As a young woman diagnosed with PCOS, you’ve probably been counseled about the importance of following a low glycemic diet and exercising more to help manage your symptoms.  However, hearing the word “diet” can cause a fierce knee-jerk reaction which is then likely followed by thoughts of restricted eating, and who likes that? And then there’s the word “exercise” which sounds like a lot of work at a gym. It can all be overwhelming. But wait- what if you thought of diet and exercise as more like a gradual life-style change? Paying attention to your portion size, eating smaller and more frequent meals packed with protein, and moving more are just a few ways that you can make changes that will last a lifetime.

Eating PCOS friendly food can make a difference in the way you feel. Some of the physical symptoms associated with PCOS such as lack of energy, sugar cravings, and other symptoms that woman experience with blood sugar highs and lows can definitely improve when you eat PCOS friendly food in smaller portions. Exercise definitely has many benefits. Physical activity not only releases “feel good” hormones called “endorphins”, exercise can also help to lower stress.

So there it is.  Two key components to a healthier you.  But wait, there’s one more very important piece to the puzzle, which is your emotional health.  Dealing with PCOS can be extremely challenging.  On the outside, you may be dealing with unwanted hair, acne, darkened areas on the skin around your neck, and a body size that is less than desirable in your eyes.  All of these concerns can affect your body image, and your ability to cope with a challenging medical condition that as of right now has no cure. On the “inside” your confidence may be temporarily shaken and your self-esteem hurt, but that doesn’t mean you’re broken. Improving your emotional health is absolutely necessary in order for you to be successful with making changes to your lifestyle. With that being said, I’d like you to think about nurturing your inner self and accepting and loving your body no matter what size you are. You can do this by believing that you are worthy of a healthy body, that your happiness matters, and that YOU matter.

– Nurse Phaedra