How To Eat for Energy - Step 1: Balance Your blood sugar

You know that 3pm crash? The one where you want to put your head down on your keyboard and mainline coffee and fiend for peanut butter cups? It’s not necessarily normal, and it doesn’t have to happen every day although it might be right now. I know because that used to be me.

Before I started health coaching I was working nursing shifts in the intensive care unit (ICU) and felt drained and exhausted all the time. I felt like I was just getting by, and needed 2-3 coffees per day to keep going. And I had to keep going.  I couldn’t just quit, or sleep for days, or take off on vacation anytime I wanted.

It felt like a vicious cycle, too. The more exhausted I would get, the worse food choices I would make and the more caffeine and sugar I would consume in attempts to boost my energy (spoiler alert: this never worked out in the end).  This would affect my energy levels and my sleep, trigger flare ups of my autoimmune disease (Adult-Onset Still’s Disease) and create more stress and anxiety.

Honestly, I felt awful and didn’t see a way out.

I knew that what food I put into my body had an impact on how I felt in general, but I mostly focused on how to eat to maintain or lose weight rather than fuel my body. I had never known any other way.

It wasn’t until I learned how to eat for energy and fuel that I finally turned things around.

I want to share 5 simple ways to boost your energy through diet and get rid of the 3pm crash. If this stressed out ICU nurse can do it, you can too!

Step 1: Balance Your Blood Sugar

You might only think of blood sugar being an issue if you are a diagnosed diabetic, but blood sugar is something that's important for all of us to consider. Blood sugar is a measure of the amount of glucose in the bloodstream. Glucose is a simple sugar that is one of the primary fuel sources in our body and we require it to function.

When we eat foods that contain carbohydrates, they get broken down and release glucose into the bloodstream to raise our blood sugar. Carbohydrates take the form of either sugars or starches (also known as complex carbohydrates).  A starch is simply a long chain of sugar molecules strung together which has to be broken down by enzymes into sugars that our body can absorb [1].

When we eat carbohydrates and glucose is released into the bloodstream, it stimulates the pancreas to produce insulin.  Insulin is a hormone that escorts the sugars out of the bloodstream and into the cells to utilize for energy.

When we eat sugary, processed carbohydrates like pastas, bread, cookies, or chips, it causes a big blood sugar surge in the bloodstream.This is the classic “sugar high” you might get after a can of soda!

When this happens, a cascade of hormones are stimulated so that the body can deal with the excess glucose.  High blood sugar can cause damage to the brain and vascular system so the body wants to get excess sugar out of the bloodstream as quickly as possible.

When the body signals the pancreas to produce insulin which helps transport glucose into our cells, our bodies then go from having a “sugar rush” to very low amounts of glucose circulating in the blood steam. This ”crash” is a state of low blood sugar, or hypoglycemia, which can bring on various negative symptoms like:

• Brain fog

• Difficulty concentrating

• Irritability

• Fatigue

• Feeling “hangry”

This crash is also often accompanied by cravings for more carbs and sweets or caffeine as a “pick-me-up.” Talk about a blood sugar roller coaster! Watch the video below or read on to learn the first step in balancing blood sugar. 

If you are stuck on a blood sugar roller coaster it’s a good idea to plan out regular meals and snacks so you don’t go a really long time without food.  Have you ever had that feeling when you are too busy for lunch and don’t have time to grab anything and you get to the end of the day and you’d pretty much eat your entire fridge or a whole platter of stale cookies leftover from your office meeting?

That’s when we get into trouble and end up eating whatever the heck is put in front of us! By intentionally planning out meals and snacks we can ensure that our blood sugar levels aren’t dropping dramatically during the day so we can make better food choices when we aren’t feeling desperate and “hangry.”

It's important to note that this is different to grazing all day long which is not recommended as it constantly stimulates the production of insulin which can lead to insulin resistance [2].   

Initially, plan to have three meals and two snacks during the day to maintain stable blood sugar levels and avoid getting caught for hours without any good quality food. Note how this works for you individually. Not everyone needs to eat in this way and some people do better going for longer periods without food, we are all different [3, 4].  This step is more about bringing mindful attention to our meals and food in general rather than reactivity eating what comes across our paths. Try this initially to get out of the energy zapping cycle.

