PCOS to PMOS | Here’s What You Need to Know
In this post I will go over everything from what PCOS + PMOS mean, to PCOS symptoms, to effective and holistic PCOS treatment. But the thing I want you to hold onto right now is that this new metabolic perspective on PCOS is not new information. And more importantly, the rename from PCOS to PMOS does not mean your medical providers instantly know how to address the root causes of your PCOS symptoms.
I’ve been helping females with PCOS symptoms by addressing their gut health, metabolic health, and endocrine health, for as long as I’ve been in practice - including my own PCOS!
I’ve Been Saying it for Years…
Your PCOS diagnosis has been rightfully renamed to PMOS - a win for female-bodied folx everywhere!
In this post I will go over everything from what PCOS + PMOS mean, to PCOS symptoms, to effective and holistic PCOS treatment. But the thing I want you to hold onto right now is that this new metabolic perspective on PCOS is not new information. And more importantly, the rename from PCOS to PMOS does not mean your medical providers instantly know how to address the root causes of your PCOS symptoms.
I’ve been helping females with PCOS symptoms by addressing their gut health, metabolic health, and endocrine health, for as long as I’ve been in practice - including my own PCOS!
Hello, my muffin tops. I’m Hilary Beckwith, ex-dieter and functional health expert. Women with PCOS/PMOS, IBS, and autoimmune conditions come to see me with signs of adrenal stress, insulin resistance, and inflammatory conditions, and my job is to find the root causes so we can address their symptoms more effectively and fill in the gaps between their lab values and how their body actually feels. Before you continue, click here to read my Medical Disclaimer.
In this article, you’ll learn:
Differences between PCOS diagnosis and PMOS
Why the rename is so important
PCOS treatment with functional nutrition
Ways you can start advocating for your health in more meaningful ways
the name PCOS has always been a problem
And this is a huge disservice to female-bodied folx everywhere. When I got my PCOS diagnosis nearly 20 years ago, I was told, “you will probably become diabetic” and that I would not be able to get pregnant without expensive medical intervention. That was the only guidance I received from my gynecologist.
I didn’t know then how to advocate for my health, ask questions, or seek out a second opinion, or even holistic support. But I know now, and that’s why my ongoing mission is to educate and empower a new generation of women to do the same by holding their practitioners accountable, asking questions, and getting heard, no matter what it takes.
The first step is to educate yourself.
WHAT DOES PCOS STAND FOR?
PCOS stands for PolyCystic Ovarian Syndrome. Getting a PCOS diagnosis primarily requires a female to meet at least two of these measures:
elevated androgen levels
irregular or absent ovulation
an ultrasound confirming multiple “cysts” on the ovaries
more recently, low egg count was added to this list
You can see, these criteria largely point to a gynecological focus - here’s why that’s a problem:
Elevated androgens and sex hormone imbalances don’t just happen. In general, are often caused by a disruption in the HPA axis (brain and adrenal glands), blood sugar instability (also tied to HPA axis), prolonged chronic stress (oh hey, that’s HPA axis, too!), and liver functionality.
Ovulation issues stem from these same hormonal imbalances, caused largely by - yep! - HPA axis dysfunction and blood sugar instability or insulin resistance. While it’s true that the ovaries themselves can contribute to the problem, the root cause is often in communication between the brain and ovaries, not the ovaries themselves. Chronic stress, insulin resistance, and liver health can all be supported to improve ovarian function.
PCOS ovaries are not covered in “cysts”: The classic visual of PCOS is this picture of an ovary covered in what looks like a string of pearls - these are not cysts - they are follicles that were not able to release an egg into the fallopian tube, and thus became stuck. Your ovaries can develop cysts, but what is seen in PCOS is not cysts.
What’s more, the cause of these stunted follicles is commonly caused by an increase in androgens (testosterone, DHEA) produced by the ovaries in response to elevated insulin levels, caused by insulin resistance - again, not a gynecological issue.
Egg Count: The quality of eggs is vastly more important than the number of eggs. Think about it - does it do you any good to have a drawer full of dead batteries, if only 2-3 of them have any juice left?
WHAT DOES PMOS STAND FOR?
PMOS stands for Polyendocrine Metabolic Ovarian Syndrome. Polyendocrine, meaning it involves many factors in the endocrine system, including metabolic, or blood-sugar-regulating endocrine glands such as the adrenal glands and pancreas.
Take a close look at the diagram below to see the differences between a PCOS diagnosis and PMOS.
renaming PCOS to PMOS does not mean your doctors instantly know how to support you
Whether we call it PCOS, PMOS, or the acne-bloat-crazy-bananas-plague - PCOS is a complex interplay of dysfunction in metabolic health, hormones, liver, gut, and brain.
The renaming of PCOS to PMOS is a step in the right direction, but the medical community still has a long way to go when it comes to understanding how to treat PMOS effectively. This rename will bring more awareness to the medical community, leading to better research and education for medical providers, but that is YEARS down the road.
After all, it took decades before medical doctors even started to become aware (awareness does not equate to action) that more nutrition education would be helpful to their patients. The minuscule amount currently required for medical licensing is largely focused on biochemistry, not patient care.
And while it would be a dream come true to find that one-stop shop for full-body PCOS and PMOS treatment, it simply does not exist, and probably won’t for some time.
That’s why practitioners like me exist - I am in practice to help female-bodied folx uncover hidden causes of their dysfunction that are keeping them stuck in their PCOS symptoms.
