28: Would being vegan help my PCOS or make it worse?

One thing that no one seems to be able to agree on is which diet is the ‘best’ for health and longevity. Should I go low-carb? Keto? What about eating a raw diet? Is mediterranean good for me? Will high-carb low-fat make me lose body fat?With everyone yelling out different answers it can all seem a bit overwhelming. It’s hard enough for most people to navigate diets and figure out which diet is ‘best’, let alone throwing PCOS into the mix. You want something maintainable, ‘healthy’ and something helps your PCOS symptoms rather than making them worse, right?Of course you do! Finding the ‘right’ diet for PCOS is something I’ve always gotten SO many questions about. But recently I have had a lot of questions that look a bit like this:“Would becoming vegan help manage my PCOS symptoms?” “Can I lose weight as a vegan with insulin resistant PCOS?” “What should I do as a vegan with PCOS?”Yep - Veganism.It’s a controversial diet, spiking in popularity a few years ago and it’s not showing any signs of slowing down. But is it the best diet for women with PCOS or could it be making your PCOS worse?Yeah, I’m going there - I’m talking about veganism on this episode of the podcast and whether it’s the ‘best’ diet for women with PCOS! I’ve had a lot of questions about this topic and this episode is jam-packed full of info - so if you’re as interested as I am about this whole vegan movement, you’re definitely going to want to tune in!This episode is for you if:You’re insulin resistant (there’s a high chance you could be, 80% of women with PCOS are!)You’re currently vegan and have PCOSYou’re interested to know what you can and can’t get from a vegan dietYou’re just generally interested in the debate about whether or not veganism is optimal.Some things we cover in this episode:Insulin resistance and veganismRed meat and whether it has a link to cancerEssential nutrients and where to get themConfirmation biasThe B12 debateNutrients only found in animal foodsGame Changers and other documentaries with a plant-based focusDisclaimer: This episode will not be focusing on other areas of veganism such as animal welfare or sustainability. Although I do a lot of research on it for my own interest, it doesn’t fall within my area of expertise. However, I’d really encourage you to read widely in those spaces too. In most cases you’ll find that much of the research around these areas isn’t as clear cut as you’re led to believe.