Six Steps to Blood Sugar Balance

Blood sugar balance is something I work on with *every* client. It is the key to feeling more energised, avoiding that mid-afternoon slump and losing weight. You only feel better with it!

Following these main tips are first steps:

• • 3 meals a day, no snacks
  • Protein with every meal (and snack if you have one)
  • Watching the quality and quantity of your carbohydrates
  • Watching caffeine and alcohol
  • Meal timings - trying to eat your meals within a 10-hour window

However, there are some simple hacks that can help you feel more balanced and can keep you on your health path:

• EAT VEGGIES TO START WITH
  • This means that you are lining your gut with gorgeous fibre and stopping the glucose from being absorbed too rapidly.
  • Think: asparagus, kale, courgette, peppers, broccoli, lettuce, tomatoes, as well as pulses and beans, and even, at a pinch, coleslaw. 
  • You can even do as the French do and have a light green salad before your meals. 
• START WITH THE APPLE CIDER VINEGAR: 
  • Research shows that vinegar before meals may help people on a weight-loss diet. 
  • Just drink a tablespoon of vinegar in a large glass of water just a few minutes before eating.  I’d start with just a teaspoon to begin with and build up.
  • But if you’re really not keen, why not add a vinaigrette dressing to your salad starter.
• DITCH THE SWEET – BREAKFAST SAVOURY: 
  • Have you ever noticed that when you eat sugary breakfast cereal, you’re nearly always hungry again within the next couple of hours? 
  • What you eat first thing massively affects your blood sugar levels for the rest of the day.
  • So starting with a savoury option can be really helpful. Think: eggs, full fat Greek yoghurt, nut butter, nuts& seeds, protein powder, tofu, meat, and fish.
• TAKE A WALK AFTER EATING:
  • That post-Sunday-roast walk is a brilliant idea. 
  • 10 to 20 minutes is enough to reduce blood sugar spikes.
• EAT FOOD IN THE PROPER ORDER:
  • Rather than going for your faves, the ‘proper order’ is: fibre, protein, fat, then carbs and sugars.
  • If we eat veggies first at meals, the fibre in the vegetables helps to slow down the rapid absorption of sugars into our bloodstream.
• ALWAYS DRESS YOUR CARBS:
  • If you pair carbs with protein and/or fat it can be an effective tool for helping us to feel satiated and balance blood sugar levels, especially if we are insulin resistant.
  • This is because when it is combined with protein and/or fat, the glucose from a carb food is absorbed more slowly and evenly into the bloodstream. 
  • Protein and fat also help to delay digestion, which means you’re fuller for longer. 

If you’d like to know more about blood sugar balance and how it can help your health, why not get in touch? You can book a free 30-minute call with me here.

Blood Sugar Monitoring: What is it and how does it work?

You’ve probably seen folk online talking about continuous glucose monitors (CGMs). Perhaps you’ve seen the adverts for the Zoe programme. Or else you might well have spotted people wearing a little white disk on their upper arm and wondered, what’s that all about?  Then there are those devices you can blow into to measure your metabolic health, and let’s not forget the time-honoured finger-prick blood tests to check out your blood glucose or ketone levels. Want to know how all of this relates to you and, of course, whether you should invest in one? Read on. 

What do these devices do?

Whether you’re talking CGM, Lumen or a blood glucose monitor, the reason people are using these devices is that they want to know what their blood sugar levels are. For some, this is a medical necessity. They have been told they have diabetes, for example, and want to get back in control of their glucose levels or, for type 1 diabetes, they need real-time information to work out how much insulin they need to dose. Since very high sugars are dangerous to the body and very low sugar levels (hypos) can be life-threatening, these monitors can mean the difference between life and death. 

Over the last couple of years, more and more people who are simply interested in their health are investing in them. These might be people who have been told they have prediabetes and who want to reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes, or those who are looking for answers to why their energy is lacking, or they’re struggling to lose weight, or maybe even those people who love getting data on what their body is doing. 

Blood glucose monitors

These pocket devices have been around for years, and you can buy them from pretty much every pharmacy and online. They usually come in a kit with a lancing device that spikes your finger, releasing a little drop of blood and a pack of testing strips. You insert a glucose testing strip into the machine and drop the blood onto it and, within seconds, you have your reading. 