Through a focus on gut health, digestion, inflammation, stress, and blood sugar stability, I have helped my female-bodied clients (myself included) break free from PCOS symptoms such as:
painful and embarrassing adult acne
“PCOS belly” - weight in the belly and hips that came out of nowhere
thinning hair
irregular and unpredictable periods
PMS or PMDD (despite what you might have learned, PMS is a sign of hormone imbalances, and is not normal to experience)
hormone imbalances reflected on labs
fatigue + energy crashes
2am wake-ups
increased body or facial hair (hirsutism)
“hangry” between meals
poor mood - feeling unstable, depressed, or anxious
whole-body PCOS treatment
Most females who seek my help present with some form of hormonal imbalance, signs of prolonged chronic stress, and systemic inflammation. So, PCOS diagnosis or not, the main goal is to assess and pinpoint what the root causes of dysfunction are, so that we can create a care plan that is targeted to their specific needs.
After years of throwing spaghetti at the wall, the women who work with me walk away feeling seen, heard, and revitalized - a stark contrast from the providers’ offices that, in the past, left them feeling dismissed, ignored, and alone.
TARGETED, WHOLE-BODY PCOS TREATMENT THAT GETS RESULTS:
LIFESTYLE + DIETARY ANALYSIS:
I’m not interested in how many calories you eat per day, nor will I ever ask you to step on a scale. However, day-to-day stress levels, food quality, meal timing and atmosphere, sleep, bowel movements, body movements - all of it matters.
Chronic stress disrupts the brain’s communication with endocrine glands. This is because your brain’s priority in stress response is protection - or better yet, survival. Nothing else is important until that threat (stress) is successfully dealt with. And when the stress keeps coming, you stay stuck in survival mode, and this plays havoc on your hormones. The first thing I do is gather information so that I can meet you where you’re at.
ASSESS DIGESTIVE HEALTH:
This is a big one with PCOS. Digestive dysfunction is more than just gassy evenings, heartburn, and constipation. When your body does not produce enough stomach acid, digestive enzymes, or cannot efficiently move food through your intestines and eliminate waste - intestinal tissues become damaged and inflamed, toxic burden builds due to waste that is not eliminated, and your susceptibility to opportunistic bacterial overgrowth, candida, and even parasites, increases significantly.
Your digestive system is wired to kill off harmful pathogens and prevent their proliferation - and the biggest inhibitor of digestion is stress.
FUNCTIONAL LAB TESTING:
For cycling females, getting a one-time blood panel is not enough information to understand the big picture, and quite frankly, if you are a cycling female, it is a huge disservice to use hormone levels on a single blood panel as a starting point. Chances are that provider is simply just ticking off the boxes required by insurance to diagnose you (Click HERE to learn more about how this impacts your access to quality health care).
Working with quality functional labs, we can create a plan that is fine-tuned to your body’s specific needs, as opposed to suppressing symptoms alone. Here are the labs I most commonly recommend with PCOS symptoms:
GI-MAP (Diagnostic Solutions) - measures microbial balance, pathogens, inflammatory markers, and digestive markers.
Organic Acids Test (Mosaic) - measures for yeast and mold, neurotransmitter dysfunction, mitochondrial health, and nutrient deficiencies.
Expanded Female Hormone Panel (eFHP - Diagnostechs) - Spanning across your entire cycle, this test measures FSH, LH, Estrogen, Progesterone, Testosterone, and DHEA, and helps us locate patterns and sources of dysfunction (e.g. is the source of the problem brain-ovary communication, or is it in the gland itself?)
DUTCH Adrenal (Precision Analytics) - Measures daily cortisol rhythms, DHEA-S, and your body’s cortisol clearance and detoxification ability.
DUTCH Complete (Precision Analytics) - Measures multiple reproductive hormones as well as their metabolites and your body’s ability to detoxify each of them. It does not measure FSH or LH but is a powerhouse of information for males and females alike.
You can see that the focus with functional nutrition is not calories, diet, or weight loss - or even the lab values themselves - the focus is function.
Uncovering the root causes of dysfunction that are keeping you stuck in your inflammatory state, your constant bloat and discomfort, your debilitating fatigue, sugar cravings, and overall well-being.
ways to advocate for your own health right now
The PCOS-to-PMOS change only happened recently. It is highly unlikely that you will walk into your OBGYN tomorrow and get whole-body, root-cause support for your PCOS diagnosis. It may take years or even decades for medical providers to start receiving training that will help you the most.
The medical system trains doctors to know what to do when your health fails. It’s not their fault, but “conventional” medicine does very little to help connect your symptoms to your data.
You are among a generation of cycle-breakers, friend. The ripples have to start somewhere - let it be with you!
HERE ARE SOME WAYS TO START ADVOCATING FOR YOUR HEALTH STARTING TODAY:
Stop waiting until self-care “fits”: Now is when your body needs help. And now is when you’re worthy enough to receive it.
Stay curious. Your healthcare providers, including me, are humans just like you. We each have our own set of knowledge, skills, and biases that influence how we show up in the world and with our patients/clients. HEALTHCARE PRACTITIONERS ARE NOT ALWAYS RIGHT. Ask questions and don’t believe everything you hear (including from me!). Ask for evidence and make your own interpretations.
Stop scrolling TikTok. Stop falling for bio-hacks, supplement packs, expensive wearables, and cleanses that were not recommended based on a personalized assessment of your body’s needs.
Talking is free. Leave comments below or email me with your questions. I love connecting with health-curious folx.
was this helpful?
