Do you know that feeling of a huge energy dip after having a drink and a meal with friends? You feel so tired afterwards that you are tempted to grab another cup of coffee first, as a pick-me-up. Maybe something sweet as well, because a little sugar will give you some energy. Right?
Unfortunately, the exact opposite is true. In such a case, you find yourself on the typical blood sugar rollercoaster. It takes you to the highest peak, after which you plummet staggeringly downwards. It gives you an unpleasant feeling in your stomach and head, and in the long run it can have unpleasant consequences for your health.
As a child I grew up in the Netherlands and back then we also ate a typical Dutch breakfast. A rusk with sprinkles. That was it, together with a cup of tea. Without sugar, of course. Fortunately, because if you consider that fruit sprinkles already consist of 94% sugar and a rusk doesn't exactly have a lot of nutritional value either, then a lot happens to your blood sugar level when you have such a breakfast at the beginning of the day, on an empty stomach. It spikes up, with the result, firstly, that you soon collapse again and crave more food in no time. Secondly, you will notice that such an energy dip makes it difficult to concentrate and that you feel tired.
I myself was fortunate that my body had already unconsciously indicated that I could not tolerate sweets very well. I immediately became nauseous which was my natural protection. Sometimes I'd see my friends coming to school with bags of sweets and they'd eat them in between classes. As a young girl, I sometimes envied that and thought it might be cool to do that myself sometime. My parents were not advocates of sweets, so we never had things like that in the house. Hence, I decided to take my pocket money and use it to buy myself a load of sweets. Secretly, because I didn't want to get into an argument with my parents. Proudly, I came home with my own candy jar full of sweets and started eating them enthusiastically. I only kept it up for a short while, because I immediately became sick to my stomach. So much so that I never touched that candy jar again. I was "cured".
That certainly doesn't mean that I never consume something sweet anymore. I rather enjoy a glass of wine or a gin & tonic. But now that I am older, know my body well and understand what certain foods do to your body, it is very easy to turn things down. Especially if I already know in advance that I will feel bad afterwards. It's not worth it to me.
In daily practice, I find that many of my clients also experience low energy, many dips, the craving for sweets and to want to eat something within 2 hours of their last meal. For me, this is a sign to keep enquiring, as keeping your blood sugar stable is vital for the proper functioning of your heart, brain and digestion. If your body fails to keep blood sugar levels under control, it can lead to a permeable gut (leaky gut), disruptions in hormone levels and cognitive problems. Furthermore, it can adversely affect metabolism, cause problems with the adrenal and thyroid glands and interfere with detoxification processes.
So how do you get off that blood sugar rollercoaster? By making simple changes to your lifestyle, you will already be able to achieve many positive results. Start your day 10 minutes earlier and exercise on an empty stomach (think jogging/walking, HIIT training, yoga), have a hearty breakfast (think eggs with avocado, green leafy vegetables like spinach), start lunch/dinner with vegetables and a small salad with vinegar. Vinegar will keep your blood sugar from spiking. In addition, fasting, under supervision, can have a very positive effect. (Never engage in unsupervised fasting, especially if you have an eating disorder. Seek help!)
Of course, every body is unique and there are many more factors at play. That's why I offer my clients a holistic approach, where we look at all circumstances, so that each person will receive a tailor-made programme from me and in no time there will be more balance, making you feel much fitter and more energetic. I will personally guide you. If you want more information, book a free consultation via the link below:
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