Nutrition for a Healthy Blood Sugar

Blood sugar imbalances are increasingly common these days, with our diets full of refined carbohydrates & sugars combined with stressful lifestyles. Blood sugar can become too high, causing diabetes, or too low (hypoglycaemia). The symptoms of low blood sugar include: hunger; tiredness; dizziness; shaking; fast heartbeat; anxiety; irritability; weepiness; headaches; confusion; poor concentration; fainting; twitches; cramps and numb feet or hands. Consuming sugar will rapidly reverse symptoms of low blood sugar, however this will lead to a worsening of the situation later. Allergic reactions to foods can also cause low blood sugar.

Increase:

l Wholegrains e.g. oats (porridge), rice, barley, rye, quinoa & millet. It is best to soak grains overnight (or for a few hours) before cooking - this starts the sprouting process.

l Pulses e.g. peas, lentils, mung beans, aduki beans & chickpeas. Dried beans must be soaked before cooking. To aid digestion, cook with seaweed (kombu or wakame) and cumin or other spices.

l Nuts and seeds e.g. almonds, walnuts, Brazil nuts, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds & linseeds. They should be used as fresh as possible and stored in the fridge.

l Vegetables - all vegetables are good, but it is best to limit quantities of very starchy vegetables such as potatoes, parsnips and sweet potatoes

l Protein e.g. fish, organic chicken, eggs, organic biolive yoghurt & tofu.

l Drink herbal teas and dandelion coffee.

Decrease:

lSugar and sweet foods, (fruit juice should be diluted).

lRefined carbohydrates e.g. white bread, biscuits, croissant, pastries, pizza & pasta.

l Coffee, tea, fizzy drinks & alcohol.

l Chocolate. (A small amount of dark chocolate after a proper meal may be ok.)

l Foods which you may be allergic to such as wheat and dairy.

l Convenience and packaged foods.

Supplementation:

It is difficult to get all the nutrients we need for health unless our diet is excellent

l A quality multivitamin and mineral formulation, with a high level of B vitamins is useful along with extra magnesium, vitamin C and possibly chromium polynicotinate. Essential fatty acids with vitamin E are also recommended