By Kelly LeVeque, Mind Body Green.
Remember when Thanksgiving was one day? Nowadays with "Friendsgivings" and fridges full of leftovers, it’s a long weekend of sugar-sweetened potatoes, puff pastry, and pie that can increase cravings and derail healthy eating for weeks (not to mention the feast marks the inevitable beginning of holiday party season). Unfortunately, the damage goes deeper than just increased cravings.
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Risks of elevated blood glucose.
Elevated fasting blood glucose is linked to an increased
risk of Alzheimer’s, metabolic syndrome, and pre-diabetes along with
elevated triglycerides and cholesterol. But you don’t even need to hit
pre-diabetic glucose numbers (100 and 126 mg/dl.) to put yourself at
risk. A review of all of the pre-diabetic and diabetic scientific research
confirmed that even elevated blood sugar in the normal range puts you
at risk for heart disease, stroke, kidney damage, nerve damage,
dementia, and cancer. The normal fasting glucose range is considered 80
to 100 mg/dl., but the risks start as low as 90mg/dl.
Luckily,
there are steps you can take to mitigate your blood sugar response. Use
these tips today or throughout the holiday season to get a mini-boost of
health and hormone balancing.
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Wake up and hydrate.
Wake up and drink two large glasses of water to help flush
out your system and lower blood glucose levels. It's especially
important if you have been drinking alcohol and might be dehydrated.
When you’re dehydrated, the volume of blood decreases, and the blood
glucose remains the same, meaning you have more concentrated blood
sugar. Drinking water (I recommend 10 glasses a day post-holiday) can
increase blood volume and decrease glucose concentration.
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Ingredients
Add all ingredients to a blender, and blend until smooth. Enjoy!
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Move your body!
Start your Monday morning with a fasted workout to help
bring glucose levels down. Intermittent fasting is a great way to
mitigate your hormonal responses throughout the season (without giving
up on indulgences), and adding in a workout increases the benefits (if
you want help figuring out the best type of intermittent fasting for
your body, check out this piece).
Pick your favorite workout and get moving to burn up stored glycogen in
your muscles and bring down elevated blood glucose. No need to HIIT
your way back into balance (a gentle yoga flow is fine), but movement is
mandatory to burn up elevated glucose.
Sip yourself back into balance!
Opt to shut down lingering cravings post-holiday with a
protein-, fat-, and fiber-based green smoothie! Protein, fat, and fiber
all support blood sugar balance by slowing the absorption rate of
glucose and form the basis of my Fab 4, which I talk about in my book Body Love: Live in Balance, Weigh What You Want, and Free Yourself From Food Drama Forever.
Unfortunately, one of the side effects of high blood glucose is increased hunger, so a protein-, fat-, and fiber-based meal can not only lower cravings but also satisfies cravings by calming over eight hunger hormones in the body.
Don't blend up a smoothie loaded with fruit and dates along with the protein, or you will be defeating the purpose of it. The goal is to go low-sugar and low-starch to bring elevated glucose down.
Unfortunately, one of the side effects of high blood glucose is increased hunger, so a protein-, fat-, and fiber-based meal can not only lower cravings but also satisfies cravings by calming over eight hunger hormones in the body.
Don't blend up a smoothie loaded with fruit and dates along with the protein, or you will be defeating the purpose of it. The goal is to go low-sugar and low-starch to bring elevated glucose down.
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Spa Smoothie
Ingredients
- ¼ avocado
- 2 tablespoons chia or flaxseeds
- 1 small Persian cucumber
- ¼ cup fresh mint leaves
- 1 handful of spinach
- 1 lemon, freshly juiced
- 1 scoop vanilla protein powder
- 2 cups unsweetened nut milk
Method
