Cultivating support for your PCOS and advocating for better care

Explicit content warning

01/24/18 • 30 min

Are you or is someone you know affected by PCOS? I have some bonus episodes for you! Listen now for the third bonus episode all about how to self-advocate for your health and find support while struggling with PCOS.

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This episode is brought to you by my online course, Your Step-by-Step Guide to PCOS and Food PeaceTM. Sign up now to get on the waitlist for the next enrollment period TOMORROW, and receive my FREE road map: Your First 3 Steps Toward Food PeaceTM with PCOS. You CAN make peace with food even with PCOS and I want to show you how.

Product links may be affiliate. If you click and make a purchase, there's no extra cost to you.

Episode's Key Points:

Be sure to check out the first and second PCOS bonus Love, Food episodes!
You shouldn't have to advocate for yourself, but unfortunately you'll probably have to... so I have some tips to share!
PCOS is a women's disease, and so there's not a lot of research about it out there, and people don't really want to talk about it. Plus, weight gain is a part of PCOS, which makes it even harder to find support because we live in a fatphobia world.
BUT, increased support actually helps improve our health! It can lower your blood pressure, help with insulin sensitivity, and so much more. So support is a big deal!
Weight bias in the healthcare community is a moral issue!! We have to combat it, and it starts with us.
First off, what's weight stigma? It's negative attitudes towards a person due to their body size. This leads to prejudice and discrimination, and results in lower quality of care. Stigma also activates a hormone response that ultimately leads to increased insulin resistance, and so much more. AND PCOS is tied closely to weight gain, which means that weight stigma is a BIG deal for those struggling with PCOS!
But doesn't shame help us lose weight and watch what we eat? NO! Shame does NOT promote weight loss, and can in fact lead to more weight gain and avoidance of medical care.
The research also shows us that bias within the healthcare community is rampant. That means that as someone with PCOS, you need to walk into the doctor's office armed with information, and ready to advocate for yourself and protect yourself from weight stigma. Here's some ways how:
- Decline to be weighed. You DON'T have to be weighed! It's NOT a medical necessity, and it can be super triggering.
- Assert that you don't need to talk about dieting. Protect your recovery by letting them know that you aren't interested in talking about weight loss, and that talking about dieting could actually put you at risk for weight gain.
- Let the doctor know that diets just don't work. Let them know that diets have never benefitted your health, and demand a different intervention strategy.
- Ask your doctor what they recommend to patients that are in smaller bodies. There are ZERO conditions that only affect people in larger bodies, and so there are weight-neutral ways to improve your health.
- Ask for the research! Ask for the data that shows long-term success (sustained weight loss with improved health for five years or more)... it doesn't exist!
It sucks that you even have to do this extra work, but there ARE people out there in the fat activist community who are ready to help you.
The last thing we need to talk about is how to find support. Be open with your friends and family about your struggle, join our PCOS and Food Peace Support Group on Facebook, find support on social media, try to meet up with folks in person, and head to the PCOS Awareness Symposium!

Show Notes:

Julie Dillon RD blog
Link to subscribe to the weekly FREE Food PeaceTM Newsletter. It is sent out every Tuesday morning. By signing up, I will also send you Love Food's Food PeaceTM Syllabus.
Glenys Oyston
Ragen Chastain's Dances...

Subscribe and leave a review here in just seconds.

Product links may be affiliate. If you click and make a purchase, there's no extra cost to you.

