Blood sugar regulation impacts all aspects of human physiology. Optimizing our blood sugar is essential to:

• Sustainable energy
• Tissue integrity in our organs and blood vessels
• Hormonal balance 
• Brain health, mood, memory, cognitive function
• Inflammation management

ATP (adenosine triphosphate) is the fuel used in every cell within the body. Glucose is the technical name for blood sugar and is an important source of energy. Fatty acids and proteins can be converted into ATP. At all times there is a small amount of glucose within the body. This amount is tightly regulated by our central nervous system. The health of our nervous system and the health of our blood sugar regulation directly impact one another. An optimal range of glucose is 70-90 mg/Dl. When glucose levels move out of this range the brain responds by triggering the release of hormones that act to return glucose levels to normal. What constitutes normal is a controversial topic and many medical doctors are trained that “normal” levels mean a fasting glucose level under 100 mg/dL and postprandial (after a meal) of less than 140 mg/dL. However, studies have shown that individuals with fasting levels at about 95 mg/dL had more than 3 times the risk of developing type 2 diabetes than those with levels lower than 90 mg/dL (Nichols Normal Fasting Plasma Glucose Levels and Type 2 Diabetes). Similar studies conclude similar results in regards to post meals raising about 85 mg/dL (Tirosh Normal Fasting Plasma Glucose Levels and Type 2 Diabetes in Young Men). 

Key Organs & Hormones:

The brain is the primary organ of blood sugar regulation. It impacts the activity of the primary organs and tissues via the central nervous system. The central nervous system is made up of the brain and spinal cord. The hypothalamus and pituitary are key elements in regulating blood sugar. Glucose levels are monitored by glucose-censoring neurons in the hypothalamus. These signals integrate with information collected from other neurons, nutrients post-meal, and circulating hormones. If deemed too high/low then the hypothalamus communicates needed changes to the pituitary gland. The pituitary gland then directs the organs and tissues to either increase the conversion of glycogen to glucose (output) or glucose to glycogen (uptake). The organs/tissues coordinated by the CNS are as follows:

The pancreas— The hormonal functions of the pancreas are to produce insulin and glucagon. When blood sugar gets too high the pancreas releases insulin to lower them. When blood sugar levels get too low glucagon is released to increase the availability of fuel in the bloodstream. 
Adrenal glands— Two adrenal glands sit on our kidneys. These glands are composed of the adrenal cortex and medulla. The adrenal cortex produces cortisol, sex hormones, and ATP. The medulla produces epinephrine (adrenaline) and norepinephrine (noradrenaline). 
Adipose tissue— Adipose tissue is our body fat. It is a loose connective tissue composed of fat cells that store energy as triglycerides when blood sugar/insulin levels get too high. When opposite conditions occur (low insulin/blood sugar) then stored energy is freed from the fat cells and shuttled to the brain, heart, and muscles, and is then converted to ATP. Adipose tissues can synthesize and secrete hormones including leptin (inhibits hunger cues) and ghrelin (triggers hunger cues)
Liver— The liver converts glucose into glycogen for storage. It converts glycogen back into glucose for energy use around the body. 
Skeletal muscle— These muscles play three key roles in blood sugar regulation. They help normalize levels by taking in excess glucose. They store excess glucose as glycogen and provide protein for gluconeogenesis (the liver converting protein into glucose).
The hormones are: 

1. Insulin: Insulin is the hormone that helps store excess blood sugar in the liver, muscles, and fat tissue. This lets glucose + fat into the cells.
2. Glucagon: Glucagon helps release stored energy for use in the body. It is what releases glucose and fat out of our cells.
3. Epinephrine (adrenaline): Adrenaline is released at times when the body senses an emergency signaled by the CNS. These can be threats that are external or internal. For example a stressful situation (external) or low blood sugar (internal). Adrenaline prepares the body to fight or flee by increasing heart rate, pupil/bronchial dilation, and blood glucose/lipids. Adrenaline increases the amount of fuel available.
4. Norepinephrine (noradrenaline): Noradrenaline is the key transmitter used in the sympathetic nervous system. Noradrenaline increases blood pressure.
5. Cortisol: Cortisol is s steroid hormone released when stress levels are too high or blood sugar levels are too low. It increases available fuel to the heart and skeletal muscles. 

Energy production

We are capable of producing energy from all three macronutrients (fats, carbs, and proteins). Read more in-depth on the purposes each serves here. Important to note that energy can be produced through EZ water (a linked Instagram post that goes into EZ water providing energy by Quantum Health expert Carrie). Carbohydrates burn fast for short intense activity and need to be replaced frequently if used as the primary source. Fats burn slowly and are excellent for long, low-intensity, activity. Our body has a vast capacity to store fat. We store significantly more energy from fat than from carbohydrates. Utilizing fat for ATP takes longer than carbs and requires more time and the presence of oxygen. This is what makes it ideal for flow-steady activity and less useful for short intense activity. Proteins can be converted into ATP through the process of glycogenesis or by being oxides into alpha-keto acids. A proper balance of all three is essential to blood sugar support and carbs should always be paired with fat or protein to slow the spike of blood sugar and support optimal levels.

