Blood Sugar Balance: The Foundation of Hormone Health
If you have ever felt that shaky, “hangry,” energy-crash feeling, you already understand blood sugar more than you think. And if you are in a fertility, pregnancy, or postpartum season, blood sugar balance matters even more because your body is doing a lot of behind-the-scenes work.
When blood sugar feels steady, most people notice more stable energy, fewer cravings, better sleep, and a calmer emotional baseline. When it feels rocky, everything can feel harder than it needs to. Your mood, stress response, appetite, and even your hormones can start feeling a little more sensitive. Let’s explore a few foundational habits that make your body feel safer, steadier, and more supported.
What “blood sugar” actually means
Blood sugar is the amount of glucose in your bloodstream. Glucose is one of your body’s main energy sources, especially for the brain. In pregnancy, it is also an important fuel source for your growing baby.
Every time you eat carbohydrates (fruit, oats, bread, potatoes, rice, beans, sweets), your body breaks them down into glucose. Then insulin helps move glucose from your blood into your cells so it can be used for energy.
Think of your metabolism like a campfire.
Carbs are kindling: quick energy, burns fast.
Protein and fat are the logs: slower, steadier fuel.
Balanced meals and snacks keep the fire steady, which supports energy, mood, and that sense of calm in your body.
This is why the goal is not “no spikes ever.” The goal is fewer extreme swings, so your energy fire stays steady instead of flaring up and burning out.
Why blood sugar balance supports hormone health
Your hormones are like a conversation between systems. Metabolism, stress, sleep, thyroid, and reproductive hormones are constantly communicating with each other. When blood sugar swings are frequent, two big things tend to happen.
1. Insulin may run higher more often
If your body needs to produce more insulin to keep up with big swings, that can create metabolic stress over time. In PCOS specifically, insulin resistance and higher insulin levels can contribute to increased androgen production, which may worsen symptoms like irregular cycles, acne, and unwanted hair growth. (Refs 1–3)
2. Your stress hormones step in to “rescue” you
When blood sugar drops too low, your body releases stress hormones and counter-regulatory signals to bring glucose back up. This is a normal safety mechanism, but if it happens repeatedly, it can feel like anxiety, irritability, shakiness, racing thoughts, and poor sleep.
This is why blood sugar balance can feel like emotional balance. It is not “all in your head.” It is your physiology doing its job. And if you are pregnant, steadier blood sugar can also help support nausea management simply by helping your stomach not stay empty for too long.
Signs your blood sugar might be swinging
A few common signs include:
Energy crashes, especially mid-morning or mid-afternoon
Feeling shaky, lightheaded, or suddenly ravenous
Irritability or “hangry” mood shifts
Intense cravings for sugar or carbs
Waking up at night and struggling to fall back asleep
Nausea that feels worse when your stomach is empty (especially in pregnancy) (Ref 6)
If you’re pregnant: a gentle note about nausea
If you are in a nausea season, blood sugar balance can help simply by keeping your stomach from going totally empty. ACOG commonly recommends strategies like eating several mini meals a day and choosing small bites (like crackers) to avoid an empty stomach.
Try:
Eating something small within 30 minutes of waking
Keeping a bedside snack
Building mini meals instead of forcing big plates
Some days the win is “something is better than nothing.” That is not just comforting. It is supportive physiology.
The most important principle (and the easiest one to remember)
Blood sugar tends to stay steadier when you pair carbohydrates with protein, fiber, and fat. Protein and fat can slow gastric emptying, and fiber can slow absorption, which helps blunt sharp glucose spikes. (Refs 7–9)
If you remember nothing else, remember this:
Carbs + Protein + Fiber + Fat = steadier energy.
Simple tips for daily support
Start your day with protein
Protein at breakfast helps many people feel steadier through the morning. It is like placing a solid log on the fire early, so you are not chasing kindling all day. If a number is helpful, you can aim for a stronger protein anchor over time, but you do not need to start there. Start with “protein first,” then build.
Easy options:
Eggs plus something simple on the side
Greek yogurt with chia and nut butter
A smoothie with milk (or soy milk) and protein powder
Avoid skipping meals
Consistency matters more than perfection. Skipping meals is one of the fastest ways to put your campfire out. Your body can relight it, but that effort often feels like cravings, irritability, and that “why do I suddenly need sugar right now” urgency.
