{30 thoughts} PCOS & dairy

Over a year ago my PCOS specialist told me to eliminate dairy. Yeah right...I thought. I think I might have even said it. Then, one month last fall, I tried it. And I didn't get a zit all month. I HAD to have been a coincidence I thought. So I started consuming dairy again and BAM! zits galore! What's even crazier is that depending on what type of dairy I eat as to where my acne pops up. Milk = head/hair. Cheese = chin/cheeks. I don't eat yogurt so I don't really know about that one!

Now, I still do have cheese, just now it is only a few times a week and my body kind of seems to be able to process is it without going into overdrive! I am not a doctor so I don't quite understand how this all works but I have read some good articles on it...


{SOURCE}

Will Eliminating Dairy Improve My PCOS Skin Concerns?

It has been proven in clinical studies that dairy contributes to PCOS acne. Put your World perspective lenses back on and look at how acne, a common PCOS symptom, affects the rest of the world. You will find that in less modern and wealthy countries with diets either low or dairy free, acne is non existent.
Dairy consumption spikes male sex hormones, androgens and testosterone, which are responsible for the hormonal production of acne. These anabolic hormones in addition to IGF-1 (remember that ugly hormone from earlier?) literally stimulate your skin to produce skin blemishes. In studies (6) it has been proven that dairy is associated with acne because of the presence of hormones.
BOTTOM LINE: Dairy is a major factor in eliminating PCOS skin issues. Ridding dairy from your diet will reduce the anabolic male sex hormones that are responsible for the hormonal production of acne. 


I am definitely a bit saddened by this outcome but I am willing to accept it most of the time because it just makes life easier! When I do eat cheese you can be certain that it is going to be the best!! I don't order it on salads and I use Feta sparingly on my salads. Barre3 nutrition director Jennifer Currtis said it best when she said "Use it like a spice". I will forever remember that!

I've seen others, specifically my friend Chelsea, in the PCOS community had success with eliminating or cutting back on dairy so it definitely works for some of us Cysters!! Looking back I ate macaroni & cheese at least two times per week...no wonder I always had acne!

**11/6/13**
I found THIS website that really explains it in easy to understand terms why cheese is so addictive and so not good for some people.

I truly hope this helps some of you out there who might have PCOS and be struggling with acne!

Fingers crossed {I don't go cheese crazy once we open the Cougar Gold}...

there's always time for a little celebration!!

Last night my hubby and I dressed up, went down into Portland, and had a nice & fancy dinner at McCormick & Schmick's Harborside at the Marina! We had some celebrating to do {and some gift certificates to use}!

Jason & I :) Love him!!!

 



At first I went into this dinner and I was in a "I'll have whatever I want (likely something I shouldn't have) mood" but then once I sat down my conscious really got the better of me. Maybe conscious isn't the right word. My thought pattern went like this...

- I want the blackened chicken pasta with alfredo linguine.
- But, I had cheese a few days ago so I don't know if I need that much dairy today.
- Plus, I might have dessert which might have dairy in it.
- I still want chicken though. What about the Parmesan chicken? It's still dairy but not as much as the alfredo sauce.
- Order glass of Riesling.
- Talk to waiter. Tell him I do want the chicken pasta but I don't want the alfredo. Waiter suggests that we do a veggie medley on top of noodles that have olive oil instead.
- BINGO!

I forgot to take a picture of my dinner but it was delicious. It was the Parmesan crusted chicken breasts with linguine and tomatoes & fresh basil. It was fresh, it was light, and it was perfect & just for me.

I've said it many times on here and many, many more times in my life - YOU have to be an advocate for yourself. Whether it is going to the doctors or eating as best you can at a restaurant you are the only one who is truly looking out for you!!

it wouldn't be an Annie post if there wasn't a comparison picture!

left ~ April 2012

right ~ May 2013

Because I made the decision to change my meal I felt better about myself, I am proud of myself, and I ordered {almost} exactly what I wanted for dessert. If I had had my choice {and I did, I just chose something else} I would have loved to have had the cheesecake with berries and next time that is available I just might. This time, though, I decided to share the MOST delicious apple pie upside down pie with vanilla ice cream with my husband. There's something fun and intimate about sharing a dessert...and my husband always lets me have the last bite! He's sweet like that.

