- Having extremely heavy periods and how quickly that can been corrected
- Migraines and how to figure out if they’re hormonal
- Doing so many diets and being hesitant to start something new
- The ‘wagon’ and being ‘on’ or ‘off’
- When to test for your root cause and having that in black and white
Resources and References:
- My Book: Getting Pregnant with PCOS
Links to our programs:
- The PCOS Protocol
- Eggducated
Feeling really fatigued, low on energy, cold and sore on top of all of the other PCOS symptoms you're experiencing?
Sometimes these symptoms could be to do with your thyroid or other health complications but one of the most common causes I see of this in PCOS is iron levels!
Iron is one of the minerals in the body you’ve definitely heard of, especially if you’ve ever felt really tired, needing iron is one of the first suggestions that’ll fly your way. Our iron levels have a major impact on how we feel - if they’re too low or too high we can feel absolutely exhausted, short of breath, lethargic and sore in our joints.
Because of this, a lot of women end up supplementing without knowing if they need to. Sure, many women are low in iron for a variety of reasons but unfortunately iron is one of those nutrients we can’t mess with.
Having not enough or too much iron can cause absolute havoc in our bodies and worryingly, mess with our PCOS.
If you’re experiencing some of the symptoms above, you may automatically think your iron is low but in fact it could be the opposite. This is why I’m so hesitant for women, especially those with PCOS, to be blindly supplementing iron because they just assume they need it and why I always encourage the women in The PCOS Protocol to get their levels checked regularly.
This episode is for you if:
- You’ve been told your iron is too high
- You often feel fatigued and lethargic
- Joint pain and feeling out of breath even after little to no exertion is something you regularly deal with
- You’ve been told your iron is too low
- You have gut issues like IBS, SIBO, IBD or Coeliac
Some things we cover in this episode:
- What iron actually is
- Things that can change iron absorption
- When is iron a problem?
- Iron and PCOS
- What causes high iron in PCOS
- What to check if you think your iron might be low or high
Resources and References:
- My Book: Getting Pregnant with PCOS
Links to our programs:
- The PCOS Protocol
- Eggducated
Ever gone from happy to uncontrollable crying, moodiness and extremely irritable only to find that your period shows up a few days later?
The other weekend, I was away with a few of my girlfriends and every single one of them was dealing with PMS issues. None of them had PCOS but all of them had PMS symptoms that were seriously affecting their work, relationships and just lives in general.
Ever had premenstrual symptoms that are even more extreme like anxiety, hopelessness, or panic attacks, excess sleepiness, feelings of depression and dissociation?
Of course with PCOS, we tend to draw the short straw. PMS (premenstrual syndrome) and the more extreme PMDD (premenstrual dysphoric disorder) are relatively common among us women with PCOS because of our hormones being absolutely all over the show. It’s hard to know what’s normal, what’s not, the difference between PMS and PMDD and whether it’s ‘bad enough’ to do anything about.
The truth is, it doesn’t have to be this way. It is completely possible for your period to just arrive. No irritability. No headaches or migraines. No food cravings. No extreme waves of sadness. It is possible. As much as these symptoms are common, they aren’t normal.
PMS and PMDD have been struggles for so many of my patients in The PCOS Protocol on their journey to improve their PCOS symptoms. They always felt as though that’s ‘just how things were’ and it was just something they’d have to deal with. News flash, It’s not!
On today’s episode of the podcast, I’m talking all about PMS, PMDD, what’s normal, what’s not and most importantly, what you can do about feeling like a manic crying, irritable hot mess pre-period. Because no one likes feeling like an angry ball of rage at least once a month! You deserve to have a stress free period that just shows up without making a scene.
This episode is for you if:
- You experience irritability, sadness, anxiety and agitation in the lead up to your period
- Pre-period headaches or migraines are common for you
- You want to know the difference between PMS and PMDD
- Pre-period insomnia gets the better of you each month
- Experiencing symptoms of hopelessness and depression are common PMS symptoms of yours
- You want a stress free period that just shows up without making you feel like hot trash
Some things we cover in this episode:
- What is PMS?
- What is PMDD?
- How do you discern between PMS and PMDD?
- Symptoms of PMS and PMDD
- Causes behind PMS and PMDD
- Perimenopausal effects on your mood
- How to improve your PMS or PMDD symptoms
- Histamines role in your premenstrual mood
Resources and References:
- My Book: Getting Pregnant with PCOS
Links to our programs:
- The PCOS Protocol
- Eggducated
When were you diagnosed with PCOS? Was it a few months ago? A couple of years ago? Two decades ago? Regardless of your age when you were diagnosed with PCOS, the whole situation was probably all a bit confusing.
Questions, blood tests, maybe ultrasounds, explaining your symptoms a million times, hearing ‘mild’ or ‘severe’ PCOS thrown around, you hear ‘string of pearls’ being said but when it comes down to it, your doctor just tells you go on the Pill, lose weight (if they deem you overweight) and come back when you want to get pregnant. And then they kind of just leave you to it.
Uhhh what?! Yeah I know how you feel. I was just as lost when I got diagnosed but I don’t want you to be!
Getting a PCOS diagnosis should be a diagnosis of exclusion. This means that other possible causes for your symptoms have been ruled out. Then you should be diagnosed against the Rotterdam Criteria (of which you need at least 2 out of 3 of the hallmarks of PCOS). I’ve seen more and more women pop up in my emails and DMs saying they think they have PCOS but they aren’t sure how to go about getting diagnosed as well as women who don’t really understand their diagnosis and some who feel they don’t fit it all together.
In this episode of the podcast, my lovely colleague Sophia and I chat all about getting diagnosed with PCOS. We cover everything from understanding the difference between PCOS and polycystic ovaries, what’s considered excess body hair, how to ask your doctor to test you, what mild PCOS means, if you can have two root causes or if your root cause can change, the ‘string of pearls’ analogy and so much more! Regardless of if you’ve been diagnosed or not and where you are on your journey, this episode is a super important one to listen to.
This episode is for you if:
- You’ve just been diagnosed with PCOS
- Your doctor has told you that you have ‘mild’ PCOS
- The PCOS diagnosis you’ve been given doesn’t quite fit your symptoms
- You suspect you may have PCOS
- You don’t know your PCOS type
- PCOS types confuse you and you feel like you have all of them
Some things we cover in this episode:
- The Rotterdam Criteria
- What ‘mild’ PCOS means
- How to ask your doctor to check for PCOS
- Understanding your root cause and if you can have more than one
- What your doctor / ultrasound tech means when they say ‘string of pearls’
- Hypothalamic Amenorrhea
- Non-congenital adrenal hyperplasia (NCAH)
- Hypothyroidism
- The problem with the medical community and its hierarchy
Resources and References:
- 50: Could your thyroid function be contributing to your PCOS symptoms?
- 57: Why PCOS may not be the only thing causing your missing periods – and how to get your periods back
- Do you actually have NCAH and not PCOS?
- My Book: Getting Pregnant with PCOS
Links to our programs:
- The PCOS Protocol
- 1:1 consults with Clare
- Eggducated
Whether you were diagnosed with PCOS yesterday or 10 years ago, figuring out what works for managing your symptoms can be a relentless battle. It’s like moving in quicksand. No matter how much you do, you seem to get nowhere. If anything, your symptoms seem to get worse.
You’re tired (in a literal and emotional sense), you can’t seem to manage your weight, you’re working, managing your family, trying to get in a bit of socialising and me time, your gut now seems to be going haywire at everything, your sleep is awful, maybe your hair is thinning or you’re dealing with hirsutism too. All of this makes it hard to keep a brave face.
You’re trying your best but your PCOS feels like it’s ruling your life and it’s taking a toll on your mood and stress levels.
If you’re nodding your head to the above, you’ll definitely resonate with Charlotte’s story. After being diagnosed in her 30s, struggling with insulin resistance, gut health issues, fatigue and being a mum to her gorgeous 1 year old, trying to manage her PCOS felt virtually impossible. She didn’t know what was driving her PCOS and it felt like every system in her body just wasn’t working how it should. It’s no surprise that this really took a toll on Charlotte’s mood and mental health.
Struggling with these symptoms day after day without any resolution really sent her anxiety on a field day.
It wasn’t until she understood more about WHY her body was reacting how it was and started to tweak her lifestyle to match her root cause that the uphill battle started to feel more like a level playing field. Not only that, but she started to see changes in the symptoms she didn’t even know were connected like her gut health and realised how much of an impact these symptoms were having on her mood and energy. We forget how interconnected all of the systems in our bodies are.
As she put so perfectly in the episode, the more you fight with your PCOS the more exhausted you’ll get. PCOS is always going to be a part of your life, so why not work with her rather than constantly butting heads with her every damn day!
This episode is for you if:
- Bloating, abdominal pain and other GI symptoms are something you struggle with alongside your PCOS
- You think you may have or do have insulin resistance
- You have lean PCOS
- You’re postpartum
- You are planning on having another baby and are TTC
- You deal with mood swings
- Fatigue is a major symptom for you
Some things we cover in this episode:
- Gut health issues and what connection they may have to PCOS
- Anxiety and how it may be connected to your root cause
- How PCOS can change in the fourth trimester (postpartum)
- Dealing with multiple symptoms
- How to work with your PCOS rather than against it
- Getting pregnant with PCOS
- Energy, stress and fatigue
Resources and References:
- My Book: Getting Pregnant with PCOS
Links to our programs:
- The PCOS Protocol
- 1:1 consults with Clare
- Eggducated
After getting diagnosed with PCOS, you don’t really get much help with what to do next. What dietary changes do I need to make? Can I continue to exercise the same way? What about supplements? What about pregnancy? How do I fix these symptoms?
It’s no wonder so many of us wind up down a rabbit warren of trying different diets, exercising like there’s no tomorrow, buying hundreds of dollars worth of supplements and just end up generally exhausted because it seems like we’re just going around in circles and not really getting anywhere with our PCOS.
I know how damn frustrating it can be because I’ve been in that very same spot. I found myself on PCOS forums, facebook groups and hunting through Dr. Google for something that actually worked. I don’t think you need me to tell you - that sh*t is exhausting beyond belief!
So in this episode, my lovely colleague Sophia and I are going to chat through more of your questions! In this episode we’re covering off:
- General vitamins and minerals to take for PCOS
- Is it normal for your PCOS to not come back after pregnancy?
- Is it possible to have a different type of PCOS from my Mum and sister?
- Is hiking a good form of exercise for PCOS?
- Can you reverse hair loss?
- How can you tell your hair is regrowing?
So if you’ve been dealing with hair loss, are unsure of your root cause, don’t know where to start with supplements for PCOS or just want to make sure you’re on the right track when it comes to improving your PCOS, tune in and listen!
I hope these podcast episodes remind you that you aren’t alone in this journey and that you can get on top of these symptoms.
This episode is for you if:
- You aren’t sure which supplements to take
- Your PCOS seems to have disappeared / gotten better after pregnancy
- You’re not sure what your PCOS type is
- You aren’t sure if it’s possible to have a different type of PCOS from my Mum and sister
- You don’t know which exercise is best for PCOS
- You’re struggling with hair loss
- You want to know how to tell when your hair is regrowing after PCOS hair loss
Some things we cover in this episode:
- General vitamins and minerals for PCOS
- Pregnancy and PCOS
- Transitional PCOS
- PCOS types and genetics role in PCOS
- Hair loss in PCOS and how to know when it’s improving
Resources and References:
- 1: Treating the root cause
- 14: The big 3 of hair loss
- 15: Does hair ever grow back after hair loss?
- 18: More is not better when it comes to exercise
- My Book: Getting Pregnant with PCOS
Links to our programs:
- The PCOS Protocol
- 1:1 consults with Clare
- Eggducated
When you’re diagnosed with PCOS, you’re told that there’s not much you can do except go on the Pill and come back when you want to get pregnant. So when you do want to get pregnant, you go back to your doctor or OBGYN and they say those 5 words that you so don’t want to hear:
“Keep trying for a year” and then they’ll look into it afterwards (which is usually code for fertility drugs and treatment).
But what if you don’t want to wait a year? What if you want to get your body healthy, functioning well, you want to understand if and when you’re ovulating? What if you don’t want to have sex every day or every other day for the sake of trying to conceive (because that’s freakin’ exhausting!)? What if you’re doing ‘everything right’ and still not conceiving?
I’m here to tell you, you don’t have to wait. The year will pass regardless - so are you going to wait around not knowing what the root of the problem is or are you going to put yourself first for once and invest in understanding your cycles, your root cause and the changes you need to make to not only get pregnant, but have a healthy pregnancy.
That’s exactly what today’s guest did! Cindy, a Buffalo, New York native, had been trying for months to conceive and when nothing was happening, she expressed her concerns and was diagnosed with PCOS. But then what was she to do about that and getting pregnant? “just have to keep trying for a year and then we’ll look into it”.
Cindy didn’t want to wait around for a year. COVID lockdowns put a stop to her being able to do much in terms of seeing other fertility specialists, so being the do-er that she is, she took matters into her own hands and dove into The PCOS Protocol to understand her root cause and her cycles to figure out what was stopping her and her husband from conceiving.
As you’ll hear in the episode Cindy conceived a month before they were supposed to go in to see the fertility specialists for treatment and is 36 weeks at the time of recording. Helping couples conceive never loses its excitement if I’m being honest!
And it’s so possible. PCOS doesn’t equal infertility, it’s a condition of ‘sub-fertility’. What we need to do is figure out what isn’t quite working so that we can implement changes to fix that and ultimately help you have a happy, healthy pregnancy and baby.
I’m suuuuper excited to share this episode with you. If you’ve been trying to conceive, you’re dealing with continuing and rapid weight gain and you actually want to have energy to get through the day, you’re going to love this episode.
This episode is for you if:
- You’re trying to conceive and struggling
- You don’t want to wait for a whole year of trying to conceive
- You don’t really want to do fertility treatment
- You have insulin resistance or think you might
- Your cycles are irregular
- You want to work on your root cause while doing fertility treatment
- You don’t sleep well and you’re always tired
Some things we cover in this episode:
- How stress can impact your PCOS
- Fertility, progesterone and tracking your cycle
- Why you don’t have to just keep trying for a year
- Why OPKs don’t work
- Sleep issues and your root cause
- Working on your root cause while doing fertility treatment
Resources and References:
- 20: Pregnancy complications with PCOS – what you need to know to manage your risk
- My Book: Getting Pregnant with PCOS
Links to our programs:
A question I get a lot is “can you actually have insulin resistance if your test results have come back normal?”.
A lot of you have suspected insulin may be driving your PCOS and requested blood work from your doctor, only to find that everything is normal - and they won’t order anything else. So you’re stumped as to what your next step should be and you’ve got all these awful symptoms but you’re not sure why.
“What the heck do I do now? I don’t understand what my root cause could be. I feel like I fit all of them…”
PCOS is a complicated beast, which is why it’s so important to work with someone who knows about all of the nuances that come with having it.
Because I know so many of you are confused about your PCOS and have questions like the one above, I’ve done a Q&A podcast answering some of your questions!
I know, it’s a bit late this week because a) you guys had soooo many questions (I’m going to have to do a part 2!) and b) I’ve just moved house! If you know you know, it’s chaotic to say the least.
In this podcast, I sit down with my lovely colleague Sophia and we talk through some of your burning questions about PCOS that we got the other week. We talk about everything from the question above to BMR and PCOS, the Pill to Orlistat, endometriosis to stress and ovulation pain.
It’s a jam packed episode with lots of great tidbits on not only all the science-y information you know and love from the podcast but also some great actionable tips. So even if you’re not worried about insulin resistance, it’s definitely worth a listen!
This episode is for you if:
- Your tests have come back normal and your doctor won’t order anything else
- You’ve just been pushed to go on the Pill and lose weight for your PCOS
- You think you might have endometriosis
- Weight loss is a goal for you
- You keep gaining weight, particularly around your midsection
- Weight gain doesn’t seem to stop even when you’re exercising 6 times a week and eating in a severe calorie deficit
- You take Yasmin
- Your stress levels are high and you want to know how to manage them better
Some things we cover in this episode:
- Endometriosis
- Stress
- Your BMR and PCOS
- Calorie deficits and intense exercise
- Why the calorie equation isn’t the be all end all
- Orlistat
- Pain, PCOS and ovulation
Resources and References:
- “What’s the difference between an ovarian cyst and polycystic ovaries?” Instagram post
- 10: Part 1: Why period pain is not a symptom of PCOS and all things Endometriosis with Dr. Lara Briden
- 11: Part 2: PCOS and Endometriosis with Dr Lara Briden
- 38: The long term effects of not addressing our insulin resistance with Professor Grant Schofield
- 44: Your Guide to Birth Control (Part 1): Hormonal Birth Control
- 45: Your Guide to Birth Control (Part 2): Non-Hormonal Birth Control
- My Book: Getting Pregnant with PCOS
Links to our programs:
- The PCOS Protocol
- Eggducated
What should a normal period actually look like?
Irregular periods and long cycles are pretty typical in PCOS - in fact, it’s one of the three criteria your doctor or OBGYN will consider when deciding whether you fit the diagnosis.
While some women with PCOS have perfectly regular periods, that’s unfortunately not the reality for many women dealing with PCOS.
As a good friend of mine, Lara Briden, puts it:
Your period is like a monthly report card about your health.So how do you know if your period is “normal” or not? How do you know if you’re getting a ‘good grade’ on that monthly report card from your body? Maybe you’re dealing with long cycles or short cycles or random bleeding. Maybe you think your periods are too light or too heavy or your ‘period’ has lasted multiple weeks or months.
Whatever the reason, it’s important to understand what’s normal so you can accurately troubleshoot why your cycle is looking the way it is OR you can be assured that your cycle is working as it should.
Hence today’s episode being all about what a normal period should look like - and a starting point with where to get help if your period doesn’t look quite right.
I hope this podcast today helps you get started on your journey of improving your periods - because they’re so darn important!
This episode is for you if:
- Your periods are irregular
- You don’t know if the amount of days of bleeding in your cycle is normal
- Your periods are longer than 7 days or shorter than 2 days
- You can’t tell if the flow counts as a period or not
- Coming off the Pill, you aren’t sure if your periods are normal or not
- You want to know if your bleeding is a ‘normal’ amount for a heavy flow or if it’s something you should be concerned about
- You soak through pads / tampons within 1-2hrs
- You are thinking of coming off hormonal birth control and want to know what your period should ideally look like
Some things we cover in this episode:
- Cycle length and period length (two different things!)
- How to tell if it’s spotting or an actual flow
- Amenorrhea
- Heavy bleeding - when you should be concerned
- Endometriosis
- Intermenstrual bleeding
- Ovulating - why it’s important
Resources and References:
- Lara’s book: Period Repair Manual
- My Book: Getting Pregnant with PCOS
Links to our programs:
- The PCOS Protocol
- Eggducated
You’ll remember last week on the podcast I spoke about all things SIBO (small intestinal bacterial overgrowth) related. You may have been thinking, “I wonder if I have SIBO as well as PCOS?”.
Like PCOS, SIBO is one of those conditions that’s hard to get most doctors to take seriously. But it’s a very real condition - and you don’t have to put up with it.
I had so many of you reach out to tell me that you hadn’t heard of it before, you have symptoms of SIBO and you’ve thought you just have to live with those symptoms! You also had lots of questions around what it’s actually like to have SIBO, the risk factors that contribute to getting it and what it can impact.
I think you’ll find this episode extremely helpful and inspiring, because it really encapsulates what I always say about advocating for your health - because you know when something’s not quite right in your body. Whether that’s PCOS or gut issues like SIBO.
Luckily, I haven’t had to struggle with SIBO myself, but a few of my patients have been dealing with it. Which is why I’ve brought on the lovely Alex from The PCOS Protocol to speak more about her journey with PCOS and SIBO, how her weight loss surgery could have impacted her gut microbiome and contributed to SIBO, her struggles with weight, insulin issues as well as her cycle irregularity, getting ovulating again and pregnancy with PCOS and gut issues.
While it’s all well and good to have me talk about SIBO from a more clinical perspective, what’s it actually like to have it? What other risk factors are there for getting SIBO? What is the process actually like of seeing doctors, gastroenterologists, naturopaths to get a treatment plan in place? How do you know whether that’s the right plan for you?
That’s why I think it’s so important to bring on someone who’s actually dealing with both PCOS and SIBO, like Alex. You’ll know from listening to these podcasts already that hearing someone else’s story can really prompt you to make the next move in improving your own health. So I had to share Alex’s amazing journey with you all.
Got a SIBO diagnosis but don’t know what next steps to take? Wondering what could impact your risk of getting SIBO?
This episode is for you if:
- You’ve been diagnosed with IBS
- You have had a gastric bypass / sleeve / band
- Everything you eat makes your stomach hurt
- You have irregular periods
- Your nutrient levels are low
- You’re always tired
- Weight has been an issue for you for a while
- You deal with constipation or diarrhoea
- Your stools consistency and frequency changes regularly
- You never feel like you’ve fully evacuated your bowel
- Standard IBS treatments like low FODMAP haven’t made a huge impact on your gut symptoms
Some things we cover in this episode:
- Alex’s PCOS story
- SIBO and gastric surgery
- Alex’s SIBO journey
- Advocating for your health with your doctors
- SIBO symptoms
- Stress and SIBO
- Ovulation, periods and pregnancy with PCOS
Resources and References:
- Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth syndrome
- Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth: A Comprehensive Review
- Leaky gut and autoimmune diseases
- My Book: Getting Pregnant with PCOS
Links to our programs:
- The PCOS Protocol
Got gut issues as well as PCOS? PCOS and IBS are similar in that IBS is not a single disease with a single cause. Rather, it’s a syndrome — a collection of signs and symptoms — that has multiple possible causes.
Maybe you've been tested for coeliac - negative. You've done low FODMAP - it didn't work. You've tried cutting various things out - no real change in your symptoms. You've done a colonoscopy and/or gastroscopy and they said everything looks spic and span, no sign of IBD, polyps or anything sinister like cancer.
Your doctor has taken all of this info and thought, “well looks like it's just IBS”. And that's kind of where they leave you to figure it out. But the only real treatments they suggest are that low FODMAP diet (which you may have already done) and reducing stress (which you're already doing), so you're kind of at a dead end with what to do next. I hear you! It's a common issue - some of my patients and staff have been where you are!
What your doctor might not have told you about (because they may not know enough about it / have the time to explain it all) is something called SIBO (Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth). This could be what’s causing those IBS symptoms for you.
It's pretty much the presence of excessive bacteria in the small intestine - it shouldn't live there and ends up giving you nasty symptoms like abdominal pain, bloating, abdominal distention, constipation and/or diarrhoea, gas (ie burping and farting), fatigue, brain fog, muscle aches / pain / weakness, halitosis (bad breath), B12 deficiency and in some more advanced cases, it can impact your absorption — leading to nutrient deficiencies.
Because this is a concern I see coming up more and more in patients, those around me and in my DMs too, I thought it was about time I did a podcast talking all about it so you can learn a bit more about it!
I'm going to talk about everything you need to know about SIBO in today's episode. If you've been dealing with IBS symptoms and not been getting anywhere, this is one you'll definitely want to plug in and listen to!
This episode is for you if:
- You’ve been diagnosed with IBS
- Everything you eat makes your stomach hurt
- Your nutrient levels are low
- You can’t pinpoint trigger foods that set your gut off
- You’re always tired
- You deal with constipation or diarrhoea
- Your stools consistency and frequency changes regularly
- You never feel like you’ve fully evacuated your bowel
- Standard IBS treatments like low FODMAP haven’t made a huge impact on your gut symptoms
Some things we cover in this episode:
- What SIBO actually is
- How many people have it
- Why it’s a large contributor to IBS
- What causes SIBO
- SIBO symptoms
- What damage does it do (other than IBS)?
- How to diagnose and treat
- Stress, SIBO and IBS
Resources and References:
- Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth syndrome
- Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth: A Comprehensive Review
- Leaky gut and autoimmune diseases
- My Book: Getting Pregnant with PCOS
Links to our programs:
- The PCOS Protocol
- Eggducated
The pandemic meant a lot of us were not able to do the things we'd planned. For many women who have PCOS, it meant that their fertility treatment was put on hold. Something they've been waiting for and working towards, shut down and stopped until further notice - virtually overnight. Now for many women, the TTC journey with PCOS is a long, exhausting one so this kind of news is devastating.
This is exactly what happened to one of my patients from the Protocol - Sim. The day before she was supposed to go in and start her fertility treatment, COVID shut everything down. It felt like everything was working against her.
As a high achieving female who also worked in healthcare, Sim was already living a healthy lifestyle yet her fertility, weight, sugar cravings and energy levels weren’t budging, if anything they were going more haywire.
It’s not like she was eating McDonald’s 3 times a day, so how was nothing improving? Well, not everyone who has issues with insulin resistance and eventually develops Type 2 Diabetes is eating McDonalds and laying on the couch all day.
It’s something I see often - women living a healthy lifestyle by the books but still not getting anywhere.
The thing is, while you’re living a ‘healthy lifestyle’, these guidelines may not quite be healthy for you.
What seemed like a huge roadblock in her TTC journey ended up being a blessing in disguise because she learnt she could ovulate on her own and feel better overall by understanding her root cause - and ultimately 6 weeks into the changes her cycles started to regulate and she was able to conceive earlier this year!
Because I knew so many of you are TTC with PCOS, are living a healthy lifestyle already and would resonate with her journey, I wanted to bring her on to speak more about her PCOS journey.
