Louisa Bakker, the founder of Funky Fat Foods, tells us about the beginning of her journey. From when she was misdiagnosed, how she learned about PCOS, who inspired her to change her lifestyle, and how, by eating Keto and low-carb, she recovered her period and reversed the symptoms of PCOS.
What is PCOS
PCOS stands for polycystic ovarian syndrome, and it is basically an issue with your hormones that happens during your productive years, the years when you as a woman are fertile. If you have PCOS, you might have periods or no periods at all. Or you have a very long cycle that’s also possible.
An interesting thing that I found out is that the symptoms can be different according to each woman. For example, it can be irregular periods, like I said before. It can also be that you have too much androgen. This is a high level of the hormone. It may result in extra body hair, facial hair and sometimes acne on the cheeks or on the chin.
It all started when...
I got my first period when I was 14 years old. Back then, I was late compared to my girlfriends. They had it already at 12 or 13 years old. In The Netherlands, you go to high school when you're 13 years old. Then I still haven't got my period. I Was a bit worried about it and asked my mom if something was wrong with me. My mom was like don’t worry about it. You will have it, it is so normal. I was super happy about it when I got it in the summer before high school started. I remember exactly that we would go to the pool, and I was super excited. You have to imagine you have your first period, and then you have to use a tampon. Horrible experience, but I did it anyway. After that I thought I got my period every month. But it was super inequality.
After a year my mom recommended that I see a doctor and start with birth control. So I started with birth control. Back then, the doctor didn’t ask me anything, he didn't do any medical checks. I started this process. Back then I wasn’t sexually active. Around 18 years old I was and I remember that it was normal to have this fake birth control week. Around 21 years old it didn’t felt right anymore to take birth control for so long so I saw the doctor again and told him that I wanted to stop the birth control. I wanted a spiral that doesn’t contain any hormones. To make sure I wouldn't get pregnant. I still find it very strange that they didn’t check anything about my hormones.
So I asked for the spiral. I was 21 years old eight years ago. I am now 29. They gave me the copper spiral. This one doesn’t have any hormones. I used it was implemented. I had that for two years.
Why I started Ketogenic Diet?
I haven't had any period for two years straight. After one year I knew that this was not good. With a copper spiral, you should have one period. That is when I realized that there was something wrong with my cycle and with my hormones. I searched about it just on the internet. I didn't know anything about PCOS. I thought this was just something with an irregular period. Later on, I saw an article about PCOS, but all these PCOS were about that you were overweight and that you had body hair and facial hair. Like I don’t think I have this. So why is this happening? I went back to the doctor. This was 2 years after the spiral. I told him I think I have PCOS because I don't even have a period. The doctor said: no you don’t have PCOS, you're not fat.
I was like oh what? That is not a relief because I didn’t know anything again. They didn’t do any check or anything. It made no sense.
How I found out I had PCOS?
I read on blogs that it is very important to check with a gynaecologist. So I asked for this second appointment. I had to pay for it, plus it is not something that my doctor recommended me to do. But luckily, I finally got the appointment. The first thing that the doctor told me was that I have PCOS. You should eat a little bit more and check your hormones. That was something I hadn't heard before. So grateful that I was to start somewhere.
From then on I started to research food and healthy things. I knew I had PCOS and I wanted to solve this with healthy food. Not what my doctor was advising me. I didn’t want to go back to birth control. No medicine and things like that. I tried to solve this problem on my own. If you are in the same place, I feel you. I tried to get my period to understand my body. It was a long way.
When I found out I had PCOS, I had a boyfriend. After a little while, I broke up with him. Afterwards, I am thankful for that time because that is when you reflect a lot and can really work on yourself. There I also discovered the importance of food. Especially for women. Healthy fat and everything around that.
Before this, I was scared of fat, but now I am not anymore. Thankfully for the internet. I discovered so much about it. Thanks to youtube I learned a lot. Basically, there is no recommendation from the doctor in the Netherlands.
It took me almost two years to find out how I had to handle this, but now I have a regular period for a couple of years, and it was so worth it. Don’t be scared of healthy fats.
My life now
For me I love to eat Keto. I love healthy fats, and I am not afraid of protein. I eat 1.5 times my weight in protein a day.
If you have irregular periods or have a lot of acne go see a doctor and let your hormones be checked because that is so important. Talk with a health doctor. If you have PCOS, you can reverse it with a diet that suits you. I am not a big fan of redistricting a diet because that costs a lot of stress. I am a fan of something sustainable. You should feel good. You should feel unstoppable. That is also one goal of starting Funky Fat Foods. This is not a meal replacement. This is an amazing extra fatty for your diet.
Instagram: @louisa.msb
Website: funkyfatfoods.com
You may also like:
Leave a comment
All comments are moderated before being published.
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.