BalanceYourBloodSugar,Balance Your Life

Thefoundationforhormonalhealth,taminginflammation,sleepingwell,andlosingweight

byJill Grunewald, Integrative Nutrition and Hormone Coach

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Allrightsreserved.Noportionofthisbookmaybereproducedortransmittedinanyformorbyanymeans,electronicormechanical,includingfax,photocopy,recording,oranyinformationstorageandretrievalsystemwithoutthewrittenpermissionoftheauthor,exceptasgrantedunderthefollowingconditions:

1. Thepurchasermayphotocopypagesforpersonaluse.

2. Areviewermayquotebriefpassagesinconnectionwithareviewwrittenforinclusioninamagazineornewspaper,withwrittenapprovalfromtheauthorpriortopublishing.

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DisclaimerTheinformationcontainedinthisbookisnotintendedtodiagnose,treat,cure,orpreventanydiseaseorcondition.Theinformationprovidedhereinshouldnotbeconstruedaspersonalmedicaladviceorinstruction.Noactionshouldbetakensolelybasedonthecontentsofthisebook.Whilenutritionalandlifestylechangesaregenerallysafe,effective,andhealthful,pleaseconsultappropriatefunctionalmedicalprofessionalsonanymatterrelatingtoyourhealthandwellbeing.Theinformationandopinionsprovidedherearebelievedtobeaccurate,effective,andsound,basedontheauthor’sresearchandbestjudgment,butreaderswhofailtoconsultappropriatehealthauthoritiesassumetheriskofanyinjuries.Theauthorshallnotbeheldliableorresponsibleforanymisunderstandingormisuseofthematerialorforanyloss,damage,orinjurycausedorallegedtobecauseddirectlyorindirectlybyanytreatment,action,orapplicationofanyfoodorfoodsourcediscussedinthisbook.ThestatementsinthisbookhavenotbeenevaluatedbytheU.S.FoodandDrugAdministration.Torequestpermissionforreproductionortoinquireaboutprivateconsultations,speakingengagements,orworkshops,contact:JillGrunewaldIntegrativeNutritionandHormoneCoachinquiries@healthfulelements.comhealthfulelements.com

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AboutMe

I’vebeeninterestedinthehealingpowerofwholefoodsfornearlyhalfmylife.Whilefumblingandstumblingthroughashort-livedcareerinarchitecture,Ireadnutritionbooksliketheyweremysterynovels.

Friendsandfamilystartedtoseemechangeandbeganaskingfornutritionadvice.Tofastforwardthroughafewmoreyearsandafewotherjobs,includingowningadesignandmanufacturingbusiness,Ichosetomakenutritioneducationmycareer.

I’ma2006graduateoftheInstituteforIntegrativeNutrition(IIN).In2008,IcompletedDr.JanetLang’sRestorativeEndocrinologycourseforhealthcarepractitionersandinthefallof2013,participatedinDr.SaraGottfried’syear-longProfessionalHormoneMastermindGroupforhealthcarepractitioners.Inearly2018,I’llgraduatefromtheFunctionalMedicineCoachingAcademy,inpartnershipwiththeprestigiousInstituteforFunctionalMedicine.

In2008,Iwasdiagnosedwithadrenaldysfunctionandhypothyroidism/Hashimoto'sthyroiditis.Afterrefusingtherecommendeddrugs,mythen-doctorcondescendinglystatedwithshockandraisedeyebrows,"Well,youcandowhateveryourlittleheartdesires."

AndIdid.MyheadandheartknewthatbeingonthyroiddrugsfortherestofmylifewasnottheanswerformybodyandIimmersedmyselfinlearningthewhysandwhereforesofautoimmuneconditions,hypothyroidism,andadrenaldysfunctionandhowtomanagetheseconditionswithwholefoodsnutrition,botanicals,andothernaturaltherapies.

MyHashimoto'shasbeeninunmedicatedmanagementsincelate2008andI’mthrilledtosharewhatI’velearnedwithmyclients.Astheysay,“Weteachwhatwemostneedtolearn.”

Ihaveasuccessfulnutritioncoachingpracticewithspecializedknowledgeinwholefoodsnutritionforhormoneandimmunebalancing,includingthyroidandadrenalhealth,autoimmuneconditions,polycysticovarysyndrome(PCOS),easingthroughperimenopause/menopause,managinghypoglycemia("pre-diabetes"),andalopecia.

Iteachwomenhowtosupportandnourishtheirbodieswithwholefoodsnutrition,lifestylechoicesthatpromotebalance,andothernaturalremediesandbotanicalssotheytoocanemergefromthefogwhilestillenjoyingthefoodstheylove.

I’vewrittenforvariouspublications and blogs,includingHuffingtonPost,MindBodyGreen,ExperienceLifemagazine, Dr. Frank Lipman's blog, Dr. Susan Blum's blog,andhavecontributedtoarticlesinSelfandShapemagazines.

Mycookbook,TheEssentialThyroidCookbook:Over100RecipesforThrivingwithHypothyroidismandHashimoto's, was publishedinSeptemberof2017.

Get our free “mini cookbook.”

To get the 48-page Essential Thyroid Cookbook “minibook” that includes 3 sample chapters and 6 recipes, simply go to our homepage and scroll down just a bit: www.thyroidcookbook.com.

The Essential Thyroid Cookbook is a groundbreaking and scientifically supported cookbook for those with hypothyroidism and Hashimoto's.

It's masterfully written and will support you for a lifetime of peak thyroid health no matter where you currently are on your wellness journey.

The Essential Thyroid Cookbook Over 100 Nourishing Recipes for Thriving with Hypothyroidism and Hashimoto’s Jill Grunewald, HNC | Lisa Markley, MS, RDN

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TableofContents

Introduction 1

What is Blood Sugar? 3

The Blood Sugar/Adrenals Relationship 9

Putting it all Together 13

Glycemic Load/Glycemic Index 20

Spotlight: Breakfast 21

Lunch and Dinner 23

Additional Support 25

What About Grazing? 27

Spotlight: Sleep 28

Blood Sugar Testing 29

Conclusion 31

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Introduction

Ihavealonghistoryofbloodsugarimbalances.

Asakid,onthedaysthatmywonderfulmom(whocookedmebreakfasteveryday)wouldprepareoatmealorbrownricecerealforbreakfast,Idistinctlyrememberfeelingawfulat

school.Bymid-morning,Iwasshaky,nauseous,andhadadifficulttimefocusing.

Lunchcouldn’tcomefastenough.Food–anyfood–wastheantidotetomymisery.

Ididn’thavethewherewithaltounderstandwhatwashappeningfromabloodsugar

perspective–Ijustknewthatabowlofgrains(whatInowknowtobeacarbohydrate

bomb)didn’tholdme.Iwashypoglycemic(lowbloodsugar).

AndbecauseIlovedthetasteofhotcereals(maplesyrup,please!),theywerealwaysa

welcomemorningmeal.

Thankfully,thereweremoremorningsthannotthatwehadpasturedeggs,bacon,or

sausage–thefatandproteinthat’ssocriticalforkeepingbloodsugarstableandkeeping

meoutof“thepit.”

Andno,eggs,bacon,andsausagearen’ttheonlysourcesoffatandprotein(readon!),butI

surefeltbetterwhenIatethem.

Fastforwardtomymid-20s.Iwaseatingwhatthemediawastellinguswashealthful,but

wasfatigued,gainingweight,andhavingdifficultyfocusingatwork.Themid-morning

slumpthatwascharacteristicofmychildhoodbecameamid-afternoonslumpthatwasa

killer.

Iwasotherwisehealthy,sosomethingwaswrong.

Ibeganworkingwithalicensedherbalist/nutritionprofessionalwhosaid,“You’reeating

allthewrongthings.Andyou’rehypoglycemic.Bagels,pasta,andalltheselowfat,

processedfoodsareputtingyouontheslipperyslopetopre-diabetes.Youhavetostabilize

yourbloodsugarandgetmorefatandproteinintoyourdiet.”

SoIdid.Andwithindays,Ifeltsomuchbetter.Theafternoonslump?Vanished.Myfatigueandbrainfog?Significantlybetter.Itwaslikesomeoneturnedmybrainon.Intwoweeks,

I’dlost5lbsandkeptlosing.

Iwasn’tdieting.Iwasn’tcountingcaloriesorcarbohydrategrams.IwaseatingfoodsI

loved.Iatethreemeals,untilfull.Itwasn’tdifficult.