The best way to be prepared is to put some mindful attention to meal planning and preparation. I usually roast up a bunch of veggies and cook some protein on a Sunday or Monday, so that during the week when I'm busy and rushed I can easily grab food without a second thought. I also plan to have snacks with me throughout the day such as avocado and sweet potato chips, trail mix, or good quality deli meat and veggies so if I do get hungry in between meals I have something that's good quality rather than a processed, high-sugar alternative. Get my 7-Day Batch Cooking Meal Plan below for some inspiration!

Focus on Step 1 this week and notice how mindfully preparing food and snacks makes a difference in how you feel. Next week I'll be sharing the types of food to include to help balance blood sugar. Head to my Facebook page by clicking here and "like" to get notifications for the next live training!

GET MY SIMPLE BATCH COOKING MEAL PLAN FOR FREE!

You’ll get:

+ 7 day meal plan

+ Step by step instructions for how to cook an entire week’s worth of food in just two 2-hour sessions (life changing!)

+ Grocery lists

+ Twelve of my favorite, easy recipes

Enjoy making delicious and nutritious meals in way less time! 

How to Deal With Conflicting Dietary Advice

I did an interview with Mickey Trescott of Autoimmune Wellness last week for one of my coaching programs and I asked her the question, “How do you deal with all of the conflicting information out there with dietary fads and differing theories?”

>> Watch the exclusive full interview here >>

I asked her this because it’s something that comes up with every single one of my coaching clients, and it's something I’ve grappled with myself.

Maybe you have an inkling that your diet might be affecting whether you have a chronic illness or not? Or you’ve begun to dive into the research, have tried a few things and bought a million supplements and have come up overwhelmed and confused?

There's SO much information out there, which is great. But depending on what you read and who you speak to, you'll get a different answer for how to improve your symptoms and feel better. So how do you know what’s best?

The short answer: listen to your body.

“Listen to your body” might be an annoying phrase that you can’t quite wrap your head around. It’s in the same family as, “reduce your stress” or “self-care” or other phrases that sound so nice and simple, but can be hard to pin down when you’re actually trying to achieve them.

Listening to our bodies has become a vague and somewhat challenging task because we've gotten so used to looking outside of ourselves for information and guidance on how to feel better.

Instead of constantly searching and looking outside of ourselves for the answers, I want to talk about how to look within as the only way to really figure out what works best for you and your beautiful body.

Watch the short video below to learn what Mickey Trescott and I spoke about and how you can cut through the overwhelm and conflicting theories and begin to feel calm and confident!

Here are three ways to start this process of tuning in:

1. 5 second body scans before meals to ask yourself these questions:

   1. How am I feeling?

   2. Where am I holding tension?

   3. What are my symptoms?

   4. What is my energy level?

2. Getting quiet. Silence isn’t empty. It's full of answers. Breathing and meditating allows us to clear mental clutter so we can more fully listen to the signs and signals our bodies are trying to give us. I like the apps Calm or Insight for introductory meditation, or I practice my favorite 4-7-8 breathing technique.

3. Complete a 5-day food/symptom journal to start the process of noticing how what you put in your body makes you feel. You can download it by clicking here >>

This is a process and it's like strengthening a muscle, so be patient with yourself! Let me know in the comments where you're at with this process of tuning in. What do you notice right now if you do a 5 second body scan? What comes up? If you complete your 5-day food journal and come up with some interesting insights, let me know!

Download my free 5-Day Food Journal to begin the process of tuning in to your body by clicking the button below.

In Health, 

Christina Tidwell, MN, RN, CHC

Demystifying Confusing Food Labels

Does going to the grocery store ever feel like a big, confusing quiz in label reading? Gluten free? Hormone free? Organic? Grass-fed? I was in the poultry and meat section over the weekend and my head was spinning. I was in that aisle for a solid 20 minutes trying to choose the best protein!

In the quest to buy good quality meat and poultry, what’s important to consider and what is not?

To address these questions and make your trips to the grocery store less of a complicated riddle, I’ve compiled information on some of the most common food labels for you. Even if you aren't a meat eater, this is a great guide to help you become a more conscious consumer in general.

Watch the video below or read on to demystify confusing food labels.

