Protein: The PCOS gal's best energy friend

PROTEIN:

Okay, so we don't get energy from sugar and most kinds of carbohydrates. .... so where do we get our energy from??

If you have PCOS, you might have noticed a distinct lack of energy. There are just days where you can't seem to get going. Everybody has days like that, but they come more frequently for us. ... Well, after much research and some dumb luck stumbling onto some very helpful posts .... the answer is protein.

Low GI carbohydrates will aid in energy, but not more than protein can. Studies show that we should be getting 50g a day. For us with PCOS, we should be getting around 20 of those grams at breakfast to jumpstart our day, and incorporate the rest throughout the day in snacks, meat, cheese, eggs, and other sources. If your energy is low, ask yourself "did I have any protein in my breakfast this morning" ... if the answer is no, you know try to have it the next day and see the difference.

Not only does it give you energy it will promote weight loss because of the science behind it. When we are low in energy, our bodies look for immediate satisfaction ... so your body will begin to crave sugar. As you know by now, sugar is our enemy! By getting your protein in right away, you'll avoid that mid-day sugar cravings that leads to weight gain.

Many people get stuck in the routine of eating bacon and eggs every morning to get the protein in. And that works, but if your like me and want to try and limit the fatty foods and prefer a sweet fruit breakfast, try having a made at home smoothie or a home-made protein bar.

For smoothies: add a half a banana, 1 scoop of protein powder (vanilla), some berries, crushed ice, and a splash of water. ..... or substitute the berries for some peanut butter and coco for a mini-meal later in the day for a much anticipated treat! Most brands of protein powder contain around 25g of protein ... and WOW what a boost!

Click for the perfect recipe for home-made protein bars!

PCOS RECIPE: Chicken Panini

Ingredients:

1. One large chicken breast cut into thin, short strips
2. 1/2 red bell pepper cut into thin, short strips
3. Baby bella mushrooms, about 1/2 cup, cut into cubes
4. Fresh spinach
5. Oregano
6. Minced garlic, about 2 cloves worth
7. Garlic salt
8. 1 slice of whole grain bread per person, slightly toasted
9. 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese
10. Splash of milk
11. Olive Oil

In a skillet, heat about a tablespoon of olive oil and add red bell pepper. Cook through till soft, about 6-9 minutes ... add additional oil if needed. Remove from heat and place to the side.
In a large skillet, heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil and put in chicken, spinach, and mushrooms with a dash of garlic salt and oregano. Cook on medium until chicken is almost cooked through. (Spinach and mushrooms will shrink considerably so keep that in mind when adding ingredients.) Right before chicken is done cooking add a tablespoon of minced garlic and finish cooking. Mix in cooked red bell pepper.
In a separate pan, throw in 1/2 cup of the cheese with a splash of milk and heat on medium until melted.
On toasted bread, put desired amount of chicken mixture and top with melted cheese.

Now some studies show that dairy isn't good for PCOSers, but I haven't seemed to have a problem with it personally and since it is low in carbs, I gladly continue to add it to my dishes. However, I did try this dish without the cheese and it is still good, so for hard core PCOSers, leave it off. Above is the glamour picture of a chicken panini ( of course the french bread had to get the boot) and below is a picture of my finished product. I served it with sauteed broccoli with garlic. I steamed it till almost done then finished it on the stove with a little olive oil and minced garlic. YUMMY!

Hair Hair Everywhere!

One of the most difficult things us PCOSers have to face is our issues with hair.

At first we notice the hair growth. It's worse for some than others and if you find your case is particularly bad, you should do some research into hyerandrogenism. Every PCOS gal is different, but one thing is certain, we just have to be good groomers. My husband isn't even aware of all the maintenance I do to myself, and he doesn't have to fully know. But a set of tweezers and a magnifying mirror go a long way. If it is so defeating, I came across a lot of blogs that recommend laser hair removal. I would strongly recommend this if you are one of those women with the full on black mustache or beard. 

Luckily, I only suffer from minor problems under my chin and on my belly button. About 10 minutes of plucking once a week or every other week takes care of that. 