Diabetic patients would test their glucose levels at different points in the day, perhaps first thing in the morning (this a good general indicator of blood sugar management), right before a meal and then 2 hours after a meal (when levels should fall back to the baseline level). If you don’t have diabetes, but you have prediabetes or you just want to know what your body is telling you, it’s most likely you’ll measure first thing in the morning, just after you’ve got out of bed and before having a morning cuppa or anything to eat. This is your fasting glucose reading. 

Your doctor may routinely have taken a fasted reading like this if you’ve ever had blood taken. It’s considered a reasonably poor measure of your blood sugar levels but the essential thing to note is that it is just one moment in time – literally the time you pricked your finger – and it might have been different yesterday and it might be different tomorrow. This is why having your own kit can be helpful, and it is also why doctors who are genuinely interested in what your blood sugar levels have been doing over time would test your HbA1c. 

HbA1c stands for haemoglobin A1c, which is a blood test used to measure the average blood sugar levels over the past three months. Haemoglobin is a protein found in red blood cells that carries oxygen to different parts of the body, and glucose can attach to it, forming a "glycated" haemoglobin molecule.

The HbA1c test measures the percentage of glycated haemoglobin in the blood, reflecting the average blood sugar levels over few months. This is why it’s more interesting for medical professionals to know what this number looks like for their patients rather than a single measurement taken on the one day they were in the blood test centre. You can get your HbA1c done privately and relatively inexpensively. It’s a test I often recommend to my clients. 

You can also buy similar monitors to measure your ketone levels if you’re a fan of the ketogenic diet. Some machines can measure both and you would need different strips to measure ketones to the ones you use for glucose. Otherwise, the machine works in the same way. The drop of blood, in this case, indicates whether you are in ketosis or not. 

BLOOD GLUCOSE READINGS: 

Morning fasting glucose levels should be between 4mmnol/L and 5.4mmol/L (72 to 99 mg/dL) for non-diabetics. 5.5 to 6.9 mmol/l (100 to 125 mg/dl) may be indicative of prediabetes. 7.0 mmol/l or more (126 mg/dl or more) may suggest diabetes. I

f you are measuring your fasted sugar levels and get a reading you don’t like, don’t jump to conclusions. If you have a few consecutive readings, make an appointment to see your doctor. There are a few things outside of food and drinks that have an impact on blood glucose readings, not least stress.

BLOOD KETONE READINGS:

Nutritional ketosis begins at 1.0 and an optimal therapeutic zone is between 3.0 and 5.0. 

Continuous glucose monitors (wearable blood glucose monitors)

When you see someone wearing a little disc attached to their upper arm, chances are, it’s a continuous glucose monitor (CGM) or, more specifically, a related device called a flash glucose monitor (FGM). The two terms are used interchangeably although there are some very subtle differences in the way they fetch their readings.

Both devices are designed to monitor blood glucose levels. A CGM continuously tracks glucose levels in real-time and provides continuous updates to the user throughout the day and night. It can also talk to insulin pumps. 

In contrast, a flash glucose monitor (like those used with the Zoe programme or the popular brand FreeStyle Libre), takes some automatic readings but it also requires the user to scan a small sensor worn on the skin with a reader or a smartphone app to get the glucose readings. The readings are stored on the sensor and can be reviewed later to get a general idea of glucose trends over time. It can only store eight hours of data, so users typically have to ensure they scan before bed and shortly after they get up just to make sure readings have been taken and there are no gaps in data. 

If you are diabetic, you might be entitled to a device on prescription. If you are simply interested in your metabolic health, you will not. You can take part in the Zoe programme, which also includes a stool test, but there is often a wait of a few months before you can participate and you pay for the programme upfront, making it quite pricey. You can also buy the FreeStyle Libre device from selected pharmacies and also directly from the manufacturer Abbott. Monitors last 14 days and cost between £55-75 each. 

Or alternatively, you can come and work with me. I often use CGMs with clients with blood sugar imbalance or insulin resistance, for example, women in menopause or with PCOS, or for those who are looking to lose weight. I’ve found the information that a CGM can provide about an individual’s reaction to certain foods can really help to personalise their programme. Plus, we can also see the effect that exercise, stress, sleep and relaxation might be having on their blood sugar levels, and subsequently their metabolic health. 

