These 3 Things Will Sabotage Your Hormones and Metabolism
Have you ever wondered if you're unintentionally messing with your hormones and metabolism? When it comes to health, you may find yourself on a hamster wheel of constantly trying new trends like intermittent fasting, high intensity interval training, or the newest supplement, all of which can be good… depending on the person. Nutrition and lifestyle are highly personalized and what works for one person may not work for another. In the pursuit of health, you may end up creating imbalance in the body, oftentimes perpetuating hormone and metabolic disturbances you may think you’re helping! Keep reading to discover three things that can sabotage your hormone and metabolic health.
Under eating
Whether intentional or unintentional, under eating can negatively impact your hormones and metabolism. Protein and fat serve as building blocks for hormones. Without sufficient healthy fat and protein intake, hormone production and function won’t be optimal. Nourishment is essential for healthy hormones and metabolism! Protein and fat in particular are important for balanced blood sugar which is also a key component of hormone and metabolic health. If blood sugar is out of control, your hormones will be too. Stable and consistent blood sugar levels are necessary for hormone balance and a healthy metabolism, which brings me to my next point.
Blood sugar variability
Glycemic variability is terrible for overall health, but especially hormone health. Rather than being on the blood sugar roller coaster of highs and lows, we want blood glucose to remain stable and within a fairly narrow range. Blood sugar irregularities including both high and low blood sugar can contribute to hormone imbalances in numerous ways affecting everything from our sex hormones to our adrenal hormones. The interplay between blood sugar and hormone health can be seen in Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS). For example, hyperglycemia (aka high blood sugar) and subsequent high insulin levels (aka insulin resistance) can result in the increased production of androgens such as testosterone in PCOS. Low blood sugar can have negative effects as well, putting your body in “flight or fight” mode and raising cortisol levels, the body’s primary stress hormone. Blood sugar balance is essential for hormone balance and metabolic health.
Nutrient deficiencies
Micronutrients, including vitamins and minerals, drive cellular processes supporting energy production and metabolism. You may have heard of the many benefits of magnesium before - it’s an amazing mineral that’s involved in 300+ biochemical reactions in the body, it’s also required for the production of ATP (or energy). In other words, you can’t make energy without magnesium! Micronutrients are also key for hormone health. For example, low potassium can result in poor insulin secretion, negatively impacting blood sugar. Iodine, selenium, zinc, and vitamin A are all important micronutrients for thyroid health. These are just a few examples highlighting how important micronutrients are for overall health, and how insufficiencies can cause dysfunction in the body, impacting everything from hormones to metabolism.
All three of the above factors are interconnected. Under eating can result in imbalanced blood sugar and nutrient deficiencies, nutrient deficiencies can drive blood sugar disturbances, etc. So in summary, to support hormone and metabolic health it’s important to nourish your body with sufficient macro- and micronutrients and prioritize blood sugar balance!
Are you interested in learning how to balance your hormones naturally? Do you want to support a robust metabolism and have vibrant energy? Book a FREE clarity call with me today (using this link) to learn more about how a personalized approach that addresses your unique root causes can get you feeling well again!