The truth is, hair growth is easy to take care of .... what makes us cry is the hair loss.

Hair loss is depressing, if not completely crushing. You tell yourself that it isn't that bad, that no one notices. Last week someone commented on how thick my hair was ... it gave me hope that I was doing well. 

I noticed the loss for the first time when I was 18. My husband, then boyfriend, first noticed when I was 19. He said that I was looking a little thinner on top .... and he was right. 

I immediately went and got some Rogain for Women and put it on religiously. Unfortunately, it didn't work at all, no matter how much I wanted it to. ... Then I gave up telling myself that when I was 30 I'd just go in to Bosley and get a transplant. 

You can research more on the specifics of hair loss for PCOSers, but here's the short story ....

We lose hair the same way men do. For most women, there are many different factors that cause hair loss, but fortunately for us ... I know it doesn't seem like it ... we lose hair like men. We have higher levels of testosterone whose byproduct is DHT. DHT chokes off circulation to our hair and causes it to thin out ... and eventually fall out. However, the hair on the sides of our head and the back of our heads aren't sensitive to DHT. Because of that, hair can be transplanted from those areas to the tops of our heads for a permanent solution. 

However, because of the cost of such procedures, we should try to skirt that cost with preventative treatment. The only difference between Rogain for Women and Rogain for Men is the medication content. They don't want women using the men's brands because it is absorbed through the skin causing hair growth in other places. But guess what .... we have PCOS so that is already a problem we deal with!

Since Rogain didn't work for me, I am trying some other products right now and I will post the results down the road. Right now I just bought Joico Clinicure Kit Natural Advanced Thinning Hair Solutions because it was recommended by Amy at PCOSDiva. I'm hoping it works. If anyone has another method that's working for them, let me know, I'll try anything.

I have spent a great deal of time researching hair transplants and there is a new technology out there that all of us PCOSers should know about. It's called a FUE-NEOGRAFT. The traditional transplant is where they cut a one centimeter by 7 in strip out of the back of your head and staple the wound closed. Then they remove the hairs one by one and move them to the top of your head. You are left with a severe scar that hopefully your hair will cover ... but sometimes it doesn't. Recovery is long and painful ... but now with the FUE/NEOGRAFT there is no need to cut the strip out.
It works by using a vacuum. They place the needle around a hair and suck it out root and all. Then the put the needle in the location they want the hair to go and then use reverse vacuuming to put it in. Bosley doesn't have this technology yet, in Atlanta at least, but other places do like HRS in Atlanta. It's cheaper and the recovery time is reduced! Not only that, there isn't a scar. Can't beat that!!

PCOS RECIPE: Lemon Pepper Tilapia

Ingredients:

• Package of fresh tilapia
• Brown Rice flour (Bob's Red Mill brand is sold at Wal-Mart and Kroger)
• Lemon Pepper Seasoning or Seasoned Salt (depending on what kind of fish flavor you desire)
• Stick of butter divided into 1 tablespoon measurements. (for the hard core PCOSers, use almond butter .... but I just can't seem to kick dairy).

Directions:

Take a bowl and mix four parts flour to one part seasoning (either lemon-pepper or seasoned salt). Make a small mixture, you can add more if you need it ... if you get the seasoning at CostCo, BJ's, or Sam's Club, you'll save a bundle .... that goes for the fish as well.

Dip the fish in a splash of water to make them moist and coat with the flour mixture.

Heat a skillet and melt a tablespoon of butter into the bottom of the pan. Place fish into pan (about 3-4 filets) and cook on high for three minutes (med-high if using electric stove) and remove from pan. Cool down the pan or use a second pan while the other cools off. Heat the cooled pan on high and melt one tablespoon of butter into the bottom (if using a second pan you can heat it up in the last 30 seconds of cooking side one). Cook on high for three minutes and viola! you have a delicious fish dish filled with Omega-3s, good carbs, and yes a bit of butter too. Yummy.
For each side, make sure the pan is cooled before starting the next because that butter is unforgiving and will burn quickly .... I don't know how many times I sent my husband running to fan the smoke detector. lol.