If you’d like to know more about blood sugar balance and the tech you can use to help with it, why not get in touch? You can book a free 30 minute call with me here.

Recipe: Barbecued Harissa Sardines

These small fish are packed with nutrients that can be beneficial in the prevention of quite a few health conditions. Some of these nutrients are known to help prevent heart disease or may protect against certain cancers.

Sardines are sometimes recommended for pregnant women and older adults. They contain calcium and omega-3 fats.

Serves 8

Ingredients:

8 sardines (or mackerel fillets)

1 heaped tbsp harissa paste

extra virgin olive oil

juice of 2 lemons

natural yoghurt, to serve

chopped coriander and parsley (optional)

Method:

• Mix the harissa paste in a bowl with a glug of olive oil and the juice of one lemon. 
• Gently massage the mixture into each fish. Place on the barbecue and cook for a minute or two on each side, brushing with more harrissa if desired. Turn the sardines very gently. 
• You can tell if they are cooked if you can pinch the flesh from the thickest part fairly easily. 
• Put all the fish on a platter, scatter with fresh herbs, a large squeeze of lemon and bowl of natural yoghurt with a dollop of harissa in the middle.
• Enjoy!

Top Tips for Men's Health

The 12^th to the 18^th June marks Men’s Health Week, and fortuitously end on Father’s Day. Men are notoriously bad at engaging with healthcare and wellbeing, but this seems to be changing. And it’s important that we take care of the men in our lives and ensure that they’re doing ok. 

Tragically, suicide is the main cause of death for men and boys between the ages of 5 and 49 – a shocking and desperately sad statistic. Suicide was the main cause of death in boys and younger men even before the Coronavirus pandemic. The social isolation during the pandemic has only made matters worse. 90% of people who attempt or commit suicide have mental health problems. More women than men suffer from depression, but women are more likely to talk about their issues and seek help. Men tend to bottle up their problems and negative feelings – until they can no longer cope. Men’s Health Week is a time when we can encourage men to speak out and seek help. 

Another health aspect we need to cover is cancer, in particular prostate and testicular cancer. Although cancers affect both men and women, men are 60% more likely to get the disease and 70% more likely to die from cancer than women. There is much speculation about why that is. The most common cancers in men are prostate, lung and colon cancer – in that order. The most common one – prostate cancer – is a cancer that women cannot get. Cervical cancer in women has declined due to improved screening. Screening for prostate cancer is not (yet) routinely done. One reason for that is that there is still some discussion about how useful the PSA (prostate specific antigen) reading actually is. 

Throughout their life, women have a lot more contact with health professionals. Birth control, pregnancy, birth, child rearing and routine breast cancer and cervical screens means that they are in and out of doctors’ surgeries a lot more often than men as a matter of course. This reduces the reservations some may have about talking to medical professionals. It also offers ample opportunity to mention something they have been worried about. Stereotypically, men are more reluctant to make an appointment with a doctor. 

The most common cause of death for men between the ages of 50 and 79, however, is still heart disease, an issue the charity does not seem to emphasise very much. The good news is that for males, the death rates from heart disease and stroke have reduced by about 50% since 2001. The bad news is that the incidence of heart disease has barely changed. However, modern medicine has become much better at treating it, so that more people survive for longer. According to the British Heart foundation, 80% of people living with heart disease have at least one other health condition. It looks like in most cases that might be type 2 diabetes. A paper published in the European Heart Journal in 2015 found that 75% of patients with cardiovascular disease have abnormal blood sugar readings. 

While deaths from heart disease and lung cancer in men have reduced by 50% and 30% respectively since 2001, there has been an increase in the death rate from Alzheimer’s and dementia of more than 60% and from liver disease by 12%. Alzheimer’s is also the leading cause of death in men over the age of 80. 

