Did you know about a third of adults in the United States have “pre-diabetes”…..and MOST don’t even know it. If you have this condition, you are 50% more likely to develop Type 2 Diabetes. I talk a lot to my clients and in my programs about blood sugar balancing and how important it is for a healthy body.
I want to empower you to take control of your health and live in a body that you love. Understanding Blood Sugar Balancing is one of the KEY ways to get there! Here’s a quick 101 and some great supportive recipes to go along with it.
What actually is Pre-diabetes?
This is a condition that is characterized by “elevated” blood sugar that is still “below” Type 2 Diabetes (making it much easier to reverse). If you have this disorder, it means that you have “insulin resistance” (maybe you have heard this term used before, especially if you are over the age of 40). Insulin is actually a HORMONE that carries the sugar from your blood (aka blood glucose) into the rest of your body, so when you’re resistant to this hormone, blood sugar rises.
When you are in the “pre-diabetes” stage, your body can work to mitigate the problem by pumping more insulin, BUT it also means that special cells (beta cells) in your pancreas have started to “burn out”. So eventually (if you don’t change your diet and lifestyle), insulin production declines, and blood sugar levels get higher.
SO, the question is what can you do???
#1.) Know your Numbers-
Get your blood work checked annually. Proof is in the numbers. More than not, people don’t even realized they have a blood sugar/insulin resistance issue going on….unless there is a problem. It’s important for you to know your numbers so you can be pro-active.
#2.) Make Plants the STAR of your Plate-
My Fundamental5 Method is a “plant focused” approach to eating. Making sure your plate is “mostly” filled with veggies, healthy omega’s, lean protein and inflammation fighting spices will help to elongate your blood sugar curve!
#3.) Make sure you have the RIGHT FATS on your Plate-
People with pre-diabetes what ate 50 grams of “monounsaturated” fats a day, have better insulin sensitivity after 12 weeks than those who consume just 10-20 grams a day, according to study conducted through the Mayo Clinic.
#4.) Get your ZZZ’s-
Make sure you getting the recommended 7-8 hours of quality sleep a night. If you are consistently getting less than 5 hours a night it can actually increase your risk of diabetes by 68% (study done by Diabetic Medicine). It will also increase your cortisol levels (a stress hormone, that will release stored sugar into your blood for energy).
#5.) Get your MOVE on-
Muscle tissue absorbs sugar out of your bloodstream to burn for energy! So more muscle equals greater benefits (I’m not talking huge biceps). As we get older, strength training with a mix of cardio becomes that much more important.
#6.) Be Sweet, BUT don’t consume too many of them-
I think it goes without saying, we all need to be mindful about the sugar we are consuming daily. Become a good label reader! We typically consume (sometimes unknowingly) triple the amount of recommended daily sugar. Women should be around 25 grams or less and men should be around 35 grams or less. When we start reading labels, we realize we are getting much more than we even realized.
Looking for some great recipes to empower your health???? I just posted a couple of new ones that will FAST become favorites!
Check it out: