The other day I briefly spoke to my mum and she told me about her recent diagnosis - fatty liver.
She is 64, does yoga, drinks rarely and moderately, and eats rather healthy. However, there are a few things that I think she can do better in terms of her eating habits.
Over the past few months, I read and heard a lot about fatty liver, insulin resistance, general and neuro-inflammation. Do you know what all these things have in common?
You guessed it right - glucose spikes and high blood sugar levels!
A glucose spike is a brief surge of energy that swells in us especially after eating starchy carbs, candy or other sugary treats. In other words, a glucose spike is a temporary rise in blood sugar. Most foods we eat are broken down into glucose, but some foods obviously create bigger glucose spikes: refined sugar, dried fruit, starchy carbs (wheat, rice, white potatoes), whole fruit.
I have been reading a lot on this lately and my two favourite people on this subject are Dr Hyman (watch his podcast on sugar and brain health) and Glucose Goddess (check out her IG account - I love it!)
So what’s so bad about glucose spikes:
they damage the gut microbiome (bacteria, fungi, and other microbes), which results in leaky gut and neuroinflammation (brain and nerves inflammation).
insulin resistance (including brain cell insulin resistance), which results in excessive belly and liver fat storage and inflammation.
weight gain, bad sleep, worsening mental health.
The good news is that this all can be avoided and reversed!
Here is a summary of everything I know and practice in terms of glucose spikes:
Make sure that each of your meals contains vegetables, fats, and protein. This is especially important at breakfast because after 8-10 hrs of fasting you re-introduce food to your empty and ready to absorb digestive tract. My breakfast porridge is made of oats, nut milk, hemp protein, butter (fat), and frozen organic berries (vitamins and anti-oxidants). Avoid sweetened cereals for breakfast - they will set the mood for the entire day by creating a big spike in your blood sugar!
It’s all about sequencing. Start your meal with vegetables, fats, and protein. Eat your starchy carbs last. Lining your gut with the good guys first will help you to flatten the glucose spike - that’s why we eat desserts last!
10 minutes of exercise straight after a meal flattens the glucose spike. So if you can, don’t grab that Uber and walk instead. Or make a lap around your block especially if you did have a fair bit of starchy carbs and sugar.
Avoid naked starchy carbs - add some fats and protein (e.g. toast with avocado and humus/salmon/egg).
Choose vegetable snacks over fruit. Eat your fruit whole (not dried or juiced).
Finally, I would like to share a gift with you. A free gentle yoga class called “Detox and loosen up”. This 23-minute practice is great for after holidays and big dinners. Enjoy it, and be happy, healthy, and content!
