July 31st, 2009
One of the classic symptoms of PCOS can be high blood pressure (hypertension). If neglected, the latter condition may lead to heart disease. But a balanced, nutritious diet and regular exercise can help lower blood pressure by facilitating weight loss.
There are other natural ways to lower your numbers, too.
Cut back on salt. Did you know sodium can raise your blood pressure? Check the sodium content on food labels, write down your intake and start reducing it in your diet to no more than the recommended maximum level of 2,300 mg. a day.
Relax. Swap a violin concerto or a piano adagio for Led Zeppelin or 50 Cent from time to time because the American Society of Hypertension’s annual meeting in May 2008 found that listening to relaxing music for 30 minutes a day reduces blood pressure. So does progressive muscle relaxation, stress management training and transcendental meditation.
Get plenty of potassium. The US Department of Agriculture Dietary Reference Intakes recommends that adults consume at least 4,700 milligrams (mg) of potassium a day for heart health. However, most Americans consume far less. Good sources of potassium include soybeans, canned beans, tomato sauce and paste, spinach, halibut, lima beans and lentils.
For much more information about PCOS and how you can better manage or even reverse the symptoms of this condition, visit our web site by clicking on:
www.pcos.insulitelabs.com
If you have concerns about PCOS, our web site can show you how to contact our Coaching & Advisory Teams for a free consultation.
July 30th, 2009
Don’t be put off taking up exercise because you feel that your weight and health problems will prevent an improvement in your PCOS symptoms.
Often, all three factors are closely linked. And, after checking with your doctor to see what initial activity is healthy for you, moderate regular exercise combined with a balanced, nutritious diet can get you feeling better encouragingly quickly.
Even if you don’t see physical results right away, you’re on your way. When you diet properly, the weight you lose is a combination of body fat, muscle mass and water weight. By exercising regularly at the same time, you regain muscle mass, which provides energy for more strenuous, weight-reducing exercise.
However, muscle is denser than body fat and weighs more. This makes it possible for your weight showing on a bathroom scale to change very little at first or even rise slightly, even though you are losing fat and changing your body composition undeniably for the better. Muscle is also sensitive to insulin and that increased sensitivity can reduce the risk of developing pre- and type 2 diabetes, which are closely associated with PCOS.
Pay more attention to your waist and hip measurements and to how loose your clothes are getting, rather than to your weight on a scale. That way you’ll see the progress you’re making more clearly.
For much more information about PCOS and excess weight/obesity and how to better manage and even reverse these conditions, visit our web site by clicking on:
www.pcos.insulitelabs.com and www.weight.insulitelabs.com
If you have PCOS or weight concerns, our web site can show you how to contact our Coaching & Advisory Teams for a free consultation.
July 29th, 2009
Grilled chicken may taste delicious but the dish could put you at risk of your polycystic ovarian syndrome symptoms leading to pre-diabetes if you eat it too often.
Intense heat accelerates chemical reactions between proteins and sugars, which form toxic compounds called advanced glycation end products (AGEs).
Grilled, fried and broiled meats are particularly rich in AGE products, which have been linked with pre-diabetes. This latter condition, in turn, is closely associated with reversible PCOS.
Fortunately, pre-diabetes is also reversible. But, if neglected, it can develop into type 2 diabetes, which is irreversible in the vast majority of cases and may require daily injections of insulin to manage it correctly.
With the barbecue season in full swing, you can still enjoy grilled chicken, of course. But remember that grilling, broiling or frying animal products do have a “dark side”, healthwise.
For much more information about PCOS and pre-diabetes and how you can better manage or even reverse the symptoms of both conditions, visit our web sites by clicking on:
If you have PCOS or pre-diabetes concerns, our web site can show you how to contact our Coaching & Advisory Teams for a free consultation.
July 28th, 2009
So you’re being good about reducing your weight or maintaining it at a healthy level and think you’re doing the right thing for your PCOS symptoms by only drinking diet sodas? Well, think again!
Diet soda has been strongly associated with metabolic syndrome (syndrome x) – a cluster of increased risks for cardiovascular disease, which is closely linked with polycystic ovarian syndrome. One possible explanation is that artificial sweeteners in diet soda could lead to increased intake of fattening food because they interfere with the body’s ability to properly assess how many calories there are in foods.
And, of course, you want to improve your PCOS symptoms by losing weight rather than putting it on or, if you are a lean woman with polycystic ovarian syndrome, managing it at a healthy level. In fact, losing or managing weight is so exhilarating that it’s worth giving up your favorite soda.
Drinking water may not sound like a very tempting alternative. But it’s one of the healthiest beverages of all and a bottle of still or sparkling water straight from the fridge can be delightfully refreshing, not to mention good for your digestion and hydration. It can also cost about the same price or less than that unhealthy can of soda when bought in a pack from a discount store.
And, by the way, tap water’s fine, too!
For much more information about PCOS and metabolic syndrome and how you can better manage or even reverse the symptoms of both conditions, visit our web site by clicking on:
If you have concerns about PCOS or metabolic syndrome, our web site can show you how to contact our Coaching & Advisory Teams for a free consultation.
