Why balancing Blood Sugar is part of Foundational Health

WHY BALANCING BLOOD SUGAR IS KEY

Why is balancing blood sugar is so important for your health?

Do you recognize how important your blood sugar is? I toss around balancing blood sugar like crazy, however do YOU know how your blood sugar is affecting you on a daily basis??

Although many folks know that balanced blood sugar is important, few recognize how it affects them on a daily basis, and how balancing their blood sugar is key to managing so many of their day-to-day symptoms, feelings, and activities.

What is blood sugar?

Sugar, or glucose, is the body’s main source of energy, and the term “blood sugar” refers to the amount of energy (sugar) present in our bloodstream at one given time. Sugar is produced when we break down any form of carbohydrates; from bread to candies, and is absorbed from our digestive tract into our bloodstream to be used as a source of energy for the body. So, the term blood sugar simply refers to the amount of sugar (or glucose) in your blood at a given time.

Understanding Balanced Blood Sugar

Our blood sugar is the master controller that dictates our hunger, our cravings, and our energy. We feel our best when our blood sugar is balanced; not too high or not too low. Balanced blood sugar helps keep our brain healthy, our energy levels stable and our mood balanced. However, when disrupted, our blood sugar can lead to increased sugar cravings, irritability, poor sleep, brain fog, anxiety, low energy, poor sleep and weight gain, and in the longer term, diabetes. It is important to understand that balancing blood sugar is not only important for those with diabetes or severe health conditions, balancing blood sugar is important for everyone.

How Blood Sugar Works

Your blood sugar is controlled by two main hormones: insulin and glucagon.

Every time you eat, your blood sugar raises, and depending on what you eat will affect how much your blood sugar will increase. When your blood sugar increases, it signals your pancreas to release insulin to stabilize the blood sugar. This is a really important process and when your blood sugar raises too much, will cause the blood sugar to also be affected by big drops as well. This is where energy crashes are coming in, hanger, headaches and moodiness.

This process helps to bring your blood sugar levels back down to a normal range, and also provides the necessary energy for our cells to function.

When Blood Sugar is Disrupted

However, when you eat a meal with a lot of sugar, or carbohydrates (ORRRR you don’t eat at all- a convo for another day), you end up giving your body more glucose than it actually needs at one given time. In a balanced state, the body should be able to regulate this excess glucose and bring down blood sugar levels within an hour or two, but when sugar or carbohydrate-rich foods are consistently over-consumed, this process becomes stressed.

As you continue to over-consume carbohydrate-rich foods, your body needs more and more and more insulin to manage your blood sugar. Eventually, your body becomes resistant to this insulin response, which means that insulin is no longer able to unlock your cell doors.

What is the problem with insulin resistance??

When the body becomes resistant to insulin, a few things happen:

 Although you may be consuming carbohydrate-based foods, your cells become starved for energy because insulin can no longer allow glucose into them. This means that you end up feeling low on energy and you crave MORE sugar and carbs.

Because your cells are actually “starved” for energy.

When you become insulin resistance it is more difficult to burn body fat and easier to gain weight. Why is that? Because when blood sugar is HIGH, your body does not see any need to burn body fat.

So when you are insulin resistant, and blood sugar is imbalanced, you lack energy, more cravings, trouble sleeping and concentrating, and increased fat storage.

How to Balance Blood Sugar

The good news is, disrupted blood sugar and insulin resistance can be corrected with changes in diet and lifestyle habits.

Monitoring the quantity and quality of your carbohydrate intake is a very important factor in balancing your blood sugar.

Minimize processed carbs,  like crackers, granola bars, baked goods, bread, pasta, sugary drinks, and sweets is vital to minimizing dips and spikes in blood sugar levels.

Instead, opt for whole food carbohydrates such as whole grains (rice, oats, quinoa, etc…), bean, lentils, fruit, and vegetables which will help to stabilize blood sugar levels since they are high in fiber and nutrient-dense.  Additionally, eat with in 30 minutes of waking and enjoy snacks in between meals.

If you think you have imbalanced blood sugar and want some help, reach out today for a FREE 20 minute clarity call on how I can help you!!!