Are Blood Sugar Spikes Making You Crazy?
This article was originally published for Vibe Fitness. You can read the original article here.
I was waiting for a friend at a coffee shop and I overheard the lady next to me…
“She told me I have pre-diabetes as I was walking out the door.”
I really wasn’t trying to listen in, I promise, but then the next sentence really grabbed my attention…
“I didn’t ask any questions or say anything. It wasn’t until I got home that I started to get worried. Why didn’t I ask my doctor what to do next?”
That’s not the real question this lady should have been asking. The real question should have been, “Why didn’t my doctor tell me what to do next?”
It’s not your fault that you don’t know what questions to ask. No one prepares us for these situations. We expect our doctors to be the experts and tell us exactly what to do next. And in some cases they do, but in many cases, they leave us more confused than when we arrived.
When it comes to diabetes, which has reached alarming levels and is continuing to rise every year, there is a lot of confusion and a lot of misinformation out there.
Let’s simplify things a bit today. In fact, even if you don’t have diabetes, you’ll want to keep reading because this topic affects everyone, not just diabetics!
Ninety percent of us suffer from too much glucose in our system – and most of us have no idea it’s an issue.
In this article, I’ll break down the basics of glucose, explain why we all should be concerned about our blood sugar, and 5 easy things you can start doing today (for FREE) to help improve your blood sugar control.
Let’s goooo!
The basics of glucose (blood sugar)
Glucose, more commonly called blood sugar, is a tiny molecule that has a huge impact on your health. It enters the bloodstream through the starchy or sweet foods you eat. Ninety percent of us suffer from too much glucose in our system – and most of us have no idea it’s an issue.
The symptoms of too much glucose include things like cravings, fatigue, infertility, hormonal issues, acne, and wrinkles. Over time, it can lead to conditions such as type 2 diabetes, polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), cancer, dementia, and heart disease. More on symptoms in a bit.
Why you should pay attention to blood sugar spikes
Blood sugar is a funny thing. It’s so incredibly important, in fact, that if it gets too far out of whack, it can be fatal, yet we rarely think about it… that is until you hear those dreaded words, “You have diabetes.”
The truth is, just like any other aspect of your health, it’s a good idea for all of us to pay more attention to our blood sugar levels before being diagnosed with diabetes or even pre-diabetes. Prevention is much easier than waiting to go on defense.
The American Diabetes Association (ADA) states that a “normal” fasting blood sugar level is between 60 and 100 mg/dL; that between 100 and 126 mg/dL indicates prediabetes; and anything above 126 mg/dL indicates diabetes. Research shows that there’s more likelihood of developing health problems at 85 mg/dL and up. Therefore, just because you are not diagnosed with prediabetes, you may still be at risk for developing health issues.
I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to just be “surviving”. I want to be thriving!
Fasting glucose levels are one thing to be concerned about, but there’s more…
After you consume a food containing sugar or starch, a glucose spike occurs. This means that glucose is rushed into your bloodstream. It’s a normal reaction, but we want to keep those spikes as low as possible (ideally no more than 30 mg/dL from your baseline) because frequent high spikes cause damage.
Some foods cause this spike to last for a few hours after you eat. The length of the spike as well as the frequency can also cause damage over time.
Even worse, some of those long-spiking foods, such as ice cream and donuts, also cause a blood sugar crash, which means your blood sugar level quickly goes below your “normal” fasting level after the initial spike.
That dreaded 2:00 pm energy slump? Yep, this is why.
A quick word on insulin…
Your body uses insulin to help move glucose into your cells so it can be used. Your goal is to be insulin-sensitive. When your body stops responding to insulin, you become insulin-resistant. That’s not good.
Here are a few very common signs you’re experiencing high or frequent blood sugar spikes:
Difficulty losing weight
Needing to eat every few hours
Having extreme hunger pangs during the day
Craving sweets or sweet food
Always feel hungry
Frequently get colds
Acid reflux or gastritis
Low energy
Brain fog
Skin conditions
Heart disease or uncontrolled type 1 diabetes
5 simple things to do TODAY to control your blood sugar spikes
Before we get started on the actionable items of this article, let’s be clear. You are not going for perfection here. Stressing yourself out and trying to do all these things ALL the time will be counteractive. Pick a few and give them a try. The more often you do them, the better you will feel.
Think of compounding interest, but in this case, you’re compounding insulin sensitivity.
Please speak to your healthcare provider before making dietary or lifestyle changes.
Eat food in the correct order: Fiber, Protein/Fat, then carbohydrates.
When you eat something sweet first, you will have the highest glucose spike. By eating foods in the right order, the fiber and protein you eat first will slow the absorption of glucose into your bloodstream thus, lowering the spike.
Examples:
A small salad, followed by grilled salmon, followed by roasted potatoes
Roasted zucchini and squash, followed by a black bean burger, followed by the bun
Scrambled eggs, followed by Greek yogurt with blackberries
2. Add a green starter to all your meals
All vegetables contain fiber, which is why starting your meals with them will lower the glucose spike. Any vegetable qualifies, from broccoli to spinach to roasted zucchini to carrots with hummus. Beans even fall into this category.
Examples:
Sauteed spinach with lemon juice and toasted pine nuts
A small salad with baby kale and spinach dressed with vinegar and olive oil
Carrots with hummus
A handful of roasted broccoli or cauliflower
3. Flatten your breakfast curve
Breakfast is typically very sugary – cereal with a glass of orange juice or oatmeal with a banana or a donut with heavily sweetened coffee. Those foods and drinks are all very high in sugar and cause a huge spike in glucose levels. Aim to eat a fiber and protein-packed breakfast which will be more on the savory side. A savory breakfast will also keep you full for longer.
Examples:
A bagel with cream cheese, topped with a few lettuce leaves and slices of turkey
Greek yogurt topped with 2 tablespoons of nut butter and a handful of berries
Half an avocado with 3 tablespoons of hummus, lemon juice, olive oil, and salt
Toast with mashed avocado
4. After you eat, move.
Movement after eating helps with digestion but it also reduces glucose spikes. It doesn’t need to be anything intense. Just 10 minutes of walking or 30 squats will do the trick! At the office? Sneak off to the bathroom and do some calf raises or push-ups against the sink. Make it easy.
5. Pick dessert over a sweet snack
If you want something sweet, save it for dessert. Then eat your meal in the correct order, see above, and enjoy a sweet dessert and you will have a much less glucose spike than if you had that sweet treat as a snack.
I lost 1” around my waistline in just two weeks of using a combination of the strategies listed above. One of my coaching clients eliminated her bloating and gas in just one week. Another client lost over 7 pounds in just two weeks.
BUT they are not “miracle pills” and doing them once in a while will not help. They do work if you do them consistently (remember, no need to be perfect!). And they work really well! Surprisingly well!
When you pay attention to the food you eat, you can do amazing things for your body! Even without changing what you eat, you can still change how you eat and feel major results.
Now it’s your turn. Give a few of these action steps a try (after talking to your doctor) and see how you feel. You may be surprised by how small changes can add up to major results!