Balancing Your Blood Sugar is Key for More Energy
Do you want more energy?
Maybe even better sleep? Fewer cravings? Happier hormones?
Balancing your blood sugar is key to all of this and more.
Here’s why: Our blood sugar- and more specifically, our body’s blood sugar handling system- impacts our energy, mood, brain function, sleep, hunger and cravings, hormones and cycles, and so much more. It’s a crucial foundation for health and is tied very closely to common challenges women experience like fatigue, painful and irregular periods, PMS, insomnia, and inability to lose fat and/or build muscle.
The basics of how it works:
Blood sugar naturally rises after we eat as food breaks down and glucose enters the bloodstream. Our bodies lower it to baseline by releasing insulin, which brings glucose out of the blood and into our cells to use for immediate energy or store for later use.
Our bodies constantly are keeping a close eye on blood sugar- lowering it when it becomes high and even raising it when it becomes low- because our goal is survival. Blood sugar that’s too high or too low is dangerous, so the body can tap into our own stores to release sugar when we need it- from sugar stores in our cells, but even through breaking down our own tissues (particularly our precious muscle!)
When we do things like fast and skip meals, under-eat, eat highly refined, nutrient-poor foods, live off caffeine, overexercise, skimp on sleep, and stay stressed TF out, it leads to more dramatic and more frequent blood sugar spikes and drops, therefore, impacting our bodies ability to balance it effectively.
So the goal is to limit these drastic blood sugar ups and downs + support our blood sugar handling system- which is our liver, pancreas, and adrenal glands in particular.
Here’s how to do it:
Overall, we support this whole system and process by creating more stability in the body and building stress resilience. It’s a process that takes time and has a lot of moving parts, but building a strong foundation is the first step.
Where to begin:
Start the day with a balanced meal (protein, carbs, and fat)- within the first hour of waking. (Before coffee- more on that below).
Repeat every 3-4 hours throughout the day, listening to your body. If spacing things more closely- every 2-2.5 hours feels better, go with it!
Drink caffeine after (or at least with) food. This helps balance the impacts that caffeine has on blood sugar.
Prioritize the nutrient density of food (i.e. whole, minimally processed foods)
Honor your hunger and fullness signals and listen to any cravings you have-this is communication from your body.
Decelerate. Hustle and chronic stress lead to burnout and with that, blood sugar balance takes a huge hit because the adrenals become taxed and the liver overburdened.
Key things to stop doing:
Skipping meals
Fasting (you already do it while you sleep. There’s no need to extend it!)Cutting calories
Restricting carbs
Avoiding animal-based foods (which provide nourishing protein and fat!)
Rating rushed and distracted
Choosing low-fat, sugar-free, diet-focused foods
Having balanced blood sugar starts with nourishing your body fully. Not sure how to do that? Grab my free guide to Nourishing Yourself Fully and learn the key areas to focus on to fuel and nourish your body and support your physical and mental health. You’ll also get my go-to nourishing foods list and suggestions for simple balanced and delicious meals and snacks!