healthy blood

Healthy Blood

11. Know That Blood Sugar Response Is Quite Individual
I learned that we all react so differently to the same foods. For example, some so-called healthy foods, like whole grains, actually spike blood sugar in some individuals, but not in others. Similarly, watch out for fructose (sugar fruit). In many individuals, fructose will spike blood sugar, whereas whole fruit will noteven though whole fruit contains fructose.
12. Eliminate Wheat
The book, Wheat Belly, by William Davis, M.D. is a treatise on how the kind of gluten found in the mono-culture wheat we grow in the United States is often metabolized in the body just like sugar! So if you want to really get serious about your blood sugar, I suggest that you stay away from grains completely for a month or so.
13. Check Your Stress Levels
If youre eating well, but under a lot of emotional stress, it may cause high blood sugar. You might also notice that youre putting on weight. Since stress releases cortisol, and cortisol spikes blood sugar, you will find that undue emotional stress will spike your blood sugar. This also explains why coffee on an empty stomach can spike blood sugar. The caffeine causes the body to release cortisol.
14. Consider Supplements
If your blood sugar is higher than the ideal numbers I mention above, there are supplements you can take that really help control blood sugar while youre upgrading your diet. Green coffee extract and Gymnema sylvestreare are two good options.
15. Make Friends With Stevia
Stevia is an herb that is very sweet. I carry Nu-Naturals liquid stevia with me wherever I go. (With the exception of Truvia, the other brands dont hold a candle to Nu-Naturals and are often bitter.) I use stevia in my iced tea, in my coffee, and to add a little extra sweetness to berries and fruit or to plain kefir.
16. Exercise To Burn Off Excess Cortisol
When you are stressed, the excess cortisol produced by the body is designed to help you run away from the threat! When there were tigers to run from, the body used the cortisol to flee. The problem is that, today, our stresses are not the kind you can run away from. So instead of running from the tiger, do ten minutes of exercise. In an office building, you can walk up and down stairs or up and down the halls. You will be amazed at how effectively this quells the urge to reach for a candy bar or a donut.
17. Stop Dieting
If youre going to eat sugar, just be sure to eat some protein and add lots of salad, green vegetables, beans, and other low glycemic foods to the mix. This will go a long way toward keeping blood sugar even. As an added bonus, over time, those with the stable blood sugar are the ones who lose their excess belly fat, too.
18. Eat healthily
Eating the right type of diet can lower your risk for high blood pressure or help you return to normal blood pressure. Clinical studies show that a diet high in fruits, vegetables, low-fat dairy, whole grains, poultry, fish, and nuts really works. You also need to avoid fats, red meat, and excess sugar.
19. Shake the salt habit
Your body only needs about 500 milligrams of salt a day, but if you are like the average American you may be consuming up to 9,000 mg a day. Studies show that high salt leads to high blood pressure. Current recommendations are to limit salt intake to 2,400 mg per day, the equivalent of about one teaspoon.
20. Put the brakes on smoking and drinking
These are two other bad habits to avoid if you want to keep a normal blood pressure. Alcohol raises blood pressure and adds empty calories. A safe amount of alcohol is only one drink a day for women and two for men. Smoking is not safe in any amount. Nicotine causes blood vessels to constrict and that raises blood pressure. Quitting will also lower your risk of cancer and heart disease. The only way to know if you have high blood pressure or normal blood pressure is to have a blood pressure reading done by a trained healthcare provider. The American Heart Association recommends a blood pressure reading at least once every two years. If you have had a recent blood pressure reading and you have normal blood pressure, dont take it for granted. Remember hypertension is a common and sometimes silent killer. Push yourself away from the computer, turn off the television, get active, eat your fruits and vegetables, and kick any bad habits.