Pregnant! ... The PCOS diet woks!

THE DIET:

The PCOS diet was very simple. ...

Eat at least 50g of protein throughout the day with half coming from breakfast, cut out sugar (having stevia, honey, or molasses as needed), eat TONS of fruit and veggies, and finally, cut out simple carbohydrates and introduce complex carbs in small quantities. SIMPLE.
Yes, it was that simple to cure me of my PCOS. Okay, okay, so "cure" is a strong word and not entirely accurate. No, I don't have a single PCOS symptom anymore, but should I ever go back to my old lifestyle, those symptoms would return.

CONCEPTION AND EARLY PREGNANCY:
How do I know that the diet works? ... well, I've lost 46 lbs ... and I'm pregnant. All without ever taking one dose of Metformin or Chlomid! I have not taken any drugs to manage my condition ... I beat it WITH DIET ALONE!!! No IVF treatments, no shots, no fertility charting, no temperature monitoring, ... nothing.

I simply ate the things my body needed, let the love between myself and my husband grow, and gave the burden over to God.
My Mom and Dad were constantly asking when we were going to make them grandparents, and we had to be honest ... With my condition and with our refusal to go on any medication, it would be unlikely that I would ever become pregnant. However, I was on a diet to manage my condition and that there was a possibility that it may be all I needed. We simply threw caution to the wind and decided that if and when God wanted to bless us with a child, he would. Five months of this "caution free" lifestyle and adhering to the diet plan and ... I'm pregnant.

Currently, I am a little over 8 weeks pregnant with my first (and possibly only) child. We've tracked our conception to a trip we took to Biloxi, MS back in the early part of April. We had a blast by the way ... obviously.

How have the last 8 weeks been? ... Well, I found out Wednesday before last that I was pregnant and I have been to two doctor's appointments already. I've been sick only once and I have to say it was the most bazaar experience ever. I was throwing up, but not really sick, and I cried like a two year old, but I wasn't upset at all. Crying without cause is the strangest feeling I've ever had.
I have done some research, and it turns out that my PCOS diet can be attributed to my lack of "morning sickness". Having a balanced diet chocked full of B6 and essential vitamins (that we'll naturally get from veggies and fruit we eat a ton of) will stave off the sickness feeling. ...  I do, however, expect a great deal of sickness over the next few weeks and I am preparing myself for it. But I have to say that I am looking on the positive side of things at the moment because I haven't had half the amount of discomfort and nausea as other women have reported.

DIET DURING PREGNANCY:
I do not have to stop the diet during pregnancy! In fact, staying on the diet is more important than ever. This is because we are at an increased risk of miscarriage (50% likely) and we are at a greater risk of developing gestational diabetes. Avoiding simple carbs and sugars are essential during this time because of this. We need to make sure that our new babies are getting all the nutrients they need while also making sure that our insulin levels don't skyrocket by eating sugar and carbs.
Pregnancy is a delicate hormone dance, where hormones have to change at specific times to insure that certain things happen when they are supposed to happen. If our insulin shoots out of control, we already know from pre-pregnancy, all of the other hormones will follow suit. Which is why I deduce that many PCOS patients suffer miscarriage in early pregnancy. Think about it ... if insulin levels cause progesterone to drop ... all of the sudden, there is nothing keeping the body from holding onto the fetus and you may suffer a miscarriage.
But that means there is hope. With this information in hand, we can be confident that by simply adhering to the PCOS diet, that our risk of miscarriage drops drastically.
The number one thing we have to make sure to do is get frequent hormone level checks at the doctors office to monitor our progesterone levels. This past time I went it was a little low, so hopefully I can get them back up or I'll have to be put on synthetic progesterone to hold onto the pregnancy. But I thank God for modern medicine sometimes .... I'll do everything I can not to need the medicine, but I will take it if I need to.

The only change we have to make in our diet is overall calorie intake. In the first trimester, you should intake 200 more calories than before, 300 for the second trimester, and 500 for the third.
And it is HARD!!!
Before the PCOS diet, if I wanted extra calories, I would eat a bowl of ice cream. But now, fruits and vegetables aren't as high in caloric value as the unhealthy alternative. ... So when I get up to about 900 calories and want to stop, I am reminded that I have a lot of calories left to go. It is HARD work to get all of the calories in let me tell you. Right now my husband is keeping track of what I eat to make sure that the goal is met. Keep in mind ... if you are anything like me, your appetite is practically non-existent in the first trimester (from what my husband reads, it should return around week 18 or 19) so getting all of the calories in will be difficult.

