Why is regulating your blood sugar levels so important?
Most of us think of diabetes when we hear blood sugar dysregulation. But balancing our blood sugar levels is important for everyone. Blood sugar or glucose is needed for our bodies to function. Glucose is energy and we obtain it via food, so what we eat and when we eat is very important.
Dysglycemia is dysfunction in glucose utilization. Why is glucose utilization so important? The nutrients we get via food (protein/fat/carbs) allows us to create energy. And we need energy to heal and have health. What most people do not realize is that blood sugar dysregulation is common in people who are not diabetics. Here is a list of signs and symptoms of blood sugar issues, high or low.
· Fatigue
· Sleep issues/apnea
· Mood issues
· Hormone imbalance
· Weight problems
· Headaches/migraines
· Crave sugar
· Frequent urination
Let’s discuss what happens when our blood sugar is too high. When you get blood work done, they will measure your Hemoglobin A1C. This measures how much of your red blood cells are sugar. This number is an average blood sugar of 90 days. You want this number to be between 4.8 and 5.6. If it is high, you are hyperglycemic. This can create some of the symptoms above. But just as too much is bad, too low is also not ideal. When blood sugar levels drop our body will go into survival mode. That is a good function but when we are chronically in a state of low blood sugar our bodies will break down.
Why is high blood sugar bad?
Too much blood sugar stirs up inflammation in the bloodstream and excess sugar can be toxic and trigger a reaction called glycation. Glycation is the process by which sugar binds to proteins and certain fats, deforming molecules that don’t function well. These sugar proteins are called Advanced Glycation End Products (AGEs). Your body doesn’t recognize AGEs as normal and the body will sound the alarm of inflammation.
How does stress affect my blood sugar levels?
We all know too much stress is not good for the body. When we are stressed, physically or mentally, our body releases cortisol from our adrenal glands. This makes sense, for example imagine you walk into a room and there is a lion there. Our body goes into fight or flight mode, cortisol increases and tells your liver to dump glucose into your blood stream to go to your muscles so you can run. If you are in a constant state of fight or flight, then you are pumping out lots of cortisol. Your body doesn’t know you’re not in immediate danger, but your body is reacting that way.
So, you can see that chronic stress, poor eating or inconsistent eating can create problems. You want to eat well balanced meals and don’t skip meals. If you’re a female, you need more protein! Protein and good fats stabilize our blood sugar levels. Carbs give us quick energy but then you crash, same with sugar. Ideally you need protein, paired with a carb and fat. They all work together to stabilize your blood sugar levels. So, when you grab a banana, put some peanut butter or almond butter on it. You might think, “I’m eating fruit for breakfast and that is healthy” yet it’s not enough to stabilize your blood sugar and you don’t feel as good. Try it and you’ll see how much better you feel when paired with protein. Make note of your habits and make small modifications!
-Dr.KS
