The connection between menopause and blood sugar control is more complex than many women realise, with the body’s nervous system playing a crucial role.
During perimenopause, the nervous system becomes particularly sensitive to changes in blood glucose levels.
Menopause coach, Eileen Durward, explained what our blood sugar levels are and how they relate to menopause.
She said: “Your brain needs glucose as a fuel, so levels must stay constant in the blood all the time. And sometimes your blood sugar levels get a bit low. If it starts to get too low, the body has then got to give you some kind of warning signal that it’s time to eat something.
Hot flushes are common for women going through menopause
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“[These warning signs are] normally hunger pangs and very often that is something we will then address. It could also be sweet cravings as well.
“But if we ignore this, if we are too busy or if something else is going on, or we cannot get something to eat, then eventually the blood sugar levels will get a little bit lower, and the body has to give us a bigger signal. And this is where our nervous system sometimes gets pulled in.
“The problem is just now that our nervous system is already under a lot of pressure because of everything that is going on around menopause. And what happens here is it tends to get oversensitive. So instead of being sensible and just giving us a little nudge to say, ‘eat something,’ it tends to go overboard.
“What happens is we tend to get menopause-like symptoms. So the nervous system will trigger things like hot flushes, anxiety or panic attacks. It could be palpitations too.”
To combat our nervous system triggering these menopause-like symptoms, Eileen outlined how women can help themselves in that situation.
Avoid sugar and caffeine
The expert said: “First of all if you get any sort of food cravings, try and avoid sugar and caffeine because these are big participants in getting your blood sugar level up too quickly.”
Plan your meals
Making sure you are well prepared for what to eat will put you in a better position than being in a rush. Eileen emphasised having set meals at the right times of the day.
Eating healthy snacks in between meals is a great thing women can do
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Eat good healthy fats and protein
The menopause coach said: “Make sure you are eating enough, and that would include plenty of protein and good fats. Good healthy fats and protein will keep your blood sugar levels more stable than any sugary snack will do.”
Eat healthy snacks between meals
Low-calorie, healthy snacks are one of the best things women can do in between meals.
The expert recommended unsulphured apricots, figs and Medjool dates as foods to eat in between your main meals.
