Signs You're Struggling with Blood Sugar Regulation and What You Can Do About It
When our blood sugar is regulated and functioning optimally our muscles are very sensitive to insulin cues and glucose is stored appropriately. We feel full and satisfied after our meals, have stable energy throughout the day, sleep soundly through the night, and don’t experience cravings. That sounds like everything you’re NOT experiencing?
You’ve come to the right place…let’s dive in!
Blood sugar is the term used for glucose floating through the bloodstream. Glucose is sugar that has been broken down by the body to be used for energy or stored for later use. We store glucose in our muscles, liver, and adipose tissue (fat cells). Remember…when our blood sugar is regulated and functioning optimally our muscles are very sensitive to insulin cues and glucose is stored appropriately. We feel full and satisfied after our meals, have stable energy throughout the day, sleep soundly through the night, and don’t experience cravings.
Next up? Your blood sugar plays a leading role in the health of your hormones!
Our endocrine (hormone) system is the body’s master communicator and relays different needs of the body through 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. So we need glucose from quality sources to support brain function to therefore support blood sugar regulation. It’s all one big loop!
When glucose is not properly transported and stored throughout the body symptoms of blood sugar dysregulation begin to present.
Some of these symptoms can include:
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 PM
As a consequence, when blood sugar is mismanaged a host of other symptoms can begin to present including irregular periods, sluggish thyroid, and fertility issues.
Managing your blood sugar requires monitoring and responding to your body’s glucose levels throughout the day, and taking necessary steps to keep them stable and balanced. This does not have to be complicated!!!
Here are 5 easy ways to keep your blood sugar balanced for increased and consistent energy throughout the day:
Eat breakfast within 60 minutes of waking up and wait until after breakfast to consume any coffee. Make sure your breakfast contains protein, fat, and fiber! This will help to stabilize your blood sugar first thing in the AM, setting you up for a great day. Eating breakfast with or before drinking your coffee can help with the absorption of caffeine and prevent you from feeling too jittery, wired, or shaky. Additionally, adding a protein, fat and carbohydrate source to your coffee can also help with blood sugar regulation. Think collagen and coconut milk blended into your morning coffee!
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. Grab my free sugar-names masterlist so you know what to look for!
If you notice your energy is consistently low, it may be helpful to eat smaller, more frequent meals throughout the day. This will help to keep your energy and concentration up. Make sure each meal has a combination of protein, fat, and fiber!
Eat dinner at least 3-4 hours prior to bed. Balance your dinner with protein, fat, and fiber to help combat those late-night cravings. The later you stay up the more tired you are going to feel, and naturally you will begin to crave sugar and other foods that will increase energy.
Try adding a bedtime snack. If you notice you are consistently waking up in the middle of the night between 2-3 AM (even if it’s just to go to the bathroom), this is a classic sign that your blood sugar is dropping in the middle of the night. When this happens your body secretes cortisol to increase blood sugar, and that cortisol spike wakes you up. A balanced bedtime snack of a slowly digested protein and/or fat can help to stabilize your blood sugar throughout the night.
