[groovymommy]

I have just been recently been officially diagnosed with PCOS after 6 years of symptoms and have been looking for alternative ways other than taking Metformin ( which I know little about, but it seems rough for some to handle ) I came across a natural product called "Insulite" and it not only treats the symptoms but changes the way your body uses/ produces and handles glucose! Has any one had any experience with this product?
We tend to lean more towards the more natural way of living ( not quite the "granola"....I should be though:-) and thought this product might be more condusive to a healthier life..thanks for any feedback you can offer

[anasazee]

Hi there! I saw the website for Insulite and was thinking about trying it, but the program is a little out of my price range. Instead, I've just been trying to alter my eating and exercise habits to stabilize my blood sugar and increase my insulin receptors without meds. I haven't had any up-dated tests yet, but I have lost alot more weight than in the past and I feel alot better. I think, considering all the side-effects that metformin seems to come with, a natural product would be best to try first if you can afford it. Let me know how it goes if you do!

[groovymommy]

thanks for the input. The price is a little hard to take ,but it might be worth giving up a few things for a "healthier me" :-) atleast its worth a try! Have you had any experience with Metformin etc?

[anasazee]

Not yet. I've been talking to my doc about it rather seriously. I've done alot of research on it to see if it would be right for me and what to expect and to see if I could make some changes to my lifestyle that would pre-empt the need for it. I'm hoping after a couple of months I can have another test and prove to my doc and myself that I don't need meds to stabilize things. I would rather do things naturally. I take too many meds as is, less is better in my humble opinion.
From the info I have gathered, the most common side effects of Metformin seem to be nausea and diarreah. From what I've seen, though, they are VERY common! And extremely recurrent. A lucky 2 in 10 people get away without them. I suppose if it increases your metabolism and stabilizes your blood glucose/insuline levels, plus gives you THOSE side effects, you're liable to lose weight. I would rather do it in a way that's going to leave me feeling good, too!
Currently, I'm studying the effects of the Glycemic Index on Insulin Resistance. What I have learned and put into effect is making a rather drastic improvement to how I feel, so I have hope that this might get me somewhere. Increasing my exercise has helped alot, too.
On the Insulite website, I noticed that alot of their program is based around changes in lifestyle, so I'm trying to emmulate some of those changes without the high bills (including the support, lol! ). If you read the breakdown of the natural ingredients in their products, alot them are available in many homeopathic supplements that are much less expensive at food co-ops and such, so I'm just improvising right now. If you're interested, I'll let you know what I'm doing and how it works.

[groovymommy]

I would love to hear any info you have on a low GI lifestyle and even homeopathics you have found similar to insulite. I go so confused sometimes because we need to follow a low carb but good carb lifestyle and those good carbs being mostly those with a low GI..it seems tricky!!

[anasazee]

I was getting pretty confused about it, too, at first, because it's completely different than what I was used to as being what's "good for you" as opposed to what's"bad for you". I still have a problem getting it through my head sometimes that ice cream can be good for me and a sandwich can send me over the edge! The best help I got was picking up a copy of "The Glucose Revolution" at a used book store. It breaks down not only the foods and what their ratings are, but WHY their ratings are what they are and what it means and how the index affects your body and the various chemicals and such. I'm one that has a "need to know", so explaining everything in minute detail is right up my alley
As far as homeopathics go, right now I am mostly trying Vemma, which is a vitamin and mineral supplement that is all-natural and liquid, so you get all the benefits. It's got alot of the same ingredients that the insulite information talks about, but I also take supplements of B vitamins and increase my intake of potassium and Vitamin E in my diet, just to be extra covered.
If you would like, I can put together a packet of copies and such for you of the explainations and the GI chart that I have and mail them to you. (I would suggest sending your addy in a private message, though, if you're ok with that). That would save you the expense of buying the book before you are sure you want it.
From what the doctor told me, weight training is the absolute best exercise you can do to bring up the insulin receptors on your cells, also to lose weight, so I focus alot on that and stair stepping so that I can indulge in my favorite form of exercise more regularly and for longer intervals (hiking!)
If there's anything I missed or any questions you have, feel free to ask. I did alot of research and I love to share to my discoveries!