Smart Strategies for Stable Blood Sugar

Dr. Mary Clare Haver has dedicated her medical practice to helping people with metabolism changes as they age. This article is based on excerpts from her blog, "The Pause Life."

When it comes to health, one of the most important recommendations is to limit the amount of sugar we're eating. The American Heart Association (AHA) recommends limiting added sugars to less than 25 grams (or 6 teaspoons) a day, which may seem easier said than done.

So many tempting foods — including sweet drinks and baked treats — are loaded with sugar. Just one cupcake, a can of pop, or a double scoop of Rocky Road can put us way over six teaspoons a day. There’s also a surprising amount of sugar added to healthy-sounding foods like protein bars, granola and fruit flavored yogurts. That probably explains why the average American eats around 17 added teaspoons of sugar a day! Uffda!!

Why Limiting Sugar Intake Matters

There’s more to metabolic health than just avoiding added sugars. Even carbohydrate-rich foods like grapes, sushi rolls, oatmeal and sweet corn which contain important nutrients, might also spike blood sugar to an unhealthy level.

When blood sugar stays elevated over time, it can disrupt the way the body processes sugars. This can lead to weight gain (hello, mid life belly) and eventually insulin resistance.

Insulin resistance as the first stop on a train of metabolic dysfunction. So if you don’t want to reach the next stops, which might include pre-diabetes, type 2 diabetes, coronary artery disease, or stroke then it’s time to make some lifestyle changes.

It's not our Fault, but it is our Responsibility

It’s not our fault, but it is our responsibility to manage our lifestyle habits including our blood sugar if we want to preserve our health. Realizing we’re eating too much sugar is an opportunity to refine not just what we eat, but how we eat so we can prioritize stable blood sugar.

Here are eight science-backed, smart eating strategies to help keep our blood sugar levels in the normal range:.

8 Ways to Keep Blood Sugar More Stable

Know your numbers

To learn exactly how much sugar you’re eating, track your nutrition in a tracking app (like - Cronometer) for about a week. If you find your numbers are elevated, perhaps is it time for some changes and Shaklee's 7 Day Healthy Cleanse may be a great place to start.

Get moving

Exercise is key to keeping your blood sugar levels moderated. Studies show a 30 minute walk following a carb-rich meal can make a very significant impact.

Have a high-protein break-fast

Studies show starting off the day with a high-protein meal, instead of one filled with carbs and sweet foods, can keep your blood sugar lower, even providing benefit for the rest of the day.

Add cinnamon

Cinnamon has powerful active ingredients that could improve the way your body responds to sugars. It seems so simple, but studies show that 1 teaspoon of cinnamon per day can have significant positive impacts on A1C and insulin levels.

Eat fiber first

Eating a salad as you start your meal, or fiber-rich food such as blueberries, apples, garbanzo beans, or broccoli before a meal can help keep blood sugar level.

Pair carbs with fat, fiber and protein

Eating starchy foods like mashed potatoes, pineapple or corn chips on their own may send your blood sugar soaring. But adding fiber, protein, and healthy fat can help decrease the impact on blood sugar. So think about your food combinations and pair the mashed potatoes with chicken, a salad with full fat dressing and you can cut the mashed potato glucose spike in half.

Have a spoonful of vinegar first

Downing a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar in water before eating a starchy meal is another way to control blood sugar levels. Hint: If you sip vinegar water, use a straw to protect your tooth enamel and your esophagus.

Cool and reheat simple starches

There are two kinds of carbs: complex carbohydrates like broccoli, and simple ones such as pasta. Complex carbs are better since they have fiber and nutrients that slow sugar absorption. However, you can help your body treat simple starches like complex ones when you cook them, chill them and reheat them later before eating. Who knew?? Cooling and reheating makes simple carbs form resistant starches, which are digested more slowly and significantly reduces the blood sugar spikes.

Please remember, we’re all human, so on a special occasion, you should enjoy that piece of birthday cupcake whole heartedly. An occasional sugary treat isn’t going to wreck your health, but I hope these practical tips can help you create some new nutrition and lifestyle habits.

Note: It turns out our blood sugar isn’t just affected by what we eat. Chronic stress and poor sleep can also impact our insulin and blood sugar levels. So can hormones including estrogen, progesterone and cortisol. And when those hormones shift during mid-life, it becomes even more difficult to keep blood sugar stable. We'll cover those topics in a different post.