Sunday, September 26, 2010

How To Balance Blood-Sugar With A Whole Foods Eating Plan


Many people who begin a whole foods eating plan wonder how it will affect their blood sugars. Often people begin eating a whole foods eating plan in order to help them lose weight or feel better. In general, many people find that their blood sugar levels are more stable when eating a whole foods eating plan than they are with the standard American diet of fat and refined carbohydrates. Even so, if you want to ensure that your blood sugar levels remain steady while transitioning to a whole foods eating plan, here are a few tips that will help.

First of all, be sure that you drink enough water. In general you should aim to drink at least eight glasses of water each day whether or not you think that you are thirsty. Remember that if you feel thirsty you are probably already dehydrated. In addition to helping you feel full and keeping your body functioning effectively, water helps to dilute the concentration of glucose in your body. This means that it can help to keep your blood sugar levels lower than if you are not drinking enough water. If you have trouble drinking plain water try a slice of lemon or just a small splash of 100% fruit juice to add some flavoring.

In addition to drinking enough water, the best way to stabilize your blood sugar levels is to build your whole foods eating plan around produce. If you are concerned about blood sugar, this means mainly vegetables. Vegetables are high in fiber and protein and they will help to offset the effects of foods that would be more likely to increase your blood sugar levels. You should aim to eat at least two different types of vegetable with each meal. If you aren't sure which vegetables you like then spend a few weeks trying different ones until you have added some variety to your whole foods eating plan.

While you are building your diet around vegetables, don't forget about fruits. You will need to be a bit more careful with these since they are higher in sugar than most vegetables. However, you should be able to eat moderate amounts of fruit without having your blood sugar spike or crash. If you are monitoring your sugar levels closely you should be able to tell which fruits your body can handle in moderation and which ones you should stay away from.

Besides fruits and vegetables, the last element of a healthy whole foods diet is moderate amounts of healthy carbohydrates. If you are monitoring your blood sugar levels then you want to make sure that you are focusing on complex carbohydrates instead of simple or refined carbs. Complex carbohydrates take longer for your body to break down and do not cause your blood sugar to spike and crash in the same way that refined carbohydrates do. Choosing complex carbohydrates such as brown rice, whole wheat bread, and whole grains is the best way to include these foods in a healthy whole foods diet. You may also find it helpful to always pair a carbohydrate with a protein. This forces your body to take longer to process the food and helps to keep your blood sugar levels stable.








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