7) Vinegar - Vinegar has been shown to slow the digestion of carbohydrates and improve the blood sugar response to food.
For anyone who wants to splurge on a good shot of vinegar OR simply add 2 tbsp of apple cider vinegar in 8 oz of water before your first meal and again before bed.
6) Spices - Certain spices such as cinnamon and turmeric have been shown to help lower blood sugar by improving insulin signalling and helping drive sugars into the cells. Simply sprinkle a teaspoon in your food or drinks right before meal time.
My favorite blend to add to my morning coffee and afternoon smoothie
5) Fiber - Fiber, much like vinegar, slows the rate at which sugar enters the digestive system. Adding in more fibrous fruits (berries, apples) and vegetables OR a fiber supplement if not able to get in a lot of vegetables is a good start to not only improving blood sugar but gastrointestinal health in general.
4) Fat - Fat acts in the same manner as fiber in that it helps slow the conversion of carbohydrates to blood sugar in the digestive tract. High quality fats such as seeds and nuts, avocados, olive or avocado oil for cooking, marinades, or salad dressings all work very well and are packed with other micronutrients our bodies crave. Less is more as these guys pack a punch in the calorie category.
3) Walking - A simple 10-15 minute walk after a meal has been shown to improve insulin sensitivity and the subsequent clearance of sugar from the blood. Don’t be afraid to carry a heavy bag for a little added challenge and cellular response. Dinner appears to be the most important time to walk as this is usually the largest meal of the day.
2) Avoid Hyperpalatable Foods - For more reasons than one these foods should be a treat and should be earned. This includes ALL processed foods and even some whole foods such as sweet fruits (mangos come to mind as an example.) If you are in the thick of a battle with diabetes I wouldn’t even waste my time with them. But once you’ve gotten your insulin resistance under control an occasional treat will be nothing your body cannot handle (emphasis on occasional.)
1) Intermittent Fasting - IF YOU HAVE DIABETES OR OTHER METABOLIC SYNDROMES DO NOT TRY FASTING WITHOUT CONSULTING YOUR PHYSICIAN. YOUR BLOOD SUGAR WILL NEED TO BE CLOSELY MONITORED AND YOUR MEDICATIONS MAY HAVE TO BE ADJUSTED.
Fasting is one of the most powerful yet underutilized form of treatment for many pathologies including metabolic disorders such as insulin resistance and diabetes. Not only will it improve insulin signalling, it will lower blood sugar, blood pressure, and cholesterol levels all of which make you more susciptible to heart attacks and stroke.
To start the process of intermittent fasting try to stop eating or drinking anything with calories at 7pm and do not eat again until 7am. Once that becomes easy hold off on eating until 9am which would put you at 14 hours of fasting. The goal should be to fast for 16 hours most days of the week consuming water or unsweetened tea with lemon or black coffee with cinnamon.
As always let us know if you have any questions.
Until then,
Keep it moving,
AC