Toxins And Hormones - The Hidden Blood Sugar Link You Need To Know
When you think about toxins and hormones, you might think of the impact on the liver. But if you have hormonal imbalances, the biggest issue might be in your blood sugar levels.
To understand the link between toxins and hormones, we need to look at how toxins can influence your insulin levels, and the ripple effect that has across your hormones.
The important link between toxins and hormones – insulin
Your insulin level can have a huge influence on your cycle through its impact on hormone synthesis and metabolism. High insulin levels can lead to hormonal imbalances including:
Elevated testosterone
PCOS
PMDD
Endometriosis
Low progesterone
Estrogen dominance
Although your diet is one consideration with insulin, it’s not the only one. Toxins are one of the most important factors when it comes to elevated insulin. That means you can be eating the healthiest diet, but if you’re exposed to toxins, you could struggle with PCOS, stubborn belly fat, acne and other symptoms of hormone imbalances.
Why does this occur? Put simply, toxin exposure initiates the stress response in the body. This spikes insulin production and can lead to insulin resistance.
Insulin resistance is when your insulin is high, but your body’s cells are unable to use it. This leads to higher blood sugar and increased insulin production (hyperinsulinemia).
We know that insulin resistance is linked to other serious chronic conditions including type 2 diabetes, endometriosis, PCOS and adrenal issues. So you want to get it under control ASAP.
How insulin, toxins and hormones form a downward spiral
When it comes to these three, there is a lot of interlinked mechanisms that set each other off. Let’s take a look at some of the ways these factors can lead to disease and chronic health concerns.
Storage of heavy metals
One of the most common toxin exposures is heavy metals. Elevated levels of heavy metals such as cadmium, arsenic and nickel have been linked to a higher risk of developing diabetes. This is because they can increase insulin resistance.
BPA and plastics
BPA, found in many plastics, can block insulin receptor sites and induce insulin resistance.
Although many have turned to BPA-free plastics, these plastics likely have a similar effect. Your best bet is to avoid plastic of any kind whenever possible.
The good news is that once you remove plastics from your lifestyle, it is often quick to detox BPA from your system.
Cytokines
Another common issue between toxins and hormones is cytokine production. Toxin exposure drives up cytokines, which are inflammatory proteins.
These proteins can cause different issues for different people – for some, it’s skin issues, while others may have IBS-like symptoms or aching joints. But they can also lead to the development of insulin resistance and metabolic diseases.
Cortisol
Your main stress hormone, cortisol, is another major player. When it rises, it can lead to gluconeogenesis – the conversion of compounds such as proteins into glucose (sugar).
As we know, toxin exposure triggers the stress response, including cortisol production. So toxins can lead your body to convert non-carbohydrate sources of energy into glucose. Even if you’re on a Paleo, low carbohydrate or ketogenic diet, you could have insulin issues and hormonal imbalances through this mechanism.
Zinc/copper balance
A healthy body maintains a careful balance between copper and zinc. Too much copper – caused by the contraceptive pill, endometriosis, high oestrogen and candida as examples – will induce a stress response. This elevates your insulin and throws off the hormone balance even further.
Glycation
This is when sugars bond with protein to create a molecule called an advanced glycation end product (AGEs). These molecules are sticky and contribute to ageing, metabolic disease and inflammation.
This is often caused by things such as vegetable oils, smoked foods, dried and overcooked meats, and high sugar foods (particularly fructose).
But another contributor to the production of AGEs is toxins. For example, it’s been found that cigarette smoke can contribute to AGEs.
How can I rebalance my hormones and reduce my insulin?
Now that you know some of the many links between your insulin, toxins and hormones, how can you bring everything back into balance?
The first step is to find out how you are being exposed to toxins and reduce or remove them whenever possible. Remember, some may be historical and you’ve been storing them for years or even decades! You may want to consider hair mineral testing if you’re unsure.
The second step is to bring your insulin back into range. This can include dietary changes, stress management, improving your sleep and adding in movement. The exact changes will depend on the causes and contributing factors.
The third step is to begin detoxifying. We don’t want this to be a fast process – you want to work on the liver, gallbladder and other systems to slowly bring the toxins out of the body. This is best done with supervision to reduce your likelihood of side effects.
If you want to get started on your own, some lymphatic care is a good place to start. You can learn more about lymphatic cleansing here. You might also like to add in spirulina and dietary polyphenols, particularly if AGEs are a concern.