Serve with a side of vegetables and maybe some brown rice. Everyone agrees ... YUMMY. Five Stars

Get a Health Partner!

My "fat" friends from over the years will tell you that most of the time they fail in their dieting efforts because they didn't have anyone that supported their efforts and pushed them to stick with it when they needed it.
It's hard to stick to a diet when your spouse or best friends say they want to order pizza two days after you started the diet "that I swear is gonna work this time". ... We have so many people all around us that will crinkle their noses and say ... "diet, your on another new diet?" ... "wow, all your gonna have is baked chicken and broccoli for lunch?" .... "one cupcake won't hurt" .... and my favorite "you're shopping the health food section, what a waste of money".
Yup, the critics are everywhere. Even when they say nothing at all, you can see the words plastered all over their faces .... but let me tell you, they aren't giving you that look because you are doing anything wrong ... they are giving you that look because they want you to fail. They don't want the fat girl to lose weight ... it's that simple. The more we learn and the healthier we get, the more we want to share what we've learned.
But be careful, people don't want the fat chick to tell them how to eat, they don't want to change the way they are living. Essentially, by setting you up to fail or putting down what you learned, they are protecting the choices they are making because THEY don't want to put down the cupcakes. They want to be confident that the cupcake won't hurt THEM.

That is why it is so important to have a health BUDDY that supports you!!

When I started diets in the past, my husband was always the bad influence that got me off of it. .... Let's face it .... we were both the bad influences on my diet ..... I'd lose 8 - 10lbs and quit. The moment I said, hey let's go to Dairy Queen ... "I'm IN" he'd say and that would be the end of it. .... off the wagon I'd fall, go rolling down the hill into the river of soda on my raft of white bread. Okay, so it may be bad imagery, but it's true.
But, when I first got my full diagnosis from Lew-Ann, Stephen looked at me and said "okay, no more games, it's time to make real changes". He took me out for my last meal for lunch that day, and even then with the shocking news, I couldn't eat many things on my plate just thinking about what it was doing to me. Every grain of rice on my plate looked like a grain of fat that would wind up on my gut. ...
That's when I knew my life would change forever. I got no joy out of that food ... lunch was a disaster.

Since then, when I want to break down and eat some cookies, Stephen will smile, kiss my forehead and say "no" ;) . Not only that, he eats whatever he wants when he's at work or when I'm not around .... or when we go out to eat. But when we are at home preparing meals, he eats what I eat and doesn't complain. He doesn't say, "man, I don't want quinoa pasta with low fat spaghetti sauce and sautéed mushrooms .... I want pizza" .... and he doesn't turn up his nose at my fried chicken coated with garbanzo bean flour with a side of garlic broccoli and steamed squash. He enjoys the food ... it is really good BTW! He doesn't try and get me to snack late at night, instead stopping me when I want one.

You need that support to stick with it and the self discipline not to convince them you have earned a cheat when you haven't. I've been guilty of that a few times. :)

If your husband/boyfriend isn't helping ... find a daughter, sister, mother, or friend you can buddy up with. Call or visit them on a consistent basis .... and get your family involved as well. For my family members that hate the idea of my diet, I pick the best recipes I've found and invite them over for dinner. I wait until the very end of the meal and ask them what they thought ... then reveal that everything they ate was 100% organic and healthy for them. ... The looks of shock and surprise never ceases to satisfy me ... I get lots of "what did you say that was?" ... "what kind of pasta was that?" .... "wow, I would have never known that was not regular white flour!".

Your buddy will eventually start to exercise with you too when you're ready. I'm just about there, I am now doing light exercise a few times a week after work with my buddy and we're doing well.

Challenge Two: Kicking Bad Carbohydrates!

We started kicking sugar in challenge one by cutting out soda ... the hardest of the sugary treats to kick. The easy sugars to cut, at least for me, were desserts and candy. I didn't even have to think about those things and I really only miss them from time to time. The other easy thing to do is to read the labels on everything! You have put yourself on a Carb "Budget" for the day and you have to spend that budget wisely. Things like sauces and dressings can be high in sugary carbs, so READ THE LABEL, there are similar alternatives available which often have 75% less carbs in it. BEWARE OF SWEET AND SOUR SAUCE!

