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<\/figure>\n\n\n\nGlucose is an important energy source for all cells, especially your brain, so you want a steady supply of glucose in your blood. However, glucose is also an oxidizing sugar, so having too high a glucose level can cause oxidative damage to your blood vessels and tissues.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Typically, unstable blood sugar starts with high blood sugar from eating a high-carbohydrate or sugary meal, which triggers a surge of insulin. Subsequently, the insulin quickly puts the glucose into your fat and muscle cells, causing the blood sugar to drop quickly. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The drop in blood sugar triggers stress hormones like adrenaline and cortisol, which may cause mental distress and irritability. Also, you start to feel ravenous hunger and crave more sugary foods to increase your blood sugar. The cycle continues in a blood sugar rollercoaster. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Many people oscillate between high and low blood sugar until, eventually, their cells stop being able to respond to insulin as healthy cells should <\/span><\/span>. So, both your baseline and post-meal blood sugar become higher. As this happens, you may notice a growing midsection, as fat cells in this region collect blood sugar even when other cells stop responding to insulin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you don\u2019t fix unstable blood sugar, the pancreas can start to burn out from producing so much insulin, and this can lead to type II diabetes in 10 to 15 years <\/span>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Other than high-carb or sugary meals, other causes of unstable blood sugar may include<\/span>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Unstable blood sugar fluctuates between low and high blood sugar levels. Because glucose provides energy for your cells, one of the most obvious symptoms of unstable blood sugar is major changes in your energy levels throughout the day. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Symptoms correlated with low blood sugar levels may include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Low blood sugar levels also prompt the nervous system to release norepinephrine (adrenaline) or acetylcholine release, causing neurogenic symptoms<\/span>. The adrenaline can cause a temporary rush of energy and anxiety, whereas the acetylcholine can cause hunger.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In the short-term, high blood sugar is less dangerous than low blood sugar, so high blood sugar may be asymptomatic. This is why you have four hormones (epinephrine, norepinephrine, cortisol, glucagon, and growth hormone) that increase blood sugar and only one that decreases it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n However, long-term high blood sugar can damage your tissues and accelerate aging. Once blood sugar reaches diabetic levels, high blood sugar symptoms may include<\/span><\/span>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Overall, unstable blood sugar is very unhealthy because it increases stress hormones and puts your body in a fight-or-flight mode. This can worsen stress-related conditions or conditions that tend to worsen with poor blood sugar control, such as mental health issues and hormone imbalances. <\/span><\/span> <\/p>\n\n\n\n Nutrition is the most important part of stabilizing blood sugar. The low glycemic impact diet is designed to stabilize blood sugar by considering the glycemic index and glycemic load.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The glycemic index (GI)<\/strong> rates carbohydrate-containing foods based on how fast the food that contains 50 grams of carbohydrate raises blood glucose levels over two hours. <\/span>The rate of glucose rise from the food is compared to 50 grams of pure glucose or carbohydrate in white bread.<\/span><\/span> This allows for the ranking of carbohydrate-rich foods in terms of their impact on your blood glucose levels.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n The glycemic load (GL)<\/strong> is how much carbohydrate is in the food.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n The glycemic load is divided into three categories: <\/p>\n\n\n\n A low-glycemic impact diet takes into account both GI and GL. You can eat any low-GL foods, but those with a high GL should be low in GI so as not to disrupt the blood sugar. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Carbohydrates that are harder to digest, such as vegetables, have a lower GI. By consuming low-GI foods, the rate of insulin secretion tends to be lower. In terms of insulin response, not all carbohydrates are equal.<\/span> Low-GI and low-GL foods stabilize blood sugar.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n Examples of the Glycemic index (GI) of carbohydrate-rich foods and their glycemic<\/p>\n\n\n\n load (GL) for 100g of food; GI below\/equal to 50:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Low-GI foods include legumes.<\/span> Milk products and certain fruits have low GIs.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n Most potato products, bread, and breakfast cereals have high GIs, which are frequently higher than those of sucrose (table sugar). The GI range is most emphasized in starchy products, but fruits may also differ, as noted above.