Creating Your Health ~tip
One of the most important things that I would recommend to avoid the mid-afternoon energy slump would be to keep your blood sugar steady by eating at least three meals and two snacks a day; and by eating a low-glycemic diet that includes whole foods (not processed foods) such as fruits, vegetables, and whole grains and/or sprouted grains. This way you won’t be having those dramatic highs and lows in energy throughout the day which cause glycemic stress.
Say for example, you have a bagel or a doughnut for breakfast. This will cause your blood sugar level to rise rapidly. This rise in blood sugar causes insulin to be secreted. (Insulin is our storage hormone). What happens is this insulin causes the sugar to rapidly change to fat, and it causes our body to hold on to the stored fat that we have (sort of like a sponge). It also causes glucagon to be suppressed. (Glucagon is our fat releasing hormone) What happens then is that the blood sugar begins to drop very rapidly; it even drops lower than what it was before you had anything to eat.
Ok, stay with me here… this drop in blood sugar causes a release of stress hormones such as cortisol and epinephrine. These hormones try to get the blood sugar back up to stable levels. The result of all of this is you quickly feel an uncontrollable hunger (which can set you up to start this whole cycle all over again.)
These rapid changes in blood sugar, and all of the chemical reactions that occur to try and regulate this abrupt change…can cause Glycemic Stress. If the glycemic stress continues over time, you can become insulin resistant which can then lead ultimately to problems like type II diabetes, cellular inflammation, obesity, and heart disease.
I have never seen a scholarly study that recommended eliminating all sugar and all carbohydrates.
Not all carbohydrates are considered high glycemic. So I am not a proponent of labeling food as “good” or “bad”. I am advocating that you have a balanced diet, and that you educate yourself about which the Glycemic Index. The carbohydrates that are considered “high glycemic” are the simple sugars, and the processed carbohydrates. These are foods such as potatoes, processed breads, pasta, and cereals. For more information, click here: Glycemic Index.
*Again, our bodies need carbohydrates. We need them as part of balanced moderate diet that is nutritionally sound. When you educate yourself, you can make informed healthy choices for your body.
One program that I would recommend to anyone struggling with carbohydrate cravings is called, The “Healthy for Life” program. Dr. Ray Strand conducted over 10 years of research to develop this evidenced based program. He found that there are three distinct aspects to a healthy lifestyle that are all needed to offer you the absolute best protection for your health: 1. a healthy diet, 2. a modest exercise program, and 3. high quality, complete and balanced nutritional supplements. On his website, Dr. Strand states that “When you make one or two of these lifestyle changes, I guarantee your health will definitely improve. However, when you make all three lifestyle changes the results are phenomenal.”
I am a certified team leader for this program and will be putting a team together in the beginning of June. (If you are interested in joining us, email me to find out how you can save 20%.) To find out more about the Healthy for Life program, click here: Healthy for Life
So, not only will you avoid the mid-afternoon energy slump, but you will create the good health you deserve, by keeping your blood sugar steady, eating a diet that is balanced and nutritionally sound.
(*Join us in June to learn how to get “Healthy for Life”!)
To your health,
Chris
Doctor Charles Drew Medical Blog 
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