This episode is for you if:
- You are already living a healthy lifestyle but still not seeing improvements in your symptoms
- You’re trying to get pregnant with PCOS
- COVID has meant your fertility journey has been altered / not gone to plan
- You have sugar cravings and hangry attacks
- Losing weight is a struggle for you
- You’re always tired and lack energy
- You aren’t (or don’t think) you’re ovulating
- You want to know more about your cycle and how to get pregnant with PCOS
Some things we cover in this episode:
- Why PCOS can impact ovulation and our cycles
- The importance of ‘doing less’ in order to improve your PCOS
- Why the scale shouldn’t be your go-to for weight loss
- Why healthy is relative to YOU
Resources and References:
- My Book: Getting Pregnant with PCOS
- Episode 8
- Episode 16
- Episode 20
- Episode 30
Links to our programs:
- The PCOS Protocol
- Eggducated
Been told you have to go low fat by your doctor for your cholesterol but high fat by your nutritionist / dietitian for your insulin resistant PCOS? Trying to make sense of all of the information out there on cholesterol? Hoping that you can still eat eggs?!
You may remember a few episodes ago, I spoke to Dr Simon Thornley all about cholesterol. When I say the response I got was overwhelming, oh my gosh! I got so many DMs about what you’ve been told by doctors about cholesterol.
I’m going to be honest, I’m still a bit shocked that a lot of the research hasn’t filtered through yet. For example, the advice in most parts of the world is to go on a low-fat diet if you have high LDL cholesterol. However this isn’t actually evidence based. And as many of us with PCOS have a degree of insulin resistance, getting this advice - which is virtually opposite to what we’re told to do for our insulin resistance - makes things all the more confusing.
Because of the difference between what you’ve been told and what the research has shown (which I touched on in that previous episode), I got a raft of DMs with questions about cholesterol and PCOS. In today’s episode of The PCOS Nutritionist Podcast, I wanted to go through the most frequently asked questions to help you make sense of all of the information out there.
Because let’s be honest, it’s pretty darn confusing to know what to believe!
So, What are the key markers we need to be looking at? What markers should we actually be worried about? How does insulin resistance and PCOS actually lead to having too much ‘bad’ cholesterol and not enough ‘good’ cholesterol? What foods actually make a difference to cholesterol?
And do we really need to avoid eggs?! A question I get time and time again because the information out there is so conflicting.
So if you listened to that episode and still had a whole lot of burning questions about PCOS and cholesterol, this episode is one you’re definitely going to want to hop on and listen to.
This episode is for you if:
- You’ve been told that you can’t have eggs - or certainly no more than 1 a day
- You don’t have high cholesterol now but you’re now worried you’ll be at risk of developing it
- You’re feeling confused because the advice for PCOS seems to be the opposite of what your doctor is telling you to do for your cholesterol
- You want to know what the deal is with heart disease risk, cholesterol and PCOS
- You heard me mention ApoA-I, ApoC-I, and LP(a) in the last podcast and want more information on what these mean and why they’re important for women with PCOS
- Your thyroid is out of whack
- You want to understand a bit about what cholesterol is and what specific markers you need to know about
Some things we cover in this episode:
- Why triglycerides and Lp(a) are really key when it comes to PCOS and cholesterol
- ApoA-I, ApoC-I, and Lp(a) abnormalities in PCOS
- What the other potential causes of cholesterol issues in PCOS are
- Risks of cholesterol issues and PCOS
- Thyroid, cholesterol and PCOS
- Cholesterol and Heart Disease Risk
- Can you talk more about Eggs, I’ve been told I shouldn’t have eggs, or certainly no more than 1 a day. Is this correct?
- What foods do make a difference
Resources and References:
- My Book: Getting Pregnant with PCOS
Links to our programs:
- The PCOS Protocol
- Eggducated
If you’re anything like me, you were diagnosed with PCOS in your teens or twenties - struggling with irregular periods among other symptoms. But what happens to our periods when we’re 35 and older? How do we know what’s actually normal and then how can we tell when we’re reaching perimenopause and menopause?
A huge misconception I hear fairly regularly is that PCOS becomes less of a problem as you get closer to your perimenopausal and menopausal years. Unfortunately, they aren’t our saving grace when it comes to symptoms. In fact, often I see it’s quite the opposite clinically when I’m working with patients.
This stage of your life, hormonally, is like a “second puberty”. Your hormones go absolutely haywire again as your body prepares for finishing those fertile years.
But like PCOS, perimenopause and menopause isn’t something that’s talked about much - what should you expect? We need to know what a normal period looks like first in order to be able to see the tell tale signs of perimenopause and menopause.
Given the release of her new book "Hormone Repair Manual: Every Woman's Guide to Healthy Hormones After 40”, I thought now was a great time to bring my good friend and colleague, Lara Briden back onto the podcast to talk all things periods when you’re 35 and older.
In this episode, we discuss firstly what a normal period looks like and then more about to expect when you’re approaching and in the throws of perimenopause and menopause - and of course, what you can do to help get through that “second puberty”. Knowing the signs and what to expect as you approach these years means you can be well equipped to handle the potential hormonal storm of PCOS, perimenopause and menopause.
This episode is for you if:
- You are 35 years old or over
- You’re starting to go through perimenopause or menopause
- You want to know how your PCOS will impact your journey through perimenopause and menopause
Some things we cover in this episode:
- What a normal period actually looks like
- Tell-tale signs of entering perimenopause
- HRT - is it good or bad for women with PCOS?
- Tools to help you manage this ‘second puberty’
Resources and References:
- Lara’s Book: Hormone Repair Manual: Every Woman's Guide to Healthy Hormones After 40
- Lara’s Website
- Lara’s Instagram
- My Book: Getting Pregnant with PCOS
- 29: Is menopause when my PCOS symptoms will get better?
- 44: Your Guide to Birth Control (Part 1): Hormonal Birth Control
- 45: Your Guide to Birth Control (Part 2): Non-Hormonal Birth Control
- 46: Your Guide to Birth Control (Part 3): Permanent Birth Control Procedures
Links to our programs:
- The PCOS Protocol
- Eggducated
Sleep is one of those universal foundations of our health. If you’re not prioritising that, it can really negate all of the work you're putting in in other aspects of your healthy lifestyle, like nutrition, exercise and supplementation. If we don’t have good sleep, all of the pillars of our health crumble.
With lockdowns happening (we’re currently in a short one to ensure we don’t have a massive resurgence of COVID), I find that’s not only a great time to learn more about your health but for me, it’s an opportunity for me to really hone in on my sleep. No early morning gym sessions, no post-work catch ups with friends, no packed social calendar, so no excuses when it comes to focusing on sleep.
But sleep isn’t as simple as just making sure you’re in bed for 8hrs. It’s hard to function when you feel like hot trash as it is, then add COVID lockdowns and it’s a recipe for stress! In this week’s episode of The PCOS Nutritionist Podcast, we’re once again diving into sleep but in this episode we’re covering all things insomnia, premenstrual insomnia, struggling to get to sleep and struggling to stay asleep. I see these quite a lot in the women I work with in The PCOS Protocol - wanting to improve their sleep but struggling to fall asleep and stay asleep. I know how you feel, my partner Scott is out like a light seconds after his head hits the pillow but I don’t have as much luck.
So if you’re over lying in bed trying your hardest to get to sleep (and not having much luck) or you find yourself awake at 2am wide awake and you’re like “omg! Why is my body doing this!? I’m going to be so tired tomorrow!” then you need to listen to this. Because there’s nothing worse than lying in bed not being able to sleep - whether its when you’re heading to bed or in the middle of the night - knowing that you’re going to feel like absolute trash in the morning but you. just. can’t. sleep.
So, regardless of your PCOS root cause, this one’s for you! You might even want to listen to this while you prep your dinner in advance of your wind-down routine!
This episode is for you if:
- You find your ability to sleep changes with your cycle
- You struggle with insomnia
- You’re struggling to get to sleep at night
- You find yourself waking up in the middle of night
- You often find yourself waking up around 2/3am many nights
- You want some more information on what you can do for a better night’s sleep
Some things we cover in this episode:
- The interaction between your stress hormones and your sleep hormones
- Using light too late into the evening - and not just blue light either
- Insulin, blood glucose and sleep
- PMS, PMDD and sleep
- Tracking patterns of your cycle and your sleep
- Why sleeping pills and alcohol aren’t the answer to insomnia.
Resources and References:
- Podcast Episode 36: Can lack of sleep have a negative effect on my PCOS symptoms?
- Podcast Episode 55: How to know if you have to break up with caffeine (in my case, again)
- Podcast Episode 65: What booze is really doing to your PCOS symptoms (and how to balance this over the festive season)
- Podcast Episode 68: All about Progesterone: why it may be low, why it’s important and how to improve your levels with Dr. Samina Mitha
- 70: Why you’re still waking up feeling like hot trash after a good nights’ sleep
- Book: Why We Sleep by Matthew Walker
Sleep is one of those universal foundations of our health. It’s like a good sunscreen in your skincare routine - if you’re not prioritising that, it can really negate all of the work you're putting in in other aspects of your healthy lifestyle, like nutrition, exercise and supplementation. If we don’t have good sleep, all of the pillars of our health crumble.
With lockdowns happening (we’re currently in a short one to ensure we don’t have a massive resurgence of COVID), I find that’s not only a great time to learn more about your health but for me, it’s an opportunity for me to really hone in on my sleep. No early morning gym sessions, no post-work catch ups with friends, no packed social calendar, so no excuses when it comes to focusing on sleep.
But sleep isn’t as simple as just making sure you’re in bed for 8hrs. If you read the title of this email and thought “that’s me!” then you’ll know exactly what I mean. It’s hard to function when you feel like hot trash as it is, then add COVID lockdowns and it’s a recipe for stress! So why, if you’re getting your ‘8 hours’ of sleep a night, are you feeling like a flaming pile of hot trash?
If you’re feeling less than flash and you’re wondering how the heck this is even possible because you’re sleeping 8 hours a night, then you’re going to love this week’s episode of The PCOS Nutritionist Podcast. Today, I’m diving into sleep, the sleep stages and their importance and one of the main sleep problems I see with women I work with - sleeping 8 hours but still feeling like they’ve been hit by a bus upon waking.
So, regardless of your PCOS root cause, this one’s for you! You might even want to listen to this while you prep your dinner in advance of your wind-down routine!
This episode is for you if:
- You get 8 hours but still feel like hot trash the next morning
- You want some more information on what you can do for a better night’s sleep
Some things we cover in this episode:
- What good sleep consists of
- Why sleep is so much more important than you realise
- Alcohol and sleep
- Sleep stages
- Cortisol and sleep
- Hacks to a better sleep
Resources and References:
- My Book: Getting Pregnant with PCOS
- Podcast Episode 36
- Podcast Episode 65
- Book: Why We Sleep by Matthew Walker
Links to our programs:
- The PCOS Protocol
- Eggducated
Do you have kids that are picky eaters and just don’t want to eat anything you put in front of them? Do you find you’re a similar way about foods? Working on improving your nutrition for your PCOS and want to introduce your child to more variety in their food?
The reason may be the associations you had around food as an infant, toddler and child. If you’re TTC, pregnant or have little ones, you may have heard the hype about baby led weaning (BLW) in the last few years. At the end of last year, the lovely Edwena Kennedy from My Little Eater reached out to me wanting to talk about all things PCOS, postpartum and BLW. Since I’m not a mother, it’s something I wasn’t the expert on, so we ended up chatting!
Edwena is a registered paediatric dietitian from Nova Scotia who founded My Little Eater as a simple, straightforward way for parents to get the information, guidance and support they need to take their child along the entire feeding journey in the healthiest way possible. She’s also a mother herself and also has PCOS - so she knows how it feels to want to help her children avoid potential metabolic issues in the future without falling into disordered patterns.
Not only was chatting with Edwena so interesting but after talking about BLW with her, it really pulls together some of the reasons why we may have trouble with our associations with food, picky eating and comfort foods later in life. In this episode, Edwena and I speak about her PCOS journey, how she got into paediatric nutrition and BLW, hunger and satiety cues, positive exposure and avoiding pressure in food situations, what the research shows on BLW versus traditional feeding, what impact that has on your children’s eating habits going forward - and potentially habits into adulthood.
This episode is not only interesting for those of you with children but also in general to understand where our associations with picky eating and comfort foods come from, so I’d really encourage you to listen!
This episode is for you if:
- You have an infant or young child
- You’re pregnant or TTC
- You’ve found you have pretty picky eating tendencies yourself and want to understand a bit more about one of the potential contributing factors
- You don’t your current / past relationship with food to impact your child’s relationship with food
- You want to expose your children to some of the same foods you’re eating and good habits in a safe, effective way
Some things we cover in this episode:
- Edwena’s background in nutrition, paediatric dietetics and how she got into the work she does today
- Edwena’s own PCOS journey
- What is Baby Led Weaning (BLW)?
- How does BLW differ from traditional weaning?
- Why BLW is so effective in reducing picky eating and improving nutritional outcomes
- Hunger and satiety cues
- How research is starting to show that BLW can improve rates of childhood obesity
- Positive exposure
- Avoiding pressure in their interactions with food
- What to do if your child is a picky eater but older (ie. 5-8+)
Resources and References:
- My Book: Getting Pregnant with PCOS
- Edwena’s website
- Edwena’s Instagram
- Edwena’s Facebook
- My Little Eaters Courses
Links to our programs:
- The PCOS Protocol
- Eggducated
Long cycles? Anovulatory cycles? Heavy periods? Trouble sleeping in the lead up to your period? Recurrent miscarriages? Spotting? These all have one thing in common - they may be caused by low progesterone.
This cheeky little hormone starts to rise in the second half of your cycle and is so so important for your health. Progesterone is very important for so much beyond just your cycle - think bone health, musculoskeletal, immune, reducing inflammation, improving mood and painful, heavy or missing periods.
A lot of women with PCOS deal with low progesterone levels - and the annoying side effects that come with that. One of the main reasons is because you MUST ovulate in order to produce progesterone. Your doctor may have tested you on Day 21 of your cycle and said you don’t have anything to worry about or they’ve given you some progestin to use - but there are some pitfalls here.
On today’s episode, I speak with the amazing Dr. Samina Mitha, ND about everything you need to know about Progesterone. We talk through what it is, how its produced, common symptoms of low progesterone, why it’s important for your health, how it may be impacting your PCOS, why ovulation is a big part of this conversation, progestin v micronized progesterone and so much more.
If you resonate with any of the symptoms I listed above, this is an episode you need to listen to!
This episode is for you if:
- You have heavy periods
- You have painful periods or endometriosis
- You get spotting
- You have hypothalamic amenorrhea
- You have anovulatory cycles
- You have insomnia or don’t sleep well leading up to when your period is due
- You get bad PMS symptoms
- You have long cycles
- You have a short luteal phase
Some things we cover in this episode:
- Natural ways to support progesterone
- Why progesterone is so important for your overall health and when TTC
- Cyclical progesterone therapy
- Provera (synthetic/utrogestan) vs. Prometrium (micronized progesterone)
- When to test progesterone
- Why your doctor may not prescribe micronised progesterone
Resources and References:
- My Book: Getting Pregnant with PCOS
- Dr. Samina’s website
- Dr. Samina’s Instagram
- Cyclical Progesterone Therapy
- Dr Jerrilyn Prior
Links to our programs:
- The PCOS Protocol
- Eggducated
I’m back with my first episode of The PCOS Nutritionist Podcast for 2021! For this first episode back in the new year, I have a super juicy episode for you all.
I know a lot of you either with children already or planning to have children are concerned about how your predisposition to insulin resistance (which roughly 80% of women with PCOS have) will affect your children’s health now and going forward.
It’s hard enough as it is working on your own insulin resistance but how do you even start to approach your children’s nutrition? Getting children on board with picking vegetables over cheerios cereal, sweet snack packs and ice cream is no easy task - I have so much respect for you mamas out there!
It may seem overwhelming to make changes to your children's nutrition, particularly if they’re wedded to a sugary cereal and juice in the morning and think vegetables “taste yucky”. So how do you approach making eating healthy, reducing (but not demonising) sugar and cooking a fun, exciting experience that you’re kids want to get involved in? And if you’ve got insulin resistance, how do you manage the potential genetic predisposition your children may also have without demonising foods, having ‘good’ and ‘bad’ foods and creating a disordered narrative around food?
Given that so many women with PCOS deal with insulin resistance, so many women also struggle with disordered eating (usually in part as a result of their PCOS symptoms) and having had women ask me about setting their children up with a healthy diet and narrative around food, I figured this episode would be the perfect episode to start the new year with!
Now, I’m no paediatric nutritionist and I don’t have any children myself, so I felt that it would be remiss of me to talk to this on my own. Luckily, I found myself in conversation at the end of last year with the wonderful Dr Emily Ventura, a researcher with a Masters in Public Health and PhD in Preventive Medicine at the University of Southern California, a nutrition educator, public health advocate, writer, cook and mother of two - who also has PCOS.
I thought she was the perfect person to speak all about the issue of managing your children’s nutritional health (without the disordered eating tendencies). And we all know that getting kids to eat well is often no easy feat - especially when it’s vegetables versus cake, crisps and sugary drinks.
We talk about all things paediatric nutrition, sugar, insulin resistance and provide you with some actionable tips that you can use with your family to make healthy eating fun and sustainable for both you and your little ones. Being both a mum and a researcher in pediatric nutrition, Emily has the perfect balance of knowledge and real-life experience to discuss this subject and I’m beyond excited for you all to hear this fascinating conversation!
This episode is for you if:
- Have insulin resistance
- Have children or are currently TTC
- You want to know more about how sugar affects your children’s health
- Your children struggle with mood swings
- You’re looking for tools to nourish your children without demonising or idolising foods
- You’re starting out with healthy eating and want some tips
Some things we cover in this episode:
- Emily’s journey with PCOS and background in pediatric nutrition
- How sugar can affect your children’s behaviour
- Making healthy eating and cooking fun for kids
- How to develop good eating patterns without demonising sugar
- How to expose your children to different types of foods
- How to stop your children getting on the sugarcoaster
- How much protein children need (by age)
Resources and References:
This episode will be my last podcast episode of 2020! I can’t believe we’re already at the end of the year - it’s been a looooong one to say the least!
Now you may remember that I released my book about a month ago (I know I keep talking about it, I’m still so excited!). I’ve had some really awesome feedback already but I know that many of you have had follow up questions - and some of you haven’t bought the book yet but have some questions about it!
The book covers all things from what PCOS actually is to actually getting pregnant with PCOS and everything in between! Getting pregnant with PCOS is not just a matter of having intercourse and hoping it happens. We need to make sure we tackle that root cause first and foremost but also we need to make sure that we have all of those ‘fertile ingredients’ there so we can actually get pregnant!
So if you’ve been thinking about getting the book or have it and have some follow up questions, definitely have a listen to this episode! The hard thing about a book is we can’t bounce information back and forth, so hopefully this episode can help to give you some further guidance. I’ll also be covering a few important things about The PCOS Protocol over the Christmas and new year period so be sure to listen for that if you've been thinking about joining us to work on your PCOS.
This episode is for you if:
- You’re actively / thinking of trying to conceive
- You are thinking of ordering my book
- You want to know whether the book covers general PCOS information that could be helpful for you
- You want to know about cycle tracking, OPKs, pregnancy complications, hormonal birth control and more
Some things we cover in this episode:
- Who the book is useful for
- What the book covers
- Charting your cycles
- Your fertile window
- What if your LH is low?
- Whether getting a period means if you’re ovulating
- Whether if you can have “severe” or “mild” pcos
- OPKs and why they don’t work for women with PCOS
- Hormonal Birth Control
- Insulin and your fertility
Resources and References:
- My Book: Getting Pregnant with PCOS
Links to our programs:
- The PCOS Protocol
- Eggducated
Office Christmas parties, gatherings over dinner and drinks, virtual festive wine nights over zoom with your girlfriends, your annual holiday dinner with your extended family, heading off to the beach to enjoy some cold drinks and sunshine, live music festivals with friends (for those of us here in NZ!).
Whatever way you’re planning to do this year to celebrate the holidays - whether it’s virtually or in person if you’re no longer in lockdown - there’s one thing that tends to find its way to all of these catch ups. Alcohol!
Given that it’s the kick off of the ‘silly season’ as us Kiwi’s call it, I figured it was the perfect time to talk about a topic a lot of you have been requesting - alcohol and PCOS. And I’m sorry going to have to be a bit of a Grinch… the long and short of it is that alcohol is very likely hindering your progress with improving your PCOS, rather than helping it. I mean, it’s not surprising - alcohol is a toxin!
I’m by no means saying I’m anti-alcohol. But I think, like anything, it’s important to be making an informed choice. That way you can understand HOW alcohol affects your PCOS, what types of alcohol are better than others if you decide to have a couple of drinks and whether or not it’s worth having a few drinks if it may mean you take longer to reach your goals, whether that be fertility, improving acne, stopping those hangry attacks or something else (hint: there’s no right or wrong answer here - it’s completely situational).
So if you’ve been wondering how alcohol affects your PCOS and how to navigate drinking and your PCOS over this festive season, this episode is a must listen!
This episode is for you if:
- You enjoy a glass or two of wine before bed
- You’re finding it hard not to lean on a bit of alcohol whilst in lockdown
- You fall asleep easily but always wake up tired
- You’re finding your sleep is quite fragmented
- You are insulin resistant
- You have trouble with inflammation and stress
- You find you often have a low mood
- You’re struggling to get pregnant
Some things we cover in this episode:
- How alcohol affects your sleep
- How alcohol affects your PCOS
- The relationship between alcohol, your liver and your insulin
- How alcohol before bed can affect your core body temperature and HR
- Alcohol and sleep disturbances
- Ordering my book: Getting Pregnant with PCOS
- Christmas / New Years shut down period for those planning to join The PCOS Protocol
Resources and References:
- My Book: Getting Pregnant with PCOS
- Effects of maternal and paternal alcohol consumption on the success rates of in vitro fertilisation and gamete intrafallopian transfer
- Habitual alcohol consumption associated with reduced semen quality and changes in reproductive hormones; a cross-sectional study among 1221 young Danish men
- The influence of ethanol and liver disease on sex hormones and hepatic oestrogen receptors in women
Links to our programs:
- The PCOS Protocol
- Eggducated
When you hear the words ‘pelvic floor dysfunction’ you probably think of women post-birth, working on getting their pelvic floor back to where it was before their little bub arrived. But if you think that’s as far as it goes, boooooooy are you missing the bigger picture!
Pelvic floor dysfunction doesn’t just happen to women after birth and it’s never too early or late to start working on your pelvic floor health. Working on your pelvic floor could help you get relief from bowel issues, help with endometriosis symptoms, help those awkward moments when you pee a little bit by accident (if you know you know), reduce painful sex and so much more.
Now I’m not a pelvic floor specialist, which is why I brought the wonderful Caitlin Day onto the podcast today to give us the DL on all things pelvic floor! Caitlin is a fellow kiwi and is just as passionate as I am about women’s health and is a highly skilled physiotherapist with a specialisation in pelvic floor physiotherapy - her other interests are sexual pain rehabilitation, post gynaecological surgery rehabilitation, helping women returning to sport after childbirth, chronic pain management such as endometriosis (which a lot of women with PCOS also have) and helping with bowel problems such as fecal incontinence or constipation.
We talk all about what is actually classed as the pelvic floor, what can happen if you don't have a strong enough pelvic floor, what happens to your pelvic floor during pregnancy and postnatally, what you can actually do about it and a whoooole lot more. It's never too late to be working on your pelvic floor - whether you're trying to get pregnant, postpartum or just wanting to improve your health generally.
This is the podcast you didn't know that you needed to hear - so pop in your headphones, go for a walk and listen to this awesome chat I had with Caitlin, I assure you you’ll learn a whole lot more than you’ve probably ever learned about the pelvic floor!
This episode is for you if:
- You’re pregnant
- You have Endometriosis
- You experience painful sex and/or periods
- You are trying to conceive
- You have insulin resistance
- Weight gain is one of your symptoms
- You’ve already given birth
- You always need to pee or you feel like you get light bladder leakage often
Some things we cover in this episode:
- What actually is the pelvic floor? Why is it so important?
- How weight can impact your pelvic floor
- Pregnancy and postpartum - what to expect when it comes to your pelvic floor
- Postpartum pelvic WOF
- How the pelvic floor can be damaged (and what you can do about it)
- Getting back into exercise after giving birth
- Overactive bladder, PCOS and the pelvic floor
- Insulin and the pelvic muscles
Resources and References:
- Caitlin’s Instagram (@thevaginaphysio)
- Caitlin’s practice (Unity Studios)
- Unity Studios Instagram
- My Book: Getting Pregnant with PCOS
Links to our programs:
- The PCOS Protocol
- Eggducated
Before I get into the podcast for this week (which has been slightly delayed due to me having virtually no voice!), I want to talk about my book - today is the official release date of “Getting Pregnant with PCOS”!
I’m beyond excited for you all to get your hands on it and read it. It’s been well over a year in the making - many late nights, a heap of research and editing, calls with the publisher and Amazon and lots of reviewing but it’s finally hitting the shelves!
The book is an evidence-based approach to treating the root causes of polycystic ovary syndrome and boosting your fertility. I cover everything you need to know about getting pregnant with PCOS and no, it’s not just talking about sex timing and ovulation.
That’s obviously included but I want you to not only conceive, but have the healthiest pregnancy possible - rather than just scraping by and spending most of that 9 months eating pickles from the jar because you’re too exhausted to go grab a fork! I go over everything from understanding PCOS and how it affects your fertility; my 5 step lifestyle plan for a healthy pregnancy, child and you as well as troubleshooting if after all of that you’re still struggling to conceive.
I’ve worked really hard to make sure this is a really informative - but not boring - read for you all that provides you with some general advice around getting pregnant with PCOS, so I hope you absolutely love it! You can purchase it here - anywhere that has amazon will have access to order it!
Now back to today’s podcast!
When it comes to fertility, I have the same stance as I do with birth control - it’s a very personal choice. There are so many things that influence our decision - especially on something as major as getting pregnant.
Regardless of what you choose, I want to make sure that you’re well informed on your options. Because when we’re informed about our options, we can have an educated discussion with specialists about what’s best for us. So in today’s episode, I’m going through medical fertility treatments so that you can understand a bit more about how these work so you can make an informed decision with your medical specialists and choose what’s best for YOU.
