HA!

Evil Sugar

Apparently, sugar is evil.  (DUH)

From the article:

EATING ANY KIND OF SUGAR HAS THE POTENTIAL TO REDUCE YOUR BODY'S DEFENSES BY 75% OR MORE FOR FOUR TO SIX HOURS.

This is not new data. In the 1970's Dr. Linus Pauling (one of the greatest researchers in the field of microbiology) discovered that vitamin C helps the body to combat the common cold. As part of the same research, Dr. Pauling found that sugar severely slows down this same process.

Um.... hello!   Hashimoto's and PCOS -- AUTOIMMUNE.   Here's the science behind why low carb and low glycemic are best for us.

Other Sugar Related Ailments:

Acne
Addictions to drugs
Addictions to caffeine
Addictions to food
Adrenal gland exhaustion
Alcoholism
Anxiety
Arthritis
Asthma
Behavior problems
Binge eating
Bloating Bone
Depression
Difficulty Concentrating
Mood Swings

Click the link above to read the full list.   It just might freak you out.

Rollovers

Rollovers are a thing now with Freestyle.   Basically, imagine you get 23 points a day.   And imagine you only use 19 of those 23 points.   The WW app will "roll over" those four points into the next day for when you need them that week/to use as your weeklies.   What does this mean?   This means when you're out with your girlies and you've been so good... you won't have to feel bad about that glass (or two) of wine you ordered with your supper.  Rollovers are good.   Mmmm.  And think... the more you work the program - the less rolls you will have!  :P

This weeks Weekly from Weight Watchers is short and sweet and to the point.   At our meeting this week we learned the new program with a guest leader.   Her presentation was awesome!   She basically said all the things we were thinking and answered our questions.

It was neat to hear that this program addition has been in the works for 15 months now and it had been tried out by real people, not celebrities.   This is a comfort to me because let's face it... If I had millions of dollars I would not be cooking and I definitely would not be doing the dishes.

The big take away is the following foods are now free:
Skinless chicken breast (White meat)
Skinless turkey breast (White meat)
Fish
Shellfish
Eggs!
Beans
Tofu
Lentils!!!
Fruit
Veggies - including peas and corn
Non-fat plain yogurt

So then what does this mean for ladies with PCOS attempting Weight Watchers?

Personally, because I know myself, I am still going to stick to my fruit rule.   It works for me.  I try not to have a high sugar/high carb fruit unless it is early in the day and I have time to burn it off. Because women with PCOS are in some ways a ticking time bomb when it comes to diabetes and insulin resistance, I personally prefer to make low glycemic index choices.   The cool thing now though is I don't feel too guilty having some banana and pineapple.   Everything in moderation as always.

To be clear: The Smart Points system is still at play.   This is just the new tweaks to the program.  :-)

Free?? Say what!?!

I am super excited to go to my weight watchers meeting tonight.   They're going to be telling us about the Smarts Points with Freestyle Program.   Basically, from what I gather thus far, the list of free foods is even longer and includes chicken and fish!   I'm very curious to see how this goes and to see what the scale does.   I was in the hospital in September with lots of steroids and finally just got done with losing the weight I had gained thanks to all the steroids.  

So this is what I know thus far regarding free foods list...

https://www.weightwatchers.com/us/m/cms/article/complete-list-zero-points-foods

• Apples
• Applesauce, unsweetened
• Apricots
• Arrowroot
• Artichoke hearts
• Artichokes
• Arugula
• Asparagus
   
• Bamboo shoots
• Banana
• Beans: including adzuki, black, broad (fava), butter, cannellini, cranberry (Roman), green, garbanzo (chickpeas), great northern, kidney, lima, lupini, mung, navy, pink, pinto, small white, snap, soy, string, wax, white
• Beans, refried, fat-free, canned
• Beets
• Berries, mixed
• Blackberries
• Blueberries
• Broccoli
• Broccoli rabe
• Broccoli slaw
• Broccolini
• Brussels sprouts
   
• Cabbage: all varieties including Chinese (bok choy), Japanese, green, red, napa, savory, pickled
• Calamari, grilled
• Cantaloupe
• Carrots
• Cauliflower
• Caviar
• Celery
• Swiss chard
• Cherries
• Chicken breast, ground, 99% fat-free
• Chicken breast or tenderloin, skinless, boneless or with bone
• Clementines
• Coleslaw mix (shredded cabbage and carrots), packaged
• Collards
• Corn, baby (ears), white, yellow, kernels, on the cob
• Cranberries
• Cucumber
   
• Daikon
• Dates, fresh
• Dragon fruit
   
• Edamame, in pods or shelled
• Egg substitutes
• Egg whites
• Eggplant
• Eggs, whole, including yolks
• Endive
• Escarole
   
