How to Balance your Blood Sugar for Optimal Results

Which hormones are you probably neglecting and it’s sabotaging your results?

Blood Sugar and Insulin!

What are these and why does it matter?

Blood sugar is exactly what it sounds like: the sugar in our blood, also known as glucose. It is from the food we consume and the body’s main source of energy.

Every time we eat (or drink calories) our body has to break down and convert the food to glucose. The glucose is absorbed into the bloodstream to be transported to the different systems of the body. Higher glucose in the blood stream means higher blood sugar.

Also, every time this happens, our pancreas releases insulin. Insulin is what the organs & systems use to uptake the glucose out of the blood. If there is too much, or too little insulin, OR if the cells are not receptive to the insulin (such as insulin resistance) then glucose remains too high for too long in the blood. This can cause serious health problems, leading to death!

Hyperglycemia can damage the vessels that supply blood to vital organs, which can increase the risk of heart disease and stroke, kidney disease, vision problems, and nerve problems.

This is caused by either elevated blood sugar levels and/or the insulin is not enough to take the sugar out of the blood and into organs.

letter dices between fresh fruits and diabetes equipment on a blue surface

Insulin what?

Insulin Resistance is when the body produces insulin, but cells stop utilizing it, meaning they get “resistant” to insulin. This happens when we eat foods that cause high blood sugar levels chronically, the body has to continuously push out insulin; essentially the body can’t keep up with the need and cells get “resistant” to it.

Insulin is just as important and glucose levels, and in functional medicine, we categorize this as “pre-diabetic” because it has high negative effects on health!

What affects Blood Sugar?

Blood sugar is affected by several factors, mainly what and how much we consume. However, other factors like movement, exercise, sleep, stress levels and even a woman’s menstrual cycle will affect blood sugar and insulin!

What I see is that most people are making these mistakes:

They’re have irregular meals & eating habits, which puts Blood sugar on a huge Rollercoaster during the day
They have high cravings and dips of energy, making them crave those sugar, fatty or salty processed foods
They have a sedentary lifestyle, which decreases insulin sensitivity

This Blood sugar rollercoaster causes stress and inflammation in the body. This THEN causes other hormones to be negatively out of whack!

Symptoms of Poor Blood Sugar Regulation:

Big energy highs and crashes, especially after meals
Fatigue
Poor sleep and/or insomnia, waking up
Headaches
Cravings
Thirst
Blurred vision
Mood Swings
Feeling “hangry” and need to snack/eat
Inability to lose weight and/or gaining weight
Belly Fat

We want to train our body to become insulin sensitive, with steady levels of blood sugar!

Where to Start:

What should you eat, and how do you plan a meal, to help support healthy, balanced hormones?

Focus on:

✔Real, high quality and nutrient dense whole foods

✔A healthy balance of macronutrients within each meal

✔ Consistent meal times

Balancing your plate with protein, lots of greens and veggies and healthy fat as a “condiment” can help your energy levels, glucose regulation & even aid in fat loss. You’ll feel fuller for longer, better mental clarity & focus & more energy!

Other Tactics:

Eat consistently (every 3-4 hours during the day) to prevent blood sugar crashes
Move your body throughout the day, specifically after eating, can help shuttle glucose in to the cells
Investigate your food. Avoid foods that contain sugar (processed or artificial) as these will spike glucose and insulin. Keep in mind, many packaged foods that aren’t sweet DO contain sugar!