Episode's Key Points:

Be sure to check out the first and second PCOS bonus Love, Food episodes!
You shouldn't have to advocate for yourself, but unfortunately you'll probably have to... so I have some tips to share!
PCOS is a women's disease, and so there's not a lot of research about it out there, and people don't really want to talk about it. Plus, weight gain is a part of PCOS, which makes it even harder to find support because we live in a fatphobia world.
BUT, increased support actually helps improve our health! It can lower your blood pressure, help with insulin sensitivity, and so much more. So support is a big deal!
Weight bias in the healthcare community is a moral issue!! We have to combat it, and it starts with us.
First off, what's weight stigma? It's negative attitudes towards a person due to their body size. This leads to prejudice and discrimination, and results in lower quality of care. Stigma also activates a hormone response that ultimately leads to increased insulin resistance, and so much more. AND PCOS is tied closely to weight gain, which means that weight stigma is a BIG deal for those struggling with PCOS!
But doesn't shame help us lose weight and watch what we eat? NO! Shame does NOT promote weight loss, and can in fact lead to more weight gain and avoidance of medical care.
The research also shows us that bias within the healthcare community is rampant. That means that as someone with PCOS, you need to walk into the doctor's office armed with information, and ready to advocate for yourself and protect yourself from weight stigma. Here's some ways how:
- Decline to be weighed. You DON'T have to be weighed! It's NOT a medical necessity, and it can be super triggering.
- Assert that you don't need to talk about dieting. Protect your recovery by letting them know that you aren't interested in talking about weight loss, and that talking about dieting could actually put you at risk for weight gain.
- Let the doctor know that diets just don't work. Let them know that diets have never benefitted your health, and demand a different intervention strategy.
- Ask your doctor what they recommend to patients that are in smaller bodies. There are ZERO conditions that only affect people in larger bodies, and so there are weight-neutral ways to improve your health.
- Ask for the research! Ask for the data that shows long-term success (sustained weight loss with improved health for five years or more)... it doesn't exist!
It sucks that you even have to do this extra work, but there ARE people out there in the fat activist community who are ready to help you.
The last thing we need to talk about is how to find support. Be open with your friends and family about your struggle, join our PCOS and Food Peace Support Group on Facebook, find support on social media, try to meet up with folks in person, and head to the PCOS Awareness Symposium!

Show Notes:

Julie Dillon RD blog
Link to subscribe to the weekly FREE Food PeaceTM Newsletter. It is sent out every Tuesday morning. By signing up, I will also send you Love Food's Food PeaceTM Syllabus.
Glenys Oyston
Ragen Chastain's Dances...

Previous Episode

Am I doing enough to protect my kids from body hate?? {Ep 103 with Anna Lutz}

Are you trying to protect your kids from all the diet culture messaging out there? Listen now for my chat with friend and colleague, Anna Lutz, while we break down how to help our kids be resilient against this disordered culture.

Subscribe and leave a review here in just seconds.

This episode is brought to you by my online course, Your Step-by-Step Guide to PCOS and Food PeaceTM. Sign up now to get on the waitlist for the next enrollment period on January 25th, and receive my FREE road map: Your First 3 Steps Toward Food PeaceTM with PCOS. You CAN make peace with food even with PCOS and I want to show you how.

Product links may be affiliate. If you click and make a purchase, there's no extra cost to you.

Episode's Key Points:

It's January, and diet culture is EVERYWHERE! I worry a lot about the messages my kids are getting from these commercials and programs... Anna Lutz joins us today to talk about protecting our children from all the diet culture out there!!
There's SO much of raising children that we don't have any control over. There's only so much we can do to protect our kids from so many things, from diet culture to bullying.
Instead of trying to control everything around your kid, focus on creating a foundation for your child to come back to when they're confronted with diet culture.
Remember, we can do all the "right things," but their genetics and personality can also play a role in how susceptible they are to diet culture.
We can't change the way the culture perceives our kids' bodies, but what we CAN do is support our kids in their home and give them a safe haven no matter what goes on outside.
Do what you can to talk positively about ALL bodies and talk neutrally about food. Model food and body peace the best you can!
Try to have consistent family meals where you can connect and communicate with your kids, and where you can model how to handle food in a neutral way. Research shows that this helps them to be resilient!
If your kids encounter fatphobia and tell you about it, start asking questions! Make them think about it, and start a conversation, rather than just trying to correct it. Help them to critically think!!
Remember, you're raising the next generation! Who knows, maybe we're making the first group of kids who don't believe in weight bias and diet culture.