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n Except for white potatoes, most vegetables, fruits, intact whole grains, and legumes have lower GI rankings. More refined and processed foods, like white bread, have a high GI ranking <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n Benefits of a low-glycemic impact diet include <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n Clinical studies show that low-glycemic impact diets reduce body weight, body fat, blood glucose, and blood lipids. Also, lower glycemic impact foods tend to be higher in fiber and protein, so the diet increases satiety and reduces hunger<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n Although the original low-glycemic impact diet relied on one glycemic impact table for everyone, recent studies suggest that the blood sugar response to each food may be very individual. This new information suggests that your microbiome, lifestyle choices, blood sugar response, and genetics control the blood sugar of each food. For example, one person could have stable blood sugar in response to bananas, whereas another person would have notable blood sugar fluctuations from it <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n Therefore, when Matt and Wade coach their clients, they advise each client to use continuous glucose monitoring (see below) to determine the foods best stabilizing their blood sugar.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Exercise promotes muscle insulin sensitivity, which is important for blood sugar control and insulin sensitivity.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n You may not even need a lot\u2014as little as 7.5 minutes of high-intensity exercise per week was sufficient to help control blood glucose and improve insulin sensitivity in a 2013 study. Although all kinds of exercise are beneficial, high-intensity exercise is better at stabilizing blood sugar than its low-intensity counterparts <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n High-intensity interval training entails repeating the exercise for at least 30 seconds to several minutes with rest intervals in between. It should be performed with maximum effort, ranging from 8 to 10 out of 10-point exertion scale. Here, your heart rate and breathing will be so fast you can\u2019t carry on a conversation. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n Low-intensity exercise is defined by less than 7 out of 10 rates of perceived exertion (the amount of work you feel your body doing) and a heart rate that is less than 70% of your maximum heart rate.<\/span><\/span> At this intensity, you should be able to carry on a conversation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You can calculate the percentage of your maximum heart rate by subtracting your age from the number 220 (i.e., a 50-year-old person would calculate 220-50 for a maximum heart rate of 170).<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n Having more muscle mass also improves blood sugar control, so consider resistance training and muscle building <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n Find out if HIIT is better than steady-state cardio for fat loss<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Cold exposure can increase energy expenditure as well as the use of glucose. Repeated exposures can reduce fasting glucose and insulin levels.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n Because your body loses heat more readily in water than in the air, the water feels much colder at 20o<\/sup>C (68o<\/sup>F) than when surrounded by air at 20oC. Immersion in 20\u00b0C cold water doubles the metabolic rate during the bath and is quadrupled at 14 \u00b0C (57.2). This suggests increased metabolic rates by using blood glucose. Exposure to 14-15 \u00b0C promotes an approximately 43% increase in blood sugar control. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n An unhealthy psychological stress response impairs glucose metabolism.<\/span> Stress hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline raise glucose and thus glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1C).<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n The spikes in blood glucose from unhealthy stress response require the pancreas to produce insulin, so this can cause insulin resistance as much as food can.<\/span> As a result, stress can contribute to blood sugar-related issues, including high blood sugar and heart health challenges.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n However, it\u2019s not the external circumstances that throw off your blood sugar but how your body perceives the stress. Changing unhealthy stress response and using self-care practices to calm down during these times can improve your blood sugar stability. <\/p>\n\n\n\n We spend roughly one-third of our lives sleeping. Significant changes in glucose tolerance occur during sleep and influence glucose utilization.<\/span> Chronic sleep disturbances impair glucose metabolism and increase insulin.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n Sleep duration and quality significantly impact glucose homeostasis, including glucose intolerance and insulin resistance. Therefore, getting enough uninterrupted sleep<\/a> and maximizing sleep quality is important to stabilizing your blood sugar.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n Maintaining a healthy weight, eating a nutritious and well-balanced diet, exercising regularly, and getting at least eight hours of sleep are all important factors in achieving stable blood sugar levels.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n Excessive weight gain is linked to a higher risk of developing blood sugar irregularities. Adipose (fat) tissue in over weight people releases factors that contribute to the development of these irregularities. The inability to regulate blood glucose levels occurs when blood sugar irregularities is combined with the dysfunction of \u03b2-cells (cells that release insulin).<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n The microbiota in the gut is linked to a variety of metabolic issues. They also influence body weight and blood sugar control.