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Food Sensitivity Testing and Parasites | The Missing Piece
Having food allergies does not mean you have parasites, just as having parasites doesn’t necessarily mean you will develop food allergies.
But when working with 1:1 clients, and I see food (or seasonal) allergies that developed later in life, that is information worth digging into.
The Missing Piece in Your Food Sensitivity Test
Food allergy testing and food sensitivity testing have been all the rage in the past few years in the holistic health world. I get more into the differences (and they’re big) between food allergies and food sensitivities in a recent post. But in this article, I want to talk about an important, and often overlooked, hidden cause of food allergies that your practitioner may be overlooking: parasites.
Hi lovelies. I’m Hilary Beckwith, ex-dieter and functional health expert. Women with PCOS, IBS, and autoimmune conditions come to see me with signs of adrenal stress, insulin resistance, and inflammatory conditions, and my job is to find the root causes so we can address their symptoms more effectively and fill in the gaps between their lab values and how their body actually feels. Before you continue, click here to read my Medical Disclaimer.
In this article, you’ll learn:
how your body responds to food allergies
how your body responds to parasites
how to find and address parasites
is your food allergy actually a food sensitivity?
Some use the terms food allergy and food sensitivity interchangeably, and here’s why it’s important to know the difference. They’re two different types of responses by the immune system that require two different types of testing.
If you go to your doc and tell them you think you have food allergies, they’re going to run a food allergy test, which will provide negative results if you actually have a food sensitivity.
Let’s explore the differences in the diagram below:
your body’s response to parasites
The most relevant takeaway from the above table is that food allergies involve IgE antibodies. In fact, most allergies, not just food, involve an IgE response.
What does that have to do with parasites?
Studies have shown that IgE levels increase with parasite presence in humans. Not all parasites - but most.
This is meant to be a protective mechanism against the parasite; however, the increase in IgE levels in the body increases susceptibility to having an allergic reaction to foods. Although more research is needed, the current thought is that proteins from foods that are structurally similar to certain parasites are attaching to IgE antibodies and activating an allergic response.
It’s why when I meet a client who has developed food allergies later in life, and somewhat suddenly, my first suspicion is parasites.
HERE’S HOW IGE ANTIBODIES WORK
IgE antibodies develop as a defense against an allergen - an antigen that causes an allergic response.
These Y-shaped antibodies attach themselves to mast cells - cells that primarily line mucosal tissues, such as lungs, intestines, sinuses, under the skin, etc. - and wait for an allergen to show up.
When said allergen arrives, it attaches to one or more IgE receptor points(the two points at the top of the Y). When two IgE receptors have been activated, this triggers mast cell degranulation - meaning, the cell opens up and releases a surge of toxic, inflammatory substances that damage surrounding cells and molecules, including the allergen.
This is a great video description for all you visual learners.
do you need a parasite cleanse?
Having food allergies does not mean you have parasites, just as having parasites doesn’t necessarily mean you will develop food allergies.
But when working with 1:1 clients, and I see food (or seasonal) allergies that developed later in life, that is information worth digging into.
Parasites are sneaky. They are really good at evading lab testing and the immune system, due to their ability to signal “everything is fine - nothing to see here” to the immune system. In fact, there is ongoing research into the effects of a specific few parasite types that might actually have a protective impact on those with autoimmune conditions.
Personally, I scored very low on the very same screening questionnaire I offer clients, and I lab-tested negative (twice) - yet I still found parasites when doing a cleanse.
We need a clearer picture of overall health to know whether a parasite cleanse is right for you. Here are some things I consider when assessing a client for parasites:
digestive health
inflammation markers on lab testing
immune markers on lab testing
parasite symptoms
potential parasite exposures (swimming in standing water, consuming raw or undercooked meats and fish, allowing pets on furniture, pets licking your face, frequent interactions with children, etc.)
before you rush into a parasite cleanse
Parasite cleanses are a trendy topic right now, and that means there is a huge influx of influencers (and some practitioners) wanting to sell you parasite eradication products you may not need. Many of these influencers and practitioners do not have proper training to assess for and address parasite infections - but I do.
As a Restorative Health Practitioner, I have been trained in parasite eradication and have even experienced success with it myself.
Parasite eradication is not a one-and-done event. Parasite cleanses are a whole-body problem, and require:
healing and repair to tissues damaged by parasites
functional support to address the digestive mechanisms that, if working optimally, should prevent you from getting a parasite infection in the first place
a knowledge of the parasite’s life cycle - many parasite cleanses only address mature parasites, not their eggs or larvae
the ability to adjust supplements and methods according to your body’s response to the process
Before you jump into some expensive product line from someone who happens to be really good at talking, consider getting a more functional perspective to help you reduce food allergies, lower inflammation, and repair the mechanisms that are meant to protect you from parasite infections.
The first step is answering a few questions about your symptoms. This is the same parasite screening questionnaire I give to my 1:1 clients.
Interstitial Cystitis Nutrition Support | The Link Between Interstitial Cystitis and Candida
Interstitial Cystitis sometimes gets misdiagnosed as chronic UTIs, and when all the antibiotics and cranberry juice does'n’t seem to cut it (or maybe only provides short-term relief), you’re left feeling confused and [still] in pain.
I’m going to dive into interstitial cystitis treatment later in the post - but first we’re going to talk about candida.