This episode is for you if:
- You’re trying to get pregnant but are struggling
- Medical fertility treatment is what you feel most comfortable doing to conceive but want to know your options
- You want to know more about fertility medications for PCOS
- You’re tossing up a couple of options and want some more information
- Your doctor has suggested that you do some kind of fertility treatment or take a medication to help and you want to know more before you agree to it
- You’ve spoken with your doctors about fertility treatment but you feel like they didn’t have enough time to run you through your options
Some things we cover in this episode:
- Common Fertility Medications: Letrozole, Clomid/Clomifene, Metformin, Gonadotropins, Progestin, Immune Modulating Medications
- Assisted Reproductive Treatments: Intrauterine Insemination (IUI), In-vitro Fertilisations (IVF)
- Surgery: Laparoscopic Ovarian Surgery (Ovarian Drilling), Bariatric Surgery
- My book “Getting Pregnant with PCOS” which goes into detail about both the natural and medical ways of getting pregnant with PCOS and my 5 step lifestyle guide to managing your PCOS
Resources and References:
- My Book: Getting Pregnant with PCOS
What if you've been told you’ve got PCOS and that you're going to struggle to conceive? But your doctor has told you not to worry because you can just get fertility treatment like Clomid. So you think “okay well I’ll just do that then.” Then you realize Clomid isn't just as easy as taking a pill and going on your way. It’s actually a really invasive hormone therapy, that makes you feel like hot trash. So you have to go back and continue to get scans to see how that follicle is growing but that’s no quick process. It takes a lot of time and when you're a very demanding job, you just can't pop out to get treatments willy-nilly.
Well, this is exactly what my guest today, Helena, had to deal with. She’s a lawyer, so her day-to-day is hectic enough as it is. She’d been told "It's fine, don’t worry - you’ll just have to use these fertility treatments." So she followed their advice but then was thinking "this doesn't work for me. I don't like this, I actually don't want to do this." So what do you then? What can you do if your doctors have told you this is the only way you’ll conceive but this doesn’t feel right for you? Surely there’s another way?
Well, this is where we can actually look at your cycles and ovulation, see what’s going on for you and getting you hormonally back on track to help you conceive. Getting pregnant naturally is so possible for many women with PCOS. It’s a common misconception that PCOS specifically makes you infertile and that you’ll have no hope of getting pregnant without help.
I can tell you from working with thousands of women that this isn’t the case, it’s all about really understanding what’s going on with your cycles and your root cause. So are you ovulating? How long are your cycles? What’s your LH:FSH ratio looking like? Do you know that root cause and are you making the right changes for your root cause?
There are so many things that we can look at and work on but it's not information you're going to get from your conventional doctor, because they just don't know how to do that. That's exactly what we do inside The PCOS Protocol and what I helped Helena do as well as helping her conceive. Because it really frustrates me when I hear that women have essentially been told that they have no choices here and that you need to take Clomid or do fertility treatments to get pregnant.
It’s so important that you make informed choices when it comes to something as major as fertility, rather than just blindly assuming that you’re on your last resort doing these treatments when really you aren’t.
I know that for a lot of you, trying to conceive starts out as an exciting process but you end up stressed, upset and frustrated because nothing seems to work and doctors say you’re never going to succeed at conceiving naturally. So I hope that by listening to Helena’s story, you can see that there is hope and that you don’t have to commit to these fertility treatments if they don’t feel right to you.
This episode is for you if:
- You’ve been told by doctors that you won’t be able to conceive naturally
- You want to know how to understand your cycles
- You’ve been on hormonal birth control for a while
- You work in a stressful industry or have a stressful job
Some things we cover in this episode:
- Using Clomid and my thoughts on its use
- The “ingredients” you need to conceive naturally
- Why PCOS doesn’t make you infertile
- Whether these fertility treatments are really your only option
- How to know whether fertility treatments or a natural approach is right for you
Resources and References:
- My Book: Getting Pregnant with PCOS
Links to our programs:
Your health is largely determined by your mother's health when you were in the womb, and similarly, you will determine the health of your child - not entirely - but to a great deal, by your health when you are pregnant. This is what's called the first 1000 days.
The first 1000 days of a baby's life starts from conception. Over the last few years, there's been a huge amount of research about how important that is in determining their health status throughout the rest of their life.
Now, if you’ve been listening for a while, you’ll know that this is really important in PCOS. One of the main reasons is because we know that babies that are exposed to much higher levels of insulin do tend to have some health issues later on in life. Given that 80% of women with PCOS have high insulin, it’s a freaaaakin’ massive component.
This is why I'm talking to a wonderful woman called Alexis Fletcher this week on the pod. She’s a qualified nutritionist and a midwife - and she’s absolutely brilliant! Funnily enough, I met Alexis by working with her as a client in the PCOS Protocol. She came to me with PCOS and her main concern was she wasn't ovulating as well as of course other symptoms. She wanted to get her ovulation in check even though she wasn't trying to conceive at that stage so that she would be in a good position to do so in the next few years and she wanted to stop the cycle of insulin resistance that had plagued her family.
She knew that if she could get her insulin down, it’d help reduce the possibility of her children becoming insulin resistant at a very early age. This is what was super inspiring about Alexis. Not only did she want to stop this cycle for her own health and for her babies but also it's led her into a career helping other women do the same thing!
She’s such a powerhouse of knowledge for all things pregnancy and postpartum - helping them with feeding, milk production issues (and how to know), sleep and all things that new moms need to know. That's why she started Blossom Baby Consulting, which is a fabulous business, helping many women with their young babies. In this episode, we talk all about the first 1000 days, PCOS pregnancy, postpartum questions, everything Alexis wants soon to be and new mothers to know - as well as her own journey with PCOS and pregnancy.
Managing your PCOS doesn’t stop through pregnancy and postpartum. You want to make sure you’re working on that root cause to not only improve your health but also for the health of your children.
Alexis and I talk all about this today and I talk all about this in my book “Getting Pregnant with PCOS”. It’s a must listen for all of you thinking of or actively trying to conceive - as well of those who want kids in the future.
This episode is for you if:
- You’re trying to conceive or planning to do so in the future
- You are currently pregnant
- You’re postpartum
- You have insulin resistance or think you might be insulin resistant
- You want to know what you should be aware of during pregnancy and post-partum with PCOS
Some things we cover in this episode:
- The first 1000 days - what you need to know
- Alexis’s PCOS story
- Breastfeeding, sleep and postpartum questions
- Getting pregnant with PCOS
Resources and References:
- Blossom Baby Consulting
- Alexis' Instagram
- My Book: Getting Pregnant with PCOS
Links to our programs:<&
When I talk to women about their cycles, I ask them “do you know if you’re ovulating?” and a lot of them say “well I’m getting a period, so yeah I would assume I am”. A common misconception is that if you get a bleed, you’re ovulating - which isn’t necessarily true.
Of course, with PCOS, it can be a bit more complicated. In PCOS, bleeding can be intermenstrual bleeding or as a result of an anovulatory cycle. So how do you know? Is my period actually a period or is it just spotting? How do I know if I’m actually ovulating, like what do I need to do to tell?
If you’ve been trying to conceive but have really been struggling to actually get pregnant, then this is an episode I would say you need to listen to - and this is exactly what I’m talking to Lisa Hendrickson-Jack about today. She is the author of The Fifth Vital Sign and she hosts the podcast Fertility Friday. She is a natural fertility educator and helps women understand their cycles.
So, as a trained teacher in natural fertility education myself, I really wanted to get Lisa on so that we could both have an educated conversation about why we think it is so important for all of you to be tracking some of the signs and symptoms of your menstrual cycle, to understand more when you are fertile in your cycle, when you’re ovulating, because you can do so much with that information.
You can use it to help you conceive. You can use it to help you identify if there’s any issues that might need further medical advice or medical treatment when there’s say irregular bleeding or irregular cervical mucus. In an area where so much seems out of your control, this is one thing that YOU can control yourself.
You can’t exactly go and get an ultrasound and in many cases you might not be able to get blood tests yourself. But this is one thing that you can control to understand what’s going on in your cycle and therefore from a fertility aspect, when you are actually fertile in order to conceive.
This episode is for you if:
- You’re actively trying to conceive
- You’re struggling to get pregnant naturally
- You want a more natural method of contraception
- You want to understand your cycle better
Some things we cover in this episode:
- How to actually understand when you’re ovulating
- Intermenstrual bleeding and how to know if it’s that or an actual period
- Fertility Awareness Method for conception and contraception
- Understanding cervical mucus and temperature tracking
Resources and References:
- Lisa’s Website
- Lisa’s Podcast
- Lisa’s Instagram
- Lisa’s Book
- My Book: Getting Pregnant with PCOS
Links to our programs:
- The PCOS Protocol
- Eggducated
If you've got PCOS, and you're not overweight, then you may have been told somewhere along the way that because you don't need to lose weight, there's nothing you can do to improve your PCOS, and that instead hormonal birth control or fertility treatments and drugs are going to be your only option.
That is not true. I have worked with hundreds of women who don't gain weight with PCOS, and yet changing the way that they eat and how they move and their supplements have had a dramatic effect, from them not getting a period at all for 750 days to suddenly within two months starting to get a regular period again. I'm often told that IVF is the only option to conceive completely naturally within three or four months.
Francesca is a really good example of this. You met her last week on the podcast. She was already leading a super healthy lifestyle. She was vegan. She was a dancer, performer, very active, and she had been told that fertility drugs would be her only option. She conceived naturally within a matter of months after changing her diet, tweaking it slightly, and understanding that her insulin was too high and that's why she needed to change her diet.
Sarah has also been another really good example. She was earlier on in the podcast in the earlier episodes and she was the same. She was always very lean, was told there was nothing really she could do to improve her symptoms because she didn't need to lose weight. Yet within just a few months of understanding that her insulin was too high and changing her diet ever so slightly, she was able to ovulate for the first time in years and fall pregnant on that first ovulation.
So in this episode, I explain what actually is lean PCOS. Does it even differ to normal PCOS or people that gain weight with PCOS? And if not, then what is actually the way that we should approach it?
Not to spoil anything, but you will learn that my approach is that I treat it exactly the same as I would someone gaining weight, because I would never say to someone, "You need to go away and lose weight" because that is just not... it is completely wrong. Instead, I'm trying to get to the root cause of that for them, which is the same thing I would do for someone with lean PCOS.
I don't just look at someone and say, "Well, you don't have insulin resistance because you're not overweight." I actually get them to get their insulin tested, and we then see. Because 75% of people with lean PCOS have insulin resistance. In actual fact, their kind of insulin resistance may even be more severe than those that gain weight with their insulin resistance.
So that's what we're talking about today in the podcast. So if you're lean and have PCOS, give it a listen because I know how little information there is out there for you in understanding what's actually going on inside your body.
This episode is for you if:
- You’ve struggled to get a PCOS diagnosis because you’re not ‘overweight’
- You want to know if insulin is still an issue even though you don’t have weight gain as a symptom
- Hangry attacks and sugar cravings are a symptom of yours
- You crash not too long after eating
- You know your insulin is high but don’t understand why you aren’t gaining weight with high insulin
- You want to know if Lean PCOS is normal
Some things we cover in this episode:
- What is Lean PCOS?
- How many women suffer from Lean PCOS
- What your doctor may have missed
- Reactive Hypoglycaemia and PCOS
- What is betatrophin and how it can be playing a role in your Lean PCOS
- Insulin and Lean PCOS
- What changes you should make for Lean PCOS
Resources and References:
- Lean diabetes mellitus: An emerging entity in the era of obesity
What happens if you have gone plant based for lots of different reasons - a lot of it being ethical reasons - and then you find out that it's not really working for your health and maintaining that way of eating along with making sure your health is in check is making your diet feel very restrictive? So you’re having this internal dilemma because you feel so strongly about the reasons why you chose to remove animal products.
Nutrition has become a hugely controversial topic now. Everyone eats, so everyone has an opinion on what diet is ‘best’, even if they have no tertiary level nutrition education whatsoever. Because there’s a lot of misinformation floating around now - especially around what way of eating is best for PCOS - it can become a bit of a minefield to navigate.
Everything I’ve described above is what today’s podcast guest, the lovely Francesca who I got to know in The PCOS Protocol, was dealing with. She was a devout vegan - for ethical, environmental and health reasons. Since she had become so much a part of the vegan community, being plant based really became a part of who she was. When she joined the Protocol, her main issue was infertility. During the time I was working with her, we found that her insulin wasn't functioning properly - her root cause. Her diet became very restrictive.
The only answer was to expand her diet and she started reintroducing some free range eggs. Now eating eggs again may seem like nothing to you but this is such a hard thing when it's not just about ‘eating eggs’ again. When you identify yourself with a way of eating, it often becomes your whole way of looking at the world, ethics and morals - it essentially becomes an extension of your identity. So when that has to shift, it becomes a very hard thing to manage. And that’s not just with moving away from a plant based diet, for you it may be that your a devout follower of keto but you actually need some carbohydrates in order to get your period back.
Everyone talks about going keto, vegan, vegetarian, paleo and so on but no one is really talking about becoming un-vegan, un-keto etc. If you do have to change your diet away from something you’ve been doing for so long, how would you go about that process?
This is why I really wanted to share Francesca’s story with you all on the podcast - so you can hear someone who’s done the hard yards and can give you some advice on how she approached this process.
This episode is for you if:
- You are a devout follower of a specific way of eating (whether that’s plant based, keto, paleo - whatever it is!)
- You’re struggling to choose between your ethics/morals and your health when it comes to food
- You don’t seem to be making any progress with symptoms even though you’re eating “healthy”
- Talking about your diet with anyone seems very stressful or causes lots of opinions and unsolicited advice
Some things we cover in this episode:
- Dealing with people’s opinions on how you choose to eat or changing the way your eating
- How diet can affect our PCOS, our cycles and ultimately our fertility
- Getting pregnant with PCOS
- How to figure out the best way to find balance between eating in a way that you believe in as well as eating in a way that’s physiologically best for YOU
- Changing your eating habits
- The stigma around being vegan or not being vegan
- How to approach conversations full of unsolicited diet advice (ugh)
- When a way of eating becomes your identity
- How to figure out what diet is best for you and your PCOS
Links to our programs:
- The PCOS Protocol
If you’ve been diagnosed with PCOS or you think you have it, you’ve almost inevitably fallen down the rabbit warren of trying to understand everything there is to know about PCOS. So you’ll definitely know that one of the three criteria used to diagnose PCOS is an irregular or completely absent period.
What you may not know is that PCOS may not be the only thing causing your period to go AWOL. You may have heard of it before or it might not have been on your radar - Hypothalamic Amenorrhea (HA).
Now you may be thinking “well great, I’ve already got PCOS which sucks but now I’ve potentially got something else wrong too?! Is the world out to get me?!” and let me tell you - I hear you, I’ve been in your shoes! But the positive here is that very often it is in fact curable by making lifestyle changes. There are a few things that could be causing you to develop Hypothalamic Amenorrhea - but a lot of them are generally within your control.
This podcast episode is solely about Hypothalamic Amenorrhea. I talk you through what is actually is, what the common causes are (which are in your control and which could be beyond your control), what to ask your doctor, anyone else I think you should be consulting about this, if genetics play a role in HA and what YOU can do to help get those monthly cycles back in action.
Periods give us a huuuuge amount of insight on what’s going on not only down there but also with our more general health.
So if the symptoms of Hypothalamic Amenorrhea resonate with you, you’re having trouble with your periods or you’re just interested in learning more about your cycles, plug in those headphones, get out for a walk or potter around the house and tune into this episode!
This episode is for you if:
- Your periods are irregular or missing all together
- You’ve just come off the Pill
- You have low or normal luteinising hormone and follicle stimulating hormone levels
- You have low oestrogen
- You’re an athlete
- You’re working out / training a lot (intentionally or unintentionally)
- You’re interested in nutrition and eating
- You have disordered eating tendencies - whether that mirrors under eating or binging and restricting cycles (intentionally or unintentionally)
- You think you have or have been diagnosed with RED-S
Some things we cover in this episode:
- Genetics and Hypothalamic Amenorrhea (HA)
- RED-S, HA and PCOS
- Being an athlete and menstruation
- Psychological stress and periods
- Body fat’s role in your cycle
- Exercise, Nutrition and how that affects your cycles
- Eating disorders, disordered eating, PCOS and HA
- The pathways that HA affects
Resources and References:
- A Genetic Basis for Functional Hypothalamic Amenorrhea
- Compartmentalised disciplines: Why low energy availability research calls for transdisciplinary approaches
- Resting metabolic rate prediction equations and the validity to assess energy deficiency in the athlete population
- My Book: Getting Pregnant with PCOS
Links to our programs:
- The PCOS Protocol
- Eggducated
I’m sure you’ve heard all about the gut microbiome but what about the vaginal microbiome? Everywhere that we have a bacteria, we have a microbiome, and the vagina is no exception! And like the gut microbiome, you need that balance of different bacteria in order to maintain good vaginal health.
We know that our microbiomes are really important and that we need certain strains and hopefully not any fungi or an imbalance of bad bacteria. But again like the gut, we’ve neglected the importance of the vaginal microbiome for some time, but I think we need to start talking about it.
So yeah - we’re going to be talking about down there! Like most female health issues, we don’t really talk about it enough but in this episode I decided to bring on the lovely (and extremely knowledgeable) Angela Heap, otherwise known as The Fertility Nutritionist! We’re talking about all things vaginal microbiome. We're going to be talking all about how the vaginal microbiome works, what lives there, what can make it go a little bit haywire, and how you can get it tested and how you can get things back on track.
Your vaginal microbiome as well as all things vulva and cycle related are such fantastic windows into our health, so it’s really important we start talking more about everything going on down there.
This episode is for you if:
- You’ve ever experienced issues down there like bacterial vaginosis, UTIs or thrush
- You’re actively trying to get pregnant or thinking of trying to conceive in the near future
- You’ve had or have gut issues
Some things we cover in this episode:
- What actually is the vaginal microbiome?
- How the vaginal microbiome actually works
- The different strains of bacteria down there - the good, the bad and the ugly
- How your vaginal microbiome affects your vagina’s health as well as your overall health
- How your vaginal microbiome affects your fertility
Resources and References:
- Association between polycystic ovary syndrome and the vaginal microbiome: A case‐control study
- Angela’s Instagram
- Angela’s website
- Angela’s email
Links to our programs:
- The PCOS Protocol
- Eggducated
Ok, so you’ve got a love-hate relationship with caffeine? You love the ritual of having a coffee in the morning, the taste and that burst of energy you get - but you hate the dreaded post coffee slump, the jitters it gives you and the fact that sometimes, you just end up frazzled without much energy at all after chugging down that cappuccino or flat white.
I hear you - I used to be a massive coffee fiend. Coffee and I were BFFs - but to be honest coffee wasn’t a great friend to me. About five years ago, I found out that I don’t do well with caffeine, at all. I'm a genetically very slow metaboliser of it and don't respond to it very well at all . My stress hormones get way too high and the result is that I have an awful sleep, feel like flaming trash when I wake up and by the time I reach the afternoon, I’m exhausted.
Sound like you? Maybe it’s time to understand more about caffeine and your relationship with that flat white (or two, or three) that you have throughout your day.
This podcast episode takes a deep dive into that - as someone who was dearly wedded to my morning coffee, I know how hard it is to break up with that little caffeinated devil! I dive into all things caffeine, as well as what the deal is with caffeine and PCOS, caffeine and pregnancy and so much more.
If you’re a current caffeine consumer or you’re thinking about joining the decaffeinated club - you need to listen to this episode! Even if it is with your morning coffee!
This episode is for you if:
- You’re a caffeine drinker in any capacity
- You get caffeine withdrawals
- You’re planning to stop drinking caffeine and want to know how to come off without feeling like hot trash
- You’re on hormonal birth control
Some things we cover in this episode:
- How your genetics determine the amount of coffee you can tolerate
- Medications and their impacts on caffeine metabolisation
- Stress, cortisol and caffeine (this one is massive, I’m sure you know!)
- Cigarettes and caffeine
- Caffeine and pregnancy
- How to actually reduce or remove caffeine - if that’s what you want to do!
Struggling with skin issues? Started dating someone new and don’t know how to bring up your PCOS? Struggling with actually implementing the 80/20 lifestyle? Struggling to change your exercise as someone who competes professionally? Thinking of coming off the Pill so you can start trying?
Well, luckily for you this week is a full Q&A style podcast - and I’m answering all of these questions! Yep, I’m back with the Q&A podcasts - now on a monthly basis so I can answer more of your burning questions!
I know the journey of understanding your PCOS, figuring out what lifestyle changes work for you and trying to manage your symptoms is stressful to say the least. I wish I had more resources when I was initially diagnosed and trying to figure out how to deal with my symptoms so you find this podcast useful.
This episode is for you if:
- You think you might have Hidradenitis Suppurativa (HS)
- You want some advice on how to treat HS
- You’re planning to get pregnant and you’re still on hormonal birth control
- Why timing ovulation is so important
- How long it can sometimes take for your cycle to regulate coming off the Pill
Some things we cover in this episode:
- What is Hidradenitis Suppurativa (HS)?
- What to expect when you’re coming off the Pill when you want to get pregnant
- Research on HS and treatment options for it (natural and medicinal)
- How to approach the conversation around PCOS and fertility when dating someone new
- Changing your exercise when you’re a competitive level sportswoman
- How I actually implement the 80/20 lifestyle when it comes to addressing my PCOS
Links to our programs:
- The PCOS Protocol
- Eggducated
The amount of times I’ve heard “my doctor said ‘You have PCOS. So you need to move more, eat less. To manage it, we’ll put you on the Pill and come back when you want to get pregnant” is literally outrageous.
Picture this, you’re leaving the doctor's office and they’ve just diagnosed you with PCOS. You’re still confused on what PCOS even means - so it’s a syndrome? Where did the cysts come from? Are they cancerous?! All they really told you was that you should go on the Pill until you want to start a family and of course to eat less and move more so that you can lose weight.
That’s exactly how today’s podcast guest, Danielle, started her PCOS journey - confused, annoyed and struggling to figure out what to do next since the doctor’s recommendations were exactly what she was already doing.
Her insulin resistance was getting so bad that she was pre-diabetic, was struggling with hair growth, acne and couldn’t shift weight that seemed to come on so quickly. A year and a half later, she’s 38kgs (26kgs in the first 6 months) down and has her other symptoms in remission. Not only that, she went from feeling fatigued and low to making it up to the summit of Mt Kinabalu - the highest mountain in South East Asia!
We talk all about weight (her struggles with it, how doctors view it and how she lost it) as well as her other symptoms, understanding her root cause and her advice to other women who are where she has been. It’s a goodie - even if weight hasn’t been a major symptom for you - it’s definitely worth a listen.
This episode is for you if:
- You struggle with weight gain and trying to shift weight
- You’re very active and eat healthily (so the weight gain doesn’t make sense)
- You’re on or have been on the oral contraceptive Pill
- Your symptoms seem to get worse during periods of stress
- You’re at college or live in college accommodation
- Your weight gain seemed to be really quick
- You didn’t get much explanation on what PCOS actually was when you got diagnosed
- You’ve been told to go on the Pill, lose weight, eat less and come back when you want to get pregnant
- You’re on Metformin
- You have depression/anxiety due to your PCOS
- You struggle with hair and acne
Some things we cover in this episode:
- Doctors attitudes towards PCOS
- Weight gain and PCOS
- Cambridge diet
- Appetite Suppressants
- Disordered eating, relationship with food and PCOS
- Walking and weight loss
- Why no exercise is bad for PCOS - but how to tell what’s right for you
Links to our programs:
- The PCOS Protocol
- Eggducated
You’re go-go-go all day with work, exercise, trying to make sure you’re eating well, getting children to and from school, asking your partner to grab groceries on the way home from work. By the time the day is over you’re absolutely knackered and sex is about the last thing you can be bothered with. Sound familiar?
Libido is something that’s often overlooked when it comes to our overall health because it’s not a life or death matter - but we deserve to have enjoyable sex rather than seeing it as a chore.
I don’t think it’s talked about enough when it comes to women’s health so in today’s podcast episode, I took a deep dive into libido - what’s considered ‘normal’, what can reduce your libido, whether there are any connections to PCOS and of course how to boost it!
This episode is for you if:
- Suffer from low libido / sex drive
- Are stressed often
- Are on hormonal contraceptives or other medications
- Have thyroid issues
Some things we cover in this episode:
- Medications and libido (the good and the bad)
- What’s considered normal in terms of libido
- Things that deplete your libido
- Conditions and their effect on libido
- How to increase libido (medical and natural methods)
- Why your root cause is so important when it comes to libido
Resources and References:
- Sexual dysfunction in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome and its affected domains
- Sexual Functioning and Depressive Symptoms in Women with Diabetes and Prediabetes Receiving Metformin Therapy: A Pilot Study
- Effects of Hypothyroidism and Subclinical Hypothyroidism on Sexual Function: A Meta-Analysis of Studies Using the Female Sexual Function
- Dehydroepiandrosterone and cortisol as markers of HPA axis dysregulation in women with low sexual desire
- Hypoactive Sexual Desire Disorder in Menopausal Women: A Survey of Western European Women
- Women's sexual experience during the menstrual cycle: identification of the sexual phase by noninvasive measurement of luteinizing hormone
- The effect of l-thyroxine treatment on sexual function and depressive symptoms in men with autoimmune hypothyroidism
- Sexual function and depressive symptoms in young women with hypothyroidism receiving levothyroxine/liothyronine combination therapy: a pilot study
- Comparison profiles of cycle control, side effects and sexual satisfaction of three hormonal contraceptives
Understanding your body and what different things - medicinal or natural - do to your body is not only very interesting but so important.
I’m not anti-medicine whatsoever, I think it definitely has a place in our medical system and that combining some of the really great pharmaceuticals we have at our disposal with tailored functional medicine and lifestyle changes is the way to go.
The reason I say this is because off the back of my podcast on hormonal birth control - and just in general - I’ve had a lot of questions about the impacts of the Pill and different symptoms associated with being on or coming off of the Pill.
