DR. MIDORI BARKER NATUROPATHIC DOCTOR
How Is Stress Impacting My Hormones
PCOS, Cortisol & Blood Sugar
How Stress Affects Hormones in PCOS
There is a significant connection between PCOS, cortisol and blood sugar regulation by insulin. In today’s fast-paced world, stress can be ever present for people and impacts their physical and mental well-being. As a healthcare provider, I regularly witness the toll that stress takes on my patients, particularly in their hormonal health concerns. The modern lifestyle leaves little time to build resiliency practices into our daily lives and even though we may see tips and tricks on social media, it can be hard to know where to start.
The most common contributing force in PCOS is insulin resistance, whereby over time our cells become less responsive to the cues of insulin, which results in high circulating levels of insulin and glucose. The excess glucose will be stored as fat and the chronically high levels of insulin can impair ovulation, leading to missed periods and can stimulate enzymes that convert estrogen into testosterone, thereby contributing to the hirsutism, hair loss, and acne seen in PCOS.
What Drives Insulin Build-Up in PCOS?
We know that our diet has a big role to play here, but I want to talk about the way that our stress can result in insulin resistance.
Our nervous system can be divided into the sympathetic and parasympathetic. The two main stress hormones that govern the sympathetic nervous system are adrenaline and cortisol. While adrenaline provides an immediate burst of energy, cortisol acts more gradually, mobilizing additional glucose from the liver and providing a readily available energy source to fuel the body’s response to stress. So, when we’re stuck in the sympathetic state for too long, it can impair our blood sugar leading to high levels of insulin and down stream effects on our reproductive hormones.
On the other side of our nervous system, is the parasympathetic state, which is needed to feel safe in our body and promote proper digestion, sleep and rest. Ideally the body should be able to jump between these two states with ease, but most people are chronically over stimulated and stuck in a sympathetic state or shut down and numb.
Importance Of Stress Management And Cortisol Balance
In every patient, not just my PCOS patients – managing the stress response is foundational to the treatment plan. I usually start with herbs to support the body to move into the parasympathetic state, while working on lifestyle factors that will help your body be more resilient to real or perceived stressors.
If you’re finding yourself easily startled, you wake between 3-4AM, you are doom scrolling online, you lack motivation, you wake with dread, or you lack an appetite in the morning and crave sugar in the evenings then it’s time to take a closer look at your nervous system.
Your Doctor: Meet Dr. Midori
Dr. Midori Barker completed her Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine Degree at the Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine, and holds a BA in Psychology from the University of Guelph. She is licensed and registered as a Naturopathic Doctor in Ontario by The College of Naturopaths of Ontario (CONO) and is a member of the Canadian Association of Naturopathic Doctors (CAND) and the Ontario Association of Naturopathic Doctors (OAND).
She utilizes lab work to help pinpoint the root cause of your concern and creates a safe space where you can feel comfortable disclosing your health history. It is her goal to help empower you to achieve long-term health that fits your life, is sustainable, and is based on the best evidence. She incorporates the use of nutrition, lifestyle counselling, supplementation and botanical medicine in her treatment plans.
She has a special interest in female hormonal health, with a focus on PCOS and Thyroid conditions.
