WOMAN AND LOW-CARB DIET

Many times the problems related to hormonal alteration throughout a woman's life are due to a low-fat diet and, of course, excess carbohydrates, such as sugars and refined flours. The use of ultra-processed vegetable oils also negatively influences symptoms during different life stages of women.

A low-carb diet is useful for treating many discomforts related to the menstrual cycle, since diet can change health at different female stages.

Discover below some of the effects that this type of diet can cause in the different vital periods of women:

Fertility

When a woman is having difficulty getting pregnant, it is important to take a look at what types and amounts of carbohydrates she is consuming. The ideal would be to reduce the consumption of pasta and white or refined breads and opt for other types of carbohydrates, such as tubers.

This will help blood sugar to be lower and insulin levels to be reduced significantly. In this way, fertility will be promoted , because alterations in ovulation derived from hyperinsulinemia are avoided.

In these cases, it is also recommended to increase the intake of foods high in omega 3 and 6 to about 350 g weekly, as it will help the immune system by improving the health of the ovaries and eggs.

Pregnancy

During pregnancy it is recommended to increase the amount of healthy fats . This growth with a higher energy contribution is interesting to face a stage where requirements are increased.

During pregnancy, more than ever, women should avoid saturated fats from, for example, industrial baked goods and focus on unsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. The former, coming from olive oil and nuts, will strengthen blood vessels during pregnancy. The latter, for their part, are rich in omega 3 and ideal for the correct brain and eye development of the baby. We can find them in vegetable oils, seeds and animals such as sardines or mackerel.

Menopause

It has been shown that a low-carb diet can improve some of the problems related to menopause, such as inflammation, hot flashes or fatigue, a recurring symptomatology during the withdrawal of menstruation. A low-carbohydrate diet, if it is adequate in providing healthy fats, is the anti-inflammatory option par excellence , since it focuses on foods rich in omega 3 and antioxidants.

At the same time, this type of diet also helps reduce other effects such as difficulty concentrating because our body, when entering ketosis, uses a more powerful energy source than glucose, ketone bodies. When we start a sustained ketogenic diet, the cognitive benefits are the first to manifest. Among them, greater mental performance , attention , memory and less fatigue are achieved, in addition to greater regulation of hot flashes .

It is very important to take care of our diet, given that some studies confirm the effectiveness of a low-carb diet to treat insulin resistance, which is a problem that is usually exacerbated by the drop in estrogen characteristic of menopause.