Insulin and how does it work
Inuslin has a say in how all the other hormones in the body behave. Like cortisol, it affects our sex hormones to such a degree that if it is out of whack, attempts to get those hormones in balance will be minimally effective at best.
Insulin’s main job is to help keep blood sugar levels stable. When food enters the body and is converted to glucose, the pancreas releases insulin to help move that glucose from the bloodstream into your cells so you can use it as energy. Pretty straightforward, right?
The problem arises when you eat too many carbohydrates — and unfortunately, this happens on a daily basis for pretty much everyone.
Glucose levels in the body are tightly regulated, so when we dig into, say, two scoops of vanilla ice cream (which has about 28 grams of sugar), our pancreas has to step up production of insulin big-time. Too much glucose in our blood can be toxic, so our body is quite aggressive in getting any excess out of there.
And just to be on the safe side, it usually errs on the side of removing more glucose than is necessary. This swift reduction in glucose in the blood leads to what’s known as a blood sugar crash. What happens when your blood sugar drops so quickly? You feel faint and lethargic and you get “hangry.” How many times a week do you feel this way? You know what else raises insulin levels? Stress. Stress raises cortisol levels, and cortisol raises your blood sugar. As your blood sugar goes up, your insulin levels rise, too.
High blood sugar and insulin levels are directly and indirectly linked to PMS, PCOS, endometriosis, fibroids, heavy and painful periods, migraines, depression, anxiety, acne . . . and the list goes on. Just about every cell in your body is affected by too much insulin. The link between insulin hyperproduction and your sex hormones is why hormonal imbalances always — yes, always — improve when you eat to stabilize your blood sugar.
We will work on it and so you don’t need to worry about it right now. Read about pancreas functioning here
