Category Archives: Health and Nutrition

When you develop an appropriate food choice based upon a plan that includes managing your healthy diet and Diabetes, there are likely to be many choices often associated with being good for you, such as oatmeal, smoothies (typically fruit-based), whole-grain bread (or toast) and fresh fruits. What is typically surprising about this list is how quickly and significantly glucose levels may spike from consuming one or more of these at times.

If you have asked yourself questions such as “Why is my morning blood sugar so high?” or “Why is my blood sugar higher than normal after consuming what has been identified as a ‘clean’ meal?”, then you are certainly not alone.

Let’s break down why this happens and provide alternatives to help minimize increases in blood sugar and improve your overall health.

Why Do “Healthy” Foods Spike Glucose?

Not everyone has stable blood sugar levels, even when they are eating a balanced, healthy diet. The manner in which your body reacts to carbohydrates is dependent on multiple factors:

• Your level of insulin sensitivity (how well you use the insulin that is produced)
• The amount of muscle mass you have
• How stressed out you are
• How much sleep you get per night
• Whether or not you currently experience some form of insulin resistance
• What type of diabetes you have

Just because a food is labelled as whole grain, organic or “natural,” does not mean it will be processed by your body slowly. In fact, it could very easily cause an increase in glucose levels quickly if your body processes carbs poorly.

It does not mean this food is bad; it simply means that it might not fit your metabolic needs.

Common Healthy Foods That May Spike Blood Sugar

The list below includes examples of common food items that may have unexpected effects on glucose levels:

1. Oatmeal

The oats found in oatmeal are typically included in an otherwise healthy diet and diabetes management plans. However, for many people with Insulin Resistance, oatmeal will rapidly elevate their blood glucose levels. Typically, this occurs when oatmeal is consumed by itself, i.e., without the presence of either fat or protein.

2. Fruit Smoothies

Fruit is generally considered a nutritious food item. Blending fruit, however, removes most of the fiber that causes the fruit to be digested slowly. Therefore, a fruit smoothie made from banana and mango (for example) can produce a more rapid rise in blood sugar levels than consuming the same fruits as individual pieces of fresh fruit.

3. Whole Grain Breads

Although whole grain breads may appear to provide a healthier alternative compared to white flour breads; because these products have been refined to such a degree, they can also result in a more immediate response of the body’s blood sugar levels (which can manifest itself through a variety of symptoms such as fatigue, dizziness/shakiness, etc.); although it should be noted due to the processing of the product rather than the type of grain used.

4. Low-Fat Yoghurt

Some types of low-fat yogurt may contain additional sugars, so while the label may indicate “low-fat” and “healthy”, the actual impact of this type of yogurt on your average glucose levels may exceed what was anticipated.

What Happens During a Glucose Spike?

When carbohydrate-heavy foods are eaten, they cause an immediate increase in blood sugar. If a person has less than usual insulin sensitivity, then their body is unable to manage this rapid spike as well as it could. Additionally, this increase may remain elevated for a longer period of time. As such, over a prolonged period of time, these frequent glucose spikes can:

• Increase your A1C levels
• Limit how effectively your body can regulate its own blood sugar levels
• Cause you to gain more weight
• Reduce insulin sensitivity in your body

Normal blood sugar levels will vary from one person to another, but if your glucose levels consistently exceed what are considered normal ranges (acceptable blood sugar levels), you will have an increased risk of developing long-term health problems.

What to Eat Instead

The purpose is to make healthy food choices, not to get rid of them. Here are smarter swaps for maintaining consistent blood glucose levels:

Pair Carbs with Protein and Fat

Substitute:

• Plain oats → Oats + Chia Seeds + Nuts + Greek Yogurt
• Single Fruit → Apple Slices + Almond Butter

Eating carbohydrates with protein and fat will slow down the carbs digestion process and reduce the amount of glucose entering your bloodstream at one time.

Select Lower Glycemic Index Food Choices

Replace:

• White Rice → Cauliflower Rice/Quinoa
• Fruit Juice → Whole Berries
• Regular Processed Bread → Sprouted Grain/Bread Alternatives (Lower Carb)

Place A Priority On Eating High Fiber And Whole Foods

Non-starchy vegetables, lean protein sources, and healthy fats are all basic to a strong, healthy diet and diabetes management strategy.

Why Morning Blood Sugar Can Be High

If you have been asking yourself, “Why is my morning blood sugar so high?” It may be because of a natural release of insulin-stimulating hormones (the dawn phenomenon) when the body normally raises glucose levels as part of its wake-up routine.

However, if your glucose levels continue to elevate throughout the day, this could be an indication of insulin resistance or nighttime glucose fluctuations. 

The way you eat for dinner can have a direct impact on stabilizing your overnight readings. However, reducing the amount of refined carbohydrates consumed at dinner and increasing the amount of protein will assist in stabilizing your overnight readings.

