Fertility, menopause, and everything in between.
Over the weekend I was asked if carnivore, zero carb, or low carb can help with fertility and hormone issues.
First, the disclaimer: I can’t guarantee anything or make any promises. I’d bet my life savings, but I can’t promise.
Short answer: YES!
Keeping your carb intake as low as possible will keep your insulin low. Many issues with fertility and hormone imbalance at any age can be traced to a constant flood of insulin. Metformin can help to lower insulin, but this presents two problems from my understanding. 1. It goes back to my analogy concerning diabetics – rather than change your diet, the doctor prescribes another medication. Where if you just reduce the foods that are causing the issue, you wouldn’t need the medication. 2. It simply masks the issue and many women trying to become pregnant do not want additional medications in their system, and therefore the baby’s.
Long answer: YES!
When you consume sugar and carbs, they become glucose in your body. Insulin is released to level things out. If you are having sugar and carbs throughout the day, the insulin and your pancreas never has a break. Insulin is a storage hormone – storing glucose, fat, salt, and water. This is a stressor on your body, also keeping cortisol levels high. Cortisol is a stress hormone.
This is the perfect storm to create insulin resistance. This means your hormones are not receiving the proper signals. It’s like a break in the communication system in your cells. You stop ovulating, or ovulate infrequently. Your cycle may be irregular, you may develop PCOS. All of these things will go against what your body was made to do. With those hormones now being out of whack and receiving no communication, pregnancy loss is also a higher risk.
SO, consuming very low carb foods like berries, spinach, some nuts, etc., will go a long way to reducing your insulin and keeping glucose levels nice and steady. Though carbs are NOT essential even during pregnancy.
Protein’s Role
Consuming more protein will help with muscle support and building another human! Eggs, burgers, bacon, steak, chicken, wings – any beef, pork, chicken, or fish. As we get older, prioritizing protein is even more important. Keeping carbs at a minimum, steady glucose levels, and low insulin, are important to reduce inflammation. Protein keeps muscles strong to protect bones. Low insulin lowers cardiovascular risk.
Fat’s Role
Fat is also essential in healing and supporting hormones in all humans. I’m talking about animal fat – eat the fat on the meat, have some cheese, cook in tallow, lard, butter, or ghee. Healing your hormones and eating to support them is a big deal! Hormones require fat. Every cell in your body requires fat to function properly.
Check out YouTube videos from Kelly Hogan, Neisha Berry, and others who had hormonal imbalances, PCOS, Hashimoto’s, and once they were able to heal, they were able to successfully conceive and have healthy, full-term pregnancies.
This is also helpful information for women who are going through menopause!