I also get a lot of questions about whether there is a correlation between PCOS and a range of symptoms and deficiencies. One that has come up a fair bit recently is iron deficiency and PCOS. So in this episode, I’m talking addressing a bunch of questions relating to these topics that you submitted on Instagram:
- “When you stop taking the Pill, will cysts form right away?”
- “What’s the Pill actually doing to my body?”
- “Is there a correlation iron deficiency and PCOS? I already eat enough red meat”
- “Why has my period disappeared now that I’ve come off the Pill?”
- “I came off the Pill about a year ago and I’ve had bad back pain ever since - my physio and I are stumped”
Understanding your PCOS and your body in general is so liberating - so I hope this episode answers some questions for you and sets you off on your journey to feeling well again.
This episode is for you if:
- You’re on the Pill or have just come off the Pill
- You’re iron deficient or anaemic
- Your period has disappeared for no particular reason
- You get bad back pain and it’s only started since you’ve come off the Pill
Some things we cover in this episode:
- The difference between PCOS and ovarian cysts - no they aren’t the same!
- Why ovulation is so important
- Why most women with PCOS are put on the Pill
- Haemochromatosis
- What body systems can impact your vitamin and mineral levels
- Iron and the thyroid
- The Pill might have been covering up other issues that have lead to amenorrhea (loss of period)
- Endometriosis
Relevant Episodes:
- Your Guide to Birth Control (Part 1): Hormonal Birth Control
References and Resources:
- Endometriosis Quiz
Links to our programs:
- The PCOS Protocol
- Eggducated
Hangry attacks? Irregular periods? Weight gain? Doctors that seem to be sending you round in circles without any actual answers? Overflowing with stress? Type A person? Told to just go on the Pill until you want children and then to do IVF or IUI? Saying yes to all of these? Then this is a sign for you to take a step back and look at the big picture of your PCOS.
I’ve found from my personal experience with PCOS as well as working with other women that making changes to their lifestyle can seem really daunting - especially because often you’re already living a healthy lifestyle, you’re SO busy and doing literally everything you can to help your symptoms and it’s just not working.
It’s draining and debilitating. And as a Type A perfectionist kinda person, you just want a clean, tidy, quick regime that you follow so you can get rid of those symptoms and get back to your crazy busy life. Can it really be a quick couple of month blitz like this?
Not exactly. I spoke to Helen who I’ve had the pleasure of working with, about her PCOS and everything above. She’s like me - type A perfectionist, always on the go and just wants an effective and efficient solution to these PCOS symptoms that just seem to keep getting worse no matter what.
We chat a lot about this mindset and how it’s impacted our PCOS journeys as well as hangry attacks, stress, insulin, hard-to-shift weight gain, acne, pregnancy, postpartum and a whole lot more.
If you’re a Type A person and you’re just not getting anywhere with reversing your PCOS - you absolutely need to listen to this episode. You don’t have to run yourself into the ground trying to do this alone.
This episode is for you if:
- You have pretty bad acne as well as shaky, jittery, hangry attacks
- You’ve been told with your PCOS diagnosis that you’re fine but you’ll need some help getting pregnant
- You’re on the Pill or have been told that you ‘just need to go on the Pill’
- You’ve been told you should do IUI or IVF if you want to get pregnant
- You’ve never had one doctor who says you need to do “X”
- You’ve had recurrent yeast infections
- You have a Type A personality
- You feel like no one can help you
- You’ve had kids already or you don’t want kids
- You feel like your bucket is overflowing with stress
Some things we cover in this episode:
- Ovarian Hyperstimulation
- Changing your mindset when it comes to lifestyle changes for PCOS
- Is it stress or is it something related to your PCOS?
- Why a functional medicine perspective is so important for things like PCOS
- Insulin and hangry attacks
- Why you don’t have to be perfect and you don’t have to be going 100% all the time to be successful in resolving your PCOS symptoms
Links to our programs:
- The PCOS Protocol
- Eggducated
Our body systems don’t work in isolation - they’re all very intricately connected. So when one system is out of balance, there will almost always be impacts beyond that area of the body.
An area that’s often overlooked, but is hugely important in PCOS is the thyroid. In fact, there are a lot of symptoms that overlap between thyroid conditions and PCOS, which tends to lead doctors to over-diagnose PCOS.
Approximately 25% of women with PCOS also have a thyroid condition. It may present itself through a range of symptoms - anovulatory cycles, hair loss, slowed metabolism / weight gain, fatigue, low mood / depression, fatigue, muscle weakness, low temperature, high cholesterol, the list goes on. As you can see, the symptoms could very well sneak their way under a PCOS diagnosis.
Having your thyroid working optimally is not only key to feeling well, but is essential for our long term health as well as playing a huge role in fertility and having a healthy pregnancy.
Think of this episode as a starting guide to learning about your thyroid!
I discuss what the thyroid gland actually is and what it does, common symptoms that could tell us that your thyroid isn’t working optimally, where the overlap with PCOS is, diagnosis, how the thyroid affects PCOS, how it affects fertility, different thyroid markers (and their functional ranges compared to the standard lab range) and of course - what you can do to make sure your thyroid is operating optimally.
This episode is for you if:
- You’re trying to conceive
- You have a family history of thyroid issues
- You haven’t been formally diagnosed with any thyroid issues but you fit the bill symptomatically
- You’re always cold
- You struggle to lose weight
- Your cycles are irregular - either in length of bleeding or in how long a total cycle is for you
- You have a slow metabolism
- You have high cholesterol
- You deal with low mood, depression, fatigue and/or muscle weakness.
- Your TSH has come back normal - but you still have symptoms of thyroid issues
- You deal with unwanted hair growth or hair loss
Some things we cover in this episode:
- Hypothyroidism
- Hashimoto's Thyroiditis
- Symptoms of suboptimal thyroid function
- How symptoms of suboptimal thyroid function can mimic PCOS symptoms
- Having both suboptimal thyroid function as well as PCOS
- How thyroid conditions are diagnoses
- Why you can have symptoms but not have a diagnosis
- How the thyroid affects many parts of PCOS
- How the thyroid affects fertility
- What to do about it
Resources and References:
- Thyroid disorders in polycystic ovarian syndrome subjects: A tertiary hospital based cross-sectional study from Eastern India
Links to our programs:
- The PCOS Protocol
- Eggducated
Relevant Episodes:
- Season 4 Episode 7: Why am I always tired? 6 things that could be causing this
Weight is a massive issue for a lot of women with PCOS and is a concern that comes up a lot with the women I work with.
When you go to the doctor, they often suggest a few different options when it comes to PCOS and often it’s “well you just need to lose weight”, and you’re thinking “well I’m already doing spin 5-6 classes a week and dieting, I’m leading a healthy lifestyle, so what else could I possibly do?!”.
Often in this situation the topic of bariatric surgery starts to circulate. Bariatric surgery is a weight loss surgery that involves altering the gastrointestinal tract.
So you’ve got PCOS and that nasty stubborn weight gain that often comes with it and you feel completely defeated - is bariatric surgery your best bet?
It’s a serious and expensive surgery, so it’s important to really understand what this will mean for you and to work with the right specialists to make this decision a well informed one.
While I’m definitely no expert on surgery, PCOS is my area of expertise so I talk about bariatric surgery in terms of how it can help and hinder PCOS.
In this episode, I share the pros and cons, the research and the potential long term implications so that you’ve got a starting point to see whether this procedure is right for you and your PCOS journey.
This episode is for you if:
- You have had bariatric surgery, you’ve been told it’s an option or you’re thinking about getting it done
- Weight is an issue for you
Some things we cover in this episode:
- The research around PCOS and bariatric surgery
- How bariatric surgery changes your hormones
- Why doctors keep pushing bariatric surgery
- The potential long term implications of bariatric surgery
- If you do get bariatric surgery, what you should be wary of
Links to our programs:
- The PCOS Protocol
- Eggducated
Relevant Episodes:
- Season 1 Episode 1: Getting to the root of your PCOS
The more time I spend working with women with their PCOS, the more and more it becomes apparent that regardless of your medical knowledge you can still struggle and not have all the answers.
In this episode, I’m combining my knowledge with physician and past PCOS Protocol patient (and a current member of our Lifer’s group), Dr Stephanie and we’re absolutely sciencing the shit out of PCOS.
Stephanie is an absolute powerhouse - she’s a family and primary care physician as well as being a teacher to young doctors and medical students AND spends time helping in ICU and with in-clinic minor surgeries. She’s got more than 10 years of practical medical experience and yet she continued to struggle with those PCOS symptoms we all know too well.
You’d think with the crazy amount of medical experience she has that she’d have all the answers but there were still things going on in her body that she just couldn’t get to the root of and in addition she had some additional chronic health issues that just compounded those awful symptoms.
Luckily, with both her and my combined knowledge in our areas of expertise, we were able to tease out the real drivers of her symptoms and help her start to get on top of her symptoms.
Working with Stephanie has been such an amazing experience because it really gives insight into PCOS from a doctor’s perspective, opens us both up more to discourse around how PCOS is treated and why it’s not just a matter of seeing one doctor or practitioner to help resolve your symptoms and how to navigate addressing your PCOS.
Get ready, because we absolutely science the shiiiiiit out of PCOS in this episode - we talk all about her journey with PCOS, her medical school experience, her other conditions, her thoughts on the medical treatment of PCOS versus the lifestyle treatments, who to see for what issues and her advice for talking to doctors when it comes to PCOS management.
This episode is for you if:
- You’re a medical practitioner of some variety but you’re still not able to figure out how to tackle your PCOS
- You feel like your doctor isn’t providing you with the help you need
- You’ve been told you need to lose weight
- You have insulin resistance
- You’re taking or have been suggested to take Metformin
- You’re bloods come back fine but you know you’re not fine
Some things we cover in this episode:
- What someone should do if their doctor isn’t helping them with their PCOS
- Why one practitioner won’t be able to give you all of the answers
- Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS)
- Dealing with giving your patients advice as a family physician when you’re still struggling with symptoms yourself
Links to our programs:
- The PCOS Protocol
- Eggducated
Relevant Episodes:
- Season 1 Episode 1: Getting to the root of your PCOS
- Season 1 Episode 2: How a doctor treats her own PCOS: Interview with Dr Danah
- Season 1 Episode 4: Overcoming Binge Eating Disorder and PCOS
- Season 6 Episode 7: How a nurse treats her PCOS and what she wants you to know
It’s time for another MINI PCOS POD! A question-and-answer style podcast where I spill allllll the tea on PCOS - every week I answer your questions from my Instagram on all things symptoms, fertility, habit changes - pretty much everything related to PCOS!
This week I’m talking about a few things but there’s still been a whole lot of questions around fertility and reproductive health (which I find super interesting, so I love answering these!) off the back of our birth control series. I talk all about postpartum PCOS, what to expect and the misconception that it can ‘kickstart your body’ into working ‘normally’, getting false positives on ovulation predictor kits and why you really shouldn’t waste your money on these (!!!), why it’s good to prep yourself for getting off birth control and HOW to do that, and the first thing you should be thinking about when you’re planning out your approach post-PCOS diagnosis (which is something that isn’t talked about nearly enough - and I may very well do a full podcast on this!).
If after this you think ‘oh! That reminded me of a question I really want to know the answer to’, you can submit one! We post a question box on instagram stories every couple of weeks where we collect alllllll the Q’s so I can sit down, switch the mic and recording software on and give you all the A’s!
This episode is for you if:
- You’re pregnant or are recently postpartum
- Already have insulin resistance to some degree
Some things we cover in this episode:
- Luteinising Hormone and what’s happening with it in women with PCOS
- The downfall of ovulation predictor kits - particularly for PCOS
- Why you shouldn’t hope that postpartum will mean you get symptom relief
- How you
Links to our programs:
- The PCOS Protocol
- Eggducated
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So you find out you have PCOS, you’re given little to no direction on what to do next and it feels like you’ll never feel better and this is just how it’s going to be from here on out.
Today’s episode I’m joined by the wonderful Lizzie who’s based in my favourite place (that isn’t New Zealand), the UK! Lizzie is a shining example of how there is hope to getting on top of these symptoms, how you can actually make steps to achieve that and that you are far from alone in this journey.
And fair enough right? When you’re exhausted, have all of these unexplained, annoying symptoms, you’re trying to live a ‘normal’ life and no one seems to be able to give you any solid answers, it feels like the odds are stacked against you.
Lizzie’s progress has been phenomenal and it’s proof that even when the odds are stacked against you, you CAN get through this and find what will actually work for you and your body.
We talk all about her journey, her issues with autoimmune conditions (and why that can be pretty common in PCOS), whether you can have more than one root cause and Lizzie’s tips for making lifestyle changes genuinely sustainable.
I know when you’re looking for ways to help your PCOS symptoms that all the information that’s out there, doctors telling you you’re not trying hard enough and having nothing seem to work for you is absolutely crushing. I know it because I’ve been you and I can tell you from the other side that you don’t have to just ‘deal with it’.
This episode is for you if:
- You’ve ever been told that you’ll struggle to conceive or you likely won’t be able to have children naturally
- You struggle to move stubborn weight gain, particularly around your midsection
- You’ve got other health issues in addition to PCOS and you don’t know which one is YOUR ‘root cause’
- You feel like you’ve been going around in circles with doctors
- You’ve been told to ‘just lose weight’
- You feel like you’re getting to the stage of having a breakdown because it’s all too overwhelming
- You struggle with tiredness and fatigue
Some things we cover in this episode:
- Why there’s no quick fix and how to approach lifestyle changes
- The low GI diet - if it’s helpful
- Why you shouldn’t listen to what works for other people
- Whether you can have more than one ‘root cause’
- High Prolactin and what that means
- Why it’s important to stagger lifestyle and habit changes
- Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis (low thyroid function)
- Coeliac Disease
- Why you won’t see changes overnight
Links to our programs:
- The PCOS Protocol
- Eggducated
Getting a PCOS diagnosis is one thing, but understanding that root cause and knowing what testing to do to look for that is a whole other thing!
I’ve had more women than I can count tell me that it took them multiple doctors to even get a PCOS diagnosis and then when they finally did, they were told there’s nothing you can do but a) get on the pill and come back when you want to get pregnant and b) lose weight. And for some women, who had lean PCOS, once they finally got a diagnosis they were pretty much told well you kinda just have to deal with it. UGH! Let me tell you now that you really don’t.
Today’s mini podcast is all about this diagnosis and testing around PCOS. What is the actual process of getting a PCOS diagnosis? I’ve been told I have high testosterone - why and what does that mean? What are androgens? What if my lab results showed that I have low testosterone - can I still have PCOS? Have you been properly diagnosed? What are other conditions that look similar to PCOS in their symptomatic presentation but aren’t actually PCOS?
I’m going to answer all of these questions and more in this MINI PCOS POD. I do these podcasts every week where I put a question box out on instagram and open the floor to you all!
But because I’ve had so many questions related to the actual diagnosis component of PCOS and it’s something I’ve haven’t spoken a whole lot about - I’ve gone more into symptoms - so I thought it was really important to cover off.
This episode is for you if:
- You’ve just been diagnosed with PCOS
- You think you might have PCOS but you’re not sure
- You’re not sure if your period is considered irregular
- You’re not getting your cycles but you don’t fit the rest of the PCOS (Rotterdam) Criteria
Some things we cover in this episode:
- The Rotterdam Criteria - what is it and how does work?
- How doctors will diagnose you with PCOS
- Whether it’s PCOS or Hypothalamic Amenorrhea (AH)
- How to tell if you’re actually getting a period or it’s inter-menstrual bleeding
- Why ovulation kits are a waste of money for women with PCOS
Relevant Episodes:
- Season 1 Episode 1: Treating the root cause
Links to our programs:
- The PCOS Protocol
- Eggducated
You’d think that those working in the health and medical space would have absolutely no problem with their PCOS right? Well not really. Unfortunately, our modern westernised medical system isn’t well set up for more chronic issues like PCOS - and it’s not hugely focused on in medical school.
Today I’m joined by the lovely Karina! She’s a former emergency department technician who’s just finishing her Masters of Nursing. Karina was dealing with a lot of the classic insulin resistant PCOS symptoms. She had the knowledge but wasn’t getting anywhere with her symptoms and was told over and over by her doctors that medications and the Pill were really the only options when it came to having any real change with PCOS symptoms.
Karina came to work with me in The PCOS Protocol to really get to the root of those PCOS symptoms and wow, she has come such a long way. Not only has she seen a great improvement in her weight and physical symptoms, but she’s gotten her energy back, she’s not experiencing those awful sugar cravings, hangry attacks and she’s starting to feel like herself again.
You don’t really know how important your body is until something goes wrong. In this episode, Karina and I talk about everything from the training that they get in medical school for PCOS to what she wants others to know about finding a fix for their PCOS symptoms - as well as a whole lot more. I think we can all learn a lot from her journey when it comes to our own. I know a lot of you will resonate with parts of her story so I definitely recommend having a listen, her story is so inspiring.
This episode is for you if:
- You’re a medical professional with PCOS and you can’t seem to figure out what will resolve your symptoms
- You have sugar cravings or can’t stop eating sugar when you start eating it
- You have stubborn weight gain that won’t shift
- Why you’re not losing weight even though you’re eating clean and exercising regularly
- You’ve had friends / family / strangers judging you for not eating certain foods
Some things we cover in this episode:
- Karina’s PCOS journey and struggles with excessive stubborn weight gain
- What they teach you about PCOS in nursing
- Why it’s not as simple as ‘just eat less and exercise more’
- What the medical community is missing when it comes to PCOS treatment
- A combination approach to PCOS
- Why PCOS isn’t just a fertility condition
- How to stop punishing your body
- How to deal with people thinking you’re being trendy / snobby for not eating certain foods
Relevant Episodes:
- Season 1 Episode 1: Treating the root cause
- Season 1 Episode 2: How a doctor treats her own PCOS: Interview with Dr Danah
- Season 1 Episode 7: What those hangry attacks are telling you about your PCOS root cause
- Season 3 Episode 9: Is there such a thing as ‘balance’ over the holidays?
- Season 4 Episode 8: If I’m doing what my doctor is telling me to help my PCOS - why is it not working?
Links to our programs:
- The PCOS Protocol
- Eggducated
Welcome back to another Mini PCOS Pod! This week is a mixed bag when it comes to questions - we’re talking sugar cravings, pregnancy, what to do straight after a diagnosis, period / ovulation tracking apps and egg reserves with the Pill.
There are still a few strangling questions off the back of the birth control podcast so I’m talking about those first while they’re top of mind for everyone, and then tackle the rest following that.
PCOS doesn’t just affect fertility though. Yeah, it’s called poly-cystic OVARIAN syndrome but that doesn’t mean the ovaries are the only thing affected! PCOS affects so many different things, which is why your symptoms span beyond your reproductive system - like hair loss, unwanted hair growth, acne, weight gain. Which is also why finding and working on that root cause is SO so important.
This episode is for you if:
- You’ve just been diagnosed with PCOS
- You’re trying to conceive at a heavier weight
- You need advice on coping on both the mental and physical cravings for sugar
- You’re on the Pill
Some things we cover in this episode:
- What the very next step is after getting a PCOS diagnosis
- What to expect with pregnancy at a heavier weight
- Whether being diagnosed with PCOS spectrum changes the approach to resolution at all
- How to cope with with sugar cravings - the physical desire and the mental battle
- The best apps for fertility awareness on contraception
- Whether or not your egg reserves aren’t being depleted if you’re in the Pill (which suppresses ovulation)
Relevant Episodes:
- SEASON 1 EPISODE 1: TREATING THE ROOT CAUSE
- SEASON 1 EPISODE 7: WHAT THOSE HANGRY ATTACKS ARE TELLING YOU ABOUT YOUR PCOS ROOT CAUSE
- SEASON 2 EPISODE 1: HOW TO GET PREGNANT WITH PCOS
- SEASON 3 EPISODE 1: THE SINGLE BIGGEST FACTOR FOR GETTING PREGNANT- AND YOU’RE IN CONTROL OF IT
- SEASON 3 EPISODE 8: U HANGRY HUN? DEBUNKING SUGAR CRAVINGS AND HANGRY ATTACKS
- SEASON 6 EPISODE 4: YOUR GUIDE TO BIRTH CONTROL (PART 1): HORMONAL BIRTH CONTROL
Links to our programs:
- The PCOS Protocol
- Eggducated
Not every woman wants children, and that’s totally fine. We’re lucky enough today to have such a variety of options available to us when it comes to our reproductive health, making permanent procedures a lot more accessible than they’ve been previously.
For some of you, you may already have children - who are lovely and wonderful, but don’t need any more siblings! And that’s something you’re certain of, so you don’t want to take your chances with the failure rates of hormonal and non-hormonal birth control. Or maybe you’ve got a medical condition that makes taking hormonal contraceptives a no-go and again, you don’t want to run the risk of an unwanted pregnancy with non-hormonal options.
Whichever camp you fall in, today’s episode is for you!
Because these options are almost all irreversible, it’s something you really need to be certain of. In this episode, I’m presenting you your options and some more information (pros, cons and relevant research). Definitely investigate further before you make a decision - like I’ve said from the get-go of this series, I want to make sure you’re well informed going into conversations with professionals and before you make decisions on which route to go down.
This episode is for you if:
- You can’t use hormonal contraceptives due to health risks (ie. blood clots, cardiovascular issues, etc.) and don’t want to use non-hormonal methods for fear of failure
- You’ve had children and you’re certain you don’t want any more children
- You don’t want children
Some things we cover in this episode:
- Tubal Ligation
- Hysteroscopic Sterilisation
- Hysterectomy
- Vasectomy (Male Sterilisation)
- The research surrounding these procedures and the effectiveness of the procedures
- Recovery times from these procedures
- Important things to think about if you’re considering a permanent procedure
Resources and References:
- Effectiveness of Tubal Ligation
- Pregnancy after Tubal Ligation
- Ovarian hormone levels before and after tubal ligation: a systematic review and meta-analysis
- Update on hysteroscopic sterilisation
- Hysterectomy, Oophorectomy, and Endogenous Sex Hormone Levels in Older Women: The Rancho Bernardo Study
- Effectiveness of Vasectomy
- Results of 1,469 Microsurgical Vasectomy Reversals by the Vasovasostomy Study Group
- Vasectomy: AUA Guideline
Relevant episodes of The PCOS Nutritionist Podcast:
- Season 6 Episode 4: Your Guide to Birth Control (Part 1): Hormonal Birth Control
- Season 6 Episode 5: Your Guide to Birth Control (Part 2): Non-Hormonal Birth Control
Links to our programs:
- The PCOS Protocol
- Eggducated
If you’ve been listening to the podcast for a while, you’ll know that I used to be an elite triathlete competing nationally and internationally while I was growing up, so exercise has always been a massive part of my life. I mean I have a degree in exercise science too, so you could say I’m a pretty big fan of getting my body moving!
For me, I wasn’t losing any weight despite training for hours a day and eating well. It didn’t make any sense, and given my background you think I should’ve been able to figure it out right? Cue the wild goose chase (that lasted years) of me researching, speaking to specialists and the like, trying to figure out what the HECK was going on. Because things just didn’t add up!
So now that I have the hindsight and a lot more experience in the field some 10 years later, I wanted to shed some more light on exercise and PCOS.
I know a lot of you are in the same position that I was years ago doing all the “right things” but not getting anywhere, in fact it was seemingly making my symptoms worse! I also touch on how to stop giving up before you see results (well, what personally works for me, if I knew what worked for everyone I’d probably be rolling in $$$ and relaxing on a sunny beach somewhere!) as well as a question I hear all of the time: “why are my blood tests coming back normal if I still have symptoms?”.
I hope when you’re listening that this resonates with you, sometimes you just need one comment or nugget of information to switch on that light and have an ‘Aha!’ moment.
This episode is for you if:
- You’re exercising a lot and not losing any weight
- You’re exhausted after a workout
- You’re worried your PCOS means you’ll have to give up endurance sports / running etc forever
- Is yoga helpful for women with PCOS?
- How do I stop giving up before I see results?
- Why are my blood tests saying things are normal if I still have symptoms?
Some things we cover in this episode:
- What the best type of exercise is best with PCOS is
- How to deal when your ‘stress bucket’ is overflowing
- HPA Axis Dysfunction
- Why PCOS can actually be an advantage when it comes to exercise
- Exercise and your menstrual cycle
- Low Energy Availability and Female Athletes
- Why your blood tests may come back normal when you know something is wrong
Relevant Episodes:
- Season 5 Episode 6: The long term effects of not addressing our insulin resistance with Professor Grant Schofield
- Season 5 Episode 7: I’m already living a healthy lifestyle, why do I still have symptoms?!
- Season 3 Episode 3: More is not better when it comes to exercise
Links to our programs:
- The PCOS Protocol
- Eggducated
This is Part 2 of the 3 part series I’m doing on birth control methods - and this week is all about non-hormonal birth control methods! I know not all women with PCOS are keen to get pregnant right now (or at all!) so I wanted to talk more about birth control.
There’s so much more to non-hormonal contraception than just the condom and that’s what I’m going to dive into today. If you’re looking for a more natural approach and don’t want synthetic hormones but have no idea where to start - or think that the only thing you can use are condoms - this episode is one you NEED to listen to!
This episode is for you if:
- You’re currently on hormonal birth control and want to know what non-hormonal options are available to you
- You want to know more about the effectiveness of non-hormonal methods
- You have issues with anxiety and/or depression - I’ll explain more on this in the beginning of the episode!
