“Food noise” — that constant chatter in your head about what to eat, when to eat, or what you “shouldn’t” eat — is essentially a mix of blood sugar imbalances, stress physiology, and habit loops in the brain.
For women with PCOS, it can be amplified by hormonal fluctuations (especially insulin and cortisol).
Here are techniques to quiet it down:
1. If blood sugar is on a rollercoaster, food thoughts are usually louder.
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Eat protein with every meal/snack (20–30g for meals, 10–15g for snacks).
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Include healthy fats (avocado, olive oil, nuts/seeds) to slow digestion.
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Choose low-GI carbs in modest portions (berries, quinoa, lentils).
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Avoid starting the day with naked carbs (e.g., toast with jam).
Why it works: Balanced blood sugar reduces emergency hunger signals from the brain and stops cortisol from spiking mid-morning or mid-afternoon.
2. Food noise often increases when the nervous system is in fight-or-flight mode.
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Try 4–6 breathing or alternate nostril breathing before meals.
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Schedule micro-pauses in your day (2–5 mins away from screens).
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Reduce caffeine, especially before midday.
Why it works: Calming the stress response reduces dopamine-driven cravings and “urgent” hunger that isn’t about fuel.
3. When a craving hits but you know you’ve eaten enough:
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Drink herbal tea or sparkling water — give your brain a sensory change.
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Step outside or do 10 squats/stretch — physical shifts break the loop.
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Try a 5-minute delay: set a timer, distract yourself, and reassess.
Why it works: These micro-interrupts create space between thought and action, giving the prefrontal cortex (your “wise brain”) time to take over.
4. The more you think “I can’t have X,” the louder food noise gets.
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Reframe to: “I’m choosing what nourishes me right now.”
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Make sure meals feel visually and emotionally satisfying — include colour, flavour, and textures you enjoy.
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Keep a list of go-to PCOS-friendly “treat” options so you don’t feel deprived (e.g., dark choc with almond butter, coconut yoghurt with berries).
Why it works: Satisfaction is a hormonal signal too — it lowers ghrelin (hunger hormone) and reduces compulsive thinking about food.
5. Eat at consistent times, even on weekends.
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Avoid skipping meals unless strategically planned (e.g., intentional fasting under guidance).
Why it works: Predictability reassures your body that food is coming — lowering stress hormones and quieting food-seeking behaviour.
By learning to balance blood sugar, calm stress responses, and shift mindset, you can turn down the volume on food noise and feel more at peace with eating. These small, steady changes add up to a calmer mind, a more balanced body, and freedom from the constant chatter around food.
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