Are you like most people that are tired all the time, always hungry for that sweet snack, and unable to resist eating large portions or grazing the fridge throughout the day? Chances are it’s not simply because you are working so hard that you run out of energy, or that you just don’t have the will power to fight off those food temptations, it actually might be that your body is chemically causing these issues due to the food choices that you have made previously.
Most of us don’t realize the impact that certain foods have on our bodies after we eat them. This is where our blood sugars can have a major impact. Blood sugar is the common term for our blood glucose level( for simplicity, I will use the term sugar level). More simply put, it is how much sugar (which comes in several different forms) is in our blood stream at any given time. The faster and higher amount of sugar that is absorbed in a meal, the higher the sugar level becomes in the bloodstream. This is measured by a food’s Glycemic Index, which is basically a score given to determine the immediate impact of that food on someone’s sugar level.
“Why is this important?” you might ask. When our sugar levels rise after eating a meal, our body responds by telling our pancreas to produce precise amounts of insulin to push the glucose out of the bloodstream into the muscles and tissues for the body to use as energy for daily tasks. This is a good thing. However, if the meal or snack we have eaten is high on the Glycemic Index, and it spikes our blood sugars, then the body must produce an above average amount of insulin to try to bring the sugar level back to its baseline. In doing this, the body must work very hard to produce this insulin, and as a result, the sugar levels actually dip below the baseline.
When the sugar levels dip below baseline, our body then recognizes the need to raise the sugar levels, causing cravings for high glycemic foods, and the vicious cycle continues! This is why it can be so hard to get rid of those cravings, because it often is not just a lack of will power, it is the body producing chemicals that make you want to eat. Due to all of the fluctuation, we often see significant peaks and valleys in our energy levels, moods, and hunger levels.
It is natural for our bodies to try to stay at a baseline at all times. So when something is out of whack, it tries to fix the issue. By continuously subjecting our bodies to this roller coaster of sugar levels, stress to the system is inevitable and makes the body less efficient in many ways; especially in the pancreas’ ability to properly control insulin levels. This can have an impact on many other long term issues such as Type II diabetes. I will discuss more of the effects of a High Glycemic lifestyle on another day.
In the grand scheme of things, knowing the effect of the foods you eat can significantly impact the way you feel throughout the day and reduce the amount of stress that you put on your body. My suggestion to you is to read up a little on the Glycemic Index (of course I would be happy to give you a few resources) and just try to pay a little more attention to the things you’re eating on a regular basis. Small, low glycemic snacks between meals can really help maintain your energy levels and keep you from getting hungry throughout the day. If you are a serious carb junkie (certain carbs are the true culprit for high sugar levels), I would recommend that you try a sort of cleansing process to rid your system of the carb cravings. This can have a huge impact on starting a healthier way of eating.
Jeff Pelizzaro, MPT
Physical Therapist/ Personal Trainer
Performance United Fitness
www.PerformanceUnited.com
