While blood sugar is not the most exciting topic, it sure does have a huge impact on how you feel throughout the day and how you sleep, not to mention the huge impact it has on your digestion, metabolism, and even your hormone levels.
Read on, and find out how to support your mood naturally through blood sugar balance.
DO ANY OF THESE SIGNS OF POOR BLOOD SUGAR HANDLING DESCRIBE YOU?
– Awaken a few hours after falling asleep, hard to get back to sleep
– Crave sugar or coffee in the afternoon
– Sleepy in afternoon
– Fatigue that is relieved by eating
– Headache if meals are skipped or delayed
– Irritable before meals
– Shaky if meals delayed
– Frequent thirst or urination
These are all indications that your body may be having a difficult time managing blood sugar. Usually, blood sugar regulation is controlled by the liver and pancreas, but when those organs become over-burdened, blood sugar falls too low (hypoglycemia) and triggers your adrenal glands to get involved. The adrenal glands release stress hormones and signal the liver to break down proteins and fats for energy. This causes a lot of bodily stress and inflammation.
WHY IS BLOOD SUGAR IMPORTANT? SEX HORMONES, DIGESTION, AND METABOLISM!
First off, healthy hormone production will not happen without blood sugar balance. Failure to balance blood sugar stimulates the release of the stress hormones cortisol and adrenaline. These stress hormones block the healthy production of sex hormones because reproduction is not a priority when your body is under stress (ie. your body prioritizes survival over reproduction).
Blood sugar is also important to digestion and assimilation. When your stress response is ON, your digestion is turned OFF for a similar reason, surviving stress is prioritized over your digestion.
If that’s not enough of a reason to want to have balanced blood sugar, this one will seal the deal. Without balanced blood sugar, your body won’t produce enough T3 (active thyroid hormone) to support a healthy metabolism!
HOW BLOOD SUGAR GOES WRONG
Did you know your gut bacteria can increase the likelihood of insulin resistance?
An overgrowth of gram negative bacteria in the gut equate to more endotoxin (also called lipopolysaccharide or LPS).
How do you end up with more LPS-containing gram negative bacteria in your guts?
I’m glad you asked . For starters:
* Western diet, low in whole foods and fiber
* Antibiotics, as they ‘kill’ beneficial bacteria they create the environment for gram negative bacteria to thrive and overgrow
* Proton pump inhibitor (PPIs)
* Diets low in fiber and prebiotic foods (think fertilizer for your good gut microbes)
* Keto and carnivore diets (often low in fiber, but not always)
Countless studies have linked increased levels of LPS with insulin resistance.
SOME TIPS TO HELP REGULATE BLOOD SUGAR NATURALLY
– Make sure the fats in your diet are balanced to support healthy cell membranes. Rigid cell membranes can block sugar from getting into your cells and being used properly. Fatty acid testing is a great way to see if cellular inflammation is impacting your blood sugar balance.
– Always eat protein, fat, and carbohydrates TOGETHER. Often frequent feedings (i.e. 5-8 small meals a day) are needed to keep the body fueled and prevent the stress response. Pay close attention to the ratio of protein/fat/carbs in your meal, and how you feel after consuming. Most Americans overdo carbs and don’t eat enough protein and fat to balance their blood sugar during meals.
– Taking this one step further, eat the carbs and sugars last (fruit included) and focus on eating the fiber, protein, and fat first (in that order)! This can have a profound impact on your blood sugar balance.
– Try going for a 10 minute walk after meals to help reduce insulin spikes after eating.
– Eat enough calories to support your body and its natural desire for health. Skimping on calories raises your stress hormones and makes way for blood sugar swings.
– Actively try to reduce stress in your life, especially when eating. Stress decreases your digestive juices that help your body break down and assimilate food. This includes doing more of what you love, and less of what you don’t!
– Get your gut health on point to decrease LPS that could impact blood sugar balance.