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Thesechangesandtheensuingenthusiasmaboutherbsandnutritionchangedmylifeand,

afterafewmoreyearsandmanyfriendsandfamilywantingadviceaboutwhattoeat,

facilitatedacareerchange.

ThisguideisanamalgamationofwhatIlearnedduringmyjourneyaswellasmanythings

I’velearnedaboutbalancingbloodsugarsincebecominganIntegrativeNutritionCoachin

2006.

I’mtransparentwithallofmyclientsthatbloodsugarmanagementismyAchillesheel.I

guessit’swhyIgeekoutonit.Iloveeducatingpeopleabouthowafewtweaksinwhatand

howthey’reeatingcandramaticallychangehowtheyfeelwithintheday.

Youreadthatright–withintheday.

Iknowwhattodotokeepmyselfoutof“thepit,”butsometimeslifehappensandIfind

myselfbackedintoacornerwithlowbloodsugar.It’srare,butwhenithappens,itsucks.

Maybeyouknowthefeeling?Impatience,irritability,andthefeelingof,“Moveover,Igotta

eatNOW.”Somepeoplegettheshakes,getoverlyemotional,feelpanicked,andcan’t

continuestanding.It’sseriousstuff.

Ourclientsareastoundedathowquicklytheybegintofeelbetter,sleepbetter,andthink

betterwhenwegettheirbloodsugarmanaged.

Whenyou’refeelingbetter,sleepingbetter,andthinkingbetter,anysubsequentdietary

andlifestylechangesthatneedtobeimplementedtosupportthyroid,adrenal,andimmune

healtharethatmucheasier.

Asoneofmyclientssaid,“AssoonasIstartedmanagingmybloodsugar,Inolongerfelt

likeIwaspushingarockuphill.”

Gettingahandleonbloodsugarisgroundzero;teachingtheprinciplesofbloodsugar

managementisourstartingplacewithourclients.Withoutthisfoundation,you’llcontinue

tospinyourwheelsonyourjourneytowellness.

Andmanydoctorsinthefunctionalmedicinecommunitysaythatkeepingbloodsugar

stableisoneofthesinglemostimportantfactorsinagingwell.

Allroadsleadbacktobloodsugar.

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WhatisBloodSugar?

Bloodsugaristhesugar(glucose)inyourblood.Glucoseisthefundamentalcomponentof

carbohydrates.

Whenyoueat,yourbodyconvertsfoodintoenergy.Howeasilyandatwhatrateyourbody

convertscarbsintoglucoseimpactshowquickly,howhigh,andforhowlongyourblood

sugarincreases.

Ideally,youhaveasteady,gradualincrease–withadequateamountsofprotein,fat,andtherightcarbs(I’llexplainlater)–followedbyasteady,slowdeclinethatcarriesyougentlytoyournextmeal.Youwanttoavoidanimmediate,short-livedspike(hyperglycemia);the

fasterandsteepertheclimb,themoredrasticandharderthefall(hypoglycemia).

Thesedrasticdeclines(aka“crashing”)cancausehypoglycemicepisodeswithsymptoms

suchas:

• Headaches

• Confusion

• Intenseenergydips,especiallyintheafternoon

• Weakness

• Severemoodswings

• Uncontrollablesugarcravings

• Irritability

• Impatience

• Emotionaloverreaction

• Panic

“Thepit.”

Andwhathappenswhenyoufindyourselfinthepit?AccordingtoDr.AvivaRomm,“When

you’reatthebottomofthebloodsugarbarrel,yourbodygoesintosurvivalmode–literally

– andyouwilleatANYTHINGinfrontofyou.”

“Whenyou’reatthebottomofthebloodsugarbarrel,yourbodygoesintosurvivalmode–literally–andyouwilleatANYTHINGinfrontofyou.”–Dr.AvivaRomm

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Itcantakesomepeopleafulldaytorecoverfromthisemergencystate.

Think“emergencystate”isanexaggeration?Notwhenyouconsiderthatsevere

hypoglycemiaisathreattosurvival–itcancauseseizuresandcoma.

It’sraretocrashthathard,butthisgivesyousomeinsightintowhytherecanbesucha

physiologicalandemotionalresponsetolowbloodsugar.Somepeopledon’texperience

extremesymptomswithlowbloodsugar,butmakenomistake,they’llsufferthe

consequences(hormonaldisruption,inflammation)allthesame.

Long-termramificationsofhypoglycemiacancause:

• Weightgain

• Weightlossresistance

• Bingeing

• Sleepissues

• Pre-diabetesandeventuallyType2diabetes

Manyinthefunctionalmedicinecommunityclaimthatchronichypoglycemiaispre-diabetes.Otherexpertsclaimthatpre-diabetesisdiabetes.

AccordingtotheCDC,awhopping30percentofpeoplewithdiabetesareundiagnosed.An

infinitelylargernumberhavepre-diabetes,whichagain,manyfunctionalmedicineexperts

considerthesamething.

Eachmealcounts.Eachtimeyoueat,youhaveanopportunitytoeitherstrapyourselfinto

thebloodsugarrollercoasterortakeagentlerideoncalmwaters.

Perhapsyou’reathrillseekerandarideonarollercoastersoundsmoreappealingthana

mellowraftride.Buttrustme,whenitcomestoyourhealth,youwanttomitigateextremes

– anddareIsay,theabuse–that’scharacteristicofrepeatedbloodsugarcrashes.

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TheBloodSugarHormone

Insulin,generatedbythepancreas,helpstoregulatebloodsugar.Manydon’trealizethat

insulinisahormone.Andit’safoundationalhormonetoboot.Ifyou’reonthebloodsugar

bungeecordduetoimbalancedmacronutrient(carb,fat,protein)intakeandadiethighin

sugars(includingartificialsweeteners)andprocessedandrefinedfoods,itwillbedifficult

(someexpertssayimpossible)tobalanceotherhormones–andloseweight.

Giventhatthepancreasandinsulinarepartofourendocrine/hormonalsystem,blood

sugarmanagementhasbigimplicationsforourthyroid,adrenal,andreproductivesystem.

Asmentioned,bloodsugarisalsoasignificantfactorinmoodregulation,energy

distribution,howhotourmetabolismburns,andhowwesleep.

Keepingbloodsugarasstableaspossibleisthatimportant.

Inmyexperience,bloodsugarmanagementisoneofthesinglemostimportantfactorsin

losingweightandbustingthroughweightlossresistance.

Ifyou’realreadyeatingaprimarilywholefoodsdiet,balancingbloodsugarisn’tdifficultto

do.Ifyou’reeatingalotofprocessed/junkfoods,includingsugar,thingswilltakemore

timetoleveloutasyoucommittogettingthesetroublemakersoutofyourdiet.

AccordingtoDr.BarrySears,you’reonemealawayfromright-sizinginsulinoutputandbloodsugar.I’mgoingtoshowyouhow.

InsulinResistance

Insulinresistanceoccurswhenyourcellsbecomeunabletouptakeinsulin.It’sa

componentofmetabolicsyndrome,whichcanleadtoType2diabetes.

Whenthebodyisfloodedwithsomuchinsulin,eventually,ourcellsstoppayingattention.

It’sakintotheboywhocried“Fire!”Then,whentherewasanactualfire,theboy’s

neighborsignoredhispleasforhelp.

It’sthesamephenomenonwithinsulinresistance.Ourcellsstarttoresistinsulin’s

importantmessages.Insulinresistanceisoneoftheprimarycausesofweightloss

resistance;it’salsodetrimentaltothyroidandadrenalhealth.

Itcanalsoleadtomuscleloss,the“sparetire”aroundthemidsection,andchronic

inflammation.Inhisbook,TheBloodSugarSolution,Dr.MarkHymanwrites,“Insulinresistanceisthesinglemostimportantphenomenonthatleadstorapidandpremature

agingandallitsresultantdiseases,includingheartdisease,stroke,dementia,andcancer.”

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Dysglycemia:TheSwingingPendulum

Hypoglycemiaislowbloodsugar;hyperglycemiaishighbloodsugar.Mostpeopleare

somewhereinthemiddle.

Dysglycemiaisabroadtermthatencompassesboth.Therollercoaster.