Show Notes:

Julie Dillon RD blog
Link to subscribe to the weekly FREE Food PeaceTM Newsletter. It is sent out every Tuesday morning. By signing up, I will also send you Love Food's Food PeaceTM Syllabus.
Strong is the New Pretty by Kate T. Parker
Your Child's Weight: Helping Without Harming by Ellyn Satter ---> This week's Food Peace Syllabus #1
Real Kids Come in All Sizes by Kathy Kater ---> This week's Food Peace Syllabus #2
Social Media Wellness by Ana Homayoun ---> This week's Food Peace Syllabus #3
Connect with Anna at Lutz, Alexander & Associates Nutrition Therapy and reach out to her at [email protected]
Eating Disorder Dietitians can help your Food PeaceTM journey. Get access to one near you here.

Do you have a complicated relationship with food? I want to help! Send your Dear Food letter to [email protected].

Click here to leave me a review in iTunes and subscribe. This type of kindness helps the show continue! Thank you for listening to the Love, Food series.

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Next Episode

I'm stressed and dieting. Help! {Ep 104 with Laura Thomas}

Do you know dieting doesn't work, and yet you're finding yourself feeling drawn to dieting during times of stress? Are certain necessary food restrictions pushing you towards a deprivation mindset? Listen now while I discuss some strategies with Laura Thomas on how to manage this part of the Food PeaceTM journey.

Subscribe and leave a review here in just seconds.

This episode is brought to you by my online course, Your Step-by-Step Guide to PCOS and Food PeaceTM. Enrollment open until January 31st 2018. You CAN make peace with food even with PCOS and I want to show you how.

Product links may be affiliate. If you click and make a purchase, there's no extra cost to you.

Episode's Key Points:

You're not the failure... the DIET is the failure!
During stressful times, we may find ourselves drawn back to dieting, even though we know that it doesn't work long-term.
Laura Thomas joins us to break down this letter and to help the writer find some solutions!
Honor how far you've come! All progress is good progress, so be compassionate about how much work you've already done. Do your best not to be hard on yourself if you're not exactly where you want to be in this moment.
Remember, there's no way to do intuitive eating perfectly, and in fact, intuitive eating is about moving away from perfection around eating altogether.
Diet culture is deeper than food!
Kristin Neff's work around self-compassion might be really helpful in being kind to yourself in this process.
We can't eat mindfully at all times!! We can only be mindful of so many things at once, and we're busy people. We have lots to think about, so don't get down on yourself if some of your eating occurs when you're distracted.
Stress happens, and sometimes we have to make eating choices that don't add to our stress. Sometimes that means you might be grabbing convenience foods, and they might not make your body feel at 100%, but you have to prioritize things! You're doing the best you can. Take a multivitamin if you're concerned that you aren't going to get your nutrients through your current food choices.
In the long-term, work on the self-judgment and perfectionistic tendencies. In the short-term, go out and get convenient and filling snacks that fit in your budget (think peanut butter, granola, or hummus!).
Processed, frozen food is a tool in your food arsenal! Work on the judgment around those foods, and embrace them as an option in your life.
The most important thing to remember is that there's no such thing as a perfect intuitive eater! Having flexibility in your eating behavior will protect you against diet mentality, so embrace it. Take care of yourself the best you can.
Online community is important! In-person folks might not be on board with the anti-diet movement, but Instagram, podcasts, and other social media platforms can act as valuable support.

Show Notes:

Julie Dillon RD blog
Link to subscribe to the weekly FREE Food PeaceTM Newsletter. It is sent out every Tuesday morning. By signing up, I will also send you Love Food's Food PeaceTM Syllabus.
Evelyn Tribole's work
Elyse Resch's work
Kristin Neff's work around self-compassion ---> This week's Food Peace Syllabus addition #1
Laura's podcast, Don't Salt My Game ---> This week's Food Peace Syllabus addition #2
Find Lauren's work on her website and on Instagram
Eating Disorder Dietitians can help your Food PeaceTM journey. Get access to one near you here.