Liver disease is almost entirely preventable. The most common causes are lifestyle-related: alcohol and obesity (together with hepatitis B, an infectious disease) account for 90% of cases. Alcohol is still the main reason for liver failure, but in recent years there has been a new version of liver disease: non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). At first, doctors often did not believe their patients when they said they didn’t drink – but presented with livers in a state of disease previously only seen in alcoholics. Now we know that something other than alcohol – sugar – can wreak just as much havoc on the liver as alcohol does.

As Alzheimer’s and dementia have been on the rise for decades, years of research have gone into finding out was causes it. Today, Alzheimer’s is referred to by some as “type 3 diabetes”, because here, too, blood sugar increases and insulin resistance has been observed. Although Alzheimer’s is known to have many contributing factors, there is no doubt that sugar is one of them. 

The bottom line is that diet appears to play a major role in the leading causes of death among men. Diabetes promotes silent low-grade but long-term inflammation that damages blood vessels, nerves and liver cells. Even suicide, usually preceded by mental health issues, is not exclusively psychological. A healthy diet may not prevent all mental health problems all by itself by any stretch of the imagination, but a diet of ultra-processed food certainly promotes them. 

So, if you are going to do just ONE thing to prolong your healthy lifespan it’s this: 

Eat real food

Ultra-processed foods have been linked to cardiovascular disease, cancer, non-alcoholic liver disease, and neuro-degenerative diseases – which is code for Alzheimer’s and dementia. We’re not cut out to subsist on man-made food. We evolved to eat natural foods: meat, fish, seafood, eggs, vegetables, fruit, nuts and seeds, herbs and spices. There is very little humans can do to improve on nature – except perhaps cooking (which allowed us to develop a bigger brain) and fermenting (which is not just a handy way to preserve food, but supports the gut).

If you are already eating real food or want to do TWO things to live a long and healthy life: 

Cut out sugar and refined carbohydrates

Much of this will have left your life once you started eating real food, but there may be room for improvement. Sugar is detrimental, and all starchy carbohydrates (think bread, rice, pasta, potatoes) ultimately turn into sugar in the process of digestion. How fast that happens and how much they will make your blood glucose rise depends on how processed they are. If you must have bread, pasta, and rice, go for the whole grain versions. Consider cutting them out altogether, because while there are essential fats and essential amino acids (the building blocks of protein), there are no essential carbohydrates. If you never eat pasta again, you’ll live. Probably a longer and healthier life to boot.

If you’re up for even more steps towards better performance, more energy and less bulge, book in for a free 30-minute men’s health mini consultation. You can do that by clicking this link.

Turkey Burgers

Today is World Burger Day! While we often think of burgers as being made of beef, turkey makes an excellent alternative. Turkey is rich in protein, low in saturated fats, and a good source of B vitamins. Turkey is not just for Christmas! This recipe is a real favourite with my clients – hope you enjoy it too.

Makes 4 burgers

Ingredients:

4 shallots, roughly chopped

2 small cloves garlic, crushed

2 teaspoons dried oregano crushed with your fingertips

8 large basil leaves

3 handfuls baby spinach

Zest of 1 lemon

1 tsp coarse sea salt

Pinch of freshly ground black pepper

500g turkey mince

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Method:

• Blitz the shallots, garlic, oregano, basil, spinach, lemon zest, salt and pepper together in a food processor until finely chopped. 
• Place the mixture in a large bowl along with the turkey and mix with your hands or a rubber spatula to thoroughly combine.
• Form the mixture into 4 patties. 
• At this point it is ideal to refrigerate the burgers for a least 1 hour or as long as overnight, to really let the flavours settle in, but they’ll still be OK if you don’t have this extra time.
• Heat a grill or a grill pan over medium high heat. 
• Brush the burgers with the olive oil and cook until firm to the touch and nicely browned, 7 to 8 minutes per side.
• Serve with leafy greens and mashed root veg.
• Enjoy!

COULD PRACTISING GRATITUDE BE THE ANSWER TO YOUR HEALTH PROBLEMS?

Feeling grateful is more than a nice feeling. The more you feel grateful, the luckier you feel and the happier you are. You’re less stressed and your outlook, more positive. And healthier, too.  Who would not want that? Let me explain how gratitude works and how you can tap into it.