Inadditiontotheabove-mentionedsymptomsoflowbloodsugar,dysglycemiacan:

• Compromiseourbody’spathwaysofdetoxification

• Causewhole-body,systemicinflammation

• Exhausttheadrenals

• Slowthyroidfunction

• Weakenandinflametheintestinalwall

• Promoteinsulinresistance(whichhasparticularimplicationsforthosewith

polycysticovarysyndrome(PCOS))

• Contributetoadditionalhormonalimbalances

• Fantheflamesofautoimmunity,includingautoimmune

hypothyroidism/Hashimoto’s(manyexpertsinthefunctionalmedicinecommunity

saythatbalancingbloodsugaristhefirststepinreversingautoimmunity)

Accordingtomanyinthefunctionalmedicinecommunity,allbetsareoffinbalancingourthyroid(our“masterglandofmetabolism”)andgettingHashimoto’smanagedwhenwe’re

dysglycemic.

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CharacteristicsofHyperglycemia

Hyperglycemia(highbloodsugar)isaresultofhighcarbohydrateconsumption.

(KnowthatI’mnotanti-carb!Aucontraire.Thisisn’taboutlimitinghealthfulcarbsfrom

yourdiet.I’lltalkmoreaboutthisinthe“PuttingitallTogether”sectionofthisbook.)

Ifchronicandlong-term,hyperglycemia,primarilyfromprocessed,“junk”carbsoften

foundintheStandardAmericanDiet(SAD–andyes,itreallyissad),canleadtometabolic

syndrome,whichisexpectedtobankruptourhealthcaresystem.

Metabolicsyndromeischaracterizedby:

• Obesity

• Highcholesterolandtriglycerides

• Insulinresistance(dysglycemia’sdiabolicalcousin)

• Systemicinflammation

• Highbloodpressure

CharacteristicsofHypoglycemia

Therearetwotypesofhypoglycemia:chronicandreactive.

Chronichypoglycemiaiswhenthereisn’tenoughcortisolproductiontohelpraiseblood

sugar.Thisismostoftenseeninpeoplewithmoreadvancedadrenaldysfunction.We’lltalk

moreaboutthebloodsugar/adrenalrelationshipinthenextsectionofthisbook.

Reactivehypoglycemiaisaresponsetoaspikeinbloodsugar(hyperglycemia)fromahigh-

carbmeal.

Reactivehypoglycemiacanalsobechronicinnature,asaresponsetothespikeinblood

sugar(hyperglycemia)fromrepeatedhighcarbohydrate/highsugarconsumption.

Remember,thefasterandsteepertheclimb,themoredrasticandharderthefall.“For

everyaction,thereisanequalandoppositereaction.”

“Foreveryaction,thereisanequalandoppositereaction.”(Newton’sthirdlaw)

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Inbothcases,chronicorreactive,hypoglycemiaisanemergencystatethatcanincrease

thyroidantibodiesandfantheflamesofHashimoto’s.

Itcanalsocauseintense,uncontrollablecravingsbecausethebodyknowsthatthe

“answer”tolowbloodsugarisanythingthatwillraisebloodsugar.Whatraisesblood

sugarquickly?Sugar.Thisincludesrefinedfoodsmadewithprocessedflour,whichthe

bodytreatslikesugar.

Andbytheway,juiceisashotofsugar.Evenvegetablejuice.

Ifyoufindyourselfhypoglycemic,you’remuchbetteroffwithsomeproteinandfat–the

macronutrientsthatwon’tthrowyouintothehyperglycemicstratosphere.Ifyoucontinue

torespondto“thepit”withthesugarsandprocessedfoodsthataresocharacteristicofthe

typesoffoodspeoplecravewhenthey’redysglycemic,you’llneverbreakthisnegative

feedbackloop–ormanageyoursugarcravings.

Whathappenswhenthisnegativefeedbackloopisbroken?Yourcravingsforjunkwillbe

greatlyreducedordiminished.Ipromise.

AsI’vesaidforyears,uncontrollablecravingsforsugar(andprocessedjunk)arerarely

aboutwillpower.Thereareoftenotherpowerfulfactorsatplay,soletgoof,“I’mabad

person.Ihavenocontrol.I’mweak.”

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TheBloodSugar/AdrenalsRelationship

Someexpertsclaimthatallroadsleadbacktobloodsugar.Othersclaimthatallroadslead

backtotheadrenals.Bothareaccurate.(And,ofcourse,thethyroidisneverasilent

bystander.)

Justasthereisaninterdependent,synergisticrelationshipbetweentheadrenalsand

thyroid(IcallthemFrickandFrack),thereisalsoaninterdependent,synergistic

relationshipbetweentheadrenalsandthepancreas.Remember,thepancreasmakes

insulin,“thebloodsugarhormone.”

Thus,oneofthemosteffectivestrategiesforbalancingbloodsugaristonourishand

supporttheadrenals.Oneofthemosteffectivestrategiesfornourishingandsupportingthe

adrenalsisbalancingbloodsugar.

TheAdrenals’Role

Ouradrenalsperformthelife-criticaljobofactivatingourstress(fightorflight)response,

whichdivertsenergyfromrestorativefunctions,suchasdigestion,andtowardthesystems

thathelpusfightorflee(ourskeletalmusclesandheart).It’sthesurgeofadrenalstress

hormones(adrenalineandcortisol)thatspringusintoaction.

Fightingorfleeingcansaveourlives.Butthreateningsituationsshouldbefewandfar

between.Ourancestorshadperiodsofstressfromhunting,foraging,andfightingoff

predators,followedbylongandwelcomeperiodsofrespite.

Today,manyofusaren’tgettingthismuch-neededrespite.Inourfast-pacedculturethat

prizesdoingoverrelaxing,we’resubjectedto‘round-the-clockstressorsandthus,elevated

stresshormonesthatcancauseacascadeofotherhealthandhormonalimbalances.

Myfriendandcolleague,JamieGreenwood,introducedmetotheconceptof“thecultof

accomplishment.”(Myreaction:I’macard-carryingmember!)

Sure,weallwanttobeaccomplished,butthereissuchthingastoomuchofagoodthing.

Pushingandstriving,withoutappropriaterestandrespite,isantitheticaltothehealingthat

needstotakeplacewhentheadrenalsaretaxed.

[Asapartofher“TheComingHomeProject,”Jamieinterviewedmeaboutadrenalhealth

andthiscultthattoomanyofusaremembersof–youcanfindtheconversationhere.(22

minutes)]

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AdrenalDysfunction:RootCauses

Thecausesofadrenaldysfunctionaremulti-factorial–includingphysical,mental,and

emotionalstressors,bothongoingaswellashistoric.

Tothebody,stressisstress.Itmattersnotifyourstressisfrombeingchasedbya

mountainlionorpushingyourselfbeyondreasonablelimitswithwork,caretakingothers,

negativeself-talk,oranover-packedcalendar.

AccordingtoMarcellePick,OB/GYN,NP,“We’reallfamiliarwithstress–it’saconstant

elementinwomen’sbusylives.Butwhatwearen’tsofamiliarwithisthebody’sresponse

tostressandthewaysinwhichthestresswefacetodaygoesfarbeyondthekindofstress

wefacedasweevolved–andendsupdepletingourenergyandhealth.”

“Intoday’ssociety,womenareinundatedwithstress–stressthatdoesn’tletup.”–MarcellePick,OB/GYN,NP

Shecontinues,“Intoday’ssociety,womenareinundatedwithstress–stressthatdoesn’tlet

up.Andwhenchronicstressrepeatedlyforcestheadrenalglandstosustainhighlevelsof

cortisol,theadrenalscan’tattendtotheirbroaderroleinhormonalregulation.Eventually,

adrenal[dysfunction]setsinandmanywomenexperiencesymptomssuchasweightgain,

fatigue,insomnia,fuzzythinking,depression,cravings,andmoodswings.”

Bothcortisolandadrenalinecanberascals.

Adrenalinehyper-adrenalizesthebrainandcancausesymptomsofmonkeymind,

hypervigilance,overthinking,and“shoulding”onourselves.

Eveninthefaceofthefatiguethatsooftenaccompaniesbloodsugarimbalancesandlow

thyroidfunction,thereisafeelingofbeingwired–“tiredandwired.”

Chroniccortisoloverproductioncan:

• Suppresspituitaryglandfunction,whichcanslowthethyroid

• BlockT3production(T3is“thebigdaddy”thyroidhormone)

• IncreaseRT3(the“anti-T3”hormone)

• Causechronicsugarcravings

• Irritatetheintestinallining

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Cortisolisalsonicknamed“thebellyfathormone.”Ouch.

ThisiswhyIsooftenhear,“Igotthisbellyoutofnowhere.AndIcan’tgetridofit.It’slike

thistirearoundmymiddle.I’matthegymfivedaysaweek,butmybellywon’tbudge.”

