PCOS and Insulin Resistance?

Question

I have PCOS due to insulin resistance. I will start a glycemic index (GI) diet. I am not obese but I am overweight. The GI will be accompanied by daily exercises. I understand that the diet includes minimizing the carbohydrates intake. However, not all food labels mention the GI of the food. White bread, pasta, potatoes, are high GI foods. Other foods are not classified as high GI foods even though they have high carbohydrates content. I understand that the GI is determined based on (1) the carbohydrates content and (2) based on how fast the carbohydrates break down into glucose and delivered to the blood stream. My question is how do you determine if this food is high in GI and the other is not? Is looking at the carbohydrates content enough? If so, what carbohydrate content (per serving) should be considered as a threshold to consider the GI high? How can I resolve this dilemma with rule of thumbs or easy guidelines?
Thanks all.

I have tried metformin before and I had sever reactions/side effects. Therfore, I am looking now for other alternatives.

Answer 1

I do not have PCOS but have insulin resistant Type II diabetes, controlled by diet.

Generally speaking, the more fiber as a proportion of carbohydrate in a food, the lower the GI. The higher the fat content, the lower the GI--fat slows the absorption of glucose somewhat.

If you'd like a printable GI table, there's one here: http://www.the-gi-diet.org/lowgifoods/

I'm not a fan of GI, since it requires a lot of chart-checking. Also, even if you eat nothing but low-GI carbs, your metabolism may simply not be able to handle large amounts of carbohydrates.

You may find it easier to simply control the AMOUNT of carboyhdrates you eat at any given time. Try eating no more than 100g in a day, and no more than 25 g at any meal or snack. (You may set lower goals--I try to stay under 70g of carb per day).

Generally speaking:
GI/low carb friendly foods that you can eat fairly freely: Meat, cheese, eggs, green leafy vegetables, cruciferous vegetables, cream, milk, plain yogurt, most nuts, beans, lentils, chicken or beef stock or broth.
Eat in moderation: Root vegetables other than potatoes, whole grains (as in really whole, not cereal, white rice or bread!), oatmeal.
Eat sparingly: whole-grain bread and pasta, potatoes, fruit (low GI usually but very high carb), ice cream (low GI, but high carb, even worse for ice milk/yogurt)
Avoid like the plague: Most processed baked goods: white bread, donuts, bagels, crackers, scones, cookies, etc., white rice, cold cereal, fast food, soft drinks, candy bars, anything with added sugar or corn syrup. Most of these are either very high GI or very high carb, loaded with empty calories and questionable chemicals, and have very little nutritional value unless they are spray-painted with vitamin supplements.

If you are insulin resistant to the point where you are exhibiting elevated blood sugar after meals, you can use a meter and careful testing to determine how much carbohydrate causes an increase in blood sugar.

Answer 2

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Answer 3

Ask your doctor about trying Metformin and the PCOS caused your insulin resistance.

Answer 4

Has your doc. talked to you about going on metformin for that. That is what my doc was going to put me on if I didn't get pregnant. That the best thing I can think of. Because it actually helps if you have insulin resistance. It can even fix it. Good Luck.

Answer 5

let me make it plain and simple, get METFORMIN, i'll help you out much better then what you are going threw, I have pcos and I am not overweight. Metformin helps plenty of ladies out with pcos concieve it also helps you lose weight it helps with IR and everything, if you have ireguler cycles it also helps with that

Answer 6

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