Your Interstitial Cystitis Symptoms May Be Linked to a Candida Overgrowth
Life with interstitial cystitis is painful to say the least. It’s not just the pain that comes with urination, or between pee breaks…
It’s the pain of intentionally not drinking enough water in an effort to minimize pee breaks
It’s the frustration of doctors telling you there is no known cause or solution
It’s saying no to friends’ invites because you’re too uncomfortable or won’t have easy access to a toilet
It’s losing sleep, night after night, at the mercy of your irritated bladder
I see you, my little muffin top. And I have some new information for you that will help.
You do not have to live with this condition forever. I can help you get sweet relief from your interstitial cystitis symptoms.
Hi kittens. I’m Hilary Beckwith, ex-dieter and functional health expert. Women with PCOS or who are in perimenopause come to see me with signs of adrenal stress, insulin resistance, and inflammatory conditions, and my job is to find the root causes so we can address their symptoms more effectively and fill in the gaps between their lab values and how their body actually feels. Before you continue, click here to read my Medical Disclaimer.
In this article, you’ll learn:
interstitial cystitis symptoms
candida overgrowth symptoms
why candida overgrowth treatment may improve your interstitial cystitis symptoms
how to treat interstitial cystitis and candida overgrowth, naturally and effectively
interstitial cystitis symptoms
IYKYK, right?
If you’ve been told you have interstitial cystitis (IC), you’ve probably also been told there is no known cause or substantial treatment.
And if you don’t know what IC is, or are trying to get some answers behind your own symptoms, here are some common symptoms of IC:
painful urination, with relief after peeing
chronic pelvic pain between the vagina and anus (between the scrotum and anus for male-bodied)
frequent, persistent, and urgent need to pee
pain during sex
IC sometimes gets misdiagnosed as chronic UTIs, and when all the antibiotics and cranberry juice doesn’t seem to cut it (or maybe only provides short-term relief), you’re left feeling confused and [still] in pain.
I’m going to dive into interstitial cystitis treatment later in the post - but first we’re going to talk about candida.
candida overgrowth symptoms
Candida is a type of yeast that exists in small amounts in most humans, but can become very problematic when it is given an environment to proliferate and thrive, leading to chronic health conditions such as autoimmune disease, chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, and chronic digestive symptoms that are often misdiagnosed.
Click here to read more about conditions commonly associated with candida overgrowth.
For the sake of this post’s topic, here is a list of common candida overgrowth symptoms:
brain fog
bloating
constipation
frequent hunger
sugar or carb cravings
poor stress management
eczema
acne
depression or anxiety symptoms
blood sugar management issues (irritability, headache, or shaky when hungry)
chronic nail fungus on fingernails or toenails
chronic vaginal yeast infection symptoms
chronic thrush, or yeast infection symptoms in the mouth
difficulty losing weight
weight gain around the belly and hips
signs of insulin resistance
addressing candida overgrowth may also improve interstitial cystitis symptoms
Many practitioners say there is no known cause for IC, and that interstitial cystitis treatment isn’t substantial - in other words, if you have IC, sucks to be you, right? But research suggests they may be looking in the wrong places.
I specialize in working with female-bodied adults with inflammatory conditions - this means I work to uncover hidden causes of inflammation in their bodies so that we can improve inflammatory symptoms, like cystic acne, autoimmune disease, fibromyalgia, persistent and chronic pain, IBS symptoms, and yes, interstitial cystitis.
Interstitial cystitis is an inflammatory condition - it occurs when the tissues inside the bladder become inflamed.
THE STRESS BUCKET ANALOGY
Think of your body like a bucket. Every single stressor - every injury, every emotional or physical trauma, every infection, every work deadline, every heated interaction with a partner - is a drop in the bucket.
Every drop fills the bucket. Some drops get removed when we take care of our detox systems, and we address infections, when we get optimal rest, when we get professional mental health support.
But once the drops fill the bucket to the brim - it has no where to go but out of the bucket - it’s everywhere!
Here’s the thing, love - Your body is doing its best to deal with everything that’s been thrown at it. But at some point, it’s going to be too much, and that’s when we start to see these bigger reactions and symptoms. That’s your bucket overflowing.
We can help it by reducing the amount of drops in your bucket - put differently, by finding and addressing hidden causes of stress and inflammation.
WHY PINPOINT CANDIDA?
For one, research is starting to show that sufferers of IC often also have higher levels of fungus and yeast, including candida albicans, in addition to other imbalances in their microbiome.
Candida overgrowth can be an especially potent cause of inflammation and stress on the body because it has a unique ability to actually root into tissues and leech off your body’s nutrients, very similar to a parasite.
The candida infection itself is a source of inflammation in that it will stimulate an inflammatory response as your body works to fight it. Additionally, the tissue damage caused by its rooting adds to the inflammation and makes candida difficult to eradicate.
Interestingly, the Mayo Clinic actually states that having a chronic inflammatory condition makes one more likely to experience interstitial cystitis symptoms - seeing the connection here?
interstitial cystitis treatment naturally
There is no direct treatment for interstitial cystitis. In fact, the Mayo Clinic suggests a combination of physical therapy, antidepressants, antihistamines, and anti-inflammatory medications.
All or any of these things may help with symptoms, but they won’t get to the root cause of the inflammation. That’s what I’m here for.
Interstitial Cystitis treatment naturally and holistically requires a look at hidden sources of inflammation. Hidden sources of inflammation may include candida overgrowth, bacterial overgrowth, parasite infection, mold or mold toxicity.