Nomatterwhatshapeyou’rein,exercisecanbeastressorforthebody.Youractivitylevel

andhowfityouarewilldeterminetowhatextentyou’restressed,butit’safactthata

rigorousroutinewillmakeyourbodypumpadrenalhormones.

I’mnotsayingdonothing,especiallywhenexercisemakesusmoreinsulin-sensitive.Butif

you’refatiguedorhaveadrenalandthyroidimbalances,you’ddowelltoreadmyfriend

andcolleagueJenSinkler’spostfortheHealthfulElementsblogaboutexercisingwhenyou

havefatigue.

Inadditiontotheselifestylefactorsthatcontributetostress,oneofthemostsignificant

stressorsforthebodyis...youguessedit,bloodsugarimbalances.Any“emergencystate”

willfloodthebodywithstresshormones.

Lestwethinkthatcortisolisnothingbutatroublemaker,italsotellsthelivertomakemore

glucoseinanefforttostabilizebloodsugar.Theideaisn’ttothwartcortisol(oradrenaline)

production;it’stomaketherightamountsattherighttimes.

NourishingtheAdrenals

Tolearnaboutsomeofthesymptomsaswellasthepillarsofrestoringtheadrenals,read

myRestoreYourAdrenalsguide.

Togetyouontherighttrackquick-like,I’llsharewithyouwhatIconsidertobethefour-

leggedstoolofnourishingandsupportingtheadrenalsintheshort-term.Together,these

aren’tapanacea,buttheycanjumpstartyouonyourjourneytomitigatingoverproduction

ofthestresshormonesadrenalineandcortisol:

• Balanceyourbloodsugar(surprise!)

• Getintothehabitofaregularbreathpractice–thisdoesn’tnecessarilymeanthat

youhavetobea“meditator,”butit’snotabadidea

• Takeanadaptogenicherb,likeashwagandhaorholybasil; Ipreferhomeopathicdosing,meaninglessismore,soyoulikelyonlyneed15-20drops,inthemorning

• Say“no”toasmanythingsasyoupossiblycan

Thefourthoneisthemostdifficult.Getleanandmeanaboutwhatyou’rewillingtosay

“yes”to.Getruthlessaboutswipingyourcalendarandyourlifeofcommitmentsthatdon’t

serveyouorthatyoufeelobligatedtodowithlittlereward.

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Sayitwithme,“No,no,no.Myhealthismypriority.”

Nourishingandsupportingtheadrenalsisallaboutradicalself-care.Slowingdown.AsDr.CarolynDeansaid,“Pleasedon’tthinkyoucan‘toughitout’andjust‘muscleyourway

through’adrenalfatigue.That’stheworstthingyoucando.”

“Pleasedon’tthinkyoucan‘toughitout’andjust‘muscleyourwaythrough’adrenalfatigue.That’stheworstthingyoucando.”–Dr.CarolynDean

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PuttingitallTogether

Thebeststrategyforkeepingyourbloodsugarstableiswiththerightfoods.

Therightbalanceofmacronutrients(carbs,fat,protein)iswhathelpstokeepyouSteady

Betty–outofthehyperglycemicstratosphereandthehypoglycemicpit.

Toomuchortoolittleofanymacronutrientcanthwartyoureffortstolevelthefield.But

thisisn’taboutperfection–there’snoneedtocarryagramcounterinyourpocket.It’sall

aboutsmarteyeballing.

Generally,IlikeDr.BarrySears’40/30/30principle/ratio.Keepinmind,thisisaloose

guideline,notahardandfastrule.

The40/30/30principleisbasedonhisresearcharoundinsulinmanagementwhereby

yourmacronutrientbalanceisroughly40/30/30:carbs,protein,andfatrespectively.

Thisconceptchangedmylifeandhaschangedthelivesofcountlessclients.Dr.Sears’

booksarewhatthenutritionprofessional/herbalistsuggestedIreadbackinthemid-90s

thatmovedmefromahotmesstoasharper,moreenergetic,andslimmerme.

IknowalotmoreaboutnutritiontodaythanIdidbackthen.IstillholdDr.Searsinhigh

esteem,butI’mnotafanofsomeofthefoodsthatheadvocates,likesoy.Hegotmeonthe

righttrack,butIhaven’tkeptmyfingeronthepulseofhismorerecentworks.

WhatbeganasDr.Sears’researchandsubsequentbooksabout“insulinmanagementas

weightcontrol”laterbecame“insulinmanagementasinflammationcontrol.”He’sproven

thatmanaginginsulin/bloodsugarisoneofthetenetsofkeepingcellular,systemic

inflammationatbay.

Taming inflammation isoneofthepillarsofmanaginganyautoimmunecondition,asinflammationfeedsautoimmunityandautoimmunitydrivesinflammation.

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YourRatio

Eachofusisbio-individuallyunique.Somepeoplewillneeda35/40/25ratio.Ora

30/40/30ratio.Don’tobsessaboutthenumbers.Yourbodywilltellyouwhatitneeds.

Here’showyou’llknow:

Dr.Searssaid(andIparaphrase),“Ifyourmealdoesn’tholdyouuntilyournextreasonable

mealtime(4-5hours)–ifyougetuncontrollablyhungryand/orhypoglycemic,lookbackat

yourlastmealandask,‘DidIgetenoughfatandproteinand/ordidIgettoomanycarbs?’”

That’sit.Tweak‘tilyougetitright.Remember,you’reonemealawayfrombalancingyourbloodsugar.Thekeyistokeepbalancingwitheachmeal.Thisiswherethecumulative

benefitsofbloodsugarstabilizationwillchangeyourlife.

Inmanycases,myclientsareeatinghealthful,wholefoods.Buttheirmacronutrient

balanceneedssomeadjusting.Afewminorchangescanmakeallthedifferenceinthe

world.

Often,we’renotmakingalotofsignificantchangestotheirgrocerylistorfavoritedishes.

Butwe’realteringtheirmacronutrientprofileoftheirmeals.

Andhere’swhathappens:

• “After10yearsofdietingwithnosuccess,myclothesaregettingloose.”

• “I’mmakingittolunchwithoutgettinghungry.”

• “Inolongerhaveamid-morningslump.”

• “Icanwalkpastthedonutsintheofficeandkeepwalking–theydon’tevenlook

good.”

• “I’mnotcrashingintheafternoons.”

• “I’msleepingthroughthenightforthefirsttimeinyears.”

• “Ihavesomuchmoreenergy.”

• “I’mlessinflamed–Icanjustfeelit.”

• “Myknee/hip/backpainhasdisappeared.”

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Macronutrients:ABalancingAct

Thethreemacronutrientsare:protein,fat,andcarbohydrates.Understandingfromwhere

wegetourmacronutrients,includinghowtheyaffectourbloodsugar,isthemost

importantfactorinbloodsugarmanagement.

Note:Thefoodsandmealsuggestionsmentionedinthisbookdon’taccountforanyindividual’suniquefoodsensitivitiesorallergies.Pleasemakeadjustmentsatnecessary.

Protein

Proteinisrequiredtotransportthyroidhormonethroughthebloodstreamtoallyour

tissuesandeatingitateachmealwillhelpimproveandnormalizemetabolism.

Proteinsourcesincludemeatandfish,eggs,dairy,nutsandnutbutters,legumes(suchas

lentilsandbeans),soyproducts(whichI’mnotcrazyabout),quinoa(aseed,butoften

referredtoasagrain),andpowderedproteinsupplements.

Whenitcomestomeatandfish,mostpeopleonlyneedaservingofproteinthesizeofthe

palmoftheirhand.

Aboutvegetarianism.I’mnotavegetarianandIencouragemyclientstoincorporateanimal

proteinintotheirdiet.Igetvegetarianism.IfIcouldbeavegetarianandfeelthewayIwant

tofeel,Iwould.

Adequateconsumptionofanimalproteinhelpskeepussharp,energized,centered,

satiated,keepsmetabolismburning,andkeepsbloodsugarstable.

Sure,thereareplant-basedsourcesofprotein.Ieatthosetoo.Ilovebeansandlegumesand

havebeenknowntoeattempehonoccasion.(Tempehisfermentedsoyinitswholestate.

Tofu,ontheotherhand,isablockofhighlyprocessedcurdfromcoagulatedsoymilk.)

