Healthy Biohacks to Lower Glucose Spikes, Crashes, and Insulin Levels.

Insulin Resistance, Diabetes type 2, hypertension, and other diseases are a choice that we make that is centered completely around the foods we choose to eat. We must remember that sweet foods were intended to be for our pleasure, not to be centered around.

*The Glucose Goddess, Jesse Inchauspe, a biochemist, did a deep dive into these biohacks that have been around for a very long time and put them all together in her book. Be sure to check that out. With that, let’s get right into the biohacks.

Start your day by eating a (Keto) Savory Breakfast

The typical American diet usually includes very sweet meal choices, like pancakes and syrup, waffles with more syrup with sweet cream sometimes, fruits, oatmeal, cereals, etc. Try eating a savory breakfast, such as veggies and eggs. This would look like two radishes chopped with one quarter zucchini chopped, and maybe some peppers, with three eggs scrambled with a handful of chopped spinach and garlic with salt and pepper to taste. Top this all off with some real butter and even a little sprinkle of cheese. This savory breakfast provides us with less insulin release which means no glucose crash. Our hunger hormones are more steadied, and we crave less. This is the epitome of a ketogenic meal.

Link to study

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30968140/

(Keto) Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) Drink

The very basic ACV drink is to start out with 1 tablespoon of ACV in an 8 to 10 oz glass of filtered water. This can be consumed any time throughout the day,( 1 to 3 times per day before meals is fine) but to lower a glucose spike and crash from food, drink this before your meal.

Keto drink (Vinegar Mocktail) – This is my version of a Vinegar Mocktail. Make ahead of time some green tea, chilled. You can sweeten this with stevia if you’d like. Any glass you’re using, fill the glass at least half full of ice. Pour about 1/4th cup (or 1 to 2 shot glasses full) of organic apple cider vinegar with the mother, add prepared green tea to fill the glass half way, then top it off with San Pellegrino mineral water. The mineral water is slightly carbonated making this drink look super festive. Add a dash of salt. Stir slightly to mix. Only drink this one or two times a day and it is recommended to drink with a straw to save from the acid wearing away at the enamel on your teeth. I have also read that because the ACV is diluted with water, your teeth should be fine. I’m not totally sure about this so just take precaution. Discontinue if stomach upset occurs.

Food Order

Eat your veggies before your (starchy) meal. Eat your veggies first, then fats and proteins, and finally, starchy foods and sugary foods last. This will cut the glucose spike by 73%. It’s okay to eat them all together if the foods are mixed.  

What this does is the fiber creates a fibrous mesh within the gut lining which sort of “catches” the other foods that come after it. This slows down the digestion and thus, slows down the sugar spike.

Link to Study

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30101510/

Movement after eating

Incorporate some movement after eating to bring down insulin resistance. This can be getting up to wash your dishes, do some laundry, fold the clothes, clean a room, declutter an area, etc. Walking is the best movements you can do after your meal.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8912639/

Resistant Starches

Resistant starches are a type of glucose found in grains, potatoes, and rices. They can be good for us because they also function much like soluble fiber. “Some of its potential benefits include improved insulin sensitivity, lower blood sugar levels, reduced appetite, and various benefits for digestion.” One type in particular is my second tip here today. This starch “Is formed when certain starchy foods, including potatoes and rice, are cooked, and then cooled. The cooling turns some of the digestible starches into resistant starches via retrogradation.” My tip then, when eating rice, potatoes, or pasta, make your plate with portion size in mind and let it cool down. This should help to lower blood sugar spikes, and thus help with weight loss.

This tip is often not supported by the medical field; however, the Glucose Goddess has shown this to be true as far as her blood glucose monitor. I would recommend testing this out for yourself.

Dress your Foods

Add healthy fats to your carbs to help slow down the glucose response, much like in the food order. This would be real butter and/or sour cream on your baked potato with the skin on, or nut butter to your cracker or apple slice.

Soleus Muscle Pushups

The Soleus muscle was discovered by scientists at the University of Houston. This muscle was found to specifically reduce glucose spike after a meal, all from the comfort of your chair! The soleus is found in the calf muscle, underneath the gastrocnemius muscle. It is the main muscle responsible for standing, walking, and running. This muscle is quite amazing as it never gets tired. This means you can keep using this muscle to soak up the circulating glucose to use for energy after your meal. Try to do this for ten minutes (or more) after your meal. 