- You want some cheaper alternatives to hormonal birth control methods
- What else these non-hormonal contraceptive methods are useful for preventing
Some things we cover in this episode:
- Copper Coil (IUD)
- Cervical cap / diaphragm
- Sponge
- Male condom
- Female condom
- Spermicides
- Withdrawal Method
- FAMs (Fertility Awareness Based Methods)
- Sympto-Thermal Fertility Awareness
- Lactational Amenorrhea Method
Resources and References:
- Copper IUD:
- Inhibition of sperm motility in vitro by copper wire
- 0.8% Failure Rate: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
- The Efficacy Of Intrauterine Devices For Emergency Contraception And Beyond: A Systematic Review Update
- Serum Copper in Long-Term Users of Copper Intrauterine Devices
- Changes in copper and zinc serum levels in women wearing a copper TCu-380A intrauterine device
- Decreased Zinc and Increased Copper in Individuals with Anxiety
- Fertility Awareness Based Methods:
- Fertility Awareness-Based Methods: Another Option for Family Planning
- Sympto-Thermal Fertility Awareness:
- Fertility Awareness-Based Methods: Another Option for Family Planning
- Lactational Amenorrhea Method:
- The efficacy of the lactational amenorrhea method (LAM) among working women
Relevant episodes of The PCOS Nutritionist Podcast:
- Your Guide to Birth Control (Part 1): Hormonal Birth Control
- The single biggest factor to getting pregnant - and you’re in control of it
Links to our programs:
- The PCOS Protocol
- Eggducated
Following on from the last podcast on hormonal birth control, I wanted to talk about endometrial cancer.
I realised that I’d somehow missed that in the original podcast and it would be remiss of me to gloss over the topic, since women with PCOS are about 3 times more likely to get endometrial cancer than women without PCOS.
While there’s a fair amount of research to show that there’s an increased risk of breast cancer with taking hormonal contraception, there’s also research to show that hormonal contraception may reduce your risk of endometrial cancer - which is particularly important for us cystas.
I’ve decided to dedicate today’s episode to talking about that - all about endometrial cancers’ and breast cancers’ risk in relation to hormonal contraception, relative risk and what you should take into consideration based on this information.
Please don’t let this freak you out, it’s so important to understand the potential risks you face not only with a condition like PCOS but also with medications you take. I think this will be a podcast you’ll definitely want to listen in on regardless of if you’re on hormonal contraception or not.
This episode is for you if:
- You have a family history or elevated risk (for another reason) of breast cancer
- You’re on hormonal contraception or planning to take it
- You have a family history or elevated risk (for another reason) of endometrial (uterine) cancer
- You’re deciding on which type of birth control to take
Some things we cover in this episode:
- The research around endometrial cancer in women with PCOS
- Breast cancer and hormonal contraception
- What is relative risk and why is it so important to this discussion?
- How to determine what the best course of action with hormonal contraception is for you
Links to our programs:
- The PCOS Protocol
- Eggducated
We should all have the right to choose the contraception that works for us - BUT also be FULLY informed of all the options we have available to us and the risks and benefits of those options. You are entitled to make an informed choice.
In this podcast, I outline all of the hormonal options available to you, and the pros and cons of those. There are also some specifics for those of us with PCOS in terms of choosing a hormonal contraceptive that’s not going to make PCOS symptoms worse (and in many cases can make them better). Be sure to share with your friends and family as this information is still very much applicable to them (unlike our more PCOS specific content).
Head to https://thepcosnutritionist.com/resources/season-6-episode-4-your-guide-to-birth-control-part-1-hormonal-birth-control/ for the full show notes including references.
For more information about The PCOS Protocol, visit www.thepcosnutritionist.com/thepcosprotocol
Welcome back to another MINI PCOS POD! If you haven’t listened to one of our mini podcasts before, they’re essentially a Q&A style podcast. We pass the mic over to you on our Instagram stories and ask you what questions you have about PCOS.
We had so many fabulous questions about everything from supplements to gynaecological health to exercise and beyond. So, this week we’re talking about a few different things: tubal ligation (what it is and what it means for your PCOS), what it means when you’re bleeding constantly for a month, if there are top supplements for PCOS and how you actually get PCOS!
In addition, I touch a bit on birth control methods because I’ve had so many questions about it through email, our Facebook groups, DMs, comments and pretty much every other channel you can think of! I didn’t go into too much detail about it though because the next episode is going to be solely dedicated to all the different methods of birth control and how they could affect your PCOS. It’s becoming a pretty long podcast and I want to do it justice so it very well may be two parts, as you can imagine there is A LOT to cover!
Because I generally cover a lot of different topics and point you to other important resources in these mini podcasts, I think there’ll be something for everyone in this episode. You might hear something you didn’t know you needed to know!
This episode is for you if:
- You’ve been bleeding a bit every day for a month or so and you’re not sure why
- You’re confused on how you got PCOS in the first place
- You want to know which supplements are the most important for your PCOS
Some things we cover in this episode:
- Informed consent when it comes to birth control methods (I’ll go into this more in next week’s long form podcast!)
- What’s tubal ligation and how will it affect my PCOS?
- What does it mean when you’re bleeding a little every day for a month?
- How your body determines whether or not you have PCOS
- Supplements for PCOS
- Why one diet won’t work for everyone’s PCOS
Resources and References:
- Why is the number of women with PCOS increasing if it’s a genetic condition? With Mia Charifson
Links to our programs:
- The PCOS Protocol
- Eggducated
You’ve probably heard me say before, ‘healthy is relative to you and your physiology’ and I can’t stress this enough. While we have the same organs and the like, our genetics are so vastly different.
With PCOS, we become so much more aware of how much of a role being able to switch genes on and off (epigenetics) with how we move, eat, sleep and think, play in how our bodies function - and how we feel! That also plays into why we see such great changes to PCOS symptoms when we figure out YOUR root cause - because we’re addressing what has been switched on (or what number of things have been switched on) genetically and looking at how your lifestyle is affecting that.
While there is still a lot of research to be done, IBS seems to have a big association with PCOS - roughly 42% of women with PCOS also had IBS. And when our gut is messed up, it can mess with our insulin and inflammation - which only promote you to be more insulin resistant! And when you’re dealing with gut issues, you’re tired because your body isn’t functioning optimally so you crave easy carbohydrates - which sends you on the sugar coaster again. It’s a vicious cycle and so it’s understandable that a lot of women really struggle, because having so many symptoms is straight up overwhelming - particularly when you don’t know they’re making each other worse!
Because the gut is so complex, there could be many gut-related conditions that are causing symptoms that in turn are worsening or contributing to your PCOS symptoms. Generally for both they’ll just use a bandaid approach or send you to someone else, and not get to the root cause of your symptoms. It’s important you identify the root cause of both your gut issues and PCOS (and there may be cross over in what symptoms they’re contributing to!) in order to make sure your lifestyle is addressing BOTH root causes.
This was the case for Lucy. She was dealing with awful gut issues as well as her PCOS symptoms and wasn’t making any progress trying things on her own. Identifying and addressing her root cause was when she finally started to see symptom relief.
Lucy shows that you don’t have to feel sick, tired and hangry forever - it’s all about learning about YOUR body. Even if you don’t resonate with this, I really recommend you listen anyway. There are so many important points that we made that might just be that light switch moment!
This episode is for you if:
- You are so bloated that by the end of the day, you can no longer fit in your jeans
- Your periods are off or missing completely
- You’re currently on the Pill or being told that the Pill is pretty much your only option
- You feel like your doctor isn’t listening to you or is being dismissive
- You feel like you have to plan every day around what you’re eating because you’re always hungry
- You are (or have done) weight loss challenges with friends and you’re the only one who isn’t losing weight - and everyone thinks you’re cheating
Some things we cover in this episode:
- Bloating
- Why having a strong ‘why’ that isn’t just resolve your symptoms is so important
- Irritable Bowel Syndrome
- The low FODMAP diet and what FODMAPs actually are
- Addressing insulin resistance
- How your body stores food away for later - the insulin equation
- Explaining why you could have insulin resistant PCOS even if you haven’t seemly gained weight because of it (ie. Lean PCOS)
- Why weight loss challenges are so detrimental for women with PCOS
Resources and References:
- Is your IBS causing your PCOS?
Links to our programs:
- The PCOS Protocol
- Eggducated
It would be really remiss of me to not mention what’s going on in the United States right now, so I just want to start with that. I know it’s not my place to be speaking about racial inequality because I haven’t personally experienced it, but I understand that I have the privilege of having a platform where others might not.
So to continue to educate myself and others about the inequalities faced by POC and more specifically women of colour, I would love to hear any questions that women of colour have about their health care and PCOS, as that’s my area of expertise and I would love to help highlight that conversation.
If any of you know of any women of colour who are thought leaders or educators in this area, please let me know as I would love to collaborate with them in order to really elevate the conversation of racial bias and inequality against POC / women of colour in health. You can contact me either at hello@thepcosnutritionist.com or on my Instagram @thepcosnutritionist.
For this week’s Mini PCOS Pod: If you’ve been on social media for any length of time, then I can guarantee you’ve seen more than your fair share of posts, influencers and companies promoting a detox is some shape or form.
Since women with PCOS are often targeted by those creating diet content, it’s not surprising that I’ve had so many questions around detoxing and whether it’s something that should be implemented by women with PCOS - or any woman for that matter.
It’s something that’s often talked about, but very rarely understood. So in today’s Mini PCOS Pod I wanted to unpack the whole ‘detox’ situation. What does it mean? What’s a toxic load and how do you lower it? What organs lead the detoxification process in your body and how do we support them? What I think about detox teas and products (spoiler alert: nooooot a fan)? What toxins should be aware of? Are there any good resources I should be looking at (answer is yes!)?
I really want to clear up all this detox misinformation so that you don’t waste your money on detox products to help your PCOS symptoms only to be on the toilet 24/7 and feel 1000x worse! And of course so you know more about how your body deals with toxins and what you can do to help your body.
This episode is for you if:
- Have considered doing a detox
- Want to understand how detoxing works
- Want to know what a toxic load is
- Want to learn how to reduce your toxic load
- You’re pregnant and you want to know if detoxing is safe
- You’re pregnant and you want some resources on optimal pregnancy specific nutrition
- You have insulin resistance
- Want to know what’s actually in skinny detox tea
Some things we cover in this episode:
- What is detoxing? The scientific definition and organs involved
- What are toxins
- How are toxins prioritized in your body
- Toxic load
- How detox juices affect your PCOS
- Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease - what is it, how is it caused and are we more likely to get it since we have PCOS?
- The Dirty Dozen
- How you can reduce your toxic load
- The dreaded skinny detox teas (ewwwww)
References and Resources:
- Real Food for Pregnancy
- Detox Diets for Toxin Elimination and Weight Management: A Critical Review of the Evidence
- Environmental Working Group
Links to our programs:
- The PCOS Protocol
- Eggducated
It’s no surprise that over the last few years, cutting out gluten has become a whooooole lot more popular. There’s an abundance of gluten free products available and food services are really going in on advertising the fact that they offer meals or foods that are gluten free.
Now for my coeliac and diagnosed gluten intolerant ladies this is a HUGE win! But for us women with PCOS, is it something we need to do in order to help our symptoms or is it just another box that we’re putting ourselves in unnecessarily?
We don’t want to be cutting out any food group when there is no real health benefit because that can lead to other diet related issues as well as a feeling of restriction around food. But if it’s something that will have a real impact on our PCOS symptoms, it’s something we need to investigate before either keeping or culling it from our diet.
I’ve seen so many poor women with the best of intentions who just want help with their symptoms, fall into a trap of listening to what is said on Facebook forums and Instagram posts with the same weight as taking advice from a registered dietitian, nutritionist or doctor.
This makes me so upset because while I’m sure a lot of the people commenting have good intentions and are just trying to help one another, they don’t have enough academic knowledge in this field to safely share information around this topic.
Because of the overwhelming amount of questions I receive every week on being gluten free for PCOS, I’ve decided to make a full episode about the one, the only, GLUTEN! I talk all about what it is, the research around it’s correlation with PCOS, gluten’s correlation with endometriosis, non-coeliac gluten intolerance and a whole lot more.
All of my diagnosed coeliac and gluten intolerant ladies feel free to listen in because there is a lot of useful information in there but this is specifically for all of you ladies who have been told that you NEED to go gluten free in order to see an improvement in your PCOS symptoms, for those of you that have been on the fence about going gluten free for symptom relief and for those of you that have already gone gluten free specifically to help your symptoms!
This episode is for you if:
- You’ve heard that going gluten free can help PCOS symptoms
- You've already gone gluten free (and you haven't been diagnosed with coeliac or an allergy to gluten)
- You’re not sure about what gluten actually is
- You’ve got endometriosis
Some things we cover in this episode:
- What is gluten?
- Non-coeliac gluten sensitivity
- The research on gluten and PCOS - is there a correlation?
- Relationship between gluten and endometriosis
- My thoughts on whether or not it’s necessary to remove gluten from your diet if you have PCOS
Links to our programs:
- The PCOS Protocol
- Eggducated
Another week, another spicy quick fire Q&A! This week we’re talking about a variety of topics - everything from bad period pain, birth control to lifestyle changes, blood tests coming back “normal” and juice cleansing (eeeek).
With so much information floating around the internet, lots of influencers sharing their thoughts and products and doctors saying ‘you’re fine’, it can be really hard to know what works, what doesn’t, what’s complete shiiiite - and who to listen to! So in this episode, I address all of your burning questions related to addressing your PCOS.
If you’ve never listened to our Mini PCOS Pod’s before, it’s essentially a shorter form podcast where I answer your questions from our instagram rather than addressing a big topic!
This episode is for you if:
- Deal with debilitating period pain
- You think you might have adrenal issues
- Your cervical fluid looks like it should pre ovulation but you’re not ovulating
- Are trying new lifestyle changes
- Your doctor has told you that your blood tests for insulin are ‘normal’
- You can’t do many diet changes
- You’re thinking of trying a celery juice cleanse to support your body’s detoxification pathways
Some things we cover in this episode:
- Whether really bad period pain is normal for PCOS or if it could be something else
- “Type 2” PCOS - adrenal and insulin resistant
- How pre-ovulation cervical fluid works and what happens in PCOS
- How long you should wait before expecting to see changes in your symptoms are making alterations to your lifestyle
- Which tests are the most reliable (and which are not) to test early stage insulin resistance
- The most important lifestyle changes
- The real deal with celery juice cleansing
Resources:
- The PCOS Nutritionist Instagram
- Dr Lara Briden: Why period pain is not a symptom of PCOS and all things Endometriosis
Links to our programs:
- The PCOS Protocol
- Eggducated
I’m sure for a lot of you, you were diagnosed with PCOS as a teen or in your twenties. It’s a crazy time in your life anyway - moving to a new city, starting off in your career, going to university and meeting new people. It comes with a whole lot of new challenges in itself but dealing with all of these new changes while you’re in the throws of dealing with your PCOS - with no real guidance on how you should be managing it - that’s a whole new level of tough.
So many of us have been there (myself included) and it’s like trying to save a sinking ship.
You’re trying to not only get used to this new normal but you’re also trying to deal with your body going haywire and not to mention being at university or in a new job is a breeding ground for comparison.
In this episode, I’m chatting with the lovely Phoebe - fellow cyster and kiwi, who I had the pleasure of chatting with in person (don’t worry, we recorded this before COVID!) about her journey with PCOS which totally aligns with what I’ve said above.
Like me (and I’m sure a lot of you), Phoebe headed off to study and was adjusting to the changes that come along with it but was also dealing with a bunch of horrific PCOS symptoms - with no real answer as to why.
She was seeing what everyone else around her was doing (ie. eating plenty of pizza and chocolate and guzzling down RTD’s like water) and yet she seemed to be the only one gaining any weight. In fact, the fresher 5kg was more like the fresher 30kg (in three months) for Phoebe, and she knew that there was more to it given she was exercising regularly, tracking her calories to a tee, eating healthy food and rarely drinking any alcohol.
After years of struggling with this stubborn weight gain, dealing with trauma, being put on the Pill and metformin then told there’s not really much else she can do, Phoebe started to learn more about her PCOS and realised that it’s not ‘just the way and the weight she is’.
I can not stress this enough - it’s not all down to a lack of self control and calories, there’s so much more to it. So in this episode I speak to Phoebe all about dealing with a change of environment and how that affected her symptoms, dealing with comparison, stubborn weight that won’t budge, weight loss challenges (eeek), chronic dieting and a whole lot more.
I know weight loss is such a big thing for so many of you with PCOS, so I hope that you take some awesome nuggets of wisdom from Phoebe’s episode regardless of your age. She makes some fantastic points and I know so many of you will resonate with feeling like absolutely nothing works for you - but trust me, there is, it’s just a matter of understanding YOUR body and finding the best lifestyle changes to match.
This episode is for you if:
- Gaining a lot of weight in a very short amount of time
- You’ve got bad acne
- No amount of exercise is shifting the scales
- Personal trainers and health professionals aren’t believing that you’re diligently following all of the rules because you aren’t losing weight
- You have brain fog
- You get hangry, jittery and shaky really quickly after a meal
Some things we cover in this episode:
- Gaining A LOT of weight in a short period of time
- Calorie equation and why it’s not the be all end all
- Lifestyle changes and their effect on PCOS
- Dealing with bad acne
- Chronic dieting
- Why you aren’t losing weight when you’re doing a whole lot of exercise and counting your calories - and you’re monitoring it all to a tee
- Why you shouldn’t weigh yourself
- Binge Eating Disorder (BED)
Links to our programs:
- The PCOS Protocol
- Eggducated
Everyone’s got an opinion on what the “healthiest foods and diet” are for PCOS but people are only just starting to talk about when the best time is to eat and how often we should eat.
The nutrition community has been in debate about whether or not intermittent fasting is a good tool to be used for our health and overall longevity - in the average person as well as in those with different medical conditions.
But of course, when it comes to intermittent fasting when you have PCOS there’s pretty much no discussion about the nuances of PCOS symptoms and intermittent fasting’s effects on them - not many people are paying huge attention to it.
I find this SO interesting because of 1) how much airtime IF has been getting and 2) because of the range of symptomatic and non-symptomatic effects IF can have on women with PCOS.
Because of all of the hype intermittent fasting is getting, women with PCOS are starting to jump on the bandwagon - but is it the best option for PCOS?
In this episode, I’m talking about what intermittent fasting actually is, the hype, what we as women with PCOS have to be aware of, the research and of course the question on everyone cysta’s mind:
“does it actually work?”
So if you’ve been thinking about trying it out or are wondering whether it’s going to make any difference to your symptoms, listen in because I’m spilling the tea on intermittent fasting in today’s mini PCOS podcast episode.
This episode is for you if:
- Have been trying or want to try intermittent fasting
- Weight loss is one of your goals
- Have been told by your doctor that you need to lose weight
- Want to know if intermittent fasting will help curb cravings
- Want to know if intermittent fasting will make your symptoms better or worse
Some things we cover in this episode:
- What is intermittent fasting?
- How does intermittent fasting affect your insulin?
- Impacts on PCOS symptoms
- Whether you should pass up on breakfast or dinner for more effective results if you do decide to do intermittent fasting
- Negative non-symptom related effects of intermittent fasting
Resources and References:
- Effects of caloric intake timing on insulin resistance and hyperandrogenism in lean women with polycystic ovarian syndrome
Links to our programs:
- The PCOS Protocol
- Eggducated
It can be hard for your partner, family and friends to know what to do to help you with your PCOS symptoms - especially if they don’t have it themselves. I do a lot of episodes on the nuances of PCOS but today I want to turn the tables and talk to all of your loved ones!
So hello significant others of all my cystas! This one’s for you.
It’s a confusing journey for us all which is why we need a strong support system. Once your support system understands more about what PCOS means and WHY you’re making particular lifestyle changes - they can start to piece together everything like you have been.
I really wanted to do an episode like this because I know that changing habits and changing big parts of your lifestyle is hard enough as it is and I found when I was making changes, it’s so much easier when those around you understand a bit more about what you’re going through.
I know so many of you have tried a whole range of different diets, exercise regimes and supplements and that may have put your significant other(s) in a position where they don’t want you to go through yet another thing that may not help.
That’s why I really want to explain PCOS in depth for all of the husbands, wives, boyfriends, girlfriends, best friends, parents and siblings of all my cystas out there.
So pass over the headphones, plug in the aux cord in the car or play it while you make a meal for them to learn more about what’s going on and how they can help support you through this PCOS journey!
This episode is for you if:
- Are a partner, sibling, parent or friend of a woman with PCOS.
- You want to understand more about PCOS and what that means for women who have it
- You’re significant other has PCOS and you’re worried about her falling into another diet plan trap
- You have PCOS and you want someone to explain it well to your significant other
Some things we cover in this episode:
- Diet changes
- What you can actually do to support your S/O who has PCOS
- Exercise changes
- Hormones
- Insulin resistance
- Why the root cause is so important
Links to our programs:
- The PCOS Protocol
- Eggducated
I’m back for another quick fire Q&A! This week we’re talking about three very interesting topics: insulin resistance and lean PCOS, prenatals, and having a period but not ovulating.
Lean PCOS is a maaaaajor one. Often women who have lean PCOS are told by doctors that there’s nothing that can be done apart from going on the Pill - and that’s because the usual recommendation is to lose some weight, which is obviously not appropriate for those women that are already lean. And yes, you can still have lean PCOS and insulin resistance. Insulin resistance isn’t always outwardly obvious.
We’re also going to talk about whether you can have periods and not be ovulating. We aren’t taught a lot about menstruation apart from periods, so I’ll clarify a few things there and why our periods are such a fantastic window into your health.
And the final question: “how important are prenatal vitamins?” - the short answer is VERY IMPORTANT. I’ll go into why in the podcast but we all know that growing a baby is really hard work for our body, so I’ll give you the lowdown on prenatals and what to look out for
Don’t forget to head over to the PCOS Nutritionist Instagram page to submit a question for the next mini PCOS podcast!
This episode is for you if:
- You have lean PCOS or are lean
- You feel hungry very frequently and soon after eating
- You’re not sure if you’re ovulating but your still having a bleed
- You’re planning to get pregnant soon or in the future
Some things we cover in this episode:
- Insulin resistance signs for lean PCOS
- Can you have insulin resistance without knowing it?
- Why a full cycle isn’t just your period
- Intermenstrual bleeding
- Why prenatals are so important
Links to our programs:
- The PCOS Protocol
- Eggducated
Ok, so you’re already eating well and you’re regularly exercising. You’re eating what the nutritional guidelines outline and exercising regularly - maybe everyday. So why are you still getting awful PCOS symptoms? You try different types of exercise and change your diet around but still nothing.
I hear you. It’s so hard to feel like a never-ending battle when you already live a healthy lifestyle and you're told that you need to live a healthy lifestyle by doctors and specialists. It’s not like you’re eating McDonalds everyday - so what the heck is going on?
This is exactly what happened to Leigh. She was already leading a healthy lifestyle, doing everything the government health guidelines provided - eating by the food pyramid and getting a decent amount of exercise a week.
She kept getting all the awful PCOS symptoms like weight gain and acne, and not even the Pill made a difference. Her stress hormones were out of control. She was struggling to have any energy throughout the day, her fatigue was debilitating and then at 2am even her partner breathing could wake her up from being asleep.
Then when she thought slowing down would help her destress, she still felt so highly strung and her PCOS symptoms kept getting worse.
Once she discovered what her root cause was, things started to turn around. The fatigue disappeared within a week, the acne started to clear up, her gut health improved and her body felt hers again.
Finding your root cause is SO important. Healthy is relative to you and YOUR body. What your body needs for fuel isn’t the same as your sister, mother, colleague or friend.
Once you understand what is going on and WHY your body is presenting all these symptoms, then you know what type of lifestyle changes will work for you - and spoiler alert, it’s not the same for everyone.
In this episode I spoke to Leigh all about her PCOS journey. We talked about diet, exercise, fatigue, weight and what to do when you’re already living a “healthy lifestyle”. If you’re already doing everything ‘right’, following the food pyramid guidelines, exercising, listening to your doctor and STILL not seeing any change - listen to this podcast. I’m sure it will resonate with so many of you.
And remember - it’s not always a lack of willpower, this isn’t ‘just the way your body is’ and your PCOS symptoms aren’t a life sentence.
This episode is for you if:
- You’re already living a ‘healthy’ lifestyle but you’re not seeing any changes in your PCOS symptoms
- Your doctor doesn’t really have an answer to what to do next with your PCOS
- You’ve been put on the Pill for your PCOS
- You have insulin resistance
- You’ve been through a period of high stress
- You feel permanently exhausted and it’s debilitating
- Feel like you’re hungry so quickly after a meal
Some things we cover in this episode:
- Why the Rotterdam criteria can be flawed
- Leigh’s journey with debilitating fatigue
- Why you don’t have to have irregular periods to have PCOS
- Leigh’s journey on the Pill and why it’s not the only treatment
- How Leigh found the courage to slow down, step back and look at the bigger picture of her PCOS.
- Do you need to remove dairy for PCOS?
Links to our programs:
- The PCOS Protocol
- Eggducated
As many of you may know, back in my teens and 20s, I was an athlete. I competed in running and then later as a triathlete.
But you also may know that I have insulin resistance. If you know anything about insulin resistance and the way that most athletes eat - like the electrolyte gels and a fair amount of carbs so that we have that fuel to burn. So how did I go about managing my PCOS and still perform well athletically.
Clearly if your PCOS symptoms are still present, we need to figure out WHY this is happening and address YOUR root cause. I’ve had a number of you tell me you’re at a crossroads because you obviously want to perform well but you also know that your insulin resistance is something you need to address before it gets worse - so I talk about that in this episode because I’ve been exactly where you were.
The other topic that has popped up a lot recently - and it’s a topic that really should be talked about more - is PCOS and eating disorders.
Eating disorders do not discriminate - 20% of women with PCOS have disordered eating. They also found an approximate 18% of women with PCOS suffering with binge eating disorder.
It’s something that really isn’t talked about enough - so I wanted to address it here and discuss what I think is the best way to tackle this along with addressing your PCOS, because I know a lot of people can relate to this.
