It's December which means Christmas is coming and all the end of year celebrations and parties are already starting. This often means our normal routines are thrown out the window and our eating habits can really get challenged with so many seasonal treats. So, I thought I would quickly share a few key learnings I found from a recent experiment I had trying a continuous blood glucose monitor for a couple of weeks.
These 5 simple actions are easy, don't require you to eat different foods, calorie count or cut out any foods but can really have an impact on reducing or preventing those sugar highs and subsequent crashes, that are oh so familiar at this time of year.
Drink a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar diluted into a glass of water (I like it best in sparkling water) before you eat your meal and your sweet cravings and appetite will be more controlled.
Eat some vegetables first, they line the stomach slowing down and reducing the subsequent glucose spikes from other food groups.
Eat sweet stuff as a dessert not as a stand alone snack. The same piece of cake after a meal has less of a glucose spike than if you eat it on its own as a mid morning/afternoon snack.
Move, even if only for 10 mins after your meal, stand up clean the kitchen or take a quick walk around the block and your blood glucose won't spike so much, or at least it will fall back down to a more controlled range more quickly.
Prioritise sleep, waking up before my alarm meant a greatly reduced increase in my early morning blood glucose level compared to the days when the alarm woke me with a start, on those days my blood glucose spike was a much higher peak!
All of these actions are pretty simple and really help to maintain a more balanced blood glucose profile, which in turn makes you feel better! Reducing the glucose roller coaster of sugar highs and lows, especially during the holiday season, is a big win! Keeping your glucose levels more stable increases your overall energy levels, helping you cope with the seasonal festivities instead leaving you spiralling in a lethargic lull reaching for more sugar!
Enjoy the festive season!
Karen x
