Why Blood Sugar Imbalance Impacts So Much

IMMUNE SUPPORTGUT HEALTHHEALTHY SKINHORMONESMETABOLIC HEALTHBLOOD SUGAR
Written By TFN Admin

Did you know that blood sugar issues are the most common cause of hormone imbalance in women? In fact, many people dealing with symptoms like fatigue, brain fog, cravings, weight loss resistance, anxiety, or hormone imbalance are unknowingly riding a blood sugar roller coaster all day long. 

Blood sugar isn’t just a food issue (although food can affect it), it’s one major way our body communicates to itself. When your blood sugar is chronically high, low, or unstable:

  1. Your adrenals are activated to release cortisol to raise our blood sugar to protect you from dips → more cortisol = more stress and inflammation

  2. Your hormones (especially estrogen, progesterone, insulin, and thyroid hormones) can get out of sync

  3. Inflammation rises → worsening symptoms, from skin issues to joint pain

  4. Your energy and metabolism tank, because your cells aren’t getting the steady fuel they need

So if you’ve been feeling “off” and haven’t found answers, your blood sugar might be the place to start.

Signs Your Blood Sugar Might Be Out of Balance

High Blood Sugar:

  1. Midsection weight gain or insulin resistance

  2. Fatigue after meals

  3. Brain fog or sluggish focus

  4. Hormonal acne or cycle irregularities

  5. Cravings for sweets or starches, especially after meals

Low Blood Sugar:

  1. Shakiness, irritability, or lightheadedness between meals

  2. Feeling “hangry”

  3. Waking up at 2–4am hungry

  4. Feeling better immediately after eating

  5. Depending on caffeine to get started 

The most common reason for blood sugar imbalances we see in practice include:

  1. Consuming a high refined carbohydrate diet of 300+ g/day of carbs

  2. With this style diet our cells are continuously exposed to insulin through eating constantly throughout the day. Eventually the cells become insulin resistant and insulin can no longer get into the cells. This results in blood sugar spikes after meals and then crashes. 

  3. Skipping meals or under eating in general 

  4. Common reasons we see for this are not making time for meals, diet culture , being “too busy to eat”. This requires some big mindset shifts and understanding that YOU matter, YOU deserve to eat, not having time boils down to not making yourself a priority. 

  5. Combining a very low carbohydrate diet with high intensity training can lead to low blood sugar 

  6. If you find yourself crashing during workouts, relying on pre workout, feel dizzy during workouts, often feel weak during or after workouts, and struggle with sleep issues - these are all signs you are under fueling and overtraining. 

While we encourage you to listen to your body and the messages it sends you, we can also use data to track our blood sugar. One way is through bloodwork. Here are some optimal ranges to aim for when it comes to blood sugar:

  1. Fasting Glucose optimal range: 70-85 mg/dL

  2. Fasting Insulin optimal range: <8 μIU/mL

  3. Hemoglobin A1c optimal range: 4.8–5.3% 

Basic Ways To Promote Blood Sugar Balance

You don’t need a restrictive diet or expensive gadgets to start regulating your blood sugar. Try these foundational strategies:

  1. Build your plate with PFF (protein, fat, fiber) at every meal

  2. Eat within 60–90 minutes of waking don’t wait until your blood sugar crashes

  3. Avoid lonely carbs, try to pair carbs with protein or fat to reduce spikes

  4. Focus on consistent meal timing (every 3–5 hours) to reduce blood sugar dips

  5. Avoid skipping meals (including intermittent fasting with long fasting windows)

  6. Have caffeine with or after meals (caffeine on an empty stomach spikes blood sugar)

  7. Walk after meals

Want to Know Exactly What Your Body Needs?

That’s where the Carb Compatibility Project™ comes in. It’s our 4-week real food program designed to help you balance your blood sugar and find your unique carbohydrate threshold using your own body’s signals. 

If you’re dealing with symptoms like irregular cycles, stubborn weight, inflammation, or fatigue  and you suspect blood sugar might be part of the puzzle that’s exactly what we help uncover in our 1:1 care. It’s where we pull all the pieces together, look at your health through a functional lens, and create a personalized plan that actually makes sense for your body. If you are looking for deeper support sign up for our 1:1 Functional C.A.R.E Method™.

TFN Admin
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