Have you ever experienced the infamous “food coma”.  Most of us have. This is the feeling of fatigue and the need for a nap after a big meal. Or have you ever had weakness or “the shakes” after forgetting to eat, which promptly goes away after eating? Truth be told, both of these experiences are not normal and are in fact an indicator of less than optimal health.

Large changes in energy after eating is a sign of poor blood sugar stability. Blood sugar stability is a crucial aspect of health. It affects everything from your risk of developing Type II Diabetes to the promotion of inflammation and auto-immune disorders within your body.  The bottom line is that any drastic change in your energy, whether it be fatigue or increased energy, is not healthy. You want to work toward steady, constant energy levels throughout the day instead of experiencing that post-lunch, 3 o’clock crash.

Here are some key things to look for when monitoring your blood sugar stability:

• Fatigue after meals
• Sugar cravings after meals
• Difficulty falling asleep

Or

• Energy after meals
• Sugar cravings before meals
• Inability to stay asleep
• Crash and crave sweets between 3-5pm

So how do you attain this nice, steady energy? As always, it starts with the basics. Eat every few hours. Focus on meals and snacks that increase your fiber and protein intake and decrease your sugar and starch intake. Good snacks include nuts, seeds and veggies. Avoid going more than 12 hours without eating. This may mean that you may need to eat dinner a little later to shorten the fast between dinner and breakfast. Also start exercising. Any exercise that you look forward to doing and enjoy is beneficial. If this does not calm your symptoms down, you may need to see a professional at AWC who can prescribe a supplement to modulate the systems responsible for blood sugar stability.

Healing Tip of the Week
Always have a healthy snack at the ready in your purse or glove compartment. Getting hungry and being far from home can lead to unhealthy eating, such as fast food or gas station snacks. Having a bag of nuts or a healthy bar can help you stop your hunger just long enough to get you home to a healthy meal.