
Sugar – we all love it! But like everything in life, enjoying it in moderation is key to good health. A long list of problems is caused by eating excess sugar, which is hidden in many of our foods (think white bread, rice and pasta, yogurt, alcohol, and energy bars). Insulin, which converts blood glucose into energy, has to work much harder when excess amounts of sugar are eaten. This ultimately leads to insulin resistance and excess amounts of glucose in the blood, which eventually gets stored as fat and raises the risk of diabetes.
Other effects of sugar on your body include:
Lowered immune system
Poor skin
Increased stress levels
Depressed thyroid function
Depleted B vitamins, responsible for energy and mental health
Excess testosterone production in women
Reduced testosterone production in men
Addressing blood sugar dysregulation is a key step in balancing your hormones. Balanced blood sugar promotes balanced hormones. You can use this reference guide as a resource for what and when to eat for balanced blood sugar levels. MEAL TIMING
Eat within 1 hour of waking up.
Space your meals 5-6 hours apart.
Avoid snacking before bedtime.
Fast from after dinner until breakfast
Drink plenty of water - but not during meals.
The ideal food combination: Protein + Fat + Carbohydrate + Fiber
Whenever possible, avoid eating carbohydrates alone. Pair your carbohydrates with protein and fat, even when snacking. For example, eating crackers with peanut butter is better than just crackers alone, despite adding more calories and fat to your snack.
CONSUME OMEGA-3 FATTY ACIDS • Oily fish, like salmon
• Flax seed • Walnuts • Eggs
INCLUDE MAGNESIUM-CONTAINING FOODS IN YOUR DIET • Dark leafy greens - especially spinach and swiss chard
• Pumpkin and sunflower seeds • Sea vegetables - such as kelp and dulse • Black beans • Almonds, cashews, Brazil nuts and pecans • Cacao or high cacao-content dark chocolate
• Avocados
• Bananas • Eat foods that help heal insulin resistance:
• Alfalfa • Algae and seaweed • Avocado • Basil • Bitter melon • Blueberries • Broccoli • Brussels sprouts • Cabbage • Cardamom • Carob • Cinnamon • Citrus peel extract • Cucumber • Garlic • Ginger • Greens • Jerusalem artichoke • Onion • Turmeric
Source:
IIN Hormone Health
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