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One out of 10 women have polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) and it’s the leading cause of infertility in the United States. That’s why managing your PCOS with diet and lifestyle is such an important part of the fertility journey. My friend and fellow RD Cory Levin is here to talk about how to optimize your fertility so you can get pregnant with PCOS.
Listen to episode 6 of the fed and fearless podcast
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ABOUt CORY LEVIN, RD
Cory is a registered dietitian who specializes in women’s health, specifically hormones, fertility, digestion, and PCOS. Cory has PCOS herself, and using her own nutrition advice has conceived naturally! In fact, she has very recently given birth to a beautiful baby girl.
There is a lot of information out there that claims women with PCOS should be eating a very low carb or ketogenic diet, but we don’t necessarily agree. Most women with PCOS do best with a moderate amount of carbs while balancing those carbs with healthy proteins and fats. Unless your body specifically doesn’t adapt well to carbs, or you have another underlying medical condition, most women don’t need to be on a very low carb diet longterm.
Ultimately, as Cory explains, your diet needs to balance your blood sugar. A major indicator of PCOS is insulin resistance, which means that your body is more likely to develop diabetes. Cory also shares what kind of exercise women with PCOS should do – it’s all about getting that balance.
Cory breaks down exactly what women with PCOS should do when they’re trying to get pregnant. It’s all about proper diet and nutrition, appropriate supplementation, and making sure their partner is healthy and fertile, as well.
The biggest thing is actually that even if you have a regular period, which many women with PCOS don’t, you might not be ovulating. Cory talks about a few methods to check in on your body’s ovulation, and specifically, how to chart your basal body temperature, as this is the most accurate method.
Did you know that your gut health is connected to your hormonal health? And that women with PCOS are more likely to have gut dysbiosis? It’s important to get appropriate testing done to make sure your gut is healthy, free of dysbiosis, and promoting a positive environment for the rest of your body.
Cory shares what supplements she would recommend for most of the women with PCOS she works with and why. She also explains how you can work with your partner to make sure his fertility level is high and his sperm is healthy so that your fertility as a couple is optimal. Lastly, Cory talks about how pivotal it is to have a network of supportive women when you’re going through your infertility journey.
Are you a woman with PCOS who wants to get pregnant? Is your diet and exercise routine designed to keep your blood sugar stable? How comfortable are you talking with your partner or your friends about your infertility experiences?
Got a question you’d love to hear me answer on the show? Leave me a voice message here!
In This Episode
- What your macronutrient breakdown should look like
- Why you need to eat a diet that balances your blood sugar when you have PCOS
- What kind of exercise you should do
- What you should do when you’re trying to get pregnant with PCOS
- How to make sure that you’re ovulating
- Why you should track your cycle using basal body temperature
- What your gut health has to do with your hormonal health
- What supplements are key to help you with your PCOS symptoms and menstrual irregularity
- How does men’s health impact fertility levels
- Why you need to connect with other women when you’re going through your infertility journey
Quotes
“One out of 10 women have PCOS and it’s the leading cause of infertility in the United States.” (8:15)
“Statistically, 50% of fertility challenges are actually related to the man’s health. Which, when you say it out loud, it’s obvious, but the way that we act in terms of people struggling with infertility, it’s always asking what the woman is doing.” (36:23)
“Find a community, whether it’s online or in-person, find a support system, or just one person, that will listen to you and empathize with you and make this potentially long journey significantly less lonely. Because, as women, we have to be there for each other. Infertility is not easy.” (49:52)
Fun fact: Cory is one of my extraordinary business mentorship clients. If you are a female health business owner, I’d love to take mentorship to the next level and for you to join me in my 2020 Inner Circle Mastermind! To apply, check out this link!
Links
Follow Cory Levin on Instagram
Got a question you’d love to hear me answer on the show? Leave me a voice message here!
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