In this episode, Nico and Florence chat with Julie Duffy-Dillon,  a Fat Positive Registered Dietitian, Eating Disorder specialist and host of the "Love, food" podcast. Julie specializes in helping people with PCOS move away from dieting and rewrite their relationship with food to promote health, and advocate for better (non-weight centric) care.

Together, we explore the similarities and differences between HA and PCOS, and why these seem to constantly get mixed up by medical practitioners (http://noperiod.info/HAvsPCOS).

We start by defining the classic criteria for PCOS diagnosis (irregular/missing periods, hyperandrogenism, and polycystic ovaries) and why diagnosis is often loaded with weight and body shaming. We also explore whether "lean PCOS" is in fact PCOS, or just misdiagnosed HA, and how PCOS "symptoms" can be NORMAL side effects of recovery from disordered eating (also see http://noperiod.info/HAvsPCOS2)  and  that it is therefore important in recovery to wait for a year before investigating PCOS as a condition.

Julie confirms that the main difference between HA and PCOS is high circulating insulin levels - typical of PCOS. We then explore how the typical "PCOS recovery" recommendations to cut sugar and carbs are not evidence-based and rooted in weight stigma.
Find the latest evidence-based PCOS guidelines here (2018).

Julie explores her non weight centric steps for PCOS healing and recovery. Nico and Florence notice these are similar to HA recovery: restore a balanced relationship with food and movement, including eating and resting! And, unique to PCOS, finding sustainable ways to lower insulin levels without dieting.

Julie reminds Nico and Florence that PCOS and diabetes are typically NOT caused by lifestyle but genetic predispositions, and that preventing weight cycling and healthcare avoidance is key for anyone with PCOS, as well as addressing other symptoms, like sleep & mood disorders.

To find out more about Julie Duffy-Dillon's work and non-diet PCOS community, please visit www.ju

To find support in your HA recovery:
Get the "No Period. Now What?" book at noperiod.info/book.
Get the French version "Je n'ai plus mes regles" book at noperiod.info/livre.
Get the German version "Keine periode - was jetzt?" at noperiod.info/buch.

To join our support groups, please visit noperiod.info/support
for English, noperiod.info/communaute for French, and noperiod.info/community for German.

To make an appointment with Dr Sykes and get individual support to get your period back or improve your fertility, please go to noperiod.info/appointments
To make an appointment with Florence Gillet and get help with the body and mind changes happening in recovery please visit www.beyondbodyimage.com

You can find us on social media:
Instagram:
@noperiodnowwhat in English
@jenaiplusmesregles_livre in French
@keineperiodewasjetzt in German

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