Healthy Hormones by Belinda Kirkpatrick

Author:Belinda Kirkpatrick
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Allen & Unwin
Published: 2017-12-15T05:00:00+00:00

SOMETIMES (BUT NOT

VERY OFTEN) FOODS

SUGAR

Refined sugar has been implicated in leaching important nutrients from the body, disrupting healthy gut bacteria, and creating and exacerbating inflammation, as well as affecting stress, mood and energy levels. Excessive refined sugar intake can create inflammation, which is an issue for those with endometriosis, painful periods, backache, acne and nausea[36].

Many women notice that when they have a month with more sugar (and caffeine and alcohol) in their diet, their menstrual and premenstrual symptoms seem to be worse. To check this out for yourself, try going without added sugar for a month. This means avoiding fruit juices, cakes, biscuits, soft drinks, processed foods and even honey. You may be surprised to know that things like white bread and breakfast cereals contain a lot of sugar!

I recommend that you check the ingredient list of packaged foods and avoid added sugar. Try to also minimise the use of natural sugars such as coconut sugar and maple syrup, which contain some beneficial nutrients but are still loaded with saccharides.

It is generally best not to replace processed sugar with a multitude of other sweeteners such as rice malt syrup, stevia, xylitol or dried fruit. These alternatives can be great for the occasional treat, but using them regularly will only keep the sweetness addiction going. If you do indulge in a sweet treat, be mindful: choose something you really like, sit down and enjoy the pleasure it brings.

IS SUGAR SO BAD?

Sugar in the blood causes the release of a hormone called insulin, which is closely connected to other hormones in the body including oestrogen and testosterone. Insulin levels in the blood spike after a high-sugar meal and lower the level of an important protein called sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG), which binds to hormones to allow their excretion from the body. Insulin also increases the production of testosterone, which is then converted into even more oestrogen by fatty tissue in the body. When a woman has polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) or her insulin levels are consistently high, insulin resistance can occur, affecting ovulation and implantation. Insulin resistance may also be a precursor to diabetes, so check with your GP if you are worried.

Excess sugar intake is also linked to increased cortisol production. After the sugar high, blood-sugar levels drop, which stimulates the adrenal glands to secrete cortisol and adrenaline to get our energy levels and mood back to normal. When excess cortisol is produced, progesterone production is compromised. The result of all this is oestrogen excess that can lead to irritability, insomnia, anxiety and negative menstrual symptoms.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.