It is important to note that you are entitled to cheat days and I'll talk about cheating in a later entry. But until I post it, my short answer is to limit cheating, at least in the beginning of your journey, to one meal a week. Mmmmm .... pizza. :)

KICKING BAD CARBOHYDRATES!

But this entry, I am focusing on the complete carbohydrate picture. 

Carbohydrates are made up of three things: Sugars, Fibers, and Starch. Sugar and fiber are listed individually on the label, so when you subtract them from the Total Carbohydrates, that will give you the starch content.  If the label says that it has 10g of "Total Carbohydrates", 2g of "Fiber", and 2g of "Sugar" ... then that means that there are 6g of starches. 

Fiber is different: Sugars and starches are what raise your blood sugar ... not fiber. For us PCOSers, the short answer is that we are concerned with are sugars and starches. When you first begin your journey, it's best to leave it that simple.What you'll want to do is subtract fiber from total carbs to get the true damage to your daily Carb Budget. So for the example listed above, the true damage is 8g (10g Total - 2g Fiber). 

The carbohydrate discussion is very complicated and if you are just beginning your journey, try and stay within your budget and live by one rule .... if it's white, it ain't right. Also, just like weight watchers, fruits and vegetables do not contribute to your daily Carb Budget. These are naturally occurring foods made directly from God himself. As such, these foods do not affect your blood sugar the way that prepared and processed foods can. However, it is important to note .... if you want fruit .... eat the whole fruit, once it is squozen into juice, you can't have it. 

Fruit Juice is BAD!: Growing up I was always told that juice was good for you. WRONG! A whole piece of fruit contains fibers and natural sugars, which together make it a great snack for us PCOSers. But when you juice a piece of fruit, you are removing all of the pulp aka:fiber and leaving all of the sugar behind. Ask any diabetic out there .. juice is a no no. 

If it's white it ain't right: White starches indicate that it has a high GI (Glycemic Index) rating. A food's GI rating is the best indicator for whether it is going to affect your blood sugar. Listed below are some High GI (usually simple carbs) and Low GI (usually complex carbs) examples. NEVER eat the things from the top and eat the things on the bottom in moderation. 

HIGH GI CARBS:

1. White Bread

2. Enriched white flour

3. White rice

4. Regular white flour pasta

5. Potatoes

6. Sugar!!!

7. High Fructose Corn Syrup

8. Instant oat meal

9. Potato Chips

LOW GI CARBS:

1. Whole GRAIN bread (not whole wheat)

2. Alternative flours such as oat flour and brown rice flour

3. Stone rolled oats (not the instant kind)

4. Corn (MODERATION PLEASE)

5. Quinoa (a grain often made into pasta)

6. Brown rice (milled into flour, prepared like rice, and also made into pasta)

7. Agave Nectar (It's a natural alternative to sugar... organic please)

8. Honey (A natural alternative to sugar ... organic please)

If you are eating carbs from the bottom list, they still go against your daily Carb Budget ... but you have a little more leeway because it works like this:

When you eat a high GI foods, your body tries to convert it to energy and when it can't it is stored as fat. When you eat a low GI foods, your body processes it more slowly cutting out the need for insulin to process it. 

The bottom line is: YOU GET ENERGY FROM LOW GLYCEMIC INDEX (GI) CARBS!!!

I am still learning more and more about what foods are good to eat, but I have noticed a HUGE difference in my energy levels by making some simple switches in what I eat. 

STOP EATING FOODS THAT GIVE YOU NOTHING BUT BELLY FAT! WHY WOULD YOU EAT IT IF IT GIVES YOU NOTHING IN RETURN??? If you can answer that question, you can begin to heal. If you answered the way I did, that it made me feel happy to eat it ... you can heal that emotional bond with food. But simply knowing what those foods were doing to me gave me strength against those emotional attachments to food. 

