Liberty Mills is a Nutritional Proof Expert and Educator, helping individuals with fertility, weight and chronic pain issues. Liberty shares living proof of her journey, reversing symptoms of lupus an autoimmune disease, and being medication, marker and symptom free.
After being diagnosed with Lupus at the age of 30, Mills was being managed by western medicine where she felt it did not allow her to life her quality of live. She then stated to look into other alternatives for reversing her disease through functional practices with nutrition, to
heal herself, which led her onto the journey to heal others today. She has proven this through helping her cliental who have been diagnosed with several issues including infertility, weight management and chronic pain.
Now, we speak to Mills to find ways to reduce the stress of PCOS (Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome), through improving and changing the way we eat and answer some of your most common questions!
1. I have PCOS what food should I avoid?
Everyone has bio-individuality, so not one size fits all. As a rule, you should lower your amount of refined sugar or try to eliminate it completely. Sugar is a major contributing factor to PCOS. Lowering your sugar consumption results in lowering your blood glucose levels. This decreases insulin levels, reducing your male hormone levels. Also processed breads, pasta, cakes, muffins. Refined carbohydrates.
2. I have PCOS, what food should I eat more of?
Leafy greens and clean protein, more nutrient dense foods. As well as cooling foods such as parsley, coriander, spices that are anti-inflammatory such as turmeric and cardamon.
3. How will a plant-based diet affect PCOS symptoms?
If the diet is plant based and not chemical processed vegetarian foods it will nourish your body and help level out your blood sugars and your hormones. Try to eat foods as close to their natural form, rather than manufactured. I see many vegetarians that eat little vegetables.
4. Do I need to avoid gluten and dairy?
As a rule of thumb, I would avoid gluten due to the way the body sees it as an alien figure, however be wary of gluten free products as many are loaded with refined sugar and maltodextrin. Try removing dairy and gluten for a whole cycle and then introduce one for a cycle and see how your body reacts. Making a food diary really helps you find your food triggers.
5. Can I eat a 'normal diet' with PCOS?
What’s normal? Anything you remove from your diet you can replace with a nutrient dense replacement so you never have to feel you are missing out.
6. Does diet affect EVERYONE with PCOS?
Yes, most certainly. What you put on the end of your fork acts as information for body and signals it to take certain actions. If you give it the wrong information for the destination of health you won’t reach the place you want to be.
7. PCOS makes it hard to lose weight, will dieting contribute to weight loss?
I’m not a fan of the word “DIET” it has certain connotations. We all have a diet each day, it’s what that diet consists of is what it is important. It's not about depriving oneself of certain things, its more about fuelling the body with foods on and off the plate that will not boost but create balance and let the body thrive. The body doesn't make mistakes, it can only work with what we supply it.
8. Should I take supplements?
Vitamin D3 with K2 and an omega 3 preferably sourced form algae as the fish ones can be loaded with heavy metals.
9. Can I be on a low-calorie diet with PCOS?
All calories are not equal, it’s about what sources you are getting your calories from and the same goes for fat. Think is this meal going to fuel and serve my body to balance, repair, rebuild and thrive?
10. Can I enjoy my favourite food in moderation, even if it affects my hormones?
If your favourite food is pizza and ice cream, then yes, but not in the form you are currently eating them. For example, swap your takeaway pizza for a gram flour homemade pizza and your ice-cream that is full of dextrose, maltodextrin, sugar and syrups for a plant based homemade ice cream using fruits, coconut sugar and the water from chick peas. Being healthy means you can have your treats too, just not in the form that has led to your current in-balance.
Visit Liberty Mills website here.
Please always consult your GP