In PCOS-land (that’s where we all live, by the way — PCOS-land – as in, this body IS PCOS-land), there’s an endless stream of advice about diet, nutrition, eating disordered behavior, and how to combat all of your problems with food. I know that for me, as well as for many of the PCOS clients I see, this leads to a gradual death of the love of food. “Diet” is absolutely a four letter word, and even the term “eating plan” can feel onerous and restrictive. Many, if not most of us, have experimented with various forms of restriction designed to improve our health. No sugar, no wheat, no dairy, no coffee, no alcohol, no, no, no, NO! Sometimes, I get so caught up in the NO, NO, NO that I forget how much I adore food, and all of its splendid permutations. Nature delivers this glory to us (well, sometimes we have to tweak it with a little processing), and we reject it?! Something about that feels really wrong to me.
The other day, I went to a local farmers’ market, and had the joy and privilege of sampling everything from heirloom tomatoes in all their batiky-looking hues to tree-ripened apricots, raw cane juice, hummus, pastry, and some wickedly good burrata, the fresh Italian cheese that’s made of mozzarella and cream. To say it is made of mozzarella and cream does not quite do justice to the beauty of this plump ball of handmade cheese, bathing in its slightly creamy water bath. Burrata – good burrata – is all soft luscious edible heaven, creamy, cheesy, delicate and mild, with a hint of a buttery quality. It’s semi-symmetrical and pleasingly pale. Sometimes I just want to look at it, or perhaps hold it gently in my hand, like an egg about to hatch, more than I actually want to eat it, but that would be a crime!
I forgot the fresh basil leaves, but decided to make a farmers’ market lunch with caprese salad (tomato/cheese) as the focus. The mottled golden-green heirloom tomatoes, and the blackish brown ones, thickly sliced and lightly salted with a little sea salt – no pepper for distraction! – and a little olive oil, alternated beautifully with equally thick slices of that fat ball of burrata. With a medley of fresh stone fruit on the side, the apricots, plums, peaches, and nectarines all in a state of perfect ripeness, I was happy. Let me say that again – my food made me HAPPY – wow. It wasn’t a source of torture, guilt, deprivation, or punishment.
It looked beautiful, tasted fabulous, energized my body, was super fresh, and, most importantly, I had given myself the gift of the complete and utter pleasure and joy of food. And yes, I followed it up with three bites of fabulous French pastry, just for pleasure, and without a hint of guilt. My body felt fine, and my mind and soul were infinitely improved for having had the experience. It’s still summer – maybe you’d like to play too.
Gretchen Kubacky, Psy.D. is a Health Psychologist in private practice in West Los Angeles, California. She specializes in counseling women and couples who are coping with infertility, PCOS, and related endocrine disorders and chronic illnesses.
If you would like to learn more about Dr. HOUSE or her practice, or obtain referrals in the Los Angeles area, please visit her website at www.drhousemd.com, or e-mail her at Gretchen@drhousemd.com. You can also follow her on Twitter @askdrhousemd.