What's the best exercise for pcos?
Moving more is beneficial for our wellness, especially when it comes to improving our insulin sensitivity which can be paramount when we are aiming to reverse PCOS symptoms. In particular strength training is known to improve insulin sensitivity as is aerobic exercise training, although potentially via different mechanisms. We don’t want to put our bodies under any unnecessary stress so it’s best to avoid high endurance sports as research show that endurance athletes are at risk for significantly higher long-term cortisol exposure. After around 60 mins of exercise, cortisol levels elevate once our muscles are out of their glycogen stores. So if were grappling with hormonal imbalance your best bet is light enjoyable movement & strength training.
Getting your body moving helps glucose out of the blood into the cells and it makes your cells better at using insulin. When muscles contract your cells are able to take up glucose & use it for energy without the need for insulin – this is the only time this can happen without insulin being present. It can expand the storage capacity for blood sugar in the muscles, effectively reducing the negative impact that insulin resistance can have on our hormones and overall health.
Now we know how great movement is for us, turn the tunes up and have some fun doing it! Music has the ability to conjure up joy, happiness and great memories – all of which can be fabulous when trying to reduce our stress levels. The only question is, what song to pick?
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21944954/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12119637/