Finding those sources of inflammation requires a detailed health assessment and functional lab testing by a qualified practitioner. Looking at your health history, symptoms, eating habits, nervous system, sleep, and stress levels is all part of the big picture. Getting functional lab testing to confirm or rule out sources is equally important and helps us to create a more personalized plan to address sources of inflammation.
I can help.
My private coaching program includes functional lab testing and an initial comprehensive assessment to help us get to the bottom of your interstitial cystitis symptoms, so you can stop letting pain make your decisions for you.
I also offer functional lab testing without being enrolled in a coaching program.
3 Reasons I Do Not Recommend a Vegetarian or Vegan Diet - Seattle Nutrition Blog
f insulin resistance is primarily caused and perpetuated by a carbohydrate-rich diet, consider this: You cannot reach optimal dietary protein goals from a vegan or vegetarian diet without also consuming mountains of starchy carbohydrates and loads of extra calories.
My clients often require a daily protein intake of about 100g (depending on the individual’s body size, activity, and digestive health). This breaks down to roughly 30-35g of protein per meal.
You would have to consume 4 cups of cooked quinoa to meet that requirement for one meal.
My Clients Get Better Results with Animal Proteins
When women come to me with symptoms like sleep issues, sugar cravings, and irregular periods or a PCOS diagnosis (now PMOS), my first thought is adrenal fatigue. Adrenal symptoms like these are often paired with prolonged chronic stress, blood sugar dysregulation, and insulin resistance.
Which leads me to the question - are these women getting enough quality protein? In an effort to marry two articles I’ve previously written on the role of protein in insulin resistance, and the health effects of a vegan diet, I’m bringing these two ideas together to help you see the full picture.
Hi darlings. I’m Hilary Beckwith, ex-dieter and holistic nutrition expert. Clients come to see me with signs of adrenal stress, insulin resistance, and inflammatory conditions, and my job is to find the root causes so we can address their symptoms more effectively and fill in the gaps between their lab values and what their body is saying. Before you continue, click here to read my Medical Disclaimer.
In this article, you’ll learn:
what is insulin resistance?
why protein matters
why I won’t work with clients who are unwilling to include animal proteins in their diet
what is insulin resistance?
In short, glucose is the molecular form of sugar that is used to create energy within the mitochondria of cells in the form of ATP, or Adenosine TriPhosphate. Glucose is broken down from all types of carbohydrates, including starchy vegetables, legumes, grains, and yes, sugars.
When dietary carbohydrates are broken down into glucose, insulin from the pancreas acts as a key-holder that unlocks the door to the cell (insulin receptor) and shuttles glucose in for energy production. Once cells have had their fill, the remaining glucose is converted into stored forms of glucose and stored in the liver and fat tissue.
For someone who regularly consumes carbohydrate-rich meals and snacks, there is often more glucose in their bloodstream than cells can handle. This causes cells to deactivate their insulin receptors, sending the message, “we’ve had enough!”.
This deactivation of insulin receptors is known as insulin resistance, and it becomes a problem that perpetuates itself until meaningful dietary and lifestyle changes are made.
why protein matters
Dietary protein is essential to many biological functions. It’s needed for nutrient transport across cell membranes, used in the formation of antibodies, needed for neurotransmitter formation which impacts mood and sleep, and it’s needed to strengthen muscles.
Most of us don’t get enough protein daily. In fact the current Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for protein was decided in 1989, and is considered the minimum needed to maintain health in sedentary individuals [1], not what is best for optimal health and activity levels. The RDA for protein is 0.75g per 1kg of body weight. This is far too low.
For a female-bodied individual weighing 150lbs (68kg), the RDA is 51g protein daily. More current research has found that higher protein intake is more conducive to optimal health and should be considered over the current RDA [2}.
If you are the person whose shelves are loaded with “protein-packed” packaged snacks, vegan protein powders, or if you came here searching for vegetarian high-protein recipes, consider this: Plant proteins and animal proteins are not equally absorbed and used by human bodies [3].
Don’t take my word for it - read the research for yourself.
HERE’S WHERE IT CAN GO WRONG
If insulin resistance is primarily caused and perpetuated by a carbohydrate-rich diet, consider this: You cannot reach optimal dietary protein goals from a vegan or vegetarian diet without also consuming mountains of starchy carbohydrates and loads of extra calories.
My clients often require a daily protein intake of about 100g (depending on the individual’s body size, activity, and digestive health). This breaks down to roughly 30-35g of protein per meal.
You would have to consume 4 cups of cooked quinoa to meet that requirement for one meal.
Here are some additional protein source comparisons:
2 cans chickpeas (drained) = 704 calories + 36g protein
3/4 block tofu = 266 calories + 31.8g protein
4 cups cooked quinoa = 888 calories + 32.8g protein
4oz grass-fed beef = 157 calories + 24g protein
plus, grass-fed beef is shown to have a more dense nutrient profile than conventional beef, including significantly higher levels of superoxide dismutase and Omega 3 fatty acids
1/2 fillet wild-caught salmon = 209 calories + 31g protein
5 large eggs = 360 calories + 31.5g protein
1 chicken breast (120g) = 198 calories + 37g protein
This lack of protein, paired with carbohydrate-rich eating habits is also a major driver of proliferation of pathogens, such as candida or yeast overgrowth, opportunistic bacteria (think, SIBO), and can impair digestive function over time, increasing susceptibility for parasite and helicobacter pylori infections as well. I’ll explain more of this mechanism later in the post.
why I don’t work with clients who are unwilling to consume animal proteins
The short answer - their success and my reputation depend on it.
