If you’re a woman over 40, the topic of hormones is one that seems to come up a lot. And it’s true that hormonal health plays a massive role in pretty much every aspect of our overall health and wellbeing, from our energy levels, to our mood, to our ability to lose weight and keep it off. But even if you understand hormones in a general sense, you might still be wondering what they actually are, how they work, and how you can get your own hormones to start working FOR you, rather than against you.
So let’s talk about it.
The Role of Hormones in Health & Weight Loss
The reality is that hormones play a HUGE role in our overall health and well-being, and are responsible for regulating pretty much every major bodily function we have. They’re the chemical messengers that tell our cells what to do and how to do it. They affect everything from our energy levels, to our mood, to our appetite, to our metabolism, to our ability to get a good night’s sleep.
When our hormones are in balance, everything runs smoothly. But when they’re out of whack, it can throw our entire system out of balance, leading to all sorts of health problems and issues. And what a lot of people don’t understand about hormones is that they’re all interconnected, and they all work together. That means that when ONE of our hormones gets out of whack, it throws everything off.
And unfortunately, because of the way our modern lifestyle and diet has changed over the past few decades, hormonal imbalances have become increasingly common. Things like chronic stress, lack of sleep, processed foods, and environmental toxins can all wreak havoc on our hormones, leading to weight gain, fatigue, depression, anxiety, and a whole host of other health issues.
And then for women, especially women over 40, it gets even worse because as we get older, as you probably know, our hormones start changing A LOT. This is when perimenopause and menopause really come into play and make the other hormonal issues we’re already dealing with that much worse.
And so if you feel like your metabolism has suddenly just STOPPED WORKING and no matter WHAT you do or what you try, you’re not imagining it. Your body has basically created the perfect storm of hormonal crisis and it’s natural protective response to that crisis is to STORE FAT.
And so, when it comes to getting healthy and losing weight, it’s absolutely crucial that we address these underlying hormonal imbalances. And there’s probably no hormone more important (or more misunderstood) than the hormone INSULIN.
What is Insulin?
In a nutshell, insulin is a hormone that’s produced by an organ in our bodies called the pancreas. It’s responsible for regulating our blood sugar levels and plays a key role in metabolism, as well as in the breakdown and absorption of carbohydrates.
Whenever we eat food, especially carbohydrates, our blood sugar levels rise, and that triggers the release of insulin, which then helps to move that sugar out of the bloodstream and into our cells, where it can be used for energy.
And while that might sound like a good thing, and in many ways it is, especially when our bodies are functioning properly, the issue is that when we eat a lot of processed foods and simple carbohydrates, like sugar and white flour and highly processed seed oils, it causes our blood sugar levels to spike more frequently and for longer periods of time. And the more our blood sugar spikes, the more insulin our bodies have to produce to deal with that spike.
And over time, when we’re constantly eating these types of high-carb, processed foods, our bodies develop a condition called INSULIN RESISTANCE, which means our cells stop responding to insulin the way they’re supposed to. And that’s a big problem, because it means that our bodies are no longer able to effectively regulate our blood sugar levels, and all that extra sugar just ends up getting stored as fat.
Insulin as the “Fat Storage Hormone”
And that’s why insulin has often been called the “fat storage hormone,” because when we have too much of it, and our bodies are not able to use it properly, it causes us to gain weight, and makes it really difficult for us to lose that weight.
And that’s also why, if you’re trying to lose weight, it’s so important to address any underlying insulin resistance or hormonal imbalances you might have.
But before we talk about how to do that, and how to actually get your insulin working FOR you, rather than against you, I think it would be helpful to better understand some of the most common causes of insulin resistance, and why it’s become such a big problem in our society today.
Because if you’re wondering why there is an obesity epidemic in this country, why 80% of adults and more than 50% of teens are now considered overweight and why we just keep getting fatter and fatter and fatter, this is the reason. Everything we’re all eating all the time is making us sick and fat.
Causes of Insulin Resistance
Because the reality is that insulin resistance is a huge problem, and it’s one that’s only getting worse. In fact, it’s estimated that up to 88% of adults in the US have some degree of insulin resistance, and that 34% of all adults in the US are actually diabetic. And those numbers are projected to double by 2030.
So how did we get here? What are the most common causes of insulin resistance, and why is it such a big problem? Well, according to Dr. Benjamin Bikman, the author of the book, Why We Get Sick, there are actually a number of factors that are contributing to the insulin resistance epidemic.
The first and most obvious one, which I already mentioned a few minutes ago, is our diet. The standard American diet, which is high in processed foods, simple carbohydrates, and unhealthy fats, is a recipe for disaster when it comes to insulin resistance. These types of foods cause our blood sugar levels to spike, which in turn leads to more insulin production, and eventually our bodies just can’t keep up.
But it’s not just our diet that’s the problem. Our modern lifestyle in general is wreaking havoc on our hormones, and specifically on our insulin levels. Things like chronic stress, lack of sleep, and exposure to environmental toxins can all contribute to insulin resistance. And then there’s also the issue of genetics. Some people are just more predisposed to insulin resistance than others, and so if you have a family history of diabetes or other insulin-related issues, you’re more likely to be at risk.
Finally, there are certain demographic and socioeconomic factors that can also contribute to insulin resistance. For example, people of Hispanic, African, or Asian descent are more likely to develop insulin resistance, as are people who live in poverty or who don’t have access to healthy, affordable food options.
So those are some of the most common causes of insulin resistance. But what can you actually do about it? How do you start to reverse insulin resistance and get your hormones back in balance? And how do you use insulin to your advantage, rather than letting it work against you?
The Role of Insulin in Weight Loss
And honestly, it’s not always a simple answer, because there isn’t really a one-size-fits-all solution. Because while it’s true that we can all benefit from eating a healthier diet and making better choices for our overall health, the reality is that we all have slightly different needs and slightly different metabolisms. And not only that, but there are also many different factors that can contribute to insulin resistance, so what works for one person may not necessarily work for someone else.
But the good news is that regardless of your individual circumstances and health …
