Seriously. In the past couple of years, studies from many medical institutions have repeatedly found that estrogen - among the many other things it does - plays a major role in insulin resistance and diabetes management. If you have diabetes going into peri-menopause, you may find it more difficult to control. If you don't have diabetes, you may have found that since around age 40, your blood tests are coming back with markers of pre-diabetes, seemingly out of nowhere.
It works like this:
You bring carbohydrates into the body ----> your body notices a spike in blood sugar----> your pancreas releases insulin ---> estrogen carries that insulin into cells throughout your body---> glucose enters the cells, converting to energy----> your blood sugar levels go down.
When estrogen levels start to fall during peri-menopause, menopause and even post-menopause, your body can't move insulin into the cells as easily, and can't put glucose to work. Your pancreas may respond by creating more insulin, but without anything to carry it around the body, it can't keep up. And when your body can't put glucose to work, it collects and spikes - even when you're not chowing down on chocolate bars.
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Some things you can do:
-Stop eating sugar or limit it severely. Aside from raising your blood sugar and putting stress on your pancreas, it also causes inflammation throughout the body. Switch sweets for non-sugar items (flavoured teas, small amounts of fruit, etc.). Watch simple carbohydrates (white bread, cereal, rice, etc.), and avoid processed foods, which have a lot of hidden carbs, sugars, sodium and chemicals.
- Take estrogen therapy. The latest reports state that this can help keep this glucose-insulin cycle at bay. But I understand this is a very personal issue, and many people don't wish to go this route - and I completely understand. If this is you, or you can't take estrogen for any reason, it may be helpful to eat high-phytoestrogen foods such as tofu, flaxseeds, soy, nuts and berries, fruit, and some vegetables such as broccoli, brussel sprouts, and cauliflower. Phytoestrogens are plant compounds which act somewhat like estrogen in the body.
- Eat protein with each meal to lessen blood sugar spikes. Protein slows down your digestion, which in turn slows down the absorption of glucose, so that your blood sugar doesn't spike as high.
- Exercise (you've got this one down!). Your muscles absolutely require glucose to function. The more you use them, the more glucose they take from the body.
- Take care of yourself. When you're lacking sleep or stressed out, your body goes into flight, fight or freeze mode. It does this because, in the distant past, stress often meant there was a predator near by - and when there's a predator that you'll have to run, fight, or hide from, it's not the best time to use the washroom, eat, or make sure your body is otherwise working optimally; your body's only purpose at that time is to survive. Your body's energy resources are finite, not unlimited. As such, all the other systems shut down while hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline pump through your body to put all your available energy into running or fighting. This is how, over time, chronic stress can cause illness and disease - by improper focus of energy in the body.
If you're concerned about your blood sugar level, as always, speak to your medical team.
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