I don’t follow a diet per se nor do I recommend any specific diet to anyone (I believe in bio-individuality, what’s right for you isn’t necessarily right for me), however, I do focus on applying some key principles that help to avoid blood sugar spikes/drops.
Sustaining balanced blood sugar levels (aka blood glucose levels) and minimizing swings in blood sugar is absolutely paramount to weight loss, and moreover, to a healthy lifestyle and avoiding disease.
Firstly, healthy blood sugar levels is KEY to avoiding diabetes, which you’ve probably realized has become a terrible GLOBAL pandemic.
But even if you are not pre-diabetic, stable glucose ranges are KEY to staying healthy, lowering your probability of suffering from conditions (such as PCOS) and achieving (and maintaining) a stable weight.
Plus, maintaining stable glucose levels can improve energy, mood, memory, concentration and overall cognitive performance.
The good news is that there is so much we can do through just small diet and lifestyle changes to support our blood sugar levels and simultaneously boost our overall health.
Here are 11 tips to keep stable, healthy glucose levels:
1. Eat BALANCED meals, based on clean, unrefined whole foods (with just 1 ingredient) and ORGANIC where possible. Have each meal be filled with fiber, protein, healthy fats, and a wide variety of micronutrients. More on this HERE.
NOTE: Foods made in a factory and/or that come in a package are generally refined and more likely to generate a glucose spike, be nutrient poor, and have additives that can damage our metabolism and microbiome.
2. Avoid refined sugars. Be careful because sugar is everywhere! Read ingredients carefully, and watch out for grams of sugar. It’s also important to limit natural sugar sources such as dried fruits, syrups and honey. Even if its raw organic honey and organic pure maple syrup which are healthier than other alternatives, they STILL spike your blood sugar, so use them in moderation. Some people benefit from eliminating them all together in their day to day. More on this HERE.
3. Minimize carbohydrate portions in each meal and avoid eating carbs alone (even healthy carbs such as fruits and starchy vegetables). Pair your carbs with healthy fats, protein and fiber. Ex. If you eat an apple, add some nut butter and a sprinkle of ground flax seeds. If you have a sweet potato, keep it to a small portion and spread on some ghee. Remember, even if fruits and root vegetable are extremely healthy, large portions can spike your blood sugar more than you may realize. So pay attention to how you feel after eating them.
4. Fill your plate with non-starchy vegetables, primarily green leafy vegetables (lettuce, kale, arugula, spinach, etc.) as well as broccoli, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, zucchini, cucumber, celery, green beans and more.
5. Eat tons of fiber in each meal. Adding a wide variety of vegetables, as well as legumes (beans, lentils, chickpeas), nuts and seeds (especially chia seeds and flax seeds). More on fiber tips HERE:
6. Eat healthy fats at each meal. Some of my favorites include, olives and a good cold-pressed extra virgin olive oil, ghee, coconut (meat, shredded, milk) and coconut oil, avocados and avocado oil, ghee, and all variety of nuts and seeds (and nut and/or seed butters). More HERE.
7. Choose organic when possible. Especially when eating animal protein, limit farm-raised products. Aim for wild-caught fish (ideally the smaller ones, lower mercury and higher omega-3 such as wild-caught salmon), organic free-range eggs and poultry, grass-fed (and hormone-free, antibiotic-free) meats. Farm-raised animal products are LOWER in omega-3s and can negatively affect our metabolic health which is linked to glucose levels.
8. Start experimenting with healthy lower-carb swaps, for example, making “zoodles” (zucchini noodles) instead of regular pasta, cauliflower rice instead of traditional rice/grains, etc. HERE are some ideas and recipes to get you started.
9. Move your body everyday. Regular exercise has multiple benefits for your metabolic health. It can help train our bodies to more efficiently switch from using glucose for energy to burning fat. Regular exercise can also increase the amount of fat we burn between meals. Studies show that moderate activity (of just 30 minutes, three times per week) can improve insulin resistance and glycemic control – so no need for super long workouts. Just get moving! I’ve even read that a single workout can improve your insulin sensitivity!
10. Rest. Getting proper sleep, 7.5-9 hours per day ideally uninterrupted, every single day, will help you maintain proper blood sugar levels. When we don’t sleep enough, our bodies can become quickly insulin resistant. Even 1 night of under 6.5 hours can create a negative impact! HERE are some sleeping tips.
11. De-stress; start meditating and practice deep breathing. When we experience constant stress (just like when we don’t get enough sleep), our bodies sense a “threat” and release hormones like cortisol and adrenaline. This stimulates the liver to release glucose, and you end up with higher blood sugar levels. The good thing is that studies show how implementing regular de-stressing rituals like deep, conscious breathwork and meditation can help keep our glucose levels healthy and balanced (on top of SO MANY OTHER BENEFITS!!)
Now most important, start slow. Take gradual steps, applying a few of these tips at a time. Once they’ve become habits and part of your daily rituals, you apply the rest.
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