September is National PCOS awareness month. I struggled a little with deciding to write this column, but I figured I have let you guys into my life other times, why hold back now? So I’m going to get personal again. Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a health problem that affects one in 10 women of childbearing age. I am 1 in

10. I have PCOS.

PCOS is a common health problem believed to be caused by an imbalance of reproductive hormones among other factors. The truth is, like many other things, no one is 100% sure what causes PCOS. They say genetics may have a role. Some say it is too many male hormones while others say too much insulin in the body. It may very well be a combination of them all. Regardless of what the reason is, problems occur in the ovaries. The ovaries make the egg that is released each month as part of a healthy menstrual cycle. With PCOS, the egg may not develop as it should or it may not be released during ovulation as it should be which in turn causes cysts on the ovaries.

Some of the symptoms of PCOS include irregular periods. The period may come too often, such as 15 or 21 days. Sometimes, the period can go too long. I once bled for 25 days, stopped then started all over again just 5 days later. Sometimes, the periods are too far apart. If you don’t ovulate, you don’t bleed. Sometimes, I don’t have a period for months. Not enough, too much, talk about irregular. Another symptom is too much hair in places where women don’t usually have hair, such as the face or back. Acne can be another indicator, especially on the upper back, chest or face. Women often have difficulty losing weight or have a hard time keeping it off if they have PCOS. Skin tags in the arm pits or neck area are another symptom. Symptoms can continue into and even past menopause.

PCOS can also raise your risks for a multitude of other health problems besides just cysts on the ovaries. More than half of women with PCOS will have diabetes or pre-diabetes (glucose intolerance) before the age of 40. Women with PCOS are at greater risk of having high blood pressure compared with women of the same age without PCOS. Women with PCOS often have higher levels of LDL (bad) cholesterol and low levels of HDL (good) cholesterol. Problems with ovulation, obesity, insulin resistance, and diabetes all increase the risk of developing cancer of the endometrium (lining of the uterus or womb). All these things are huge factors that can also lead to heart disease and stroke.

PCOS is not curable according to most doctors. It is something women who suffer through will live with the rest of their lives. The most that can be done is manage symptoms. Excess hair can be removed with treatment such as laser hair removal or medication to reduce male hormone levels. If you can lose the weight and continue to work to keep it off, they say even a 10% decrease in your weight can improve your symptoms greatly. There are also some medications such as birth control or insulin regulating drugs such as Metformin that can be tried to manage your symptoms. Just be aware everyone is different and may not get the same results. The medications did not work for me but weight loss did at one point.

Pregnancy can still happen with PCOS, but you may need help. In vitro fertilization is expensive, but is one way women can get pregnant. Again losing weight can help. If you are not ovulating, you can’t get pregnant. If you can lose weight and get your periods regular that will clearly help your chances of getting pregnant. Medications can also help you ovulate and kind of force your ovaries to produce the eggs. Surgery may be required to help the ovaries produce again, but is usually only temporary and may only last about 8-12 months.

I know for me, it is hard to deal with other women’s pregnancies, especially family and friends. I am genuinely happy for them for being pregnant, but it is also heart wrenching to me as I was never blessed with my own and I always wanted children. So I smile and congratulate and scream inside and do my best to wait to cry at home. It’s a very real struggle. It’s not as bad now as it was. I am older and getting past those years where women are expected to get pregnant and have families and my husband is deceased, but there was a time any pregnancy news was devastating, especially after in vitro didn’t work for us.

There are certain food that are supposed to help women with PCOS manage their symptoms better. First, let me mention some foods to really avoid. Foods high in refined carbohydrates, such as white bread, muffins, pastas made from flour, white potatoes should be avoided. Also stay away from sugary snacks and drinks. Inflammatory foods, such as processed and red meats, margarine and French fries are also bad for women suffering with PCOS.

High-fiber foods can help combat insulin resistance by slowing down digestion and reducing the impact of sugar on the blood. Some foods to add to your diet or to eat more of are cruciferous vegetables, such as broccoli, cauliflower, and Brussels sprouts, greens, including red leaf lettuce and arugula, green and red peppers, beans and lentils, almonds, berries, sweet potatoes, winter squash, and pumpkin. Lean protein sources like tofu, chicken, and fish don’t provide fiber but are very filling and a healthy dietary option for women with PCOS. Some foods that reduce inflammation include tomatoes, kale, spinach, almonds and walnuts, olive oil, fruits, such as blueberries and strawberries, fatty fish high in omega-3 fatty acids, such as salmon and sardines.