This episode is for you if:
- You’re an athlete
- You don’t know whether you should focus on eating for your insulin resistance or your sport
- You’re worried that if you eat for your insulin resistance that your performance will suffer
- You’ve been told you have to watch your calories because even though you’re training you’re still gaining weight
- You have or are currently struggling with disordered eating and have PCOS
Some things we cover in this episode:
- My story as an athlete
- Endurance sports and insulin resistance
- PCOS and disordered eating / abnormal eating patterns
- Binge Eating Disorder (BED)
Links to our programs:
- The PCOS Protocol
- Eggducated
References and Resources:
- Increased risk of disordered eating in polycystic ovary syndrome
- Amanda’s story with PCOS and binge eating disorder (Season 1 Episode 4)
So you’ve got insulin resistance. We know that it’s so important to address our insulin resistance, not only for our PCOS symptoms but also for our overall health in general.
Because let’s be real, when we’re elderly, we want to be as active and mobile as possible and just drop dead. We don’t want to be decrepit, falling apart and dealing with chronic issues for years and years before we die.
So what happens if you just don’t address it? What are the long term complications of leaving it be and just going on something like the Pill? Is it fine or could it have dire consequences on our longevity and long term health?
Because insulin and insulin resistance is something I harp on about all the time, I thought it was really important to address this question. I see so many women go on the Pill thinking that it’s the be all and end all (FYI, it’s not).
Yes, changing your lifestyle might be difficult - especially at the beginning - but is it really worth leaving your insulin unmanaged now if it’s going to cause so many problems and even reduce your longevity? I talk about how important it is to eat and move to manage your PCOS as well as managing stress, sleep and supplements but for this episode, I really want to hone in on that WHY.
So for this episode, I spoke with the wonderful Prof. Grant Schofield of PreKure. Grant is also the Director of The Centre for Human Potential and Professor in Public Health at Auckland University of Technology, was Chief Scientific Advisor to the New Zealand Ministry of Education and an author of four best-selling health books.
He's a wealth of knowledge when it comes to preventative medicine and public health and has a particular interest in chronic diseases.
All my insulin resistant PCOS ladies, this one's for you - and even if you don't have insulin resistance, it's definitely worth tuning in to.
This episode is for you if:
- Have insulin resistance or pre-type 2 diabetes
- Have trouble trying to shift weight and it seems to come on out of nowhere
- You’re eating ‘healthy’, exercising and following the guidelines but there’s no change in your symptoms
Some things we cover in this episode:
- Long term complications of insulin resistance
- Managing your exercise to get the most out of it
- Preventative medicine
- What glycation is and why it’s important to insulin resistance
- Why the food pyramid doesn’t actually cut it for everyone - especially for women with PCOS
- Inflammation
- The catabolic state
- Clare and Grant talk about their time as athletes and how the practices in those situations can be detrimental to someone with insulin issues
Links to our programs:
- The PCOS Protocol
- Eggducated
References and Resources:
- Grant’s website - ProfGrant.com
- PreKure - PreKure.com
I’ve had soooo many fertility questions over the last couple of weeks - especially with fertility clinics closing their doors leaving so many couples twiddling their thumbs about what they can do.
I totally get it. So many women with PCOS struggle with getting pregnant and many of them have been trying to conceive for a couple - if not several - years.
Continuous negative pregnancy tests are weighing on you and your partner mentally and you just want to know how you can get pregnant, if fertility treatment is the only option and if you do decide to try an alternative - how long is it actually going to take, because you’ve been trying for as long as you can remember.
There are so many things to think about when it comes to fertility and what’s going wrong - how do I know how long I should wait to expect results? What the heck is a chemical pregnancy? What happens if you only have one ovary, does that mean it’s even harder to get pregnant? Where do I even start?
I hear you. So in this Mini PCOS Pod episode, I wanted to address these questions in a succinct but clear way and hopefully help all you ladies struggling with fertility issues but not being able to do too much about it at the moment!
This episode is for you if:
- You’re trying (and struggling) to conceive
- You have started a traditional fertility treatment and are thinking about other options
Some things we cover in this episode:
- How long it takes to actually see changes in fertility
- Chemical pregnancies - what they are and why they happen
- How having only one ovary affects fertility
Links to our programs:
- The PCOS Protocol
- Eggducated
Due to the wide ranging effects of COVID-19, fertility treatments in many countries have been put on hold. I can’t imagine how stressful and upsetting this is to all of you who were about to start or were in the process of doing your fertility treatment.
While I can’t magically make the fertility clinics reopen, what I can do is show you an alternative. And no, it won’t affect your treatment in any way.
The basic but essential component of getting pregnant is that you have intercourse at the time that you’re actually fertile. You may be thinking “well, I know when I’m fertile, so if I was going to get pregnant I would’ve already!”
Contrary to popular belief, there are only about 4-6 days in a cycle that you’re actually fertile, and the secret is finding out which days these are.
It sounds simple, but 87% of couples don’t know how to do this. When you learn how, it’s quite straightforward.
In fact, many couples on the IVF waitlist actually didn’t need it – WHAT? Yes, you heard that right. They just needed to know how to identify their fertile window and understand the 3 essential components to getting pregnant. 50% of them conceived naturally after getting taught how to identify their fertility window and understanding the three most important fertility ‘ingredients’.
This is waaaay harder if you have PCOS, because many of us have irregular cycles. And no, apps and ovulation sticks can’t accurately predict it either in PCOS because our luteinising hormone is already much too high.
So - because I know so many of you are in the unfortunate position where your fertility treatment has been paused or deferred until a later date - in today’s podcast I take you through the 3 essential components of getting pregnant (my fertile ingredients), and what control you have over them.
I feel for all of you who can’t go through with your IVF at the moment - because for a lot of you, it’s been a long wait and painful journey to even get to this point. So I really hope this episode can help you and be useful.
This episode is for you if:
- You’re trying to conceive (TTC) or plan to in the future
- You’ve got PCOS of any type
- Your fertility treatment has been put on hold or deferred due to COVID-19
- Your doctor or specialist has told you that you NEED fertility treatment to get pregnant
Some things we cover in this episode:
- The three most important things to know for fertility
- How long you are fertile for in your a cycle
- How to determine when that fertile time is
- Why you can’t use ovulation kits or apps to identify your fertile window
- The importance of the luteal phase
- Why your doctor and fertility specialists wouldn’t have highlighted this too you
- How effective this method is
References and Resources:
- Fertility-awareness Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices of Women Seeking Fertility Assistance
- Natural Conception Rates in Sub-fertile Couples Following Fertility Awareness Training
A question I often get - and I’ve been asked numerous times over the last month or so due to COVID-19 is “Do I need to get testing done before I start making lifestyle changes like what you offer in The PCOS Protocol?”
Understandably, this is a question on a lot of people’s minds at the moment who are interested in learning more about their PCOS.
Many countries are in some state of lockdown (or in complete lockdown, like we are here in New Zealand) so the access to non-essential testing is either limited or not available at all because of all the man power and resources being used to fight COVID-19.
Obviously this makes sense, but it’s put a lot of you who are interested in a position where you aren’t sure if you actually CAN do the Protocol.
So for today’s Mini PCOS Pod, I’m clarifying whether you need testing done in order to go through with The PCOS Protocol, whether symptoms are a useful indicator of what your PCOS ‘type’ is and where to go from here.
If you’re ready to join us in the Protocol - click here, I can’t wait to meet you, hear about your journey so far and have you as a part of our PCOS family.
This episode is for you if:
- You’re wanting to start making lifestyle changes or join The PCOS Protocol but you don’t have the ability to get testing done.
- Testing is limited or not able to be done due to COVID-19
- You want to make changes to your PCOS but you don’t know where to start
Some things we cover in this episode:
- Can we use symptoms alone?
- Why groupings of systems are so important
- Should I do any testing at all?
We’d be lying to ourselves if we said we’ve never had any issues with sleep. I think that’s a universal thing we can all agree on.
There are so many different reasons why we may be getting less sleep. Maybe you have kids (that one’s pretty self explanatory!), a job that requires you to do more work outside the office, maybe it’s shift work - there are a million and one different reasons but they all lead back to one thing - lack of sleep.
While sleep doesn’t seem like an obvious area to address in order to manage your PCOS symptoms, it’s actually a pretty major player. Lack of sleep can lead to more than just feeling tired, it can have effects on so many different parts of our body
So how do we know how much sleep we need? How do we know if the quality of our sleep is up to par? What does it do to our PCOS? What can we do to get a better sleep? Can you have too much sleep?
Since we spend about a third of our lives sleeping, having answers to these kinds of questions is even more important.
So I’ve created this podcast to break down the research, answer these questions (and more) and give you some actionable steps to take to help mend your sleeping habits!
With most countries in some degree of lockdown, we’ve never had a better time to focus on building quality sleep habits - so consider this your condensed guide to the perfect sleep!
This episode is for you if:
- Wake up exhausted
- Have trouble getting to sleep or staying asleep
- You want to know what effects sleep could be having on the rest of your body
- You want to improve your sleep
- You want to create a better sleep routine
- You tend to let work and other commitments eat into your sleep time
- You are insulin resistant, diabetic or pre-diabetic
Some things we cover in this episode:
- Stages of sleep
- Insulin and sleep
- Lack of sleep and its relation to diseases like diabetes, Alzheimers and cardiovascular disease
- How bad sleep deprivation and sleep debt actually is for you
- Sleep and metabolism
- The 4 pillars of sleep
- What you can do to improve your sleep habits
- Sleep routines
- Sleep Apnea
- Is too much sleep a bad thing?
- Are wearables useful for tracking your sleep?
References and Resources:
- Associations between sleep duration and sleep debt with insulin sensitivity and insulin secretion in the EGIR-RISC Study
- Physiological Correlates of Prolonged Sleep Deprivation in Rats
- Sleep Deprivation in the Rat: X. Integration and Discussion of the Findings
- Impact of Sleep and Sleep Loss on Neuroendocrine and Metabolic Function
- Impact of Sleep Debt on Metabolic and Endocrine Function
- Sleep Apnea and Daytime Sleepiness and Fatigue: Relation to Visceral Obesity, Insulin Resistance, and Hypercytokinemia
- Polycystic Ovary Syndrome is Associated with Obstructive Sleep Apnea and Daytime Sleepiness: Role of Insulin Resistance
Welcome back to the second instalment of our new Mini PCOS Pods! A quick-fire, bite-sized little podcast answering your questions from the gram.
After both of last week’s podcasts, I had quite a few women come back to me saying “well my testosterone levels came back normal… so why am I still getting hirsutism / acne?”
I can understand the confusion - we’re often told that our testosterone has to be out in order to get these kinds of symptoms that are typical with high testosterone. But it’s not as black and white as just testosterone.
In this week’s Mini PCOS Pod, I’ll be talking about the three main reasons why you’re still dealing with that nasty, painful acne and you keep seeing those annoying dark hairs sprouting up.
Follow us on Instagram so you can keep up-to-date with when we’re asking questions each week!
This episode is for you if:
- Have noticeable hair growth on your face, stomach, back and/or chest
- You have acne - particularly on the lower half of your face like your chin
- You’re insulin resistant
- Your doctor has told you that your test results are “normal”.
Some things we cover in this episode:
- What tests you should be getting done
- Why some tests aren’t as effective / accurate
- If it isn’t insulin related or inflammation related, what else it could be
References:
- Use of HbA1c for diagnoses of Diabetes and Pre-diabetes: Comparison with Diagnoses Based on Fasting and 2-Hr Glucose Values and Effects of Gender, Race, and Age
Told to just ‘come back when you want kids’? Check. Told to ‘go on the pill to help symptoms’ and pretty much nothing else? Check. Consulted Dr. Google more than a few times on other ways to address your symptoms? Check. Ended up MORE frustrated than you were and the beginning? MASSIVE CHECK.
It’s the story for most of us. When we ask our doctors what we should do now that we know we have PCOS, the response is almost always ‘go on the pill’ annnnnd that’s it.
And when we turn to alternatives, it feels like literally nothing works. No matter how much influencers have told us that [insert diet here] made wonders of a difference to their symptoms, we just can’t seem to find anything that makes any difference.
And after a few months of this diet and that regime, you end up more frustrated, more disheartened and less confident than you were initially. If you feel like you’ve literally tried every single thing on the list of ‘things you can do for PCOS’ - girl I HEAR you.
I think that’s something a lot of us can relate to. Which is why for this podcast, I brought on the wonderful Michelle.
If you pulled out a full, mile long list of things to do for PCOS, she’s done them all.
It wasn’t until she figured out WHY her symptoms were happening that she saw change - not when she was chucking every fad diet, juice cleanse and 30-day fat loss challenges at her symptoms hoping for that instant result.
Because let’s be honest, if PCOS had an overnight fix, I wouldn’t be here doing what I do and you would’ve figured it out by now!
We talk all about her journey from diagnosis to now, what really made a difference to her symptoms, and her tips for sticking to changes. I can guarantee most of you will listen to this episode and think ‘me too!’. If you’ve been struggling with hangry attacks, weight gain, acne and have been told pretty much zilch on what the next steps are, you’ve come to the right place.
This episode is for you if:
- You’ve been struggling with weight gain, hangry attacks and acne.
- You haven’t been able to get answers from your doctor(s)
- You’ve been put on the Pill for your PCOS
- You live rurally and are struggling to find options for managing your PCOS
- You’re not seeing or feeling any progress in your symptoms
Some things we cover in this episode:
- The surface clean and deep clean approach to your PCOS
- Finding help for your PCOS when you live rurally
- TTC and fertility
- Addressing ALL PCOS symptoms rather than just looking at it from a ability to conceive perspective
- Hormone testing
- How to deal with seeing no changes in symptoms
- Keto and intermittent fasting
- Insulin resistance and hangry attacks
We’re starting something new here at The PCOS Nutritionist Podcast - we’re now doing a mini podcast each week!
We’ll be asking questions via a question box on The PCOS Nutritionist Instagram story and answering a few of the top ones in a short but sweet 10-15 minute podcast.
This week, keeping on the topic of hirsutism (unwanted hair growth), we’re talking all about removing unwanted hair growth for women with PCOS - and what’s most effective.
It’s something that 70-80% of women deal with, and many spend hundreds if not thousands on removing it, so this week we’ll be sharing the different ways of removing the hair that’s already there and which is most effective.
Follow us on Instagramso you can keep up-to-date with when we’re asking questions each week!
This episode is for you if:
- Have noticeable hair growth on your face, stomach, back and/or chest
- You want to know how to get rid of unwanted hair
- You have insulin resistant PCOS
- Haven't had any luck removing this hair via treatments like topical creams and laser
Some things we cover in this episode:
- Different ways of removing the hair that’s already there
- Which treatment is the most effective for women with PCOS
As we’re posting this, COVID-19 is running rampant throughout the globe. It’s a very scary, stressful time and many of us are in lockdown - here in New Zealand, we are now pretty much completely stuck at home! I hope you’re all staying as safe and healthy as possible!
So right now while many of us have some more time on our hands, it’s a great time to start focusing on your body and understanding your PCOS.
This week we’re talking ALL about hirsutism - otherwise known as unwanted hair growth. It’s one of the more obvious (and quite possibly one of the most frustrating) PCOS symptoms. And women in PCOS are so much more likely to have to deal with this unwanted hair growth than other women - 70%-80% of us women with PCOS will have to deal with these pesky, dark hairs compared to only 4%-11% of the general female population.
I know, it’s a pretty staggering difference.
Let’s face it, as women, we don’t want to look like we’re prepping for Movember a few months early. No thank you, I’m not competing with my SO on who can grow their mo the fastest!
So how do we get rid of these annoying little hairs? Laser? Hair removal cream? Shaving? I know so many other women who have spent an inordinate amount of money on hair removal treatments only to have the hairs sprout straight back up. ARGH!
But, if there’s something else going on - something underlying - no amount of hair removal cream will make them magically disappear. And if it does, it won’t be a long term solution.
Since I haven’t before, I want to take today’s episode as an opportunity to focus solely on unwanted hair growth (also known as hirsutism). I’m going to be talking about what classifies hirsutism, how the hair growth actually works, what hormones are involved and the various treatment options.
If you’re feeling frustrated with these annoying dark hairs that keep sprouting up no matter how many creams, razors and treatments you use, this is a must listen episode. Think of it as your go-to guide for unwanted hair growth!
This episode is for you if:
- Have noticeable hair growth on your face, stomach, back and/or chest
- You want to know how to get rid of unwanted hair
- You have insulin resistant PCOS.
Some things we cover in this episode:
- Which hormones are responsible for hirsutism
- What proportion of women with PCOS deal with hirsutism
- Different types of hair and how they change with hirsutism
- The two-pronged approach to treating hirsutism
- The top three things we need to address for hirsutism
- The effectiveness of prescription drugs used for treatment
- Lifestyle changes for hirsutism
References and Articles:
- Association of Hormonal Contraception with Depression
- Efficacy of a new oral contraceptive containing drospirenone and ethinyl estradiol in the long term treatment of hirsutism
- Insulin-sensitising drugs versus the combined oral contraceptive pill for hirsutism, acne and risk of diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and endometrial cancer in polycystic ovary syndrome
- The evaluation and management of hirsutism
- Hirsutism in Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: Pathophysiology and Management
“How do I know what diet will help my PCOS symptoms?”
“Why is it that when I do eat healthy, it leaves me feeling tired, ‘hangry’ and doesn’t seem to make any difference to my symptoms?”
“If a food is healthy, then it’s good for me right?”
These are all questions you’ve probably asked yourself at least a handful of times while trying to figure out how to tackle your PCOS. And you’ve probably seen all over social media people (qualified or otherwise) showing you what they 'eat in a day' or their latest 'healthy' recipe.
But what if the foods that are healthy for them, weren't necessarily healthy for you?
We wanted to put these ‘health’ foods to the test here at The PCOS Nutritionist.
So I roped in one of my lovely team members, Sophia - who has no insulin issues - to join me in an experiment comparing how her and my blood glucose levels differed when eating these ‘healthy’ foods. We ate the same for a whole week, tracked our levels and for what you’d consider a healthy option - we got some varying results.
In this episode of The PCOS Nutritionist Podcast, Sophia and I discuss the ins and outs of the experiment, why not all healthy food may not be as healthy for you and your PCOS as you think and answered the all important question “well, then what do I eat?!”
If you’re not seeing changes in your symptoms, your weight and you’re struggling with the all-consuming frequent hangry attacks - listening to this episode is a must!
This episode is for you if:
- You’re insulin resistant
- Your friends, sister, colleagues are able to lose weight easily on a diet and you can’t
- You constantly experience ‘hangry attacks’ and you never really feel satisfied
- You’re eating ‘healthy’ but you’re still gaining weight
- You want to understand your PCOS symptoms more
Some things we cover in this episode:
- How and why we conducted our blood glucose experiment
- Comparing an insulin resistant person’s blood glucose levels with someone who doesn’t have insulin resistance
- ‘Healthy is relative to you’ and what that actually means
- Insulin Resistance
- Comparing foods and how our blood sugar reacted
- Complications of not addressing insulin resistance / metabolic syndrome
- Are all carbs bad?
- Where to draw the line between eating for your physiology and diet culture
What you'll learn in this podcast is that in it’s essence, there is nothing about having high androgens, missing/ irregular periods and/or ‘cysts’ on your ovaries (the diagnostic criteria for PCOS) that reduces your immunity.
BUT when you look deeper at the underlying things going on for many women with PCOS, we find that many of us may have weakened immunity.
This is what we'll be going into in the podcast, as well as what I'm personally doing to lower my risk (and my risk of infecting others too).
One of the things I'm doing is making sure that I'm getting some activity into my day, every day. Being homebound is hard mentally, and having a little bit of exercise every day really helps me. So I've created a month of FREE home workouts for you in a handy app. You can just open the app, put your favourite tunes on and blast out a quick workout.
I've also created a pop-up Facebook group for the month to support our wee community who are getting active. You can find that group here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/199299961298833
And download the app here: pcostrainer.wodify.com
After being told that you “don’t look like the kind of person that has PCOS”, actually getting the diagnosis can feel like a bit of relief amongst the chaos of confusing, awful symptoms.
But when you ask what to do next, being told “well, you just need to exercise more, eat better and lose some weight” when you’ve been bending over backwards doing that, is a HUGE slap in the face.
The post-diagnosis plan you receive from a lot of doctors is unfortunately usually something like the scenario above. You may be offered birth control in addition to help regulate your cycles, ovulation and keep acne at bay. It often goes along the lines of “eat better, exercise more, lose weight, go on the Pill and come back when you want to have children.”
If PCOS affected approximately 20% of females, why is this all we’re being told and why is it not making much difference - if any - in our symptoms?
Most medical students get minimal training and information at university on PCOS and how it’s treated than what you’ve read above.
Like many of you, Kellie-Anne faced this struggle. She was working out every day and eating well to tackle her symptoms but with little shift in her weight, fatigue cravings and fertility. But she was getting minimal direction on what to do next from her doctors.
While her doctors are great at general practice, they aren’t PCOS specialists. They couldn’t help her identify what was driving her PCOS but instead give her band-aid solutions and general advice that didn’t take into account other factors that were causing her symptoms.
Advocating for yourself, your health and seeking out a wide range of information is so important when tackling a ‘modern-day disease’ like PCOS. That’s exactly what Kellie-Anne did and is how she managed to get where she is now.
I know that so many of you have been or are in this situation, which is why I brought Kellie-Anne onto The PCOS Nutritionist Podcast. After being diagnosed and not getting any real direction it can be hard to know where to start, so hearing from someone who actually gets it and has found a way to sustainably manage her PCOS, can help give you the guidance you need to figure out the root of YOUR PCOS.
This episode is for you if:
- Weight is one of your main symptoms.
- Your doctor has just told you to change your exercise and diet - but you’re already eating well and exercising regularly.
- You think (or you know) you have insulin resistance.
- You’re thinking of or actively trying to get pregnant.
- You can’t control your sugar cravings and you don’t know how to address this.
- Your hormones (specifically testosterone and DHEA-S) are in the lab range but you’re still getting PCOS-like symptoms.
Some things we cover in this episode:
- The ‘Sugarcoaster’ - why you can’t stop your sugar cravings.
- Kellie-Anne’s story from wildly irregular cycles, weight issues, fertility issues and hangry attacks to managing her cravings, sustainable weight loss and pregnancy.
- Why you might see changes on the low GI (glycemic index) diet but why it isn’t optimal for insulin resistance.
- Miscarriage, pregnancy complications and why women with PCOS may have a higher risk.
- The dieting cycle.
- The physiology behind why you aren’t losing weight if you have PCOS - even if you’re working out twice a day!
- The importance of checking your partner's reproductive health and when to do it.
- Social media and self-esteem
When you ask someone how they are, do you notice the overwhelming amount of people who respond with how tired they are? I’ve been guilty of this and I’m sure if you have too, at one point or another.
Recently, the “I’ll sleep when I’m dead” mentality has really picked up and being exhausted has become more of a badge of honour than something people are concerned about.
“So, if everyone’s tired, then isn’t that just normal?” Well, no it’s not. It’s common but it’s far from normal.
From managing our careers, looking after family and being social to trying to eat well and workout, getting through all of our life admin and still squeezing in some ‘me time’, we usually have our plates pretty full.
But after a decent (ideally, uninterrupted) sleep, we should feel refreshed - not like we’ve been punched in the face. Unfortunately, so many of us feel the latter on a regular basis. Which makes getting through our busy schedules a million times harder than it could be.
As women we take on a lot. Which is why I’m not surprised at the insane amount of messages I receive about how to stop feeling “constantly tired”.
Luckily, there are things you can do to wake up after a night’s sleep feeling actually functional (wow, who would’ve known!), keep your energy levels up throughout the day (without a thousand coffees) and be able to actually shut off your mind when your head hits the pillow at night.
For me, this topic is personal. A good chunk of my 20’s was taken up by being exhausted and fatigued. ALL. THE. TIME. Between my corporate job, still keeping my training up and just life in general, I never felt fully rested and ready to tackle the day. I’d be exhausted at work and wired when I was ready to sleep. UGH!
So, in light of that (and because I know so many of you struggle with this too), I’ve dedicated this entire episode to energy and fatigue. I talk in depth about the 6 main issues that could be causing your fatigue and what YOU can do about them.
Because we know that feeling tired just makes everything 10x more annoying and time-consuming.
This episode is for you if:
- It doesn’t matter how much you sleep, you still feel tired.
- You genuinely can’t get anything done without one (or three) coffees.
- You lack energy in the morning but you can’t shut down when it’s time to head to bed.
- Your mind is wired but physically you feel exhausted.
- The beginning of the day and mid afternoon are the times when you feel the most exhausted.
Some things we cover in this episode:
- The importance of micronutrients
- Medications and how they affect your energy
- Stress hormones and their relationship with fatigue
- Insulin
- How your thyroid function could negatively impact your energy.
- Sleep itself - how to identify if you’re not getting enough quality sleep and what to do about it.
You’re doing everything right, so why is nothing helping your PCOS symptoms?
I know how you feel, because I’ve been you. You’re being as healthy as you can but it feels like the more you try, the more your body resists.
You’ve heard doctors, influencers, friends, colleagues or whoever say that ‘losing weight is all about calories in calories out’. But you’re eating 1200 calories a day (helloooo hangry attacks) and you're running yourself into the ground with the amount of exercise you’re doing, so why does your weight keep on going up?!
Not seeing any change in your weight and having people - even doctors - say ‘you mustn’t be sticking to it properly then’ when you’re trying your hardest to “do everything right” is a sure-fire way to trashing your self-esteem and the quality of your mental health. On top of that you’re trying (and struggling) to conceive - so this is the LAST thing you want to hear.
You’re trying to be your healthiest self but the weight won’t budge and you keep getting negative pregnancy tests. You’re being pushed medications like Clomid and some specialists are suggesting you might have to resort to IVF.
Destynne is a prime example of the above.
She was a college athlete, and even after she finished that, she was competing in triathlons - even this crazy amount of exercise and trying restrictive diets didn’t make a big difference to her weight. She wasn’t having regular cycles either. It took her a few years to get formally diagnosed with PCOS, even though she had suspected that it was the issue after researching her symptoms long before.
