Eating Right For PCOS

When celebrity cook Ili Sulaiman talked about tweaking her diet due to polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), we knew it would be challenging because she is constantly surrounded by food. Eena Houzyama checks up on Ili and her journey to recovery.

- Eena Houzyama

Having worked with Ili to create our Her World Cookbook 2018, I knew how much she loves food. Not only is she passionate about cooking, she’s constantly creating new dishes and enjoying every bite of it too. But over the past few months, I’ve noticed Ili posting on social media about her PCOS diet. So, curious and eager to share her story, I contacted Ili to find out whether this had affected her love for food.

Her World: How did you find out you have PCOS?

Ili Sulaiman: “I didn’t know what was wrong but in the past year, I struggled with losing weight even after watching what I ate and exercising. I felt tired all the time, and then my period stopped for two months and I panicked. Before that, I never had problems with my periods and they always came on time. So, I went to a gynae and after some tests, she found cysts in my ovaries and my insulin levels were 3 times higher than normal. I was diagnosed with PCOS.”

HW: What was the advice your gynae gave you? And, how did it affect your lifestyle?