Butmanyinthefunctionalmedicinecommunityhavesaidthatvegetarianandveganswith

thyroidandadrenalissueswillbehard-pressedtofindbalanceandhealwithoutsome

animalproteinconsumption.

Withmyvegan/vegetarianclients,Iaskifthey’reopentoincorporatingsomeanimal

proteins.Mostare,becausethey’resickandtiredofbeingsickandtired.

Westartwithbonebrothandmovetoeggsandsomefish.Sometimes,itstopsthereand

that’senough.Othersmoveontoeatingthefullspectrumofanimalproductsandsaythat

they’veneverfeltbetter.

Again,everyoneisbio-individuallyunique.There’sno“oneway.”

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I’mconsciousandintentionalaboutwheremymeatanddairycomefrom,andifyoueat

meatanddairy,Iaskthatyoudothesame.Remember,youarewhatyoueat,andyouare

whatyoueateats,soit’simportantthattheanimalsweconsumewerefedtheirnatural

diet.

Mostanimalsfromsmalltomid-sizedlocalfarmsareraisednaturallyandnotforce-fed

grainsandotherfeedthattheyhavedifficultydigestingandwhichcanleadtoacidosis.

Thesub-therapeuticantibioticsandsynthetichormonesthatconventionally-raisedanimals

areinjectedwithhavenoplaceintheirbodiesorours.Theseunnaturalhormonescan

disruptyourowndelicateendocrinebalance,includingyourthyroidhormones,andshould

beavoided.

Sourcesforsustainably-raisedmeatsandfish(andotherwholefoods):

• USWellnessMeats (free-range,grass-fedmeatanddairyandwild-caughtfish,shippedtoall50states)

• EatWellGuide

• LocalHarvest

• EatWild

• SeafoodWatch

Note:Youdon’twanttooveremphasizeprotein.Ingeneral,you’renotlikelytogettoomuchproteinwhenyoueatbalanced,wholefoodmeals,butitcanhappenwhenfirst

switchingawayfromprocessedfoods,especiallyifapersonfearshealthyfat.

Wetendtoemphasizeprotein-richfoodsasawaytoescaperefinedcarbsandkeepblood

sugarstable(andtokeephungeratbay)andthat’sgood.Weneedprotein!Buttoomuch

canbackfirewhenitcomestobloodsugarregulationbecausewhenfacedwithexcess

protein,thebodywillturnitintosugartomakeitavailabletothecellstouseforenergy(a

processcalledgluconeogenesis).

Theonlythingthebodycan’tturntosugarisfat.Sothelessonhereisn’ttoavoidhealthy

proteins.Instead,it’stoembracehealthyfats.

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Fat

Dietaryfatwon’tmakeyoufat.Andcholesterolisaprecursortomanyofourhormones.If

you’restillnotconvinced,watchthisfunnyvideo.

Qualitysourcesoffatincludeolivesandoliveoil,avocados,flaxseeds,fish,nutsandnut

butters,hormone-andantibiotic-freefullfatdairy(yes,fullfat,notskim),ghee(butteroil),

coconutoil,andcoconutmilkproducts.

We’renottalkingaboutthosenastytransfatsthatyoufindinmostcheap,processedfoods.

Pleasereadfoodlabelscarefullyandavoidtheseunstable,unhealthfulfatsthatareoften

foundinfastfoods,Frenchfries,frieddesserts,donuts,margarine,muffins,crackers,

cookies,cakes,andmicrowavepopcorn,tonameafew.

Foodmanufacturersarerequiredbylawtoputthetransfatcontentonfoodlabelsandthe

thisisthefirstplaceyoureyesshouldgoonalabel.Transfatisman-madefatthatcomes

fromdubiouspreparationprocessesandhasbeenstronglylinkedtodegenerativedisease.

Incontrast,omega-3fats,foundinfish,grassfedanimalproducts,flaxseeds,andwalnuts,

arethebuildingblocksforhormonesthatcontrolimmunefunctionandcellgrowthandare

criticaltothyroidfunctionbecausethey’rerequiredfortheintegrityofcellularmembrane

structureandimproveyourabilitytorespondtothyroidhormonesefficiently.

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Carbohydrates

Again,I’mnotanti-carb.Ineverhavebeen.I’veneverjumpedonthelow-carbbandwagon.

Low-carbdietsareparticularlyconcerningforthosewithhypothyroidism.Iwouldeven

saydisastrous.

• Ourbodiesdon’tlikecarbrestriction.Thebodyviewscaloricrestrictionasa

stressfulresponseanditgetsdoublyconcernedwhencarbintakedrops.

• Alow-carbdietcanlowerT3production,youractivethyroidhormone,andcan

increaseReverseT3,the“anti-T3hormone.”

• Carbshelpusthermo-regulate,somethingthatmanywithhypothyroidismhave

difficultywith(they’refrequentlycold).

• Theglucoseincarbsisaprimaryfuelsourceformanyofthebody’svitalorgans,

includingthebrain.Thebrainisaglucosehog,andthisiswhymanylow-carb

dietershavecomplainedoffeelingtired,angry,depressed,spacedout,andtense.

• Researchhasshownthatcarb-restrictivedieterstendtobecomedepressedabout

twoweeksintotheirdiet,aboutthetimetheirserotoninlevels(aneurotransmitter

andfeel-goodbrainchemicalthatelevatesmood,suppressesappetite,andhasa

calmingeffect)havedroppedduetodecreasedcarbintake.

• Alow-carbdietcancausehairlossandexacerbatealopecia.Notgreatforpeople

alreadylosinghairduetolowthyroidfunction.

Thecriticalthingtoknowisthatcarbscomeintwoforms:simpleandcomplex.Andthey’re

notcreatedequal.

Foodsmadewithrefinedsugarsandflour,likepastries,bagels,cookies,pasta,andcakes

(eventhegluten-freevariety!)andmanyoftoday’sprocessed,prepackagedfoodsare

comprisedofsimplecarbs.

Thesugarsfromsimplecarbsbreakdownrapidlyandheadstraighttoyourbloodstream

(likerocketfuel),causingbloodsugartospike(hyperglycemia)andthenplummet

(hypoglycemia)duetoasurgeininsulin.

Withthisbloodsugarcrashcomes“thepit”–thatseverehypoglycemicepisodethatmakes

youirritable,fatigued,impatient,andrestlessandthatmakesyoureachforanotherdonut

beforelunch.

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Becausethebodyisconstantlyinsearchofhomeostasis,itwantstheequivalenthightothe

lowyousubjecteditto,thusthecravingforthespike-inducingdonut.Yourstress-sensitive

thyroidandadrenalshatethisbungeecord.

Dr.AvivaRommstates,“SincemostAmericansliveinaseaofquickcarbohydrateand

sugar‘fixes,’wegrabwhatisquickandrightinfrontofus.Mostoftenthatisbread,chips,a

cookieorbrownie,asoda,juice,acandybar,orsomeotherquick-actingsugaryfood.Butin

thelongrun,thisisnotafixatall.”

“SincemostAmericansliveinaseaofquickcarbohydrateandsugar‘fixes,’wegrabwhatisquickandrightinfrontofus.Butinthelongrun,thisisnotafixatall.”–Dr.AvivaRomm

Complexcarbs,ontheotherhand,don’trushtothebloodstreamandsaveyoufromthe

bloodsugarrollercoaster.

Truewholegrains(whereyoucanseethegrainvs.pulverizedpowder(flour)),legumes,vegetables,andlow-sugar/lowglycemic(seenextsection)fruits(likeberries)takelonger

todigestanddoleourtheirenergy-givingoveraperiodoftime.

Non-starchyvegetablescanbeeatentoyourheart’sdesireandyourbestchoicesforfruit

arelow-sugar,low-glycemicfruits(seenextsectionforexplanationoftheglycemicindex),

nothigh-sugar,tropicalfruitslikebananas,pineapple,mango,etc.

I’mnotnecessarilyagainstthesefruits.It’ssimplynotagoodideatoeatthemasastand-

alonesnack.Theycanmakealovelydessert.

NoramIagainststarchyvegetableslikesweetpotatoes,yams,carrots,squash,etc.These

nutrient-packedvegetablesshouldn’tbecastaside;justknowthatthey’readenseformof

glucose,sothereforeshouldbeeatenalongwithahealthfulfatandprotein.

Remember,fatandproteinslowthereleaseofsugar–anyformofsugar,includingthe

glucosefromcarbs–intothebloodstream.

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GlycemicLoad/GlycemicIndex

Forthemostpart,choosingfoodsrelativelylowontheglycemicindex(GI)orwithalow

glycemicload(GL)willhelpkeepbloodsugarfromspiking.