---

Here are some simple definitions of the most common food labels that I see in the meat and poultry aisle to help demystifying your shopping experience:

NATURAL

Currently, no standards exist for this label except when used on meat and poultry products. USDA guidelines state that “natural” meat and poultry products can only undergo minimal processing and can’t contain artificial colors or flavors, preservatives, or other artificial ingredients. However, natural foods aren’t necessarily sustainable, organic, or free of hormones and antibiotics. So technically the meat that you buy that has seasoning or marinade on it isn’t natural and it doesn’t mean much.

Beyond requiring that producers include a statement explaining the meaning of the term natural on each product, the label isn't regulated at all.

ANTIBIOTIC-FREE

“Antibiotic-free” means that an animal wasn’t given antibiotics during its lifetime. For producers to use this claim, the animals cannot be administered antibiotics in their feed, water, or by injections. Other phrases to indicate the same thing include “no antibiotics administered” and “raised without antibiotics.”

HORMONE-FREE

“Hormone-free” means that the animals were raised without hormones or steroids. Hormones are only approved for use in beef cattle and sheep raising. They are not approved for use in poultry, pork or veal.

So you won’t actually see the phrases “no hormones administered” on poultry, pork, or veal, unless it's immediately followed by the statement, “Federal regulations prohibit the use of hormones in poultry (or pork, veal, or exotic, non-amenable meat products).” For beef, it’s a good idea to ensure that the meat is hormone-free. The extensive use of hormones in meat and dairy may increase the risk of cancer in humans and result in higher rates of infection in animals.

GRASS-FED

The diets of cattle fed grass vs. grain changes the nutrients and fats that you get from eating each type of beef. Technically, the term “grass-fed” means that animals were fed grass, which is their natural diet, rather than grains. Grass-fed animals are not fed grain, animal by-products, synthetic hormones (to promote growth), or antibiotics (to prevent disease).

From an animal welfare standpoint, grass-fed animals are treated better and are happier and healthier animals. Additionally, eating grass-fed meat usually means supporting smaller, local farms and thereby reducing fuel costs necessary to get the meat to you. By avoiding grains in any part of your personal food chain, you avoid supporting large factory farms [1]

In addition to being more humane, some research shows that grass-fed meat is leaner and lower in fat than grain-fed meat [2]. Additionally, grass-fed meat contains approximately four times more healthy omega-3 fatty acids than grain-fed meat and fewer omega-6 fatty acids, so the ratio of omega-3 to omega-6 fatty acids in grass-fed meat is approximately 1:3 (it’s closer to 1:20 in grain-fed meat) [3]. Meat and dairy from grass-fed cows are great sources of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), which is an important anti-inflammatory fatty acid [4].

The grass-fed label, however, doesn’t mean that the animal necessarily ate grass its entire life. Even more confusing, some grass-fed cattle are “grain-finished”, which means that they ate grain from a feedlot prior to slaughter. The label is regulated by the USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Services (FSIS). In 2016 the FSIS clarified stipulations of the grass-fed label and deemed that the term grass-fed must meet a 100% grass-fed standard.

From what I've found, the guidance is not perfect and will still require scrutiny as to what you’re actually purchasing, but it’s becoming more well-regulated. The standard to look for on the label is "100% grass-fed." It’s important to note that grass-fed is not the same thing as organic. Organic meat can come from grain-fed cows, as long as the grain was organic. Some beef is both organic and grass-fed, but they’re not necessarily the same thing!

ORGANIC

The USDA National Organic Program (NOP) defines organic as follows:

“Organic meat, poultry, eggs, and dairy products come from animals that are given no antibiotics or growth hormones. Food is produced without using most conventional pesticides, fertilizers made with synthetic ingredients or sewage sludge, bioengineering, or ionizing radiation. Before a product can be labeled "organic," a government-approved certifier inspects the farm where the food is grown to make sure the farmer is following all the rules necessary to meet USDA organic standards” [5].

