PCOS, hormonal imbalances and their link to nutrition

In this episode of ITK: Hack the Cycle, host and co-founder of lifestyle period brand August Nadya Okamoto (@nadyaokamoto) uncovers some little-known truths about how diet is linked to hormonal imbalances. She meets up with registered dietician Lisa Moscovitz (@lisamnutrition) to learn more about the link between hormonal imbalance and nutrition, plus how people can utilize food to help treat symptoms of PCOS, or Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome.

Lisa explains that people can have PCOS without actually having polycystic ovaries. She says, “PCOS is an overall umbrella for any type of hormonal imbalance.”

She continues to explain that there are four different types of PCOS: Insulin-resistant, which women with higher BMIs experience; inflammatory, which causes skin and hair issues as a result of excess androgen; temporary, which results in irregular periods when stopping birth control; and adrenal PCOS, which is detected by high levels of blood DHEAs and is diagnosed by a doctor.

Lisa says that nutrition and diet cannot cause PCOS but can help or hurt the condition. She recommends eating a lot of foods that fight inflammation and slow down the metabolism, focusing on what you can add to your diet instead of what you can take out.

The best recipe for PCOS symptoms

Lisa’s favorite lunch recipe for combating symptoms of PCOS is overnight oats made with chia seeds and blueberries. She says it helps balance blood sugar and fight inflammation because blueberries are rich in antioxidants.

Ingredients

• ¼ cup steel-cut oats

• ¼ cup chia seeds

• ¼ cup blueberries

• 1 cup milk

Instructions

First, combine the ingredients in a mason jar and cover. Then, let the mixture rest in the fridge for four hours or overnight. When it’s done, you can sprinkle almond slivers on top for extra fiber and antioxidants.

In The Know by Yahoo is now available on Apple News — follow us here!

The post PCOS, hormonal imbalances and their link to nutrition appeared first on In The Know.

More from In The Know:

Elevate your breakfast with this berry pancake bread pudding

Minimalism is this summer’s main theme, and these sleek one-piece swimsuits pass the vibe check

9 reasons you need to hang eucalyptus in your shower yesterday

Questions you might be too embarrassed to ask your gynecologist