First, let’s be clear what gratitude is. It comes from the Latin word gratus, which means "thankful, pleasing." Gratitude is a complex emotion that involves a combination of cognitive, emotional, and behavioural processes. At its core, it involves recognising and acknowledging the good things in your life and feeling a sense of appreciation and thankfulness for them.

“The quality of being thankful; readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness; a warm feeling of goodwill towards a benefactor.” OXFORD ENGLISH DICTIONARY

“What you focus on expands, and when you focus on the goodness in your life, you create more of it. Opportunities, relationships, even money flowed my way when I learned to be grateful no matter what happened in my life.” OPRAH WINFREY

“Acknowledging the good that you already have in your life is the foundation for all abundance.” ECKHART TOLLE

Here’s proof it works:

There is growing evidence that practicing gratitude can have a positive impact on physical health. Here are just a few handfuls of way.

• Better Sleep. A study published in the Journal of Psychosomatic Research found that individuals who wrote down things they were grateful for before bed reported better sleep quality and felt more refreshed in the morning.
• Improved heart health. In a study published in the journal Spirituality in Clinical Practice, researchers found that gratitude was associated with better heart health. The study found that people who expressed gratitude had lower levels of inflammation and improved heart rate variability, which is a marker of better cardiac health.
• Reduced pain. In a study published in the Journal of Holistic Nursing, researchers found that practicing gratitude helped reduce chronic pain. Those who kept a daily gratitude journal reported lower levels of pain and were more likely to engage in healthy habits like exercise and stretching, which further benefited their health.
• Improved sleep. The Journal of Psychosomatic Research found people slept better and deeper when they practised gratitude – so count your blessings and not sheep!
• Better relationships. When you practise gratitude, you are a better person to be around, and this has an impact on how others relate to you. 
• Lower blood pressure. In a study published in the Journal of Health Psychology, researchers found people who practiced gratitude had lower blood pressure levels than those who did not. The study found those who expressed gratitude had lower levels of stress and anxiety, which are known to contribute to high blood pressure.
• Lowers HbA1c (a blood sugar marker). If you’re a woman, being grateful can also lower your HbA1c markers, which is one indicator of diabetes. Specifically, studies show being grateful to God, but we can take a guess it doesn’t really matter what you are grateful for. The same reduction was not noted in men, but it has also been seen in adolescent type 1 diabetics.
• Helps you reframe situations. Want to reframe negative experiences in a more positive light? By focusing on things you're thankful for, you can shift your perspective and find a sense of meaning or purpose in difficult situations.
• Gratitude generates positive emotions like joy, contentment, and happiness.These emotions can have a range of benefits, including improved mood, increased resilience, and reduced stress.
• Improves social connections. Gratitude strengthens social connections and builds positive relationships with others. When you give love and appreciation, you’re more likely to receive it back.

So, now you know that gratitude is a good thing, I know you’ll want to try it for yourself. Here’s how. 

• Keep a gratitude journal. Set aside a few minutes each day to write down three things you're grateful for. This could be anything from the people in your life to the simple pleasures of daily life. By focusing on the good things in your life, you can start to build a more positive outlook. 
• Express gratitude to others. Take the time to thank the people in your life who have made a positive impact on you. This could be a friend who has been there for you during a tough time, a co-worker who helped you out on a project, or a family member who has supported you in some way. By expressing your gratitude, you can strengthen your relationships and build a sense of connection with others.
• Practice mindfulness. Gratitude and mindfulness go hand in hand. Take a few minutes each day to simply focus on the present moment and appreciate the world around you. This could be as simple as taking a walk outside and noticing the beauty of nature or savouring a cup of tea and enjoying the taste and aroma. 
• Create a gratitude jar. Get a jar or container and write down things you're grateful for on small pieces of paper. Whenever you're feeling down or need a reminder of the good things in your life, you can reach into the jar and read through the notes.
• Start a gratitude challenge with friends or family. Invite others to join you in practicing gratitude. You can set a goal of writing down three things you're grateful for each day for a certain period of time, and then come together to share your experiences and reflections.
• Practicing gratitude is a habit that takes time and effort to cultivate but the benefits are enormous. Start small and be consistent, and over time you may find that it becomes easier to focus on the positive things in your life.

 If you’d like to take charge of your health, why not get in touch? You can book a free call with me here.