Blood Sugar Imbalances:
Rapid rises in blood sugar signal an emergency to the body and the pancreas immediately releases insulin to bring blood sugar levels down. When insulin overcorrects (reactive hypoglycemia) then the body can see this as an emergency as well and will then lead to the release of adrenaline, followed by cortisol, to raise blood sugar levels. We refer to this as the blood sugar roller coaster. Ideally, blood sugar levels gradually rise post meal times and fall after returning to a steady level in-between meals, and before. Overconsuming simple carbs and refined foods is a recipe for disaster. Similarly, stress from environmental factors negatively impacts our blood sugar levels as well. Our central nervous system constantly perceives various factors from the environment as dangerous and then triggers stress hormones to activate sympathetic fight and flight systems. This over time can lead to insulin resistance. Examples of environmental stressors include overexposure to artificial UVB light (screens and more indoor lighting), mold in buildings, traffic, overstimulating/draining jobs, etc. Internal stressors can come from any dysfunction in any of the bodily systems. There are endless ways to both support and soothe your nervous system to help steady its response to stimulation and aid the balance of response from within. 

What we’re feeding ourselves

Society has adopted a mindset of calories over nutrients. Caloric input means nothing about the ability a food has to both nourish your body and sustain its energy. We want to prioritize consuming nutrient-dense foods over empty caloric foods. “Calories in vs calories out” ignores the most relevant factors of our health and well-being. The source of the food impacts our insulin levels and other key metabolic hormones. 

Implement support

1. There is hidden sugar in countless products all over the shelves of grocery stores. Learning to read a label and avoid specific ingredients has a huge impact on your nutrition and blood sugar levels. 
2. Drinking diluted vinegar in a small glass of water before meals. 
3. The order you eat the macronutrients in your meal can positively (or negatively) impact the blood sugar spike. Eat fibrous food first, then fats/proteins, and end the meal with your sweet/dessert foods (including fruit). 
4. Walks/movement post meals help the body burn off excess insulin.
5. Align and address your circadian clock
6. Eating dense meals with an emphasis on protein and high-quality fats fills you up for longer and supports steady glucose levels. 
7. Managing exposure to natural vs artificial light is incredibly therapeutic to blood sugar management 
8. Allowing adequate time in between eating times allows the digestive system to rest and reset while also giving the body time to regulate glucose levels.
9. NOT skipping breakfast is hugely supportive as if you allow your blood sugar to drop too low it will trigger the release of adrenaline and other hormones to provide the necessary energy stores. 
10. Eating at consistent times of the day each day. This goes in hand with your circadian rhythm and your body begins to expect and adequately prepare for meals. 
11. NOT drinking caffeine on an empty stomach. Caffeine spikes blood sugar and when you drink it first thing in the morning you throw off your glucose levels for the rest of your day. Always aim to drink caffeine after a dense meal and implement other supportive elements to lessen its insulin toll. 
12. Some individuals do better with a balanced snack between meals. Some do better avoiding snacking at all. You can experiment with this and see what feels best for you.
13. Building awareness around how you feel. Paying attention to your mood regulation, hunger levels, energy, and focus before, during, and after meals will provide invaluable insight into your blood sugar regulation. 

Signs your blood sugar is out of balance:

• Irritability (hanger)
• Lack of attention span
• Anxiety/nervousness
• Memory struggles
• Never feeling full
• Cravings for carbs/sweets all the time
• Crashing in the afternoon 
• Struggling to wake up
• Feeling exhausted and then being unable to fall asleep at night
• Waking consistently throughout the night
• Weight gain + difficulty burning fat
• Increased blood pressure
• Strong cravings for caffeine 
• Feeling jittery/lig
• htheaded/shaky when meals are missed
• Skin tingling (around the mouth, feet, hands)
• Sweating 
• Irregular heartbeat
• Headaches
• Blurred vision
• Crying out during sleep
• Hyperpigmentation of the skin
• Depression 
• Slow healing / premature aging
• Systemic inflammation
• Frequent thirst + increased urination
• 
  

The goal of listing possible symptoms is NOT to overwhelm or to induce fear. It is to offer you the information and insight into how your body is communicating with you. Always center your focus and intention on how your body is serving you. The list is long because blood sugar quite literally influences every system in our body. It is one of the primary elements of energy production and utilization. The wonderful and always magical aspect to center on is that small changes produce BIG results and this especially rings true with blood sugar. It can be incredibly daunting and overwhelming to address when you have never done it before, but it does get easier, and in fact, once you are in the swing of things the beneficial changes will fuel and drive your intrinsic motivation to implement and do more. When we have been stuck in cycles the starting points sometimes appear impossible, but they are not. Your body is seeking this shift and wants to do and feel better. Remember that tiny habits build over time and eventually turn into brand new routines and our natural way of functioning transitions into our new normal.