• Fennel (anise, sweet anise, or finocchio)
• Figs
• Fish: anchovies, arctic char, bluefish, branzino (sea bass), butterfish, carp, catfish, cod, drum, eel, flounder, grouper, haddock, halibut, herring, mackerel, mahimahi (dolphinfish), monkfish, orange roughy, perch, pike, pollack, pompano, rainbow trout (steelhead), rockfish, roe, sablefish (including smoked), salmon (all varieties), salmon, smoked (lox), sardines, sea bass, smelt, snapper, sole, striped bass, striped mullet, sturgeon (including smoked); white sucker, sunfish (pumpkinseed), swordfish, tilapia, tilefish, tuna (all varieties), turbot, whitefish (including smoked), whitefish and pike (store-bought), whiting
• Fish fillet, grilled with lemon pepper
• Fruit cocktail
• Fruit cup, unsweetened
• Fruit salad
• Fruit, unsweetened
   
• Garlic
• Ginger root
• Grapefruit
• Grapes
• Greens: beet, collard, dandelion, kale, mustard, turnip
• Greens, mixed baby
• Guavas
• Guavas, strawberry
   
• Hearts of palm (palmetto)
• Hominy, canned
• Honeydew melon
   
• Jackfruit
• Jerk chicken breast
• Jerusalem artichokes (sunchokes)
• Jicama (yam bean)
   
• Kiwifruit
• Kohlrabi
• Kumquats
   
• Leeks
• Lemon
• Lemon zest
• Lentils
• Lettuce, all varieties
• Lime
• Lime zest
• Litchis (lychees)
   
• Mangoes
• Melon balls
• Mung bean sprouts
• Mung dal
• Mushroom caps
• Mushrooms: all varieties including brown, button, crimini, Italian, portabella, shiitake
   
• Nectarine
• Nori seaweed
   
• Okra
• Onions
• Oranges: all varieties including blood
   
• Papayas
• Parsley
• Passion fruit
• Pea shoots
• Peaches
• Peapods, black-eye
• Pears
• Peas and carrots
• Peas: black-eyed, chickpeas (garbanzo), cowpeas (blackeyes, crowder, southern), young pods with seeds, green, pigeon, snow (Chinese pea pods); split, sugar snap
• Peppers, all varieties
• Pepperoncini
• Persimmons
• Pickles, unsweetened
• Pico de gallo
• Pimientos, canned
• Pineapple
• Plumcots (pluots)
• Plums
• Pomegranate seeds
• Pomegranates
• Pomelo (pummelo)
• Pumpkin
• Pumpkin puree
   
• Radicchio
• Radishes
• Raspberries
• Rutabagas
   
• Salad, mixed greens
• Salad, side, without dressing, fast food
• Salad, three-bean
• Salad, tossed, without dressing
• Salsa verde
• Salsa, fat free
• Salsa, fat free; gluten-free
• Sashimi
• Satay, chicken, without peanut sauce
• Satsuma mandarin
• Sauerkraut
• Scallions
• Seaweed
• Shallots
• Shellfish: abalone, clams, crab (including Alaska king, blue, dungeness, lump crabmeat, queen) crayfish, cuttlefish, lobster (including spiny lobster), mussels, octopus, oysters, scallops, shrimp, squid
• Spinach
• Sprouts, including alfalfa, bean, lentil
• Squash, summer (all varieties including zucchini)
• Squash, winter (all varieties including spaghetti)
• Starfruit (carambola)
• Strawberries
• Succotash
   
• Tangelo
• Tangerine
• Taro
• Tofu, all varieties
• Tofu, smoked
• Tomatillos
• Tomato puree
• Tomato sauce
• Tomatoes: all varieties including plum, grape, cherry
• Turkey breast, ground, 99% fat-free
• Turkey breast or tenderloin, skinless, boneless or with bone
• Turkey breast, skinless, smoked
• Turnips
   
• Vegetable sticks
• Vegetables, mixed
• Vegetables, stir fry, without sauce
   
• Water chestnuts
• Watercress
• Watermelon
   
• Yogurt, Greek, plain, nonfat, unsweetened
• Yogurt, plain, nonfat, unsweetened
• Yogurt, soy, plain

Since joining weight watchers...

Weight Watchers Update

I think one of the hardest things for women with PCOS (let alone for women with PCOS AND HASHIMOTO's) is finding the diet that works for them.   It's not easy.   You know losing weight is hard because of factors x, y, and z of PCOS... and even more difficult when you have a loser thyroid.   So you find yourself VERY AWARE of what OTHER people are doing and you become very CURIOUS (almost obsessed) to see how well they do things/reach goals/etc...

For example, I tried doing keto.   It was awesome.    I liked it.   It wasn't that hard.   And I did see results.    But it wasn't sustainable.   As soon as I broke a rule, my body paid a price.   My kidneys also decided they didn't like it.    I see lots of women rocking out with Keto, but it wasn't for me.

Shakeology/21 day fix.... I have many friends who have done this.   And again... saw success.... but it wasn't sustainable.   As soon as they stopped, the weight came back on.   Personally, I've never tried it mainly because I'm too cheap.

