Blood Sugar 101: Signs of Dysregulation and Why it Matters
Blood sugar refers to glucose that is circulating through the bloodstream. The sugars that we consume are broken down into glucose to be used for energy or stored for later use.
Glucose is stored in the muscles, liver, and adipose tissue (fat cells) as glycogen. When blood sugar is functioning properly the muscles are very sensitive to insulin cues and glucose can be stored appropriately. Signs that blood sugar is balanced are that we feel full and satisfied after meals, have stable energy throughout the day, sleep soundly through the night, and don’t really experience any cravings for sugar between or after meals.
The endocrine system relays many different needs of the body through signals via hormones. One of the main functions of the endocrine system is the transport of glucose to the brain, muscles, and heart. Glucose is the primary fuel source for the brain, which regulates the body’s blood sugar response. In other words we need glucose to fuel the brain, which therefore regulates how the body is able to properly manage glucose. This is why it’s important not to cut out entire macronutrients….ahem, carbohydrates. However, glucose can be created from most any food that we eat - this is by no means a pass to “down” sugar or bring in extra desserts.
When glucose is not properly managed we begin to experience symptoms of dysregulation. This is can look like:
feeling hungry all the time
headaches if meals are skipped
consistent cravings for sugar and carbs
not satisfied after meals
weight gain
difficulty burning fat
low energy especially between 3-5 PM
trouble concentrating
waking up in the middle of the night between 2-3 AM
Dysregulated blood sugar can lead to other health issues such as hormone imbalance, digestive dysfunction, and low immune function. This is because supporting our blood sugar is one of the more important ways to support the thyroid, and the thyroid is the master generator for the body controlling the functions listed above and more.
I like to think of supporting blood sugar as stoking a fire. The fats and proteins we consume are like the big logs at the bottom. These are slow burning and give us longer lasting energy to keep the fire going. Carbohydrates are like the kindling. These give us quick energy and can help keep the larger logs burning. But these burn fast, so we need larger logs to keep the fire going. Fiber, like oxygen, helps support the fire with a good steady flow of several contributing factors.
Supporting blood sugar can be difficult for those with more complicated metabolic dysfunction, but if you are looking for basic steps to get you started on balancing your blood sugar on your own try implementing these:
Eat breakfast within 30-60 minutes of waking up. Make sure your breakfast contains protein, fat, and fiber! This will help to break your fast and stabilize your blood sugar first thing. Bonus points for greens to get that digestion provoked with lots of chewing and nutrients!
Avoid artificial sugars, sugar substitutes, and processed foods containing corn syrup, high fructose corn syrup, dextrose, etc. These foods and additives are designed to bypass our hunger hormones causing us to overeat.
If you notice your energy is consistently low, it may be helpful to eat small, frequent meals for the time being. This will help to keep your energy and concentration up. Stoke the fire! Make sure each meal has a combination of protein, fat, and fiber. As your blood sugar and energy begin to stabilize you can transition back to 3 meals per day if you’d like. You’ll see positive change here in at least 3 weeks, so plan to make changes at that point if you’ve seen positive progress.
Eat dinner 2-3 hours prior to bed. Again, balance your dinner with protein, fat, and fiber to help combat those late-night cravings. If you feel hungry before bed, consume a small snack containing protein and/or fat. Don’t listen to diet culture that says to not eat before bed. Yes, digestion may be slowed when we sleep, but if you are hungry and frequently wake up in the middle of the night this is a classic sign of low blood sugar. Coconut yogurt with fruit or bone broth hot chocolate and a homemade gelatin marshmallow are some snack ideas. Leftover dinner protein, a pickle wrapped in deli meat or a piece of bacon with a slice of raw cheese are other great options.
