If you’ve been experiencing symptoms like roller coaster moods, an extra roll of fat tissue around the midsection, sugar cravings, trouble sleeping, or lowered immune function, this video is for you. In today’s video, I’ll discuss maintaining a healthy blood sugar balance and some herbal medicines that can help. Even if you’re not experiencing readily apparent blood sugar issues, integrating these suggestions will help keep you on the road to health and longevity.
In ancient times, we moved our bodies constantly and ate small portions of whole foods. This kept our blood sugar steady and healthy. Today, most of us consume more sugar and get less movement than our bodies need, and this can lead to imbalance.
Even if you eat a reasonably healthy diet, you may still have higher-than-healthy blood sugar levels.
Your body needs sugar to survive. When you eat food, it’s broken down into sugar and used for energy. For your body to use sugar and convert it into energy, it needs a hormone called insulin. Insulin acts like a key, allowing sugar you eat to enter your cells. So when you have more sugar in your system, your body tries to catch up by producing more insulin. Basically, problems arise when you have too much sugar and/or insulin circulating in your body.
The highs and lows associated with these high levels of sugar and insulin can be pretty damaging over time, resulting in inflammation, higher levels of cortisol (the stress hormone), recurring UTIs, moodiness, weight gain, and nerve damage.
Movement
Before discussing other remedies, it’s really important to remember that the most critical solution for blood sugar concerns is getting as much movement as you can! You must move every day to help your body use the circulating sugar.
Healthy Diet
The second most crucial remedy is diet. I could talk for a very long time about diet options for this topic, but for this post, remember to eat a whole-foods diet with plenty of fresh vegetables, a small portion of healthy carbs (like whole grains), and some healthy fat and protein.
If you’re consuming smoothies or fresh-squeezed juice, please be sure they’re not full of high-sugar foods like carrots, beets, or fruit like bananas. A little is ok, but your smoothie or juice should be mostly greens and other ingredients like your favourite protein or fat addition. Only add a small amount of flavour or something sweet to make it taste good, like a small apple, some berries, squeezed lemon, or fresh ginger. Learn more about juicing here.
Both remedies I would like to mention today can be easily incorporated into your diet. Try taking both remedies with meals instead of on an empty stomach, as this will minimize the risk of dropping your blood sugar too much!
The first remedy I’d like to discuss is cinnamon! Cinnamon is a really easy-to-use plant that is very effective at gently lowering blood sugar and improving insulin sensitivity. Use about 1/2 tsp of powdered cinnamon a day. I like to add it to my oatmeal in the morning, but you can also make a tea using cinnamon sticks. Just place the sticks in a pot with a lid and simmer for about 15-20 minutes. Strain and enjoy.
The next remedy is blueberries. You can use blueberries to help support your body if your blood sugar balance is a concern. This amazing plant not only helps lower your blood sugar but also supports many other systems negatively affected by blood sugar imbalance and inflammation. Eat a handful of fresh or frozen berries daily for best results.
I hope that helps you to find more balance and even out your cravings. Keep moving, eat a whole-foods diet with plenty of fibrous vegetables, and use cinnamon and blueberries regularly to balance blood sugar.
I promise to keep providing you with information that helps you reconnect to your true health potential. Take care, and I’ll see you next time on Wellness Wednesday.
