Health Myths Debunked by a Nutritionist
Hello friends! In my PCOS post, I alluded to following up on my journey with this condition. Update: It’s been smooth and rough at the same time. Most days I completely forget about it because I’ve gotten accustomed to eating less red meat, swapping regular pasta out for whole grain pasta, and eating a lot of blueberries. These changes were relatively easy to make, but the hard part proves to still be a challenge for me. The hard part is figuring out how many times a week I can eat out, how much I should weigh, basically the questions that don’t have clear answers. PCOS is often a precursor to Type 2 Diabetes (which runs in my family), and navigating this often feels like walking in the dark, never knowing if your next step will take you over the edge of a cliff. I have no idea how many ‘McChickens on a school night when I have $5.27 in my account’ I have left before I get diagnosed with Diabetes. All jokes aside, this is something that has kept me up at night, so I decided to talk to a Nutritionist for advice.
Actually, how rude of me to tell the story out of order? What happened FIRST was I went to Pinterest. I was overwhelmed by how many women with PCOS have used YouTube and Pinterest as a platform to talk about their experience with the condition, but some of the things I read were… a little left field.
For one, a lot of women were promoting keto diets (Ketogenic or keto diet consists of low-carbs, high fat, high protein, so think of a shit ton of avocados and almonds and no pasta). It suggests that weight gain comes from carbs, such as bread and pasta. I asked my Nutritionist about this, and here was the verdict.
Keto Diets
She said that keto diets are actually kind of dangerous. Carbohydrates are food for your brain, unlike protein and fats. By restricting yourself from eating carbs, you’re basically starving your brain. I’m going to Italy next summer where all they eat is pasta and bread, so this is good news.
Next up is intermittent fasting. I actually tried this over the summer and I kind of liked it. My stomach was flat, so I thought it was working. Intermittent fasting is restricting yourself to eating only during certain times. A popular method is eating for only 8 hours of the day, like 12pm-8pm. Starve through breakfast, eat lunch and dinner, then go to sleep before you get hungry again. I asked my Nutritionist, and the verdict was..
Intermittent Fasting
The idea that you should eat 3 meals a day isn’t quite realistic for all of us, so my Nutritionist said to eat constantly all day. Therefore, do not restrict yourself to eat during certain times if you do not have to. If your stomach is rumbling from hunger or you’re stuffed full, that’s not good. Stay in the middle by being satisfied from meal to snack to meal.
Next, I asked about detox stuff. Lots of women with and without PCOS advertise detoxifying drinks they make at home with water, apple cider vinegar, lemons, cinnamon, mint, and other things. They are reported to help with weight loss and flush out bodily toxins. The verdict was..
Detox Beverages
She said detox beverages are basically pointless because removing toxins is what our livers are for. Drinking nasty concoctions doesn’t really do anything for us that our body isn’t doing already.
However…
There’s a considerable amount of scientific research that shows 1-2 Tablespoons of apple cider vinegar in your glass of water every morning can significantly improve insulin resistance, which is the precursor to diabetes and PCOS. It also has shown to aid in weight loss. ACV is pretty acidic though, and there are studies about people’s teeth getting pretty messed up from drinking it too often. I highly recommend doing your own scholarly research on it before you make your decision. Personally, I’m trying it out for myself because doctors rarely acknowledge or credit natural remedies despite the scientific evidence behind it. Maybe it’s because they can’t benefit from it like they do from the pharmaceutical industry.
Next, I asked about working out and losing weight. I’ve always thought that cardio was better suited for people wanting to lose weight and weight lifting was better for people trying to gain weight..
False
I used to do both cardio and weight training when I ran track for five years, and my Nutritionist says I should continue to do both. Although weight training builds muscle (therefore gaining weight), it also replaces fat with muscle. You may not go down in pounds, but you’ll look a lot more fit and lean.
Just in Case You Didn’t Know… At least I Didn’t Know
A quick list of the last things I’ve learned from my Nutritionist
- If you’re having difficulty losing or gaining weight, it might be because our bodies have evolved to maintain the weight we have. Blame the cavemen. We’ve been equipped to keep all of the weight we have during times of starvation. Some people are not capable of gaining or losing the weight they have, and that’s okay. (I’ve had this confirmed by multiple doctors, too.)
- Different food groups digest at different speeds. Fruits and veggies digest in an hour or less, while meats can take anywhere from 2-5 hours. If you’ve ever tried to go veg/vegan and you were always hungry, this is why. Portion sizing is important here.
- It’s biologically harder for women to lose weight because once puberty hits, our bodies are constantly preparing for pregnancy. Tummy fat is part of this.
- Many social media influencers promote clean diets for every meal and occasion, which can make some of us feel bad about the way we eat. My Nutritionist says eat a slice of cake when you want to. Life is short and eating is supposed to be enjoyable. We’re all going to die anyway, vegans included. *She didn’t say that last sentence, I did.*
In conclusion, if you have any questions about what steps you should take for your own health, please visit a doctor or a health professional. Then, seek another if you can. Get as many opinions from qualified individuals that you can, and decide for yourself what is tangible.
Carpe Diem – Seize the Day!
Manyi.