The first couple of weeks on my diet, I ate nothing by grilled chicken and vegetables. I lost a lot of weight, but that kind of diet isn't sustainable, especially as social as I am. I am now at a level where I am not losing 5-6lbs a week, I'm losing more like 1-2lbs or less a week, but my diet is more easily accomplished and satisfying. And we all want to enjoy or food. :D  

Challenge One: Kicking Soda

My biggest fear in life had always been kicking my soda habit.
I always knew that if I got pregnant or was trying to become pregnant, I would need to kick the soda out of my life.


But first a little background on how PCOS works to explain why this first step is so crucial!

PCOS often begins, as in my case, with an insulin resistance. Your body makes plenty of insulin but your body doesn't use it properly. So when you eat more sugar and simple carbs, your body produces more and more insulin trying to process it. Normally, insulin breaks down sugars and carbs so that it can enter your cells and be used for energy. But for us PCOS gals, we end up with high levels of blood sugar, high levels of insulin, AND low levels of energy. And on top of it, because the sugars and carbs aren't being used for energy, it get's stored on our bodies as FAT. This is why us PCOS gals are so plump (to put it kindly). Because we aren't getting any energy from these foods, our bodies will crave more and more seeking energy ... and the cycle continues as we get larger.
To add insult to injury, insulin is a hormone (not many people know that) and when one hormone in your body is out of whack, it makes all of the other hormones in your body go crazy too. ... so we get moody!
When testosterone goes high and estrogen goes low, cycles become irregular causing cysts to form on our ovaries (not everyone with PCOS, including myself have this side effect) and hair grows in a falls out in places it shouldn't. Fertility ends up being a strong issue because of this. In addition, the hormones responsible for our moods go crazy ... and frankly, so do we. Our spouses and boyfriends can attest to this.
HOWEVER, there IS HOPE!!! If we can eliminate the foods that trigger the insulin production and eat things that actually provide us with energy (protein), then the insulin levels will regulate. When that happens, all of the other hormones will follow suit.

So the types of food to avoid are foods high in sugar and simple carbohydrates. Sugar is the easy one ... simply cut it out. Simply set yourself a goal of 40g of carbohydrates or less a day, and then a separate goal for "cheat" days such as 60g-70g. With that range you can have most things but not completely blow your diet. I personally try and keep my intake to 30g or less and cheat days are limited to 60g.

We'll talk about simple and complex carbs in a later blog ... it takes a whole segment to explain.

The single highest culprit of sugar is SODA! It is the best first thing to cut out ... yet because of the caffeine, it is also the hardest thing to cut out.

KICKING SODA:

Because us PCOS gals are naturally low in energy, as a whole we seek caffeine to battle this problem. But there are better ways ... there will be a future blog on Protein, the PCOS gal's energy friend.

Tip: Keep Ibuprofen with you at all times!! You will need it, trust me. I haven't had a real soda since the day I was fully diagnosed with PCOS six months ago. And I don't regret the decision at all.

The days will be difficult. At the time I had wished that I had chosen some days off for the first three days, but in the end, it was better to be somewhere I couldn't just break down and drink a soda.
Day one was okay ... I was tired and irritable and needed a sip of soda to get through the day ... a move I regretted.
The second day my head was pounding, I don't think I ever had a worse headache. I couldn't open my eyes and had to take my glasses off because the handles and nose-pieces pinched too hard. I didn't have any headache medicine on me and I thought I was going to give in and buy a soda. When I tried to kick soda before, this day is always when I failed. Since I work at an airport, I broke down and purchased Ibuprofen at a kiosk for $4 a dose .... best $4 I ever spent!
The third day I was smart, I started the day with a dose of Ibuprofen and had an un-sweet tea at lunch. It had just enough caffeine to make me happy and with no sugar or calories, it's a fantastic PCOS drink. .... for those of us used to sweet tea, the bitter taste is hard to get used to and please refrain from the artificial sweeteners as much as possible, but if you must, use stevia. I barely made it through, but I got through the third day.
The fourth day I drug myself out of bed and ate lunch, but by the end of the day, I felt better.
On the fifth day, I was free of soda and feeling better than ever.

