You might be thinking that unless you have a diabetes diagnosis, you don’t need to worry about your blood sugar. However, how many of you grab an apple when you feel snackish? Or eat a banana or piece of toast for breakfast? How many of you don’t even eat breakfast but go straight for the coffee first thing? 

Furthermore, do you crave coffee or sugar in the afternoons? Get “hangry” or a headache if you go too long without eating? Have trouble sleeping or wake up to go pee in the middle of the night?

These are all signs that your blood sugar is struggling. Here’s what that means and why it matters:

Glucose is our body’s preferred source of energy. Our muscles and the brain are especially reliant on glucose for proper functioning. What is glucose? Carbs! Simple carbs like fruit, honey, and other sweeteners are easy to break down and release a quick burst of energy. Complex carbs like vegetables and starches, will be a slower release of glucose into the system and contain more fiber which benefit our microbiome health.

Glucose is good, and we need it for survival. But our body is designed to use or store the glucose coming in and things start to go awry if there’s an excess of glucose in our bloodstream and nowhere for it to go. Sharp spikes in blood glucose damage our bodies internally, causing oxidative stress and inflammation. Chronically elevated glucose can eventually lead to insulin resistance. 

So you eat a sugary snack and your blood sugar spikes…what goes up, must come down. The higher the blood sugar spike, the steeper the dip and the lower our blood sugar goes.  To our body, low blood sugar is an emergency. It means we have no source of energy, we could pass out and hurt ourselves. Our bodies release stress hormones as a response to this emergency, including cortisol, adrenaline, and noradrenaline, to keep us going. Again, these hormones have an important function to our health and well being, but the adrenals will become overtaxed if they are constantly producing these hormones throughout the day in response to our eating habits. And since our adrenals are already in overdrive in our modern environment, it super important to take that stress off our adrenals (and our liver) by keeping our blood sugar levels within a healthy range. Elevated cortisol is associated with increased glucose levels, decreased insulin sensitivity, and the development of chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes.

Long story short: blood sugar spikes and dips are super stressful on our bodies. Rolling hills are more manageable and ideal.

Here are my recommendations to keep blood sugar spikes to a minimum:

1. Avoid “naked carbs.” In other words, carbs by themselves without a protein or fat to go along with it. Instead of just an apple, grab a meat stick too. Instead of cheese and crackers, add some salami with it.
2. Aim for 30g of protein for breakfast every morning. Properly fueling yourself in the morning sets you on track for a balanced blood sugar pattern during your day, will help you feel satiated until lunch, and will keep those afternoon sugar cravings at bay.
3. Don't skip meals! Eat every 3-4 hours to make sure your blood sugar doesn't dip too low.
4. Incorporate vinegar before meals. A splash of apple cider vinegar in water or a few drops of Digestive Bitters have been shown to decrease blood sugar spikes. Better yet, eat a salad with a vinegar-based dressing before your meal.
5. Go for a walk after eating. Exercise helps shuttle excess glucose out of your bloodstream and into your muscles. A post-meal walk is a great habit to incorporate daily. Even a few squats at your desk will help!
6. Avoid dessert and sweets on an empty stomach. Eat a protein-rich snack before your treat to slow the absorption of glucose.

As always, reach out if you need further help or deeper support! I'm here for you!

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With gratitude,

Blair