Watermelon Sugar High might have been trending, but maybe so should our blood sugar high. Our blood glucose levels, a.k.a. blood sugar levels, is THE energy source of our body, so isn’t it something we should actually keep track of? To understand why it is so important to manage our sugar high (or lows), we have brought in nutrition coach and psychology major — Alex Shearer — to break it down. But first, let’s take it back to the basics.

what:

“Glucose has an impact on our mood, metabolism, energy levels, weight management, brain function, and that’s just to list a few. It can be a bit complex because there are a lot of factors at play when it comes to glucose levels making every person unique. Most people automatically assume food plays the biggest role. They’re not necessarily wrong, but lifestyle factors also have a massive influence on glucose levels.”

WHY:

“Imbalanced glucose levels have a huge impact on mental health and mood. Spikes and then drops in levels can cause those quick shifts in mood and that ‘hanger’ feeling for example… I’m sure many of you know what I’m talking about. Other common symptoms of imbalance include mood swings, significant weight change, and fatigue. Higher blood glucose levels have also been associated with more negative emotions such as anger or sadness. There have even been studies done indicating a relationship between mood disorders and blood sugar levels.”

HOW: 

“Stay active! Whatever sugars our bodies don’t utilize for energy get pumped into our blood stream and stored away so be mindful of how much sugar you are consuming in relation to your activity levels. If you increase your level of physical activity, you might need additional calories during the day to maintain your energy, in other words to maintain your glucose levels. Eating high fiber carbs is really important as well. Fiber helps minimize spikes in glucose by acting as a sort of blanket for the carbs. I always suggest having well balanced meals by making sure you’re adding protein and healthy fats to your carbs to minimize build up of glucose in the blood stream. That can be as simple as adding almond butter to a banana. Sleep, stress, and gut health also both play a big role in glucose levels. Taking care of yourself in those areas will lead to more balanced levels."

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