Goodbye blood sugar rollercoaster
You’ve just woken up. You feel full of energy. Your mind is clear. You get up, have a healthy breakfast and throughout the day your energy is good, your mood is stable, you’re mentally sharp and your concentration is good. You haven’t had energy dips, become irritable or experienced a single craving. You feel on top of your life.
Who wants more of this?
Some simple changes that will definitely help balance those blood sugar levels
Start the day with a protein/fat based meal
eggs (however you like them) with some avocado on seeded bread
overnight oats made with nut milk, no sugar added, berries, a sprinkle of cinnamon (Ceylon is best) and a scoop of protein powder (a good quality one), if needed
Protein smoothie made with protein powder, green veg, berries, seeds and nut milk.
Home made muesli rather than store bought which has loads of added sugar. You can make with nuts, seeds, quinoa flakes, buckwheat, cinnamon etc and add a nut milk of your choice
Include protein / fat in all meals
Protein (meat, poultry, eggs, fish, dairy, nuts, seeds, tofu, legumes etc) Protein is satiating and will balance your blood sugar levels amongst many other functions.
Healthy fat such as fish, seeds, olives, avocados, olive /coconut & MCT oil.
It is a myth that low fat leads to greater weight loss. Our bodies crave fats and need them in order to function properly: hormone production, maintain healthy cell structure, helps absorb fat soluble vitamins A, D,E, K and helps to fill you up and prevent those between meal sugar/carb cravings – balancing your blood sugar and insulin production. When you give your body the right fats you’ll stop craving fatty foods.
And
Focus on complex (slow) releasing carbohydrate: Think vegetables that grow above ground like cruciferous (broccoli, kale, cabbage, radish, Brussels sprout, rocket) courgette, peppers, tomatoes etc. Grains (quinoa, brown rice, buckwheat, millet etc) you If you are having root vegetables such as; sweet potatoes, carrots, squash, it’s better to steam / boil them as this will prevent a rise in blood sugar levels.
Snacking
Give your pancreas a break (from producing insulin) and your digestive system will also be very happy that it’s able to take a rest from processing and digesting more food.
But if you do feel like it opt for foods that will balance your blood sugar levels
Nuts with a handful of berries
An apple with a tbs of nut butter,
2 square of dark chocolate minimum 70% cacao,
Hummus with oatcakes and avocado
Chia seed jam (check out one of my earlier blogs) with some oat cakes
Time Restricted Eating (TRE)
This is when you eat all your food within a certain time, say 10am - 6 pm. You are allowed coffee, tea and water (ideally no milk!). TRE has been shown to reduce body weight, improve blood sugar control and improve immunity amongst other things. Note. It’s not for everyone. If you have any underlying health conditions , always best to check with your doctor.
Keep hydrated !
Aim for 2 litres per day, for variety add lemon, lime, cucumber, mint or other fruits or try herbal teas.
Like with anything, it’s all about moderation. By eating a balanced diet filled with a wide range of foods, it is easy to ensure that you consume adequate amounts of all essential nutrients. This not only reduces the risk of nutritional deficiencies; it also provides numerous health benefits.
Hope this helps !