As someone who loves to travel, see new places, experience new environments and venture towards cultures closer aligned to my practiced values, it can be difficult at times, especially when dealing with PCOS. PCOS is a syndrome that is characterized by hormonal imbalances and metabolic abnormalities. Women with PCOS may have infrequent or prolonged menstrual periods, ovarian cysts or excess male hormone (androgen) levels. Women with PCOS often experience metabolic imbalances such as insulin resistance; acne and hair loss; mental health disorders; infertility; extreme fatigue, etc.
As a traveler drawn to the allure of new landscapes, cultural immersion, and value-aligned experiences, the traveling journey is sometimes complicated by the presence of PCOS. Nevertheless, I am on a mission to try and approach each adventure with my foundations in place to better my traveling experience, the experience of those I travel with, and to promote my health and prevent the least amount of burden on my body. Since I’ve been dealing with this for the last 2 years or so, I’ve mostly traveled, backpacking-style, and I’ve lived abroad on a study exchange. My backpacking experiences and my study exchange experience offered different challenges in my PCOS journey, some of which I am still discovering and managing to this day, but I'd like to share my insights, feelings and knowledge to help others who may be dealing with similar experiences.
Here are some of my personal tips to ensure you feel your best while traveling with PCOS:
Food: Speaking on these with my own experience, in terms of my diet and ensuring I regulate my blood sugar, I aim for around 30g of protein per meal, with breakfast being my most dense and filling meal (if not, dinner is) because I have found that it helps to regulate my appetite and hunger the longest. I try to make sure to get a fat source at every meal as adding fat to meals with carbs can prevent blood sugar spikes/crashes. In terms of fibre intake, it’s important to have at least 30g of fibre per day, to help with insulin sensitivity, hormonal balance, weight management, and gut health.
Here's a table highlighting some key ideas on what to eat so you do not even have to think about where you're getting these food sources:
Protein | Fat | Fibre |
Chicken, fish, eggs, beef, tofu, lentils, greek yogurt, chickpeas, turkey, pumpkin seeds, beans, collagen | Avocados, eggs, nuts, flaxseed, EVOO, coconut oil, fish, chia seeds, hemp seeds | Fruits (apples, berries…), vegetables (broccoli, carrots, spinach…), legumes (lentils, beans…), grains (quinoa, oats…), nuts/seeds (chia seeds, almond, flax seed…) |
Supplementation: I know it can be hard to try and pack vitamins and supplements, especially with limited space, but it is essential to ensure you are having the necessities to support yourself, as traveling can be hard with long flights/sleepless nights/new foods… Putting the pills in plastic bags with labels can help with the storage room. If you have a lot to choose from, maybe decide which ones are essential, and which ones can be held off for the timeline of your travels. Common PCOS supplements may include: Myo-Inositol, NAC, Berberine, Chromium, Vitamin D, Omega-3, Zinc.
Teas: As someone who absolutely loves tea, of course I bring tea with me on my travels if I know there will be somewhere to boil water. Bringing tea can be a good way to improve your health while away. I know I use tea for my own health, green tea for its antioxidants, red raspberry leaf for menstrual cramps, turmeric/ginger tea as an anti-inflammatory, bedtime teas to help with falling/staying asleep… The list goes on, and packing tea bags is SO EASY.
Hydration: Hydration is key for feeling your best. It is extremely important to stay hydrated while on your travels for full enjoyment, optimal energy, and to prevent any potential accidents. To do that, you’ll bring lots of electrolytes, either single sachet packs or powdered (I personally love Organika Health’s electrolyte line, and you can get 25% off their side with my code: EATINGFORYOURSELF 25).
On top of the electrolytes, you want to try and bring trace minerals to remineralize your water. Your body relies on these minerals to conduct electrical impulses to the heart, brain and other muscles.
It is important to travel and see the world, and I hope by sharing my experiences in optimizing nutrition while traveling, you have greater confidence booking that trip! Our health is something that should be valued, and with my own experiences with my health and traveling, it is even more important to prioritize your needs when you're not in your home environment.
*This is not medical advice, this information is solely based on my experiences, my knowledge and research of this subject*
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