Blood Sugar Myths & Facts
Have you heard that if a person appears thin that they cannot have blood sugar issues? Or that frequent snacking is the best way to maintain blood sugar regulation? Or that only people with diabetes need to worry about blood sugar?
These are all myths!
The facts are that the only way to know if you have blood sugar problems is to test (not look at your body type), that frequent snacking might even be making blood sugar problems worse, and that insulin resistance can develop years before a diagnosis of diabetes.
Unfortunately, metabolic health issues are on the rise, particularly among women. Factors such as hormonal fluctuations during menstruation, pregnancy, and menopause, combined with lifestyle factors, can contribute to metabolic imbalances when not balanced. Poor metabolic health can lead to insulin resistance, weight gain, fatigue, and an increased risk of chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
It’s a MYTH that only people with diabetes need to care about blood sugar.
What drives Dysglycemia (imbalanced blood sugar)
Early changes in blood sugar regulation are driven by insulin resistance, which means that cells become less responsive to insulin. This most often happens because of a repeated pattern of eating an excess of sugar or refined carbohydrates without healthy fats, fiber, and protein.
That being said, here are some of the outward signs that suggest the possibility of insulin resistance, which means your cells have become less response to insulin and less effective at using glucose from your blood as energy:
Belly Fat
Sugar Cravings
Energy Crashes
Brain Fog
Mood Swings
Skin Tags
Darkened Skin Creases
Left unchecked, insulin resistance can also fuel inflammation, weight struggles, and heart disease.
How to Sabotage Your Blood Sugar
If you want healthy blood sugar regulation, you’ll want to stop doing the things listed below. All of them can sabotage your best efforts at diet and exercise:
1️⃣ Eating Carbs on Their Own
2️⃣ Eating While Stressed
3️⃣ Coffee on Empty Stomach
4️⃣ Dinner Late at Night
5️⃣ Sleep Deprivation
Lots of times people come to me with concerns about their blood sugar. When they’re already doing a lot of things right, it’s often one of these things ☝️they are missing.
Combining Macros for Metabolic Balance
Macronutrients—carbohydrates, proteins, and fats—play a vital role in regulating blood sugar levels and overall metabolic health. Here's how to combine them effectively:
Carbohydrates: Choose complex carbs like whole grains, legumes, and vegetables that are rich in fiber. These types of carbs are digested slowly, preventing rapid spikes in blood sugar.
Proteins: Include lean proteins such as poultry, fish, beans, and nuts in your meals. Protein helps stabilize blood sugar levels and promotes satiety, reducing the likelihood of overeating.
Fats: Incorporate healthy fats from sources like avocados, olive oil, and nuts. Healthy fats slow down the digestion of carbohydrates, leading to a more gradual release of glucose into the bloodstream.
A balanced meal might include a combination of these macros, such as a quinoa salad with mixed vegetables, grilled chicken, and a drizzle of olive oil. This approach helps maintain steady blood sugar levels and supports metabolic health.
Sleep
Sleep is so important for blood sugar regulation because it’s a time when the body is fasted. The body goes into a healing and regenerative state - which influences insulin sensitivity, nervous system activity, the gut microbiome, and energy metabolism.
Sleep is also a critical but often overlooked component of metabolic health. Poor sleep can disrupt the body's ability to regulate blood sugar, leading to increased insulin resistance. When you don't get enough sleep, your body produces more cortisol, a stress hormone that raises blood sugar levels. Additionally, lack of sleep can increase appetite, particularly for high-carbohydrate and sugary foods, further exacerbating blood sugar imbalances.
A recent study published in JAMA found that people who consistently sleep less than 6 hours a night had a significantly higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes - even if they had a healthy diet. This study included close to a quarter of a million people!
Sleep is the cornerstone for improving energy, anti-aging, balancing hormones, and improving weight.
Trouble sleeping? We can help.
Stress
Stress is a major player in blood sugar regulation. Stress can fuel blood sugar dysregulation, and blood sugar dysregulation can fuel stress.
When you’re stressed, your body produces cortisol and adrenaline. These increase glucose in the blood as a source of energy for your cells to respond to the perceived threat (fight or flight!).
BUT …. When you aren’t actually running from a saber-toothed tiger, that spike in blood sugar is kinda…EXTRA. Chronic stress can lead to consistently elevated blood sugar levels, increasing the risk of insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes.
✖️ That’s how stress can be a driving force behind insulin resistance and blood sugar problems over time.
Now let’s look at the other way around 🔁
When you eat an excess of sugar or refined carbs, you get a sugar spike followed by a crash—which your body perceives as a stress and releases cortisol and adrenaline.
✖️ That’s how sugar causes stress.
It’s a vicious cycle but one that is entirely possible to break!
Meal Timing
Does the timing of your meals matter? A recent study of 2050 participants found that eating the largest meal at dinner increased the risk for obesity and led to higher body mass index. Eating lunch as the largest meal was protective against obesity.
Just remember: every organ, system, and function in your body follows a circadian (24-hour) cycle—including your energy metabolism. Maybe it’s time we start to align our eating patterns to our body’s natural rhythms.
Supporting Metabolic Health
Regulating blood sugar can, at times, feel complex. Let’s look at some things you can do to support blood sugar regulation—that have nothing to do with food.
✅ Daily Movement
✅ Walks After Meals
✅ 7+ Hours of Sleep
✅ Plenty of Water
✅ Stress Management
Nothing (definitely not blood sugar) happens in isolation. That’s why we always take a whole-body, whole-person, and whole-life approach to healing. By combining macronutrients effectively, prioritizing sleep, avoiding blood sugar sabotaging behaviors, and managing stress, we can significantly enhance our metabolic health and reduce the risk of chronic diseases.
If you are feeling stuck, not sure where to start first when it comes to improving your metabolism to improve your energy, sleep, and moods, sign up for our free upcoming workshop on balancing hormones. We will be discussing how to balance blood sugar to balance hormones.
