Why Blood Sugar Regulation is Essential for your Feminine Health

I am sure you have already heard about blood sugar regulation, but today I would like to go deep into this essential step for your feminine health and balance. Maybe you are experiencing any type of hormonal imbalance, and the truth is that hormonal imbalances come from blood sugar dysregulation or cortisol (stress) out of balance. I have experienced this firsthand, even after eating healthy for years, my blood sugar was not completely stable for my feminine physiology. So, without further ado, let’s talk about it.

Insulin

Insulin is a major hormone, so your beautiful body will not be able to balance its minor hormones (estrogen, progesterone and testosterone) and reach those high levels of energy, beauty and easiness in your cycle until the insulin metabolism is balanced first. Our metabolism developed thousands of years ago, and at that time, our diet included fewer and more complex carbohydrates. A diet full of refined carbs, such as that common in these days filled with snacks, fructose, sugary drinks and caffeinated drinks is not doing any favor to your female nature.

If you have been snacking all the time, having a diet rich in carbs, or relying on fizzy drinks, at one point you may have experienced or will experience insulin resistance, a state in which the muscle and fat cells no longer accept glucose. 

Understanding Insulin

The role of this hormone is to get the cells in your body the energy that they need, without changing the blood sugar level. It is a critical function played by insulin as it signals the cells to absorb glucose from the bloodstream. The body will scan the food that we have ingested, the blood sugar level and what the cell needs, and then release insulin in the correct amounts. When this healthy cycle goes on, it is a body that is -insulin sensitive-, the cell can accept the amounts of insulin accordingly.

But, when a body develops insulin resistance (due to a regular consumption of refined, processed carbohydrates from sugar and other processed foods that cause a rapid rise in blood sugar (but it even can be a result of consuming too many carbs, even if healthy), the body will  induce a rapid rise in insulin, and this overproduction of insulin will cause a rapid and drastic reduction in blood sugar for a short period of time. Now this will raise cortisol (your stress hormone), which will keep the cycle going on asking your body for more carbs and sugar, in order to keep your energy levels up.

The extra insulin that was secreted into your blood will travel to transport the glucose into the cells for storage or energy production. But, overtime, the cells lose their ability to take in large amounts of glucose, and finally, your body has become insulin resistant.

High Insulin and your Feminine Physiology

Now… What does this mean for your beauty and wellbeing as a woman? Well…

• High levels of insulin disrupts cellular metabolism and increases inflammation, making you feel tired, puffy, and constantly hungry for those foods that we know are not good for us.

• Insulin does not allow your body to burn fat. When women develop insulin resistance, they start accumulating fat, but their cells are actually starved for glucose so they feel exhausted and tend to go for carbohydrates for that quick energy.

• This also stresses the HPA axis (hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis), since cortisol is also high, it interferes with the function of estrogen, progesterone and testosterone, and leads to a decreased progesterone, resulting in estrogen dominance.

• When your levels of insulin are high, they stimulate ovarian androgen production, disrupting normal ovulation patterns. In this case, cycles may extend more than 35 days, skip months entirely, or constantly vary in their duration. Some women may experience heavier bleeding and others notice spotting between cycles.  PCOS can be a sign, as well as endometriosis. 

• If a woman is struggling with fertility challenges, it may also be a result of insulin resistance. Since even with regular cycles, high insulin levels can prevent proper egg maturation and release. 

• Adult acne persists or worsens with insulin resistance. High insulin levels increase sebum production and inflammation, leading to breakouts. Cystic acne along the jawline and chin particularly correlates with hormonal imbalances driven by insulin resistance. 

• Hirsutism, a key feature of PCOS, is characterised by excessive hair growth in male-pattern areas, which include the face, chest and back. Insulin stimulates ovarian testosterone production, leading to hair growth in these regions. 

It is worth considering your blood sugar stability from now on, even if you are not struggling with any symptom at this time, so you will not have to experience any of these that can be damaging to your health, vitality and self-esteem. Now that you have understood the importance of this major hormone, I will be explaining how you can take care of it in an upcoming post.