Manage Chronic Conditions with Diet

Manage chronic condition with diet

29 Nov 2019

Zoe was in high school when she first started experiencing fatigue. Coming home from school, she would dump her school bag down and lie on the lounge, trying to recover from the day, no longer able to manage her schoolwork. Zoe’s mum knew this wasn’t normal and took her to the doctor, who did a range of blood tests, only to find no obvious pathology. The doctor suggested Zoe do some more exercise and get fresh air, and even suggested her problems might be psychological.

Zoe’s mother was doubtful about this advice and they got a second opinion. The new doctor also ran some pathology tests and diagnosed Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (POCS), which seemed to make sense. As a condition, it explained Zoe’s painful periods and also the acne that had been hard to treat with antibiotics (a standard first treatment for acne). It was a relief to be able to explain the symptoms with a specific diagnosis, even if it indicated Zoe would need to manage this condition all her life.

The doctor explained that Polycystic Ovary Syndrome is a chronic condition caused by a hormonal imbalance, mainly androgens, and is associated at times with cysts on the ovaries. He also said that it is quite a common chronic condition and could involve fertility issues. As a way to manage the symptoms, the doctor prescribed the birth control pill, suggesting this would get her period back on track.

The birth control pill did not agree with Zoe at all. Within a couple of months, she was experiencing a growing level of anxiety, that seemed to get worse as each day passed. As this anxiety escalated, Zoe started to have irrational thoughts and her mother, witnessing this, felt sure the pill was responsible and urged Zoe to stop taking it. Within 48 hours of ceasing the contraceptive pill, Zoe’s mood had returned to normal, which was a huge relief.

Both Zoe and her mother wondered why the doctor had not suggested such a concerning side effect was possible. In the end, along with the regular side effect profile of the contraceptive pill, the cons of using such a drug far outweighed the positives and they began to look at other options to manage her condition.

Zoe’s mother thought that they should find a doctor who dealt with endocrine issues in a holistic way. Zoe was still experiencing fatigue, alongside other issues, and mainstream medicine seemed to have run out of answers, so this seemed the logical next step. Eventually they came across a doctor who had traditional qualifications but who prescribed vitamins and supplements, alongside traditional western medicines. Zoe and her mother knew they were in the right place when this new doctor started by asking Zoe about her fatigue and other chronic symptoms.

The doctor explained that a significant aspect of POCS, is insulin resistance and that insulin resistance is both a symptom of POCS and a cause, thus if you want to treat POCS you must treat the insulin resistance. The doctor explained that in POCS the pancreas needed to produce more insulin than usual to get the message across to the liver, to take sugar up from the blood and convert it to energy. This explained Zoe’s fatigue, especially when she had eaten something high in sugar.

The doctor prescribed a range of supplements, such as magnesium, that would help support Zoe’s endocrine system. However, he was clear that the most significant thing she could do to manage POCS, was to change her diet. The first thing to go was of course, sugars. Refined sugar in the form of lollies, cake and soft drinks were definitely on the DON’T EAT list, but so were complex carbohydrates such as bananas, potatoes and cereals.

Essentially the foods that were allowed for Zoe, resembled the Paleo diet. Dairy, with its potential to interfere with hormones was a no-go, while fresh meat, fish, eggs and nuts provided the mainstay of the diet. For someone who had always felt herself ‘addicted’ to sugar, this diet was a big change for Zoe and it took some real effort and planning before she felt she had adjusted to her new way of eating. Zoe loved the salmon of course, but it took some time and dedication to manage the sugar cravings.

Zoe’s commitment to the new way of eating paid off. Staying away from carbohydrates meant she could reliably avoid the huge energy drops that had become a feature of her life, in the years prior. Zoe found that if she strayed from her diet with some chocolate, or even some bread, her symptoms would return. Eventually it didn’t seem worth it to cheat, having to endure the fatigue. Plus, Zoe found that sticking to the diet allowed her to manage the acne (also a symptom of POCS).

Both Zoe and her mother are in agreement that treating POCS naturally has been the best path to take. Staying clear of conventional treatments, such as synthetic hormones and all their side effects, seems like a no-brainer now. In addition, Zoe and her mother have experimented with sugar substitutes, and while Zoe rarely gets major sugar cravings on her diet, if she does need a treat, then there are plenty of sugar free dessert recipes, using nut meal. Zoe’s favourite? Cocao and cashew brownies!

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Jo Murphy

Jo Murphy is a qualified writer, editor and practising visual artist, who exhibits in solo and group exhibitions.

She is a once-upon-a-time economist, who continues to enthusiastically engage with economics and politics, and finds these matters inseparable from how the average person lives their daily life.

Jo is, in fact, endlessly curious about other people's lives, specifically the nitty gritty of the challenges life has thrown at them. How someone found their way out of the dark, and then how they used that experience to go on and flourish, is Jo’s creative grist; stories of emotional growth just never get tired for her.

Jo is a mother to two, almost grown up, children and one youngish Whippet. If she had an instagram account it would most likely be devoted to the Whippet or her fabulous succulent garden.