Have any of you made any good choices recently at a restaurant? Salad instead of fries? Sharing dessert? I'd love to hear how everyone out there handles eating out!!

Fingers crossed {that next time I go out I can make good choices}...

there's been a lot going on!!!

*a week off the wagon*

I had a week off the wagon, the week after Thanksgiving to be exact. I had been put on "barre3 rest" by my physical therapist because I strained my bicep tendon and kept using it so it kept hurting! For some reason...I couldn't get it together and ended up reverting back and sitting on my ass all day every day for a week. BUT I continued to eat well and didn't gain anything...

*no milk - minimal to no cheese*

For the past 2 months I've been milk free almost all of the time. There are still some items (prebought/processed) that I am sure still has milk in it but I haven't had cows milk from the carton in over 2 months. The milk was pretty easy to give up. Since I've stopped drinking cows milk I haven't had a single acne point on my scalp/in my hair. For, oh, the last 15+ years I've had acne in my hair. That's right... And now it's gone. All the way gone. I'm amazed.

 

The cheese...well, that's a different story. I've really, really {really} struggled to get off that. I've been off about 95% of the way for the past two weeks and I haven't gotten a new zit on my face since! It is amazing. My goal now is to reintroduce cheese in small, controlled amounts to see how much I can tolerate.

 

I'm not exactly sure what it is in the milk and cheese that made the acne stop. My PCOS specialist told me to try to stop - so I did. I definitely need to look more into the "why" part of it. But it's working so I'm not in a hurry ;-)

 

the cheese drawer. i pretend it isn't there.

 

*my first soy {anything}*

Last weekend we were out & about near Seattle {happy retirement to my father-in-law!!!} and stopped off at a coffee shop for breakfast. While there I decided to try my first soy hot chocolate. I needed a treat, or so I felt. And since it was a coffee shop, and not Starbucks, I decided it would be worth it. It was good...but some friends have suggested I try almond milk next time...which I will!

 

 *50th barre3 class*

On 11/19/12 I took my 50th barre3 class. It was also my last one before I was "barred from barre3". As I've written before, barre3 has changed my life. I've lost inches, pounds, and insecurities. I've gain peace, some balance, and a place I can go and be happy. There is nothing bad about barre3, nothing.

 

left: April 2012 {before barre3}

right: November 2012 {50th barre3 class day}

-17.15 inches off my body from the left picture to the right picture

 

With all that's been going on with report cards, stresses at work, stresses at home, money, Christmas, presents, and battles within myself I'm super proud of the fact that I've lost 5 pounds in the last 8 weeks. Only 4.2 pounds to go until my HUSBAND has to go to barre3!!! He agreed {well, he didn't have a choice} to join me. And two of the other instructors have volunteered their husbands too!!!

 

*standing up for what i believe in*

At the end of November there was a story about a woman named Siobhain Fletcher who ha PCOS and grew a beard for Movember...the event where men grew mustaches to support prostate cancer. I thought it was SSSOOO brave of her to stand up, speak out, and support a good cause. In my eyes she was SO brave. Brave to do it and brave to speak out about it. Then...the women of "The Talk" on CBS played this clip. I was disgusted!!! How could they make fun of this woman who was so brave? They compared her to Larry the Cable Guy. I seriously had tears in my eyes and was hoping that she will never see the clip! I said my peace on their facebook page...but I hope they take me up on my offer {or someone else} and invite women with PCOS on to the show to inform the nation. I doubt it will happen ~ but you never know!

 

 

While haven't PCOS isn't easy I am proud to be part of such a strong group of people!!! I love my "soulcysters"!!!