If you’re full meals feel hard, mini meals every 3–4 hours can work beautifully. This is especially supportive in pregnancy and postpartum, when appetite can be unpredictable and your nervous system often does better with steadier input. A mini meal can be as simple as: carb + protein or carb + fat. It doesn’t have to be fancy!
Add fiber-rich foods
Fiber slows digestion and helps reduce sharp spikes after carbohydrate-rich meals. Instead of trying to overhaul your diet, try adding one “fiber buddy” to what you already eat:
Add berries or chia to yogurt
Add greens or a salad to a sandwich
Add beans or lentils to soup, tacos, or bowls
Add flax to oats or smoothies
If your digestion is sensitive, build slowly and always increase water along with fiber to support proper elimination.
Stay hydrated
Hydration supports normal metabolic function, including glucose regulation. If plain water feels hard, sparkling water, herbal tea, broth, or water with lemon can be a great option. A simple habit: take a few sips every time you stand up, use the restroom, or switch tasks. If breastfeeding, I recommend aiming for 8oz per nursing session.
Enjoy sweets mindfully
This is a big one for hormone health and sanity. You do not need to completely eliminate sweets to support your hormones. The goal is helping sweetness “land” more gently in your body so you feel satisfied vs. the spike then crash cycle. If carbs are kindling to our campfire, sweets are the quickest kindling of all. That is not bad. It just means they burn fast. Two tools that can be helpful are timing and pairing.
Timing: choose a moment when your body is already supported
Sweets tend to hit harder when your stomach is empty or when you have gone a long time without a balanced meal. In those moments, your body is more likely to get a quick spike, followed by a drop that can feel like more cravings, irritability, or the “I need something else” feeling.
A steadier approach is enjoying sweets:
After a balanced meal, especially lunch or dinner
After a balanced snack, if an afternoon sweet is your thing
Not as the first thing you eat in the day, if you notice it leads to cravings later
This is not about rules. It is about choosing timing that supports steadier energy.
Pairing: add a “log” to the kindling
Pairing simply means you keep the sweet, but you add something that slows digestion and softens the glucose rise. In other words, you add a “log” to the kindling. Protein, fat, and fiber help do that.
Here’s what pairing looks like in real life:
If you want something sweet, have it with a protein or fat source.
If you are reaching for fruit, consider adding a fat or protein companion (like strawberries and a handful of almonds).
If you want dessert, try enjoying it after a balanced meal rather than on it’s own.
The goal is that you still feel the pleasure and satisfaction of the sweet, but your blood sugar fire stays steadier instead of flaring up and burning out.
And one more gentle note: if sweets feel especially hard to manage, it is often not because you lack willpower. It can be a sign of under-eating earlier in the day, not getting enough protein, or running on stress and low sleep. That is not shame-worthy. It is useful information we can work with!
If you take anything from this, let it be this: steadiness is the goal. You do not have to track every bite or eat perfectly to support your hormones. Start with a protein anchor, aim for consistent meals or mini meals, add a “fiber buddy,” and keep hydration steady. Then let timing and pairing help you enjoy sweets in a way that feels good in your body. Small, supportive changes create a ripple effect, and you deserve a plan that feels realistic in your season.
If blood sugar balance feels confusing, or you suspect insulin resistance or PCOS may be part of your story, you do not have to figure it out alone. Supporting blood sugar is one of the most effective “first steps” I use with clients because it can create a ripple effect for cravings, energy, mood, and hormone steadiness. If you want to create a plan that aligns with your personal needs my health coaching and nutrition services are here to support you!
Download my easy, printable blood sugar guide (with lots of meal combination ideas), download my Blood Sugar 101 Guide.
Disclaimer: This blog is for educational and informational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. The content shared is intended to support general wellness and nutrition education, and it does not constitute medical nutrition therapy. Nothing on this site is intended to diagnose, prescribe, treat, cure, or prevent any disease or condition. Always consult your physician, midwife, or other qualified healthcare provider before making changes to your diet, supplement routine, or lifestyle, especially if you are trying to conceive, pregnant, postpartum, breastfeeding, have a medical condition, or take medications. Individual needs vary, and what is appropriate for one person may not be appropriate for anothe