KEEPING BLOOD SUGAR LEVELS STABLE

 

 

Struggling with elevated blood sugar levels or stubborn weight that won't shift?
It might be time to get serious about your blood sugar levels.


Benefits of keeping blood sugar levels stable:

  • Helps to keep the mood stable. Many people experience a negative mood change after eating too many carbs or sweet foods causing irritability, low frustration tolerance and low motivation
  • Keeps energy levels even and stable to improve vitality and reduce fatigue.
  • Reduces or stops sugar/carb cravings so you feel full and satisfied with meals.
  • Stops infections in the gut or blood feeding off carbs/sugars making them much easier to eradicate.
  • Crucial for weight loss and maintaining an optimal body weight. Every time blood sugar levels spike up insulin is released, triggering fat storage and weight gain.
  • Helps to reverse Type Two Diabetes
  • Helps Type One Diabetics to require less insulin and use less blood sugar stablising meds.


Here are my top tips for maintaining stable blood sugar levels to avoid glucose spikes

  1. Eat whole foods from nature, avoid processed packaged foods.
  2. Follow the right ratios at each meal 1/2 meal veggies/fruits/greens, 1/4 plate meal protein and max 1/4 of your meal carbs (choose healthy carbs such as root veggies like kumara/pumpkin or potato rather than grains)
  3. Try to avoid grains where possible i.e swap to paleo or keto bread and crackers. Have root veggies instead of grains. If you do have rice, quinoa or corn keep your intake very low.
  4. Eat foods in the right order to minimise the glucose spike at each meal i.e Non starchy veggies and greens first, protein and fats second and starches/carbs/fruits last. It's hard to get this suggestion perfect when foods are mixed but just do the best you can. The important thing is not to start with carbs,that will raise your blood sugar levels right off the bat.
  5. Having veggies as the starter really reduces the glucose spike of the meal that follows. The objective is for the veggie starter (salad or cooked veggies) to make up approx 1/2 your meal and to be eaten first where possible.
  6. If you choose to eat a healthy treat such as a bliss ball or raw slice then ensure it is eaten right off the back of a healthy meal full of veggies and protein. For example, have a bliss ball straight after dinner. The veggies and protein will stop your blood sugar spiking with the dates from the bliss ball
  7. Have fruit with meals not by itself. Fruit is wonderfully good for you but will spike your blood sugar levels if eaten individually as a snack. Always ensure you pair fruit with veggies or protein so these foods can slow the absorption of the fruit sugars. An example of this is having celery with nut butter and kiwi fruit. Or having a salad with fruit on top such as apple or pear slices.
  8. Drink 1 teaspoon of vinegar or apple cider vinegar in a glass of water (with a straw) 30 mins before eating (don't drink at time of meal this will dilute your stomach acid). Or add vinegar to a salad dressing. Vinegar helps to reduce the spike of your meal by up to 30%. Note do not use balsamic vinegar as this contains sugar. Plain vinegar or apple cider vinegar is good.
  9. If you do eat carbs then ensure you have them with good fats, veggies and protein. This reduces the speed of glucose absorption in our body i.e have coconut yogurt and chia pudding with fruit, the fat and protein from coconut and chia will help slow the absorption of the fruit sugars keeping blood sugar levels stable.
  10. Avoid carbs at night. For example, have salad with protein at night but roll your roast root veggies or quinoa over to lunch the next day. Carbs at night won't get burned off like they do in the day unless you make a conscious effort to exercise after dinner.
  11. After you eat, move. After your meals, when you can, use your muscles for 10 minutes to reduce the glucose spike of the meal i.e walking, tidying your house, doing calf raises, etc
  12. Keep stress low, stress spikes blood sugar levels too.
  13. There are plenty of great supplements to help keep blood sugar levels stable and reduce stress, reach out if you need suggestions

Example of a Day of Eating

Note eating in the right order doesn't need to be perfect just be mindful not to start with carbs in the first 1/2 of the meal.


- Breakfast
Egg on paleo toast (eat first) and smoothie with berries, frozen mango, coconut milk, kale and chia (eat 2nd)

- Morning tea
Cucumber sticks (eat first), almonds (eat second) and 1/2 an apple (eat last)

- Lunch
Salad lettuce, cucumber, avocado, carrot,celery (eat first), Steak (eat second). Apple slices on the salad and roast kumara and pumpkin (eat last)
Paleo chocolate muffin (eat straight after lunch) Paleo Chocolate Cake – Nourish Health & Nutrition

- Afternoon tea
1/2 an avocado (eat first) with a small tin of tuna (eat second) and a mandarin (eat last)

- Dinner
Salad lettuce, avocado, olives, beetroot, carrots, celery, pear, walnuts (eat first, try to have pear last if you can but if too fiddly don't worry) and a salmon steak.
Coconut yogurt and berries straight after dinner if still hungry.

Give that a try and see how your blood sugar levels respond.


Let me know how you get on
from
Abby
x x x

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