Studies suggest that the average American gains 2lbs over the November to January holiday season and also experiences an average increase of 0.198% in their A1C during this timeframe. While these are not especially significant changes by themselves, research also shows that most of us do not return back to baseline throughout the rest of the year, meaning these increases in weight and average blood glucose continue to accumulate year after year which, over time, can create significant health risks. November is National Diabetes Awareness Month so let’s take this month to pay attention to habits that may put us at risk of blood sugar dysregulation and insulin resistance. Yes the holidays are here and yes we can enjoy the festivities (and food) that come along with them. But that does not mean we stop paying attention to our health needs altogether for two months and simply restart in January. Now is the perfect time to start implementing daily habits that prevent sharp blood sugar fluctuations and the great news is that these habits do not need to be difficult or time consuming.
Here is our list of 10 simple daily habits that can make a significant difference in your average blood glucose if practiced consistently:
- Start your day with 30g of protein. We’re looking at you bowl of oatmeal with fruit, honey, nuts and only about 5g of protein! Add Greek yogurt or protein powder to that oatmeal bowl or make overnight oats with a protein shake instead of milk to amplify that morning protein boost that sets up the rest of your day. Click here for more high protein breakfast ideas!
- Cut out the sugar-bomb coffee drink. Those pumpkin spice lattes and iced mochas aren’t doing your blood sugar any favors. Make your coffee at home using cream and either raw honey, allulose or monkfruit for a touch of sweetness. And when you do swing by the coffee shop, ask for just 1 pump of flavor (trust us, it’s enough) or opt for sugar-free options if you just have to have that sugary fix. Click here for our top 5 healthier holiday Starbucks orders!
- Move every hour. Repeat after us: I will not be sedentary. Sitting is the new smoking because it creates a whole cascade of inflammatory concerns, including insulin resistance. Set your timer and each hour get up and move for a couple of minutes. Walk to the other side of the building, go upstairs to go to the bathroom, do 10 quick squats in place before diving back into your computer – anything to get that blood flowing and blood sugar working for you! Click here for our video page and scroll down to Functional Movement to try all kinds of movement sequences if you need some inspiration!
- Walk after dinner for 15-30 minutes. This does not have to be fast-paced or strenuous at all. A simple leisurely stroll after our last meal of the day before we plop on the couch is one of the most significant things we can do to improve end of day blood sugar spikes when we are all naturally less insulin sensitive. Don’t have a place to walk safely or too cold? Cycle on a stationary bike or simply do some high knees while watching your evening show.
- Eat more fiber. Minimum 25 grams per day to be exact. This looks like 5 cups of mostly veggies. When buying anything with a label, check for at least 3g of fiber per serving. You can even consider a soluble powder supplement like psyllium husk.
- Eat less sugar. Less than 24g (which is 6 teaspoons) added sugar per day means less than 7g per serving on a label. Buy things like yogurt unsweetened and add just a teaspoon of sugar yourself to reduce glycemic load in processed foods.
- Ditch soda. Sweetened drinks contribute to more than half of the added sugar in American diets and are the primary food source of diabetes risk. Choose low/unsweetened drinks that still have flavor like Spindrift or even Poppi. Check out our drink recipe page for inspiration!
- Don’t eat solo carbs. Add peanut butter to that apple, a piece of cheese with those crackers, and chicken with that baked potato. Protein and fat slow down carb absorption which means a slower spike in blood sugar.
- Practice slow breath work. When we breath rapidly and from our chest, it sends a stress signal to the brain that we are in fight or flight. This immediately creates a release of sugar into the blood to fuel that need to fly or fight. So practicing calm, deep breaths that are slow and have a longer exhale does wonders for putting our bodies into rest and digest and keeping that blood sugar stored for when we really do need it. Here is an easy tutorial on box breathing you can try.
- Fast overnight. 12-16 hours of no calorie intake overnight can significantly improve blood sugar over time since our body has time to process all the food intake we had during the day. Last bite of food at 7pm? This means earliest meal the next day is 7am or perhaps as late as 11am depending on your day and needs. Learn more about healthy intermittent fasting in this webinar recording.
- BONUS: Continuous Glucose Monitoring. If you REALLY want to dive into your own data and make changes you can see working, CGM might be for you. We have a self-paced virtual program to walk you through using a CGM to optimize your own blood sugar – click here to check it out.
Make an intention right now: What is ONE daily habit you can commit to that will help keep your blood sugar and insulin in check?
