What Happened to My Body When I Quit Sugar During Perimenopause
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Most women expect perimenopause to bring a few changes.
Weight gain, brain fog, mood swings — the usual suspects.
But what surprised me wasn’t the hormones.
It was what sugar was doing behind the scenes.
At the time, I had no idea that unstable blood sugar — fueled by sugar and constant glucose spikes — was quietly making everything worse.
I had been slender my entire life.
When I was eight months pregnant, people could barely tell.
After my baby was born, the eight extra pounds disappeared almost effortlessly.
But in my mid-30s, something shifted.
Almost overnight, I went from 140 pounds to 190.
I was hitting the gym every morning.
I drank what I thought were healthy smoothies.
And somehow… I was gaining weight faster.
Common Perimenopause Symptoms I Was Experiencing
Then list clearly:
Brain fog
Mood swings
Fatigue
Weight gain
Sleep disruption
Irritability.
How Perimenopause Symptoms Affected My Mood, Sleep, and Anxiety
I wanted to scream like the girl in a horror movie, but I said nothing. I was so embarrassed.
My weight was only one of the many issues I was dealing with. I felt bloated after eating. My intestines would make loud noises at the most unexpected moments — really loud. It was funny, but also embarrassing.
My mood was a different story. I found myself completely intolerant of nonsense, injustice, and stupidity.
On a scale of 1 to 5, my irritability felt like 100. Yes, it was that bad. Does it sound familiar?
I would wake up at 2 a.m. with a surge of panic, convinced something was wrong. I didn’t understand what was happening to me, but I knew something wasn’t right.
How Sugar and Blood Sugar Spikes Affect Women’s Hormones
When we eat sugar or refined carbs, blood sugar rises quickly. The body releases insulin to bring it back down. When this happens repeatedly, it can create spikes and crashes that influence more than just energy.
Insulin interacts with cortisol, the body’s main stress hormone. Elevated cortisol over time can disrupt sleep, mood, and how we store fat. Blood sugar swings can also influence estrogen and progesterone balance — which is why symptoms can feel hormonal, even when food is the real trigger.
When blood sugar becomes more stable, many women notice something subtle but powerful: fewer mood swings, steadier energy, and better sleep.
Stability, not restriction, is the goal.
If you want to understand more about how blood sugar instability affects long-term health, I share more details in my post on how we improved blood sugar naturally.
Why Perimenopause Alone Didn’t Explain My Symptoms
They told me it was perimenopause, or it could even be menopause.
What? I am too young for that.
So, I did what anyone with a stubborn brain and too many questions does. I did my research, and I didn’t stop after one article or one doctor’s opinion. I researched for months until I found what felt like my truth.
What I Learned About Hormones, Aging, and Blood Sugar
When we’re younger and hormonally balanced, those hormones act like an invisible shield. We can eat junk, ultra-processed food, sugar, chemicals, and our bodies absorb the hit without screaming too loudly. We feel mostly fine. Almost invincible.
When hormones drop — whether from age, stress, or years of pushing our bodies too hard — that shield weakens.
Suddenly, everything hits differently.
Food, habits, and life are the same. But now we feel it.
Inflammation is louder. Sleep gets fragile. Anxiety creeps in. Energy crashes harder.
It’s not that our bodies suddenly “betrayed” us. It’s that they stopped buffering the things that were already hurting us.
That’s when the message becomes clear:
If the shield is fading, the lifestyle has to change.
The Connection Between Blood Sugar and My Perimenopause Symptoms
I never imagined that the real cause of many of my symptoms wasn’t menopause or perimenopause at all. It was what I was eating.
My diet was what most people consider normal: highly processed foods, hidden sugars, and convenience meals. Probably not that different from yours.
So, I decided to get methodical.
I tracked everything. Every meal, the time I ate, the ingredients, and the symptoms that showed up afterward.
What I discovered shocked me.
Every mood swing.
Every tear.
Every wave of sadness.
Every moment I thought, Why do I feel so miserable?
Even arguments.
Almost all of it happened within two hours after eating.
That was my first real clue.
Yet knowing something is wrong and knowing what to do instead are two very different things.
At that point, I had no idea what I should be eating.
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What Happened When I Quit Sugar and Switched to Low Carb
Then one day a video popped up on my phone — one of those oddly well-timed YouTube suggestions that makes you wonder who’s listening.
