Blood Sugar Balancing and Menopause
Sugar and menopause unfortunately do not mix well
In menopause, as the oestrogen and progesterone levels reduce, this causes our cells to become more resistant to insulin. This means that our body has to work harder in order to manage our blood glucose levels. Throughout this transitionary journey it is common for women to see their blood sugar levels rise and fall which increases their risk or diseases such as Type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and some cancers. In addition, higher blood sugar levels can also lead to weight gain and fatigue.
It is important to know that insulin resistance may make HRT treatment less effective and even if you’re not on HRT, too much sugar is still likely to worsen menopausal symptoms, in particular higher levels of sugar in the blood has been linked to hot flashes.
STRESS AND BLOOD SUGAR
Every time your blood sugar levels drop, your body will release stress hormones called cortisol and adrenaline. At this stage in a women’s life, stress can be high - juggling a family with a career, in addition to dealing with all these potential menopausal symptoms. Additional stress (caused by blood sugar levels is not something that most menopausal women will need, therefore managing blood glucose levels as well incorporating stress management techniques will be one of the most important thinga that we can do during Perimenopause and Menopause.
FOOD AND BLOOD SUGAR LEVELS
Your body is wired to maintain blood glucose levels within a certain range, a state of emergency is called if the blood sugar levesl go above or below this range, posing a risk to health.
For example eating high levels of sugary foods and refined carbohydrates (eg white rice or bread, processed foods etc.) will lead to a spike in blood sugar levels, causing insulin to be released. Other things that can also cause insulin to be released include alcohol, caffeine, and nicotine.
Insulin then clears out the sugar from the blood , sending it to the liver where it is stored. Keeping blood sugar levels continuously high, will overwork your liver, causing excess sugar to then be stored as fat in our cells. Hello weight gain!
WHAT AFFECTS BLOOD SUGAR LEVELS?
Our blood sugar levels can be affected by a number of different things, such as:
Stress
Illness
Lack of sleep
Medication side effects
A diet high in saturated fats and sugar
Changing hormone levels (menopause)
BENEFITS OF BALANCING BLOOD SUGAR LEVELS
1.Better weight management
2.Reduce risk of disease (type 2 diabetes, cancer, heart disease)
3. Better health outcomes due to better diet choices
4. Balanced mood and energy fluctuations
5. Reduced menopausal symptoms / HRT may be more effective
HOW CAN WE BALANCE OUR BLOOD SUGAR LEVELS?
Include protein, healthy fats AND fibre with every meal
Avoid processed foods including white carbohydrates
Cook from scratch with fresh vegetables, fruit, meat and fish
Read labels - if you have to use jars / tins - if you don’t understand an ingredient don’t use it.
Check sugar levels - choose labels that have 5g per 100g of sugar OR LESS.
Get informed – read magazines, podcasts and books
Eat real food – no extra ingredients – farm to table type meals
ENJOY fruit - fruit is super sweet, and very diverse in flavour, texture and color. Fruit is packed with water and fibre, which help us fill up before we eat too much.
OTHER TIPS
• Have a consistent bedtime routine - wake up and go to sleep at the same time - aim for 8 hours of sleep
• Incorporate stress management techniques - remember stress causes the release adrenaline and cortisol that increase blood sugars
• Mindful eating - chew, engage with your food and do not eat “on the run”
• Move every day - 30 mins of movement
• Reduce caffeine intake as it activates the “stress response”
• Reduce or eliminate alcohol