Low carb is my thing, I notice that being low carb is extremely beneficial to me.    When I signed up for weight watchers I still wanted to be low carb and the only thing I hate about being low carb is the lack of fruit.    Well, I am proud to say that I am now at TWENTY-NINE pounds lost with being low carb and re-joining weight watchers.   Last night I came in at 16.8 pounds lost since attending meetings which meant I earned a charm for my keychain.

In about 44 hours we are leaving for Disney and I do plan to stick to my "diet" in Disney.   Yes, you read that right.   For me, this is working.    Going to meetings is extremely helpful and helps me be accountable.    I have a friend at my meeting who has lost over 100lbs and she is so encouraging and inspiring.    I know weight watchers doesn't work for everyone... and like anything else out there if I stop doing it I will see a major consequence.... but what I love about it is that it IS sustainable.   It doesn't matter where I am, I can follow the plan without issue.

I think it's pretty neat that I had to go out and buy new clothes for my Disney trip bc my old ones are too big.    I have a pile in my bedroom that is going to Goodwill so I stay focused.    I've learned that if I have bigger clothes laying around, I won't be as disciplined.  

SLEEEEEEEEEEP!!!!

It's no secret that sleep is important.    It also happens to be that one thing that we (especially as women) are masters at compromising with.     You're up late watching a show, or out with the girls and you KNOW you need to be up early in the morning.   You easily can justify your soon to come exhaustion by telling yourself you will stop for a soda or coffee on the way in to your meeting, etc...

I know I'm guilty of this.    I'm now a mother of two children, a full time special education teacher, and I find myself not having enough hours in the day (especially during the school year).

As you know, I've been doing Weight Watchers.   This past week I lost SEVEN pounds and I swear a big part of the reasoning behind this is not just how awesome the program is but I made healthy choices all around including SLEEP.    School is out for summer and I'm not afraid to sleep in or take a nap with the kids.

Here are some really awesome articles on sleep .... click around.... did you learn anything?

PCOS nutrition

American Psychological Association will blow your mind

National Heart, Blood, and Lung Institute

NAC

Whoa!    I've been reading about NAC - and stumbled across this article and then it was posted again in the PCOS and Ovasitol group I run.  

Anti-inflammatory Foods List

What a great list this is!   Print it out and put it on your fridge or in your purse!

Supplement Chart

Sometimes technology can be a blessing ... sometimes a curse.   In this case, definitely a blessing.   PCOS Diva is someone to "follow" if you aren't doing so already.   Here's an awesome chart found on their website about supplements that may be helpful.

It's finally over. Sort of.

Back in October, my thyroid started misbehaving.   Again.   We found a problematic spot on the thyroid that had the very real potential of turning into a serious problem.    It was scary.   There's no other words for it.   I am pleased to say that after 210+ days, I am finally and I mean FINALLY on the mend.   I want to thank my amazing team of doctors for their help and guidance during this very confusing and frustrating time.    I also need to thank my amazing husband for standing by me through the scary stuff.   Sometimes I feel so guilty as a wife because while I didn't ask to be born with two autoimmune issues (PCOS and Hashimoto's), he did make the vow to stand by me in sickness and in health... and I really feel like we have hit the sickness quota by now.    The good news is I am now finally down to this beauty:

After my treatment, I had to have NINETY days of "monitored maintenance" meaning I needed my labs to hold steady.   Well, go figure, my last and final lab draw, I had a surge in TSH to 17.10 - no bueno.   The good news is we found it, and we're watching it, and I only need to take a 175 daily with my supplements.   I will take a 175 twice one day per week and we'll go back and check the TSH in 6 weeks.    Because of the thyroid cancer markers, and because my thyroid is now completely burned out (it's seriously there for decoration at this point) I'll definitely be taking magnesium for the rest of my life.

I'm feeling quite optimistic.  

Due to the inflammation from the thyroid nonsense I also needed to have some very painful sinus surgery which I'm finally completely recovered from.   After 8+ months of nonsense and steroids, I'm also happy to report that I'm down 21.7 pounds thanks to weight watchers and low carb,  

PCOS and Asthma

There is a link between PCOS and Asthma!   I knew it!   I was diagnosed with asthma after having my son.   Doctors found it strange that I had never had it until after pregnancy.  It's amazing how much information is up and coming... the more we advocate about this... the more people know... the more people know... the more people helped!

Also... check this out on histamine intolerance.

PCOS Challenge Website

If you haven't already, get yourself signed up on the PCOS Challenge website.

I'm not super active posting there, but it's a wealth of information.   My profile name is LeLe244.

Below are some really awesome excerpts from the PCOS Challenge publication for this month.

Knowledge is power!

Anxiety is very real for me and my PCOS.    I do not take a Rx for Anxiety as I was told it's not necessary, but I do use Ovasitol as well as CHERRIES!   I believe I posted about this before.   Long story short, but the same chemical composition in cherries is found current leading Rx's for anxiety.  Real cherries, maraschino, and sometimes even cherry flavored anything can help alleviate those feelings.   Plus, it's an anti-inflammatory which makes it a win win in my book!