Glycemicloadandglycemicindexmeasurehowquicklyafoodisconvertedtousable

energy(sugar)inthebody.Thehigherthenumber,thequickertheriseinbloodsugar.

CheckoutHarvard’sdatabaseforGIandGLlistingsformorethan100foods.Keepinmind,

we’dneverrecommendmanyofthesehighGI/GLfoods,likecornflakesorBettyCrocker

vanillacake.Sheesh.Pleasedirectyoureyestothewholefoodsonthelistinthislink.

Thischartcanalsohelp:

GlycemicIndex(GI) GlycemicLoad(GL)

Low 0-55 0-10

Moderate 55-70 10-20

High 70-100 20+

Toexplainfurther,foodscanhaveahighGIbutalowGL.Oneexampleiswatermelon,

whichhasaGIof72(high),butaGLof7.2(low).TheGIisbasedon5cupsofwatermelon

(theamountrequiredtoreach50gramsofcarbohydrates);theGLisbasedonanactual

servingsizeof1cup.

TheGLthustakesintoaccountthatwatermelonismostlywater,andthereforewon’thave

muchimpactonyourbloodsugar.OtherfoodsthathaveahighGIbutalowGLinclude

carrots,apples,peas,andparsnips.

WithGI,you’resimplyassessingthesugarinthefood,butGLconsidersthesugarsin

relationtothefood'sotherattributes,thefiberandnutrientsthathelptoslowtherelease

ofsugarintothebloodstream.

Forexample,beetsareloadedwithfiberandnutrients,whichagain,slowthereleaseof

sugar.Ifyoujuiceyourbeetsandtossallofthatbeautifulfiberthatcomesoutthebackside

ofyourjuicer,you’releftwithablood-sugarspikingdrink.

Bottomline:Thehigherthefiber,thelessimpactonbloodsugar.

Similarlytothe40/30/30principle,theconceptofGI/GLisanotherguideline(vs.hardand

fastrule)thateveryoneshouldunderstandthebasicsofbutnotobsessover.

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Spotlight:Breakfast

Whatyouhaveforbreakfastsetsthetonefortherestofyourday.Yourmorningmealis

thatimportant.

Bloodsugarmanagementisimpossiblewithouttherightmorningfuel.Andbreakfasttendstobethemealthatpeoplestrugglethemostwithintermsofplanningandknowingwhatto

eat.

Ifyoudon’t“breakthefast”responsibly(coffeeandamuffindon’tcutit,sorry),itcanset

youupforadayofmisery,wherebyyou’recrippledwithfatigueandbrainfog(andallof

theothersymptomsofdysglycemia)untilbedtime,onlytosleeppoorlyandthenstartthe

negativecyclealloveragain.

Carbbombs(heavy-carbmeals)areneveragoodidea,butit’sespeciallydetrimentalfor

breakfast.

Thatbowlofoatmeal?It’scarbbombunlessyouloaditupwithgoodfatsandprotein–

nutsornutbutter,coconutoil/coconutmilk–and/orhavesomehealthfulsides:ahard

boiledegg,pasturedanimalprotein,orsomeavocado.(Andtothesurpriseofmany,I’mnot

anti-grainoranti-legume,whichIgointogreatdetailaboutinmycookbook, TheEssentialThyroidCookbook.Youdon’tneedtobehypothyroidorhaveHashimoto’stoenjoythewholefoods,nutrient-dense,artfullycrafted,mouthwateringrecipesinthiscookbook!)

Betteryet,tradeoutthatoatmealforhotquinoacereal,whichishigherinprotein.And

don’tforgetplentyofcinnamon,thatwonderful,yummybloodsugarstabilizer.

Don’tsimplymakeasmoothie.Makeapowersmoothiewithcoconutoil,coconutmilk,or

coconutyogurt,avocado,nuts,flax,qualityproteinpowder(Ilikehempprotein),andif

you’rebrave,araw,pasturedegg.

Again,thefoodsandmealsuggestionsmentionedinthisbookdon’taccountforany

individual’suniquefoodsensitivitiesorallergies.Pleasemakeadjustmentsatnecessary.

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Otherideas:

• Frittatas(eggcasseroles,chockfullofin-seasonvegetables)canbemadeforSunday

morningbrunchandthenre-heatedforthenextseveralmornings

• Breakfastburritoonsproutedorwholegraingluten-freetortillawithscrambled

eggsandotherhealthfulfillingsofyourchoice,likeonions,mushrooms,garlic,

beans,peppers,andleafygreens(veryeasytomakeaheadandfreeze);addavocado

beforeeating

• Fishanddarkleafygreens

• Lox(smokedsalmon)andorganiccreamcheeseonwholegraingluten-freebread

withredonionslicesandcapers

• Here’smyfavoritebreakfastbake

Dobreakfastright.You’llbeamazedathowmuchbetteryoufeelimmediately.

OneofmyfavoriteexpertquotesaboutbreakfastisfromJJVirgin,nutritionandfitness

expert,whosays,“Nomatterwhatyouweigh,howbusyyouare,orhowmanytimesyou’ve

triedbeforethis,dothiswithme.Juststandwithmeanddobreakfastright.Itwilldomore

thangiveyouthenutritionyouneeditwillgiveyouastrongstarteverysingleday.”

“Nomatterwhatyouweigh,howbusyyouare,orhowmanytimesyou’vetriedbeforethis,dothiswithme.Juststandwithmeanddobreakfastright.Itwilldomorethangiveyouthenutritionyouneeditwillgiveyouastrongstarteverysingleday.”–JJVirgin

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LunchandDinner

Becauseeachperson’sidealmacronutrientratioisdifferent,thereisnoperfectformulafor

whattoeatateachmeal.

Remember,don’tobsessaboutthenumbers.Experiment.Ifyoupayattention,yourbody

willtellyouwhatitneeds.

KeepDr.Sears’mantrainmind:“Ifyourmealdoesn’tholdyouuntilyournextreasonable

mealtime(4-5hours)–ifyougetuncontrollablyhungryand/orhypoglycemic,lookbackat

yourlastmealandask,‘DidIgetenoughfatandproteinand/ordidIgettoomanycarbs?’”

Iwanttoshowyouhowtobeasmarteyeballer,notagram-countingnumbercruncher.

Andifyou’realreadyeatingaprimarilywholefoodsdiet,thisiseasy.

LookbackattheProtein,Fat,andCarbsectionsofthisbooktofindsourcesforallofthe

macronutrientsandstartplaying.

Herearesomeguidelinesandsuggestions.Anyofthesecanbeusedinterchangeablyfor

lunchordinner.Mostofmylunchesareleftoversfromthenightbefore.(“Cookonce,eat

twice.”)

Easylunches:

CollardGreensWrapSteamcollardgreenleavestouseaswrap.Layflat,overlapping,andfillcenterwith

organichamorturkey,cucumberstrips,alittlehummus,avocado,andsprinkle

withseaweed gomasio.(Thisismygo-tolunch.)

Shrimp,Grapefruit,andAvocadoSaladWhisk1tspdijonmustard,½tspsalt,1tsplimejuice,3tbspoliveoil,andany

grapefruitjuice(leftoverfromtheslicing/segmenting)together.Tosswithgreens

ofchoiceandtopwithcookedshrimp,grapefruitsegments,andavocado.Drizzle

withgrapefruitvinaigrette.

SalmonSaladBentoLunchCombinesalmon,olives,redonion,parsley,andcaperswitholiveoilandlemon

juice,todesiredtasteandconsistencyandplacealongsidewatercress(orotherleafy

greens)andanyotherrawvegetableasdesired.

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Dinnerguidelines:

(Remember,doubleupyourdinneringredientssoyouhavelunchforthenextday.)

Atmyhouse,dinnersareeasy:primarilyproteinandvegetableswithasideofhealthful

grainsiftheveggiesaren’tstarchy.Iusegheeorcoconutoroliveoilforcooking.

Thepossibilitiesareendlessandrelativelyeasy.Onceyougetgoodatafeweasysauces,

dressings,andsalsas,youwon’tgetbored.

