PCOS Diet Book
WLR dietitian Juliette Kellow reviews the PCOS Diet Book
by Collette Harris and Theresa Cheung.
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PCOS Diet Book by Collette Harris and Theresa Cheung (Thorsons,
£12.99)
REVIEW By
WLR Dietitian
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What’s the theory?
Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) is caused by a hormonal
imbalance and insulin resistance, which results in a number of
symptoms including weight gain, acne, excess facial and body
hair and irregular or absent periods.
Food is crucial in the treatment of the symptoms as it
helps to combat insulin resistance (a condition where the
cells in the body are resistant to the effects of insulin, so
that the body has to produce more).
Eating a healthy diet helps to keep blood sugar levels
steady so that insulin release is better controlled.
What does the diet involve?
The diet is not specifically designed for weight loss but
has been put together to help maintain blood sugar levels.
It’s based on eating healthily and recommends five fruit and
veg daily, high-fibre, low GI carbs, lean protein-rich foods
with each meal, foods rich in essential fats, eating regularly
and drinking more water. There’s a 10-day sample menu plan and
a few recipes.
A typical day’s diet allows wholegrain toast with peanut
butter, a banana and fresh fruit juice for breakfast;
vegetable soup with a turkey salad sandwich for lunch; bean
and vegetable casserole with wholegrain rice and raspberries
with cashew nuts and low-fat yogurt for dinner; and cherries,
nuts an apple and a jaffa cake for snacks.
There’s also a chapter dedicated to helping people lose
weight, which includes additional advice on controlling
portion sizes, how to deal with carb cravings and hunger, and
taking more exercise.
What else does the book include?
There’s information on other factors that can affect PCOS
symptoms such as smoking, too much booze, the Pill, stress and
lack of sleep. There’s also a large amount of specific advice
and information on supplements, superfoods and natural
medicines for specific symptoms, including acne, fatigue,
irregular periods, depression, fertility problems, excess hair
and hair loss.
There’s a chapter for women who have PCOS combined with
other health problems such as diabetes, thyroid problems or
digestive disorders, and an A to Z of supplements that may be
useful for sufferers of PCOS. Finally, there are tips for
getting motivated, healing your emotional relationship with
food and anecdotes from sufferers.
How much weight will I lose?
This book is not designed to be a specific weight loss
plan, so no promise is given regarding the amount of pounds
you can expect to lose.
Juliette’s verdict on the PCOS Diet Book
This book is incredibly comprehensive and is a must for
anyone who suffers with PCOS. The diet advice is gimmick-free,
based on healthy eating guidelines recommended by health
experts and will suit anyone who wants to eat healthily,
regardless of whether or not they suffer with PCOS.
More Information
Find out if what you eat is healthy and balanced using the
tools in Weight Loss Resources. You can access the biggest UK
online calorie and nutrition database.
Try it free for 24 hours
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