365 Ways #172–The importance of blood sugar post pregnancy/menopause

#172–Having trouble losing weight after a pregnancy or after menopause? Both of these problems could be related to your progesterone levels which tend to drop post pregnancy and post menopause. Since this vital hormone enhances thyroid function, losing fat becomes more difficult than before when levels of progesterone were adequate. Therefore, it becomes even more essential to keep blood sugar levels stable so stress hormones are not adversely affected. How do you accomplish that?

--by eating right for your metabolic type (which often means more protein and fat)
--go no longer than 4hrs between feedings
--additionally, consumption of alcohol, medical drugs, or foods you're intolerant of (i.e. gluten, dairy, soy, etc) can inflame the gut wall. The resulting increase in cortisol and stimulation of the sympathetic nervous system results in weight gain as the body breaks down its own muscle proteins and mobilizes glycogen from the liver to elevate blood sugar levels.