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Our blood sugar rises and falls every time we eat something. Depending on what we eat, blood sugar can rise slowly and gradually, or fast and sharply.
Ideally, if we’re eating food containing protein, fiber and healthy fats, our blood sugar should rise slowly and gradually fall.
On a chart, it should look like a long low foothill, not a high, sharp craggy peak.
Too often though, our blood sugar rises and peaks quickly, and just as quickly falls back to zero, or worse, less than zero, leaving us hypoglycemic.
This sharp rise and fall is called a blood sugar spike, and can often be the reason behind your mood swings, food cravings, digestive issues, lack of energy and poor sleep.
Long term, blood sugar spikes happening multiple times a day for years can lead to low libido, reproductive issues, low testosterone, estrogen dominance, stubborn weight, depression, hair loss, PCOS, joint issues, high blood pressure, heart disease and Type 2 Diabetes.
In many cases, what makes one person’s blood sugar spike may have a minimal effect on another. But with our modern diet of ultra processed foods, overconsumption of sugary drinks and sedentary lifestyle, more people than ever are spiking their blood sugar daily and suffering the consequences.
So I bet you’re wondering: “How do I keep blood sugar spikes from happening?” Great question.
How to deal with blood sugar spikes
Like the man once said, “The best offense is a good defense.” The way to deal with blood sugar spikes is to try to keep them from happening in the first place.
Eat whole, nutrient dense foods
Blood sugar spikes most often arise because of our modern, ultra processed and refined diet. Eating meals with protein, fat and fiber will slow the breakdown and absorption of glucose, keeping blood sugar to a gentle rise.
The best way to do this is to eat an omnivorous diet that prioritizes protein. Of course it’s possible to manage blood sugar spikes on a plant based diet, but eating only plants does make it easier to consume a high amount of starch and sugar.
Eat a wide variety of meat, eggs, fish, dairy (if well tolerated) green veggies, root veggies, fruits and legumes (if tolerated).
Walk after you eat
Walking is one of the simplest, most effective ways to manage your blood sugar. And it’s free!
If possible, taking a 10-15 minute walk outside after your meal can have a huge impact on your body’s glucose response, and will keep that blood sugar spike down to a gentle hill.
Chew your food more
We’re often in such a rush all the time that we don’t even realize that we are scarfing down our food and swallowing it whole. On top of that being terrible for your digestion, under chewing our bites and not pausing in between bites means all that food is hitting your digestive tract all at once. It also means you’re probably eating more than you need to as you’re not giving your body time to realize it’s full.
Slow down! Chew each bite 20-30 times and put your fork down between bites. Give yourself the chance to enjoy the food you’re eating. Taking more time with each bite will slow down how quickly nutrients are digested and absorbed, and will help keep you from eating more calories than you need.
Eat fiber first
Believe it or not, the order that you eat food in changes your blood sugar response. When you start with starchy, sugary foods like bread, chips or pasta, you get a huge blood sugar spike. But when you start your meal with fiber from foods like green veggies and legumes, your body digests and absorbs glucose more slowly, blunting the blood sugar spike.
Here’s what to try: At dinner, start with a salad or some veggies and hummus. Then, eat your meat or protein and fat of choice, followed last with carby starches, like bread, pasta or fruit.
I know we tend to eat in the opposite order, especially when we get that free basket of bread or tortilla chips, but swapping the order you eat your food in will make a huge difference in your blood sugar response.
Take a shot of ACV
I know Apple Cider Vinegar has been credited as a cure for everything from psoriasis to cancer, claims which are dubious at best. But, one thing we do know ACV is great for is helping manage blood sugar.
Drinking a little Apple Cider Vinegar before a meal, especially one with a lot of carbs, helps to slow digestion and absorption of that glucose. This means your blood sugar rises slowly and gently, rather than at a sharp peak.
It doesn’t take a lot of ACV, either! Mix a tablespoon of Apple Cider Vinegar into a small glass of water (don’t drink it straight!) and drink 15-30 minutes before your meal.
So there you go! 5 helpful tips for stopping blood sugar spikes and improving your energy, food cravings and mood swings.
Y’all, this is what my 6-month 1-on-1 program is all about. Giving you the tools and support you need to conquer poor sleep, lack of energy, brain fog and low energy, to name a few.
We use these and other amazing tools to get you back to feeling your best.
Isn’t that what you want? I can help get you there.
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