Link to Study

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36034224/

Fasting and MCT Oil

Fasting

We were never meant to be grazing on food all day long. We are not cows. We also were not meant to be fasting every day. I believe in variety and circadian rhythm, so with that, I believe it’s best to mix things up overall. When beginning to fast, I recommend build up your time restrained eating or intermittent fasting on a 16/8 schedule to start with. (Do not fast if you are pregnant, trying to get pregnant, or nursing.) Try closing in your eating hours to only 8 hours during the day. I recommend keeping this window open more to the daylight hours ending anywhere between 3 and 5 pm, not ending in the evening. Eating during the daylight hours works more in tandem with our cortisol hormones, the dawn phenomenon, and our sleep/wake cycle (our circadian rhythm). The fasting hours provides a better environment for your digestion to “rest” without having to process and metabolize foods. It will promote better bowel flow and better sleep. You can drink fluids like water, mineral water, teas, black coffee, and apple cider vinegar during the fasting time. It is recommended to stay hydrated for best intestinal flow.

During the time of the eating window, do not worry about counting calories at this time. Remain mindful of the amount you are eating, though. I recommend keeping a journal for this. Focus on three meals with no snacks. If you must eat a snack, try to make it one of the healthy fat choices so limit the rise in insulin. We want to allow the body more time to digest. Longer fasts will come later when your body is fat-adapted, meaning able to handle the fasts on a healthy level.

*Dr. Mindy Pelz has some amazingly helpful information on all things fasting. She has written several books, with her latest book called Fast Like a Girl. Be sure to check this out.

Link to study for 16/8 fasting

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/06/180618113038.htm

Mct Oil

Mct oil is the perfect fat, especially for someone without a gallbladder. This type of fat does not get digested. This fat literally gets absorbed right into the liver and forces the liver to make ketones. This is a great source of clean energy for the whole day.

MCT’s also offer heightened immune support and even weight loss. Mct is short for medium-chain triglycerides, specifically C8 (caprylic acid) and C10 (capric acid). MCT’s are known to be in coconut oil, however, the C8 and C10 acids are named after goats. “Additionally, caprylic acid is found naturally in the breast milk of certain mammals like humans and goats. As a matter of fact, the Latin word for goat, Capra, is the root of caprylic acid!”

Links

https://naturalforce.com/blogs/nutrition/c8-c10-c12-medium-chain-triglycerides

https://naturalforce.com/blogs/nutrition/caprylic-acid

Grounding

Grounding or earthing is a term we use in the natural world for going outside and touching some part of nature with our physical body. This means to take your shoes off and walk in the grass, the dirt, the sand, or the water. It doesn’t matter which. Touch a tree. Run your fingers across the blades of grass. The earth literally reconnects us and discharges us of the bad energies we collect in our tissues. According to Jesse Inchauspe, a study from Poland shows that grounding can also improve glucose levels. It is thought to work by reducing our stress levels much like sports, hobbies, or relaxation activities, which directly impacts our glucose levels. Grounding is thought to reduce inflammation in the body by providing electrons of the magnetic field of the earth, which this may indirectly improve glucose levels as well.

So, go smell all the roses and hug all the trees!

Link to study

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21469913/

It’s well known that, unfortunately, doctors are not taught very much at all concerning healthy nutrition. They are trained by Big Pharma (and probably also Big Food). This means they are taught about medicines, not foods. This is where health coaches come in. We deep dive into nutrition every single day. We know the ins and outs of nutrition that doctors just do not. Reversing is a long, slow, almost painful process to reverse, but it can be done! Some can reverse insulin resistance much faster than others. This just means others are not as sick. Problems with insulin begin decades before resistance is noticed. Take a look at my blog posts on Blood Sugar, insulin, and Insulin Resistance here, and Reversing Insulin Resistance here. If you are needing help, I can help.

Start with signing up here to get my FREE 7-Day Sugar Detox to get you started. If you’re ready now, sign up here for my health coaching and let’s get you started on a healthier path today!

HONEY HILL NATURALS, LLC DISCLAIMER:

I am not a doctor, a chemist, nor a dermatologist and this is not medical advice. I am a certified Holistic Nutritionist and Health Coach, sharing my opinion of life experiences and what I was taught in the AFPA certification program, who wants to provide a more natural and healthy lifestyle for my family and others. The information contained on the Honey Hill Naturals, LLC, or blog websites, including but not limited to all workout plans, nutritional advice, and healthy lifestyle tips, is provided for informational purposes only, and is not meant to substitute for the advice provided by your doctor or other qualified health care practitioner. The information available on or through the Honey Hill Naturals newsletters, or (including, but not limited to, information that may be provided by writers, editors, healthcare and/or nutrition professionals employed by, or contracting with, Honey Hill Naturals, LLC, and / or their associates), is not intended to diagnose or treat any disease or prescribe medication. Information and statements regarding dietary supplements or ailments on any of the above sites or newsletters, may not have been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the United States of America.