Customer Reviews

The PCOS Diet Book: How You Can Use the Nutritional Approach to Deal with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome

5 star:		(16)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I almost didn't buy this book because of the review complaining about how hard it was to find some of the food items listed in it. I bought it anyway and am extremely glad I did. It's true that there are a few items in here I might not be able to get in the US, but if you really READ the book, you'll find a tremendous amount of very specific information regarding foods that are readily available here (wholegrain pasta, wholewheat bread, apricots, spinach, brocolli) and very specific information regarding the ways in which these foods will affect your body. There is also a great deal of information on vitamins, minerals, weight loss, fertility, and alternatives to taking the birth control pill to regulate your period. You can even pick a PCOS-specific symptom that has been bothering you (say, your acne, for example) and they clearly list foods and natural remedies as well as changes you can make in your daily life that will help you control that specific problem and clearly explain WHY these problems occur in the first place. I was diagnosed with PCOS in my early teens and despite many doctors visits and pills have never felt like I had any control over my symptoms until I read this book. Please don't be turned off by it because you can't get one item on a list of twenty suggested foods. This book is for anyone who is ready to take control and make positive steps towards living with PCOS.

This is a great book! As a vegetarian, I love the fact that she gives vegan/vegetarian options for protein. Do not be discouraged by the rating on this book that complained about the foods listed. I recognized nearly every food listed. It does not list just aubergine as one person that rated this book said. It actually says "Tomato with Eggplant (Aubergine)" So I don't know why this was even brought up. I have seen all of the foods in question listed (most at my local grocery store, some like Quorn at my local health food store). I own many cookbooks, so I do not have a problem converting measurements. I just convert them once and write them in the cookbook. I think the information in this book far outweighs the minor inconvenience of having to convert recipes.

I have been living with PCOS for what seems like forever. I have been to doctors and infertility specialist that have done nothing for me. This book has brought me hope and an incredible amount to useful information. Yes, it is written by a british author but that takes away nothing from the information. If you are diagnosed with PCOS they should hand you this book. Read it and make notes and just try it. It is already working for me.

This books sounds like everything you are looking for in a holistic and/or nutritional approach to our misdiagnosed and misunderstood syndrome, right? Think you can pick it up and follow the diet excatly and have those fantastic changes that you hear about in all of those testimonials you read about? Well please keep this in mind before you get so excited. This book was published in LONDON ENGLAND. Therefore, you can expect all sorts of fabulous recipe ingredients and menus that call for things like:

175g muscavoado sugar
demerara sugar
jaffa cake
Twiglets
digestive biscuits
gooseberry fool
quorn fillet (yes that is how its spelled)
1 large aubergine
etc. etc.

All of the measurements are in metric and there tends to be a bit of a difference in our foods and termonologies. For this I give 2 stars (as an Amercian stuck in English measurements and food). Also, when you look at the menus as a whole, there is quite a bit of fruit (and juices) called for which concerns me because of the insulin resistance problems of PCOSrs. There is even a recipe for risotto - can we say white carbohydrate?HOWEVER, there is information on vitamins and nutrients and why you should take them and how they benefit PCOS individuals so again, I did at least give the books 2 stars.

No one mentions this little British detail about the book and for American cooks, this is a pretty big detail. I would try the "Insulin Resistance Diet Book" over this one for full menus and use this book at a supplement only. Good luck!

PCOS treatment begins with adjusting your diet. Most, not all, women with PCOS suffer from insulin resistance (this simply means that the body cells are resisting allowing insulin to deliver the blood sugar they need, while the fat cells are screaming "Hey! Just back that truckload of glucose in RIGHT here!"). This book does not have all the answers, but it is a good overview of how nutrition affects PCOS.

Many women with PCOS have had great success with changing their diet to treat insulin resistance. Learn the basics here, then get a copy of one of the low glycemic index diets (Insulin Resistance Diet, South Beach, etc.) and eat your way to good health!

In my opinion this book is a help to the general population and everyone should read it. Metric measurements and British ingredients aside... Many of the ingredients have "American" substitutes next to them. Overall this book gears towards healthy eating and avoiding toxins. Sure it's not a "quick fix", but how does anyone expect long term "health for life" results off of any "quick fix" diet/program. This book is also specific to the symptoms of PCOS that many people suffer on an individual basis to help figure out which way to change your diet as to address them. I for one am very pleased I bought this book - and you can't beat the price. I think everyone should have one.

I do have quite a few British Cook Books. Dont let this scare you:

175g muscavoado sugar = readily available at better grocers. It's a dark raw sugar.

demerara sugar = Raw sugar - they even have it in packets at Starbucks!

jaffa cake - a lot like Pims cookies (Usually in the cookie ailse near fancier cookies) It's actually a cakey cookie with a bit of fruit jam and chocolate coating.

digestive biscuits - plain tea cookies

quorn fillet (yes that is how its spelled)- Quorn is a name brand meat substitute (like boca burgers or Chik Patties) Made from corn instead of soy. Available most places that sell vegetatian foods, including many supermarkets (Fred Meyers for sure!)

1 large aubergine - Aubergine is simply the brit word for an eggplant!

As far as conversions go, they are easy to find on the internet, a cookbook or wherever. Figure it out once and write it in the margin of the recipe!

I got this book and found I could not put it down because it had so much information that dealt with PCOS. Not only did it have background information (in the appendix), but it also had diet and vitamin and other natural supplement information and tips. I have started following the basic priciples in this book and already feel better. It made me get motivated to finally take control of what I was eating! I didn't realize how I was treating my own body with the food I used to eat. The book also has references to other helpful books, websites, and clinics in the back for the UK, US, and even Australia. If you have one book to read on PCOS, I think this is it!

Polycystic ovarian syndrome is such a complex condition that women who are dealing with it need all the good resources they can get. This book covers general information as well as the all-important nutritional information that all women with PCOS need. The authors have a nice conversational and supportive style; the book is packed with information but isn't so big that it seems like a medical text.

I found this book to be very helpful. I was diagnosed with PCOS about 4 weeks sgo, after suffering from the symptoms for 9 years. If you combine this book with another one like "what to do when the doctor says it's PCOS" you will understand a lot about how to eat to fight the PCOS symptoms, specially over weight. I didn't care about it being british, I understood everything anyway, so don't be afraid, this book will help.