This week I will share recipes using some of these foods to help suffering from PCOS, but can also benefit us all. Clean eating and healthy living can make a difference for many ailments, including PCOS, in today’s day and age. Make your grocery list and meet me in the kitchen.

Apricot Smoothie

¼ cup apricots

1 frozen banana

1 cup almond milk

2 Tbsp. chia or flax seeds

2 tsps. vanilla bean paste

1-2 Tbps. raw honey

1 tsp. cinnamon

½ cup. pine nuts

1 cup ice cubes

Place all ingredients in the blender. Pulse until well blended. Taste and adjust sweetness and spice to your liking. Pulse until desired consistency is reached. Enjoy immediately.

Shrimp Chowder

4 corn ears peeled or 2 cans of sweet corn.

1 quart low sodium chicken stock

1lb shrimp

1 red bell pepper

2 stacks of scallion

1 bundle of celery

5-7 red potatoes

1 yellow onion

1 cup almond milk

Place stock in large pot and bring to a boil. Chop the red bell pepper, stalks of scallion, bundle of celery, red potatoes, half the corn and yellow onion and place in pot with boiling stock. In a blender, place the remaining corn with the almond milk and pulse for a few seconds and pour it into the pot. Add shrimp and allow to simmer on low heat for 30 minutes. Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from dineandunwinewithkash.com .

Blueberry Muesli

1 ½ cups rolled oats

½ cup walnuts, chopped

½ cup dried apples, chopped

2 tsps. ground cinnamon

2 cups blueberries (preferably wild)

3 Tbsps. brown sugar

Preheat oven to 325°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Mix oats, sugar, and cinnamon in a bowl. Spread onto prepared baking sheet. Toast oat mixture in preheated oven for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Watch mixture very closely when toasting as it can burn very easily. Remove from oven and let cool. Pour into a large bowl and stir in chopped walnuts and dried apples. Divide into serving bowls and top with blueberries.

Recipe adapted from healwithfood.org .

Romaine and Smoked Salmon Salad

1 small head romaine lettuce

5oz smoked salmon, thinly sliced

2 tomatoes, diced

4 radishes, thinly sliced

1 carrot, diagonally sliced

½ cucumber, peeled and diced

Juice of half a lemon

1 tsp fresh ginger root, peeled and minced

1 Tbsp canola oil

Arrange romaine lettuce on two plates. Top with salmon, tomatoes, radishes, carrots, and cucumber. Shake lemon juice, canola oil, and minced ginger in a tightly covered jar. Pour over salad for desired taste.

Recipe adapted from fightyourinfertility.com

Baked Lemon Chicken

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts

3 Tbsps. unsalted sweet cream butter

½ cup chicken broth

4 Tbsps. fresh lemon juice

2 tsps. minced garlic

1 tsp Italian seasoning

salt and pepper to taste

fresh rosemary and lemon slices for garnish if desired

Preheat oven to 400°F and grease a baking sheet or large casserole dish. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook chicken 2-3 minutes on each side just until browned. Transfer chicken to prepared baking sheet. In a small bowl whisk together chicken broth, lemon juice, garlic, Italian seasoning, and salt and pepper. Pour sauce over chicken. Bake 20-30 minutes (closer to 20 for smaller chicken breasts, closer to 30 for larger) until chicken is cooked through. Every 5-10 minutes spoon the sauce from the pan over the chicken. Garnish with fresh rosemary and lemon slices if desired and serve.

Recipe adapted from pcos.com .

Flourless Chocolate Cake

1 ½ cups cooked black beans

4 large eggs

1 Tbsp mint extract

1 tsp stevia

5 Tbsps. vegetable oil

⅓ cup honey

6 Tbsps. dark, unsweetened cocoa powder

1 tsp baking powder

½ tsp baking soda

Pinch of salt

Fresh mint leaves and raspberries, for garnish

Preheat oven to 350°F. Blend beans, 2 eggs, stevia, oil, honey, and mint extract in a blender until completely smooth. In a small bowl, combine cocoa powder, baking soda, and baking powder. Beat remaining 2 eggs in a small bowl. Pour bean batter into egg mixture and mix well. Stir in cocoa powder and beat the mixture on high until smooth. Scrape batter into a greased 9" cake pan and bake at 350 for 35-45 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Garnish with fresh mint and raspberries if desired.

Recipe adapted from healwithfood.org