All organic farms and products must meet the following guidelines: 

• Not use synthetic fertilizers or pesticides

• Prohibit the use of GMOs

• Employ positive soil building, conservation, manure management, and crop rotation practices

• Provide outdoor access and pasture for livestock

• Not use antibiotics or hormones

• Provide animals with 100% organic feed

Organic and sustainable farming practices are better for the environment, and many can lead to a better quality of life for animals as well. The organic label is by far the most all-encompassing and well-regulated government label and I feel that organic or grass-fed beef make the best choices for meat. As previously stated, organic meat is not the same as grass-fed (although certified grass-fed is organic, it’s not necessarily true the other way around). The gold standard would be 100% grass fed organic meat.

CAGE-FREE

“Cage-free” means that the birds were raised out of cages. What this doesn’t tell us is whether the birds were raised outdoors on pasture or indoors in overcrowded conditions.

FREE-RANGE

“Free-range” and “free-roaming” on egg and poultry labels can be used as long as producers allow the birds some access to the outdoors. It doesn’t necessarily mean that the products are cruelty-free or antibiotic-free, or that the animals spent the majority of their time outdoors. It just means that there is some access to the outdoors allowed. These claims are determined by the USDA, but aren’t verified by third-party inspectors.

PASTURE-RAISED

“Pasture-raised” indicates that the animal was raised on a pasture where it was able to eat nutritious grass and other plants, rather than being fed grain in a feedlot or barn. Pasturing livestock and poultry is a traditional farming technique that allows animals to be raised in a humane manner where they're able to move around freely.

Pasture-raised eggs are the best choice. These eggs are more expensive, so you just have to weigh the benefits vs. the cost here. Buying eggs from your local farmers market or through a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) box can be a fresher, more affordable option!

So to sum up, the gold standard choices for eggs is pasture-raised and for meat it's organic, grass-fed, or from a local farmer whose practices you're aware of. That being said, organic food can often cost more, driving us to choose the non-organic or conventionally produced kinds to get more bang for our buck. So do the best that you can, with the knowledge you have, and within your own budget. I highly recommend participating in a CSA or meat share from a local farmer!

Here's more information about the CSA that I use here in Seattle >>

Resources:

FSIS Food Labeling Guide

http://www.organic.org/home/faq#faq1

FSIS Meat and Poultry Labels

https://www.ewg.org/meateatersguide/decoding-meat-dairy-product-labels/

https://www.thepaleomom.com/grass-fed-beef-superfood-worth-premium/

https://foodrevolution.org/blog/the-truth-about-grassfed-beef/

---

Get my simple batch cooking meal plan for FREE!

You’ll get:

+ 7 day meal plan

+ Step by step instructions for how to cook an entire week’s worth of food in just two 2-hour sessions (life changing!)

+ Grocery lists

+ Twelve of my favorite, easy recipes

Enjoy making delicious and nutritious meals in way less time! 

Confession: I'm a Teeth Grinder

That's right you guys, I'm a teeth grinder. Or I was until I figured out a few easy tips to get to the root cause of my clenching and grinding problems.  If you yourself have ever woken up with a sore jaw and headache, are unable to relax your jaw during the day, or have had a sleeping partner wake you up to say “stop making that horrible death sound with your mouth", then you might be too.

My clenching and grinding peaked to a whole new level with the stress and anxiety of getting through nursing school. I frequently woke up with raging headaches and tension that spread all the way down my neck.

After a chipped molar and months of unrelenting jaw pain, I finally went to a doctor for guidance. The only solution he offered me was to take a sedative muscle relaxant to relax my jaw and relieve the pain. Muscle relaxants gave me some relief but left me in a sleepy, foggy state (which was not going to work for me when I was trying to pass my nursing finals). So, what was I supposed to do?

Thankfully, I've found some really effective natural methods to overcome this painful, subconscious habit.  Check out the video below to learn my tips for natural relief from teeth grinding! Or read my step-by-step article on the SCD Lifestyle page here >>

I hope these simple tips help you get some relief! They've certainly been a game changer for me. 

If you're looking to get more leafy greens and other magnesium-rich foods into your diet after watching this video, download my free 7-day batch cooking meal plan here!  

You’ll get:

+ 7 day meal plan

+ Step by step instructions for how to cook an entire week’s worth of food in just two 2-hour sessions (life changing)

+ Grocery lists

+ Twelve of my favorite, easy recipes!

Enjoy making delicious and nutritious meals in way less time!