Have you ever experienced a dramatic drop in blood sugar?

If it’s happened to you – then you know it’s no bueno!

A blood sugar imbalance can leave you feeling dizzy, hangry, and fighting off major sugar cravings. It can also make it hard to lose weight, and cause moodiness and fatigue.

Like, pass the coffee IV kind of fatigue.

And here’s the kicker – poor blood sugar management can lead to many symptoms and diseases, but they’re all preventable by simply keeping those levels in check!

So, how about spending a few minutes with me learning what you can do to prevent things like insulin resistance, metabolic syndrome, diabetes, and their related symptoms?

Okay – read on, babe … 

UH, WHAT IS BLOOD SUGAR EXACTLY?

Blood sugar is simply referring to the glucose in your blood stream, and glucose is your body’s most immediate source of energy – for every. single. cell.

Now, your pancreas monitors your blood sugar levels and regulates them using several hormones, but your body also stores glucose (as glycogen) in the muscles and liver.

So what happens is, when you eat carbohydrates, your body begins by absorbing them in the small intestine. Then they proceed to the liver where specific hormones regulate the release of the sugar into the bloodstream to be used as energy.

And voila, you have glucose in your blood – aka blood sugar!

SO WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THEY BECOME IMBALANCED?

When you eat sugar and carbohydrates, they get broken down into glucose which then enters your bloodstream to provide you with the energy you need to get through the day.

But when you eat these, your blood sugar levels can spike too quickly causing your body to panic. So it releases the hormone insulin to help lower your blood sugar levels by turning the sugar into energy.

This is your body trying to keep your blood sugar balanced.

What’s important to note is that your body isn’t physiologically capable of dealing with large quantities of glucose at once. So, when you consume large amounts of sugar at one time (like a candy bar, a piece of cake, or even a pop), your body continues to release insulin to lower your blood sugar – and it doesn’t always know when to stop.

This now causes your blood sugar to get too low – causing you to “crash”.

When that happens, you get moody, fatigued, and begin to crave a “quick fix” from sugar to get your energy levels back up. And so the vicious cycle continues.

THEN HOW DO YOU BALANCE YOUR BLOOD SUGAR?

First of all – I don’t want you to write off carbohydrates altogether because of what I’ve said thus far.

Carbohydrates are actually a critical component of a balanced diet (remember, glucose fuels the brain and every other cell!).

What you do need to understand, is that there are two different types of carbohydrates – simple and complex. Both give you energy, but in different ways.

Simple carbohydrates – like your sugars, white flours, and pops, will give your body that quick shock of energy that we talked about. The one that causes the ongoing release of insulin and the inevitable “crash” that follows.

Complex carbohydrates are loaded with fibre, causing a slower breakdown and a slower release of sugar – helping to keep your blood sugar steady.

Now that you understand more about how this works, it’s time to consider giving up your sugary treats to ensure you avoid the symptoms and diseases that this imbalance could create.

And lucky for you, I’ve got some great practical tips for you …

TIPS TO BALANCE YOUR BLOOD SUGAR

1. Eat more complex carbohydrates like root vegetables, beans and legumes, quinoa, and whole grains.
2. Get more sleep to keep your hormones in check (like cortisol and ghrelin which promote the feeling of hunger) and to prevent disrupting your circadian rhythm, which has been shown to raise your blood sugar. Seven to nine hours is ideal!
3. Fuel up with healthy fats such as nuts and seeds, coconut oil, salmon, and avocado.
4. Move your body daily to encourage your cells to take up more glucose (used for energy and tissue repair) and to help cells become more responsive to insulin – helping to prevent insulin resistance.
5. Add in more fibre by eating foods such as hemp hearts, chia seeds, flaxseeds, whole fruits and vegetables, nuts, beans, and other seeds.
6. Reduce your stress to get your hormones, specifically cortisol, in check as it raises your blood sugar.
7. Sprinkle on cinnamon because it contains polyphenols, which help maintain insulin sensitivity.
8. Fill up on low glycemic foods like apples, pears, berries, oats, and beans.

And please avoid simple carbohydrates like cookies, cake, candy, pop, and alcohol, etc.

MY FAVOURITE FOODS TO BALANCE BLOOD SUGARS

1. Cinnamon
2. Almonds
3. Coconut Oil
4. Apples
5. Lentils
6. Apple Cider Vinegar
7. Walnuts
8. Avocado
9. Chia seeds
10. Black Beans 

So now that you understand your blood sugars and the importance of balancing them (and have some great tips and food suggestions to boot!) – it’s time to try out this Chili Burrito recipe to practice balancing your blood sugars like a rockstar.