January 8

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Why Balancing Blood Glucose is Important for Those with Hashimoto’s

By Gabriela

January 8, 2021


Hashimoto’s thyroiditis is actually an autoimmune condition. This condition is a cause of hypothyroidism. What happens is that the body makes an immune reaction against its thyroid gland tissue and that causes inflammation of the gland.

Symptoms of Hashimoto’s Are:

  • Weight gain,
  • Depression,
  • Fatigue,
  • Constipation,
  • Sleepiness,
  • Dry skin,
  • Feeling cold.

How to Deal with This?

People often underestimate the power of lifestyle changes. As a matter of fact, simple lifestyle changes can entirely help with a specific health condition. People who have Hashimoto’s wonder what they can do to feel better. The answer to that is to balance their blood glucose levels. Balancing blood glucose needs to be a priority for all people who hope to overcome adrenal fatigue and autoimmune thyroiditis. It is said that by balancing blood glucose, we can reduce thyroid antibodies and anxiety levels.

Before We Take Control

If we aren’t balancing our blood glucose levels, then we probably go through the “hangry” phase. The term “hangry” stands for hungry plus angry. We might experience this a couple of times during the day since foods rich in carbs can lead to significant blood glucose swings. What we should know is that the swings might waken our adrenals and lead to a spike in the thyroid antibodies. These blood glucose imbalances are explained as adding fuel to the fire.

Blood Glucose Problems

Most people aren’t aware that they have blood glucose problems since they believe that since they are thin, it means that they are healthy. Also, many overweight people may think they don’t have diabetes, so they feel free to consume as much sugar as they want. But we must understand that diabetes needs years to develop. Moreover, insulin resistance, impaired carb tolerance, hypoglycemia, and blood glucose swings might be seen years before.

Study on This Topic

Scientists in Poland came to the discovery that around 50 percent of people with Hashimoto’s experience an impaired tolerance when it comes to carbs. When these people consume foods rich in carbs, their blood glucose rises too high too fast. That might lead to a fast, excessive release of insulin. Such insulin surges might lead to reactive hypoglycemia, i.e., low blood glucose which might lead to specific unpleasant symptoms. Those symptoms are fatigue, nervousness, anxiety, and lightheadedness. Reactive hypoglycemia is actually a significant stressor for the adrenals.

The Truth About Carbs

The truth is that carbs are not a necessary nutrient, while on the other hand, fat is necessary for the normal function of cells. A lot of people think that fats need to be avoided and that carbs are most important. This is precisely seen by the significant number of people with chronic disease, obesity, and diabetes. It is said that excess fat doesn’t turn into fat but it turns into an unpleasant case of diarrhea. On the other hand, excess carbs are stored in the body as fat. What can we do to have better control of our blood glucose levels? Well, we can understand the influence food has on our blood glucose levels.

Influence of Food on Our Blood Glucose Levels

The glycemic index i.e. GI is a measure of how rapidly food can assimilate into the body. Also, this is known by the name “burn” rate – how fast people burn the fuel they get from foods. We should know that carbs have a fast burn rate. Carbs become assimilated rapidly into the body, and that leads to a high and quick spike in blood glucose. After consuming carbs, people get hungry again after less than 1 hour. On the other hand, protein and fat have a lower burn rate. These foods assimilate into the body more gradually and slowly, and they don’t increase the blood glucose levels as fast. In addition, fat and protein keep people full for a more extended period. Assuming that one person had eaten enough calories to feel full, that same person will feel hungry again from 2 to 3 hours after consuming enough protein and 4 hours after eating fat. Following a diet that is low in GI can help us to feel full for a more extended period. Also, it can help improve our cognitive performance, blood glucose levels, and cholesterol levels. Moreover, it can reduce acne and boost energy levels. Furthermore, such a diet can help reduce our risk of many chronic conditions. Also, it can boost weight loss. As a matter of fact, a lot of people have come to the discovery that their mood improves after they balance their blood glucose levels. Below is a fast reference that can make the balancing of our blood glucose levels much easier.
  • Protein – we will feel hungry after 2-3 hours,
  • Fat – we will feel hungry after 4 hours,
  • Carbs – we will feel hungry after 40 minutes – 1 hour.

Change The Breakfast

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. We should start our day right, and for that, we must be aware of which food is right for us. The typical breakfast is usually coffee with sugar, orange juice, and a bagel with cream cheese. The right and healthy breakfast, for example, can be – herbal tea with stevia, eggs and bacon, and avocado. There are specific rules which we should follow to balance our blood glucose levels.

#12 Rules on Balancing Blood Sugar

#1 No sweets before bedtime. #2 No fasting. #3 Avoid drinking fruit juice. #4 Consume breakfast within 1 hour of walking. #5 Remember never to skip breakfast. #6 Don’t consume foods that have GI above 55. #7 Include protein and fat with each meal: meat, eggs, fish, seeds, and nuts. #8 Limit caffeine intake. #9 Try to eat every 2-3 hours at first. Snacks are an excellent option for that. #10 Try to avoid all dairy and grains, yeast, soy, and corn. #11 Include snacks rich in fat and protein every 2 -3 hours. #12 Always combine carbs with protein and fat. Try not to exceed a 2:1 ratio of carbohydrates to protein. Good snack options are protein shakes, homemade jerky nuts, boiled eggs, and seeds.