Nutrition Science for PCOS Blog & Resources 

Understanding the connection between food intolerances, bloating and gut health with PCOS Do you feel like you're reacting to more and more foods? Perhaps bread leaves you bloated, milk upsets your stomach or certain meals seem to cause uncomfortable digestive symptoms. Maybe you've already removed gluten, dairy or sugar because you hoped it would improve your PCOS symptoms, yet you're still struggling with bloating, fatigue or digestive discomfort. Many women with PCOS begin

If you've searched online for PCOS inflammation supplements, you've probably been met with endless recommendations. One article tells you to take turmeric. Another recommends magnesium. Social media suggests inositol, omega-3, probiotics, vitamin D, NAC and dozens of other supplements, all claiming to reduce inflammation or "balance your hormones". It's no wonder so many women feel confused. The truth is that supplements can play a supportive role for some women with PCOS, bu

If you have PCOS, you may have been told that inflammation is behind every symptom from your fatigue and cravings to stubborn weight and irregular periods. That can make it seem as though you need to follow a strict anti-inflammatory diet, cut out several food groups or buy a cupboard full of specialist foods and supplements. Research suggests that PCOS is often associated with low-grade inflammation, which can overlap with insulin resistance, metabolic health and hormonal ch

If you've ever looked at healthy recipes online and thought, "I don't have time for all of that," you're in the right place. Many women with PCOS assume eating well means preparing different meals every day, buying expensive ingredients or following complicated meal plans. In reality, one of the simplest ways to support your overall health is to gradually include a wider variety of foods in your diet. This doesn't mean completely changing how you eat. It means making small ad

Intermittent fasting is often promoted online as a solution for: weight loss insulin resistance inflammation and hormone balance So it is understandable that many women with PCOS wonder whether they should try it too. Some women do report benefits from fasting approaches. But for many others, especially those already struggling with: cravings fatigue stress emotional eating or inconsistent eating patterns fasting can sometimes make symptoms feel worse rather than better. This

Many women with PCOS notice that symptoms often feel worse during periods of stress. You may recognise patterns like: stronger cravings during busy weeks more fatigue when overwhelmed disrupted sleep during stressful periods worsening skin symptoms before deadlines feeling more emotionally reactive around food irregular cycles after stressful life events This is not “all in your head”. Stress can affect multiple systems involved in PCOS, including: blood sugar regulation appe

Many women with PCOS experience symptoms that seem to affect multiple areas of the body at once. You may notice: bloating after meals fatigue and low energy cravings and appetite changes skin flare-ups digestive discomfort feeling puffy or inflamed irregular bowel habits or symptoms that worsen during stress. At first, these symptoms can feel completely unrelated. But increasingly, research suggests the gut may influence several systems involved in PCOS, including: inflammati

Many women with PCOS struggle with symptoms that seem disconnected at first: bloating cravings fatigue digestive discomfort low energy skin flare-ups irregular appetite patterns But increasingly, research suggests that gut health may play a wider role in overall hormone and metabolic health. This does not mean gut health is the “cause” of PCOS. And it certainly does not mean you need to follow extreme gut-healing protocols. But the gut does influence several systems involved

Bloating and digestive symptoms are extremely common in women with PCOS. You may notice: ongoing bloating after meals discomfort that doesn’t fully improve with “healthy eating” alternating constipation or loose stools feeling swollen or distended by the end of the day food sensitivities that seem to come and go or digestive symptoms alongside fatigue and cravings For many women, this leads to the question: is something deeper going on with my gut? Sometimes the answer is sim

If you have PCOS and also experience bladder discomfort, urinary urgency or ongoing pelvic irritation, it can feel confusing trying to understand whether everything is connected or separate. Some women notice symptoms such as: frequent urge to urinate bladder discomfort even when tests are normal pelvic pain or pressure symptoms that flare with stress or hormonal changes discomfort that seems to come and go without a clear pattern When these symptoms sit alongside PCOS, it is

If you’ve been avoiding fat to manage your weight, this could be holding you back Many women with PCOS have been told some version of: “Eat low fat” “Cut calories” “Avoid high-fat foods” So it’s no surprise that fats are often the first thing to go. But here’s what I see in practice, and what research supports: When fat intake is too low (or poor quality), it can actually make symptoms like: Cravings Energy dips Hormonal imbalance Weight struggles harder to manage. Healthy fa

If you feel constantly inflamed with PCOS, your diet may be playing a bigger role than you think If you’re dealing with PCOS, inflammation is often part of the picture, even if it hasn’t been clearly explained to you. You might notice: Persistent fatigue Skin flare-ups or acne Bloating or digestive discomfort Stubborn weight gain that doesn’t respond to dieting Irregular cycles Many women I work with feel like their body is “working against them”, despite trying to eat well.

Many women with PCOS struggle with symptoms that seem to affect multiple areas of the body at once. You may experience: bloating after meals fatigue and low energy cravings and appetite changes digestive discomfort irregular bowel habits skin flare-ups feeling puffy or inflamed or symptoms that worsen during stressful periods. At first, these symptoms can feel completely unrelated. But increasingly, research suggests that gut health may influence several systems involved in P

Bloating is one of the most frustrating symptoms many women with PCOS experience. You may feel: uncomfortable after meals swollen by the evening puffy around the stomach or as though your body changes throughout the day. Some women describe: looking noticeably more bloated at night feeling uncomfortable in clothes struggling with digestive discomfort or feeling inflamed and sluggish overall. Bloating can feel confusing because there is rarely one single cause. With PCOS, bloa

If you have PCOS, it can feel like every week there is a new diet being recommended online. One day it is: low carb keto fasting cutting out dairy avoiding gluten or removing entire food groups For many women, this becomes exhausting. You try to “be good”, follow strict food rules, then life gets busy, energy drops, cravings increase and everything feels difficult to maintain. This is one reason more women with PCOS are becoming interested in a Mediterranean-style approach to

Fibre has always been important for good health, but recently a new trend called “fibremaxxing” has taken over social media. Instead of cutting foods out, fibremaxxing is all about adding more high-fibre foods into your day to support digestion, energy, and weight management. But if you have PCOS, does fibremaxxing really help? And could there be downsides if you go too far? Let’s look at what fibremaxxing means, the benefits for PCOS, and how to use this trend in a safe and