I have worked with clients in the past who prefer vegetarian and vegan diets, and the reality is - they do not celebrate the same successes that my omnivorous clients do when it comes to resolving their digestive symptoms, PCOS and PMOS symptoms, and weight issues.
If that sounds too harsh, please know that I do hold space for different views on vegetarian vs vegan vs omnivorous diets, and can appreciate that there are many different reasons for choosing one over another.
This decision does not come from a place of judgment, but rather for the sake of the long-term health and success of the female-bodied folx who come to see me.
When it comes to symptoms of hormone imbalance, sleep issues, blood sugar management issues, weight loss, and irregular periods, a diet without animal proteins simply will not support their efforts to address symptoms.
Here’s where I see the biggest impacts.
HORMONE HEALTH
The women and female-bodied individuals who come to see me, often present with symptoms of hormone imbalance, be it a PCOS or PMOS diagnosis, irregular periods, PMS symptoms, painful periods, mood and sleep disruptions around their periods, migraines around their periods, and weight gain in their belly or hips.
Aside from the obvious ovaries, hormones are largely modulated by the adrenal glands and the liver. The adrenal glands are responsible for producing any sex hormones that are not produced by the ovaries or testes, and the liver is responsible for deactivating and eliminating excess hormones to maintain balance.
A diet rich in carbohydrates, and especially low in protein, drives insulin resistance which disrupts the HPA (hypothalamus, pituitary, adrenal) axis and consequently, the ability of the ovaries and adrenal glands to produce hormones. This is also a major player in the recent renaming of PCOS to PMOS.
Additionally, when left unaddressed, this disruption leads to prolonged chronic stress, leading to adrenal fatigue, chronic inflammation, and abnormal thyroid labs. This is a highly complex topic that I go into more detail about here.
Finally, a liver that is overburdened with the job of constantly having to convert excess glucose into fat and glycogen may not be able to effectively metabolize and eliminate excess hormones well, exacerbating hormone imbalance symptoms.
BLOOD SUGAR BALANCE
If you wake up around 2:00 am most nights to pee, or get “hangry” between meals, you have blood sugar regulation issues. This, too, involves your liver and adrenal glands, and is highly driven by a carbohydrate-rich diet, among other things.
Additionally, carb and sugar cravings are common symptoms of the pathogenic infections we discussed earlier. You see, yeast and bacteria LOVE sugar, and when they infiltrate your gut, they live off of your resources. This perpetuates blood sugar imbalances, leading to insulin resistance, adrenal fatigue, and symptoms of hormone imbalance. (seeing a pattern here?)
GUT HEALTH
This topic is multifaceted, but here are the two main points I want to focus on for the sake of this post:
lack of protein inhibits digestion - Healthy digestion relies on many components - a regulated nervous system, optimal output of digestive juices (enzymes and stomach acid), and adequate chewing and mechanical digestion. Consuming protein tells your body to produce stomach acid (HCl) and proteolytic enzymes. With a low-protein diet, HCl production suffers, and so does your digestion. Since one of the main roles of HCl is to disinfect your food, poor HCl output leaves you more susceptible to pathogenic infections of the gut, driving inflammation, hormone issues, and overall discomfort.
migrating motor complex (MMC) - This important mechanism occurs only in a fasted state, and consists of a cascade of events intended to sweep out unwanted microbes from the small intestine. A carbohydrate-rich diet often makes one hungry more frequently throughout the day, leaving very little fasted time for the MMC to activate. If you are one who snacks or grazes throughout the day, you are doing your gut a disservice.
learn something new?
Please share your thoughts and questions in the comments below.
NUTRITION SERVICES
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
BLOG REFERENCES
National Research Council (US) Subcommittee on the Tenth Edition of the Recommended Dietary Allowances. “Protein and Amino Acids.” Recommended Dietary Allowances: 10th Edition., U.S. National Library of Medicine, 1 Jan. 1989, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK234922/.
Hudson, Joshua L, et al. “Protein Intake Greater than the RDA Differentially Influences Whole-Body Lean Mass Responses to Purposeful Catabolic and Anabolic Stressors: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.” Advances in Nutrition (Bethesda, Md.), U.S. National Library of Medicine, 1 May 2020, pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7231581/.
Association of Major Dietary Protein Sources with All‐cause and Cause‐specific Mortality: Prospective Cohort Study | Journal of the American Heart Association, www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/JAHA.119.015553. Accessed 3 Oct. 2025.
The Role of Protein in Insulin Resistance Symptoms and Treatment
And still, you've bought into vegan protein shakes, and have shelves loaded with protein-enriched cookies, bars, and cereals. You’re feeling pretty good about meeting those higher protein intake recommendations that saturate your social feed.
But I’m here to dig deeper into the role of protein in insulin resistance symptoms, and why getting your protein from those sources might be making your insulin resistance symptoms worse, contributing to weight gain and inflammation.
The role of protein in insulin resistance treatment
If you’ve followed me for any amount of time, you know that what’s missing from those posts from fitness influencers you follow on TikTok, is nuance. That’s what I bring to the table.
You might have already read my articles about protein quality and the health effects of a vegan diet. And still, you've bought into vegan protein shakes, and have shelves loaded with protein-enriched cookies, bars, and cereals. You’re feeling pretty good about meeting those higher protein intake recommendations that saturate your social feed.
