A few months later, she called me crying. She complained that her mood swings were exhausting, she was gaining weight and her acne had become worse.

More than anything, she felt like she’d lost control of her own body.

The truth is PCOS is still not fully understood. There isn’t a single treatment that works for everyone, and most medications focus on managing symptoms rather than curing the condition. 

That was when she started paying closer attention to what she ate, not because food cured her PCOS but because she noticed some foods helped her feel better, kept her fuller for longer, and made it easier to manage some of her symptoms alongside the treatment plan from her doctor.

Instead of surviving on salads and smoothies, she started experimenting with Nigerian meals using ingredients she could actually buy in the market.

These are some of the meals she still swears by today: 

1. Beans Porridge with Ugu & Smoked Fish

This quickly became one of her favourite lunches because it kept her full for hours and stopped the constant snacking.

2. Efo Riro with Grilled Fish & Boiled Unripe Plantain

Instead of making swallow the biggest part of the meal, she increased the vegetables and protein and had a small portion of plantain instead.

3. Moi Moi with Avocado

Perfect for breakfast or lunch when she wanted something filling but light.

4. Okra Soup with Fish

She still ate swallow occasionally, but she started reducing the portion and loading up on more soup and fish instead.

5. Garden Egg Sauce with Grilled Chicken

This was one meal she discovered by accident and ended up making almost every week.

6. Unripe Plantain Porridge

She replaced fried plantain with this more often and said it kept her satisfied much longer.

7. Boiled Sweet Potatoes with Egg Sauce & Ugu

Simple, affordable, and surprisingly filling.

8. Acha (Fonio) with Vegetable Stew

She only discovered acha after her diagnosis and now recommends it to anyone looking for alternatives to heavily processed grains.

9. Rice 

She didn’t stop eating rice. She simply stopped eating rice by itself.

Now she eat smaller portions of rice with more beans, plenty of vegetables and fish or chicken. 

10. Oats cooked Nigerian-style

With cinnamon, groundnuts or peanut butter, and chia/flax seeds

What I learned from her experience is that you cannot combat PCOS with medication alone. Your diet also plays a huge part. 

For her, changing the way she prepared her meals made it easier to manage her symptoms alongside the treatment plan from her doctor.

She still enjoys Nigerian food but eats it differently now.

If you’re living with PCOS, what Nigerian meal has worked well for you? Your experience could help another woman who’s trying to figure it out.