Feeling constant fatigue, daily brain fog around 3 pm every day, persistent afternoon sugar craving, and stubborn skin issues might sound familiar to many. These symptoms are often accepted as normal, but they could indicate underlying issues with glucose levels, glucose spikes and diet. Have you ever considered how your diet might be impacting your clarity and energy?

Understanding and managing your glucose levels isn’t just crucial for those at risk of type 2 diabetes (T2D); it’s essential for everyone. As T2D becomes increasingly prevalent in our world of ultra-processed foods and refined carbohydrates, everyone can benefit from learning about glucose and how to manage their levels to feel their best.

What is Glucose and Glucose Spikes?

Glucose, or blood sugar, is a primary energy source for our body’s cells. When you eat, your body breaks the food down into glucose, and releases it into your bloodstream, raising your blood glucose levels. This signals the pancreas to release insulin, a hormone that helps cells absorb glucose for energy and regulates your glucose levels to prevent glucose buildup in the bloodstream.

When we consume food, our blood glucose levels increase. A ‘glucose-spike’ occurs when we consume high-sugar or simple (refined) carbohydrate foods, leading to rapid increases and subsequent crashes in blood sugar levels. High-sugar foods and refined carbs (e.g., white bread, pastries) cause quick spikes, while complex carbs and fibre-rich foods (e.g., whole grains, fruits and leafy greens) lead to slower, more gradual glucose release. Frequent spikes and crashes can result in insulin resistance and increase the risk of type 2 diabetes.

The Impact of Frequent and High Glucose Spikes

Short-term:

• Lethargy: Glucose is a primary source of energy for your body. After a glucose spike, the subsequent crash can lead to a significant decrease in available energy, causing fatigue and lethargy. This ‘energy roller coaster’ can make you feel exhausted as your body struggles to maintain stable energy levels.

• Brain fog: Constant fluctuations in glucose levels can impair cognitive function, leading to difficulty in concentrating, memory problems, and a general sense of mental cloudiness.

• Hunger and cravings: Rapid spikes and crashes in glucose levels can trigger cravings for more sugar and simple carbohydrates, creating a cycle of overeating and further glucose spikes.

• Mood swings: Mood swings occur due to glucose spikes from eating foods high in simple sugars and refined carbs. After an initial burst of energy, a crash follows within 15-30 minutes, leading to cravings for more, which perpetuates the cycle. This causes short-term upbeat feelings followed by longer periods of irritability and fatigue, especially with poor snacking habits throughout the day.

• Headaches: Sharp changes in glucose levels can cause headaches or migraines in some individuals.

Long-term:

• Aging: Frequent glucose spikes can lead to glycation, a process that accelerates aging and contributes to age-related issues such as cataracts and Alzheimer’s disease.

• Diseases: During a glucose spike, our mitochondria (the energy powerhouses of our cells) become overwhelmed, producing harmful chemicals called free radicals. These free radicals can damage cells, mutate DNA, and lead to oxidative stress and inflammation.

• Excess fat: Consuming more simple carbohydrates than the body can process leads to high blood glucose levels, resulting in excess glucose being converted into fat. Insulin promotes fat storage by signalling the body to store excess glucose as glycogen in the liver and muscles. When these glycogen stores are full, the remaining glucose is converted to fat and stored in adipose tissue. This can occur even without insulin resistance if glucose spikes are frequent and significant.

• Type 2 Diabetes (T2D): Frequent glucose spikes can lead to T2D through insulin resistance and beta-cell dysfunction. Consuming high-simple carbohydrate foods raises blood glucose, causing the pancreas to release insulin. Repeated spikes lead to chronic insulin levels, making cells less responsive to insulin. The pancreas then produces more insulin, but overworked beta-cells eventually fail, reducing insulin production and causing chronic high blood glucose (hyperglycaemia), leading to T2D over time.

Managing Glucose Spikes

1. Dress your carbs

To manage glucose spikes, pair carbohydrates with protein, fibre, and healthy fats. This slows glucose absorption and reduces spikes. For sweet treats, such as chocolate, combine them with almond or peanut butter, or opt for chocolate-covered nuts. The healthy fats slow digestion, leading to a delayed rise in glucose levels.

2. Choose High-fibre Carbs

Opt for fibre-rich carbohydrates and natural sweeteners like fruit. Fruits contain natural sugars and fibre, which slow down sugar absorption and minimize glucose spikes. Unlike ultra-processed sweets, which are high in added sugars and lack fibre, fruits provide a slower, steadier release of glucose. This reduces the risk of sharp spikes and crashes.

3. Exercise

Exercise helps regulate blood sugar by increasing muscle uptake of glucose. Regular activity improves muscles’ ability to absorb sugar from the bloodstream.

Simple changes, like taking a 10-minute walk or doing light household chores after meals, can significantly reduce glucose spikes. Exercise facilitates immediate glucose use for energy, and it prevents your blood glucose from spiking as high as it would if you ate and then stayed sitting. This leads to a more gradual rise and fall in blood sugar levels and reducing the need for a large insulin response.

4. Start Your Day with A Low-Carb, High Protein Breakfast

Eating protein in the morning can curb cravings and stabilize glucose levels throughout the day. Try to combine the protein with fibre, fat and optional starch and fruit. Avoid foods with added sugar, dried fruit, fruit juices, refined carbs, or honey.

5. Food Sequencing

New research has found that the order in which parts of your meal is eaten can change how the body releases glucose into the bloodstream. Eating the protein and non-starchy vegetable components of a meal before the carbohydrates will lead to a lower glucose response. Similarly to the idea behind ‘wrapping’ your carbs, it is thought that the fat and fibre eaten first helps to provide a buffer to slow down the digestion of the carbohydrates.

Feeling constant fatigue, daily brain fog, afternoon sugar cravings, and stubborn skin issues shouldn’t be considered normal. Unleash a revitalised version of yourself by considering the type and patterns of your diet and how this may be affecting your glucose levels.

At Navy Health, we want to see you thrive and feel your best. Our extras policy covers dietician consultations, providing you with professional guidance on managing your glucose levels and optimising your diet. Visit our website today to learn more about how we can support your health journey.

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