But I’m here to dig deeper into the role of protein in insulin resistance symptoms, and why getting your protein from those sources might be making your insulin resistance symptoms worse, contributing to weight gain and inflammation.
Hi darlings. I’m Hilary Beckwith, ex-dieter and holistic nutrition expert. Clients come to see me with signs of adrenal stress, insulin resistance, and inflammatory conditions, and my job is to find the root causes so we can address their symptoms more effectively and fill in the gaps between their lab values and what their body is saying. Before you continue, click here to read my Medical Disclaimer.
In this article, you’ll learn:
what is insulin resistance?
insulin resistance causes and symptoms
the role of protein in insulin resistance treatment
why protein quality matters just as much as quantity
more ways to improve insulin sensitivity symptoms
what is insulin resistance?
The word metabolism often gets referred to as one’s ability or inability to lose weight. But the word metabolism actually refers to the conversion of one component into another.
With digestion, metabolism might refer to ingested food being broken down into nutrients your body can use. Or a chemical component of medication or a food additive might be manipulated by enzymes into a neutralized form and removed from the body.
For the sake of this discussion, we’ll be referring to metabolism in regard to glucose metabolism - the conversion of glucose (a molecular form of sugar) into energy or fat.
It’s important to understand that glucose comes from more than just sugar ingredients. Glucose comes from all carbohydrates, including grains, starches, and yes, sugar.
So, whether it’s potatoes, sweet potatoes, rice, bread, legumes, fruit, honey, or candy - it all turns into glucose.
And that glucose either gets metabolized into energy or fat. Insulin, a hormone produced by the pancreas, is required for the metabolism of glucose into energy.
Here’s how glucose metabolism works:
When you consume any kind of carbohydrate, be it starchy legumes, grains, or vegetables, sugars like honey, fruit, or cane sugar, even leafy greens contain carbohydrates - those carbohydrates are broken down into molecules called glucose.
Glucose molecules are transported into your bloodstream through the epithelial lining of the small intestine. The amount of glucose molecules in your bloodstream at any given time is referred to as your “blood sugar” or “blood glucose” level.
Insulin is released by the pancreas and acts as sort of an usher, taking the glucose to individual cells, and using its key to unlock the door (insulin receptors embedded in the cell membrane) and shuttles the glucose in to be metabolized (hey, there’s that word again!) via the Krebs cycle within the mitochondria.
When cells have had their fill of glucose, any glucose remaining is then sent to the liver and converted to storable forms of glucose, specifically glycogen and triglycerides.
Glycogen: stored primarily in the liver, and to some extent, muscles. The liver has a very small capacity for glycogen storage.
Triglycerides: stored as fat tissue, also called adipose tissue. Your body has unlimited stores of triglycerides in adipose tissue, as it can always (and does) make more fat to accommodate more triglyceride storage.
HERE’S WHERE THINGS CAN GO WRONG
Insulin resistance occurs when there is regularly more glucose than can be used by cells in the bloodstream. For example, one who consumes a high-carbohydrate diet at most meals and snacks will likely develop insulin resistance symptoms.
When there is regularly more glucose in the bloodstream than cells can accommodate, insulin receptors (remember the locked doors on cell membranes) begin to deactivate, making insulin ineffective. The cells are essentially saying, “we’ve had enough!”.
In response, the body produces more insulin to try and compensate for glucose not getting into cells, and as a result, insulin resistance worsens.
And what happens to glucose that does not enter cells? It gets converted to fat.
insulin resistance causes and symptoms
COMMON CAUSES OF INSULIN RESISTANCE
high starch, high carbohydrate diet
regular consumption of processed foods (including foods you might consider “health foods”, like protein powders, bars, shakes, and plant-based meat substitutes)
chronic stress (external or internal) - Click here to read more about the role of cortisol in blood sugar regulation
inactivity/sedentarianism
inadequate sleep
overexercising (especially cardio)
pancreatic insufficiency (more on what symptoms look like later in the article)
leaky gut syndrome
COMMON SYMPTOMS OF INSULIN RESISTANCE
weight gain in belly and/or hips
difficulty losing weight
“hangry” symptoms between meals (loss of focus, shaky, irritability)
digestive symptoms
pancreatic insufficiency can often contribute to digestive dysfunction, as it is needed to produce digestive enzymes
digestive symptoms are often indicative of pathogenic infection, such as yeast or bacterial overgrowth, mold, or parasites - all of which contribute to chronic stress response and cortisol output
excess hunger (frequent hunger, or excess appetite)
Type II Diabetes diagnosis, or pre-diabetes
abnormal thyroid labs (click here to read more)
sweet, salty, or carb cravings
the role of protein in insulin resistance treatment
It’s no secret that we need protein to build muscle - and that’s exactly the same reason it’s needed for insulin resistance treatment.
Let me explain.
HOW YOUR BODY BUILDS MUSCLES
A common misconception about building muscles, is that it requires an increase in the number of muscle cells (also called muscle fibers) - but this is incorrect. Your body actually cannot produce more muscle cells.
Muscle cells can, however, get larger in size - this is what is known as hypertrophy.
Additionally, contained in the fluid between muscle cells are smaller stem cells called satellite cells. In addition to hypertrophy, the satellite cells are the catalyst between protein and muscle development.
When you exercise, especially through resistance training, small tears develop in your muscle fibers. Your body responds to these tears by branching together amino acids (the building blocks of protein) together with satellite cells, to repair the tears and make the muscle stronger.
This process requires both adequate dietary protein and resistance training.