The Bigger Picture: Personalization Matters

All bodies are different, so what works for one person as a “healthy diet” for managing diabetes won’t necessarily work for someone else.

The best way to determine how your body reacts to food, besides lab tests or continuous glucose monitoring (CGM), is by identifying those specific dietary patterns as early as possible to avoid long-term damage to your metabolic function.

Ideal Metabolic Health and Body in Fort Collins supports you to find out how you react to different types of foods and to develop lasting ways to keep your blood sugar under control while promoting optimal metabolic health.

Making small lifestyle changes can have an enormous effect on how you are feeling on a daily basis.

While many people associate both “insulin resistance” and “diabetes”, these two conditions are NOT identical. Although they are very related to each other, one condition almost always develops long before the other. Knowing which of the two occurs first will allow you to take early action that will ultimately support your overall long-term health (and well-being).

In the simplest of terms, let’s see.

What Is Insulin Resistance?

When you have high levels of sugar in your blood and are unable to get those sugars inside your cells using less and less insulin, you develop a condition called insulin resistance. It means that when you take the insulin, your cells do not respond to the insulin as well as they should.

In order to overcome this problem, your pancreas will make more insulin than ever before. The amount of extra insulin that you need to produce can be so great that you might still appear to have normal blood sugar levels. That’s why you can live with insulin resistance for such a long time without even knowing about it.

However, while your glucose levels look like they’re fine on the outside, your body has become overworked. Some of the most common signs of insulin resistance can include:

• Feeling tired after meals
• Hunger or craving sweets more frequently
• Weight gain, particularly around your midsection
• Difficulty losing weight and/or improving insulin resistance
• Brain fog, or lack of energy

The above can occur many years before type 2 diabetes develops.

The Moment Diabetes Enters Your Life

Diabetes begins once you are unable to control how much glucose is in the bloodstream.

For most people who have type 2 diabetes, their bodies will be resistant to insulin before they develop diabetes. As a result of that insulin resistance, the pancreas has a hard time producing enough insulin to meet that resistance. At some point, the pancreas can’t produce enough insulin, and as a result, your blood glucose levels are too high all of the time, which is when you are diagnosed with diabetes.

In contrast, type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease, and therefore, it cannot be attributed to insulin resistance since it occurs at a younger age than type 2 diabetes.

When we compare insulin resistance and diabetes in adults, we are generally talking about how type 2 diabetes progresses through the body.

What Changes First?

Typically, the first change that occurs in the body isn’t diabetes itself. The very first change is usually an insulin resistance. Here is a step-by-step explanation of how this progression normally works:

1. The cells become resistant to insulin (meaning they don’t respond as well).
2. The body begins producing higher amounts of insulin to help make up for the lower response rate from the cells.
3. As time progresses, high levels of insulin are produced for many years, even when the cells are still not responding as they should.
4. During these years of high insulin production, weight gain and other metabolic changes will likely occur.
5. Eventually, glucose levels will start to rise into the bloodstream.
6. At some point after the glucose has started to rise, signs of diabetes will begin to emerge and a diagnosis will follow.

This entire process can take many years; which is one reason why it is so critical to have awareness of your body at an early stage.

Signs of Diabetes vs. Early Insulin Resistance

Recognizing the differences can help you identify what is going on with your body early on.

Symptoms of early insulin resistance can be as follows:

• Weight loss is difficult
• Your energy crashes
• You have cravings
• A small increase in your fasting blood sugar levels
• Diabetes symptoms can be very apparent, as follows:
• Increased thirst
• Frequent urination
• Blurry vision
• Poorly healing wounds
• Unexplainable fatigue

As you can see, many times people will first experience symptoms of insulin resistance that are not so noticeable (before they exhibit symptoms of full-blown diabetes).

Can Insulin Resistance Be Reversed?

Short answer: YES! The good news about insulin resistance is that it is possible to improve insulin sensitivity through a correct method of treatment. Most insulin resistant individuals find that the first steps toward improving their insulin sensitivity involve lifestyle modifications such as:

• A nutritionally balanced meal plan that helps regulate blood glucose levels.
• Regular strength training and physical activity.
• Obtaining quality sleep each night.
• Practicing stress-reducing techniques.
• Working with medical professionals for guidance.

When small, consistent changes are implemented to daily habits, these actions can result in significant positive improvement in insulin function over time.

Supporting Your Body Before Blood Sugar Rises

Understanding the differences between insulin resistance and diabetes is an important way to protect your future health. By recognizing early changes in your body’s ability to process glucose and metabolic processes, you provide your body with the chance to correct itself and be more responsive in the future.

At Ideal Metabolic Health and Body in Fort Collins, we want you to be able to make sense of your insulin resistance and/or diabetes. We are here to guide you on your journey toward a better understanding of your body and promote your metabolic health, as well as provide you with tools to proactively address issues that may potentially develop from small imbalances before they become larger issues.