Examples:

• Porkchopswitheasymustardrosemarysauce+roastedcauliflower+asaladwith

homemadevinaigrette

• Easygrassfedmeatloaf(loadedwithchoppeddarkleafygreens)+roastedbroccoli+

mashedyamswithghee

• Grilledchickenwithavocadomangosalsa+beans+cilantrolimebrownrice

• Grilledsalmon+roastedasparagus+garlicquinoa

• Sautéedchickenwithmushroomsauceoverbrownrice+roastedBrusselssprouts

(YoumayhavenoticedthatI’mabigfanoftheso-called“goitrogenic”foods–those

nutritionalpowerhousesandcancer-fightingsuperheroes(broccoli,cauliflower,Brussels

sprouts,etc.)thatarepurportedtoslowthyroidfunction.Youdon’thavetoworryabout

thesegems.Eatthem.Youcanlearneverythingyouneedtoknowhere.)

Youcantakemostofyourfavoritemealsandadjustthemacronutrientprofileasneeded.

Perhapsyou’recarbheavywithlittlefatorprotein.Maybeyou’reeatingtoomuchprotein

andnotenoughcarbs.

Ifindthatthemacronutrientthatneedsthemostattentionisfat.Proteinandcarbsareeasy

tocomeby–andit’snotthatfatisn’teasytoget.It’sthatasidefromcookingoils,some

mealscanbealittlefat-deficient.

Youcansomewhatremedythisbygettingmorecoldwater,fattyfishandgrassfedbeefinto

yourdiet.They’reatwo-fer:you’regettingplentyoffatandproteinwitheach.

Inevertireofavocado.It’seasytogetintosalads,haveasaside,oruseasaspread.

I’mnotagainstdairy,butmanyhaveasensitivitytodairyfoods,sogettingyourfatneeds

frommilkproductsmaynotbeagreatidea.Evenifyoudon’thaveabonafidesensitivity,

toomuchdairyismucous-formingandcancausecongestion.Thatsaid,someorganic,

qualitycheeseisa-okayinmybook.

Keepinmindthatit’stheprocessedandpulverizedcarbs/grains(flours)thatyouwantto

eatinmoderationoreliminate.Whilenotallbad,theyshouldn’tbeadietarystaple.

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AdditionalSupport

Foodshouldbeyourfirstlineofdefenseinbalancingbloodsugar.Supplementscanhelp

regulatebloodsugar,buttheycan’tfixadiethighinsugarsandprocessedfoods.Lower

sugarandprocessedfoodintakefirstandbemindfulofhighglycemicfoods,thenconsider

asupplement.

Forthosewithmoreadvanceddysglycemiaorrepeatedhypoglycemicepisodeswhoneed

someadditionalsupportintheshort-term,herearesomesuggestionsthatcanhelp:

• Omega-3fattyacidsOmega-3s,takendailyintheformofahighquality,molecularly-distilledfishoil,can

improveinsulinsensitivityandcansignificantlyhelptametheinflammation

associatedwithdysglycemia.(Irecommendeveryonetakeafishoilanyway–the

benefitsaresofar-reaching.)

• LemonThecitricacidinlemonslowsthereleaseofglucoseintothebloodstream.The

antioxidantsandmineralsinlemonimproveinsulinsignaling,boostliverfunction,

andstabilizebloodsugar.Uselemoninasmanyfoodsaspossibleandsqueezeit

intoyourwater.Warmlemonwater(withthejuiceofhalfalemon)uponwakingis

agreathabittogetinto–verybalancinganddetoxifying.Lemonwaterisgoodto

drinkwithahigh-carbmeal.

• FermentedfoodsThesefoodsslowthereleaseofglucoseandprovideenzymes,probiotics,and

bioactivenutrientsthatenhancebloodsugarsignaling.Fermentedfoodsinclude

kefir(includingcoconutkefir),kombucha,yogurt,rawcheese,sauerkraut,pickles,

natto,andkimchi.Trytoeatsmallamountsoffermentedfoodsdaily.

• CinnamonCinnamonhasbeenshowntoimproveinsulinreceptorsensitivityandtoslowthe

enzymesthatmakeinsulinreceptorsinactive.It’salsoapowerfulantioxidantthat

reducessystemicinflammation.Cinnamonteaisagreatbloodsugarstabilizerand

canslayanafternoonsweettooth.

• ApplecidervinegarVinegarishighinaceticacid,whichhasbeenshowntoreducetheglycemic

responseofacarbohydratemealby31%.Applecidervinegar(ACV)inparticular

providesenzymes,probiotics,andtracemineralsthatenhancebloodsugar

signaling.UseACVwithasmanyfoodsaspossible.OnetablespoonofACVinaglass

ofwaterisagreatsubstituteforaglassofwine.

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• ChromiumTheprimaryfunctionofchromiumistoincreasetheactionofinsulin.Itthushelps

maintainbalancedbloodsugarandinsulinlevels.Concentratedfoodssourcesof

chromiumincludeoysters,wholegrains,potatoes,onions,tomatoes,brewer'syeast,

andbrancereals.Itcanalsobetakenasasupplement,intheshort-term,butalsoto

helpwithahigh-carbmeal.

• AlphalipoicacidAlphalipoicacid(ALA)hasbeensaidto“smash”insulinresistance.Itcanalso

decreasethestressandanxietyassociatedwithlowbloodsugar.Astudypublished

intheMay2010issueofthe"AmericanJournalofPhysiology.Regulatory,

IntegrativeandComparativePhysiology"showedthatALApreventeddiabetesina

studyoflaboratoryanimalsfedahigh-fructosediet.(Note:I’mnotafanofanimal

testing.)Organmeat,redmeat,andbrewer’syeastarethebestsourcesofalpha

lipoicacid.Itcanalsobetakenasasupplement.

OtherImportantTips:

• Moveyourbody.Exercise,evenrestorativeexerciselikewalking,improvesyour

body’sabilitytorespondtoinsulin.Weight-bearingexerciseisalsobeneficialsince

leanmusclecorrelateswithbetterbloodsugarregulation.

• Consumenohydrogenatedfatsorhigh-fructosecornsyrup.

• Abstainfromalljuiceandsoda,includingvegetablejuices(whicharesugar,too).

• Consume30-50gramsofsolublefiberdaily.

• Keepemergencyfoodsonhand.WhileI’mnotanadvocateofgrazingthroughoutthe

day,weallgetbackedintoacornerfromtimetotime.Havesomenuts,grassfedbeef

sticks,healthfultrailmix,ahard-boiledegg,orappleandsmallcontainerofnut

butteronhand.

• Manageyourstress.Iknow,easiersaidthandone.Butithelpsmitigatethe

overproductionofadrenalhormones,whichisoneofthepillarsinbalancingblood

sugar.

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WhatAboutGrazing?

We’vebeenbrowbeatenintobelievingthatsmaller,morefrequentmealsarebetterthan

threesubstantivemeals.Overhalfofourclientscometoushavingimplementedthis

“grazing”strategy.

Despitemainstreamadvice,smaller,morefrequentmealsisnotabloodsugar(orweight

loss)strategy.Whenweeatminimealsthroughouttheday,thebodysays,“Fine,I’mgoing

toburnwhatyoufeedmevs.burningstoredfat.”

JJVirgin,nutritionandfitnessexpert,states,“Idon’trecommendeatingevery2-3hours.

Thiskeepsbloodsugarandinsulinelevatedabovefastinglevels,whichblocksfatburning

andmakesyourbodybetteratburningsugarratherthanfat.”

Dr.JohnDouillardstates,“Eatthree–notsix–meals,whichgivestheintestinaltracttime

inbetweenmealstorestandheal.Ifyouhaveerraticeatinghabits,suchas‘grazingallday,’

thedigestivefireisalwaysonandsoontheincessantdigestiveprocessbeginstoirritate

theintestinalwall.

“Intheolddays,afarmercouldspendhoursinthefieldswithnoproblem.Imagineifthey

hadtocomeintothehouseevery2-3hoursforasnack.Thiskindofbloodsugarinstability

isamoderndayimbalance.

“Sixmealsadayisamedicinaldietfortreatingthesymptomsofseverehypoglycemia.It

wasneverintendedtobeawayoflife.Nowhereelseintheworldhavehumanseaten

constantlyuntilthisvainAmericanexperiment.Wearetoldthateatingsixmealsadaywill

helpusloseweightbykeepingthemetabolismhighandrevvedupandthatitwon’tletthe

bodystorefat.

“Wearenotmeanttohaveourmetabolismrevvedupallday.Itdepletesandexhauststhe

adrenals(whichultimatelycausesfatstorage)andnevergivesdigestionarest.Whilewe

won’tstorefateatingevery2-3hours,wealsowillneverburnanystoredfat.Cancer-

causingtoxinsarestoredinourfatcellsandthefatneedsareasontoburn.

