I love sharing stories of how women have turned their health around living a LCHF/Keto lifestyle. This is the story of Vanessa, who at 19 was told she had PCOS, and that there was little she could do about it.

She was also told she would likely have a great deal of trouble conceiving naturally. Enter the low carb lifestyle some 13 years later, and within 18 months Vanessa no longer has any signs or symptoms of PCOS… and she is now 13 weeks pregnant!

Vanessa shares her story on my podcast, coming up soon in episode 28. In the meantime, here is her story in her own words.

I’m so grateful to have been beside her on a small part of her health journey.

This Saturday I had the privilege of sharing my health story with my friend and former food coach Tracey via her podcast The Nourished Mumlife.

As a 19/20 year old I was diagnosed with PCOS (polycystic ovarian syndrome) something they said there was no help for. My guidance to managing this syndrome was to eat a low GI diet, not get fat, and seek fertility help when I wanted to have children.

Early last year I connected up to a keto diet program for a bit of weight loss help prior to my wedding. I had big wedding dress goals after all! All the ads for Keto diet seemed to be around quick and easy weight loss. Within a few weeks of eating keto my whole world started to turn around in more ways then I had anticipated.

Soon after I started this journey I met Tracey and she coached me on the science of Keto and more specifically connecting it to my health. The keto diet involves eating fats, proteins and only a small amount of low carb vegetables. The point being to transition your metabolic function from using glucose for fuel to burning fat for fuel instead, a function I didn’t realise the body had.

Instantly my health changed in ways I didn’t know possible. PCOS is linked to insulin resistance. As soon as my body started burning fat, and was no longer being taxed by trying to produce a large level of insulin, which it just cannot do, it was like breathing a sigh of relief.

The biggest changes I noticed were:
– high levels of energy
– no hangry moments
– decreased anxiety
– perfect skin
– no more bloating and gut pain
– increased nail and hair growth
– quicker recovery after my weights work outs
and of course, the most obvious one, regular periods.

This February I took myself back to my doctor for a referral to the specialists again and after a battery of tests they told me they could no longer see any symptoms of pcos. I still tested positive for insulin resistance but it in no way seemed to be effecting my health. And they could see no reason why I wouldn’t be able to get pregnant naturally.

Keto is a lifestyle clearly my body and health will always need, but I can’t speak more highly for it. If you suffer from heart conditions, type 2 diabetes, any inflammation or auto immune disorders I encourage you to give it a go, even just for a month. The ketogenic diet is highly anti-inflammatory and clearly frees people from needing to use glucose. It’s also currently being used successfully to reverse the severity of alzheimers.

For some people it might be something you do for a health boost once in a while, give your pancreas and liver a break. For others of us it may need to be a lifestyle choice. I cant imagine going back. The yummiest diet I’ve ever had and I could never go back on my health. And in all honesty, weight loss? I lost focus on that months ago!! My health is always my no one priority.

And with keto I know my weight will always sit where my body needs it to to function well.