Blood Sugar Control: The Effective Way to Combat Cravings, Brain Fog, and Afternoon Slump
Blood sugar regulation is not just important for diabetics; it is an aspect of our biology that is relevant to all of us and has major implications for how we feel and function on a daily basis. If you experience energy swings, brain fog, irritability, light-headedness, or cravings throughout the day, there is a chance you could be dealing with blood sugar dysregulation.
While fluctuations in blood sugar throughout the day are completely normal, it is the large spikes and subsequent drops that cause harm. Rather than resembling a smooth, rolling hill, most people’s blood sugar curves look more like a rollercoaster, going up and down between states of hyper- and hypoglycemia.
Hyperglycemia, or high blood glucose, occurs when there is too much glucose in the bloodstream. This often happens if your body doesn’t produce enough of the hormone insulin or is unable to properly use the available insulin to move glucose from the bloodstream into the cells. This inability to properly use insulin is referred to as insulin resistance (IR).
Hypoglycemia, or low blood glucose, occurs when there is too little glucose in the bloodstream. The most common type, reactive hypoglycemia, takes place a few hours after a meal that quickly spiked blood sugar levels, causing them to reactively plummet. Simple carbohydrate foods like white rice, pasta, bread, potatoes, cake, pastries, and pancakes are often the culprits.
Unfortunately, these blood sugar rollercoasters and IR are becoming widespread and contributing to numerous health problems. In the short term, insulin resistance can cause:
Craving for carbs and sugar
Weight gain (especially belly fat)
Irritability or feeling “hangry”
Feeling tired an hour or so after eating
Feeling tired if a meal is missed
Headaches
Low mood
Memory issues
Shakiness
Progression of IR can lead to increased inflammatory markers and chronic diseases like:
Type II diabetes mellitus
Metabolic syndrome
Alzheimer’s disease
Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD)
Cardiovascular disease
Kidney disease
Neuropathy
Hormonal imbalances
So what causes insulin resistance?
It is important to note that insulin resistance begins years before a diagnosis of type II diabetes. Rather than thinking of diabetes as a black and white disease, we should view it as a continuum. Before one will reach the diabetic threshold (which is diagnosed when fasting blood sugar exceeds 125 mg/dL or hemoglobin A1c exceeds 6.4%), there may have been decades of abnormal glucose metabolism.
There are a number of both dietary and lifestyle factors that can contribute to insulin resistance, the most modifiable and effective one being what you eat. Regular consumption of processed foods, simple starches and sugar, as well as overeating, grazing, and dehydration all contribute to suboptimal glucose metabolism. Vitamin and mineral deficiencies (such as chromium, magnesium, vitamin D, and inositol) may also play a role.
Aside from diet, abnormal blood sugar can be caused by lack of exercise, poor sleep, chronic stress, hormonal changes, certain medications, and gut issues. It is essential to consider all of these factors when trying to optimize blood sugar regulation.
So how do I keep my blood sugar stabilized?
In order to avoid blood sugar spikes and drops, we must shift our focus toward foods rich in soluble fiber, quality protein, and healthy fats while moving away from refined carbohydrates, fried foods, and high-sugar foods.
There are various dietary strategies that can help flatten the glucose curve, such as combining carbohydrates with protein, fat, or fiber. It has been shown that pairing a carbohydrate (like a banana) with a fat (like peanut butter) significantly reduces the glucose spike that would have resulted from eating the banana on its own.
Certain phytonutrients have also been shown to help lower blood sugar, such as fenugreek seeds, cinnamaldehyde from cinnamon, isoflavones from soybeans, acetic acid from vinegar, and berberine from the goldenseal plant.
Additionally, exercise – especially resistance training – has been shown to improve blood sugar levels. Not only are you able to transport more glucose into cells, but over time, your insulin receptors become more sensitive and effective in clearing excess sugar from the bloodstream.
Practical meal ideas to get you started:
Most people start their day with a carbohydrate-rich breakfast like cereal, toast, bagels, pancakes, pastries, or oatmeal, which sets their blood sugar curve up for disaster. By emphasizing healthy fats and proteins in the morning, we are bound to have more sustained energy and less cravings throughout the day.
Here are some examples of well-balanced breakfasts:
Vegetable-filled omelet with organic goat cheese
Chia pudding with cacao powder, sliced almonds, and wild blueberries
Unsweetened Greek yogurt with raspberries, coconut flakes, and chopped walnuts
Green smoothie with grass-fed whey protein powder, pineapple, kale, avocado, and almond butter
By taking control of our blood sugar, we can improve our energy levels, combat cravings, optimize cognitive function, improve our metabolism, and prevent chronic disease.
