PMOS Diet Basics
Meanwhile, a focus on anti-inflammatory foods (which also include whole grains, legumes, fruits, veggies, fatty fish, and some herbs and spices) is another good approach. “[This] helps lower the inflammation levels common in PMOS,” Groves Azzaro says. She adds that supporting your gut and hormone health with both soluble and insoluble fiber, probiotics, and prebiotics can help your body effectively get rid of excess hormones.
Several mainstream diets may have a positive effect on PMOS. Here’s what we know so far.
Low-Carb or Ketogenic Diet
Low-carb and ketogenic diets are popular among women with PMOS, especially those looking to lose weight or improve insulin resistance, says Alyssa Pacheco, RD, the Boston-based creator of PCOS Nutritionist Alyssa. “Limiting carbs can decrease blood sugar levels and ultimately reduce insulin resistance. It can also promote weight loss, which may improve symptoms as well,” she says.
There’s another potential benefit to a low-carb eating plan: “Lower carb intake has been shown to improve fertility and ovulation rates among those with PMOS,” Pacheco says. An analysis of seven studies revealed that women with PMOS who followed a ketogenic diet for 45 days or more experienced improvements in reproductive hormones.
Mediterranean Diet
The Mediterranean diet is based on the eating patterns of people living around the Mediterranean Sea and is rich in whole foods, especially vegetables, fruits, fish, seafood, legumes, nuts, whole grains, and olive oil. “These foods naturally contain antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties that can help to lower chronic inflammation, which is common for women with PMOS,” says Pacheco. “The foods consumed on a Mediterranean diet also tend to be high fiber, which is an important nutrient for improving gut health and stabilizing blood sugar levels.” She adds that the anti-inflammatory nature of a Mediterranean diet could also reduce insulin resistance.
Research backs these principles. One study found that a Mediterranean diet could play a therapeutic role in reducing inflammation and normalizing hormone levels in women with PMOS.
DASH Diet
For Americans, a DASH diet may have an advantage over a Mediterranean diet because it typically involves foods that are more familiar to people used to eating a Western diet. “This can be easier to adhere to for some than a dietary pattern that is very different from what they’re currently eating,” says Groves Azzaro. “And since PMOS is a lifelong condition, any diet changes that you plan on making, you need to be able to stick with for a lifetime.”
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