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n Environmental factors (like diet) can change your microbial composition and metabolism in a way that may cause metabolic challenges. Overgrowth of bad bacteria and a leaky gut<\/a> can allow the bacteria toxins into the bloodstream, leading to metabolic endotoxemia or an intoxicated state from the toxins.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n A leaky gut increases the variation in post-meal blood glucose levels, in turn negatively affecting metabolic control\u2014which enables us to respond to signals by regulating enzymes in a pathway to increase or decrease their response to signals.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n Factors that cause leaky gut or increase intestinal permeability include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n A leaky gut may cause damaged pancreatic \u03b2-cells (which produce insulin) to produce more cytokines, resulting in insulin resistance<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n Microbiome Breakthrough<\/a> is an innovative synbiotic blend that promotes a healthier gut barrier and immune balance in various ways. Probiotics and prebiotics<\/a> improve the microbiome composition. Probiotics ferment prebiotics, producing favorable postbiotics like short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs).<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n SCFAs strengthen the gut barrier, stimulate the immune-balancing regulatory T cells, and inhibit bad bacteria and fungal growth<\/span><\/span>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n In addition, IgYmax helps escort out the bad bacteria and pathogens, making more room for the good ones. A clinical study found that it improved the microbiome composition and balanced the gut inflammatory response.<\/span> Overall, Microbiome Breakthrough is a synergistic science-based formula that supports your microbiome and promotes good bacteria in the gut, which may improve metabolism. It can also support healthy insulin sensitivity and weight loss along with a diet and exercise program. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Propolis is resin-like substances that bees collect from various plants. They have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antifungal, lipid-balancing, and blood sugar-balancing properties.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n Having persistently high blood sugar increases oxidative stress, which impairs \u03b2-cell (pancreatic cell that produces insulin) function and reduces your insulin sensitivity.<\/span> Because of its antioxidant properties, propolis may be able to improve metabolic disorders.<\/span> The effect of propolis depends on the dose, country, environmental conditions of the collection site, season, and vegetation.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n Because of its antioxidant properties, propolis may be able to improve metabolic disorders. In rats, propolis increased insulin sensitivity. In animal models, propolis improved insulin sensitivity, blood sugar, HbA1c, and insulin levels. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n In diabetic rats, encapsulated propolis enhanced insulin sensitivity. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n In a different 8-week animal study, rats were given propolis supplements ranging from 100 to 300 mg\/kg, which improved insulin resistance by decreasing insulin plasma levels.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n Momordica charantia, also known as bitter melon, karela, balsam pear, or bitter gourd, is well known for its lipid-lowering effects. <\/span> The benefits include pancreatic \u03b2-cell regeneration, insulin release, and combating the major issue of insulin resistance.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
How to know if you have unstable blood sugar levels <\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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How to maintain stable blood sugar levels<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
![\"fresh](\"https:\/\/bioptimizers.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Optimized-vegetables-1238252_1920-1024x683.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nEat a Blood Sugar-Stabilizing Low Glycemic Impact Diet<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Exercising More Often <\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
![\"woman](\"https:\/\/bioptimizers.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Optimized-woman-2592247_1920-1024x678.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nTaking ice baths<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Practicing stress management<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
![\"men](\"https:\/\/bioptimizers.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Optimized-meditation-1287207_1920-1024x682.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nMaking sure to get enough sleep<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Maintaining a healthy weight<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Strengthening your gut lining<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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<\/p>\n\n\n\nOther supplements that support stable blood sugar levels<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
![\"supplement](\"https:\/\/bioptimizers.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Optimized-medicine-1572978_1920-1024x768.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nBee Propolis<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Bitter melon<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
![\"Banaba](\"https:\/\/bioptimizers.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Untitled-design-13-1024x683.jpg\")
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