Nothing worth having is ever easy, and being soda free is so worth it.
Not only that, the first week after my PCOS diagnosis and kicking soda ... I lost 5 lbs.!

Every now and then when I need a boost, I have a Pepsi Max or Coke Zero. But these should be kept to an absolute minimum ... but if you must, they are a good alternative .... but beware, those artificial sweeteners will slow or halt your weight loss. I'm not sure why it does, but from experience, it does. Some things are what they are.

THE DIAGNOSIS IS SCARY!

If you know me personally, I must warn you that there will be some things revealed in this blog that are very personal in nature. It is scary for me to share them, but after meeting some people that share in my struggle, they have asked me to share my journey publicly in the hopes of helping others. Unfortunately, that means that some things that I have kept very private are going to be put on display for all to see.

It may be uncomfortable for me to write, and uncomfortable for my friends and family to read, but here it is ... it's all on the line. 

I'm not doing this because I want to sound superior to anyone else. I'm not doing this because I think I'm better than anyone else. I'm not doing this because I think I've found all of the answers. I'm doing this because I have seen what a small change can make in one life, and my hope is that my friends, family, and those that end up finding and following this blog will not only take from my journey, but add to it as well. Comments are welcome and things you have found that work for you are welcome to be shared. 

I want everyone to know that because PCOS is scary at first, I am offering to chat privately as well should you be looking for support. At anytime, email me at jackson.ashley524@gmail.com. I'll be there to listen, offer advise, or to take it should you have suggestions.

And here is the first entry:

THE DIAGNOSIS IS SCARY!

The physician you choose is essential. So many doctors and midwives out there either don't know about the condition, or won't focus on the entire picture. This is my journey with my diagnosis, some will be shocked and others, will find a familiar set of circumstances. ...
When I was 16, my mother became increasingly concerned that my cycle was irregular and insisted that I take a trip to the doctor to get checked out. At my very first appointment, my physician insisted that I start taking birth control to regulate my cycles. She didn't offer any explanation ... just a simple daily pill to fix it. Of course, as a 16 year old girl, I didn't ask why ... my whole life I've always been offered pills to fix a condition, and why should my cycles be any different.
HOWEVER ... I have to praise God that I also had a stomach condition and am not allowed to take pills that are processed in my stomach. After taking my pills for years, I started waking up in the morning with "morning sickness". After several years of dealing with my belly aches and pains, it occurred to me that it may be caused by my pills. I did give the doctor my medical history didn't I. Wouldn't someone catch on along the way that I shouldn't be taking a pill I wasn't supposed to?? I decided that I would bring it up with my midwife on my check up ... and wouldn't you know it ... several years of checkups and exams, no one caught the little mention in my file about my stomach condition to see that I was not supposed to be taking pills that absorbed in the stomach! So after discussing my options (me hiding my anger at my doctors) we decided that we would try Nuvoring ... the ONLY option to regulate my cycles while also having a medication that absorbed in the liver.
That's the first time I heard of Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome. This is because right before we talked about the new meds, I suggested that I simply stop taking the medications at all and to see what happened. I didn't need to take them from birth control standpoint ... no need ... I just needed it to regulate my system. "Let's just see what happens" I said "you don't know, maybe the situation has resolved itself" ... "I don't like taking them anyway because the effect my moods anyway". That's when she dropped the bomb ... I had PCOS. She said with my condition I would be stupid to stop taking my medication! Stupid??? PCOS???
???????
She said that they knew from day one that I had this condition. "What does that mean??" I asked. She said that it was a condition that when women do not have regular periods, the tissue in the uterus does not shed and instead decomposes inside the body. When that happens, cancer and ovarian cysts develop making fertility a very real issue. (NOTE: this is only a very small part of the story ... a symptom really, not a cause ... but that info comes later). With my wedding less than a year away, how can I get married in good faith without my spouse knowing if we can have children?
She said not to worry, as long as I took the meds she prescribed, that I would be fine ... that they were "protecting" my womb and my ability to have children. However, she warned that having children would still be difficult and may have to be accomplished with doctor direction and planning.
I took her at her word and left with my script. I paid over $70 a month filling this prescription hoping that one day, I could have children.
I had a discussion with my husband and he said not to worry, kids or no kids, he loved me just the same, and that God would bless us with a life that was child-free or bless us with tons of them. No matter what happened, it would be what He had planned for us and it would all be okay. .... I hate when he's right!
So we paid the bill until one month it went up to $90! We were both, unfortunately, unemployed and had to make a decision. ... we prayed. We felt that it was God's will that I stop taking the medication and put it in his hands. Yet again, God stepped in when we asked for his guidance, he has NEVER steered us wrong.
Over the next year, my cycles were slightly irregular ... however .... I continued to grow. I was always a chubby girl and it got worse with age. Eventually I stopped checking the scale, covering my eyes when I went to the doctor's office when I was sick. I didn't want to know the damage.
Then I hit bottom.