“Withbloodsugarsartificiallyproppedupfromconstantfeeding,theabilitytomake

energylastisreplacedwithfragileenergy,constanthunger,moodinstabilityandextreme

cravingsifamealorsnackismissed.”

LearnmorefromDr.Douillard’sarticle:ToGrazeorNottoGraze:It’sNotReallyaQuestion

Healthfulsnackingisdifferentfromgrazing.Ifyouneedamid-afternoonsnacktokeep

bloodsugarstableuntildinnertime,that’sa-okay.You’rebetteroffeatingsomething

(remember:protein!fat!vs.cookies)thanlettingyourselfslipintothepit.Letyoursnack

workforvs.againstyou.

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Spotlight:Sleep

Whydoesbloodsugarhavesuchanimpactonhowwesleep?

Whenpeoplearedysglycemicandpronetothosehair-raisinghypoglycemicepisodes,

bloodsugarcrashescanhappenatnight.Bloodsugardrops,cortisolspikes,andwewake

up.

It’sapush/pullscenariothatcanhappenafewtimesanightand–thelongercortisolstays

high,thelongeritcantaketofallbackasleep.

Cortisolisthebossofoursleepcycle.

Dysglycemiacancausecortisoltobehighintheevening(theoppositeofwhatcortisol

shouldbedoing)andgivepeopleaboostofenergybeforebed–the“secondwind.”

Ihearitallthetime:

• I’mtiredallday,onlytogetenergizedandproductiveintheevening.ThenIcan’tgo

tobedatareasonabletime.

• I’mwakingseveraltimesanight,likeclockwork.

• Iliethereawake,overthinking.

• IgetmybestsleeprightbeforeIneedtogetup.

• Ifeellikehellinthemorning.

Toallofthis,Isay,“Let’sgetyourbloodsugarbalanced.”

Forthosewithmoreseverebloodsugarissues,it’shighlyrecommendedtoeata

macronutrient-balancedsnackbeforebed,intheshort-term.Don’tworry,it’snotgoingto

makeyougainweight.Infact,theoppositemaybetrue–thewaysinwhichthishelpsto

balancebloodsugarcanhelpmakeyouabettermetabolicburner.

RememberhowIsaidthatoneofthemosteffectivestrategiesforbalancingbloodsugaris

tonourishandsupporttheadrenals(andthussupportthecortisolcycle)andthatoneof

themosteffectivestrategiesforsupportingtheadrenalsistobalancebloodsugar?

AndrememberhowIsaidthatyou’reonemealawayfrombalancingyourbloodsugarandthatmealaftermeal,ifyou’remindfulaboutyourmacronutrientintake,thecumulative

effectofkeepingyourselfoffofthebloodsugarrollercoastercanturnthingsaround

quickly?

Thisisspecificallywhymostofourclientssay,“I’mnowsleepingbetterthanIhavein

years.”

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BloodSugarTesting

Somepeoplehavemilderdysglycemia–theydon’tnecessarilyhaveanyofthe“emergency”

symptomsofhypoglycemia.Orperhapstheydo,butit’sinfrequent.

Mostpeoplewhoslipintohypoglycemicepisodesfeelit,whereastheymaynothaveanimmediatesymptomaticresponsetobeinghyperglycemic.

Nonetheless,it’snotabadideatotest.Hereareyourchoices:

1. Homeglucosemonitoring

2. Fastingglucose

3. HbA1c(hemoglobinA1c)

Bloodsugarlevelsvarythroughoutthedayandareimpactedbyavarietyoffactors,

includingmenstrualcycles,illness,timesinceyourlastmeal,stress,andphysicalactivity.

Thus,themostaccuratemeasurementofbloodsugar,knownas“fastingglucose,”istaken

firstthinginthemorning,atleasteighthoursaftereatingordrinking,andbefore

anyexercise.

Whenmonitoringathome,thekeyistoidentifytrendsandconsideraverages.

Totestyourbloodsugar:

• Followthemanufacturer’sinstructionsforyour glucometer.Testfirstthinginthe morning,beforeyoueatordrinkanything(otherthanwater).

• Keeparecordoftheresult.

• Testagainforthenexttwoconsecutivemorningsandcalculatetheaverage.

• Takethreedailyconsecutivetestsmonthly(atapproximatelythesametimeifyour cycle,ifyoumenstruate).

Withhomeglucosemonitors,thereisn’tasubstantialdistinctionamongtheover-the-

counterbrands.Theyallhavea10-20%marginoferror,soit’simportanttonotworry

aboutanyindividualnumber.

Assomeonebecomespre-diabeticordiabetic,they’readding#2and#3(fromtheabove

list)tothemix.Itbecomesan“alloftheabove”thing.(Manypeopledon’tdohomeglucose

monitoringuntilfastingglucoseresultsfromtheirdoctor’sofficepromptsthedoctorto

suggesthometesting.)

Fastingglucoseisdonefirstthinginthemorning,alsobeforeeatingordrinking.Thistest

measuresyourcurrentbloodsugar/glucoselevel.

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Idealfastingbloodglucoselevelsarenotgenerallyhigherthan85mg/dL.Someoneis

considered“pre-diabetic”ifherlevelishigherthan100mg/dLanddiabeticifit’shigher

than125mg/dL.

Anincreasingnumberoffunctionalmedicinepractitionersadvisefolkstostayascloseto

85mg/dLaspossible,andtotakestepstoreducebloodsugarlevelsifmeasurementsare

consistentlyhigherthan85-90mg/dL.

HbA1cisthemostreliablemeasureofbloodsugar.Ourbody’ssupplyofredbloodcells

regenerateseverythreemonths–threemonthsfromnow,you’llhaveacompletelynewset

ofredbloodcells.

Becauseexcesssugarintheblood“attaches”toourredbloodcells,everythreemonthsyou

cangetanaverage(fromanA1c)ofhowmuchexcesssugarwascirculatinginyourbody

duringthattime.

• 4.0-5.2isnormal• 5.3-6.4ispre-diabetic• 6.5+isdiabetic

(Anythingunder7.0foradultType1diabetics(whichisautoimmunediabetes,different

fromType2diabetes)meanstheyaremanagingtheirdiabeteswell.)

ThereisafourthtypeoftestingthatwelearnedaboutfromDr.JohnDouillard–fasting

insulin.Thistest,whichisrarelytestedoutsideofthefunctionalmedicinerealm,tellsyouhowmuchinsulinyourpancreasneededtoproducetogeneratethatbloodglucoselevel.In

otherwords,youcouldhaveafastingglucoseof85mg/dL,butyoudon’tknowhowmuch

insulinittooktobringyourbodytothatlevel.

Ifitrequiredtoomuchinsulin,thissuggestsinsulinresistance/pre-diabetes,eventhough

thebloodsugarwasnormal.(Notethatthistestisgenerallynotrelevantforthosewith

Type1diabetessincetheirbodiesaren’tproducinganyinsulintobeginwith.)

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Conclusion

Manydoctorsinthefunctionalmedicinecommunityhavestatedthatkeepingbloodsugar

asstableaspossibleisoneofthesinglebeststrategiesinweightmanagement,keeping

inflammationatbay,keepingourhormonesincheck,andlivingalong,healthylife.

They’veevencoinedanewword,diabesity,todescribethecloseconnectionbetween

mismanagedbloodsugar,highlevelsofinsulinandweightlossresistance.

Idobelievethatallroadsleadbacktobloodsugar.

Ifyoutaketheprinciplesoutlinedinthisbook,itwillchangeourlife.Youwilllikely:

• Loseweightwithoutdeprivationordieting

• Tamesystemic/cellularinflammation

• Sleepbetter

• Seesignificantimprovementinyourcravings

• Improvedigestivefunction

• Seeyourenergyskyrocket

• Eliminatebrainfog

• Seeahealthieroverallhormonalprofile

Ican’trepeatitenough.You’reonemealawayfrombalancingyourbloodsugar.Whatifyoubalancedyourbloodsugarthreetimestoday?

Astheysay,“Onedaycanchangeeverything.“

“Onedaycanchangeeverything.”

eBook

healthfulelements.com

JillGrunewald

Functional Medicine Certified Health CoachBest selling author,TheEssentialThyroidCookbook:Over100RecipesforThrivingwithHypothyroidismandHashimoto’s

HealthfulElements,LLCMinneapolis,MN

healthfulelements.cominquiries@healthfulelements.com

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