She tried everything to help her lose weight as well as conceive. But nothing worked and when she did see results - they were short-term and unmaintainable.
So how did she go from this - to having two children naturally, having sustainable weight loss, controlling the binging and hangry attacks and ultimately getting her PCOS under control? Well that’s exactly what we’re talking about this week on The PCOS Nutritionist Podcast.
I knew so many of you would resonate with her story so I brought her onto the podcast to discuss her journey and how she made such a substantial change to her PCOS symptoms. I hope you enjoy listening to this podcast as much as I enjoyed recording it!
This episode is for you if:
- Have insatiable hangry attacks.
- You feel like you can’t stop binging.
- You’re over-exercising but can’t shed weight.
- You’re trying to get pregnant with PCOS.
- Yo-yo dieting is all too familiar to you.
- You aren’t ovulating.
- You want to know more about how Clomid affects your fertility - and other options to discuss with your doctor.
Some things we cover in this episode:
- The calorie equation - and why it doesn’t work for everyone.
- Insulin resistance.
- Reactive hypoglycaemia.
- Destynne’s PCOS journey - weight issues, getting diagnosed, struggling to get pregnant and where she is now.
- Being a triathlete with PCOS.
- How Destynne went from struggling to get pregnant to having her second child within two months of getting her cycle back.
- The ratio of LH and FSH we need for conception - and what happens when you take medications like Clomid.
- Finding other women who are also struggling with PCOS - the importance of community.
While it’s not top of mind for everyone, menopause is a topic that I actually get quite a few questions about.
I’ve had more women than you would expect say to me:
“Okay well, if PCOS is all to do with my ovaries then when I hit menopause, it’s problem solved right? Because I’m not ovulating and having periods anymore?”
Well not quite…
I mean, it’s literally called poly-cystic OVARIAN syndrome - so I can understand that it can make it a bit more confusing.
But there’s a lot more to PCOS than just your ovaries and the cysts you have on them.
There are SO many factors that play into the symptoms we see on the outside and in our tests. If you’re a long time listener, you’ll have heard me harp on about this and the importance of finding your root cause.
As always on the internet, there’s a lot of misinformation and confusion out there. Menopause and PCOS is no exception to this rule!
Menopause is much more than just your ovaries saying ‘ok bye I’m retiring now’ - but that’s the main part we tend to hear about.
So this week on The PCOS Nutritionist Podcast, I’m going to clear up the confusion. I’m going to breakdown what menopause actually is, the symptoms, HOW it affects your PCOS and a whoooole lot more.
And spoiler alert - you don’t have to wait until you’re 50-something for menopause to ‘fix’ your PCOS.
This episode is for you if:
- You’ve been told that ovarian cysts are the main part of PCOS
- You’re thinking of just waiting out the symptoms until menopause, when your ovaries will be ‘shutting down’
- You want to learn more about your reproductive health
- You’re in your 40s or 50s (although this episode is actually important for all women to listen to!)
- You’re confused about where your oestrogen, progesterone, LH and FSH levels should be before and at menopause
- You’re insulin resistant
Some things we cover in this episode:
- What menopause actually is
- Insulin resistance and menopause
- What happens to our hormones during menopause
- Symptoms of menopause
- Does PCOS get better after menopause?
- The interaction between PCOS, menopause and stress
- How much our ovaries are actually contributing when it comes to hormones
One thing that no one seems to be able to agree on is which diet is the ‘best’ for health and longevity. Should I go low-carb? Keto? What about eating a raw diet? Is mediterranean good for me? Will high-carb low-fat make me lose body fat?
With everyone yelling out different answers it can all seem a bit overwhelming.
It’s hard enough for most people to navigate diets and figure out which diet is ‘best’, let alone throwing PCOS into the mix. You want something maintainable, ‘healthy’ and something helps your PCOS symptoms rather than making them worse, right?
Of course you do! Finding the ‘right’ diet for PCOS is something I’ve always gotten SO many questions about. But recently I have had a lot of questions that look a bit like this:
“Would becoming vegan help manage my PCOS symptoms?” “Can I lose weight as a vegan with insulin resistant PCOS?” “What should I do as a vegan with PCOS?”
Yep - Veganism.
It’s a controversial diet, spiking in popularity a few years ago and it’s not showing any signs of slowing down. But is it the best diet for women with PCOS or could it be making your PCOS worse?
Yeah, I’m going there - I’m talking about veganism on this episode of the podcast and whether it’s the ‘best’ diet for women with PCOS! I’ve had a lot of questions about this topic and this episode is jam-packed full of info - so if you’re as interested as I am about this whole vegan movement, you’re definitely going to want to tune in!
This episode is for you if:
- You’re insulin resistant (there’s a high chance you could be, 80% of women with PCOS are!)
- You’re currently vegan and have PCOS
- You’re interested to know what you can and can’t get from a vegan diet
- You’re just generally interested in the debate about whether or not veganism is optimal.
Some things we cover in this episode:
- Insulin resistance and veganism
- Red meat and whether it has a link to cancer
- Essential nutrients and where to get them
- Confirmation bias
- The B12 debate
- Nutrients only found in animal foods
- Game Changers and other documentaries with a plant-based focus
Disclaimer: This episode will not be focusing on other areas of veganism such as animal welfare or sustainability. Although I do a lot of research on it for my own interest, it doesn’t fall within my area of expertise. However, I’d really encourage you to read widely in those spaces too. In most cases you’ll find that much of the research around these areas isn’t as clear cut as you’re led to believe.
Struggling with fertility when you have PCOS is pretty common, but that doesn’t make it any easier to deal with.
We’ve all heard doctors and OBGYNs say ‘you’re really going to struggle getting pregnant’. But usually it’s something that you push to the back burner to deal with when you’re ready to start a family. But when you decide it’s time and the reality of how hard it might be sinks in, it makes it 1000x harder.
The stress from something so life altering - whether or not you’ll be able to have kids - flows on into the other parts of your life - and affects your relationships with others and with yourself.
This is exactly what happened to Ciara. After being diagnosed as a teen and having extremely irregular cycles, Ciara went through the standard PCOS motions. Going on the Pill, gaining more weight when she was doing the same things her friends were, being told to ‘come back and see us when you want to have kids’, trying to conceive for YEARS and then still struggling to get pregnant.
With all of this stress and the physical health issues PCOS brings weighing on her mind - Ciara’s mental health and relationships took a hit and everything in life seemed so much harder to cope with. Now, Ciara has done a complete 180.
Today we’re talking to Ciara all about her story with PCOS and fertility - going from what felt like rock bottom to taking control of her PCOS and getting back to not letting symptoms stand in her way.
She’s not only hilarious but she’s truly inspiring - it’s not easy to make the best out of your situation when it feels like the world is against you!
If you’re feeling overwhelmed with your PCOS and you feel like it’s taking over your entire life, then you NEED to listen to this episode - I know it’ll make a world of a difference!
This episode is for you if:
- You feel like PCOS is becoming just too much to cope with
- Are having trouble conceiving
- Are having trouble with weight
- Have irregular cycles
- Your fertility issues are causing you extra mental stress and / or affecting your relationship with your SO
Some things we cover in this episode:
- Knowing when you’re ovulating and your fertile window
- The role sleep has in PCOS
- Ciara’s story - how she went from ‘rock bottom’ to taking control of her PCOS, fertility and overall health
- Weight gain with PCOS and how Ciara addressed it
- The importance of identifying your trigger points and root cause
- Dealing with anxiety
- Personal Trainers and Dietitian's - are they worth it and what you should look out for
- Goal setting
To a lot of you, I’m sure your PCOS diagnosis left you thinking ‘okay, now what’?
Visiting the doctor, specialists, the OBGYN - everyone just tells you to either go on the Pill or that there’s nothing they can really do about it, so you just have to deal with the hand you’ve been dealt.
If you’ve been listening to the podcast or following me for a while, you’ll know that the above simply isn’t true - the Pill doesn’t fix PCOS it just puts a band-aid on some of the symptoms and while there isn’t a clear cure for PCOS, targeted lifestyle changes have been found to make a huge difference for so many women!
Where things get a little confusing - for both people dealing with PCOS and even those without it - is supplements. They’re sold pretty much everywhere and everyone is talking about them. So with hundreds of different superfoods, vitamins, mineral supplements and powders on the market, how do you know which ones are worth investing in?
I’ve had a crazy amount of questions about supplements and which ones to take if you have PCOS.
In this week’s episode, I’m talking you through everything to do with supplements. What supplements even are, what types there are, what they do in our bodies, my go-to’s, the supplements I stay away from and I’ll answer the age old question…
“What supplements do I take to help my PCOS symptoms?”
If you’ve been wondering what and whether supplements will help your PCOS symptoms and you want a bit more direction, then definitely listen in to this week’s episode. It might save you from wasting your time and buying a couple hundred dollars worth of supplements that may not actually do anything!
This episode is for you if:
- You’re already taking supplements but aren’t sure if you have the right ones
- You’re often fatigued and/or sick
- You want to know a little bit more about how supplements work in your body
- You aren’t clinically deficient in vitamins and minerals but you’re still feeling the symptoms of a deficiency
- You’re wondering whether the superfoods and supplements that people are raving about online are actually going to do anything
- You’re overwhelmed with all the choices of products
Some things we cover in this episode:
- The types of supplements there are and what they mean
- What supplements help PCOS
- What supplements have a negative effect on PCOS symptoms
- Food vs. Supplements - what’s more effective for vitamin and nutrient absorption?
- Inflammation
- How IBS symptoms affect your how well your supplements work.
- My go-to and stay-away-from supplements
Sometimes we forget how common PCOS actually is. The number of women with PCOS is estimated to be 1 in 5 - you don’t need me to tell you that’s a lot! 20% of our female population is dealing with the same kind of symptoms as us; the hair growth and loss; the weight gain; the hangry attacks; the acne!
Yet, too often we feel like no one gets where we’re coming from. So we get waxed, annihilate ourselves in the gym daily, jump on the Pill, restrict our calories and take accutane or whatever else will keep the acne somewhat under control.
And nothing is working! I hear you. I struggled for so long before I figured out what worked and how I had to change my lifestyle to help my symptoms.
But figuring out what the heeeeck is going on internally and why your body has just started World War 3 with you is TOUGH. Having a community of other women who get it is so important! And we need to remember that there isn’t anything wrong with us! Having PCOS needs to be normalised.
Which is what my fellow kiwi, Hayley Sproull, is out here doing now! Being a comedian and TV personality here in New Zealand, she’s always in front of the camera, with people throughout the country watching her on the regular. She’s using her platform to help women across New Zealand (and beyond) feel less alone with PCOS, normalise dealing with PCOS symptoms and sharing all the information she learns along the way!
I managed to get some time out of her busy schedule to have a good chat about her journey with PCOS, where she’s at now and how she’s stayed so confident being in the public eye while dealing with her symptoms.
If you’re feeling alone, annoyed with your PCOS or you’re just wanting to have a laugh, you’ll want to listen in to my chat with Hayley - she’ll have you laughing, crying and nodding your head all throughout the episode!
Watch her documentary ‘Cystic Sisters’ here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6-BqQnlDS-0
And keep up to date with what she’s up to here:
https://www.instagram.com/hayleysproull/
https://www.facebook.com/hayleysproullcomedy/
https://twitter.com/hayleysproull?lang=en
This episode is for you if:
- You’re lacking in motivation or feeling isolated due to your PCOS diagnosis
- You’ve had professionals tell you that you’re overweight because you’re overeating - even when you’ve been eating barely anything
- Your PCOS symptoms have you lacking in confidence
- You’re in the mood for a laugh and want to hear more about another woman’s journey with what you’ve been dealing with!
Some things we cover in this episode:
- The ‘Cystic Sisters’ documentary
- The Pill: the positives and negatives
- Dieting mentality and disordered eating behaviours
- Hayley’s journey - from being diagnosed until now
Regardless of what holiday you celebrate, this time of year is when a lot of us tend to slip off the healthy habits bandwagon.
For some of us, we fall off the bandwagon and straight into a big blowout full of puddings and other festive dishes that leave us feeling pretty average, let’s be honest. And to top it off, if we’re in the Northern Hemisphere, we’re probably even less inclined to keep working out and eating well over Christmas and the New Year because it’s absolutely freezing outside. Staying inside and vegging out sounds a whole lot easier right?
This time of year is great because we can to reconnect with family and friends that we may not have been able to see all year, but it can be hard to balance enjoying their company, while still maintaining your exercise and eating habits.
It’s also hard to explain why you’re not loading up on Christmas cake or casserole like everyone else - especially when you try to tell your friends and family why you’re eating a certain way and they all suddenly turn into expert nutritionists! You know who they are...
And having lived in London for a number of years, I know that getting out to go for a run is pretty much impossible (and also not very appealing) if it’s freezing or snowing where you live.
Maintaining balance can be difficult and I’m sure a lot of you can resonate with trying to juggle this all while still spending quality time with your family.
So that’s why my gift to you all - you’re welcome - is a BONUS episode of The PCOS Nutritionist podcast all about surviving the holiday season. We’ll cover everything when it comes to holiday food, fitness, travelling and how to tackle those awkward “why aren’t you eating that?'' conversations.
This episode is for you if:
- Are feeling overwhelmed about how you’re going to maintain balance over the holiday season
- Worried about what those around you will think of your body or how you’re eating
- The holidays tend to be a big blowout for you when it comes to eating food that doesn’t serve you
- Are trying to figure out how to fit exercise in over the holiday season
Some things we cover in this episode:
- My 3 non-negotiables for the holiday period
- How to maintain balance over Christmas and New Years
- My tips for staying on track while travelling
- How to tackle the family Christmas dinner when you can’t eat anything
- What to say in those difficult conversations about what you are and aren’t eating
Listen on iTunes, Spotify or Stitcher
Sugar - it’s a pretty polarising food in the health world. Some people see no harm incorporating it regularly into their diet, some people think that we’d all be better off removing it completely. Some studies are even suggesting it’s level with hard drugs when it comes to how addicting it is.
With so many fad diets, influencers promoting various quick fixes and cleanses, and conflicting information online and in books, it can be hard to know what and who to trust when it comes to curbing these sweet cravings.
So who do we believe? Is it really as addicting as people are claiming? Is it more a lack of willpower that drove you to eat two Snickers bars or is there a real, scientific reason that we can’t help but reach for cookies and chocolate when that afternoon slump or post-dinner craving kicks in?
Sometimes it can just be easier to give up, give in and ‘start on Monday’. Trust me, I’ve been there and I know how much of a struggle it can be to try to avoid the cravings and temptations.
So that’s why for this week’s episode of The PCOS Nutritionist Podcast, I’m talking all about sugar cravings, the science behind sugar and what we can do to effectively maintain a lifestyle where we don’t feel the need to always have the cake or the soft drink.
Joining me this week is the lovely Stephanie, who went from sugar detox cleanses and a “I’ll start on Monday” mentality, to repairing not only insulin spikes but also her relationship with sugary snacks, in turn, improving her PCOS symptoms massively!
Sounds amazing right? Well, the good news is that it’s totally possible and achievable! I know Stephanie’s story will resonate with so many of you.
So, if you feel like you can’t ignore that insatiable desire for sweet treats or snacks and you don’t know where to go from here, this week’s episode is one for you.
This episode is for you if:
- Have insatiable sugar cravings
- Feel tired and hungry pretty much all the time
- Have tried sugar cleanses or cutting sugar completely but haven’t been able to maintain it
- Feel like you have no willpower when it comes to avoiding snacks and sweet treats
- Hangry attacks feel like a regular occurance to you
- You want to feel more in control of your food, instead of it controlling you
Some things we cover in this episode:
- Insulin’s relationship with sugar
- How Stephanie overcame her sugar addiction
- Lack of sleep and its effects on insulin and sugar cravings
- Stephanie’s story with PCOS
- Methods that Stephanie tried for curbing cravings - what works and what doesn’t
- Sugar ‘cleanses’ and ‘detoxing’
- The difference between PCOS and ovarian cysts
- Negative self talk when it comes to food
When it comes to fertility, there’s a lot of talk about getting pregnant and staying pregnant with PCOS, but there’s an important topic that no one is really talking about…breastfeeding!
There’s lots of information out there now on getting pregnant and PCOS, but virtually nothing about what to do when you actually are pregnant. What do I need to consider? Are there any additional risks that I need to know about? With breastfeeding, we’re always told that breast is best - and it is - but for many women, breastfeeding isn’t always an option.
While the studies on breastfeeding and PCOS are pretty limited, the research that has been done has found that women with PCOS may have greater problems when it comes to breastfeeding. Your midwife, GP or antenatal educator might not know this because they don’t specialise in PCOS.
How do you know if this is you? What signs do you need to look out for? And what can you do to improve your chances of being able to breastfeed? There is a lot to think about when it comes to breastfeeding, especially when you have PCOS and it can be confusing to know where to turn for information.
So, on this week’s episode of The PCOS Nutritionist Podcast, I’m talking all things breastfeeding - how to know if your breastfeeding ability is going to be impacted by your PCOS, why this may be happening and the changes you can make to help. This topic is super interesting, and there’s a lot more to breastfeeding than breast is best - if you want to know why, make sure you tune in.
This episode is for you if:
- You’re trying to conceive, currently pregnant or recently postpartum
- You want to know if PCOS will stop you from being able to breastfeed
- You can’t / weren’t able to breastfeed and you want to hear more about the science behind why that might be
- You have insulin resistance
- You had issues with ovulation during puberty
- Your GP / midwife / antenatal educator doesn’t seem to be able to answer your questions
Some things we cover in this episode:
- The top three things that are likely to impair your chances of being able to breastfeed
- What insulin resistance has to do with breast growth, milk production and breastfeeding in general
- Things outside of PCOS that may be affecting your ability to breastfeed
- How to know if your baby isn’t getting the nutrients they need from your breastmilk
- What’s the best way to eat for breastfeeding
- Getting back to your pre-baby weight - is it possible to do it and breastfeed at the same time?
When it comes to having PCOS, pregnancy complications, lack of periods, and general fertility struggles are big symptoms that a lot of women struggle with. If you listened in on last weeks’ podcast, you would have heard us dive deep into the common pregnancy complications that come with having PCOS. We talked in-depth about the reasoning behind why women with PCOS have a higher risk of having these issues in pregnancy and how you can reduce your risk of these complications.
It’s frustrating as women to feel like our body is working against us and not with us - especially in something as natural as getting pregnant. This week we’re speaking with the lovely Chantelle, who knows all too well how it feels to be stuck in the deep end when it comes to issues with periods, pregnancy and PCOS.
We talk about when she realised something wasn’t right with her periods (or lack thereof), how she got diagnosed, the long road to getting pregnant with PCOS and what happened after having her son!
This episode is for you if:
- You’re looking to conceive now or in the future
- You’re dealing with PCOS and want to know more about how it affects your fertility
- You have issues with your periods - or you aren’t getting them all together!
- ‘Dysfunctional’ is a pretty accurate description of how your body feels currently or has been feeling for a while.
Some things we cover in this episode:
- Ovulation, fertility and how the being on the Pill affects your body
- Insulin resistance (this is common in PCOS sufferers, almost 80% of us deal with it!)
- The body doesn’t work in isolation - linking Chantelle’s symptoms
- Inflammation’s role in the body
- Remembering your ‘WHY’, how Chantelle found joy in the everyday and her tips for accountability
Can miscarriage be avoided? What causes a miscarriage? Are some miscarriages protective? And why do women with PCOS have higher rates of miscarriage?
These are some of the questions I was asking myself in writing my book on getting pregnant with PCOS- so I thought: time to blimmin do a podcast on this because NO-ONE seems to be talking about it.
There’s a plethora of information about how to get pregnant with PCOS, but nothing about what to look out for when we you do finally conceive.
And there are a few key things we need to be aware of.
Pregnancy complication rates are much higher in PCOS but from my experience, they don’t have to be. I’ve found the pregnancy complications that often come with PCOS have nothing to do with PCOS purse, but are due to the root cause, especially when that’s insulin or hypothyroidism.
In this week’s podcast I’m getting into the nitty gritty of the three most common complications:
- Miscarriage
- Gestational diabetes
- Pre eclampsia.
You’ll likely have heard about the miscarriage, but gestational diabetes? Well that’s another story.
Gestational diabetes is Type 2 diabetes (non insulin diabetes) developed during pregnancy.
There are many hormonal changes that happen during pregnancy, and one of them to make you more insulin resistant to help deliver nutrients to the growing baby.
So if you already have some insulin resistance going into pregnancy- it makes sense that you’re more likely to develop it.
So this episode , I’m explaining all about the WHY and most importantly WHAT you can do to reduce your risk.
Getting to the ‘root’ of your PCOS can seem like an impossible battle, especially when you’re doing everything your told will help you lose the weight, fix the fatigue or curb your sugar cravings and you’re still not seeing any improvement.
I’ve been there - feeling like nothing seemed to work and wondering if you’ll ever figure out how to really treat your PCOS.
Today, we’re having a chat with the wonderful Lou, who suffered with PCOS for a number of years. We talk through her journey with everything from exercise and food, to fertility and fatigue and how she identified one of the ‘root’ causes of her symptoms.
This episode is for you if:
- You’re over-exercising and in a caloric deficit - but your weight won’t budge
- You feel like your taking two steps backward when everyone is taking two steps forward
Some things we cover in this episode:
- Lou’s struggle with overexercising and weight gain.
- Why it’s not calorie restrictive diets aren’t usually the key to losing weight when you have PCOS.
- Getting to the root cause of Lou’s PCOS using The PCOS Protocol.
- Insulin: how it can contribute to PCOS symptoms.
- Lou’s story with trying to sort her fertility issues.
For more information about the PCOS protocol, head to this page:
https://thepcosnutritionist.lpages.co/the-pcos-protocol/
Exercise can never be a bad thing right? Yes it can if you’re killing yourself with lots of high intensity or endurance exercise and your hormones are suffering.
I know this as I have been there 🙋
And I see it happening to many of you too. The story is always the same. You’re already exercising, but start putting on weight, so you think “My current hour run/ spin class/ HIIT workout is clearly not enough, let’s double or triple that.”
Then you don’t lose any weight, or your PCOS symptoms don’t improve so you’re terrified of reducing that amount of exercise because everything might then spiral out of control.
But this is where our rationale is completely off: more is not better when it comes to endurance and high intensity exercise.
So in this week's episode of The PCOS Nutritionist podcast, I outline what’s actually going on with our hormones, why more exercise isn’t better and how to tell if you’re overdoing it.
This episode isn’t going to be relevant for everyone, but if you nodded your head to any of the above- it’s for you!
Relevant Links: The PCOS Protocol: https://thepcosnutritionist.lpages.co/the-pcos-protocol/
The number of women with PCOS has now been estimated to be 1 in 5. Until now it’s been estimated to be 1 in 10 and only a couple of decades ago, it was 1 in 50. So what’s causing this, if PCOS is a genetic condition?
Genes can’t change this much between generations, at the most, we'll have a handful of changes from generation to generation, so the only explanation (aside from the issue of potential over diagnosis, which we won’t get into today) is our environment.
A few weeks ago I was reading a research study titled: “The evolutionary origins of PCOS: An environmental mismatch disorder” and it completely hit the mark when explaining why this was happening.
The researcher, Mia Charifson joins me on today’s podcast to explain her research and how PCOS is a condition of our genetics just not playing nicely with our current environment.
Mia is a student and researcher in Evolutionary Biology at the School of Human Evolution and Social Change, Arizona State University. She’s spent a lot of time looking at all the current research in PCOS to try and piece together this puzzle from an evolutionary perspective.
We also talk a lot about what the solution to this is- how we can change the food we eat, how we move, our stress levels, how much sleep we’re getting and our vitamin and mineral levels- but also why there isn’t a ‘one size fits all solution’.
Highlights, takeaways and quick wins:
- Our genes predispose us to PCOS- no questions there
- These genes that predispose us were likely not necessarily an advantage in our paleolithic era, but just ‘neutral’
- However these genes can be negative in our current environment of an abundance of (particularly manufactured) food and too little movement
- There is a solution to this, we can change the food we eat, how we move, our stress levels, how much sleep we’re getting and our vitamin and mineral levels
- There isn’t a ‘one size fits all solution’
- Our immune system and inflammation are a driver of PCOS
- Medications can help- but they don’t change this environment so we need to do both
If you want to read the paper, you can find that here: https://academic.oup.com/emph/article/2019/1/50/5419859
The very basic, but essential component of getting pregnant is that you have intercourse at the time that you’re actually fertile. Contrary to popular belief, there are only about 4-6 days in a cycle that you’re actually fertile, and the secret is finding out which days these are.
It sounds simple, but 87% of couples don’t know how to do this. When you learn how it’s quite straightforward, but it’s not common knowledge and you aren’t taught this anywhere along your fertility journey.
This is even harder if you have PCOS and have irregular cycles. Apps can’t predict these days, nor can ovulation sticks in PCOS because our LH is already too high. In today’s podcast I’m going to be telling why this is and what you need to use instead.
Today’s podcast isn’t just for those wanting to conceive- if you’re thinking about this in the future, it would be so beneficial to learn this technique now.
Highlights takeaways and quick wins:
- You are only fertile about 4-6 days per cycle- your fertile window
- The fertile window is the days pre ovulation when you can actually conceive
- The Fertility Awareness Method is 99.6 accurate at detecting this.
- Ovulation test kits can’t identify this fertile window in PCOS: Even the manufacturers state this in the packet
- App’s also can’t predict this- especially the apps that you put the days of your period in.
- Your luteal phase (days after ovulation and before your period) is also crucial. Leaning to chart your cycles will help you identify if you have an insufficient luteal phase.
- Your doctor isn’t taught anything about this- so expect them to be dismissive
- Your fertility specialist also won’t check these- it’s up to you to learn and understand your body.