It talked about low-carb eating, cutting sugar, ketogenic diets, and intermittent fasting.
I thought, why not?
I committed to trying it for one month. No drama, just an experiment, and I kept tracking everything like before.
This time, the results shocked me in a completely different way.
My symptoms disappeared.
My mood stabilized.
My energy came back.
I even lost weight.
One month.
That’s all it took for me to start feeling like myself again.
No synthetic hormones.
No complicated protocols.
Just changing what was on my plate.
But once I saw the connection, I couldn’t unsee it again.
That’s when I officially divorced from sugar and highly processed food.
Life After Quitting Sugar: 10 Years Later
I’ve been living this way for about ten years now — low carb, zero sugar, and intermittent fasting. No extra weight. No sadness, no depression, none of the strange symptoms I used to deal with.
How Quitting Sugar Improved My Sleep and Energy
I sleep like a baby. When the sun goes down, I go down. By 5 a.m., I’m up and ready to move — literally ready to rock ’n’ roll. My mind is sharp, and my energy stays steady through the day.
I’m not extreme about it. Sometimes I eat something sweet, but it’s low-carb and zero-sugar. Most days I eat twice — around 11:30 a.m. and again before 5 p.m. There’s a big reason for that. Going to bed while your stomach is still busy digesting food and expecting deep, restorative sleep? That just doesn’t make sense.
I’ve also written about the cortisol–insulin connection and how stress hormones influence sleep and weight.
The Best Exercise Approach for Me After Perimenopause
Movement is part of it too. I don’t do high-impact workouts anymore, and nothing extreme — 20 minutes of focused exercise is plenty. What really helps is walking. In winter, I walk inside the mall like I’m casually window-shopping — easy, relaxed, no pressure. And during the few good months we get here in North Dakota, I head to the park, surrounded by trees and fresh air.
Supplements That Support Hormones and Blood Sugar Balance
Some links below are affiliate links, so I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
At some point, I decided to support my body with supplements. Living through long North Dakota winters means very little sun, so Vitamin D3 became a must for me to help keep my levels where they should be.
I also focus a lot on gut support and microbiome diversity (Check my post here), and I make sure I’m getting nutrients like, the gallbladder-support formula to optimize stomach acids. Magnesium L-threonate for brain health. Essential Multivitamins along with a few others. Berberine, to control blood sugar and supplements depending on what my body needs.
I wrote more about the supplements I personally use to support blood sugar stability and metabolic health here.
One thing I’ve learned, though, is that quality really matters. Supplements should be third-party tested and properly sourced — otherwise you’re just guessing.
Why I Choose Quality, Third-Party Tested Supplements
After trying different brands, I ended up sticking withMomentous. Their quality, testing standards, and formulas felt reliable to me, which is why I’m comfortable recommending them.
If you decide to try them, you can use my link and code MARTRUTT at checkout. It gives you
• 35% off first-time subscriptions (the code stacks with their usual discount).
• 10% off future subscription orders.
• 14% off one-time purchases.
I only recommend products I personally use and trust. If you choose to try them, my code may offer a discount.
Important to know:
This post shares personal experience and general information, not medical advice. What worked for me may not be right for you. Health decisions are deeply individual. Please talk to your doctor or healthcare provider before starting or changing any treatment, supplement, or wellness approach.
FAQ: Quitting Sugar and Perimenopause Symptoms
Can quitting sugar improve perimenopause symptoms?
Some women notice improvements in mood swings, energy crashes, and sleep when blood sugar becomes more stable. While perimenopause is a hormonal transition, blood sugar fluctuations can amplify symptoms.
Does sugar affect hormones during perimenopause?
High sugar intake can trigger repeated insulin spikes. Over time, this may influence cortisol levels and how the body regulates estrogen and progesterone, potentially intensifying common perimenopause symptoms.
How long does it take to feel better after quitting sugar?
Many women report changes within 2–4 weeks, especially in energy and mood stability. Individual results vary depending on overall health and lifestyle.
Is a low-carb diet safe during perimenopause?
Dietary needs are highly individual. Some women benefit from reducing refined carbohydrates to stabilize blood sugar, but it’s important to consult a healthcare provider before making significant dietary changes.
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