Eat FAT to Burn FAT… Eat Sugar to Gain FAT

Sugar.  It is in every processed food and even almost every “healthy” and “natural” food.  What happens if we eat too much sugar and consume too many carbohydrates over the year?  Add on growing up being taught that fat is bad for us and causing heart disease?  We consumed excess carbohydrate with non-fat or low-fat ingredients because we were told it was “good for us”… not understanding that non-fat or low-fat meant extra sugar added into the product to add flavor.  The more products sold, the more sugar was added into our foods.  Gradually we become addicted to sugar, refined carbohydrates and get stuck on the blood sugar roller coaster.  The result for most of us…insulin resistance and soon Type 2 Diabetic!

What else causes high blood sugar and insulin resistance?

STRESS!  Chronic stress creates stimulates the HPA Axis which increases the stress hormone cortisol which also increases the blood sugar levels as a results of the “Emergency Response Team” to run from the perceived threat!

Our goal to lose weight and to be healthy at a cellular level is to balance our blood sugar as well as to reduce insulin surges (hormone to lower high blood sugar levels and then store the excess in fat cells).  Excess carbohydrates and stress leads to storing fat!  We don’t want high glucose levels circulating in the bloodstream and in our cells.  To help reduce blood sugar levels we have some options:

1. Consume a low-carb, moderate protein (excess protein convert to glucose) and higher healthy fats
2. Add intermittant or longer sessions of fasting (bone broth fasts)
3. reduce sources of stress on the inside and out
4. Adding Infrared Therapy Treatment (as our “FRED” Sunlighten Infrared Therapy Treatment sessions at my studio)
5. Nutrients as “Good Sugar” from www.drwilsons.com to help…
   1. maintain normal blood sugar levels
   2. cells take in and use the  glucose they need to generate energy
   3. supply specific, essential nutrients needed for optimal sugar metabolism
   4. provide antioxidants that can help prevent oxidative tissue damage
   5. promote good sugar balance and metabolism
   6. avoid problems from sub optimal blood sugar metabolism and blood sugar imbalances

How is STRESS and BLOOD SUGAR connected?  As I mentioned above, our “EMS”, stress response system, is designed to create quick response in our “fight or flight” nervous system (Sympathetic Nervous System – SNS).  This automatic built in self emergency response system speeds up the metabolic processes in our body to create quick energy as required for an all out sprint from being attacked or chased.  The stress hormone, cortisol, that is released by the adrenal glands after being stimulated from the HPA Axis team, raises blood sugar which raises the hormone insulin (to lower elevated blood sugar) so our cells get the energy demanded to produce quick energy. 

As most of us seem to be over scheduled, multi-tasking and living LIFE AS A RACE, our stress response system is working constantly.  As I say in my book, anything excessive or constant becomes chronic and anything chronic becomes toxic… leading to dysfunction or imbalances in the body systems.  More is not better.  We have to find out tipping point for how much stress we as bio-individuals can tolerate without “breaking down” the bank or stress response system (HPA Axis).  Over time our adrenals become tired and gradually exhausted if we continue to ignore our own RED FLAGS to slow down and reset.  When we can’t raise our blood sugar to respond to an emergency or threat, because our adrenals are slow to respond, sluggish or tired, (as well as the liver and pancreas), the body had to find other ways to raise blood sugar to respond to the demand of stress.  We may lose muscle as the body breaks down protein to be converted (gluconeogensis) for glucose.

Have you measured your blood sugar throughout the day to see if you are above 70-90 or over 100?  Try testing first thing in the morning, during the afternoon, after meals, after workouts and evening time for a self experiment.  Then you can try “bio-hacking” your blood sugar by following the tips above as well as trying Berberine supplement if your Nutritional Therapy Practitioner found that a blood sugar stabilizer as GOOD SUGAR and BERBERINE HCL made a difference in your functional evaluation.

If you continue to LIVE LIFE AS A RACE and ignore your red flags as elevated blood sugar levels, you may find yourself with hypoglycemia, metabolic syndrome or type II diabetes.  If you avoid refined flour, sugar, grains, starchy carbs and processed foods you may find yourself feeling better if you replace those carbs with healthy natural occuring fats as avocado, coconut, olive, fish, flax and other good sources as grass fed butter, ghee and animal fats.

Do you want to learn more about how you can stabilize your blood sugar, become a fat burner and improve your performance?  Contact me for a coaching call as well as follow my blogs, podcast and social media updates to learn more how to transform the WHOLE you from the inside out at a cellular level.

Debbie Potts

www.debbiepotts.com