Key studies I talk about in this podcast:
- 87% of couples don’t know how to detect this fertile window accurately:https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2276487
- 50% of couples on the IVF waitlist didn’t need it- they just needed to know how to identify their fertile window. 50% of them conceived naturally after getting taught this: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28185073
If you want help learning how to do this, then come join us in www.eggducated.com
“Does hair ever grow back?” and “Do you have any good- news stories for hair loss?”
These are two questions I often get, so I had to reach out to Kim to see if she would share her story.
Kim was in my very first intake of The PCOS Protocol and is just the she’s repeated it again to give herself another 12 weeks to implement changes and learn more and more.
As one of the gals in the current protocol told me this week “Knowledge is (will)power.” When you know the rationale behind why you’re changing habits, you can stick with them, even when the results aren’t immediate.
This is why I love helping you learn on these podcasts.
Just another thing- after last week’s podcast, I had a question about Iron deficiency and hair loss. Iron deficiency can contribute to/ cause hair loss, so as well as checking out your thyroid levels, also get your iron levels checked. If they are low, the best absorbed form of iron is red meat, or if you’re vegetarian lots of leafy greens (not so well absorbed form of iron) and cooking your food in a cast iron pan. Your food will absorb some iron from the pan, so everything you eat can contain some iron.
Here are some of the things we cover in this episode:
- Kim’s hair loss and the devastating effect this had on her confidence and life.
- Kim’s struggle with infertility and how this was also likely linked to the root cause of her hair loss, her insulin.
- PCOS and Menopause: why your symptoms DO NOT get better after menopause (they can actually get worse due to more insulin resistance, and pleeeeease don’t get a hysterectomy hoping it will improve your symptoms, it doesn’t).
- Metformin: Metformin can be a really effective drug for improving insulin sensitivity, but like all drugs, it doesn’t come without risks or side effects.
- Topical treatments and shampoos- why you can waste a whole bunch of money on these, when instead you really need to focus on the ‘root cause’.
- Similarly, supplements can be helpful, but they need to be targeted. You can end up wasting a huge amount of money on supplements that don’t have any effect because they are not targeting your root cause
- I have included a supplement and topical treatment for hair loss in the download for you this week.
- Why hair can take such a long time to grow back
- There is no ‘one size fits all’ approach when it comes to PCOS and healthy eating in general. Some advice from nutritionists is great for the majority of the population but not women with PCOS.
I really empathise with anyone struggling with hairloss, and it does take a long time to see changes. However, the next 12 months are going to pass anyway, so you might as well use them to be addressing your ‘root cause’ right?
If you missed it last week, I compiled a download of some evidence backed natural treatments and the full thyroid panel to rule this out as a cause for hair loss.
Download that here at www.thepcosnutritionist.com
Hair loss isn’t a symptom that I’ve had to endure, but I have complete and utter empathy for anyone that has. It’s devastating, and in my experience has a similar impact on a woman’s life as those struggling to conceive.
If you’re struggling with hair loss there are three steps that you need to go through:
- What’s causing your hair loss?
Firstly we want to make sure that it’s definitely PCOS that’s causing your hair loss. I’ve worked with many women who thought that their PCOS was causing their hair loss, only to discover that they also had hypothyroidism and that was actually the main cause. So I give you some tips on how to tell the difference.
-
If it’s hypothyroidism, then we need to know is if it’s pure Hypothyroidism or the autoimmune version Hashimoto’s thyroiditis. Reason being, the treatments differ and if you have the autoimmune version, you may be at more risk of developing autoimmune alopecia.
-
If it’s PCOS, then what’s happening is your ‘male’ hormones (testosterone and DHEAS) are being converted into the more potent form, DHT which is then killing your hair follicles, making the strands fall out. So, as always, we need to find out why your body is making too much of these ‘male’ hormones. Is it:
-
Insulin
- Adrenal
- Inflammation
Then, just like the last couple of episodes on acne, I also dive into some of the common medications and topical treatments for hair loss that you can talk to your doctor about, and what the pros and cons of those are.
Then we also dive into the research on some natural treatments for hair loss (which there is some promising research on too).
As per the acne episodes, I’ve also compiled those natural treatments into a handy downloadable PDF for you too, so you don’t have to remember all the details, you can find that at https://thepcosnutritionist.com/blogs/
Today on the podcast we’re continuing with our chat all about acne.
If you’ve suffered with acne, you’ve likely been blown off by multiple medical professionals.
Acne is certainly nothing to scoff at, especially not if you have debilitating painful cystic acne, or you’re getting it well after your teens.
And most importantly it can be the giant squawking canary in the coalmine telling you that there is something not right in your body.
This is exactly what happened to my guest this week, Erin. She shares her PCOS story, specifically her struggles with acne, what worked and what (definitely) didn't work. But more importantly, she shares that in this process of fixing her acne, she found out that her insulin wasn’t functioning properly. If she’d not discovered that, she could have been on the path to Type 2 diabetes in a few years time.
Some of the key things that we discuss today are:
- What hormonal birth control does to our insulin
- Why the advice is not to diagnose girls with PCOS until at least after they are 16
- Why it isn’t a good idea to go on hormonal birth control as a young teen
- How insulin contributes to Acne
- Why being lean, definitely doesn’t mean your insulin is working correctly
- Why Zinc can often work wonders for Acne
- Why the pill won’t ‘fix’ periods or acne- when you come off it it comes back worse
- Fixing your PCOS ‘root cause’ (in Erin’s case insulin), can work wonders for improving symptoms!
If you missed it last week, I created a PDF of some of my favourite clean beauty products for acne. While acne needs to be treated from the inside (hello ‘root cause’), beauty products that stop the bacterial infection that causes the pustule can be a life saver.
DOWNLOAD that at www.thepcosnutritionist.com
P.S If you’re listening to Erin and thinking ‘hot damn, that program sounds exactly what I need!”, here’s all the info. As a quick summary, it’s an 8 module program that we deliver to you over 12 weeks to make sure that you have time to implement it all. We start by identifying what’s likely contributing to your PCOS i.e. ‘root cause’ (like Erin’s insulin was). Then we give you the most important changes you can make to what you eat, and how you live to fix that ‘root cause’. Any questions? Flick us an email at hello@thepcosnutritionist.com, we’re more than happy to help
If you’re like me and think that in your late 20s, 30s and 40s you should no longer have to deal with acne, then this week's podcast episode is for you.
As you’re probably aware, I’m a big fan of treating the root cause of any of our PCOS symptoms, naturally. But I’m absolutely not against the use of medications, I jut think they should be at least alongside treating the root cause.
I also think that you should be able to make an informed choice about how you treat yoru acne. We’re all adults and part of being an adult is that you get to choose what you want to do. But part of the decision making process is weighing up the pros and cons, and how are we to make an informed decision if we don’t have all the facts?
So in this in this episode I cover off the conventional PCOS acne treatments, and in the interest of truly informed consent I’m going to give you the facts about how these medications actually work, their effectiveness, the pros and the potential long term effects. . These conventional treatments include:
- Roaccutane/ Accutane
- Spironolactone
- Hormonal birth control
- Antibiotics
Then I’ll go into the more functional medicine based treatments i.e. treating the root cause of your high androgens (testosterone). The most common being:
- High insulin
- High stress hormones
- Overactive immune system/ inflammation
BUT at the same time as doing this, topical treatments like face washes and creams can be really effective. While the first part of the acne formation process is the overproduction of oil, the second is the pores getting clogged and infected. So if you can stop the infection, you can potentially stop the acne. This is where face washes and creams can come in very handy.
But most of the conventional creams and washes are full of harsh chemicals. I’ve spent years researching and testing on my skin, more of the ‘clean’ beauty products.
So for today’s episode, I’ve created a download of the tried and tested ‘clean beauty’ acne products that have worked for me or for my clients. You can find that at www.thepcosnutritionist.com
I’m back again this week, with one of my all time favourite women, Dr Lara Briden, The Period Revolutionary.
This episode is part 2 of our discussion all about PCOS and Endometriosis.
Last week we covered off:
- What is Endometriosis?
- What causes endo?
- What are the symptoms?
- How do the symptoms differ from PCOS?
- How is endo diagnosed?
So this week we’re talking all about the TREATMENT options- both conventional and functional.
We talk about:
- Surgery
- Hormonal contraceptive
- Diet
- Supplements and much more
As always, Lara provides a ton of value about the different treatment options, how to combine treatments and lots of information on hormonal contraceptives and progesterone treatment for endometriosis that I wasn't even aware of.
Have you been told that your period pain is because you have PCOS?
One of my all time favourite women, Dr Lara Briden, the period revolutionary, is joining me on the podcast this week to explain why severe period pain is not a symptom of PCOS and is more likely a symptom of Endometriosis.
About 10% of all women have endometriosis, coincidentally about the same number that have PCOS.
They are both very common conditions, which means that for many of you, you might have both. And given it takes women on average 8 YEARS (!) to get diagnosed with endometriosis, it’s likely that you may have both and don’t know about it.
So in this episode we cover off some of the most important topics around endometriosis and PCOS such as:
- What is Endometriosis?
- What causes endo?
- What are the symptoms?
- How do the symptoms differ from PCOS?
- How is endo diagnosed?
As Lara and I love to chat for hours when we get together this podcast went a bit overtime, so I’ve had to split it into two. So next week, we’ll be back with the second part which is mainly about the treatment options for endometriosis.
Thinking that you don’t have endo, so this episode doesn’t apply to you?
No no no no non NO!
You are exactly who this is for- as I said above it affects 1 in 10 women, you can have both and given it takes 8 years to get diagnosed, you’ll likely not know about it.
Even if this is not you, you may pick up on some symptoms that sound distinctly like a sister, friend, cousin daughter or colleague of yours.
What do you do if you’re young, and by all accounts ‘healthy’ and slim ...but you’ve suddenly been told that you’re infertile and need IUI or IVF to conceive?
Well if you’re Sara, you don’t take that as gospel and you seek a second and third opinion.
Today’s podcast is another real-life story with the amazing Sara who I’ve had the pleasure of working with inside The PCOS Protocol.
Like many of us, Sara had been on birth control since a young age and came off after getting married. She had been trying to get pregnant for a year, and when the drug Clomid wasn’t successful, she was told:
“I think you might have lean PCOS, but how we’re going to get around that is by doing IUI”
But she didn’t accept this solution.
“We’d been kind of trying to get pregnant with 6th grade knowledge of how to get pregnant and then suddenly our next option was IVF. It just didn't stack up. I want to understand my body and why we were not conceiving, rather than just jumping straight to IVI and IVF.”
She subsequently found out that her insulin wasn’t working properly- even though she is lean. After tweaking her diet and lifestyle she also learnt to track her cycles to identify when she was leading up to ovulation.
She ovulated 4 months later and got pregnant with that ovulation.
Highlights, takeaways and quick wins
- Whether you’re lean or not, it doesn’t matter, you still need to get to that root cause for why your body isn’t ovulating, and it is really likely that your insulin isn’t working properly.
- Your ‘normal’ HbA1c and other insulin markers doesn’t necessarily mean your insulin is working properly.
- Your doctor will likely jump straight to drug therapy like Clomid, or IUI and IVF and while these are amazing treatments, they often aren’t necessary and don’t come without riek.
- Your doctor likely won’t be able to investigate the root cause for you because they don’t have the knowledge to do this- it’s like asking a builder to install all the plumbing for your bathroom. They might have some understanding because they work with them all the time, but it isn’t their expertise.
- When you have issues with your insulin it isn’t just about ‘eating healthy’- Sara has a great example of what fruit did to her blood sugar.
- You can get pregnant, even without having a period in months- if you know the signs to look for that you’re leading up to ovulation.
- Pregnancy has been shown to push the human body to the limit, so you want to make sure that you’re in the best possibly place before getting pregnant- this is what clomid, IUI or IVF will never do.
- Fertility treatments can be super useful, but in my mind they always come after treating the root cause.
- Download the tests for PCOS at www.thepcosnutritonist.com
Nothing gives me more back shivers than helping a couple conceive.
But it’s such a misunderstood area in PCOS.
When we are diagnosed with PCOS, we’re told things like “You’re going to struggle to conceive”. But this doesn’t have to be the case.
While you might not be ovulating or getting pregnant at that time, it doesn’t mean that you’ll never be able to ovulate or get pregnant. In most cases just need to tweak a few parts of your diet and lifestyle.
The secret is to find out what’s going wrong and address the root cause.
So that’s exactly what I outline on today’s podcast.
In this episode I explain that baking a baby is like baking a cake. This may seem simplistic, especially when there are so many complicated medical tests and treatments, and given the harrowing years so many of you had with your fertility journey.
But when it comes down to it, the process is straight forward, we need to make sure you’ve got all the right ingredients.
The 3 fertile ingredients are:
1. You need enough good quality ingredients
You can’t make a cake if you’re missing eggs, flour and butter (or you’re trying to substitute margarine for butter, woof), and you can’t make a baby if you don’t have a good quality egg and sperm.
2. Correct timing
Just like you need to cream the butter and sugar together before adding the dry ingredients to bake a cake, you also need correct timing to make a baby. You need to make sure you’re timing sex correctly so there is sperm waiting for the egg to be released i.e. pre ovulation. And of course, your body also needs to get it’s hormonal orchestra in sync so that you can ovulate.
3. You need to have a cake tin that stays intact long enough for the cake to finish baking.
If not, you’re going to end up with a big pile of goo on the bottom of your oven. Similarly, you need your uterine lining to be a nice habitable nest and you need enough progesterone for it to stay in place long enough for that fertilised egg to burrow in there. If not, then you’ll get your period before it’s had a chance to burrow in, or before the baby is able to produce its own progesterone at 12 weeks.
I use these three steps like a decision tree with any of my patients to identify where we need to focus. We go through each step and find out where the problem is.
“Are you ovulating? No? Okay that’s where we are going to start”
Then I implement my 5 step process to address that root cause. This is what I also outline in today’s podcast.
And in the most fortuitous timing, I have a great story to share with you on this.
As I’m writing this, it’s 6am in New Zealand, it’s still dark outside so I’m putting off my workout until it’s light and in the meantime checked my emails to see the subject line:
“Positive Test”
From one of my clients, and then, “I’m in shock”.
This gave me all of the back shivers, and while I’m so incredibly delighted for her, I’m not shocked.
Like me, she was told “You’re going to struggle to conceive” and while this pregnancy has been a few months in the making, we had a plan to work to.
We identified what fertile ingredients weren’t working, we then identified why they weren’t working (the root cause),we changed her diet and lifestyle to suit, and gave her a few extra supplement boosts.
She put in the work, got back ovulating, and then we just&
Let me ask you something. Do you feel hungry all the time?
Not just like you could eat sometime soon, but the kind of hunger that makes you count every. single. excruciating. minute. between 10am and lunchtime.
Along with weight gain, sugar cravings, infertility, irregular periods and fatigue, this is what Katherine was dealing with on a daily basis. However it was when the fatigue started to stop her from pedalling her bike full steam after her kids, that she said enough is enough!
In this episode as with all my interviews with the amazing women I work with, we hear Katherine’s whole story to give you some context. But some of the things of significant that we discuss are:
- The effect weight gain and societal expectations around weight have on teenagesrs and the development of disordered eating
- Insulin: part of Katherine’s root cause, but never picked up or explained previously
- Why Insulin makes us HANGRY and crave sugar all the time
- Why Insulin also makes us inappropriately hungry
- Hypothyroidism, especially the autoimmune version, Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, affects up to a quarter of all women with PCOS
- Low thyroid hormone, even if it’s not out of the reference range can seriously impact your fertility (see the study linked below).
- Why low thyroid and high insulin makes us exhausted
- Why menopause is not going to improve your PCOS symptoms and neither is getting a hysterectomy!
- Why getting out and sharing what you know about PCOS can help so many of your friends who may be suffering in silence.
As Katherine says, improving her insulin hasn’t just improved her weight, energy, moods, it’s also allowed her to focus on more important things now that she’s not hungry and thinking about food ALL the time:
“It’s freed up a part of my brain that was constantly obsessed with food so I can focus on more important things” like chilling out with ‘The Tattooist of Auschwitz’ (my current book club read which is unputdownable).
If you’re constantly hungry and/or hangry, you cannot underestimate how life changing this is. As Katherine says: “Not being hungry is like a torture has been lifted.” Don’t put up with it. You can be one of those people who forgets to eat lunch- outrageous, I know!
First things first, find out if your insulin is working properly. Either download our tests for insulin resistance (in the podcast show notes), or come and join us in The PCOS Protocol where we use symptoms if you can’t get any labs/ tests completed. Don’t let not being able to get labs stop you from getting help!
Other links:
Some of the research articles that I discuss in the episode:
- Rotterdam criteria for PCOS: https://www.medscape.org/viewarticle/467811
Hypothyroidism: if your TSH is above 2.5, you will likely have trouble conceiving: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25312747
This! If you only listen to one episode over the next few weeks- THIS is the episode. I can’t wait for you to hear this interview with Dimity because her story because it is so real and relatable. Dimity is a super busy psychologist, flying all over Australia to work on some pretty harrowing jobs. Needless to say stress was HIGH. But even though she was preaching every day to others about what stress does to the body, she had no idea just how much it was affecting her PCOS symptoms- especially her acne, fatigue and fertility. This doesn’t mean that she had to quit her job. Instead, we just made a few critical tweaks to her diet and lifestyle and the symptoms she’d been told by her gynae were just ‘her normal’ started to resolve.
Highlights, takeaways and quick wins:
- High stress and lack of sleep can cause our insulin to skyrocket- even when we are eating exactly the same diet.
- Insulin is what causes our testosterone to rise which stimulates acne, contributes to infertility and weight gain
- We don’t have to eat perfectly to improve our insulin.
- Hangry attacks are a real thing- and are likely a big sign that your insulin isn’t working properly.
- Treating the root cause of PCOS can dramatically reduce the risk of pregnancy complications when you do conceive.
- Fertility: AMH test for egg count is a really inaccurate test, but often used by fertility centres to get you to spend money and freeze your eggs.
- Research published in the Journal of the American Medical Association showed that low AMH diminished ovarian reserve was not associated with infertility
- Actually they found that women with a low AMH have an 84% chance of getting pregnant within 12 months, compared with 75% of those who had a normal AMH.
- Eating less and exercising more is very rarely the answer for PCOS weightloss.
- Weight gain is not your fault- it’s generally due to insulin
- Weight loss will not ‘cure’ your PCOS symptoms
One of the most important things we did for Dimity was to identify that her insulin (the hormone that regulates our blood sugar) weren’t working properly and this was part of her PCOS ‘root cause’. The second part was recognising that it wasn’t just her diet that was contributing to her high insulin, it was also stress.
**Up to 80% of women with PCOS have some insulin resistance which is contributing to their PCOS- so this is likely you too. But you might not know this because you haven’t had the correct tests for insulin taken. So I’ve created a download of the best tests for insulin to pick up early stage insulin resistance.
You can download those tests here: https://thepcosnutritionist.com/resources/episode-6**/
“You don’t need to lose weight, so there’s nothing we can advise you do. Take the birth control pill and come back and see us when you want to get pregnant.”
Heard this before? If so, you’re one of the millions of frustrated women with ‘Lean PCOS’
But the above statement is completely inaccurate. There is so much that you can do to help your PCOS and the exact same principle applies as women who gain weight with PCOS- find the root cause of why your hormones are out of balance.
Highlights, takeaways and quick wins:
- 30% of women with PCOS are categorized as ‘lean PCOS’
- ‘Lean PCOS’ is an (almost) useless categorization- it doesn’t tell us anything about what’s driving your PCOS.
- I often see Lean PCOS being misdiagnosed when the correct diagnosis should actually be Hypothalamic Amenorrhea (these are completely different conditions).
- Non- congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia is another big PCOS ‘mimicker’
- Weight gain is just one symptom of the PCOS ‘root causes’ i.e. insulin
- Being lean doesn’t mean that your insulin is working perfectly- many women with ‘lean PCOS’ also have problems with their insulin
- High stress hormones or adrenals is one of the most common drivers of ‘Lean’ PCOS
- High stress hormones isn’t just caused by too much work- it can also be over exercising, infections etc.
- Environmental toxins are another common driver of ‘Lean PCOS’
Episode download: I’ve created a special download for this episode with the tests for Lean PCOS. You can find the download here.
Do you ever feel like you don’t have control of your eating?
In this episode, I have an amazing guest, Amanda, who not only shares with us her journey and experiences with PCOS, but also very generously shares her experiences with Binge Eating Disorder, and her journey to finding self compassion. It’s this self compassion that set Amanda up so well to join us in The PCOS Protocol. One of the important topics we discuss in the protocol is the psychological component of your health journey. And for many of us, this is getting out of the ‘dieting’ cycle and mindset.
We don’t expect to be perfect when starting a new job or sport, but for some reason we expect absolute perfection when it comes to changing our health. One ‘slip up’ can leave us feeling like we’ve ‘ruined it all’ and eating the entire pantry, which leads to debricating self talk, and in some cases, a pattern of binge eating and restriction.
Amanda shares with us her journey to developing self compassion and how this has helped her with making health changes.
Highlights and key takeaways:
- Our experience with weight and dieting as a young child/ teenager can set patterns for us as adults.
- What is binge eating disorder
- Binge eating disorder is physiological and psychological
- Insulin can have cause major blood sugar swings which can make us crave high sugar and carbohydrate foods- it’s not just your ‘lack of self control’
- Get hold of your inner critic- they are not you!
- Self compassion is not ‘woo-woo’- it’s something you deserve, you can offer yourself every
- A specialist binge eating disorder counselor/ psychologist is important, but so is getting on top of your blood sugar rollercoaster.
For more information on Binge Eating Disorder, visit the NEDA website: https://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/learn/by-eating-disorder/bed
For more information about The PCOS Protocol: www.thepcosnutritonist.com/thepcosprotocol
Ever feel like it’s so hard to lose 1kg, and ridiculously easy to put on 5? There’s a reason for that, and it’s not because you suddenly decided to eat 3500 calories (the amount you need to gain 1kg) more a week.
It’s your hormones, specifically your insulin, thyroid and stress hormones that cause this frustrating weight effect. So just like all your other PCOS symptoms, bing able to lose weight requires you to focus on the root cause.
Highlights, takeaways and research links:
Weight-loss and weight-gain is not solely driven by calories. Hormones like insulin, thyroid and stress hormones are actually the overall guardian’s of weight
* Up to 80% of women with PCOS produce too much insulin, and excess insulin leads to weight gain.
* Type diabetics, reduced calorie intake but took more insulin and gained 9kg in 6 months: http://care.diabetesjournals.org/content/16/1/21
* The same result- more insulin leads to weight gain has been shown in other studies too: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2276309
* 30% of women with Type 1 Diabetes have ‘diabulemia’: http://care.diabetesjournals.org/content/31/3/415
* Study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition1, they found that those with the highest insulin lost less weight and gained it back most rapidly: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24172304
* My own experience and most of the women I’ve worked with mimics this: very hard to lose weight, but very easy to gain.
* While you do still need to be in a ‘calorie deficit’ to lose weight, you also need to address your hormone levels.
* Going down to 800 calories is NOT the answer.
* Focusing not on calories, but making your body more sensitive to insulin has had the biggest impact on my body and the women I work with*
Want help identifying and addressing your root cause? We’ve just opened up enrolment for The PCOS Protocol, find out more here: https://thepcosnutritionist.com/thepcosprotocol
What does a doctor do when she has PCOS, but yet none of the treatments she’s been taught work for her? This was exactly the dilemma Dr Danah Bharmal was facing. Her periods were very irregular, her weight kept going up and up and now her face was exploding with acne. She was already eating well, and working out with a personal trainer but nothing seemed to work. She’d also tried a ketogenic diet when it was all anyone with PCOS was talking about online, but again nothing. Danah had also been measuring her HbA1c and other insulin markers to see if her insulin was contributing to her symptoms, but her tests all came back within the normal range. But this all changed when Danah worked out what her ‘root cause’ was.
Highlights, takeaways and quick wins:
- Your doctor likely won’t know how to advise you on lifestyle treatments for PCOS, as they aren’t taught this
- Your ‘normal’ HbA1c and other insulin markers doesn’t necessarily mean your insulin is working properly.
- Why finding this ‘root cuase’ is so important for matching you with he right lifestyle treatments
- Eating ‘healthy’ is different for all of us
- Sugar cravings are often a symptom of your insulin not functioning properly.
- Fatigue is also a really common symptom of your insulin not functioning properly.
- Not all exercise is made equal- working out with a PT may be a waste of money
- Keto is not necessary or even helpful for most women with PCOS.
Want more of where this come from? Get my 'root cause' tests for PCOS download at www.thepcosnutritionist.com
By far the most common question I get is, “ What’s the best diet for PCOS”, or “how do I get pregnant with PCOS” or “how do I lose weight with PCOS”.
These are all great questions, and EXACTLY what I was typing into google a few short years ago. What I’m going to teach you today, is that the question you need to ask instead is “What’s driving my PCOS?”
This episode is for you if:
- You’ve asked any of these questions before or
- If you have any PCOS symptom that you want to improve.
Highlights, takeaways and quick wins:
- Our genes predispose us to PCOS- no questions there
- These genes that predispose us as also the genes that are going to help us survive when the Apocalypse happens (come at me doomsdayers!)
- But there is always a system in our body that’s also gone a bit haywire that’s also driving with our PCOS- and this is what we can change!
- Insulin is the most common driver (up to 80% of us have some insulin resistance)
- My own experience: My genetic predisposition from 2 grandmothers with insulin resistance and/or Type 2 diabetes
- Competing for New Zealand in running and triathlon when I developed insulin resistance.
- Insulin resistance isn’t just caused by eating too much and exercising too little- like I’d been told.
- Stress (over exercising) was contributing to my insulin resistance
- Treating my root cause (insulin and high stress hormones) helped improve my testosterone levels
- Reducing my testosterone also helped me lose weight, improve my acne, get my periods back after 2 years.
Want more of where this come from? Download my 'root cause' tests for PCOS at www.thepcosnutritionist.com