Friday 7 February 2014

It's not going to be easy...

I have PCOS (Polycystic Ovary Syndrome). Not really a huge deal but it's also not something that can't be cured.

I haven't really read a lot about PCOS other than when I happened upon an article about it in Cosmo which made me get checked out for it, which is nearly 10 years ago now, although I didn't find out that I actually have it until a few months ago. So I decided to do some reading about it to find some other way of controlling it than having to be on the pill all the time.

Turns out that, like with most things, I can control it by diet and exercise. So now I have a whole list of foods I am supposed to avoid. I have however decided that, while I will avoid the foods on the list when I'm at home, when I go out for meal with friends I will eat whatever I feel like.

The stuff I'm supposed to stay away from is; crisps, chocolate, biscuits, potatoes, white rice, pasta, dairy, frozen ready meals, rice cakes, soy and gluten.

After hearing the list quite a lot of people have said: "You're already vegetarian! You won't be able to eat anything now!"

It is true that the items on the list makes eating a lot easier, especially pasta and things with gluten like bread and cereal, but there is still plenty of things to eat. Instead of having toast or cereal for breakfast I have a smoothie, which also helps me getting some of my 5 a day.

It's an adjustment. It's not a diet, it's a lifestyle change. I'm not saying it's easy, far from it! It's especially difficult when I'm at work and see all the chocolate, biscuits, baked-goods and ready-meals I should stay away from. The cravings are a nightmare!! How do people manage not to give in to their cravings?! I must admit I've had some dark chocolate a couple of times to satisfy the cravings, justified by telling myself at least it doesn't have dairy in it.

In a strange way I'm kind of happy I have to stay away from all of those things though, it forces me to eat healthier, something I've been meaning to do for years. I mean, how can a home made meal every night with healthy ingredients and lots of fruit and vegetables be bad for you? At least now I might actually get my 5 a day every day.

Now I just hope that I will be able to stay away from the things I'm supposed to stay away from and that maybe the cravings will ease up, or that I will at least have the willpower to stay away from them unless I go out for dinner.


1 comment:

Felicity Grace Terry said...

I had no idea there was such an extensive list of 'no eat' foods for people with POS. My husband has Crohns and has to eat a fibre free diet whilst like yourself I'm a vegetarian so as you can imagine meal times in our house are a bit of a nightmare.

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