My waistline was to a point where I was about to shelve the size 16's and go to 18's. I broke down into tears in the changing room of JCPenny ... trying to convince myself that I was still attractive ... that I wasn't grossly overweight. My mood was all over the map, flicking from calm to rage in a split second. I know for my husband, life with me was no picnic no matter how much he loved and supported me.

It was time to make a change. That's when God, yet again stepped in ... I got an advertisement in the mail for Douglas Women's Center. My cousin had given birth just a year before with doctors from my office. She said that no matter how many times she insisted that only women see her, they often sent men into the room and refused to listen to her wishes. Because of that I was already inclined to seek new medical care. So, I made an appointment with Lou-Ann.

That's when my life changed forever.

When meeting with Lew-Ann (my husband went with me) ... I didn't look at the scale as usual ... and she sat with me as I described my family and personal medical history. She didn't just scan over what was on the paper, she wanted to hear it from ME! Right when I said that I had been diagnosed with PCOS, she started nodding her head and cut in, saying that everything that I described pointed to that diagnosis. She said "Let me guess, you are the person at the dinner table that eats all of the free rolls and then asks for more". Yup, how did she know???
She ran blood work to confirm the diagnosis (the other doctor didn't do that) and then said, "what do you know about PCOS and how that affects you?". I told her what I was told years ago ... and that's when she smiled and patted my shoulder ... she might as well have said "I'm about to change your life forever". :D

She asked me how I was doing with my decision to stop my meds. I told her that I was struggling with regularity but that I didn't want to go back on them at all. My moods were better but they were still swinging ... my husband had a lot to say about that to Lew-Ann :/.  .... She didn't argue, she honored my decision and then gave me the best thing anyone had EVER GIVEN ME! She handed me a stack of literature and told me that she would STRONGLY recommend that I read them closely and let me know that my condition could be handled with diet alone ... if done properly.
She told me that PCOS was not just about fertility. Too many doctors focus on the fertility issue and don't focus on anything else. But PCOS leads to weight gain, early heart disease, and over 40% of PCOS patients are diabetic by age 40. By not focusing on the whole picture, doctors may get you babies but you end up in an early grave and lead a short hard life. Doctors will often focus on fertility treatments and metformin to control the condition .... but she had a better answer. If I had the discipline to do it on my own, she said that life would be completely different for me ... but so many women fail because they don't take it seriously or they lack the discipline. If I couldn't get my levels under control in one years time, she would begin looking into drug therapies.

The day in her office changed my life forever! Since then, I have lost nearly 40lbs. (six months have passed) simply by sticking to a PCOS friendly diet and getting to know my body and how it responds to what I do and how I feed it. I have six months left to go until my appointment but I am confident that my resolve to change my life will please Lew-Ann and the test results will show that I don't need any form of artificial assistance.

The other strong influence in my journey has been Amy at PCOSDiva.com. She has helped me by leaps and bounds in my journey towards health and I can't thank her enough.

I dedicate this post to both Amy and Lew-Ann. Without them, I don't know where I'd be. This blog will document my journey and how I've become successful. However, the only way to reach your goals is to walk daily with the Prince of Peace.