Blood sugar regulation is key to hormonal balance and to your health! Blood sugar regulation plays a key role in all aspects of human physiology:
- Energy production and balance
- The tissue integrity of organs and blood vessels
- Hormonal balance (including hormones of digestion, stress, and sexual function)
- Brain health, mood, memory, and cognitive function
When you think of blood sugar regulation, you are likely to think of diet. While that is not wrong, there is more to it, stress and environmental factors also cause a rise in blood sugar levels. When blood sugar rises too high, blood sugars crash.
Sugar in the diet
Simple carbohydrates and processed foods with added sugars are in every store and right where you will be sure to see them! They have become the norm in most households and are quick and easy to make.
But these highly processed foods are designed to activate our brains reward center and make us crave more. They also have no nutritional value and tend to make us hungry shortly after eating them, then we reach for another, and another, and another… Brilliant marketing for the Big Food industry!
When we eat a large amount of simple carbohydrates, it causes a rise in blood sugar levels. The pancreas pumps out as much insulin as it can to deal with blood sugar spikes in our blood. When this happens, we have a substantial drop in blood sugar after that substantial rise, and our energy production drops dangerously low. This is an emergency situation for the liver, which is trying to convert glycogen back into glucose (glycogenolysis). This takes time, and there is no time, so the adrenals now sensing this emergency put out cortisol and adrenaline to immediately bring up blood sugar levels. This can be exhausting on the body and leaves us tired and hungry. Our adrenal glands are meant to be there for emergencies only, but we have put them in the front line, eating high sugar diets and living lives filled with emotional stress, toxins stimulants, digestive issues and nutritional weaknesses. This causes the adrenals to not function as well as they should be.
Stress and Blood Sugar
Stress is never ending in our lives these days. Your brain reacts the same to an urgent email from your boss as it does to having your life threatened. Any time you experience what you perceive as stress, your body goes into fight or flight mode, when this happens, your blood sugar levels rise. Now, combine simple carbohydrates and processed foods that are without nutrients and stress, you are now on a roller coaster of blood sugar spikes and drops. Over time, this will start to impact your quality of life and can lead to many health issues, including cardiovascular disease, kidney disease, high blood sugar, insulin resistance and diabetes.
Some Signs and Symptoms of High Blood Sugar
- An increase in cravings for sugar and refined carbohydrates
- An increase in appetite and reduced satiation from meals
- Weight gain
- An increase in blood pressure
- Low energy levels and feeling fatigued
- Very strong cravings for caffeine and sweets
- Ravenously hungry
- Irritability, anxiety, nervousness, feeling lightheaded or headaches if meals are delayed or skipped.
- A feeling of being jittery or shaky between meals that is relieved by eating.
Due to processed foods and environmental stressors having become a normal part of our everyday lives, blood sugar swings and their related health issues have become incredibly common. Just because they are common does not make them normal!
Some Ways to Regulate Blood Sugar
Eating a nutrient dense, balanced, whole food diet
Our bodies were designed to be energized by nutrient dense fats, proteins and carbohydrates. A balance of all whole food macronutrients throughout the day will help create the energy we need to function and thrive.
Reduce Stress Levels through Mindfulness and Meditation
Our minds are forever worrying about the future and the past, things we have zero control over! Meditating and focusing on the present increases our mindfulness and our resilience to stress.
Movement
If something has caused you stress, movement can help your body to process the stress hormones out of you more quickly. This does not need to be a heavy weightlifting routine! It can be as simple as walking, stretching or going to a yoga class.
Sleep
Sleep deprivation causes stress and has a negative effect on your energy levels throughout the day. To get a better night’s sleep, avoid caffeine in the afternoon and evenings, wear blue blocker glasses when watching TV or using computers, phones or tablets after 6 PM (better yet, skip those activities altogether!)
Putting these together in your life, to make a new and healthier habit, will benefit you in so many ways!
This months recipe, in time for the July 4th holiday is my now infamous potato salad!! No not exactly blood sugar friendly, but it does have added protein in the bacon to be of help there! I am asked to bring this to any summer gathering now!
Elaine’s Potato Salad
Serves 16 +
Ingredients
5 pounds of red potatoes (lower glycemic index)
2 cups of mayonnaise (I use Avocado oil-based mayo by Primal Kitchen)
2 Tbsp of organic apple cider vinegar
3 tsp granulated garlic
3 Tbsp dried parsley
1 Tbsp dried basil
1 pound of apple wood smoked bacon, cut in bite sized pieces
6 scallions, chopped
Wash the potatoes and boil until well cooked (skins on)
Cut the scallions into small pieces, greens too.
Mix the Mayonnaise, vinegar, garlic powder, parsley, basil and salt and pepper and the scallions in a large bowl until smooth.
Cut the bacon into bite sized pieces, and cook until doe, add to the bowl with the bacon mixture.
Cut the potatoes into bite sized pieces, and thoroughly mix into the mayonnaise. Enjoy!!!
We have to get out of the mindset that things are common,
therefore normal! It is NOT normal to have blood sugar dysregulation
and the hormonal issues that go with it!
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