Healthy Fats & Blood Sugar
Do you know anyone who has diabetes or is constantly checking their blood sugar? Or maybe you’re even teetering the pre-diabetic range yourself, and your doctor has put you on notice? Or what if neither one of those describes you, but these symptoms do:
Energy dips, lack of quality sleep, difficulty maintaining a healthy weight, suffering from brittle nails and hair, dry skin, poor circulation, stubborn belly fat, and a host of other issues…you may be riding what I call the ‘blood sugar rollercoaster.’
Unfortunately, diabetic or not, we are all subject to the ‘Blood Sugar Rollercoaster.’ As always, I encourage you to research and speak with your doctor.
If you’re my age, you probably remember the ‘Low Fat’ craze and the claim that fat was making us fat…in a nutshell, the fancy-schmancy marketers and food makers decided to strip the fat from food and replace it with chemicals to eliminate fat (an essential macronutrient). Often, those chemicals are sugar. What happens when you eat sugar? You want more. Then you NEED more to maintain that level of satisfaction. It’s a nasty cycle.
While most people now know that HEALTHY FATS are a vital component of a healthy diet, our grocery stores are still filled with ‘low, reduced, free’ fat ‘food’ items. When I see the buzz words’ reduced, low or free,’ I replace them with these three words: chemical shit storm. Avoid, avoid, avoid.
Here’s the deal, HEALTHY FATS (avocado, hummus, grass-fed beef, nuts, organic poultry, almond, flax, and avocado oils, to name a few) are essential for our bodies to function correctly. Don’t believe me? Check out a few of the benefits:
- Aids in growth and development
- Nourishes skin, hair, and nails
- Regulates hormones
- It helps maintain a steady metabolism
- Regulates inflammation
- Cushions & protects organs
One of the most significant benefits of healthy fats is that they help stabilize blood sugar. Stabilizing blood sugar helps control the rollercoaster, i.e., energy levels and feelings of satiety help to maintain a healthy weight, sleep better, and generally FEEL better, which is something we can all benefit from.
If you’re suffering from those above, I encourage you to look at the healthy fats you’re consuming (or lacking). Here’s a quick, balanced breakfast option:
1-2 slices Dave’s Killer Seed Bread (Ezekial or another whole grain, organic brand), 1/2 an avocado (mashed) sprinkled with Nature’s Seasoning and topped with a scrambled egg or egg whites and sliced bell peppers. So good and, more importantly, nutrient-packed! I can almost guarantee you will be delighted and maintain an excellent steady blood sugar level with this combination of healthy fats/carbs/protein!
Here are a few other healthy fat suggestions:
Whole-fat cheese with a small serving of nuts, hummus w/sliced bell peppers, carrots or celery, full-fat butter, cooking with avocado, coconut, or olive oil, and all-natural nut butter with no additives.
Of course, those are just suggestions, and finding what works best for you is essential. If you struggle with or are curious about this, I encourage you to experiment for yourself. Test out a variety of healthy fats paired with nutritious sources of protein and carbs. Do you notice a difference in your energy and satiety levels? Your time experimenting with different food options is FAR more cost-effective than visiting your doctor for blood work and possible medication that will only mask the real problem, don’t you agree?
Breanne Turner is a Certified Health Coach, NASM Certified Personal Trainer, and NESTA Fitness Nutrition Coach. For more info, https://www.facebook.com/hopefaithfit/.
