Balancing your blood sugar
Each of our cells uses glucose to produce energy. When we eat, our food gets digested and broken down into smaller units including glucose, fatty acids and amino acids.
Certain foods like white rice, pasta, pastries and white bread get broken down from their carbohydrate form into simple sugars very quickly and get released into the blood stream. These foods are said to have a high glycemic index or GI.
This rapid release of sugars causes the pancreas to respond rapidly secreting a hormone called insulin, which causes the cells to absorb the glucose.
This then results in a sudden drop in our blood sugar (hypoglycaemia), which can make us feel lightheaded, anxious, angry, moody or tired and make us reach for either a stimulant such as coffee or a sugary snack to help lift our energy again and so we get into a vicious cycle.
Symptoms of low blood sugar:
Irritability and lightheadedness if meals are missed
Dependency on caffeine
Needing food to relieve fatigue
Shaky, jittery, or tremulous feelings
Nervousness or agitation
Forgetfulness
Blurred vision
Mental fog
Cold extremities
Craving sugary foods
In order to keep our energy on an even keel throughout the day and to feel emotionally stable and balanced we need to eat regular meals that contain enough fat and protein and fibre.
This will slow down the digestion process and enable the sugars to be released slowly and steadily throughout the day. Some people also find that they do better by reducing the amount of carbs that they eat and letting the body start to burn other fuels such as fat rather than glucose. (see Keto-paleo diet).
When our blood sugar is moving up and down constantly it causes stress in our bodies.
It causes the adrenals to release the hormones cortisol and adrenaline in order to try and keep levels more steady by triggering the release of stored glucose from the liver and muscles into the blood.
When our blood sugar is chronically out of whack it can lead to more serious health conditions like type I or II diabetes where our body can either no longer produce insulin or where our cells become desensitised to insulin and then we have too much sugar in our blood. (hyperglycaemia)
This can lead to increased storage of sugar as fat leading to obesity, a high risk factor for cardiovascular disease. It can also lead to inflammation and damage of our arteries also increasing the risk of cardiovascular problems.
In terms of female hormonal health, insulin resistance can also lead to hormonal imbalance manifesting as sleep disorders, fatigue, irritability, moodiness etc.. and if it gets too bad it can lead to polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS)
Symptoms of high blood sugar :(hyperglycaemia)
Cravings for sugary foods that are not eliminated after eating them
Needing desserts after meals
Waist girth equal to or larger than hip girth
Frequent urination
Increased appetite and thirst
Difficulty losing weight
Fatigue, after meals and in general
Persistent hunger
Here are 7 ways that may help keep your blood sugar even and your energy levels steady
Eat a large breakfast that includes protein, fat and fibre and preferably more savoury than sweet. This will keep you going. This could be poached eggs with steamed greens, mushrooms, avocado etc.. or oaty porridge or even just a well balanced smoothie.
Protein in every meal. This includes eggs, tofu, cheese, pulses, meat, nuts, seeds. Try these chickpea crepes.
Healthy fats in every meal. This includes organic/grass fed versions of meat or dairy. Nuts and seeds. Oils such as coconut and olive, which can be heated. Or oils such as hemp, linseed and avocado to be used raw on top of your food to prevent damaging the sensitive polyunsaturated fats that they contain.
Focus on vegetables for fibre rather than grains. Vegetables are nutrient dense and full of phytonutrients and fibre, which feed good bacteria and help keep blood sugar steady.
Eat whole grains rather than processed carbohydrates as they contain more fibre and will cause a slower release of glucose into the bloodstream.
Eat regular meals: This not only keeps your blood sugars and energy stable, it also reassures your body that you’re not in crisis. The opposite happens when you skip meals – especially breakfast. When your blood sugars get too low your body sees this as a threat and triggers the release of stress hormones.
Minimise your sugar intake: Cut back on sugar in all its many forms including agave or maple syrup and honey. Keep an eye out for hidden sources of sugar in packaged foods such as dextrose and maltose. And give preference to lower glycemic varieties of fruits such as berries and kiwi. Very sweet foods put your body under the stress of having to quickly pump out insulin to lower the high blood glucose levels.
Eat healthy protein-rich snacks like hummus with vegetable sticks, avocado, boiled eggs, oat cakes with nut or seed butters, energy balls, dark chocolate.
