Day 4: Healthy Fats, Happy Hormones – Fat Is Your Friend

If you grew up in the low-fat diet era like I did, you might think “fat makes you fat.” Well, not the right kinds! I’m learning to embrace healthy fats as my allies. Our bodies need dietary fat to function – it’s a major component of cell membranes and the raw material for many hormones. In fact, healthy fats help you stay full longer, keep blood sugar steady, and even help regulate hormones (Best Fats for Hormones).

Mind blown, right?

This means that adding things like avocado or olive oil to my meals isn’t indulgent; it’s smart and supportive of my PCOS goals.

For years, I would buy skim milk, fat-free yogurt, and spray-on cooking oil, thinking I was being “good.” But those fat-free foods usually left me unsatisfied and raiding the pantry an hour later. Now, I drizzle extra-virgin olive oil on my salads and cook my veggies in a bit of butter or ghee without guilt. I also snack on nuts or a piece of cheese when I need a boost. The difference? I stay satiated and don’t have wild blood sugar swings.

There’s also a hormone connection: our sex hormones (like estrogen and progesterone) are made from cholesterol, which comes from fats. So if I skimp on fat, I could be depriving my body of building blocks for balanced hormones. Since increasing my healthy fat intake, I feel more stable in my moods and energy. And honestly, food tastes better! Fat carries flavor, so my new way of eating feels far from a deprivation diet. It’s nourishing. I’m officially over my fear of fat, and it feels liberating.