What does that have to do with insulin resistance treatment?
Earlier we talked about how glucose is converted to ATP in the mitochondria of the cells. You might remember from middle school science class that the mitochondria are known as the “power house” of the cell.
Here’s where it connects to insulin resistance treatment >>> Resistance training stimulates mitochondrial biogenesis - meaning the creation of more mitochondria - within muscle cells. This is due to the increased need for energy when building and using muscles.
Thus… increased mitochondria = increased need for glucose to create energy = increased glucose uptake into muscle cells.
In fact, it’s important to remember that the research has been clear for years, that as we age, muscle tissue degrades, a condition called sarcopenia. Resistance training has been shown to prevent sarcopenia and improve insulin resistance [1].
all proteins are not created equal
There’s a lot of push from wellness influencers for more women to eat more protein - and they are not wrong (as you can see from our previous discussion).
Protein is needed for nutrient transfer into cells, for neurotransmitter synthesis (mood and sleep regulation), muscle building, and many more reactive and enzymatic processes throughout the body.
What those influencers are not telling you is that the quality of protein matters. Big time.
Having a shelf stocked with protein powders, bars, shakes, and cereals all touting that they are “protein-packed”, you might be missing the mark - especially if those products are made with plant-based proteins.
A FEW THINGS YOU MAY NOT KNOW ABOUT PROTEIN:
plant-based proteins cannot be absorbed and utilized in the body as efficiently as animal proteins [2]
eating more protein can increase health concerns if you have digestive symptoms
in addition to reduced bioavailability, you cannot meet optimal protein intake goals from plant-based sources without also consuming loads of starchy carbohydrates and extra calories - this works against your efforts to resolve insulin resistance symptoms
there are nine amino acids that the human body requires, but cannot make for itself - these are called essential amino acids
it’s important to consume a wide variety of proteins (as well as other foods) to ensure you are getting all essential nutrients required by the body. Additionally, eating the same foods every day is a great way to develop food sensitivities.
EXAMPLE: You would have to consume 700 grams of boiled chickpeas, which contain all nine essential amino acids, to meet your protein intake goals for one day. That’s also 1200 calories, and over 140 grams of starchy carbohydrates. Quinoa and soybeans have similar profiles - imagine eating 6 cups of quinoa to meet your protein intake goals!
MY TAKE ON THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS OF ANIMAL PROTEINS
TL;DR
Opting out of meat and consuming only plants is not the answer to addressing environmental distress, and especially not your physical health. If your resources allow, consider supporting the farmers who are doing the work to improve environmental impact, so that down the road, this will be more accessible to everyone.
THE DIRT
I greatly value the health of our environment, and do everything within my power to make it better for the next generation. Because of that, I have done a lot of research on the impacts of farming, both livestock and plants, on the environment, and a few things have become very clear:
regenerative farming techniques are showing robust evidence that they actually improve soil quality and sequester carbon - we need to change the way we farm animals, not do away with them altogether. You can help by actively supporting the farmers who are doing this work.
the information being presented in documentaries like [unnamed] has been wildly misrepresented - I urge you to look at the research for yourself.
the amount of waste that comes from processed foods like cereals and plant-based meats is astounding and has a significant impact on environmental health just as much as conventional animal farming. Subsidized grain farms have tilled the soil to the point of desertification, and it needs to stop. Cutting out meat is not the answer.
more ways to improve insulin resistance symptoms
Building muscle is not the only way to combat the effects of insulin resistance. Improving insulin sensitivity is not difficult, but it requires consistency. Here are a few ideas to get you started:
STOP SNACKING
The good news is, increasing protein intake with each meal will help keep you fuller for longer periods of time. When my clients add more protein to their diets, they effectively stop snacking, too. This will help steady your blood glucose levels throughout the day, rather than continuously creating glucose spikes that perpetuate insulin resistance symptoms.
ALTERNATE DAY FASTING
The effects of alternate-day fasting on improving insulin sensitivity are astounding. Not only does fasting increase growth factors that help you build muscle, but when done properly, it increases the sensitivity of your insulin receptors, and helps your body to adapt to using fat for fuel when glucose is not available. It’s extremely important to note that refeeding after fasting is an important part of the process, and learning to fast for health effects is essential. Click here to learn how to fast safely and healthfully.
IMPROVE YOUR MACRONUTRIENT BALANCE
If you’re getting all your protein from a shake stuffed with pea protein isolates, you are doing your body a disservice. Use this guide to build healthier meals that give your body everything it needs to keep you fueled.
FIND AND ADDRESS UNDERLYING CAUSES OF STRESS
Chronic stress, whether from work, relationships, lack of boundaries, or underlying dysfunction in the body, drives insulin resistance and inflammation. Finding and addressing underlying causes of stress, such as digestive dysfunction, adrenal fatigue, or pathogenic infection from yeast overgrowth, parasites, or bacteria, can be pivotal to your insulin resistance treatment. Here’s how I can help.
learn something new?
Please share your thoughts and questions in the comments below.
NUTRITION SERVICES
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
BLOG REFERENCES
The Heart of Physiological Reports - Lindsey - 2024 - Physiological Reports - Wiley Online Library, physoc.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.14814/phy2.15962. Accessed 3 Oct. 2025.
Association of Major Dietary Protein Sources with All‐cause and Cause‐specific Mortality: Prospective Cohort Study | Journal of the American Heart Association, www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/JAHA.119.015553. Accessed 3 Oct. 2025.