OVERALL:
Overall, I am optimistic for the future. Even if I can't carry this baby to term, I am comforted knowing that I can conceive and have one down the road. I am also at ease knowing that anything is possible with God in your heart and that everything will happen according to his plan. All it takes is a little self love, love for others, and faith.

PCOS RECIPE: Turkey Tacos

TURKEY TACOS:

A lot of people think of turkey as dry and lifeless or as something that only comes around once a year. But when you buy the right kind of turkey, like humanly raised birds, the flavor is jammed packed and JUICY! My husband LOVES THESE!

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. of ground turkey (No added hormones or antibiotics, fed on vegetarian diet NOT JENNIE O ... PS: Plainville Farms turkey [available at Publix] and Jennie O are about the same price per pound so you might as well get the added health benefits and meat from a happier bird)
• 1 Package of taco seasoning (my favorite is the Kroger brand)
• Canola Oil or Olive oil (organic if you have it)
• Lettuce, tomato, onion, cheese (organic), avocado, etc. etc. The more veggies the better
• Low Carb or Whole Grain soft shell taco shells OR organic blue corn hard shell taco shells. 
• Organic salsa (optional)

In a skillet, heat 2 tbsp of oil and add turkey and seasoning. Stir and cook until done. 

Assemble tacos. YUMMY!

TIPS AND WHY THIS DISH IS GOOD?

Turkey is lower in fat than beef and has some great nutrients and has Omega 3s too when it is a vegetarian fed or free range bird!

You can omit the oil for a slightly healthier taco, but the oil makes it taste SO MUCH BETTER.

Use the cheese sparingly ... dairy isn't good for us PCOSers, ESPECIALLY if you are using regular cheese. If you like to use more cheese, the best thing to do is buy organic if you can find it. There won't be any added hormones than those that naturally occur in dairy. ... It's may seem like an expensive change, but really it isn't when you break the cost down per taco.

Use your judgement on the taco shell and do some research. Keep your carb budget in mind and if you are an extreme PCOS dieter, omit the shell and use a leaf of romaine lettuce as your taco shell. 

Serve tacos with slices of mango .... or for an indulgence, organic salsa and organic blue corn chips. 

 

PCOS RECIPE: Fried Green Tomatoes

Since tomatoes are coming into season, one of my favorite dishes as a southern gal is FRIED GREEN TOMATOES. I used to get green tomatoes from the supermarket and coat them in milk and flour and fry them in vegetable oil. I know now, milk should be avoided, flour is BAD and veggie oil is full of bad fats ...  Now, this isn't exactly a "healthy" dish, but balance is everything, and what is a southern girl without some fried comforts?? 

This is the first opportunity since my journey began with PCOS to experiment with this dish to make it more friendly for my condition. I tried it a few different ways, but here is the best one:

FRIED GREEN TOMATOES:

Ingredients:

• 1 - 2 Organic Green Tomato(es) (from a local stand, they have more flavor)
• 1 Organic, free range egg
• Organic Corn Starch
• Bob's Red Mill Brown Rice Flour
• Canola Oil (organic if you can find it [I did at Publix])

Chill the tomatoes for a few hours if you can, it makes them easier to slice without "squishing" them. The best way to slice is to use a mandolin slicer, but slice them as thinly as you can if you don't have one. Sometimes, having thick and thin slices produces better results anyway. 

Dip the sliced tomato in the egg and coat in a brown rice flour and corn starch mixture. About 70% brown rice flour and 30% corn starch. 

Heat canola oil in a skillet about 1/2" deep on high and put a small piece of tomato in the grease. When the tomato begins to bubble, put the rest of the slices into the grease and fry until slightly golden brown. 

Here's the kicker: NO SPECIAL SAUCE for a truly PCOS friendly meal! Eat without condiment or with a reduced sugar ketchup. YUMMY