Too much sugar can make you barren -- Nutritionist

A nutritionist, Michele Chevalley Hedge, has warned that uncontrolled sugar consumption can lead to a series of complicated health problems that can culminate in infertility among women.

She says one of the diagnosis that women struggling to get pregnant could receive is that they have Polycystic ovarian syndrome.

She warns that in a lot of cases, affected women struggle to fall pregnant without knowing the cause, and are usually later given an upsetting PCOS diagnosis by their doctors.

She said this condition is present in up to 21 per cent of women diagnosed in her clinic, while about 70 per cent of women with the condition remain undiagnosed in the general population.

“The condition (Polycystic ovarian syndrome) can present a number of symptoms — from reduced fertility or absent ovulation to mood changes, obesity and/or acne.

“And despite it being increasingly common, doctors are still unsure of the exact cause,” she notes.

She adds that while there are some cases with unknown causes, some are thought to be linked to sugar consumption.

“I’ll tell you what’s happening and what we see often in our clinical practices. Women between the ages 27 and maybe 37… and these women can often be slim women.

“They might be slender and they may have been able to get away with eating lots of junk food and hidden sugars.

“They’re not thinking about their hormones; all they’re thinking about is contraception.

“And then, all of a sudden, they start to think about coming off it and thinking about having a baby.”

Michele says that in a lot of cases, these women struggle to fall pregnant and are later given an upsetting PCOS diagnosis from their doctors.

Polycystic ovarian syndrome can, however, be corrected just through the use of food, she says.

“Sugar is a culprit in many disease processes and conditions, we know that. It’s not the natural sugars, it’s the hidden sugars in some so-called healthy foods.”

The nutritionist also reveals that the blood work done on many women with PCOS also shows abnormal blood glucose which, she also says, can be corrected.

She warns, however, “I’m not saying every woman with PCOS can be cured from food, but what I am saying is people need to be investigating;” adding that she believes at least half of cases could stem from too much sugar and be eased through a diet change.

“Lifestyle changes — such as eating a healthy, balanced diet and introducing regular physical activity into your weekly routine — can have a positive effect on your health in so many ways.

“For women who have PCOS, a healthy lifestyle can lead to an improvement in symptoms, particularly if your new lifestyle helps you to lose weight,” the specialist counsels.

Source - The Punch