🍽️⌛My Controversial Opinion on Fasting and PCOS
Have you seen the hype online about Intermittent Fasting?
If you haven’t, all you need to know is the influencers have been promoting intermittent fasting as this “miracle cure” for everything from obesity to hormonal imbalances.
So is it a miracle? Or is it a mirage?
Intermittent Fasting For Women Is A Mirage
I hate to break it to you, but it’s not a miracle.
PCOS is a complex condition with various symptoms & many different variations. Each Woman with PCOS is unique.
What works for one person may not necessarily work for another due to variations in hormonal imbalances, metabolic rates, and lifestyle factors (or ahem genetics).
Intermittent fasting, as a one-size-fits-all solution, does not consider the unique root causes of PCOS.
🧬Fasting & Women’s Hormones
PCOS often involves insulin resistance and hormonal imbalances. Let’s face it, hormones are delicate things!
While intermittent fasting can benefit some by improving insulin sensitivity (your blood sugar), it’s not effective for everyone.
📍Especially when you have pre-existing hormonal imbalances and your brain is probably already in starvation mode from crash diets you tried or crazy cardio routines.
Individual factors, such as stress levels, existing metabolic conditions, and overall health, must be considered for a tailored approach.
The Science🤓
The original studies on intermittent fasting were done mostly on men and non-cycling women, and did not take into account the hormonal impact on cycling women.
If you look at most of the studies, they will state that they found XYZ benefit, but the study did not account for hormone disruptions. Super helpful, right?
There is one particularly interesting study called the Kumar study, which concluded that Intermittent Fasting and dietary restriction negatively influenced hormones.
Bear in mind, this study was conducted humanely on animals.
“Animals adjust their energy requirements when food is scarce or have a very high acquisition cost and under metabolic stress, all the animals invest energy in survival rather than reproduction.
Food restriction has been known to exert negative influence on luteinizing hormone (LH)…, on ovarian development and decrease in gonadotropin concentration in humans.”
👉Ultimately, the study concluded that Intermittent Fasting caused disrupted cycles.
So yes, it’s possible to validate either side of the argument with various studies.
But most of the incredible claims you see quoted about intermittent fasting are studied on men.🚹
🔐And a lot of the fitness girls on Social Media who do all the things and seem to look great, secretly struggle with amenorrhea (no periods) or PCOS.
🥀
But the fact remains that so many of the women I coach have tried Intermittent Fasting and it JUST HASN’T WORKED.
The Power of Personalization:
Successful integration of intermittent fasting requires a personalized touch.
🌻There is a way to do it WITH your unique cycle and goals so you can reap the incredible results of eating for your cycle!
A holistic nutritional therapist can assess your unique needs, lifestyle, and PCOS manifestations to create an individualized plan ~ unique and tailored to YOU, my friend ❤️
This ensures that fasting aligns with your body's requirements, promoting positive outcomes without compromising your well-being.
✨
Sending so much health as always,
🍋Zoé ♡
PS. I’m now on LinkedIn! Lets connect!
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