In the last post we talked about how imbalanced blood sugar can have a negative impact on our health. So my next question is what do we do about it? To be fair balancing hormones and blood sugar requires WAY more explanation than I could fit in this one blog post, but my goal is to provide some information on where you should start!
- Examine the quality of your food. It is a myth that all calories are the same. A 500-calorie donut is going to impact your body differently than 500 calories of beef and veggies. Make sure you are eating nutrient rich foods so you benefit from the micronutrients!
- Limit inflammatory foods like bread, pasta, cookies, alcohol, etc. The liver is the organ responsible for cleaning up our hormones. If the liver is overloaded with trying to manage crazy spikes in blood sugar and environmental toxins, then it will be less able to clean up and balance the hormones in the body.
- Reduce your exposure to environmental toxins. Did you know that on a daily basis we are exposed to a wide variety of chemicals called endocrine disruptors? That receipt they give you at the grocery store has BPA, which will increase your body’s production of estrogen. When you wash your hands, the soap has preservatives that can negatively impact your reproductive system. When you put on make-up you’re exposed to formaldehyde, which is a neurotoxin and has also been linked to asthma. When you get your hair colored or wash your hair you are exposing yourself to coal tar, which is a known carcinogen. I don’t say this to create fear but to bring awareness to the impact these chemicals have on our hormones.
- Pair your sugar intake with protein and fat. When you eat sugar in isolation, it spikes your blood sugar levels at a higher rate. When you eat sugar with fat it will raise your blood sugar but your body will be able to handle the excess sugar since your levels will rise in a more balanced manner.
- Check the Environmental Working Group’s Dirty Dozen List! These are foods that have the highest levels of pesticides and chemicals. I know budgets are important so if prioritize this list when deciding when to purchase organic or not!
Next we are going to talk about Superfoods! Stay tuned!